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To The Best Of Our Knowledge

the Legend of Sarah Winchester

Sarah Winchester (born 1840) was the heiress to the Winchester Estate with a 50% holding of the Winchester Repeating Rifle Company. She used her vast fortune to construct a mansion for 38 consecutive years.

Popular legend held that she was cursed by all those who were killed by Winchester rifles. The only way to alleviate her suffering was to continue to add on to her mansion, filling it with strange sealed rooms and staircases and corridors leading nowhere. Pamela Haag tells her tale and gives it some meaning beyond a mere ghost story.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Stephen Braude on Parapsychology

Stephen Braude chairs the Philosophy Department at the University of Maryland, but he's long been interested in parapsychology, especially psycho-kinesis.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Running and Spirituality

Suprabha Beckjord runs as a spiritual practice. She's a follower of Sri Chinmoy, who believed athletics could enhance spiritual enlightenment. So he set up various weightlifting, swimming, and distance running events. His most famous - and most grueling - is the annual Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. The race, which exceeds the distance from Boston to Los Angeles, takes place around a half- mile loop in Queens, New York. Suprabha Beckjord ran those 3100 miles for 13 years in a row. Her fastest race was 49 days and 14 hours, an average or more than 63 miles a day. Rehman Tungekar talks with her.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

What Does It Take To Make It As A Writer?

Laura Van Den Berg has the kind of literary success writers dream of. Her debut novel comes out later this month, and already it's become one of the most anticipated books of the year. But for Laura, writing hasn't always been easy.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Steve Volk on "Fringe-ology"

Journalist Steve Volk believes the paranormal can be studied scientifically and explains why it's also a great subject for journalists.  Also, a montage of movie clips about the paranormal.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Second Place - Food Production by Michelle Clay

Michelle Clay brings us a story that gives new meaning to the idea of locally sourced food.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Sara Lorimer on Female Pirates

Sara Lorimer tells Jim Fleming about the Chinese woman who ran an empire of six fleets and eighty thousand pirates, and the Irish pirate who gave birth during a battle.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

The Mayor of Reykjavik

Jon Gnarr is a professional comedian who ran for mayor of Reykjavik on a lark. And to his surprise, won.

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