The history of how nutmeg came to be a staple in our kitchens is not really in line with the whole "Peace on Earth, good will to men" business we like to tell ourselves. The notions of reunion, comfort, and human connection we now get from a hint of nutmeg actually came at a terrible human cost.
Read MoreBeing a rockstar, it would make sense to most of us if Eddie Vedder's brush with death was the result of a drug overdose or something, but Vedder has never had a known drug problem. No, Vedder's near-death incident was a terrifying close call that had nothing to do with the rock and roll lifestyle.
Read MoreOvernight, Clark became a force in pop music. By 1964, Clark moved production of American Bandstand closer to the artists in Los Angeles.
Read MoreLucille Ball's life was filled with tragedy. Her father died when she was young, she was abused by her mother, her marriage to Desi Arnaz was frequently difficult -- the list goes on. But, there was one incident in particular that tragically changed young Lucille's family forever.
Read MoreAll in all, being a president has to be rough, and some of the rules surrounding the job make it even more so. At least the silly rules end when a president's time in office is up, right? Actually, only some of them do.
Read MoreThe Blues Brothers would become such a hit that you can find a statue of "Joliet" Jake and Elwood at The House of Blues in Chicago, Illinois. A statue may not be the epitome of comedy fame, but that's okay; Belushi has been immortalized in other ways.
Read MoreThe legacy of Jefferson Davis is tarnished by his tenure as president of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War and indictment for treason.
Read MoreThe Yule Goat can fly, and it often carries Santa on his yearly journey to deliver his sack of goodies around the world.
Read MoreThe city, founded in 315 BCE and named after Alexander the Great's half-sister Thessaloniki, was a major thoroughfare in the Macedonian Empire, and became a center of trade between east and west under the Byzantine Empire.
Read MoreEveryone needs a little help from their friends. Even a legend like Ella Fitzgerald. The singer gained popularity in the 1940s, performing jazz and classics in small clubs. But despite her talent, racial barriers and her looks held back her career. Until she became friends with Marilyn Monroe.
Read MoreRecording Medicine at Midnight wasn't without its own peculiar moments. Unlike the Foo Fighter's first nine albums, the challenges around the 10th album couldn't have been easy to predict, since they were supernatural and all. That's right: A haunting almost ruined the Foo Fighters' 10th album.
Read MoreOn the way to becoming Japan's true White Savior and its final, bestest samurai ever, Tom Cruise gets dressed by a Japanese widow who develops feelings for him, teaches some lessons about never giving up to other Japanese people, and leads a rebellion of samurai against some guys with cannons.
Read MoreThe Icelandic former billionaire Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has seen some ups and downs during his rollercoaster career.
Read MoreOzzy has immortalized himself in more ways than one. That's not to say the legendary musician isn't approaching actual immortality. Lord knows he's lived through more near-death experiences than the rest of us, including numerous drug overdoses.
Read MoreAt this point, our popular consciousness dictates that dolls are nightmare fuel rather than quaint, collectible children's toys from a pre-digital era.
Read MoreThe St. Valentine's Day Massacre remains an unsolved gang hit. While most fingers pointed to Al Capone, that's not the entirety of the story.
Read MoreSanta could just as easily have used horses or some other speedy creature, but reindeer have become an important part of the jolly saint's modern-day image.
Read MoreDespite its long affiliation with the Christian holiday of Christmas, the Yule log actually has its roots in pagan Norse mythology. The tradition originated in Scandinavia, then spread to the Celtic Brits and Gaelic Europeans, who believed that burning a yule log would bring good luck.
Read MorePresident Franklin Roosevelt was reportedly concerned that his administrations' records would be lost, destroyed, or sold, which had been the case for past presidents. He also wanted a place in which to write his memoirs and to "burnish his image as a defender of democracy."
Read MoreDuke Kahanamoku is considered the father of modern surfing. He was not just a surfer. He was also an Olympic-level swimmer who broke records for his time and earned three gold medals and two silver. He also appeared in films and became a life-long ambassador of surfing and Hawaii.
Read MoreLou Gehrig's battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was so public that his name was given to it; it was referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease for many years.
Read MoreFor many people -- celebrities included -- conspiracy theories and crank ideas come to cause untold damage to their professional and personal lives. One example is rapper B.o.B, aka Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., who shot to fame in 2009 after his hit single, "Nothin' On You," reached number 1.
Read MoreFor a long time, Evander Holyfield, four time heavyweight champ, had the funds to live a lavish lifestyle. That's what a tough chin and hard hands will get you. But there came a point when this former International Boxing Hall of Famer was losing more money than his fists could bring in.
Read MoreBefore Matt LeBlanc hit it big as Joey Tribbiani on the '90s TV chart-topper Friends, he was Daphne Zuniga's (TV's Melrose Place, the film Spaceballs) romantic partner in a Bob Seger video.
Read MoreApparently a motorcycle remains Keanu's "preferred mode of transportation" not only because of its ease in getting him to his many appointments, but also because he enjoys "the physical sensation of riding, the wind, the smell, the sights, the connection to the machine, the living-in-nature."
Read MoreCelebrating the Christmas holiday was actually banned in Massachusetts from 1659 through 1681, per Time magazine. Early American Life magazine notes that Puritans "abhorred the excesses of church celebrations" and saw Christmas as just another day on which to work hard in the name of Lord.
Read MoreIn 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to Congress, and in 1972, she became the first Black person to campaign seriously for the presidency on a major party ticket. She maintained her independent spirit throughout her career, sometimes to her detriment. Here is her story.
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