1. The Hindenburg Disaster, May 6, 1937. I have a recurring nightmare that I am a passenger aboard the ill-fated dirigible. You can see a video clip of the crash here.
2. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, March 12, 1911. I saw a TERRIBLE movie about it once, that, although terrible, was really scary. And also sad.
3. Coconut Grove Nightclub Fire, November 28, 1942. Occured in Boston. The first time I heard the story, from an elementary school teacher I think, I was immediately fascinated and horrified. Apparently I have a thing about fires.
4. The Donner Party, Winter 1846-1847. I am also obsessed with and repulsed by cannibalism. There is a PBS docu. on the DP that FREAKED ME THE FUCK OUT when I saw it. I thought it was easily the creepiest historical documentary ever.
5. 1996 Everest Expedition- I've read all the accounts I can get my hands on, Krakauer, Boukreev, Bershears, and Lene Gammelgaard, and am continually fascinated. Of course, you might say, I like climbing, so obviously I'd be into Everest. Except that I have NO DESIRE to go anywhere near Everest. It just seems like the most miserable experience ever. No thanks.
6. Queen Mary I- "Bloody Mary" the daughter of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII was totally cheated out of the throne and when she finally became queen she promptly had hundreds of people burned at the stake. You know, to restore the Catholic Church.
7. Henry VIII- Yes, I have to put him up here too. Bust mostly because he went crazy with that whole Anne Boleyn et. al thing and became paranoid and grossly fat. So fat that his bed was 4 meters wide and required a pulley system to get him in and out of it.
8. In speaking of fat leaders,William Howard Taft was America's fattest president. Apparently he got stuck in the White House bathtub and had to have a bigger one installed. Regardless of weight, Taft is my favorite president.
9. Frank Morris and John & Clarence Anglin- The attempted to escape from Alcatraz on JUne 12, 1962 and their bodies were never recovered. The FBI lists them as "missing, presumed dead". I have to say that Alcatraz is one of the creepiest places I've been to. And almost entirely covered in bird shit.
10. The Rosenberg Executions, June 19, 1953- The idea of death by electrocution totally creeps me out.
11. Herman Melville's letters to Nathanial Hawthorne c. 1851- There is a whole collection of letters that Melville wrote to Hawthorne, but for some reason, there are no surviving letters from Hawthorne to Melville. His letters always made me feel as though Hawthorne was the popular kid and Melville was constantly bugging him to be friends. Or maybe he had a wee crush on Hawthorne. Anyway, I have a soft spot for old Herman. And his beard.
12. The Mayans- And their obsession with time, and the Dresden Codex, and especially the theory that they predicted the end of the world for December 21, 2012. Only 6 more years. I better get busy.
13. The Salem Witch Trials- Teenage girls are SO EVIL. Of course, I can't exactly blame people for becoming hysterical. I mean, what the hell else was going on in Salem in 1692? Stupid Puritans.
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3 comments:
Oh wow. I read about the fire in the clothing company. How sad.
Cool list.
Happy TT!
Very interesting theme for a 13. I liked it! :) I didn't know Henry VIII had to move in and out of bed with a pulley. dag. That's a sure sign you need to watch your food intake! :)
Have a good day!
I to am fasinated with the Mayans and the mayan calendar...I too though hope that it is not going to happen, not to excited about being flattened like a pancake or my life ending at the young age of 32
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