Ripley's Believe It or Not by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for August 20, 2015

I had wondered where “dude” came from.

I suppose that explains the term “duds” as well.

May I never run into one of those turtles. Say, did they inspire a quartet of heroes in a half shell?

Throwing Grandma’s body into the Ganges only to have it devoured by turtles? I don’t think that is a Hindu ritual.

In Proper Hindu tradition is to cremate their dead on the banks of the Ganges and let the river take away the ashes. Not all are burned completely, and pieces of burned bodies float and tend to collect like loose branches in little eddies and whirlpools and against bridge abutments. It’s a rather macabre sight to western eyes not used to another cultures traditions.

I once told some kids that “dude” used to be an insult, referring to a man with soft hands and fancy clothes. They were surprised to learn this.

Does Francis even know how to play basketball?

sad but true. deep-seated tradition will most often trump modern public health.