Author: Ms. R.

The quiet resort town of Arès, toward the northern tip of the triangle formed by Arcachon Bay, maintains a designated, but somewhat minimalist, waterfront landing pad for unidentified flying objects. The story began in 1976 when the so-called “ovniport,” named for the french translation of UFO (OVNI, or objet volant non-identifié) was officially inaugurated as one of the highlights of that year’s oyster festival. The idea, which at the time generated extensive media coverage, had originally been dreamt up by a……

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In the northernmost settlement of Norway sits a cannon once used by the Germans during World War II. It is one of the three smallest close-defense, flanking artillery pieces on site and suffered the least damage during the destruction of the battery in the autumn of 1944. Originally stationed on Bugøya, just outside Bugøynes, it stands as a testament to the history there. The cannon tells a unique story of how Bugøynes was spared during the German retreat in……

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The Massey Memorial at Point Halswell is a tribute to William Ferguson Massey, who served as New Zealand’s prime minister from 1912 until 1925. In 1886, amidst concerns about Russia’s presence in the Pacific after the Crimean War, a gun emplacement was built on the site. After Massey’s death, the fort was converted into a mausoleum in 1930. Featuring seven columns in a semi-circle topped by a curved marble block, the memorial’s design traces the original fort. The paved walkway marks the……

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In the small town of St. Louis, Michigan, a simple marker tells the story of a terrible environmental disaster. In the 1970s, the Velsicol Chemical Company accidentally mixed the toxic fire retardant chemical polybrominated biphenyls, known as PBB, into livestock feed which was then distributed across Michigan, causing a statewide health crisis. But for the people of St. Louis, the problem went deeper. The company had been dumping harmful chemicals including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, known as DDT, into the land and……

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Outside the historic Sharjah Fort stands an unassuming yet curious monument called Halabat Al Tawba. At first glance, it appears to be just a piece of wood, but the plaque beside it provides a fascinating glimpse into Emirati history. The story goes back to the reign of Sheikh Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi, circa 1883-1914. One day, a fire was caused by a blind man named Baseedou, who was cooking fish when his house, made of palm fronds, caught……

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At Harmony Groves Cemetery in Salem, Massachusetts, lies the graves of George Swinnerton Parker (1867-1952) and Charles Belote Parker (1885-1961), the brilliant minds behind classic board games like Monopoly, Clue, and Sorry! Their influence on the gaming world went far beyond just having fun, as they were considered true visionaries. One of their most fascinating and controversial creations was the Ouija board, a game that claimed to allow players to communicate with the supernatural. Originally invented by Elijah Bond……

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