Genie Wiley: America's Ferie Child

Violent Threats

Wiley forced John to beat Genie, but he ran away to live with friends when he finally reached 18. Wiley was convinced, and hoped, Genie wouldn’t survive past age twelve. However, in October of 1970, when she was 13 years and 6 months old, Irene took Genie with her to apply for disability benefits…

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The More You Know

  • The Nobel Committee declined to award the Nobel Peace Prize in 1948 because "there was no suitable living candidate." This was meant as tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated earlier that year without receiving the Prize.
  • Shakespeare is easier to understand, makes more sense, and is punnier when it's recited in its original pronunciation instead of a modern English accent.
  • When a piece of bread is toasted, it's called the "Maillard reaction."
  • Your brain is sometimes more active when you're asleep than when you're awake.
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