Top Stories
Stories in FYI that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Forgotten Christmas Traditions from History
Christmas traditions have become beloved hallmarks of the annual holiday. Candy canes, caroling, putting cookies out for Santa Claus and opening bright presents all connote Christmas.
Ilana QuinnPublished 2 years ago in FYIThe World War Two Ship that Could Destroy my Home
Twenty-one miles from my house, just off the coast, lies a shipwreck. Not unusual, you might think, as I live near the beach, but what is uncommon about this wreck is it could destroy the area I live in, in a matter of moments. This is because the SS Richard Montgomery, Monty for short, contains 1400 tonnes of explosives.
Sam H ArnoldPublished 2 years ago in FYIThe English Language Is Weird: Use It With Care
On the surface, English appears so simple, but look a little closer and you'll see it contains so many exceptions, variations, contradictions, and so many gosh-darn words that mean the same gosh-darn thing.
R P GibsonPublished 2 years ago in FYIThis Bizarre Cue Inspired Friedrich Schiller to Write
Friedrich Schiller is one of the legends of German 18th-century literature. He is an artist, poet, writer, philosopher, historian, and romantic playwriter remembered primarily after his “An die Freude” (Ode to Joy). It was set to music by Beethoven in his famous “Ninth Symphony,” according to British Library.
Victoria KurichenkoPublished 2 years ago in FYIThe Day Canada’s Federal Parliament was Attacked by a Man with a Gun
On Wednesday, October 22, 2014, chaos erupted in our capital city, Ottawa, when police received multiple 911 calls about a shooting at the National War Memorial.
Annemarie BerukoffPublished 2 years ago in FYIHarold Lowe, the unsung hero of the Titanic disaster
I just finished Titanic Valour: The Life of Fifth Officer Harold Lowe, the biography of the 28-year-old Titanic officer who is best known as "the guy with the gun." Most people remember the shooting scene from the movie. It's a turning point scene; it's when Cal tells his servant that things are "starting to fall apart" and this is more serious than they thought. But that's pretty much all you see of Harold Lowe. Lowe was such a minor character that few people realize the "guy with the gun" is also the guy who returns to the wreck to pick up survivors. (In the movie, he finds Rose floating on a door; in real life, it was a Chinese guy they found atop a door - a scene that James Cameron cut from the movie.) No one even calls him by his full name. In fact, the only time Lowe's name is ever mentioned in the movie is when Officer Lightoller says, "Mr. Lowe, man this boat," and hands him his revolver. This is right after Lightoller tells a group of unruly men he'll "shoot them all like dogs," while Lowe comes across as Lightoller's polite, level-headed junior officer.
Ashley HerzogPublished 3 years ago in FYIHere lies poor Fred
Here lies poor FRED, who was alive and is dead Had it been his Father I had much rather, Had it been his Sister nobody would have miss’d Her, Had it been his Brother, still better than another, Had it been the whole Generation, so much better for the Nation, But since it is FRED who was alive and is dead, There is no more to be said!
Dawn NelsonPublished 3 years ago in FYIThe Vicious British Queen who Inspired the Bloody Mary Legend
According to legend, if you stand in a darkened room before a mirror and say the phrase 'Bloody Mary' three times, a ghost will appear through the mirror. What happens next varies, depending on who is telling the story. Some say the spirit scratches your eyes out; others say that it drinks your blood or that she chases you from the room with horrific screams.
Sam H ArnoldPublished 3 years ago in FYITiny but Mighty: The Choker
I grew up in the 90’s and early 2000’s. I scrunched my hair and straightened my bangs. I accessorized with bouncy butterfly clips, white eyeshadow, and flavored lip-gloss. I wore scrunchies on my wrist. I wrapped flannel shirts around my waist and danced in frayed wide leg jeans to Brittney. I begged my mom to let me bedazzle my bellybutton with stick-on rhinestones like Christina. (Looking back, thank God she said no.) It was grungy, it was tacky, and it was wonderful. As the fads of the 90’s and early 2000’s come trickling back into present day trends, the nostalgia washes over me and wraps me into the warm hug of childhood memories. As I happily embrace the comeback of bellbottoms and flannel, there has been one thing that just gets me giddy: the choker. Easily my favorite item from the time, wearing a choker always made me feel like the coolest kid in the room. They made me feel pretty, and there was something about them that felt so mature, like wearing one made me older and edgier than I was. As an adult, wearing a choker evokes the same kind of confidence; I feel sexy, spunky, and there’s something about them that now feels so sophisticated. It’s such a tiny accessory, and yet it stirs up so much emotion and so quickly bumps my self-esteem up a few notches. Looking back through the choker’s history, it turns out that I am not the only one that the piece has this type of effect on. It’s been a look for thousands of years and has held power in many ways over the centuries.
Chelsea AdlerPublished 3 years ago in FYIBizarre Social Etiquette of the Victorian Period
The Victorian era—the period of time from 1820 to 1914 marked by Queen Victoria’s rule over the British Empire — is often remembered for a strict observance to social rules and customs.
Ilana QuinnPublished 3 years ago in FYIA Passport Fit For a Pharaoh
Ramses II is known for many things — he was a master builder, a mighty warrior, and one of the greatest Pharaohs. For 66 years, Ramses II ruled Egypt, and he left his stamp all over the country. His legends are larger than life, as are the monuments he created in his image.
Sandi ParsonsPublished 3 years ago in FYICurious Graphs That Will Change How You See The World
There is a common misconception that data is boring. We imagine long, hard-to-read excel spreadsheets with rows and rows of data and start yawning immediately. Yes, data can be boring, but it's only boring if you can't relate to it. Looking at the random company's expenses for the past 15 years is a tedious task; looking at all your articles to figure out which one got the most views is not.
Valeriia MuradianPublished 3 years ago in FYI