Ripley's Believe It or Not by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for May 10, 2022

  1. Coyote
    eromlig  over 2 years ago

    I recently related a story about a politician on a train, judiciously leaving off the pol’s name and affiliation. (Some of you still jumped in with your own politics, though…) The following story, while having no politician, also takes place on a train, and has the additional advantage – or possibly DISadvantage – of being absolutely true:

    My wife and I once bought a chance on The Amtrak. (This was back in the 70s when it truly was a game of chance.) We boarded the train in Seattle, then we stopped in Tacoma, Chehalis…

    However, south of Chehalis, the train came to a rather abrupt halt. We weren’t at a station; just out in an open field – not even a roadway in view. I saw the conductor coming up the aisle, so I asked him why we had stopped.

    “We hit a cow,” he replied.

    The woman across the aisle from us said, “Oh, dear – was it on the tracks?”

     •  Reply
  2. B986e866 14d0 4607 bdb4 5d76d7b56ddb
    Templo S.U.D.  over 2 years ago

    As much as I’ve never watched The Godfather, did Marlon Brando and his buddies call themselves “L’Organizzazione”?

     •  Reply
  3. Avatar92
    Charlie Fogwhistle  over 2 years ago

    Here’s one before I go about courts and lawyers in Ireland.

    Solicitors should never ask a County Offaly granny a question if they aren’t prepared for the answer.

    In a trial in Tullamore recently a small-town prosecuting solicitor called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand. He approached her and asked, ‘Mrs. Murphy, do you know me?’ She responded, ‘Yes, I do know you, Mr. Burke. I’ve known you since you were a boy, and frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a big lad when you haven’t the brains to realise you’ll never amount to anything more than a two-bit pen pusher. Yes, I know you.’

    The solicitor was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, ‘Mrs. Murphy, do you know the defence lawyer?’

    She again replied, ‘Why yes, I do. I’ve known Mr. Cummins since he was a youngster, too. He’s lazy, snobby, and he has a drinking problem. He can’t build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire country. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him.’

    The defence lawyer nearly died.

    The judge asked both counsellors to approach the bench and, in a very quiet voice, said,‘If either of you idiots ask her if she knows me, I’ll send you both to the Mountjoy prison for ten years each.

    Until next time.

     •  Reply
  4. Zero
    zerotvus  over 2 years ago

    they may not have said “mafia”. but how many times did they say Congress?

     •  Reply
  5. Huckandfish
    Huckleberry Hiroshima  over 2 years ago

    And neither is the word borborygmus.

    Take care, may secretly screaming librarian Myrtle “I Will Not Commit Mass Murder Today I Will Not Commit Mass Murder Today” Tomewormord be with you, and gesundheit.

     •  Reply
  6. Asterix
    Jaime Jean M  over 2 years ago

    Interesting, the Mafia bit. Vito does mentions “la cosa nostra” (our thing) – but I don’t know if this term was actually being used by the mobsters, or if it was coined by Mario Puzo.

     •  Reply
  7. Img e0281
    joefearsnothing  over 2 years ago

    I remember them saying “The Family” several times!

     •  Reply
  8. Missing large
    Nala the Great  over 2 years ago

    Do any of you know that Mafia was started as a patriotic organization! It started as the initials in Italian for “Death To France, Italy Forever”

     •  Reply
  9. Mr haney
    NeedaChuckle Premium Member over 2 years ago

    I read that the mob was very happy with the Godfather. Lenny Montana-Luca Brasi was actually a mob member.

     •  Reply
  10. Fb img 1509486198333
    e.groves  over 2 years ago

    What is that round thing with the dominos?

     •  Reply
  11. Captain smokeblower
    poppacapsmokeblower  over 2 years ago

    Massospora Cicadina is sold as a weight loss supplement to cicadas who think their butts are too big.

     •  Reply
  12. Greg backlit
    mindjob  over 2 years ago

    Positive Attitude

    After his plane was hit and he was forced to eject, the Marine fighter pilot finally regained consciousness. He was in a hospital in a lot of pain.

    He found himself in the ICU with tubes/IV drips in both arms, a breathing mask, wires monitoring every function and a nurse hovering over him looking worried.

    It was obvious he was in a life-threatening situation.

    The nurse gave him a serious look, straight into his eyes. Knowing he was not only a fighter pilot, but a Marine, she spoke to him softly and slowly, enunciating each word:

    “You may not feel anything from the waist down.”

    Somehow he managed to mumble in reply, “Can I feel your t*ts, then?”

    And that, my friends, is a real positive attitude.

     •  Reply
  13. Dvincent
    dv1093  over 2 years ago

    My 22 year old daughter’s job is going to take her to Elba for a week this summer. I said “Wow! Elba. That’s where Napoleon was exiled! I’d love to go there!” She said “Who’s Napoleon?”Also: "I’ve never seen “The Godfather”.

     •  Reply
  14. Img 1610
    WCraft Premium Member over 2 years ago

    That cicada parasite could be a big seller in weight loss clinics, if they can modify it for humans – I’m just saying

     •  Reply
  15. Fasseddie
    FassEddie  over 2 years ago

    Two Mafia hit-men are walking deep into a forest in the middle of the night. One of them says, “I gotta admit I’m scared out here.” The other replies, “You’re scared… I gotta walk back alone!”

     •  Reply
  16. Mb sunset
    tinstar  over 2 years ago

    There was an agreement between the writers and the actual mob, that the word “Mafia” would not be used… partially because they were afraid it would portray them in a negative light.Real gangsters were actually used to provide security on the set, as well.

     •  Reply
Sign in to comment

More From Ripley's Believe It or Not