History
Isaac Parker, the Hanging Judge
His Wikipedia page tells us:Parker became known as the "Hanging Judge" of the American Old West, because he sentenced numerous convicts to death.[1] In 21 years on the federal bench, Judge Parker tried 13,490 cases. In more than 8,500 of these cases, the defendant either pleaded guilty or was convicted at trial.[2] Parker sentenced 160 people to death; 79 were executed.
Read a memoir that appeared two years after his death at this link.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Sep 17, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death, History, Wild West and US Frontier, Law, Books, Nineteenth Century
Banvard’s Folly
I am halfway thru reading this book and can testify to its greatness, and to its allure for all WU-vies. I have already learned about so many hoaxes, weirdos and charlatans I never knew about before.Here's how the book opens:
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 01, 2021 -
Comments (8)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, History, Historical Figure, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Inventions, New Age, Supernatural, Occult, Paranormal, Books, Goofs and Screw-ups
Battle of the Amazons
Maybe the popularity of the WONDER WOMAN films will cause this gem to be reissued.The IMDB page.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jun 26, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: History, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Movies, 1970s, Women
New Frontiers (of Barb Wire)
Thrill to the history of barb wire with "Little Barb!" (Or "American Barb" if you prefer.)
Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 15, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Agriculture, Anthropomorphism, History, Regionalism, Advertising
Follies of the Madmen #499
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Feb 10, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Business, Advertising, Food, History, Historical Figure, 1940s
The Sunken City of Shicheng
What many believe to be a mystery isn't actually so mysterious. Lion City, famed for sitting at the bottom of the Qiandao Lake, has a surprising history. The once thriving city, known for its powerful statue throughout all of China, now resides over 100 feet below the lake's surface. This was not due to a natural disaster or any type of destructive force unless you consider human nature to be one. The ancient city met its watery fate due to the hands of humans, specifically those who gave up the land the city once sat on to make way for modern machinery.
While there are many details surrounding the reasoning for this -- much of which we'll get into later on -- there's no denying that the fact that this city is fully preserved is a modern miracle. Although it sits deep under the water, all of its structures, statues, memorials, and archways all sit in perfect stature. Its rediscovery happened almost two decades ago and since then, divers have been repeatedly making trips below the surface to see what new aspects of the city they can explore. Inside these preserved walls lie the tale of several powerful dynasties, an ancient way of life, and some of the most stunning architectural features that are so indicative of China's history.
Full story with more pictures.
Daily Mail coverage.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 28, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Architecture, History, Archaeology, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1950s, Asia
Catweazle
The Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 05, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Eccentrics, History, Historical Figure, Magic and Illusions and Sleight of Hand, Television, 1970s
Happy Thanksgiving 2020!
Posted By: Paul - Thu Nov 26, 2020 -
Comments (0)
Category: Food, History, Holidays, Myths and Fairytales
North to Alaska
Here's a type of song, a story ballad, that seems pretty much extinct these days. (Any WU-vie who can cite a contemporary instance gets a No-Prize!) It seems, judging by the film clips in this video, to recount the entire arc of the movie!The Wikipedia page for the film.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 28, 2020 -
Comments (4)
Category: History, Movies, Music, Regionalism, 1960s
Medieval Illustration Re-enactors
"A Group Of Czech Students Recreate Weird And Strange Scenes From Medieval Books"Many more at the source.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 08, 2019 -
Comments (1)
Category: History, Hobbies and DIY, Humor, Performance Art
| Who We Are |
|---|
| 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 |