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Month: December 2022

5 Murder Cases That Were Solved By Citizens

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Whenever a murder case arises, we leave it to law enforcement to crack the case and find out who was responsible. However, there are some cases that stump even the most trained professionals, and cases can go cold for years and decades. However, some interested parties have done some sleuthing on their own time to solve some of the hardest murder cases over the years, leading to answered questions and peace of mind. Here are five murder cases that were solve by citizens instead of law enforcement.

Dana Lynn Dodd

On the night of October 29th, 2006 in Kilgore Texas, a pair of strangers walking down the street discovered the fiery remains of Dana Lynn Dodd. She had been recently murdered and her body set ablaze in the woods. At first, investigators had no leads and no clue who this Jane Doe could be. 

She was affectionately named Lavender Doe due to the color of her shirt when found. It took twelve years and extensive digging online for three civilian sleuths Lori Gaff, Kevin Lord, and Missy Koski to uncover her true identity. Eventually, the murderer, Joseph Wayne’s Burnette, confessed to the killing as well as the murder of another woman who was living with him at the time. He was charged and convicted, set to serve three consecutive 50-year sentences. Through this tragedy, the DNA Doe Project was founded. 

Gregory May

In 2001 a man named Gregory May suddenly vanished from his Iowa apartment he shared with his friend Douglas DeBruin and DeBruin’s girlfriend Julie. After May went missing, his beloved artifacts and rare antique collector’s items had been popping up at different locations with May nowhere to be found. 

That same year a man’s skull was found decapitated and buried in a solidified bucket of concrete at a truck stop in Missouri. In 2005 an internet sleuth named Ellen Leach, who made it a hobby to crack cold cases, matched a picture of the still-missing May with the reconstructed head model of the severed head found by the truck stop. The break in the case led to DeBruin being apprehended by police after he fled to Arizona. 

Jessica Currin

Jessica Currin’s body was found dead near a middle school in Mayfield Kentucky in the summer of 2000. She had been sexually assaulted, bludgeoned to death, and set on fire. She left behind an infant son. Her murder was first pinned on the baby’s father but never gained traction due to the irresponsible handling of the case by the police. 

The true killer was revealed by Susan Galbreath, an amateur sleuth who spends her time attempting to solve cases just like Currin’s. After years of research, talking to people in the town, and even speaking to the victim’s suspected killer, someone finally came forward and gave a statement pinning the murder on the man Galbreath had suspected, Quincy Cross. Cross was sentenced to life in prison. 

Joseph James DeAngelo 

Joseph James DeAngelo, coined The Golden State Killer by author and sleuth Michelle McNamara, is responsible for the murders of 13, sexual assaults of 51, and burglary of 120. He was active between 1974 and 1986, not being apprehended until 2018. 

Michelle McNamara was a writer who took an extreme interest in the slurry of unsolved cases. Before her untimely death, she wrote a book dedicated to the crimes and her views on it. Detailing the kind of person she thought committed the crimes and bringing awareness to the cold cases. That all led to DeAngelo being apprehended after police connected the dots via familial DNA. DeAngelo is currently serving 12 life sentences. 

Tara Grinstead 

Tara Grinstead was a high school teacher in Georgia, where she went missing in October of 2005. She was declared dead in 2010, though she had not been found by that time. In later years, Payne Lindsey’s true crime podcast Up and Vanished featured Grinstead’s case. 

With the podcast bringing awareness to the case, tips began coming in and police finally arrested and charged Ryan Duke with Grinstead’s murder. It has been discovered that he had burglarized her home and strangled her to death when she caught him in the act. In 2022 Duke was convicted and sentenced to a measly 10 years in prison for this heinous crime. 

5 Hacks to Take The Scenic Route More Often

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When a lot of people take a road trip, they want to get there as fast possible with stops only for gas, food, and sleep. Then, there are those that want to make sure that their road trip turns into a full-on journey that’s filled with sights, sounds, and plenty of great memories. Those that haven’t done it before should try making their trip a bit more scenic, but might not be sure how to do it.

For everyone that’s trying to make their road trip better and take the scenic route more often, there are a few hacks that you should know about. These little tips will make sure that you get the trip that most people can only dream about, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Take The Road Less Traveled

If you would like to experience more breathtaking scenery on your trips, try taking the less traveled route, or even planning out your own specific route. Of course, it’s great to take the popular route and see all the touristy areas have to offer. 

Some things are worth jumping on the bandwagon for. Though, if you want to experience something new and unseen by the general public you should definitely stray from the path, safely of course. 

Go To Tourist Destinations

Although you could go where most travelers don’t, there’s a reason must-see destinations are so popular. There’s nothing wrong with flocking to the coolest places. If you want a low-key experience, try going to these destinations during the time of year that isn’t bombarded by tourists. 

Usually, states, cities, and countries advertise specific landmarks to visit or scenic trips they encourage people to take. You can plan your trip around the must-see destinations and travel the scenic route while you make your way through them. 

Travel a Certain Time of Year

Traveling is a fantastic way to see and take in all the world has to offer. Make it an even better experience by traveling at different periods throughout the year. Even if you travel to the same place, the changing seasons and atmosphere will make you feel like you’re taking an entirely new trip. 

Much like how leaf peepers love traveling to the New England area, or Midwest area to see the changing color of the leaves and gorgeous autumn scenery, visiting a place during a particularly beautiful time of year makes all the difference. So plan your trips around the time of year you’ll get the most stunning scenery if you can. 

Take Different Methods of Travel

One tip that you may have overlooked is taking different modes of transportation to get a different view of scenic areas. Traveling by train, bus, car, plane, boat, bicycle, or even walking will all give you differing views of the most scenic places. 

Traveling by air will give you an amazing, often unseen view of beautiful places you’ve probably only seen on ground level. Ground travel will give you a much more personal and up-close look, as well as the ability to pause, explore, and take in the views. 

Take the Long Way Home

Oftentimes when traveling we have a sense of urgency to get to our destination as quickly and efficiently as possible. Taking the time to slow down and take the route that’s seen as “out of the way” is a great way to make a scenic drive out of the most mundane driving tasks. 

Sure it takes some time, but that’s okay and not everything has to be rushed. If you’re able to take the time to leave for a trip early or take the time to travel the backroads on your way home, it’ll give you time to unwind and enjoy taking in sights you don’t often get the chance to see when you take the fastest, hurried route. 

5 Best Places to Live in the USA

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No matter where you’re from or where you live now, there is always going to be a debate throughout the United States as to where the best place is to live. People from every city will boast about their local restaurants, natural beauty, work environment, and anything else that will make their city more appealing to those that are thinking about moving there.

When it comes to the general consensus as to which places in the United States are the best to live, though, there are some that most experts agree upon. Whether it’s because they offer low housing prices and even lower crime rates or have a plethora of good-paying jobs and dozens of hiking trails, these towns and cities are the best that America has to offer. If you’re planning on relocating you and your family, here are the five best places to live in the USA.

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah Georgia has a lot to offer and is certainly one of the best destinations to call home in the USA. As of now, there are over 330,000 residents enjoying life in Savannah. If the allure of southern charm and great food isn’t enough to sway your decision, the charming southern city has a low cost of living, beautiful structures, a refreshing coastal scene, and a plethora of fun activities that might make the decision to relocate to the diverse city all that much easier. 

Rochester, Minnesota 

Rochester Minnesota might seem like an unassuming destination when you’re deciding where to call home. Still, the densely suburban city offers a quiet and homely place to make you feel comfortable and secure. Most of the residents own their homes, so you won’t feel cramped or necessarily have to share living space. Of course, another one of the perks of living in Rochester would be the natural scenery of the Midwest seasons. Rochester is full of beautiful parks you and your family can enjoy. Higher standards of living make the healthcare and education systems some of the best as well. 

Sioux Falls, South Dakota 

Like the previously mentioned midwest location, Sioux Falls South Dakota offers a comfortable and spacious suburban feel. With an affordable cost of living, it won’t be tough to find the perfect home in this quiet Midwest city. Low crime rates assure those who live there that the area is moderately safe and secure, which is especially important if you have little ones at home. Feeling safe and comfortable are arguably the most crucial factors when deciding on where to settle down. Along with safety, Sioux Falls is known for its excellent healthcare and education systems as well. 

Spokane, Washington

Spokane Washington delivers on providing a bustling city environment, while also having options to live a more quiet and serene life close to all the nature the northwest USA has to offer. It’s an ideal location for those who don’t want to settle on one lifestyle, or another and wants the best of both worlds. Although the city is big, residents don’t have to suffer the downside of big city life. If that’s not appealing enough, the state of Washington is incredibly beautiful with access to the rocky coast and excellent weather that changes depending on where you go. It’s the best US city for those who like variety and the power of choice. 

Tucson, Arizona 

Arizona is a popular destination for retirees and those seeking a thrilling, active lifestyle away from the inconvenience of summer humidity and winter snow. The dry, snow-free climate is unbeatable if you’re not a fan of the cold and snowy winter months or the sticky humid summer months elsewhere. Tucson has a growing food scene, full of authentic and homemade dishes served at culture-rich restaurants. There’s an abundance of parks, mountainous landscapes to hike, and a fabulous art scene. To top it all off, affordable housing makes it easy to find the place that best suits your needs without jumping through hoops. 

5 Countries with the Most Out-There Flags

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The national flag is a massive symbol of pride for many of the world’s nations, as we see them waving at every international event like the Olympics or World Cup. People are proud of their homeland for the most part and want to display that by waving their country’s flag whenever possible. There are a lot of simple designs when it comes to flags, though, with some being indistinguishable from one another to the untrained person.

A lot of countries simply have three different colored bars, while others keep it simplistic. Then, there are those countries that really like to make things unique by creating something that you can’t miss. Here are five of those countries that have the most eye-catching and out-there national flags.

Nepal

Every country in the world has a national flag that’s rectangular, except for one. Nepal decided to go the most unique route possible by ditching the traditional rectangle flag and making it a pair of pennants on top of one another. Nepal has always opted for this style of flag, though, while the designs on the flag itself have changed over the years.

The modern version of the Nepal flag that was adopted in 1962 is red with a blue outline and features a crescent moon with a sun peeking out on the top pennant while the bottom pennant features the full sun. The two symbols represent Hinduism and Buddhism, which are the two main religions of Nepal.

Mozambique

There are always going to be countries that have interesting symbols on their flags, but the combination of symbols doesn’t get more out-there than Mozambique. The flag features teal, black, and yellow bars with a red triangle on the left side. Within that triangle, though, brings up a lot of questions as to what’s going on.

The base layer of the triangle features a yellow star, which is pretty standard, with the next layer being an open book. It isn’t even a specific book, either, as it’s meant to symbolize education. Then in front of the book is a hoe crossed with an AK-47 that has a bayonet. The hoe, of course, symbolizes agriculture, while the AK-47 is supposed to mean vigilant defense of the nation. Needless to say, it really gets the point across.

Dominica

The Caribbean nation of Dominica adopted a new flag in 1990, and it’s one of the only ones that people would consider “cute.” The flag has different proportions compared to most at a 1:2 ratio, though most of the design is pretty standard with a cross made up of yellow, black, and white bars on a green background.

The real eye-catcher, though, is the symbol in the center. There’s a red circle with 10 green stars, and inside of those stars is a purple parrot. The parrot is the sisserou species, which is native to Dominica and the national bird that’s on the coat of arms. The sisserou is an endangered bird, with only around 300 remaining. Yes, the real-life parrot is indeed purple in case you were wondering.

Mexico

Mexico essentially has the same flag as Italy with three stripes of green, white, and red, in that order. However, there is one massive difference between the two. The Italian flag has nothing in the white stripe, while Mexico is telling an entire story with theirs. The Mexico flag shows an eagle standing on a cactus while eating a snake alive.

Why such a graphic nature image, though? The symbol is actually an Aztecan one that’s part of the culture’s legend. The eagle was pointing while devouring the snake, showing how to reach the city of Tenochtitlan.

Bhutan

There are a few countries in the world that feature a dragon on their flag, but none go into more detail than the Asian nation of Bhutan. With a 50/50 diagonal background split between orange and yellow, there’s a black and white dragon front and center, taking up most of the flag.

The dragon has changed over the years thanks to new designs, but the symbolism has remained the same. The dragon’s white color symbolizes purity while also looking aggressive in case of needing to defend the country, while the dragon as a whole represents the Dragon King of Bhutan, a.k.a. the head of state.

5 Manliest Hockey Players of All Time

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When you think of manly sports, hockey has to be at the top of the list. What other sport is there that allows bare-knuckle boxing in the middle of a game with no legal repercussions? Over the course of NHL history, there have been some extremely manly players to make their way through the league, but these five brawny dudes stand out as the manliest.

Gordie Howe

Many say that if it weren’t for Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe would be considered the unanimous choice for the best hockey player of all time. In Detroit, Howe is a legend after having spent a quarter century with the Red Wings. The bridge to Canada is named after him, and there’s even a “hat trick” named in his honor, and it’s the manliest thing you might hear today.

A Gordie Howe hat trick is when a player collects a goal and an assist, while also getting into a fight all in the same game. Howe did this for the first time in 1953, and once more the following season. Howe played professional hockey until he was in his 50s, showing just how macho he was, even in his advanced age. Howe passed away in 2016, but not before leaving an amazing legacy in hockey.

Tim Horton

Tim Horton might be known as the namesake for the massive chain of coffee and donut joints around North America, but Horton himself was a tremendous and manly NHL player for 24 seasons. Horton played for four franchises, most notably with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1952 until 1970.

Horton was an absolute brute as a hockey player, showing off the type of muscle that you envision when thinking of a Canadian lumberjack. It was unfortunate how Horton met his demise at 44 years old, but his legacy still lives on in the form of some small donuts and what was some of the best coffee in the world during his life.

Howie Morenz

If you look at Howie Morenz, he looks less like a guy who would play hockey and more like a guy that would bust your kneecaps for not paying him back in time. Morenz was a native of Mitchell, Ontario, and one of the greatest players of his generation. He was a gambling man that could also play the ukulele and had three kids by the time he was 31 years old.

Morenz was known for his blazing speed on the ice and popped right back up after taking a high-speed collision. Unfortunately for Morenz, his speed was what would ultimately be his undoing. In a game against Chicago, Morenz was going after a loose puck when he lost his balance and broke his leg when crashing into the ice. He was then in his hospital room and didn’t want help to use the restroom, so he tried to walk on his broken leg, leading to a coronary embolism.

Lanny McDonald

Forget the manliest hockey players of all time, Lanny McDonald looks like one of the manliest people in human history. McDonald rocked a huge mustache during his playing days, and that didn’t change after he retired. The only thing that changed is the color as his mustache went from red to white.

McDonald was a hell of a player on top of having a hall of fame mustache, too, as he also made the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. During his career, McDonald put up 500 goals and over 500 assists, and even took home the 1983 Bill Masterton Award. The award is handed out to the NHL player who “exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication” to the league, and that sounds pretty manly.

Ryan Reaves

One of the best enforcers in NHL history, Ryan Reaves has played with several teams throughout his NHL career and is known for fighting the other team’s biggest and toughest player when things get dicey. Heck, he’s even starred in commercials where he enforces Las Vegas residents to not use too much water.

Reaves has been a beloved teammate everywhere he’s played because he’s not afraid to finish fights that get started. Essentially, he’s like the big brother of every franchise that he’s played for.

5 Most Memorable Jeopardy Contestants

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Since the show has been on the air for so long, Jeopardy! has had countless contestants come through the ranks. The most memorable ones have been the ones that have racked up win after win, while also having a personality to boot. These contestants are able to display their personality more often since they get a daily interview with the host, with some of the more successful contestants running out of things to talk about.

Throughout the history of Jeopardy! there are certain contestants that fans still think about to this day. Here are our picks for the five most memorable Jeopardy! contestants that had the most significant impact on the popular game show.

James Holzhauer

Many people incorrectly assume that Las Vegas resident James Holzhauer had the longest winning streak due to the massive amount of money that he won. However, he actually ranks fourth in consecutive games won with 32, but the way he dominated was unforgettable. In 2019, Holzhauer went on a tear, and the professional gambler would typically lay it all on the line in Double Jeopardy and Final Jeopardy.

Holzhauer would end up taking every single one of the top 10 spots in the single-game winnings record books and was able to get into six figures on six different occasions. His highest one-day total on Jeopardy! Was an astonishing $131,127, which he accomplished on April 17, 2019, and his total winnings on the show ended up at just under $3 million, good for third place all-time.

Ken Jennings

You can’t tell the story of Jeopardy! without mentioning Ken Jennings, who holds a record that will likely never be broken. In 2004, Jennings went on an insane win streak that caught the world’s attention, and it reached 74 games. No other person in Jeopardy! history has won more than 40 games, showing just how untouchable the record is.

Jennings also has the record for highest winnings in non-tournament play, with a whopping $2,520,700, putting him just ahead of Holzhauer. Jennings, of course, would take part in several tournaments after his insane 74-game run and eventually was named as one of the hosts of Jeopardy! following Alex Trebek’s death.

Austin Rogers

Austin Rogers isn’t in the top 10 in terms of games or money won, but he has a special place in the hearts of Jeopardy! fans around the world. Rogers is a bartender from New York City, and before Holzhauer came along, he had multiple entries in the top ten in terms of most money won in a single game.

Rogers was able to showcase his personality and quickly became a favorite for Alex Trebek. His reactions to getting answers wrong or right were must-see television, and he would end up winning $445,000 thanks to winning a dozen shows.

Brad Rutter

Nobody has been able to take advantage of the tournament structure of Jeopardy! quite like Lancaster, Pennsylvania native Brad Rutter, who earned his spot in the show’s list of all-time greats before there was a cap on the number of games you could win. Rutter won all five of his appearances in the regular season and then won all five tournaments that he took part in.

Rutter was unstoppable, and no human could beat him, with IBM’s artificial intelligence machine Watson being the first to defeat Rutter. Over the course of his Jeopardy! career, Rutter would make $5,053,436, which is number one of all time.

Amy Schneider

In 2022, it looked like Ken Jennings’ amazing streak might come into, well, jeopardy. That’s because engineering manager Amy Schneider from Oakland went on a long streak of 40 games and made headlines as the first transgender person to make the Tournament of Champions. Schneider’s 40 games was good enough to become second all-time, passing Matt Amodio’s 38 games the previous year.

Overall, Schneider ranks fourth in terms of money won from regular season games and overall with tournaments included. She pulled in $1,382,800 throughout her regular season wins. “I didn’t want to make too much about being trans, at least in the context of the show,” Schneider said. “I am a trans woman, and I’m proud of that fact, but I’m a lot of other things, too.”

5 Best Games You Can Only Play In The Snow

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Many of us love the summertime because it’s when we get to go outside and take part in many of the activities that are synonymous with the season. From swimming and hiking to playing baseball and tennis, the summer is when the most fun and games happen. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun during the winter, though.

There are plenty of great games that you can really only get the best of when it’s chilly outside and snow on the ground. If you’re looking for a fun activity to help with those winter blues, here are the five best games that you can only play in the snow.

Sled Racing

If you try to bring out a sled in the middle of the summer, you’re not going to go very fast and may end up getting stuck in some mud while on a hill. During the wintertime, though, you can bust out the sleds and have races to see who can reach the bottom the fastest. It doesn’t have to be sleds, either, as inflatable tubes are just as fun and put a new twist on things thanks to their spinning nature.

To make things even more fun (and quite honestly, safer), you can have people go down a hill one at a time and use a stopwatch to check on who had the fastest time. You can make things even more fun and start a family tradition by giving a trophy to whoever had the fastest time over the winter season.

Snowball Fight

It wouldn’t be winter without a good old snowball war between two sides. What typically starts off as two people tossing snowballs at each other can quickly, well, snowball. Teams on each side can set up their own snow forts to keep themselves safe or even build trenches in the snow to simulate a full-out snow war.

There’s a lot of creativity that can go into a snowball fight, and once some people see that you’re having fun, they’re going to want to join in on the action. In some towns, you’ll see two sides made up of dozens of people throwing snowballs as far as they can at one another.

Snowman Building Competition

Another one of those staples of winter that people of all ages love is building a snowman. If there’s a big enough snowfall in your town, you can get really creative and build on a larger scale. You’re able to put your own unique spin on things since snow is easily manipulated and can take on just about any shape when packed tight.

During sporting events that happen in heavy snow, the seats tend to get a bit empty. For fun, the fans that ended up sticking around during a blizzard have made snowmen that take the spots of those that have departed the game early.

Tunnel Building

During the summertime, you may be able to make tunnels in the sand, but it might not work as well since sand doesn’t pack tight unless it’s wet. Snow tends to stay packed, and makes for much easier tunnel building.

It’s also a lot safer to build a tunnel out of the snow as you can make the roof of the tunnel just a couple of inches. If it collapses, you might just be wet and cold instead of in any serious danger. Try to make yourself a cozy little igloo shaped snow tunnel, but always practice caution.

Pond Hockey

Pond hockey is one of those things that truly feels special when you live in Canada or the northern part of the United States like Minnesota, Michigan, or Wisconsin. When ponds and lakes freeze over thanks to the snow and cold temperatures, it’s the perfect time to grab your skates and play a little hockey with your friends.

You don’t have to have NHL-level talent to enjoy pond hockey, as you just need some skates, a stick, and a puck. Even the nets can be imaginary designated areas. The best part about pond hockey is that, compared to baseball, you don’t need to leap over a fence to retrieve a lost puck (hopefully).

5 Strangest “Florida Man” News Articles

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Florida may be part of the United States and extremely close to Cuba, but it may as well be in another planet. Florida has some of the wildest stories known to mankind, prompting many news headlines where the subject of a bizarre tale is simply referred to as “Florida man.” There have been countless incidents of a “Florida man” capturing headlines, but these five news stories really take the cake.

Chick-fil-A Escape

Chick-fil-A isn’t typically a place where criminal activity goes down, but anything goes in Florida. In 2018, a man named Cory Hatzl made his way to the fast food chicken restaurant and stripped off of his clothes in the parking lot, and started to chase around two customers. Police were quickly called to the scene, and they tried to detain Hatzl, but he wasn’t ready to go down without a chase.

Police went after Hatzl as he scampered nude around the parking lot. During the altercation, Hatzl told anyone that laid eyes on him that they were “gay” for looking in his direction. Hatzl was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, and his bail was set to $1,000. All of this happened on a Monday, too.

Lottery Liar

One of the biggest fears for a lottery player is thinking that you won something on a ticket only for a cashier to tell you that the ticket is a loser. That’s what happened when a Florida man was at a Winn-Dixie Liquor store in Fort Myers. However, the man wasn’t just any lottery player and was working undercover for the Florida Lottery Commission to bust cashiers who were pulling this very scam.

The undercover cop walked into the store with a $600 winning ticket, but cashier Crystelle Yvette Baton told him that he only won $5. The man walked out pretending to be dejected, but in a matter of seconds, she was arrested for the scam. Baton was fired from Winn-Dixie and her bail was set at $5,000. The Florida Lottery Commission said that another trick was to pretend to throw the ticket away after telling a customer that they didn’t win anything.

Cassowary Attack

There are a lot of people in Florida that have exotic animals, but having a large flightless bird like a Cassowary is pretty rare. The birds that are native to the Oceania region of the world aren’t popular pets but don’t tell that to the late Marvin Hajos. On Hajos’s farm in Gainesville, he had several wild animals including a Cassowary, but one day the bird fought his owner.

The altercation between the bird and Hajos ended up costing the farm owner his life. The Cassowary was not charged in the incident. As for Hajos, his girlfriend said that he died doing what he loved the most, and left it at that.

Bagels for Gators

While most of us prefer to feed animals like ducks while sitting on a bench in the park, things are much different in Florida. In 2019, 67-year-old Paul Fortin was arrested because he was illegally feeding, you guessed it, an alligator. Fortin would often feed the alligator bagels while patting the animal on the head.

“He’s a good boy,” Fortin said. “He lets me pet him…He just sits there and he loves bagels. He was such a good friend.” Fortin refused to be arrested as he didn’t realize feeding the alligator was illegal and compared himself to Dr. Doolittle. Thankfully for Fortin, he didn’t receive any significant charges but was told to stop feeding the gator.

Presidential Arrest

Every time there’s a president, you can bank on half of the country not being a fan of him. In Florida, one man really isn’t fond of Joe Biden. Jacob Philbeck was arrested in 2022 after the 29-year-old repeatedly called 911 to suggest that Biden be arrested and that druglord Joaquin Guzman (a.k.a. El Chapo) be set free.

It was in the early hours of the morning that Philbeck called 911 repeatedly with his requests, and eventually, police responded to his home to put a stop to his constant calling. Philbeck was arrested and posted a $150 bond. While police say alcohol “may” have been involved, you can probably guess that it was.

5 Weirdest Real Life News Stories That Sound Like “The Onion”

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They say that life is stranger than fiction, and when you read certain news headlines, you know that it’s entirely true. There are some things that happen in our world that are so bizarre, that even the best satirical writers such as those at The Onion could never come up with these headlines. Here are five news stories that sound like they were ripped straight from The Onion, but indeed happened in real life.

Lost Hiker Ignored Unknown Numbers

One of the most annoying things that happen to all of us throughout the day is getting unwanted calls from unknown numbers. However, if you’re lost and have been trying to find help for 24 hours, you might want to answer your phone. A man who was out for a hike on Mount Elbert in Colorado got lost when it was dark, and the next morning went back to his car.

Those that were aware that he was aiming to climb the tallest peak of the Rocky Mountains attempted to contact the man since he went straight to his car instead of the lodge to notify that he was fine. Several people tried to call the hiker, but he didn’t recognize the number, and he let them go to voicemail. The Lake County Search and Rescue had to tell the public that “If you’re overdue according to your itinerary…please answer the phone.”

Spending To Announce Charitable Donation

During the Super Bowl in February 2021, food delivery company DoorDash spent $7 million on its advertising campaign, which included the ad for the big game. This included characters from the beloved children’s series Sesame Street, but there was only one issue. Much of the campaign was focused on the fact that DoorDash donated $1 million to the Sesame Workshop charity.

There were immediately people that were up in arms over the fact that DoorDash used the most expensive advertising slot in the entire world to broadcast that they donated $1 million. Perhaps they could’ve donated another $7 million without needing to talk about it during the Super Bowl.

Hunter Dies When Elephant He Killed Falls On Him

In one of the ultimate forms of irony, a man that was hunting large game became hunted himself. Not by one of the animals that he was hunting, but rather by the universe itself. Theunis Botha was 51 years old when he was leading a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe, going on one of his many elephant hunts.

However, the elephants started to charge at Botha and his group. Three of them were put down before doing any harm, while a fourth suddenly came from nowhere to lift Botha up. One of the hunters shot the elephant, but the elephant then suddenly dropped to the ground with Botha in tow. The elephant landed on Botha, killing him almost instantly. 

Dance For More Hours

Most large companies are completely tone-deaf as to what their employees really want while trying to be hip and connected with the youth at the same time. In 2020, video game retail store GameStop decided to have a competition amongst the employees to do a TikTok dance to see if they could go viral.

However, the winner of the competition didn’t win a big cash bonus. Instead, they got the chance to work 10 more hours over Black Friday weekend, the busiest weekend of the year. Sure, there was overtime pay, but it hardly seems like a winning prize for a nationwide contest. Thankfully, the winning employee was also able to receive an Amazon Echo 8 and a $100 gift card.

Illegal Voting Accuser Voted Illegally

There has been a growing number of people worried about election legality, and that includes a Nevada man named Kirk Hartle. Hartle said that he had proof of illegal voting in his home state, saying that hundreds of dead people voted during the elections. How did he know? Well, his late wife was one of them.

Hartle accused many of trying to steal the election using ballots signed by dead people, and it turned out that the man had used his wife’s name to vote in the 2020 election. Hartle was sentenced to probation and was fined $2,000 after being caught.

5 Donald Trump Commercials From Before His Presidency

Posted on by scatty

While Donald Trump is known by many younger people around the world as the former United States President, there were many years when he was a celebrity businessman. Trump was appearing in advertisements left and right for companies, with some very memorable ad campaigns. 

Trump has appeared in over a dozen major advertisements, and that doesn’t include any of his political ones. Here are the five best ads that Trump starred in prior to his presidency.

Pizza Hut

Donald Trump was famously married to Ivana during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and by 1995 the couple was going through a very high-profile divorce. The two were able to at least mend their differences briefly for a Pizza Hut commercial that showed them eating pizza, biting into the crust first. The Trumps even acknowledged that it seemed wrong to eat the pizza that way, but it “felt so right.”

The commercial ends with Ivana asking for the final slice of the pizza, with Donald stating that she’s only entitled to half. That line about things being split in half wasn’t one that Ivana wanted in the final cut that made it to television, but Trump said that it was funny and insisted that it went to air. That wasn’t the only Pizza Hut commercial Trump starred in, as he also appeared in an Australian ad for the company in 2000.

McDonald’s

It’s no surprise that Donald Trump is a fan of fast food, which became clear to a lot of people when he ordered a lot of it for the Clemson University football team upon their visit to the White House after winning the College Football Playoff. Trump loves McDonald’s and appeared in a set of commercials for the company back in 2002.

In the commercials, Trump is advertising their past sandwich, the Big N’ Tasty, which was only $1 at the time. Trump can be seen in the advertisement giving advice to the Grimace, the large purple character that’s friends with Ronald McDonald. “I don’t know how you do it,” Trump said to a silent Grimace. “I put together some really impressive deals, but this thing you pulled off…it’s amazing.”

Diet Pepsi

Not only does Donald Trump love the simple taste of McDonald’s, but he’s also a huge fan of Diet Pepsi. He appeared in an advertisement in 1988 to hype up the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Leon Spinks, promoting a “fight before the fight.” That fight was between Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, with Trump right in the middle.

So while there was no actual physical fight, the cola wars raged on. As for Trump, he didn’t say much in the commercial as he was simply walking to his limousine while surrounded by reporters. The boxing match itself was a huge upset, with Spinks taking out the heavyweight champion Tyson.

Trump the Game

Donald Trump has always been one to put his name on just about everything, and that even including board games. Trump: The Game was released by Milton Bradley in 1989, and of course there needed to be advertising surrounding the game. The commercial had many important-looking people what Trump was up to, and what “his game” was.

Unfortunately for Donald, the game didn’t sell all that well. Milton Bradley expected 2 million copies to be sold, but less than half of those were bought by fans. Still, a rerelease of the game was made in 2004 after the success of “The Apprentice”.

Oreos

One other thing that Trump seems to love more than just about anything is sports, and he appeared in a commercial for Oreos with two of the most notable football players in NFL history. Trump, along with Darrel Hammond, appeared in the commercials for Oreo Double Stuf Gold which promoted a faux Oreo-eating league.

Hammond was a Trump impersonator in the commercials, and the two of them were taking on Peyton and Eli Manning. The commercial series was a big hit with fans, though Peyton and Eli would end up getting the upper hand in the competition.