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Posted in Culture

Origin and History of Hocus Pocus

The phrase “hocus pocus” is famously associated with magic and illusion, often used by magicians before performing a trick. However, its origin is somewhat mysterious,…

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Posted in Murder

Chemist detective finds many clues on headless body

Described at the Sherlock Holmes of Paris, a chemist studies clues left on a headless body to help determine facts about the murder. There were…

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Posted in Murder

Parents soak children’s beds in gasoline and set them on fire, father survived

A horrifying news report published in 1921 tells us that a wife and husband decided to kill themselves and their four children to keep the…

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Posted in History

Young woman upset after discovering her boyfriend is actually another young woman

From 1921, we find yet another article about a woman presenting as a man and courting another woman. In this case, as in many others,…

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Posted in History

Librarians mystified by lines of people visiting to read the dictionary

Long before the internet, there were dictionaries and encyclopedia sets. In 1921, librarians at the New York Library were stunned when lines of people formed…

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Posted in History

Oakland detects bubonic plague, begins rat extermination

An examination of 40 rats found that five of them carried the bubonic plague. Oakland takes steps to exterminate the threat to public health. City…

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Posted in Culture Witchcraft

Herbal Healers and Witches: The Ties Between Nature’s Remedies and Witchcraft

The association between herbal medicine and witches or witchcraft has deep historical roots that span various cultures and time periods. This connection primarily arises from…

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Posted in History

Human hair used in lighthouse electric fog bell

Human hair was used to operate an electric fog bell 100 years ago. The logic behind that hair use was that hair stretches when damp…

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Posted in Ancient Greece

The Worship of Hera, Queen of the Gods

Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage, women, childbirth, and family, was one of the most important and widely worshipped deities in ancient Greek religion. She…

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Posted in History

Biggest booze raids promised, New Jersey almost impossible to dry up

During Prohibition, newspapers were always filled with articles about booze raids and attempts to take away alcohol from the people. As we all know, their…

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