Death
Outboard Motorboat Steeple Chase
The stuff with the girls in the first video is charming. But the insane part is the motorboat steeple chase race.
Apparently, a version of this is still practiced in--where else?--Australia. Although they seem to have eliminated the airborne part of the race.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 09, 2017 -
Comments (3)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Death, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1950s, Australia, North America
The Funeral of Mike Merlo
Original picture here.
A wax and flower effigy of the deceased featured at his funeral, attended by ten thousand people.
His Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jun 16, 2017 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, 1920s
Postmortem Hyperthermia
Some weird, morbid trivia: After a person dies, their body will usually start to cool down. Except, not always. Sometimes the body of a recently deceased person will actually rise in temperature. The phenomenon is known as "postmortem hyperthermia."A recent article in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology described a case that occurred in the Czech Republic, involving a guy who died of heart disease, while in a hospital:
Source: "Postmortem Increase in Body Core Temperature"
Am J Forensic Med Pathol - 38(1), Mar 2017
Scientists really aren't sure what causes postmortem hyperthermia, but the list of possible causes includes: "pathological processes," violent incidents resulting in hidden cerebral traumatism, brain trauma with cerebral hypoxia, death by asphyxiation, and excited delirium.
More info: popsci.com
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jun 05, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death
Helpful Dead Wife
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jun 02, 2017 -
Comments (3)
Category: Crime, Death, Superstition, Marriage, 1900s
Graves will be open Memorial Day
I came across this ad while browsing an old National Lampoon True Facts book, which described it as being from an "unidentified Kansas newspaper":
After a bit of research I tracked the business down. It was Graves Drug Store in Emporia, Kansas. And it's still around.
The Emporia Gazette - May 26, 1977
Posted By: Alex - Mon May 29, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death, Advertising
Give her the perfect gift — a funeral
Surprise, honey! I pre-arranged your funeral.This first clipping I found circulating online, without any kind of attribution.
After a little searching I found this second ad, which seems similar enough that I assume it's from the same funeral home.
Burlington Free Press - Feb 17, 2013
Posted By: Alex - Thu May 18, 2017 -
Comments (9)
Category: Death, Advertising
Coffin Birth
Also known as "postmortem fetal extrusion." The term describes the phenomenon of a dead woman giving birth to a dead baby, the "birth" being caused by the buildup of gas pressure in her decomposing body. It's not known for sure that this actually happens, because no one has ever witnessed it, but archaeological evidence has led researchers to conclude that it probably does.More info: Bones Don't Lie, Seeker, Wikipedia.
Posted By: Alex - Sat May 06, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death, Pregnancy
Billie Carleton’s Death and the Birth of a Genre
Original article here.
How did the hedonistic death of one minor actress lead to Fu Manchu and the Yellow Menace?
Read the whole story here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 21, 2017 -
Comments (0)
Category: Addictions, Crime, Death, Literature, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1910s
The Los Angeles Pet Memorial
I was briefly in L.A. over the weekend, so I took the time to visit the L.A. Pet Memorial, my curiosity about it having been piqued after posting recently about how Blinky the Friendly Hen was buried there. It's up in northwest L.A., in Calabasas. If you're ever in the area, and want to do some sightseeing that's more off the beaten track, it's worth checking out. Some of the highlights below:
The coffin showroom, featuring pet-sized coffins
Inside the mausoleum
The grounds spread out over 8 acres. So the park is pretty big.
Yours truly by the grave of "Room 8" — the cat that lived at the Elysian Heights Elementary School. He was once known as the most famous cat in America.
Satan — We'll Miss You
Sir Pretzel Stick — I'll Remember You
Vicious — Our Precious Baby
I finally found the marker for Blinky the Friendly Hen. The front office didn't have a guide to the graves, so you have to find them on your own. Blinky turned out to be in the area directly across from the front office, about 8 rows back.
There's a number of other famous animals buried at the park, including Tawny the MGM lion, Hopalong Cassidy's horse, and one of the dogs from the Little Rascals. Plus, the pets of many celebrities are there — Charlie Chaplin's cat, Humphrey Bogart's dog, etc.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Apr 11, 2017 -
Comments (6)
Category: Animals, Death
Helmet Law Suicide
In 1992 California began requiring that motorcycle riders wear a helmet. Despondent, Gerald Marotta, 48, put on his helmet and shot himself. He left behind a note, "Now I can't ever ride again."Attorney Wendy Lascher, who had challenged the law, said, "from what I heard about his note, I think the law did have something to do with his death, in that [riding without a helmet] apparently was his only outlet."
Los Angeles Times - Jan 10, 1992
Posted By: Alex - Fri Mar 31, 2017 -
Comments (5)
Category: Death, Suicide, 1990s
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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 |