Death
Sparky’s Hazard House
Although not as famous as McGruff the Crime Dog, Sparky the Fire Dog has been around for a while.
I am particularly interested in his "house of death by incineration" diorama.
Apparently you can still purchase one from this company.
You might also want their Hazard Farm model.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 02, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Death, Destruction, Domestic, Education, Corporate Mascots, Icons and Spokesbeings, Children, 1950s
Shrine for the repose of the souls of people killed by Toyota cars
Built in 1970 at a cost of $445,000 (which, I'm sure, is a lot more in today's money). It was located in the Japanese mountain resort of Tateshina. I assume it's still there, though I haven't been able to find any recent references to it online.
Murfreesboro Daily News-Journal - Aug 3, 1970
Update: A more recent photo of it, via Tripadvisor. It's called the Tateshinayamashoko-ji Temple.
Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 15, 2018 -
Comments (12)
Category: Death, Religion, 1970s, Cars
Frozen Foods
Technically, their business did involve the handling and preparation of meat.
Pensacola News Journal - Nov 10, 1980
And it seems that the Elliot-Hamil Funeral Home is still around. Their website.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jul 28, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Death, Food, 1980s
Attack of the Killer Umbrellas
In Ocean City, Maryland a woman was recently impaled in the chest by a wind-blown beach umbrella [6abc.com]. She's alive, but I assume in serious condition.And just a week before another wind-blown umbrella stabbed a woman in the leg at the Jersey Shore.
The umbrellas are active this summer.
We've reported a number of other attacks by wind-blown umbrellas here on WU. In 1979, Paulette Fabre was killed by one on the French Riviera. And in 2010 a woman at Ocean City (again!) had an umbrella go straight through her thigh.
Forget the sharks in the water. It's the wind-blown umbrellas people need to worry about.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Jul 24, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Accidents, Death
Extreme Embalming: Video Gamer
The latest example of the recurring weird theme of "extreme embalming" is 18-year-old Renard Matthews, shot while walking his dog. At his funeral, his family had his body posed in his favorite activity while alive—playing a video game in his leather swivel chair, root beer and Doritos close at hand.More info: independent.co.uk
Previous examples on WU of extreme embalming:
• Poker face
• Having a cigarette
• Standing tall
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jul 14, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death
Death by Snails
November 1979: World-champion snail eater Marc Quinquandon died soon after eating 72 snails in three minutes and four seconds.More info: Death of a snails man (Washington Post - Nov 29, 1979)
San Bernardino County Sun - Nov 27, 1979
Posted By: Alex - Tue Jul 10, 2018 -
Comments (11)
Category: Death, Food, World Records, 1970s
Dung Lung
Death by breathing in dung fumes. It doesn't sound like a pleasant way to go, though perhaps not the worst since apparently before it kills you it paralyzes your sense of smell. But it's definitely a weird way to die.
“Agricultural Disorders of the Lung,” RadioGraphics (1991); 11:625-634.
Mansfield News-Journal - Sep 24, 1982
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jul 09, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, Health, Excrement
Cremation by solar power
Patent #US4781174A:Seems like something a James Bond villain would create, if he were in the funeral business.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jul 02, 2018 -
Comments (7)
Category: Death, Inventions, Patents, 1980s
Returned for insufficient payment
October 1992: Evans Mortuary played hardball. When a customer didn't make full payment, they simply returned the body, right to the customer's doorstep. More details here, including these lines:And from the mortician:
The mortician was charged with abuse of a corpse, but eventually acquitted.
Salem Statesman Journal - Oct 14, 1992
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jul 01, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, 1990s
Truck Turner
The Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jun 28, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Crime, Death, Destruction, Detectives, Private Eyes and Other Investigators, Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Movies, Exploitation and Grindhouse, 1970s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |