Actual Factual Pie – March 11th!

The year is 1888, a monstrous blizzard slammed into the northeastern US, unleashing chaos. Dubbed the “Great White Hurricane,” it buried cities in snowdrifts up to 50 feet high. Around 400 souls perished, mostly from exposure, as the storm raged for days. A brutal reminder of nature’s raw power.


In 1930, William Howard Taft, the 27th U.S. President, became the first president to be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Taft, who also served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, left a lasting legacy in American history.


In 1969, fashion took a groovy turn as Levi-Strauss began selling bell-bottomed jeans. These iconic flared pants, wider from the knee down, became a symbol of the counterculture era. They were perfect for free spirits and disco dancers alike. Levi’s stitched itself into history with this bold style move!


In 1973, tensions boiled over at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, during a 71 day standoff between Native American activists and federal authorities. Amid the chaos, an FBI agent was shot, escalating an already volatile situation. The occupation, rooted in demands for tribal sovereignty and justice, marked a pivotal moment in Indigenous resistance.


In 1990, Lithuania boldly declared its independence from the Soviet Union, becoming the first Soviet republic to do so. This historic act, led by the Sąjūdis movement, marked a pivotal step toward the Baltic state’s sovereignty and inspired others in the USSR to follow suit. Freedom rang loud that day!

Music History Tuesday!

The Year: 2006

The High School Musical soundtrack reaches #1 on the US albums chart, the first TV soundtrack album to top the tally since the Miami Vice soundtrack, which was #1 for eight weeks in 1985 and another three in 1986. Nine songs from the album make the Hot 100, led by “Breaking Free,” sung by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, which reaches #4.

Bonus Slice +++

The Year: 1972

Neil Young’s album Harvest hits #1 in America, supplanting Don McLean’s American Pie, which has been on top for seven weeks.

Daily Prompt @ The Pie!

Daily writing prompt
Write a letter to your 100-year-old self.

Hey, old man! I hope you’re reading this with a smirk, maybe a glass of something strong in your hand. It’s probably more like a cup of tea if the doctor’s finally won that battle. I’m sitting here in 2025, trying to imagine what a century of life looks like on you. I’m picturing a lot of wrinkles, a few scars, and, if I’ve done this right, a hell of a lot of stories.

I’m wondering what you’ve made of your life. Did we chase those dreams I’m scribbling about today? The ones about building something that matters, loving hard and seeing every corner of this wild world? I hope you’re nodding, thinking, “Yeah, kid, we did alright.” I’m betting you’ve got some epic tales. How about that time we climbed a mountain, or made a family, or just sat quietly somewhere beautiful and felt alive?

I’ll admit, I’m a little nervous writing this. What if we didn’t figure it all out? What if we stumbled too much? But I’m choosing to believe you’re proud of me. You’re proud of us. I hope you’ve learned to forgive the dumb stuff I’m probably doing right now, like stressing over things that won’t matter in a decade, let alone a lifetime.

How’s the world now? Did we fix the mess we’re in, or is it still a chaotic ride? I hope you’re surrounded by people who matter like some kids, grandkids, friends who’ve stuck around. I’m working hard to set that up for you. And if you’re alone, I hope you’ve found peace in it, because I’m promising you now that I’ll live a life worth remembering.

Take care of yourself, alright? Don’t give up on the little things. Stretch those creaky bones, laugh at something stupid and tell someone you love them. I’m rooting for you from back here, trying to make sure you’ve got a good story to tell.

Mystery Solved?

The recent discovery of a submerged car in the Columbia River may be linked to the disappearance of the Martin family from Oregon 67 years ago.

In December 1958, Ken and Barbara Martin, along with their three daughters Barbara (14), Virginia (12), and Susan (10) set out from Portland to collect Christmas greenery in the Columbia River Gorge. They never returned. The family’s Ford station wagon vanished without a trace, leaving behind a decades-long mystery.

In May 1959, the bodies of Susan and Virginia were found in the river near Bonneville Dam, about 40 miles apart, but no sign of Ken, Barbara, or the youngest daughter, Barbara, was ever uncovered. Theories ranged from an accidental plunge into the river to foul play, but the case went cold. However, things have now changed.

In late 2024, a diver named Archer Mayo, who had been searching for the vehicle for seven years, located a Ford station wagon upside down, 50 feet underwater and 90% buried in sediment in the Columbia River near Cascade Locks.

On March 7th, 2025, after two days of dredging, a crane pulled the car’s frame from the river. The body of the vehicle detached during the process and remains underwater, but authorities are confident it matches the description of the Martins’ car. No human remains were found inside during the initial recovery, though the car was filled with rocks and debris.

The frame is now headed to a warehouse for forensic analysis, which could finally shed light on whether the family’s disappearance was a tragic accident (perhaps a plunge off a cliff or road into the river) or something more sinister. The discovery has reignited hope for closure in a case that’s haunted Oregon for nearly seven decades.

STORY IS HERE

High Speed Maneuvers!

On March 10th, 2025, a notable incident occurred in Georgia where a pursuit exceeding 90 mph concluded with a PIT maneuver.

The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office chased a suspect in a pickup truck, wanted for aggravated assault, along a two-lane highway after a neighboring sheriff’s department issued an alert. The chase ended when deputies used the PIT maneuver to stop the fleeing vehicle.

The PIT maneuver, or Precision Immobilization Technique, is a tactic where a pursuing vehicle makes controlled contact with the rear side of a fleeing car, causing it to spin out and stop.

While effective, it’s controversial due to its risks. Nationwide reports say it’s been linked to at least 30 deaths between 2016 and 2020, often in high-speed scenarios or for minor offenses, according to various sources.

In this Georgia case, specific outcomes like injuries or arrests weren’t detailed in the brief reports, but the maneuver successfully halted the pursuit.

STORY IS HERE

Robotic Bees?

MIT researchers have been working on tiny robotic insects that could revolutionize agriculture by assisting with pollination, particularly as natural bee populations decline due to factors like pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change.

These robotic bees are engineered to mimic the behavior of real bees, using advanced sensors and artificial intelligence to navigate and locate flowers with precision. They’re lightweight (often less than a gram) and capable of sustained flight, with some models hovering for over 1,000 seconds (more than 16 minutes), a significant leap from earlier designs.

The robots feature flapping wings powered by artificial muscles made from materials like elastomers and carbon nanotubes, allowing them to perform complex maneuvers like flips and precise path following. This agility and endurance make them promising candidates for pollinating crops in controlled environments, such as greenhouses or vertical farms, where natural pollinators might struggle.

STORY IS HERE

Making S’mores?

According to authorities, the suspected cause of the recent Long Island wildfires was a resident attempting to make s’mores in their backyard. On Saturday, March 8th, 2025, a person in Suffolk County, New York, reportedly used cardboard to start a fire around 9:30 a.m. ET.

Strong northwest winds made it difficult to ignite initially, but once lit, the fire quickly spread beyond control. Embers from this initial blaze are believed to have been carried by winds gusting up to 45 mph, sparking multiple fires that burned approximately 600 acres of the Pine Barrens region.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina described this as the “operating theory,” supported by an ongoing investigation involving 25 arson detectives, though it’s considered strongly accidental in origin as of this post.

The incident led to a state of emergency, injured two firefighters and damaged at least two commercial structures, with over 600 firefighters from 80 volunteer departments responding to the crisis.

STORY IS HERE

The Painting Penguin?

Marley, a northern rockhopper penguin at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas, has taken the internet by storm with her artistic talents.

For nearly two decades, this 21-year-old penguin has been creating paintings by waddling across canvases with her feet coated in nontoxic paint, a process that’s part of her enrichment activities.

Her fame exploded recently when a TikTok video showcasing her painting (and her adorable tail wagging reaction to her finished work) went viral, racking up around 60 million views and millions of likes.

See videos and find out more about Marley by clicking the link below!

LINK IS HERE