-
Enter the dominion of The Beast: the mysterious allure of Aleister Crowley Described by some as "the wickedest man in the world," this satanist led quite the colorful life.
Before Dos Equis gave us “the most interesting man in the world,” there was occultist Aleister Crowley (1875–1947). Described by some as “the wickedest man in the world,” a Satanist, dangerous, and subversive, Aleister Crowley led quite the colorful life. Crowley’s mythic persona influenced pop culture giants like rock legends Led Zeppelin and Ozzy Osbourne, and he still continues to fascinate the world as a mystifying counterculture figure years after his death. Born to break boundaries Edward Alexander Crowley was born on October 12, 1875, to a wealthy fundamentalist Christian family. Edward was fascinated by Western esotericism and the occult at a young age, and in 1898 he joined the…
You May Also Like
10 heartbreaking stories about dementia that make you appreciate our old people Fairy tales, confusion, and living hell.
The true history of absinthe, and the reason it was banned for 100 years The drink has a colorful history involving everything from medical miracles to murder.
Meet the “Virtuous Pedophile” network protected by Twitter The "Minor-Attracted Persons" movement is led by a Canadian doctor who demands a "P" in "LGBT," and Twitter is accommodating them.
-
Vampires have nothing on the sinister blood-drinking fairies who inspired them Long before Dracula ever hit the shelves, Scottish folklore painted the first image of a vampire-like creature and it was terrifying.
Ever wonder when the first imaginary, blood-sucking, bat-shifting creature stepped into the light? Believe it or not, it wasn’t in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight… but it also didn’t start with Dracula. So, where did the vampire originate? The cheesy modern day vampires These days, the vampire narrative is pretty worn out. Ever heard of a little heartthrob movie called Twilight? What about The (cuddly) Count on Sesame Street? Heck, even Hotel Transylvania turned a bruting vampire into a caring, overprotective dad with an agenda to ruin his daughter’s love life. Big whoop. So, what happened to the terrifying vampire tales of the past? Bram Stoker’s Dracula certainly jarred the world when it was first released, and inspired some fairly scary…
You May Also Like
15 most awkward dinner scenes in film We're serving up bad jokes, bitchy relatives, and intimidating future fathers-in-law.
11 obscure kung fu movies you need to watch For every big-budget martial arts spectacular, there were dozens of cheaper films. But these are just as good as the hits.
10 types of weirdos you’ll find in an adult bookstore There's something in an adult bookstore for everyone, right? Unfortunately.
-
The dark origins of our favorite Disney stories The fairytales Disney based their classics on certainly weren't PG-13.
We grew up singing their songs, we cosplayed their outfits, and we took pictures with them in “Happiest Place on Earth.” But, what if there is more than just a “happily ever after?” Fairytales were usually written with a hidden truth or a moral lesson and over the years it’s been candied and reduced to a Walt Disney feature. Behind the veil of smiles, prince charming, and being a princess, there’s a darker truth that lingers in a fairy tale and we can say this much: no one is laughing at the end. Don’t believe me? Read on… Snow White Walt Disney’s empire was built on the back of his…
You May Also Like
By Jah was this man high: Bob Marley’s bizarre legacy Followers of his religion are "physical immortalists" and their bible is a rambling psychedelic dog's breakfast titled the "Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy."
Where do Oscar winners keep their Oscars? A hen house? The refrigerator? One favorite spot: the bathroom, which is a bad idea (it rusts).
The penny-pinching bible: 500 frugal tips guaranteed to save a fortune Twitter's frugality guru presents ingenious life hacks that will set you on track to possibly retire in the future.
-
The urban underground: Secrets under today’s modern cities Many cities have rich histories that date back millennia, and the source of that history lies right below the structures and streets that make their modern versions.
Modern cities have rich histories that can date back millennia, and the source of that history lies right beneath the structures and streets that make their current versions. Abandoned subway tunnels, secret compartments, and even whole rivers run underneath the worlds sprawling metropolises, and when unearthed reveal secrets to the past that have been long forgotten. Seedy members of society have long used subterranean realms to their advantage, while others used them as shelters while enemy armies laid siege. Many have been forgotten over time only to be rediscovered, and each tells a story of the city that resides on top. Paris, France Paris is another city that was founded…
You May Also Like
The gentleman’s guide to hacking Tinder We put the best experts in a room and distilled the essence into this thing.
6 incredibly stupid cons that actually worked You are being hunted by polish priests and need to pay the CIA $160k to protect you. These are the cons that make Nigerian 419 scammers look like Ocean's Eleven.
The incredible technologies and inventions now lost to history Some may be nothing more than legends, while others are well documented or even surviving as unexplained curios to this day.
-
From rites of passage to hipsters: The evolution of tattoos Whether it's a classic “MOM” on your arm or distinctions of class and social hierarchy, tattoos have always been around—and probably always will be.
Sailor Jerries, tramp stamps, and cheesy tribal designs — tattoos have either been on the butt (literally) of every joke or renowned for their originality and incredible artwork. Since ancient history, tattoos have risen and fallen in the stigma of beauty and distaste. However, despite the negativity surrounding tattoos, many men and women have sat in the artist’s chair and have gotten their badges of honor. Whether it’s a classic “MOM” tattoo or twin swallows stamped on your collarbone, tattoos are here to stay, and it was thanks to the may varied cultures who keep the trend alive. The tatt assumption We often think of tattoos as a symbol of…
You May Also Like
‘Doop Doop’ and the other theories that explain pop hits (pretty well) Computers may soon write our hits from scratch. One algorithm can predict with 60% accuracy whether a song will be a Top 5 hit.
8 rumors about the Founding Fathers that refuse to die off The dead bodies in Ben Franklin's basement were actually sacrificed by the Hellfire Club.
The devices that push battery life to the absolute limit The world is powered by aging battery technology. These are the devices that still manage to impress.
-
Man brings ancient Greek music to life and the result is amazingly avant garde Discoveries and breakthroughs de-mystify the actual sound of ancient Greek music.
Music speaks to your soul. No matter what language you speak, you can enjoy “Kung Fu Fighting” as much as the next person. When it comes to ancient Greece, there has been a lot of mystery around what their music sounded like. In 1932, musicologist Wilfrid Perrett told an Royal Musical Association audience that “Nobody has ever made head or tail of ancient Greek music, and nobody ever will. That way madness lies.” Luckily, there have been some breakthroughs in that arena since that time. Kids won’t appreciate these tunes While they weren’t U2’s level, ancient Greece did have their own rockstars. Composers such as Athenaeus and Philotas delivered some popular jams…
You May Also Like
How to survive a royal beating The complete prick's bag of simple tricks to avoid coming down with a life long beating-induced neurological disorder.
Fun sounding techniques for measuring horrible things When things go horribly wrong, there are people paid to measure just how bad things actually are. And they're really funny.
10 absurd inventions that prove you should never drink while inventing These are all real inventions and the illustrations are taken directly from their official patents.
-
The most badass Latin phrases Latin's utility has long since faded, but there's still something inherently awesome about it.
There’s something delightfully pretentious about Latin. It is, despite what the classics majors will tell you, a very dead language. And yet its use alludes to an era that many in the West naturally revere — the Bronze Age. These days, Latin is, more often than not, relegated to legal terms or mottos. These have an air of permanence about them. And while Latin’s utility has long since faded, there’s still something inherently awesome about uttering a phrase in Latin. Here are some of our favorites. Ad astra per aspera “A rough road leads to the stars” Apollo 1 was the US first real disaster in the space program. Three…
You May Also Like
Guysmopolitan: 20 hilariously bad tips you would find in the male version of Cosmo You should probably just do the opposite of what Cosmo tells you whether it's cranking out dumb shit for men or women.
Does Trump have a time machine? Tesla's stolen research, and some freaky coincidences. Here's my theory.
10 hilariously stupid products everyone knew would fail, and then they did Serious people in expensive suits looked at each other and agreed; we're gonna make baby food for adults and make a killing.
-
Hollywood blockbusters with glaring historical inaccuracies Hollywood has a knack for embellishing the truth, especially when the movie comes with the label "based on a true story."
“Based on a true story” can mean a variety of things, but in most cases, it translates to: “we promise a nugget of truth, somewhere.” What’s important is that it makes for a good story, right? You decide. Ridley Scott and Burt Reynolds’ Gladiator (2000) “Are you not entertained?” Clearly not if you’re a history buff. Though much of the public had no qualms over Russell Crowe’s portrayal of a tragic sword-wielding hero, there were many who noticed that the film had it’s share of inaccuracies. Don’t get us wrong — the film was great (not to mention the awesome soundtrack). But there were some scenes that didn’t quite match…
You May Also Like
Eilmer of Malmesbury: the flying monk of medieval England The first known serious flight attempt in world history occurred about a thousand years before the Wright brothers, in an English abbey.
The Dos and Don’ts of finding a date in a public bathroom (+5 other everyday places) Caitlin explains the right and wrong ways to meet women where you normally aren't supposed or expected to.
The (many) lies pornographers tell Porn counting goes like this: 1, 2, 3, Gang, “INSERT FANTASY NUMBER HERE.” And basically everything else is a lie also.
-
The origins of common (and not-so-common) superstitions Make sure all containers in the room you are reading this are tightly sealed, or you'll be cursed with nightmares for the next three years.
Black cats. Walking under ladders. Opening umbrellas indoors. Broken mirrors. Throughout history and across the world, superstitions have crept their way into the human consciousness. Here are some you probably haven’t heard of. But first…make sure all containers in the room you are reading this are tightly sealed, or you will be cursed with nightmares for the next three years. No? Okay…but you’ve been warned… Evil spirits lurk in brussels sprouts Have you ever noticed someone cut a cross-shape in a stalk of Brussels sprouts before cooking them? Your mom might tell you it helps the sprouts cook better. But she’s wrong. Your dear mother is probably unsuspectingly practicing a…
You May Also Like
Gates of Hell: The real places said to be entrances to the underworld Hell, Hades, Guinee—the names are different but they all describe an underworld that many believe can be accessed through real gateways.
Meet the Yugo: the worst car ever made How do you double a Yugo's value? Just fill the tank.
The true story of a Victorian swindler and his spectacular underwater bachelor palace Upon first glance, Witley Park in Surrey, UK is just like any other extravagant Victorian mansion. But look closer.
-
8 world records in the field of penis achievement Get ready to question your manhood.
We all have that braggadocios, dick-swinging, knucklehead of a friend who thinks his penis is really that much more special than everyone else’s situation. The reality, as you’re about to find out, is that their penis really isn’t anything to brag about. Here are the men who actually set world records in the field of penis and penis achievements. Longest jerking session Watch this video on YouTube While you won’t find this particular record in the official Guinness Book of World Records, Japan’s Masanobu Sato took the world title at the annual San Francisco’s Masturbate-a-thon 2009 (yes, it’s SF, so of course it’s a thing). The Masturbate-a-thon is an event in which…
You May Also Like
The quest to put our sleeping brain to work New study suggesting we can do basic processing and, perhaps, even math in our sleep, is a big step forward.
The wacky gay world of extreme bodybuilding Would you eat monkey brains?
7 hilariously stupid self-defense systems that will get you killed dead As long as there’s an Internet, there’ll be people utterly incapable of defending themselves – especially against people saying “Buy this, it’ll totally help you defend yourself!”
