Ever wonder why the Nazi dominion over Germany was called the “Third Reich” and who the first and second were? Well, wonder no more. To begin with, the phrase “Third Reich” was first mentioned as the title of a book published by Arthur Moeller van den Bruck in 1923. As you might expect given the moniker for the regime caught on, the book was a hit with the far right in the region. The author was a German cultural historian, who in the aftermath of the defeat of the First World War p ...read more

Best overall Courtesy Nicole Doster Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro As an avid cook whose evening plans usually involve throwing protein and veggies together for a sheet-pan dinner, I was skeptical about adopting an air fryer. Could a countertop appliance—even the best air fryer—really be worth all the hype? Let me tell you, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is totally worth it. After two months of testing the air fryer functionality of this countertop oven, my cooking s ...read more

The writings of J.R.R. Tolkien are widely read and revered by both his home country of England and around the globe. A BBC poll found Lord of the Rings to be the “Nation’s best-loved book” and Amazon customers worldwide in a 1999 survey rated it as their favorite book of the entire second millennium. Given this enthusiasm, it’s no surprise that even many casual fans of the film adaptations and the books they’re based on are at least vaguely aware that Tolkien had set out to write ...read more

rd.com, via merchant (3) The best bathing suits for older women Buying  sunglasses,  flip-flops, and  sunscreen  can happily get you in the mood for summer, but shopping for a new swimsuit? Not so much. Swimsuit shopping can be challenging at any age, but if you’re a woman over 50, you may feel like skipping the beach altogether when you see some of the season’s more revealing styles. Don’t worry, though. We’ve found the best bathing suits for women over 50—from tank ...read more

On this channel we have covered several of the daring POW breakouts of the Second World War, from the ingenious British plot to build an airplane to escape Colditz Castle to the epic saga of Lieutenant Franz von Werra, the only Axis prisoner to escape from North America back to Germany. But one country whose POWs are rarely discussed is Japan. The bushido samurai code by which the Imperial Japanese Forces fought held surrender to be a shameful act, and so most servicemen fought to the death ...read more

History is a curious thing. While an individual may accomplish many things in their lifetime, human memory only seems capable of retaining one feat per person. Very rarely will someone be widely remembered for two separate things. Charles Augustus Lindbergh was one of those rare people. On May 20, 1927, the then 25-year-old air mail pilot flew his custom Ryan NYP aircraft Spirit of St. Louis from New York to Paris in 33-1/2 hours, becoming the first person to fly the Atlantic solo. While th ...read more

Here are 25 kickass random facts. For part 755, click here 1-5 Kickass Random Fact 1. Dandelions are edible and are actually really nutritious and can be eaten raw. – Source 2. During World War II, the United States published a spy manual urging middle managers in enemy territory to sabotage their employers by bringing up irrelevant issues, promoting bad workers, haggling over petty details, and holding unnecessary meetings. – Source 3. Movie theaters in Iceland, Switzerland, Egypt ...read more

Here are this week’s Life Pro Tips. 1. If you’re picking up takeout, call the restaurant to order directly, rather than use a food ordering app. The restaurant will make more money because they won’t need to pay commissions for the app. Apps like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Menulog can take a commission from the restaurant if you order through them, even if they’re not delivering it. Order from the restaurant directly and you’ll help a small business keep more of their money and ...read more

Bigger isn’t always necessarily better, but it’s hard not to be awe-struck when encountering things of gigantic proportions. From structures to animals to natural wonders and machines, learning about the biggest things will surely change your sense of perspective forever. So, with that in mind, here are the tallest, longest, deepest, and largest things of their kind on Earth. 1 A Giant Sequoia Tree Known as “General Sherman” Is the Largest in the World General Sherman Tree General ...read more

Does the following sound familiar to you? “ Dear Sir,   Although I know you only from good references of your honesty, my sad situation compels me to reveal you an important affair in which you can procure a modest fortune saving at the same time that of my darling daughter.   Before being imprisoned here, I was established as a banker in Russia as you will see by the enclosed article about me of many English newspapers which have published my arrest in London.   I beseech you t ...read more