Miscellaneous 2024, November

What secrets are hidden under the underground labyrinth built near Liverpool by an eccentric "philanthropist"

What secrets are hidden under the underground labyrinth built near Liverpool by an eccentric "philanthropist"

The Williamson Tunnels remain one of Liverpool's most intriguing mysteries. They were built two centuries ago by the city's greatest eccentric, Joseph Williamson. In the early 19th century, this wealthy merchant hired an army of people to dig a labyrinth that stretches for miles beneath the city. What secrets are hidden in the underworld of these tunnels and why were they created?

Unknown Prishvin: As a writer-order-bearer, whose books were read by all Soviet schoolchildren, "stood for Hitler"

Unknown Prishvin: As a writer-order-bearer, whose books were read by all Soviet schoolchildren, "stood for Hitler"

Most of us know this Mikhail Prishvin as the author of children's stories about animals and village life. Few took a special interest in his life and read his diaries, published in the general collection of his works in 1986. Writers' diaries are rarely read, even by the most ardent admirers of their work. Only a few curious people nevertheless looked into Prishvin's notes - and saw a completely different Prishvin. We saw a man who was on the side during the Great Patriotic War

Lame skirt: How fashion designers hobbled women at the beginning of the 20th century

Lame skirt: How fashion designers hobbled women at the beginning of the 20th century

The inventor of this terrifying style was the famous French fashion designer Paul Poiret. He was called the "Picasso of fashion" and was idolized. It was this man who brought the kimono and shirt cut of women's clothing to Western fashion, which allowed ladies from decent society to go out without corsets for the first time in several hundred years. He replaced the "medieval instrument of torture" with a much more comfortable bra. However, the maestro said about himself as follows: “I freed the bust for women. And I chained their legs "

Was Emperor Nicholas I really involved in Pushkin's death?

Was Emperor Nicholas I really involved in Pushkin's death?

More than 180 years have passed since the duel that took the life of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, but the search for the truth continues to this day. Most historians do not doubt Dantes' guilt, but someone sees in the drama both an "imperial trace", and even Natalie's conspiracy with her husband's murderer. How the events that led to the sad ending actually developed, and whether the king was really involved in them, can be said if you learn about the relationship between the poet and the emperor, whose first meeting took place in 1826

Why the bright star Heath Ledger went out at the very peak of his film career

Why the bright star Heath Ledger went out at the very peak of his film career

It is very difficult to talk about the actor Heath Ledger without sadness and regret. He passed away at the very beginning of his brilliant career, forever remaining in the hearts of the audience young, charming, courageous and childishly unpredictable. The images of the mischievous Peter Pan, the noble knight William Thatcher, the mysterious stranger Tony Shepard and the insidious villain Joker for a long time will remind the viewer of a talented young man from Australia who lived a short but bright and eventful life

A brand new BMW instead of a coffin and 4 more cases when a fortune was spent on a funeral

A brand new BMW instead of a coffin and 4 more cases when a fortune was spent on a funeral

Many people know that lavish funerals are loved in Africa, but an incident that happened recently in Nigeria surprised many. The man buried his father, using a new BMW car instead of the traditional coffin. It's hard to believe, but the car was simply buried in the ground. In our review - 5 of the most luxurious funerals, at which the living did not skimp on saying goodbye to the dead

What was shown in the first Soviet video salons and why they were so popular

What was shown in the first Soviet video salons and why they were so popular

On April 7, 1986, by order of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, the widespread opening of video halls and videotape rental offices was allowed and even prescribed. This was a forced response by the government to the phenomenon that took over the country: video recorders and cassettes with foreign films appeared in the vastness of the Soviet Union. Through this crack in the "Iron Curtain", after a long break, the people were able to see the mysterious and alluring world of Western cinema without cuts

The most famous swords that have become real artifacts

The most famous swords that have become real artifacts

In the past, knights' swords were considered not just weapons, but real comrades in arms. The most famous blades were given names. The warriors believed that their swords had magical protective properties, and losing a blade in battle meant being dishonored. This review presents the most famous swords that have become real artifacts

27 photographs of Bill Clinton before he became President of the United States

27 photographs of Bill Clinton before he became President of the United States

At the age of 46, Bill Clinton became the 42nd President of the United States. Eight years of ruling the country had both positive and negative results for the country. Before reaching the country's political elite, Clinton worked for a long time in the political and administrative sphere, in general, living an ordinary life. In our today's roundup of photographs of Bill Clinton before he took over his home country

"Pale Rose" Liane de Pugy - the most coveted courtesan of the Belle Époque

"Pale Rose" Liane de Pugy - the most coveted courtesan of the Belle Époque

The period of the last decades of the XIX-early XX centuries. called the Belle Epoque, when the minds of the crowd were seized by the beauties of the artist. They might not have outstanding acting talents, but they attracted people with their (often fictional) exotic biographies, eccentric behavior. Most of them found patrons and led a comfortable existence. One of the most famous ladies of the half-world of that time is called Liana de Puji. With her sexual emancipation, the courtesan worried not only men

Why Stalin opened a secret flying school for Luftwaffe pilots in Lipetsk

Why Stalin opened a secret flying school for Luftwaffe pilots in Lipetsk

After the signing of the Versailles Treaty in June 1919, Germany lost the opportunity to have a regular army, including developing aviation and training professional personnel. In search of a way out, the German leadership turned to the authorities of Soviet Russia, proposing to create military centers on the territory of the country for training German officers. The solution to the issue lasted for five years, and finally, in the spring of 1925, in the provincial Lipetsk, a secret training and testing

How the series "Gloom River" was filmed, and why it drew so much criticism from viewers

How the series "Gloom River" was filmed, and why it drew so much criticism from viewers

In March 2021, the TV series "Gloomy River" by Yuri Moroz was released, which tells about three generations of the Gromov family. The filmmakers invested a lot of money and effort into a new adaptation of the novel by Vyacheslav Shishkov, and the director presented his vision of the saga, known not only from a literary work, but also from the Soviet film by Yaropolk Lapshin, to the audience. The modern series caused a huge resonance and, of course, it was not without criticism from the audience

Why "sad actress" Zinaida Kiriyenko said that her life was changed by the film "Cossacks"

Why "sad actress" Zinaida Kiriyenko said that her life was changed by the film "Cossacks"

Zinaida Mikhailovna Kirienko is one of the most famous and beloved actresses of the Soviet era. And today she does not remain in oblivion, despite the fact that new films with her participation have not been released for a long time. But "Quiet Don", "The Fate of a Man", "Earthly Love" and other pictures are still watched with pleasure by the audience. The actress herself recalls the film "Cossacks" with special warmth, which changed her whole life

Behind the scenes of the film "Lonely Dorms Are Given": Why did the creators receive angry letters after the film was released

Behind the scenes of the film "Lonely Dorms Are Given": Why did the creators receive angry letters after the film was released

In January 1984, the film of Samson Samsonov, "The Lonely Hostel is Provided" with Natalia Gundareva in the title role, was released on the screens of the Soviet Union. The success of the picture was truly phenomenal, and the story of one single hostel suddenly gave hope for happiness to millions of ordinary women. Naturally, during the work on the tape, many events took place

How did the Patsy film award come about, and which four-legged actors won it?

How did the Patsy film award come about, and which four-legged actors won it?

It is time to admit that the rights of a large category of actors are indeed violated at the Oscars - despite the outstanding talents and work invested in the shooting, these movie stars are not honored with the golden statuette. Whether the day will come when four-legged, pinniped or even feathered artists will fight for this award on a par with actors in human form is a moot point. Nevertheless, they have already begun to celebrate the contribution of animals to the creation of films - and for a long time

How Soviet director Leonid Gaidai turned down current American President Donald Trump

How Soviet director Leonid Gaidai turned down current American President Donald Trump

It would seem, what could the famous Soviet director and the current president of the United States have in common? Nevertheless, their interests crossed in the distant now 1991. At the same time, Donald Trump went to meet Leonid Gaidai, but our director refused a small request to the American. True, at that time no one could have imagined that a quarter of a century later, Donald Trump would take over as President of the United States

How the lawyer Plevako conquered the halls of Moscow courts and went down in history

How the lawyer Plevako conquered the halls of Moscow courts and went down in history

There was no person in the history of the Russian legal profession more popular than Fyodor Nikiforovich Plevako. During his lifetime, he was revered by jurists and ordinary people and is still appreciated as a "great orator", "a genius of the word" and even a "metropolitan of the legal profession". His name has become a household name in Russia, denoting the highest level of professionalism. "I'll look for another" Gobber ", - without the slightest irony they talked about the search for the best lawyer. Letters to Plevako were simply signed: “Moscow. Fedor Nikiforovich Plevako

20 postcards with female wisdom that are useful for men too

20 postcards with female wisdom that are useful for men too

Sometimes it seems that it was not in vain that the majority of witches and witches were women. After all, almost every lady has little devilish lights jumping in her eyes, and many of them also have access to some special knowledge about life, about men and about relationships

7 books on psychology that will help you see yourself, others and life in a completely different way

7 books on psychology that will help you see yourself, others and life in a completely different way

Self-development is a very important thing in the life of any adult. If there are any difficulties in life, I immediately want to share them with loved ones, ask for help. But sometimes it happens that none of them can help. There are difficulties that a person needs to learn to cope with alone. Trainings, psychotherapy and books can help with this. There is a lot of psychological literature in our time. In bookstores, a whole section is usually set aside for this science. A good book can teach

8 ridiculous acting whims that changed popular films

8 ridiculous acting whims that changed popular films

In the film industry, it is not customary for actors to give their opinions on the script or change anything in the film. This is usually done by directors, producers and screenwriters. The actor's task is simply to play well the role that is offered to him. He has the right to refuse if he doesn't like something, but he supposedly has no right to change the course of events in the tape. But sometimes the actors still do not rationally express their opinions and add something to the character, but simply

The art of creating modern toys

The art of creating modern toys

Time dictates its own rules. And if earlier children born in the 40s or 50s were happy with celluloid dolls and wooden toy cars, then present something more original to today's “flowers of life”. And the designers are happy to try

Stariki Bar

Stariki Bar

Dear friends, we have already informed you about the grandiose Halloween Night Circus with the participation of Annie (Norway), Bestseller DJ's and Arcadia air, which will take place on October 29 at Stariki Bar. And now we are happy to announce another one - Friendly Halloween №5, which will take place on Friday, October 28th.

28.10 ¦ FRIENDLY HALLOWEEN # 5 @ STARIKI BAR

28.10 ¦ FRIENDLY HALLOWEEN # 5 @ STARIKI BAR

Dear friends, we have already informed you about the grandiose Halloween Night Circus with the participation of Annie (Norway), Bestseller DJ's and Arcadia air, which will take place on October 29 at Stariki Bar. And now we are happy to announce another one - Friendly Halloween №5, which will take place on Friday, October 28th.

The emergence of the Cossacks: How alien nomads Cherkasy created the Zaporozhye Sich

The emergence of the Cossacks: How alien nomads Cherkasy created the Zaporozhye Sich

The mysterious Cherkassians are considered the progenitors of the Cossacks. According to most historians, the Cossacks simply could not have appeared without their original culture of the steppe people. They had a colossal influence on the Slavs, to the point that many Ukrainian and Russian surnames today are somehow related to the Cherkasy. As well as the names of major cities and towns

The world's first Russian porcelain tree

The world's first Russian porcelain tree

The master ceramists of the St. Petersburg company set to work on a unique porcelain Christmas tree. As a New Year's gift, it was presented to the suburban economy of the Assumption courtyard of the Optina Pustyn monastery, which is located in the Vyborg district of the Leningrad region

Life of the Chief Eunuch from the TV series "Magnificent Age": Selim Bayraktar

Life of the Chief Eunuch from the TV series "Magnificent Age": Selim Bayraktar

The Turkish series won the hearts of many fans at one time. One of the brightest, albeit not the main characters, was Syumbul-aga, whose image was specially written for Selim Bayraktar. The image of the chief eunuch turned out to be very characteristic, and his appearance in each storyline gave the events a special emotionality and mystery. And all the more surprising is the fact that in life Selim Bayraktar is the complete opposite of his hero

Where in the modern world you can feel the unity with nature: Musical Gardens of the World

Where in the modern world you can feel the unity with nature: Musical Gardens of the World

We live in politically, socially and financially unstable and difficult times, so we easily succumb to stress, reacting sharply to news and events around us. And it is not surprising that, being completely absorbed in modern problems, it is so difficult to find peace of mind and balance among all this turmoil. But fortunately, there are creative people working on projects that can help restore our spiritual balance

10 best Netflix TV shows that literally blew up the internet

10 best Netflix TV shows that literally blew up the internet

Netflix is one of the few that produces a myriad of films and TV series for all tastes, from comics, comedies and action films to historical dramas, fantasy and detective stories. And if you do not know what to do in your free time, then watch at least a couple of TV shows from the list, you will surely be interested in something

What is known about a girl from the past who has become the heroine of Internet memes today

What is known about a girl from the past who has become the heroine of Internet memes today

The childish look of this girl caused an avalanche of Internet jokes. People come up with inscriptions for the photograph, of varying degrees of decency, most often calling the baby Natasha. Researchers from the network were able not only to find the original of the old photo and find out the date of this picture, but also found out the real name of the heroine, because for a series of memes a picture of a famous Russian ethnographer and researcher was chosen, and he captured this girl more than once

How many "tsarist" gold Admiral Kolchak took to Japan, and is there a chance to return it

How many "tsarist" gold Admiral Kolchak took to Japan, and is there a chance to return it

During the civil war, Russian gold literally poured into Japanese banks. White Admiral Kolchak recaptured the tsarist gold reserve from the Bolsheviks, and bought weapons, ammunition, and food for the war with it. Japan happily accepted gold and jewelry, and its financial system grew stronger from this infusion. But after the defeat of the whites in the war, the royal treasures remained in the land of the rising sun, and all attempts to return it so far have remained in vain

How ancient cartographers defended their copyright: Easter eggs on ancient maps

How ancient cartographers defended their copyright: Easter eggs on ancient maps

Cartography is one of the most venerable sciences, its age is counted in thousands of years. Since ancient times, people have tried to recreate the outlines of the earth's surface. The earliest cartographic works were found in the North Caucasus and Egypt. Ancient cartographers had their own secrets. Why are ancient maps so unique and what surprises do they surprise modern cartographers?

Clara Luchko and Sergey Lukyanov: Love at first sight on the set

Clara Luchko and Sergey Lukyanov: Love at first sight on the set

The story of their first meeting was passed on by word of mouth. This was exactly the case when feelings flare up in an instant. And it would seem that this moment should be followed by many years of happiness. But it was not at all that easy for Klara Luchko and Sergei Lukyanov

The tragedy of Ekaterina Savinova: a dream come true and an evil fate in the fate of the actress

The tragedy of Ekaterina Savinova: a dream come true and an evil fate in the fate of the actress

She dreamed of becoming an actress and stubbornly walked towards her goal, overcoming all the obstacles that arose on the way. Ekaterina Savinova, who played Frosya Burlakova in the film Come Tomorrow, has been waiting for this role for 14 long years. And a few years after the premiere, she voluntarily left where they are not returning

"The Art of Radiology"

"The Art of Radiology"

Have you ever wanted to look inside your doll as a child? A hamburger or a toy car? If so, some have found a way to make this idea a reality. And not with X-rays

Petro Doroshenko - hetman of all Ukraine and ancestor of Pushkin's wife

Petro Doroshenko - hetman of all Ukraine and ancestor of Pushkin's wife

Petr Dorofeevich Doroshenko is one of the most famous Cossack hetmans of the 17th century. His grandfather, Mikhail, was a Cossack hetman, an associate and successor of Peter Sagaidachny himself, and laid his head in one of the campaigns to the Crimea. Pyotr Dorofeevich's father was elected as an order (temporary) Cossack hetman

The inspirer of vice Marquis de Sade is a symbol of sophisticated voluptuousness and evil

The inspirer of vice Marquis de Sade is a symbol of sophisticated voluptuousness and evil

His name is known even to people who have never been fond of history. The way of thinking and defiant actions made Donatien Alphonse François de Sade a monster for his contemporaries, and his very name even gave rise to the psychiatric term - sadism. But by and large, this aristocrat, who lived at the turn of the century, is guilty only of being far ahead of his time in the field of erotic entertainment

How the Egyptian pyramids caused the economic crisis in the Old Kingdom

How the Egyptian pyramids caused the economic crisis in the Old Kingdom

Ancient Egypt is known primarily for its stone giants - pyramids that served as the burial place for Egyptian kings and pharaohs. However, not all Egyptian rulers found rest inside the pyramids, and this is not the only mystery of the Egyptian pyramids. And although scientists have been studying the pyramids for more than a century, it was only recently that they managed to lift the veil of secrecy over how the Egyptians built them and why they refused to build them

Miraculous apparitions: the most famous icons of the Mother of God

Miraculous apparitions: the most famous icons of the Mother of God

November 20 - the day of the appearance of the icon of the Mother of God "Leaping of the Infant" Ugreshskaya. Before the Battle of Kulikovo, the icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared to Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy. The prince took this appearance as a special sign of God and exclaimed: "This is my whole heart!" and made a vow to build a monastery if he won. After a while, the Ugreshsky Monastery was built, and a little later an icon of the Mother of God appeared there, which was named "Leaping". Despite all claims and speculation

What does fashion taste like? Brand lollipops from Massimo Gammacurta

What does fashion taste like? Brand lollipops from Massimo Gammacurta

What does Yves Saint Laurent smell like and what does the incomparable Coco Chanel taste like? American designer Massimo Gammacurta offers his own set of flavor associations for a number of internationally renowned fashion brands

Two wars in the life of Yuri Nikulin: For which the famous actor received military awards

Two wars in the life of Yuri Nikulin: For which the famous actor received military awards

One of the brightest artists in our country fought for almost seven years, going through two terrible wars. In his book Almost Seriously, talking about this part of life, he wrote: “I cannot say that I am one of the brave people. No, I used to be scared. It's all about how this fear manifests itself. Some of them had hysterics - they cried, screamed, ran away. Others bore everything outwardly calmly. " During his service, Yuri Nikulin was awarded medals "For Courage", "For the Defense of Leningrad" and "For Victory in