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When Southwest Airlines changed to a lighter, more durable, eco-friendly faux leather seat to reduce the weight of their planes and save fuel, they found that had an unusual problem. They had about 43 acres of used leather from the old seats and did not want it to go into a landfill. Instead of throwing…

Guards say they accustomed to people leaving things like sunglasses or small items at airport security checkpoints, but were surprised to discover a diamond-encrusted Cartier watch left behind by a Japanese businessperson. The owner had already boarded his flight, but he sent a friend to pick it and…

You never know where you may find a hidden treasure. A West Point sweater purchased at a Goodwill store last June turned out to be an incredible bargain. A couple purchased the sweater for 58 cents and didn’t think much about it until they saw a documentary on legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince…

It just looked like a mutt wandering the streets. Further research found that it was a rare South African Mastiff stolen from his yard in Beaverdam, Virginia. What looked like a lonely mutt was actually a pure bred dog worth over $10,000. His owner was ecstatic to get him back. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger…

Apple announced that they recovered more than 40 million dollars from their trash. The company recovered more 2,200 pounds of gold from recycled iPhones, iPads, and Macs. With gold valued at over $1,200 an ounce, the company gained over $40 million dollars from the recycling venture. Manufacturers use…

190 years after Thomas Jefferson died, a lock of his hair sold at a Texas auction for nearly $6,875. Heritage Auctions in Dallas said the sale involved 14 strands of Jefferson’s hair that were saved by his doctor at the time of his death in 1826. Though the buyer wished to remain anonymous, Heritage…

Amsterdam has such a big problem with bicycles being thrown into the city’s canals that it is a full time job fishing them out to redeem them. Every day a crew patrols the canals in a boat with a large claw attached. They dredge the bottom of the canal pulling in the bikes and other items that wind up…

Have you heard about the Panasonic Virtual Mirror? It has the ability to analyze the face of the mirror gazer and then pinpoint imperfections. It maps sun damage, scars, and wrinkles and then recommends products to aid in the treatment of these perceived faults. Do you think this is a good idea? Men,…

Researchers working on tracking the movements of birds have discovered the animals seem to have the ability to sense and flee an area before bad weather arrived. Scientists were working to see if it was possible to track the birds, when they discovered unique patterns. When a storm system produced deadly…

A painting that had been hanging on the wall of man’s home for more than ten years turned out to be worth a lot more that the $745 that he paid for it. Jamie MacLeod took the painting to be evaluated by the BBC television program, Antiques Roadshow, because he hoped to sell it and use the proceeds to…

Lizzie Velasquez is one of three people in the world who suffer from a rare genetic disorder that prevents a person from gaining weight. She has never weighed more than 62 pounds and she was born blind in her right eye. To make matters worse, right before her junior year of high school, Velasquez discovered…

In 2013, an unknown arsonist set fire to the Palmetto Presbyterian Church. Fortunately, the damage was limited to some soot on the exterior of the building and damage to the church’s Gothic mahogany doors. While authorities search for the person responsible, church members are celebrating a transformation.…

Residents of the small Montana town of Whitehall are finding something unusual in their tap water, flecks of gold. At least two households have reported finding gold flakes in the water, and they are concerned. After Sharon Brown finished washing dishes, she noticed glistening flecks in the bottom of…

In 1970, an engineer bought a plain looking wooden chest for about $150. All he wanted was something to put his television on. For the next 43 years, the wooden chest, known as the Mazarin chest sat in the man’s living room. What the man did not know about his television stand was that it was hand crafted…

An auction company in Hong Kong has reported that the cleaning crew may have inadvertently discarded a 2012 painting that recently sold for more than 3 million U.S. dollars. The auction house reported that the painting entitled, “Snowy Mountain” was missing, and video footage showed the cleaners moving…

A Bible signed by renowned physicist Albert Einstein sold at a New York City auction for $68,500. The final price exceeded pre-sales estimates by thousands. Most observers believed that at best the rare Bible would bring between $1,500 and $2,500. The Bible was signed by both the Nobel prize-winning…

George and Betty Davis of Rhinebeck, NY received a hand-me-down from George’s father when he passed. It was a Faberge figure of a Cossack. They wrapped it up and put it away in their attic. The executer of their estate found it there last spring and had it evaluated. It turned out to be a little figurine…

A New York family didn’t know they had bought a rare heirloom, when they purchased a ceramic bowl at a garage sale in 2007. They paid three dollars for the item, and displayed it in their living for several years. Eventually, someone get curious about where the bowl came from, and then discovered that…

A Virginia woman browsing flea markets in West Virginia saw a box of junk for seven dollars. A statue of Paul Bunyan sticking out of the box caught her eye. Purchasing the box and back home, she saw that a painting in the box had the word “RENOIR” written on the back of the frame. Bidding on the original…

In the early 1960s, the Lincoln Futura concept car created for a 1955 auto show was not worth much. It was used a 1959 movie and then sold to automobile designer George Barris for one dollar. Since it was untitled and could not be insured, the car was had little value and was relegated to a back parking…

In 2012, Disney added Sofia, a young Latina Princess to their many princesses. This addition reminds little girls that race should not keep them from dreaming big and working towards achieving their dreams. —Jim L. Wilson and Phillip Chung http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Sofia_the_First (Accessed, 103012)…

In the movie The Help, Aibileen was one of “the help” herself. She says she raised 17 children amidst the racial injustices of the early 1960s and absentee moms of the day. She was those children’s caregiver--she changed their diapers, nursed their hurts and taught them important life lessons. In a few…

In March 2012, Jim Isray, the Colts' owner, released his one-time golden boy, Peyton Manning, from the team. Why? Because Peyton had a neck surgery and he might not be able to play as well as in the past. In case you don't know Peyton, he was one of the top QBs in the league history and he earned 4 MVP…

Dakoda Garren used coins from a collection valued at over a hundred thousand dollars, spending them at face value, to purchase movie tickets and buy a pizza for himself and his girlfriend Elizabeth Massman. According to police, “One of the coins was a Liberty quarter worth between $1,100 and $18,500.”…

After a stampede at an Ohio concert killed 11 people, a December, 1979 appearance by the rock group, The Who in Rhode Island was cancelled. 17-year-old Emery Lucier was so upset when he heard the news that he knocked over a chair in his high school classroom. Now 50, Lucier will have the opportunity…