Little Known Facts NO ONE talks about!

Little Known Facts NO ONE talks about!

6 - Russia’s Contributions to WWII Russia has a pretty bad reputation. First there were the czars. Then there were the Bolshevik revolution, the reign of Lenin, Stalin’s tyrannical atrocities, and the whole cold war not so long ago. So in many ways, they’ve earned their reputation. But it’s worth noting that without their efforts during WWII, Western civilization as we know it might not exist. In school, most Americans were taught that America won WWII. The efforts of our allies, aside from maybe England and Winston Churchill are rarely mentioned, and the fact that war had been raging in Europe for a good two years before America joined the effort isn’t usually front and center in the narrative. And it’s almost never acknowledged that without the help of The Soviet Union, Europe might have fallen to the Nazis. But the fact is Russia bore the biggest burden of any of the Allied countries, accounting for about 95 percent of all the Allied casualties! Think about this one; Russia suffered more than all of the Allied countries combined. The US who did indeed play a big role in altering the trajectory of the war, lost about 400,000 soldiers but virtually no civilians. Russia, on the other hand, lost at least 11 million soldiers, and anywhere between 7 and 20 million civilians based on a few different estimates. In the Battle of Moscow alone more than half a million Soviet troops were killed, while the battle itself proved to be a huge setback for Hitler. The Soviet’s relentless defense of the city wore the Nazis down and resulted in a domino effect of strategic failures for Hitler and his demented plans. When Hitler tried to invade Russia he was initially successful. But it was the Battle of Moscow and the Soviet’s heroic efforts that stalled his advances. For a man who supposedly studied Napoleon and STILL tried to invade Russia during the winter, part of Hitler’s undoing was his own blind ambition and his unfettered thirst for conquest. But the Russian counter offensive forced Germany back, and led to the failure of Hitler’s small scale offenses in Russia as well as Operation Barbarossa, the code name for Hitler’s large scale invasion. Without a doubt, that helped shift the war in the Allie’s favor. So while Russia has had less than a charming relationship with the rest of the world, we’d be foolish to forget how they helped save the very same world they’ve been menacing. Kind of ironic, don’t ya think?

5 - Ants weigh more than what?! Ants can be really annoying. They crawl all over everything at picnics and some ants, such as fire ants, can inflict some pretty painful bites. Oh yeah, don’t forget Bullet ants, whose bite is said to be one of the most painful things known to man. It’s almost like the world would just be better without them. Right? Wrong. Here, I’ll prove it. Say for example that ants all just died tomorrow, or they said “screw it” and packed up and went to another planet. Either way, let’s just say they’re all gone. That would cause a sh*t storm of consequences like you couldn’t imagine. The ecological imbalance that would create would ultimately cause many species to go extinct because Ants actually prey on insects that spread diseases. They also enrich the soil, which helps us grow food, and they protect vital plants in our ecosystem.

5 Ways TRUMP is SPYING on You and 5 Ways To COUNTER It

5 Ways TRUMP is SPYING on You and 5 Ways To COUNTER It

5 Ways the Government is Spying on You and 5 Ways to Counter It Even just a few decades ago, if you told people you think the Government is watching you, they’d think you were totally nuts. My, how times have changed. In the past couple decades, the massive increase in computer use, internet development and the rise of social media has dramatically changed the world. It has also made it quite a lot easier for the Government to keep tabs on us. You see, all these new gadgets and all those great new browsers and social media apps simply make you and your information much easier to get a hold of. Often, companies you trust have back doors installed in various programs so that the government can grab data if required. Not only that, but after the defection of Edward Snowden, we all learned that the government can track your phone calls with ease. Naturally, with all these new weaknesses to government spying, there are also new ways to help combat the watchful eye of Government agencies. Some are practical and quick fixes that can instantly reduce the ability of others to watch you. Some methods require a change in routine or how you use apps and social media. Finally, some fixes require you stepping away from those mainstream providers and companies and using lesser-known browsers, apps and services which help conceal your activity and identity a bit better. Ultimately, none of this can totally stop government spying but, as you’ll see, it can make things a lot more difficult should Big Brother ever decide to check in on you.

10 Roads You Would Never Want to Drive On

10 Roads You Would Never Want to Drive On

Since the invention of the modern automobile, we have been in love with our cars, trucks and motorcycles. It’s hard to think how we could function on a daily basis without a personal car around to take us to the grocery store, movie theatre or over to a friend’s house. This mode of transportation is such an important part of most peoples’ lives that we have no idea how we’d cope if cars suddenly disappeared tomorrow. Sure, most cars pollute and after a decade or so we get rid of the old and bring in a new car – filling up wrecking yards and burnings tons of gasoline in the process. The automobile is so important that rather than develop a whole new mode of transportation we instead focus our energy on creating more efficient gasoline burning engines and new models of electric cars. Nonetheless, the car is an integral part of our lives and our culture. Of course, many people have often heard the saying (but never really payed any attention to it) that driving is one of the most dangerous things we do in our daily lives. Indeed, getting behind the wheel of your ride and heading off to work or some other destination can be very dangerous. Statistically, the number crunchers say that you are far more likely to die driving your car than flying in a plane. The numbers seem to back this up by showing that over 90 people are killed every day in motor vehicle accidents in the US alone. It all makes sense once you think about it. If you think about all the people out on the road and add in distracted and drunk drivers, mechanical failures and bad weather then it’s easy to see why driving can be so dangerous. But what about the actual sections of roads and highways that seemingly have a high number of accidents and fatalities all year round. That is, it can be bad enough driving on ‘regular’ roads and highways around the world but there are roads which, for whatever reason, just seem more dangerous than the rest. You are probably picturing the classic mountain side road, carved into the rock with minimal safety barriers and exposed to landslides and all the inclement weather you can think of. Yes, those roads are very dangerous, but they aren’t the only ones to avoid driving on. As part two of our ‘dangerous roads’ series, we look at 10 roads you probably wouldn’t want to drive on. These motorways are found all across the world, in all sorts of environments and at all sorts of altitudes. There are the expected mountain roads – narrow and crumbling where one small mistake means you are going for a very long fall. There are also the remote and isolated highways running through deserts and the vastness of Siberia. There are even the sea level roads which provide their own nasty little surprise that can ruin your day (or life). We guarantee that after seeing this your daily commute will appear to be a walk in the park.

16 Unbelievably Beautiful Abandoned Places

16 Unbelievably Beautiful Abandoned Places

16 Most beautiful Abandoned Places

10 - Not something from a Sci Fi movie… This was actually the HQ for the Communist Party in Bulgaria. It looks like a giant flying saucer, and was created by the communist regime as a meeting place. It was active from 1981 to 1991, and then fell into disrepair when the fall of the Soviet Union took place. Apparently they are looking into restoring it.

9 - Old places have soul… And this exquisite abandoned railway station oozes soul. Its location is the former Russian territory known as Abkhazia. It was deserted in the 90’s, more than likely due to blockades imposed by Russia. This type of architecture is known as Stalinist Gothic or Socialist Classicism.

8 - Only memories left behind... This is the Gouqi Island, which forms part of a group of nearly 400 islands called the Shengsi Islands in China. At one stage it was a super busy fishing village, but with the developments of secondary and tertiary industries, many of these little fishing villages didn’t last too much longer, and people left seeking work elsewhere.

7 - Hauntingly Beautiful… Sadly, the stories of what went on inside the Beelitz -Heilstaten hospital are not as hauntingly beautiful as some of the architecture seen in this building. This hospital once had Hitler recovering there for a bit. It saw thousands of TB patients heading through the doors, had murders take place inside, accidental deaths and I’m sure many other atrocities. The Sanatorium is in Brandenburg in Germany, and sees many people breaking in just to capture some of the beauty that the actual building hosts.

 6 - A romantic tale… There doesn’t seem to be an exact story as to how the Chatillon Car Graveyard in Belgium came into being, but it’s a breathtaking sight. The cars are surrounded by plants and branches and vines are growing through the vehicles. Reporters say the cars were left in haste, but the romanticized story attached to them is that the cars belonged to US Soldiers, who left them behind when the war finished and they returned home.

 5 - Going back in time… This makes me feel like I am right there at this blade mill in France. Not much is given about this exact blade mill, but the sharpening of blades, scythes, sickles, knives and swords took place there. Apparently many grinders died very young due to grinders disease, which is a lung disease more than likely from inhaling the dust when the grinding took place.

4 - No trespassing allowed… It’s all because of one brave girl that we have access to these beautiful images of an abandoned rocket factory in Russia. We only know her as Lana, and she broke into the factory, situated just outside Moscow. As you can imagine, Russian authorities weren’t happy at all, and even posted threatening letters on her website. So a big thank you Lana, for showing us what it looks like on the inside!

3 - A personal journey… This 27-meter-deep well is found in Sintra and is known as the Initiation Well. It’s meant to be lead one on a journey of self-discovery and rebirth. You’re either going into the darkness or coming out into the light. Also could be deemed as death and birth. It was owned by a well-known freemason, who used the wells (there are 2 of them) for ceremonial purposes. They were never used to draw water, and every part of the wells is symbolic in some way.

 2 - Ghost Town… Or rather Ghost Subway… this is stunning, the City Hall Subway Station in New York, and was supposed to the showpiece when it came to subway stations. However, a mere 41 years after opening – it was actually closed down. For some reason, traffic at that station saw a rapid decline, and then with the onset of the Great Depression and then WW2, the station wasn’t used at all… so it was shut down. It received landmark status in 1979, and there plans in the pipeline a few years ago to bring it back to life.

 1 - History created… This breathtaking Crystal Mill is from 1892, and is actually a decompressor station. Constructed in 1893, it was used as a power plant. This Mill is said to be one of the most photographed sites in Colorado in the US, and has a place on the National Register of Historic Places.

Most Amazing Cities Found UNDERWATER!

Most Amazing Cities Found UNDERWATER!

1. Yonaguni Pyramids In the mid 80s, Divers found underwater rock terraces and pyramids off the coast of Yonaguni Jima. Yonaguni Jima is an island that lies near the southern tip of Japan's Ryukyu archipelago, About 75 miles off the eastern coast of Taiwan. At first scientists believed they might be natural formations, but There are quarry marks and some writing on the stones and animal statues that have also been found underwater. Now some experts believe that The structures Could be what is left of the mythical city of Mu, a fabled Pacific civilization rumored to have vanished beneath the waves. Masaki Kimura, a marine geologist from the University of Japan, Has been studying the underwater pyramids for over 15 years. The underwater structures include castle ruins, a triumphal arch, five temples and at least one large stadium, all of which are Connected by roads and water channels and are partly shielded by what could be huge retaining walls. Kimura believes the ruins date back to at least 5,000 years, based on the dates of stalactites found inside underwater caves that he says sank with the city. The theory is that the ancient underwater city Might have been sunk by an earthquake or tsunami around 2,000 years ago. Yonaguni invites tourists and researchers to dive freely around the site.

 2. Sunken City of Cuba In 2001, A company called Advanced Digital Communications (ADC) was working with Fidel Castro's government to explore Cuban waters looking for sunken Spanish ships loaded with treasure. Their Sonar equipment picked up a series of geometrical structures lying on the bottom of the ocean. Here's a computer generated image of the pyramids and other structures found underwater. The structures and design made it look like there was A gigantic underwater city at the bottom of the Bermuda Triangle. The media went crazy claiming that Atlantis had been discovered in Cuba. There are local legends of the Maya and native Yucatecos that tell of an Island inhabited by their ancestors that vanished beneath the waves. If it's true the structures were made by an ancient civilization, they would have been the Most technologically advanced structures on the planet at that time. Scientists estimate that they would have been built about 50,000 years ago which doesn't seem very likely. The numerous structures and cities that have been discovered underwater around the world Lie less than 120 meters (or 395 feet) below sea level, which comes as no surprise since the sea level never fell below this mark during the time Homo sapiens walked the earth. This Cuban city, if we can call it that, is the Only exception since It is submerged over 700 meters (2300 feet) underwater. If the large structures are actually pyramids, 2 of them are Even larger than the pyramids of Giza and Cheops in Egypt. As of yet there is no plausible explanation for the existence of this city and ADC is still trying to investigate the site.

 3. Lake Titicaca Lake Titicaca is Located in the Andes between Bolivia and Peru. It is the largest freshwater lake in South America and was the cradle of Peru's ancient civilizations, including the Inca. Their presence can be seen on Lake Titicaca by the ruins they left behind, including A mysterious underwater temple thought to be between 1,000 and 1,500 years old. In the Incan creation myth, The god Con Tiqui Viracocha emerged from Lake Titicaca. After commanding the sun, moon, and the stars to rise, Viracocha created more human beings from stone. After bringing them to life, Viracocha Commanded them to go and populate the world. The Incas therefore believed that Lake Titicaca was their place of origin, and that upon death, Their spirits would return to this lake. Archeologists located a huge temple in 2000 after following a submerged road (and I'm sure following advice from locals). After 18 days of diving below the clear waters of Titicaca, scientists said they had Discovered a 660-foot long, 160-foot wide temple, a terrace for crops, and a 2,600-foot containing wall along with gold and statues. It is said the lost city was Covered with sediment during a great flood of biblical proportions and local people had passed down the stories of the underwater temple and flood from generation to generation.