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5 Celebrities With A History Of Bad Driving

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Car accidents are going to happen to most of us at one point, with an estimated three-quarters of people getting into some sort of accident. Thankfully, a massive chunk of these accidents are not life-threatening and the only real pain comes from opening up your wallet or dealing with your insurance company. Then, there are those that seem to have all of the bad luck and get into more than just fender benders every now and then.

Celebrities are no exception, and there are a lot of causes for this. Some of it is self-inflicted, while others have just been flat-out unfortunate. Here’s a look at five celebrities who have a bad history of driving, detailing the incidents they’ve been in along the way.

Pete Doherty

British singer Pete Doherty has been involved with several bands throughout his career, including The Libertines and Babyshambles. Doherty is known for his persona off-stage just as much (if not more) than his actual singing career.

The first major driving offense for Doherty came in 2007 when he was in possession of several drugs while driving a vehicle that wasn’t street-legal. Since then, Doherty has received several more traffic charges which include multiple DUIs, and has been caught driving with a suspended license several times. In total, Doherty has received a half-dozen driving offenses, which was a wake-up call for his personal life. Doherty said that he got sober in late 2019 and hasn’t looked back since.

Lindsay Lohan

Life isn’t always easy for a former child star, and that includes the likes of Lindsay Lohan. After getting her start in acting at just 10 years old, Lohan became a big star during her teens and early 20s before personal troubles got in the way.

Like Doherty, Lindsay Lohan’s string of driving troubles got started in 2007. While under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Lohan crashed her car in Beverly Hills. Just two months later she was arrested again for the same thing (without a crash this time). Lohan cleaned up her act for several years, but then clipped someone accidentally with her car in 2012. All in all, Lohan has had several accidents and multiple DUI arrests.

Britney Spears

Britney Spears is an icon in the music world, bursting onto the scene during the late 1990s when bubblegum pop was dominating the charts. Spears maintained her fame well into the new millennium and has been dubbed ‘The Princess of Pop’ as a result of that success. She has also had her troubles away from the stage and recording studio, though.

Wouldn’t you know it, Spears had a rough 2007 in terms of driving. Spears was involved in a hit-and-run, and it turned out that she didn’t have a valid driver’s license. She was looking at a potential prison sentence but was able to avoid any jail time. There were some other times when her driving was simply criticized, too. Spears was pictured driving with a baby on her lap and has gotten stranded multiple times for flat tires and running out of gas.

Dennis Rodman

Dennis Rodman is certainly among the most unique players in NBA history. He always stood out thanks to his demeanor both on and off the court, as well as his colorful hairstyle choices. The rebounding machine played professionally for 20 years, winning five NBA titles along the way.

Rodman has had several run-ins with the law, many of which have been while he was behind the wheel. Rodman’s first arrest came in 1999 when he was detained for drunk driving and not having a valid license. He was able to avoid prison but was arrested for the same crime less than five years later in Las Vegas. In 2016, still without a license, Rodman was charged with a hit-and-run, and just two years later was picked up again for driving under the influence. 

Tiger Woods

If you were to ask anyone in the world to name just one golfer, they’d probably say Tiger Woods. After all, he became the face of the sport at a young age and has won more major tournaments than any other golfer not named Jack Nicklaus. Woods is a sports icon, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021.

Rodman isn’t the only famous athlete who has had his fair share of troubles with automobiles. Not many people will forget the fallout from Woods’s affair while he was married to Elin Nordegren, resulting in Woods crashing his SUV into a fire hydrant and tree. Nearly a decade later, Woods was arrested for driving under the influence after he was found sleeping in his car. Then, in 2021, Woods was involved in a single-car accident, rolling over his SUV several times, nearly claiming his life.

5 Surprising Colleges to Produce a #1 NFL Draft Pick

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Each year, the NFL Draft’s first round is comprised mainly of players from colleges with massive college football programs. Colleges like Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia, and more put out multiple first-round players seemingly every year, and have done so for decades. Then, there are surprises from small colleges, even all the way at the top. Let’s take a look at the first overall picks that came from surprising college programs.

For this list, we decided to stick with colleges in the Super Bowl era of professional football. Prior to then, it wasn’t uncommon to see a lot of small programs end up having a first-overall pick. After all, the University of Chicago hasn’t had a Division I team since the start of World War II, and they produced first-overall pick, Jay Berwanger.

Utah

Leading up to the 2005 NFL Draft, there had only been one Utah Ute drafted in the top 10, and that was two years prior when tackle Jordan Gross was selected eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers. In 2005, many thought that Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers was going to end up being the number one pick, but the San Francisco 49ers surprised many and went with quarterback Alex Smith at the top spot.

Smith became a starter in his first season with the 49ers and played for eight seasons in San Francisco. He also spent five seasons in Kansas City and three more with Washington before calling it quits after the 2020 season. Smith finished with 199 touchdowns and was a three-time Pro Bowl player.

University of Tampa

If you think of college football in Tampa, Florida, you probably think of the University of South Florida. However, the University of Tampa had a football program from 1933 until 1974, spending its final few years as an NCAA D-1 Independent. In their third-to-final season as a program, the Tampa Spartans produced defensive end John Matuszak, who was a surprise pick at number one in 1973 by the Houston Oilers.

Matuszak bounced around the league for a few years before finding a home with the Raiders from 1976 until the end of his career in 1982. He had no Pro Bowls and played in 123 career games, amassing 48.5 career sacks.

Fresno State

Prior to 2002, only two players in Fresno State history had been drafted in the first round. The first came in 1990 when defensive back James Williams (16th overall) was selected by the Bears, and quarterback Trent Dilfer was the sixth overall pick by the Buccaneers. David Carr became the third first-round Bulldog and the first to be taken with the number one pick by the expansion Houston Texans.

Carr became the day-one starter for the new franchise but failed to produce as a lack of an offensive line made him the most-sacked quarterback in the league twice in his first four seasons. Carr finished with a record of 23-53 in Houston and became a backup for Carolina, San Francisco, and New York (Giants) before retiring after the 2012 season.

Tennessee State

HBCU school Tennessee State began play in 1912 and has yet to produce two dozen players into the NFL. However, one of those players was the number one overall selection, and it happened when Ed “Too Tall” Jones was selected first by the Dallas Cowboys in 1974. The defensive end was selected ahead of the likes of Bo Matthews and John Hicks, and for the Cowboys, it was the right pick.

Jones was a three-time All-Pro in his career, all of which was spent with Dallas. He won a Super Bowl and was named to a trio of Pro Bowls, as well. Jones finished with 106 career sacks over 224 games with the Cowboys, achieving legend status with the franchise.

Central Michigan University

Mid-American Conference teams simply don’t have many first-round picks, and it took until 2013 for one of the MAC members to have a number one overall pick. Nobody knew what the Kansas City Chiefs would do with the number one pick that year since there wasn’t a clear-cut top player in the draft, so they selected offensive tackle Eric Fisher, which was even a surprise to the fine folks of Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

Fisher spent all but one of his 9 NFL seasons with the Chiefs, earning himself a Super Bowl title and a pair of Pro Bowl honors. Fisher was the full-time starter for the Chiefs during their rebuild that saw the team draft Patrick Mahomes. To date, he is the only MAC player drafted first overall, and only three have been within the top five.

5 Cities Escape Room Fans Must Visit

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Escape rooms have caught on throughout the world to the point where some cities have dozens if not well more than 100. One city, in particular, has nearly 200, though the range in quality can be rather large. No matter where you are in the world, there’s a good chance that you’re not too far from a good escape room.

Out of all of the cities in the world, though, which ones are the best for escape room fans? Let’s take a look at the five that every fan must visit. Before we begin the list, we wanted to make sure that countries were only represented by one city. If not for that, the list would be comprised of entirely Chinese cities. With that said, let’s get to the top choice.

Beijing, China

Escape rooms are massively popular in China, with 10 of them having at least 40. Shanghai comes in second place at just over 100 escape rooms, but Beijing far and away leads the pack with close to 200. The best part about having so many escape rooms in one city is that there is a wide range to pick from. You can do downright terrifying escape rooms or something a little more family-friendly with easier puzzles.

Fans have been debating for years about the best escape room in Beijing, with some saying that OMESCAPE is the top while others have a soft spot for Mr. X. The latter has been praised for creating a true horror fan experience while also being top of the line in quality and having a production value that would make people think that it was taken directly from a movie set. To make things easier on yourself, try taking a group of 10 to Mr. X.

Budapest, Hungary

If you travel outside of Asia, the city that has the most escape rooms anywhere is Budapest. It might come as a bit of a surprise, but Hungarians are crazy about escape rooms and there are more than five dozen throughout the city. One of the things that attracts people to Budapest escape rooms the most is the price, with even top-of-the-line ones costing around $25.

PLAY! Escape Rooms, Locked Room, and Escape Zone are consistently the highest-rated escape rooms throughout Budapest, with the latter containing a game that has a “Star Wars” theme. While licensing would make that tricky to pull off in some countries, it looks like it was designed by George Lucas himself in Budapest.

Toronto, Canada

If you were thinking that the city with the most escape rooms in North America would be located in the United States, guess again. Toronto, Ontario takes the top spot with three dozen escape rooms with varying difficulty, which is around a dozen more than any American city. From whimsical to downright scary, Toronto has a lot to offer.

The Looking Glass Adventure and The Imaginarium are two of the favorites in Toronto, with most of the escape rooms being quite family-friendly. Toronto receives a lot of praise for having fine actors who accompany you throughout your adventure, making the experience special.

Tokyo, Japan

Heading back to Asia, Japan leads the way for non-Chinese countries as there are around 30 escape rooms in the world’s largest city, Tokyo. Like their Chinese counterparts, there are different levels of difficulty, and many of the escape rooms focus on the horror aspect. Another thing you have to know about Tokyo escape rooms is that, for the most part, they are extremely hard.

Many of the Tokyo escape rooms have a success rate of less than five percent, including the infamous Escape from the Red Room. There aren’t any clues on the walls in this bright red enclosure, and you have to rely on the handful of props to get yourself out. There are others that have higher success rates, but the horror tends to turn up to 11.

Los Angeles, California

We finally get to the United States at the end of the list, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the best city for escape rooms is the same one that’s home to Hollywood. With movie-quality escape rooms around just about every corner, Los Angeles has a lot to offer, with some saying that the quality outweighs the quantity in the City of Angels.

Hatch Escapes, Quest Room, 60out, and Black Market have all received praise for their different types of games which range from Jumanji to Red Giant. There are aspiring actors filling up the escape rooms, ready to take you on an unforgettable journey. Sure, it isn’t cheap to get the type of Hollywood production you come to expect from LA, but it’s definitely worth it.

5 Keys To A Successful STEM Career

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When you choose a career path in the STEM fields, you’re picking one that has a higher level of difficulty than just about any other. STEM, of course, stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and that acronym alone should tell you just how difficult things can be for these types of jobs. There are seemingly endless hours for some, but many feel it’s worth it as STEM employees make a difference in the world and earn high wages.

If you’ve been considering a STEM career, are just getting started on your journey, or are looking for ways to enhance your career, there are some things that you need to know. Here are five keys to a successful STEM career no matter what specific field you’re in.

Continue Learning

In a lot of career paths, people feel that their education is done the very second that they get a diploma. If you’re in a STEM field and want to make sure that you have a successful career, though, you need to continue learning every day. Whether it be online courses or traditional classes to advance your knowledge, you’ll want to keep adding to your database.

There is a lot of on-the-job training when it comes to STEM jobs, as well. Once in a while, you’ll run into a problem that you don’t know how to solve. Once you either find a solution to the problem or ask for help, you’re going to learn something new that you can use down the road. See what types of courses you can have your job pay for, too, advancing your education.

Accept Mistakes

Perhaps the most important thing that you can leave at the door when walking into a STEM job is any grain of narcissism that you might have. Just like in any job, you are going to make mistakes, but in STEM fields, they are going to happen a lot more often. The sooner that you recognize these mistakes, the better off you’re going to be for your entire career.

There are two different things that can happen when you make a mistake. You either learn from it and use it for future knowledge, or you point fingers and don’t accept that you were wrong. Anyone that chooses the second path won’t be in the STEM field for very long. The most brilliant minds in the world have made countless mistakes but became better because of them in the long run.

Learn People Skills

There are many of us who would prefer to work alone for the rest of our lives and not have to bounce ideas around in large group meetings. However, if you want to work in STEM, you’re going to have to learn how to be part of larger teams. Unless you’re thinking on an entirely different level from everyone else in the world, working as a team is the only way to come up with advancements.

It’s much easier said than done to acquire the people skills that you need. If you don’t know where to start, try interacting with your colleagues on topics that don’t involve work at all. Get to know them and see how well you could potentially work together. Your interview for your STEM career will tell you much of what you need to know about where you’re at.

Take Notes

We already mentioned that you need to learn from mistakes, but you can also learn a lot before you even make that mistake. By taking notes and getting ideas from other people on how to perform tasks, you’re setting yourself up for success in anything that you do. Talk to others or simply shadow them (with their permission, of course), and see how they operate.

It will become pretty apparent who the top-level people are in your field, and those are the ones that you should be watching more carefully. See what they do on a daily basis that makes them so unique and talented, and continue learning from the best.

Adapt

Another thing that we mentioned is to continue to further your education while you’re employed. One of the biggest reasons for this is that you’ll need to adapt in the future as every field in STEM is ever-changing. We’re not just talking about a yearly or even monthly basis, either, as these fields change daily.

Those who are more equipped to adapt to changes in procedure are going to be more valuable and will have longer careers in STEM. Those who want to do things in their own way are going to be left behind. Learn all you can, and apply that knowledge to future changes.

5 Worst #1 Draft Picks in NBA History

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More than any other league in the United States, the NBA is the one where the best players are typically taken in order and you expect a lot out of the first overall pick in his rookie season. However, not all #1 picks shake out, and some are so disappointing that they can’t even crack the starting lineup or even the roster itself after a few seasons. Who were the most disappointing #1 picks in NBA history, though? Here are our picks for the five worst.

Before we get into the list, we want to point out that the names that you’ll see are more modern. Some players who were drafted in the early days of the NBA didn’t produce much and simply left the game for various reasons, with the NBA hardly paying enough to be considered a job among them. Instead, we wanted to focus on the players who were making millions before even getting into a single game.

Anthony Bennett

The Cleveland Cavaliers were given the top overall pick of the NBA Draft for the first time since they selected LeBron James in 2003. While the Cavaliers could have still skipped out on James and gotten an All-Star in that draft, that wasn’t the case in 2013 when the talent pool was much shallower. 

Not many knew who they were going to select, and they wound up taking forward Anthony Bennett out of UNLV in a surprise to many. Bennett lasted just four seasons in the NBA and played for a different team in each season. He finished his career with 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Kwame Brown

After the final retirement of Michael Jordan, he stuck with the Washington Wizards to be part of the front office as the team had won the lottery and received the number one pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. There were some solid names on the list that included Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, and Shane Battier, but overall it was a weaker class. The Wizards took power forward Kwame Brown, who entered the draft straight out of high school.

Brown was still able to get 13 NBA seasons in before retiring, but nothing remarkable really happened. He finished his career in 2013 with a total of 6.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, playing for seven different franchises.

Michael Olowokandi

There were a lot of amazing names that came out of the 1998 NBA Draft. Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, and Paul Pierce were all Hall of Famers who were selected in the top 10, but the Los Angeles Clippers selected none of them. Instead, the Clippers put all of their hopes on Michael Olokowandi, a Nigerian center who graduated from Pacific University.

Was Olowokandi horrible as a Clipper? Not really, but for a number one selection you expect a lot more. Olowokandi averaged 9.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in five seasons with Los Angeles before splitting his final four seasons with the Timberwolves and Celtics. With Boston, he put up just 2.1 points and 2.2 rebounds per game before retiring at 31.

Markelle Fultz

The 2017 NBA Draft was one that evaluators were having a tough time with. There was no clear-cut number-one player, though the talent pool was deep. Players like Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Bam Adebayo were all available, but the Philadelphia 76ers surprised everyone with the top selection when they took guard Markelle Fultz from Washington.

Fultz played for just two seasons in Philadelphia where he averaged a disappointing 7.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He was then traded to the Orlando Magic with hopes of reviving his career, and he did show some promise. However, injuries set him back repeatedly to hinder his development into a star player. He’s still expected to be around in the NBA for years, though, just not as an All-Star.

LaRue Martin

Though this pick is by far the oldest on the list, it’s hard not to leave it off because of the talent taken after the number one spot and the fact that the NBA had become nationally popular by 1972. The Portland Trail Blazers held the number one pick that year, and instead of taking future Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo, Paul Westphal, or Julius Erving, they selected center LaRue Martin from Loyola (Illinois).

Martin ended up playing just four seasons in the NBA and never really cracked the starting lineup. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game during those four seasons but isn’t too shaken up about not having a lengthy NBA career. “I took care of my family…I’m the type of person (who) can’t dwell off the negatives,” Martin said.

5 Countries Which Changed Their Capital City

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No matter what type of government a country chooses for operating, there needs to be a central hub for that government to meet. Because of this, we have capital cities, and it’s something that has been around for ages. The capital city of a country doesn’t have to be the largest, it just has to be home to federal buildings and be the home to the leader of the nation.

Not every country has had the same capital throughout its entire history, however. There have been many notable nations that have changed the address of their leader’s home, though many of them happened before any of our lifetimes. Here’s a look at five of those countries that changed their capital city, detailing which one was the first and which one it is now.

United States of America

When the United States officially became a country in 1776, the first capital of the country was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You still see a lot of the history from the era throughout Philly, and it served as the capital a handful of times. After five months, the capital switched to Baltimore, Maryland before returning to Philadelphia.

It then changed hands to Lancaster and York (both in Pennsylvania) during the 1770s before returning yet again. After switching hands between several cities (including New York City), the United States finally found a permanent capital in the form of Washington D.C. The transition was made in November 1800 and hasn’t changed since. What has changed, however, is the venue. The United States Capitol has served as the venue since 1819.

Japan

Ever since 1868, Tokyo has served as the capital of Japan and is the largest city in the world (by population) by far. Even though it’s been well over a century since Tokyo became the capital, Japan has had a long list of capitals that predated it. The first established capital was Kashihara and the capital changed a total of 13 times during the era of Emperor Jimmu.

The capital then switched nearly 20 times during the Kofun period and even more during the Asuka period. Things started to slow down in the eighth century as there were six capital venues during this time in Heijo-kyo, Kuni-kyo, Naniwa-kyo, and Nagaoka-kyo. Heian-kyo became the long-time capital during the Heian period in 794, and maintained that position until Tokyo’s establishment in 1868, with the exception of Fukuhara Palace in 1180.

Australia

Australia is one of the newer developed countries of the world, having been established in 1901 after many made their way from the United Kingdom. As a result, there haven’t been many world capitals as some of the countries that have been around for several centuries if not more. Australia has only had two capitals, though, with the current one being Canberra.

Canberra is a planned city, and was always meant to be where Australia would establish the capital of the country. During the first several years of Australian history, though, Melbourne served as the ‘de facto’ capital. When Canberra was finally ready in 1927, operations moved from Melbourne, but the country’s first capital is still thriving today.

Canada

While it was still under British rule, what is now known simply as Canada went through a lot of different capitals during the mid-19th century while it was known as the Province of Canada. The first established capital was Kingston, Ontario, which was named the capital in 1841. After three years, operations moved to Montreal for another five years.

Toronto and Quebec City traded places as the capital from 1849 to 1866, with both cities serving as the capital on two different occasions. Finally, Ottawa became the capital of the Province of Canada in 1866. When the country established independence from the United Kingdom on July 1, 1867, Canada kept Ottawa as the capital where it has remained ever since.

Brazil

Brazil has undergone a lot of changes throughout its long history, but it wasn’t until 1822 that the country declared its independence from Portugal and was officially recognized three years later. In the final years of Portugal’s rule, Rio de Janeiro was the capital city, and that remained true when it became an independent nation.

In fact, Rio was still the capital for more than a century after Brazil’s independence. It wasn’t until 1960 that the country changed course and established Brasilia. Like Australia, Brazil used a planned city so that the focus could be on creating government buildings first and foremost. Now, Brasilia is the third-largest city in the country.

5 Successful People Who Had a Low GPA

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When we’re growing up, we’re told that our grades are pretty much the most important aspect of our lives. Getting good grades in high school can lead to getting into a prestigious college, and getting good grades in college can lead to a high-paying job. Just because someone is smart and dedicated, though, doesn’t always mean they’ll get good grades.

There have been plenty of people who have found massive success in their lives without a top-level grade point average. Before you stress too much about your own grades, here are five people who struggled with their GPA but went on to become some of the top people in their field of work.

Al Gore

Al Gore served as the Vice President of the United States throughout the presidency of Bill Clinton and nearly became the president himself during the 2000 election. These days, Gore is a businessman and environmentalist who spreads awareness for climate change.

Gore may have gotten into Harvard, but he struggled on certain tests and received low grades in many of his classes. In fact, Gore got a ‘D’ grade in one class (Natural Sciences) and got just a 488 out of 800 on a physics exam (and 519 in chemistry). Gore was able to do well in other classes, however, and his combination of SAT scores and IQ test scores showed that he was smart and just didn’t apply himself in some classes.

George W. Bush

Al Gore would end up losing the 2000 election to George W. Bush, who became just the second president in history to follow in his father’s footsteps to the White House. Bush, like Gore, also went to an Ivy League school but struggled throughout much of his academic career. 

Bush’s SAT scores were much lower than Gore’s, and he received low 70s marks in his PS14a and PS13b tests. Bush has talked about his grades, saying to the 2015 class at SMU that “To those of you who are graduating this afternoon with high honors, awards, and distinctions, I say, ‘Well done.’ And as I like to tell the C students; You too can be president.”

Steven Spielberg

Perhaps the most famous director to ever live, Steven Spielberg has been behind the camera for some of Hollywood’s greatest films. This includes the “Indiana Jones” series, “Jurassic Park”, and many more.

Spielberg’s attention didn’t go toward school while he was growing up as he was fully locked into movie-making. One of the main reasons why Spielberg struggled in school was because he suffers from dyslexia. “It is something that I have had since I was a child,” Spielberg dais. “It was not fun to go to elementary school and have other students and teachers not understand my reading problems…When you are a child you have to achieve a different balance when you find yourself to be dyslexic.”

Jon Stewart

During the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Jon Stewart found his footing as an actor and comedian, but his career really took off in 1999 when he was tabbed to take over hosting duties for “The Daily Show”. Stewart hosted the series for 16 years, and started his own show “The Problem with Jon Stewart” in 2021.

Stewart said that he was more focused on the inner workings of the real world while growing up, but was still able to get into the College of William & Mary where he starred as a soccer player. Stewart’s extracurriculars were more important to him, and he admitted that his college career mainly consisted of waking up late and taking other people’s notes before soccer practice. He spoke to the W&M graduation class 20 years after his graduation, saying “College is something you complete. Life is something you experience. So don’t worry about your grade, or the results, or success. Love what you do. Get good at it.”

Jeremy Clarkson

“Top Gear” is one of the most beloved television shows in British history, and it wouldn’t have been as successful as it was without the hosting abilities of Jeremy Clarkson. Clarkson has been a part of several other shows including “Robot Wars” and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

Each year, Clarkson likes to remind those who take the A-Level in the United Kingdom that he didn’t do so well on his either (or school in general). In an annual post on Twitter, Clarkson notes that he received a ‘C’ grade on the A-Level but has still been able to obtain success. “Don’t worry if your A level results are disappointing,” he says each year. “I got a C and 2 Us and I’m currently holidaying on this boat.” That’s just one of the many examples of Clarkson showing off that grades aren’t everything. 

5 States With the Highest-Paid Governor

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There are a lot of details that go into how much the governor state earns each year. Some states have massive populations which require governors to be very hands-on and work nearly around the clock. In these states, governors are paid extremely well to the point where they find themselves in the upper class of the United States.

Out of all of the states that have the highest-paid governors, many of them are probably what you’d expect. Then, there are a couple that come as pretty big surprises. Let’s take a look at the five states who pay their governors the most and how they came to be such high-paying jobs (even higher than a United States Representative).

Washington

The fifth-highest-paid state is the first surprise entry onto the list. While Washington is by no means small, it’s a bit of a shock to see them pay their governor so much. Washington is the 13th-most populated state in the country at over 7.7 million, which puts it in the same neighborhood as the likes of Arizona and Virginia. However, Arizona has one of the lowest salaries for a governor in the entire country.

Washington’s governor is paid over $187,000 per year, which is more than triple what the average American makes per year. As one of the leading states in terms of employee salary, Washington is one of those smaller states that has kept up with inflation compared to many others. For that reason, there are probably some people who weren’t shocked to see Washington ranked so high as it’s considered one of the best states to work in overall because of the wages.

Tennessee

You don’t have to go too far down the population rankings from Washington to find Tennessee. While the Pacific Northwest state is ranked 13th in population, Tennessee is just two spots behind with a population of over 7 million. Tennessee has seen a large influx in population due to the Nashville metropolitan area, with locals saying that they’ve never seen a boom like this in their lives.

Though the population increase has put Tennessee higher on the list in terms of largest states, the governor has always been a highly paid job in the Volunteer State. Tennessee was hanging around the top 10 early in the 21st century and saw a huge increase in salary when the population increased to make it a top-five paying state.

Pennsylvania

People who have never really been to Pennsylvania might think of the state mostly for its rolling landscape, mining, and steel industry, the state actually has one of the largest populations in the country. There are around 13 million people in Pennsylvania, many of which are within the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metro areas. Pennsylvania is the fifth-largest state and the third-highest-paying for governors.

Out of all of the states, Pennsylvania perhaps has the best history of making sure that their governor is well compensated. At multiple points throughout history, Pennsylvania has had the highest-paid governor in the country, though the wage hasn’t increases as quickly during the 21st century as some of the other states to balance things out.

California

Many of those who came into this list assumed that California would be ranked either number one or number two on the list, and those suspicions are confirmed. California is far and away the most populated state in the country with nearly 40 million residents. As a result, the governorship is the second-highest paid in the country, which makes sense due to the sheer size of the area covered, as well.

California has been in the number one spot on the list multiple times throughout the state’s history, but has switched spots a handful of times. Now, California is solidly in the second position ahead of Pennsylvania, which at one point surprisingly paid more than California. Unless the state purges millions of people suddenly, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

New York

Though it’s the fourth-most populated state in the country and not all that large in terms of area compared to others, New York has the highest-paid governor in the United States and it’s not particularly close. There’s a lot of wealth in New York, especially as it’s home to the largest city in the United States. With around 20 million people total in the state, there are plenty of folks for the governor to preside over, too.

There have been many significant increases to the governor’s salary in New York over the years, and it wasn’t too long ago that the state was behind California at the top of the list. After more than a 12 percent jump in salary, though, New York comfortably took the top position, surpassing its counterpart to the west.

5 Incredible Fortresses Over 1000 Years Old

Posted on by scatty

For those of us that live in North America, there are plenty of old buildings that date back a century or two. Very rarely do we see any buildings still standing after over a millennium of use. When you’re talking about Europe, though, there seems to be one every couple hundred feet. Many of these fortresses were built for medieval wars and homes to royalty.

These days, most of the old castles and fortresses are no longer in use outside of tourist spots, but it’s still impressive to see them standing after such a long time. If you want to see some of the oldest fortresses in the world, check out these five incredible ones that are over 1,000 years old.

Rochester Castle

Construction started at the beginning of the 11th century on Rochester Castle, which sits right off of the River Medway. Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, was tasked with establishing the stronghold so that England could stave off any potential invasion. The castle did its job over the years, with some of the original structure still standing.

The first couple of centuries saw heavy use for Rochester Castle, and it became a significant figure in the reigns of King John and Henry III. Some of the castle still stands today, reaching a height of over 110 feet, and is now open to the public. Rochester Castle is a protected building and monument by the English Heritage.

Aleppo Citadel

The oldest fortress on the list is in the city of Aleppo, Syria. The Citadel of Aleppo (or Aleppo Citadel) has a history that dates all the way back to the 3rd millennium BC. There have been a lot of people occupying the castle since then, including the Byzantines and Ottomans. It would take a long time to describe the history of the Aleppo Citadel, but it wasn’t complete until the 12th century, showing how long it has been relevant.

In the modern era, the Aleppo Citadel has been restored as an attraction but was used as a fortress once again during the Syrian Civil War. The result was significant damage that left the Aleppo Citadel partially ruined. Hopefully, in the coming years, it can be restored to its former glory.

Prague Castle

You have to go all the way back to the 9th century to find the origin of the Prague Castle, which serves as the office of the President of the Czech Republic. The first walls of the building were put up in 870, and expanded over the years. There have been times during the castle’s lifespan when it went completely uninhabited, including the Hussite Wars.

There has been a lot of rebuilding over the years due to damage from various conflicts, with World War II and the 1948 Czechoslovakian coup being the most recent ones. The castle, as it stands, has several churches, palaces, towers, and gardens (among other structures). It would be hard to even picture Prague without the castle, and nearly 2 million people visit it each year.

Warwick Castle

William the Conqueror needed a strong wooden fort to keep himself safe, and the original foundation of Warwick Castle was born in the early 11th century. After seeing a lot of battles over the following years, the castle was almost completely rebuilt as all of the wood was replaced by stone. It underwent another fortifying during the Hundred Years War, becoming what we know today.

Warwick Castle was in full-time use until the 1600s when it was given to Sir Fulke Greville, and went widely unused for centuries. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the castle was purchased and turned into a tourist attraction. Now, Warwick Castle is open to the public and operated by Merlin Entertainments, a company that specializes in attractions.

Edinburgh Castle

Located in the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle has some mysterious origins. Though history says that it dates back to the 11th century, there are plenty of people who think that the castle was in use long before then. Edinburgh Castle’s documented history starts during the reign of David I and was the home to Scotland’s royalty until the 17th century.

Edinburgh Castle is an absolute stronghold and was in full use during multiple wars, including the Jacobite rising. Over time, Scotland moved away from housing royalty within the castle and used Edinburgh as a home for military operations. Eventually, the castle started to see bad signs of aging but has since been restored as a historical monument. Now, there are more than 2.2 million people who visit Edinburgh Castle each year, and it became a designated monument in 1993.

5 Positions With Most #1 Overall Picks in the NFL Draft

Posted on by scatty

At the very start of the NFL Draft, the team that’s selecting first overall is looking for a player that can turn their franchise around and get them into Super Bowl contention. After all, the first pick is reserved for the worst team in the league unless they trade out of the spot. With that in mind, there are certain positions that have more value at the number one spot in the draft, while others are taken much later in the first round.

Let’s take a look at the history of the NFL Draft and see which positions are taken the most frequently with the number one overall selection. While the most frequent might not surprise you, the rest of the list is quite a surprise.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Despite the fact that the NFL has evolved into a passing-first league, wide receivers and tight ends are being taken later in the draft. Many NFL teams feel that they can get a franchise-altering wide receiver later in the draft, with some of the best at the position being taken well outside of the top 10. 

For example, DaVantae Adams was a second-round pick, Terry McLaurin was a third-rounder, while Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs were selected in the fifth round. The last time that an NFL team used the top pick on a receiver or tight end came in 1996 when Keyshawn Johnson was drafted by the New York Jets. That ended a cold spell of more than a decade, with Irving Fryar in 1984 coming before him (New England Patriots).

Offensive Lineman

There are some rare instances in which a team is already set at other positions but still holds the number one overall selection. When this happens, teams can turn their attention to the offensive line in search of help. Sometimes, an offensive lineman is also considered a “safe” pick in drafts where evaluators feel that the talent pool isn’t that great.

Over the course of NFL Draft history, several offensive linemen have been drafted first overall, with all of them being left tackles since 1950. Before then, there were two offensive linemen, both of whom played center(Ki Aldrich and Chuck Bednarik). Recent left tackles include Eric Fischer (Central Michigan), Jake Long (Michigan), and Hall of Famer Orlando Pace (Ohio State).

Defensive Lineman

We mentioned that the NFL has become a passing-first league, and to offset this, many teams have used a first overall selection to shore up their defensive line with a solid pass rusher. The result is an influx of defensive linemen being taken first overall, especially as more elite talent is being developed at the high school and college levels for defensive ends.

Since the 21st century started, some of the defensive linemen to go number one overall include Mario Williams, Myles Garrett, and Travon Walker. Of these teams, only the Jaguars (Walker) were really set at quarterback as they had the first overall pick the previous year and used it on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Running Back

It might be hard to believe, but running back was the most drafted position at the number one spot up until the mid-2000s. The NFL of yesteryear had a heavy focus on running the ball, and having a running back with elite talent was an absolute necessity. These days, running backs are lucky if they’re even taken in the first round altogether. It’s a much different game, but running backs are still firmly number two on this list.

No running back has gone number one overall since 1995 when Ki-Jana Carter was selected by the Bengals out of Penn State, and he ended up not making an impact. Other notable number-one overall running backs include Earl Campbell, Bo Jackson, and even O.J. Simpson. It’s likely, however, that a running back won’t go number one again unless he’s also capable of playing quarterback.

Quarterback

It should be no surprise that after the quarterback position overtook the running back position on the list it would never look back. Out of the first 20 number-one picks in the 21st century, 14 of them were quarterbacks, and the list continues to grow. 2001 to 2005 marked the longest streak of quarterbacks being the first selected with Michael Vick, David Carr, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, and Alex Smith being part of it.

You can probably name a big chunk of the quarterbacks who have gone first overall off the top of your head. Names like Kyler Murray, Trevor Lawrence, Andrew Luck, and Cam Newton all come to mind, but the list is a long one that only gets longer as the position (somehow) continues to become more important.