Common Sense & Reason

12/06/2025

Satire: “Underground Town” Claimed Beneath Casper, Wyoming

In late June 2025, a viral story emerged claiming construction crews discovered a fully intact underground town 20 feet beneath Casper, Wyoming, with timber-framed homes, cobbled streets, a saloon, and ceremonial prairie dogs. The story originated from the page Casper Planet, a known satire/humor account. Fact-checkers, including Snopes (June 28, 2025), confirmed there is no credible archaeological evidence supporting the claim; Wyoming’s historical and prehistoric sites do not include hidden towns as described, making this story a hoax.

Info:
Snopes: Ancient city discovered under Wyoming’s Horse Peak? — https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/horse-peak-wyoming-ancient-city/

Casper Planet Satire Page Profile — https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/07/27/the-real-oil-field-worker-behind-wyomings-most-popular-and-funny-fake-news/

Facebook Post:
https://www.facebook.com/share/17hGn1Ha1Y/

12/06/2025

Mysterious Stone Vault Discovered in Naslavcea Quarry, Oknitsa District, Moldova

On November 14, 2023, near the villages of Bîrnova (also transliterated Byrnova) and Naslavcea, in the Oknitsa (Oknitsky) District of northern Moldova, workers(Naslavcea-NordMd) at a sand quarry uncovered a remarkable structure described as a large stone vault or arch, resembling a gate or adit. The discovery was reported by NewsMaker.md and subsequently covered by local Romanian-language outlets, prompting a visit from archaeologists from the National Archaeological Agency of Moldova (NAA) the same day. According to the reports, the vault rests over a base layer containing lime mixed with coal, and rails lead into or through the structure, suggesting its historical use in industrial operations, possibly as a lime kiln or quarrying facility from the 19th–20th century. The upper portion of the vault shows signs of fire or burning, supporting the theory of heat-related industrial use. The location lies in the border region between Moldova and Ukraine, a site historically known for quarrying activity, but the discovery remains officially classified as industrial-heritage rather than ancient archaeology.

NewsMaker — Stone Vault Discovered in Oknitsa District Quarry
https://newsmaker.md/ru/foto-video-v-oknitskom-rayone-obnaruzhili-kamennyy-svod-arheologi-vyyasnyayut-ego-prednaznachenie

YouTube — Raw Footage of Vault Discovery (Part 1) - Naslavcea-NordMd
https://youtu.be/C2g7Jh51OEc?si=E2EawOR-A4m90EHx

YouTube — Raw Footage of Vault Discovery (Part 2) - Naslavcea-NordMd
https://youtu.be/5pNR3tvgRbI

12/06/2025

Brandon Hoover Vance Block (1875–1960), Indianapolis, Indiana

The Vance Block(1875-1876) was commissioned by Mary J. Bates Vance, widow of merchant Lawrence Vance, and designed by architect William H. Brown. Located at the southeast corner of East Washington Street, Pennsylvania Street, and Virginia Avenue, it featured an 80-foot tower, oolitic limestone façade carved by artisan Gerhard Ittenback, a rooftop skylit atrium, and reportedly the city’s first commercial elevator, showcasing high-style 19th-century commercial design. Funded privately through the Bates/Vance family’s wealth, the building initially housed professional offices, photographers, and retail shops. By 1895, the tower was removed, two floors added, and it was renamed the Indiana Trust Building, shifting ownership and use toward financial institutions. Over the decades it accommodated lawyers, architects, small businesses, and banking offices, reflecting the evolving downtown economy. Around 1960, the Vance Block was demolished to make way for the modern flatiron-shaped “Zipper Building,” later renovated as today’s Broadbent Building, leaving only photographic records and minor remnants such as a basement safe as evidence of its original form and significance.

Timeline
1875 – Commissioned by Mary J. Bates Vance; construction begins under architect William H. Brown.
1876 – Construction completed; Vance Block opens with tower, skylit atrium, limestone façade, and elevator.
1876–1895 – Houses professional offices, photographers, small retail shops, and other commercial tenants.
1895 – Tower removed; two additional floors added; building renamed Indiana Trust Building; shift toward financial institutions.
1895–1960 – Continues commercial and banking use under various tenants; reflects downtown Indianapolis economic growth.
1960 – Demolished to make way for the Zipper Building (flatiron-shaped modern commercial structure).
2000s–Present – Site renovated and rebranded as Broadbent Building; original Vance Block survives only in photographs and minor remnants.

Info:

Indianapolis Then & Now: Vance Block / Zipper Building / Broadbent Building l
https://historicindianapolis.com/indianapolis-then-now-vance-blockzipper-buildingbroadbent-building/

Indiana Landmarks — Record for Indiana Trust Co. (Vance Block)
https://digital.library.in.gov/Search/Results?lookfor=Vance+block

historic photograph collection of the original Vance Block structure.
https://indianaalbum.pastperfectonline.com/Search?search_criteria=%22Vance+block%22&onlyimages=true&onlyimages=false

Internet Archive
https://archive.org/search?query=%22Vance+block%22&sin=TXT&sort=date&and%5B%5D=year%3A%5B1874+TO+1961%5D

Newspaper Articles
https://www.newspapers.com/search/results/?date-end=1961&date-start=1874&keyword=%22vance+block%22®ion=us-in&sort=paper-date-asc

12/02/2025

History of 892 Wyandotte St E (Wyandotte Hotel), Windsor, Ontario

The building at 892 Wyandotte St E was constructed in 1909 as the Wyandotte Hotel, developed and operated by A. J. Campeau, who replaced an earlier hotel on the same site with a larger three-story brick structure that contemporary newspapers described as “one of the best in the city.” At the time of its construction, the surrounding area of Windsor’s east side was sparsely developed and Wyandotte Street was still unpaved, making the hotel an important commercial anchor in the district’s early growth. The building continued operating under the Wyandotte Hotel name through the mid-20th century, later transitioning into drinking and nightlife establishments such as the Wyandotte Tavern, Champs, and The Corner. In May 2024, a redevelopment plan was formally announced to convert the property into a 23-room boutique hotel called the West Walkerville Hotel, but on May 24, 2024, a major fire fully engulfed the structure, caused more than $1.5 million in damage, led to complete structural failure, and resulted in demolition—bringing an end to the original 1909 building after 115 years of continuous commercial use.

Info:

International Metropolis – History of Wyandotte Hotel
https://internationalmetropolis.com/2023/05/28/wyandotte-hotel/

Windsorite.ca – Planned Redevelopment (West Walkerville Hotel)
https://windsorite.ca/2024/05/west-walkerville-hotel-planned-for-wyandotte-town-centre/

Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs – 2024 Fire Report
https://www.oafc.on.ca/about/announcements/fire-news-headlines/windsor-building-ravaged-fire-was-going-be-redeveloped

892 Wyandotte St E, Windsor, ON N9A 3J6, Canada
https://maps.app.goo.gl/kPGdnzzUefHDWxvz7

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DbxmU4GKD/

11/05/2025

11/05/2025

The True History and the False Rumor about Geppetto and Pinocchio

The Adventures of Pinocchio was written by Italian author Carlo Collodi and first published in serial form between 1881 and 1883. The story centers on Geppetto, a poor but kind woodcarver who creates a wooden puppet named Pinocchio from a magical talking log. The puppet comes to life and dreams of becoming a real boy, learning lessons about honesty, responsibility, and love along the way. The tale, rooted in Italian folklore and Christian morality, was never intended as a racial or historical allegory. Its themes focus on moral growth, not slavery or exploitation.

A false rumor spread online in recent years claims that Geppetto was a slave master who created Pinocchio from the skin and hair of enslaved people. This claim has no basis in historical fact, literature, or art history. The story originated in 19th-century Italy—decades after the abolition of slavery there—and Collodi’s text explicitly describes Pinocchio as being carved from wood, not flesh. The “slave-skin” theory appears to be a modern social media myth or satirical misreading.

Fact check: “Viral Claim Linking Pinocchio To Slavery Is Unfounded” – Check Your Fact:
https://checkyourfact.com/2022/05/04/fact-check-pinocchio-slavery-viral-claim/

Fact check: “Original Pinocchio Story Does NOT Say Geppetto Was Slave Master Who Made Puppet From Human Skin, Hair” – Lead Stories:
https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2024/05/fact-check-original-pinocchio-story-does-not-say-gepetto-was-slave-master-who-made-puppet-from-human-skin-hair.html

Article: “About That Meme Claiming Geppetto Was a ‘Slave Master’…” – Yahoo Entertainment:
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fact-check-meme-claiming-geppetto-130000137.html

SNOPES tag page on “Slavery” which includes the topic of the claim:
https://www.snopes.com/tag/slavery/

11/05/2025

Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), Cancún, Mexico

The Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA) is an underwater museum located between Cancún, Isla Mujeres, and Punta Nizuc, founded in 2009 as a collaboration between British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, Mexican artists, and marine conservationists to protect the region’s natural coral reefs. It features over 500 life-size human statues made from pH-neutral marine-grade concrete, designed to attract coral growth and create new habitats for fish and other marine species. These human figures—ranging from solitary individuals to entire crowds—represent everyday people frozen in time, symbolizing humanity’s relationship with nature and the environment. Over time, the sculptures have become covered in coral, algae, and marine organisms, transforming them into living, evolving reefs. Divided into two main galleries, Manchones (8–10 m deep for scuba divers) and Punta Nizuc (around 4 m for snorkelers), MUSA serves both as an artistic masterpiece and an ecological sanctuary, merging art, science, and environmental restoration beneath the Caribbean Sea.

https://youtu.be/bxkpvujuuWw

https://underwatersculpture.com/projects/musa-mexico/

11/04/2025

The Veiled Technique in Marble Sculpture

The “veiled” effect, famously exemplified by Giovanni Strazza’s Veiled Virgin (c. 1850s), is achieved by carving a single block of fine Carrara marble to create the illusion of thin, translucent fabric over a figure’s face. This technique, originating with 18th-century sculptors like Antonio Corradini and Giuseppe Sanmartino, relies on subtractive carving, where the sculptor carefully removes material using point chisels, tooth chisels, rasps, and files, refining the depth and contours so that light and shadow mimic a delicate veil. Shallow relief over cheeks and forehead, combined with deeper undercuts where the veil presses on facial features, creates the illusion of contact and transparency. Final polishing with pumice, tripoli, and felt pads enhances the stone’s natural translucency. Today, this masterful illusion continues in the work of contemporary sculptors such as Kevin Francis Gray and Livio Scarpella, who maintain the traditional techniques while reinterpreting the veiled motif for modern audiences.

https://youtu.be/VwYPGFdcyf8

“Secrets of the Veiled Ladies” — https://medium.com/minneapolis-institute-of-art/secrets-of-the-veiled-ladies-17ce0907da70

“Unveiling the Illusion: How Giovanni Strazza rejected reality to make marble lifelike” — https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/unveiling-the-illusion/

“Marble Sculpture with Veil: Unveiling the Masterful Art of Stone” — https://www.quarrastone.com/marble-sculpture-veil-art-technique/

“Marble Veil: Trompe‑l’oeil Technique in Sculpture” — https://veryimportantlot.com/en/news/society-and-people/marble-veil-technique-trompe-loeil--what-where-when

“La Pudicizia (Modesty or Chastity): A Masterpiece by Antonio Corradini” — https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/la-pudicizia-modesty-or-chastity-a-masterpiece-by-antonio-corradini

How was it made? Donatello’s marble carving technique | V&A — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dn8F06y5mc

The Veiled Nun — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBkkTJ4bQ9g

The Veiled Christ or Cristo Velato — a Marble Sculpture by Giuseppe Sanmartino — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AoaZVB4Rt4

Carving a Marble Portrait: Watch The Entire Process From Start To Finish — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYyq6EfSULU

Making woman face under veil. — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=616A_na6rS4

This s**t aint adding up....🤔 Even the sculptures are a lie.

10/21/2025

10/15/2025

Dr. Irwin Moon’s 1956 “Selective Power of High Voltage” Demonstration

In his 1956 Sermons from Science film series, Dr. Irwin A. Moon—known as the “Million-Volt Man”—dramatically demonstrated the selective effects of high-frequency alternating current using a powerful copper induction coil. In the experiment, Moon showed how steel wool bursts into flames and eggs fry instantly on a metal pan, while nearby paper remains unscorched and even his own hands appear unharmed. The secret lay in electromagnetic induction: the alternating magnetic field generated by the coil induces eddy currents in conductive materials like steel or copper, heating them rapidly through electrical resistance, while insulating materials such as paper or human skin do not conduct well enough to experience the same effect. The demonstration, a blend of science and showmanship, highlighted both the potential and mystery of high-frequency electricity during the mid-20th century. Dr. Irwin A. Moon, who passed away on May 7, 1986, at age 77.

Info:

https://youtu.be/-JiwkekFBLQ