Disasters
The Land of Oz Playground
Alas, for human failure:The Land of Oz playground was located within the Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks War Memorial Park located at 14201 Huston Street in Sherman Oaks. Planning for the playground, which broke ground on November 27, 1964, began as a joint venture between the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department, the Van Nuys Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Valley Children's Play Park Association. However, lack of funding for the 'Wizard of Oz' themed playground caused construction to drag on for more than a decade. In the end, the city withdrew further support for the failed project which was left incomplete and with only a few structures standing, the 'Over the Rainbow' bridge and 'Munchkinland' castle. Over the years, with no funding for maintenance or security, the play area and its structures fell victim to gang and drug activity, vandalism, and decay and were demolished in the late 1980's.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 25, 2017 -
Comments (0)
Category: Disasters, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Government, Fantasy, 1960s
The Oshkosh Snozzle
I am trying to picture being a passenger on a flaming airplane when the Snozzle thrusts its tip thru the wall and starts spraying.
Homepage here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 30, 2017 -
Comments (1)
Category: Disasters, Technology, Air Travel and Airlines
Cycle Logic
Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 01, 2017 -
Comments (5)
Category: Disasters, PSA's, 1970s, Motorcycles
The Great Texas Monorail Disaster of 1968
Somehow this seems like a particularly ignoble way to go, as if you had a fatal bumper-car accident.
Full story here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 07, 2017 -
Comments (0)
Category: Death, Disasters, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Motor Vehicles, 1960s
Science of the Great Molasses Flood
The Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 is one of the great weird news stories of all time. It was a tragedy (21 people killed), but also definitely weird.
What happened in brief: A tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst, causing a 40-foot tsunami of molasses to flood through Boston's North End.
Exactly why the tank burst and why the flood proved so deadly has always been a bit of a mystery. But now scientists have done their thing and have come up with a few answers. As reported in the New York Times (Nov 26, 2016), interviewing aerospace engineer Nicole Sharp:
"At the time people thought there must have been an explosion in the tank, initially, to cause the molasses to move that fast," she added. But after the team ran the experiments, she said, it discovered that the molasses could, indeed, move at that speed.
"It's an interesting result," Ms. Sharp said, "and it's something that wasn't possible back then. Nobody had worked out those actual equations until decades after the accident."
If the tank had burst in warmer weather, it would have "flowed farther, but also thinner," Mr. Rubinstein said.
In the winter, however, after the initial burst — which lasted between 30 seconds and a few minutes, Ms. Sharp said — the cooler temperature of the outside air raised the viscosity of the molasses, essentially trapping people who had not been able to escape the wave.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Nov 28, 2016 -
Comments (2)
Category: Disasters, 1910s
Chiquita Banana Olympics Stickers: 1980
The Brazilian Olympics are in big trouble, as recent news articles tell us. Surely they could use a boost from an athletic banana, like the ad campaign from Chiquita that the 1980 Winter Olympics got. And a tropical fruit is even more synonymous with Brazil than it was with Lake Placid.
Time to bring back Carmen Miranda!
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 17, 2016 -
Comments (3)
Category: Disasters, Food, Sports, 1980s, North America, South America
Beer Can Launcher
Send beer cans flying
Posted By: Paul - Tue May 24, 2016 -
Comments (10)
Category: Death, Destruction, Disasters, 1960s, Weapons
Cornelis Van Blaaderen and his Floating Safe
After the Titanic, inventors tried to think of ways to preserve items during a sinking. Dutch inventor Cornelis Van Blaaderen came up with his Floating Safe, which never quite caught on.
This site has a brief explanation in English.
This website has the full story, but all in Dutch. Google translate should help. But even if you don't bother, there are great pictures and a film!
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jun 20, 2015 -
Comments (3)
Category: Disasters, Inventions, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1910s, Europe
Three Alarm Fire At Fire Extinguisher Factory
Its like rain on your wedding day. A fire at the fire extinguisher factory, isn't it ironic.
Posted By: patty - Fri Mar 20, 2015 -
Comments (3)
Category: Buildings and Other Structures, Disasters, Industry, Factories and Manufacturing, Can't Possibly Be True
Unlucky On Christmas
A fire that happened in a shop window over Christmas was caused by sunlight through a snow globe igniting reindeer food and other decorations. Score one for Ebenezer.
Posted By: patty - Sat Dec 27, 2014 -
Comments (3)
Category: Disasters, Can't Possibly Be True
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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 books such as Elephants on Acid. 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. Our banner was drawn by the legendary underground cartoonist Rick Altergott. Contact Us |