You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

Hints of mysterious religion discovered in world’s highest lake

About 1,200 years ago, a reef in the middle of Lake Titicaca in what is now Bolivia became the repository of a people’s most valued possessions. In 2013, a sparkling cache of those objects was unearthed by underwater archaeologists. Six years later, researchers think they now know what the objects represent—evidence of a religion that helped the Tiwanaku state become a dominant force in the region.

Results of the excavation were revealed in a paper published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Gold objects, metal ornaments, semiprecious stones, and incense burners recovered at the site suggest the reef—located near the Island of the Sun, home to multiple Tiwanaku sacred sites—was once used as a ritual site for the ancient state.

[Lee Stewart]

The U.S. Mint is adding a new letter to its alphabet -- W for its facility at West Point, New York.

The first coins to bear the W mark are 2019 America the Beautiful quarters, which are likely to go into circulation in four to six weeks, according to the Mint. West Point, which opened as a bullion depository in 1938, typically produces precious metal coins, such as gold and silver.

Circulating coins marked with a P are minted in Philadelphia while D indicates Denver. S is currently used on proof coins from the San Francisco mint.

[Lee Stewart]

Collecting old soda bottles might not sound as prestigious as collecting rare whiskey or fine wine — and frankly, it’ll probably never be as valuable — but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any money whatsoever to be made in the non-alcoholic bottle game: A likely one-of-a-kind Coca-Cola bottle is expected to sell at auction later this month for as much as $150,000.

“This is the only known bottle of its type that has surfaced completely intact,” explains the auction house. “Advanced bottle collectors we have consulted consider it to be extremely rare and important.”

[Lee Stewart]

We now know that the 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup costs a bit more than its Wrangler SUV stablemate.

[Lee Stewart]

A Wisconsin cruise ship passenger faces years in Cayman Islands prison after a gun was found in her luggage

This just happened (yesterday). If you are a frequent "cruiser" or you plan to go on a cruise ship it's VERY important you understand a few things. Once you leave the territorial waters of the USA you are no longer protected (legally) by it's laws. When you arrive at a destination, you are now under their law. Their police can come aboard your ship and search ANY cabin at any time and there is nothing you can do about it. You now fall under their laws which may not include the right to an attorney and may include mandatory prison time for certain offences.

DO NOT brings guns or drugs (yes even "mary jane") on a cruise ship! The risk is not worth it. If you have a "carry permit" for a hand gun - it is worthless outside of the USA. And that's what happen to the 68-year-old Madison, Wisconsin, woman

[Lee Stewart]

Roller coasters were invented to distract Americans from sin

In the 1880s, hosiery businessman LaMarcus Thompson hated that Americans were tempted by hedonistic places like saloons and brothels. So he set out to straighten up one of the most immoral places he could think of: Coney Island in New York. There, he built America's first roller coaster to give New Yorkers some good, clean fun—away from seedier pastimes.