10. Hell, Michigan

The sign for the U.S. Weather Bureau at Hell, Michigan

Perhaps of no surprise to many, Hell, Michigan, may owe its name to the founder of a whiskey distillery. To be more specific, the town was founded by a man named George Reeves, who purchased a sawmill on a creek now called Hell Creek, subsequently building a gristmill and distillery, as well as a combined store and tavern. On top of that, he built a sulky racetrack (a lightweight cart pulled by dogs or horses). He was also rumored to have once sunk barrels of whiskey to the bottom of the millpond while under inspection from federal tax collectors. Drinking, gambling and tax evasion!

Competing theories exist as to the original source of the name. One is that German travelers were overheard exclaiming, “So schön hell!” (“So beautifully bright!”) while stepping out of a stagecoach on a sunny afternoon. The other is that, when Michigan became a state, Reeves was asked what he thought of the town he’d helped settle, and he declared, “I don’t care. You can name it Hell for all I care.” Another theory is that the early explorers gave it the name because of being plagued by mosquitoes and bogged down in wetlands. Whatever reason is true, whenever it’s below freezing in the small town, there are bound to be plenty of jokes about “Hell freezing over.”

9. Surprise, Arizona

The Rangers’ and Royals’ complex in Surprise, Arizona

When Flora Mae Statler founded Surprise, Arizona, in 1938, she gave it the name because she said she “would be surprised if the town every amounted to much. At that time, the town consisted of just a few houses and a gas station. A one-mile-square parcel was divided to make inexpensive housing for agricultural workers. Thanks to further development and the arrival of thousands of retirees in the 1990s and 2000s to the resort-like community of Sun City Grand, the city, which is close to Phoenix, is one of the most rapidly growing in the state. Surprise is the spring training home for both the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. If she saw the city today, Statler would definitely be surprised.

8. Tightwad, Missouri

The often-photographed Tightwad Bank sign

With a name like Tightwad, Missouri, there was bound to be a colorful origin story. Sure enough, the name is said to stem from an argument between a shopkeeper and a customer — who was also a postman — when the customer accused the shopkeeper of cheating him by charging an extra 50 cents for either a watermelon, or as some accounts say, a rooster. It’s interesting that the town would take its name from an argument over money involving a postman, since many towns only get official names when the necessity arises to deliver mail properly. Regardless of the truth of that story, the village (population 64) attracts plenty of visitors, who love to photograph the Tightwad Bank, which no doubt keeps careful track of customers’ money.

7. Burnt Corn, Alabama

The general store/post office in Burnt Corn, Alabama

A number of towns are named for food items. Just about any sort of fruit, vegetable and farm animal has probably had a town named after it somewhere in the U.S. What elevates this town to a place on this list is the addition of the unexpected adjective “burnt.” The town of Burnt Corn, Alabama, earned its name from one of several possible scenarios. One, from white settlers burning the corn planted by the Creek Indians to clear land for their homesteads. Two, from the Creek Indians burning the corn cribs of white settlers to drive them from the land. Three, from an ailing Creek Indian, who was left behind by his companions with enough corn to supply him and then, when he recovered enough to move on, burned the remaining corn in a bonfire, which other travelers then found. A fourth story involves, again, the Creek Indians burning the corn of a specific settler, James Cornells, who owned a trading house and later settled on the spring where the corn had burnt. Seems like, somehow or another, burnt corn had something to do with it.

6. Rabbit Hash, Kentucky

General store in Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, with the former canine mayor.

According to local legend, the miniscule town of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, was named after a dish the town was known for in the early 19th century. Steamboats navigating the Ohio River would stop there for a dish of the delicacy. The story goes that, in 1831, a pirate ship docked and entered the town, burning all the buildings and killing everyone. The next steamboat to stop saw only the sign “Rabbit Hash,” which was mistaken for the name of the town. In actuality, the town name was likely not adopted until required by the post office, in order to differentiate the hamlet’s initial name of Carlton from a town named Carrollton several miles down river. These days, regardless of the name’s true origin, the village (which boasts only a couple dozen residents) is better known for having elected two dog mayors, which was the subject of a documentary, “Rabbit Hash, Kentucky: Center of the Universe.”

5. Bad Axe, Michigan

A movie theater in Bad Axe, Michigan

Located in the “thumb” area of the state’s mitten shape, Bad Axe, Michigan, is much larger than many of the towns on this list, with approximately 3,500 residents. Established in 1905, its name dates back to 1865, when surveyors Rudolph Pabst and George Willis Pack were surveying the first state road through Huron County. They made camp at the future site of the city, discovering a very worn and damaged axe. They used the name “Bad Axe Camp” on both the minutes of the survey and a sign they placed on the main trail. A post office followed in 1870, retaining the name. Fittingly, the town’s symbol depicts an axe with a broken handle.

4. Rough and Ready, California

The Wayside Chapel in Rough and Ready, California

Though its countless abandoned historical buildings make Rough and Ready, California, look like a ghost town, it actually counted nearly 1,000 residents in the 2010 census, and the Rough and Ready Chamber of Commerce boasts that it is a popular location for entrepreneurs and home-based businesses. If so, that independent spirit would be in keeping with the town’s history. Founded by miners in 1849, the town took its name from the Rough and Ready Company, itself named after the 12th president of the U.S., General Zachary Taylor, whose nickname was Old Rough and Ready. The town’s history grows even more interesting a short while later, with the town seceding from the union in 1850, reportedly out of frustration with the U.S. justice system, which was unable to prosecute a con man who was preying on the miners. According to legend, the con man was hanged as soon as the town seceded! But only three months later, when the townsfolk were preparing for the Independence Day celebration and realized they could no longer celebrate the birth of a nation to which they didn’t belong, they voted to rescind the secession.

3. Monkey’s Eyebrow, Kentucky

Road sign for Monkey’s Eyebrow, Kentucky

If you imagine Ballard County in Kentucky as looking like a westward-facing monkey face, the teeny-tiny town of Monkey’s Eyebrow is located — you guessed it — about where the eyebrow would be. The best depiction of this image can be found on author Joe Culver’s website, which also features his stories about the town. Culver writes that, when people ask him about the origin of the town’s name, he jokes that there are far worse parts of a monkey’s anatomy to be named after.

2. Toad Suck, Arkansas

A Toad Suck Daze mural in Toad Suck, Arkansas

Voted the “most embarrassing or unfortunate U.S. town name or place name in a poll at FindMyPast.com in August 2012, Toad Suck, Arkansas, owes its colorful name to steamboat captains. Local legend states that the captains and their crew used to pause there to refresh themselves at a local tavern. The disapproving locals said of the captains: “They suck on the bottle ’til they swell up like toads.” The tavern is long gone, but the legend remains. The town’s history is celebrated at the annual scholarship fundraiser and fair, Toad Suck Daze.

1. Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Originally saddled with the ho-hum name Hot Springs, this spa city earned a spot in history — and on many lists of odd town names — in 1950. Ralph Edwards, the host of the radio quiz show, “Truth or Consequences,” announced a challenge to towns: he would broadcast the anniversary episode of his show from the first town to rename itself after the show. Hot Springs jumped on the offer, and as a result, Edwards visited the town in the first weekend of May for fifty years. The event, called Fiesta, carries on even though Edwards died in 2005. Unlike Halfway, Oregon, which only changed its name to Half.com for a year as part of a promotion, T or C (as it’s known by locals) kept its moniker. And so the town stretched 15 minutes of fame into six decades’ worth!

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10. HMS Belmarsh

HM, or ‘her Majesties’ Prison Belmarsh is a ‘category A’ men’s prison located in Greenwich, South East London. Though only active as a high security prison since 1991, the facility has grown famous in the UK as well as further afield. Housing some of Britain’s most notorious and revered criminals during its two decades, Belmarsh’s current population stands around the 1,000 mark. As well gaining a reputation for housing such notorious offenders as Charles Bronson and Ronnie Biggs, Belmarsh is also noted for its previous reputation as the ‘British Guantanamo’, due to its use for the detainment of untried ‘terror charge’ prisoners in the early 2000’s following 9/11.

9. Terre Haute Federal Correction Complex

Located in the city of Terra Haute in Vigo County, Western Indiana, this facility first opened in 1940. Covering all three security classifications, high, medium and minimum, the complex is all-male and comprises of two separate facilities. Namely, the Federal Correction Institution (FCI), Terra Haute and the United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, each facility serves a quite separate function.  The former is a medium security branch intended for the holding of inmates in need of particular monitoring whilst the latter is predominantly home to death row inmates. The combined population of the facilities which comprise the Terre Haute complex is around 3,000.

8. Tadmor Military Prison

Originally constructed as a barracks by the French Mandate forces in the early 20^th century, today Tadmor Military Prison is one of the most renowned facilities of its kind on the face of our planet. Located approximately 200 kilometres north east of the Syrian capital Damascus, Tadmor made a name for itself in the decades following its first use as an incarceration facility as a result of typically harsh conditions, as well as leniency with the likes of human rights, torture and even execution. Though closed in 2001 following a string of political and religious atrocities, Tadmor was reopened in 2011 to facilitate the detainment of prisoners linked to the ‘Arab Spring’.

7. Camp Delta

Camp Delta is the name given to the detainment centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Notorious world over for its uses in the incarceration of prolific figures carrying a high terror risk, as well as those apprehended in current war zones, the camp has gained an international reputation (rather unfortunately) as one of the most symbolic institutions of our times. Constructed during the spring of 2002, Camp Delta is divided, much like any other US prison, into several facilities intended for inmates of certain need or categorization. Due to its location on international soil, Camp Delta has played host to some rather questionable occurrences involving the human rights of its prisoners, but that’s another story for another day.

6. ADX Florence

Opening in 1994, United State Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX) is located to the south of Florence, Colorado. Carrying the status of a ‘supermax’, or super maximum security prison, ADX Florence is a rather well known place, having become known colloquially as the ‘Alcatraz of the Rockies’. Housing some 439 male prisoners, the facility is home to those deemed too dangerous for detainment in the countries other high security prisons, making this a very tight ship indeed. There are some six levels of security within ADX Florence, all of which are pretty severe and see most inmates contained separately at all times. The prisoners populating the facility range in terms of crimes committed, and whilst there are a number of notable international and domestic ‘terrorists’ detained within, the prison also hosts numerous prolific organized crime gang members and Mafioso’s.

5. Qincheng Prison

Built in the late 1950’s, Qincheng Prison is a stark reminder of China’s turbulent political history. Acting to house a large amount of political prisoners, many of whom were participants in the Chinese Democracy Movement of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, the prison is located in the Changping District in the northwest of Beijing. A maximum security facility, Qincheng was built with aid from the Soviet Union and was originally used in the detainment of Kuomintang ‘war criminals’ as a result of their nationalist action against the Communist government. Qincheng is notorious as a result of both its huge structural and human security, as well as its geographical integrity. Not only is the prison manned by a team of some 5,000 security personnel and built to a very high spec (boasting one of the highest watchtowers in the world), but is situated several thousand feet above sea level, and is, as a result, surrounded on all sounds by treacherous valleys.

4. Alcatraz Island

Featuring this prison may be regarded as a slight tweak of the rules; however what kind of self-respecting list looking into the world’s most notable high security prisons would emit the famous Alcatraz Island? Located in the San Francisco Bay, some two and a half kilometres offshore from San Francisco, California, Alcatraz Island was first built upon in the 1860’s. Originally, a lighthouse was built on the island, as well as a small military fortification and a subsequent prison. This initial facility was used exclusively in the detainment of military prisoners and remained fairly un-notable until it was taken over by the Federal Government in 1933. For the next 30 years, the island would go on to operate as a Federal Prison facility, becoming famous for its supermax security status as well as its celebrity inmates. Famous prohibition era gangsters from Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly to political prisoners such as Rafael Cancel Miranda all called Alcatraz home before it shut down in 1963. Today, the Island remains world famous as an American landmark, and draws an unbelievable amount of visitors each and every year.

3. Fuchu Prison

Not a whole lot is known about this Japanese high security facility; however its reputation for flawless security exists nonetheless. Located in the city of Fuchu, a western region of the Tokyo metropolis, the prison is active in the detainment of some of Japans most notorious criminals. Though a nation known for its somewhat liberal approach when it comes to the conditioning of criminals, there have been several reports from former detainees, as well as foreign journalists, which brand the prison as one of considerable brutality. The security systems in place within the facility are known to be some of the most advanced in the world, as a result- successful escapes are a non-existent occurrence at Fuchu Prison.

2. La Sante Prison

Located within the 14^th arrondissement of the French nation’s capital city, Paris, La Santé Prison was constructed in 1867. A formidable structure, both aesthetically speaking and literally, La Santé’ has gained an international reputation as one of the most secure prisoner facilities on the face of the planet. Since its inauguration, La Santé has been home to all manner of high security prisoners, many of which are reflective of Frances various international conflicts and strife’s during this time. During the Second World War, the occupying Germans used the prison for the detainment of members of the domestic resistance, and pretty much anyone who spoke or acted out against the occupation. Due to its clever architecture, La Santé’ is all but fully immune from prisoner breakout, despite its location in the heart of Paris, with numerous failed attempts attracting international media attention over the years.

1. Arthur Road

Built in 1926, Arthurs Road Jail or Mumbai Central Prison as it is also widely known; is both the oldest and the largest prisoner detainment facility in the western Indian city of Mumbai, formerly Bombay. Spreading across some 2 acres of land and possessing a maximum capacity of 1,000 inmates, Arthur Road is currently home to an estimated 2,000 men. As a result, conditions within the facility are understandably squalid, with overpopulation contributing to not just inappropriate living space and human rights infringements but to the spread of disease through lack of sanitation and medical care. The jail is one of the most feared in all of India as a result of this, not to mention its reputation as a completely unbreachable compound. No-one has ever been known to have successfully escaped from Arthur Road, and as a facility serving the fourth most populous area on Earth, conditions are set to worsen.

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10. Africanized Bee

Known colloquially as ‘Killer Bees’, Africanized Bees are (unsurprisingly) feared by many people. A hybrid breed of European (Italian and Iberian) Bee breeds as well as larger African Honey Bees, the breed caused pandemonium across the US in the early nineties as the spread from the south northwards wreaking havoc on, well, pretty much anything that annoyed them really. Inflicting far more misery upon their fellow bees than on humans, these particularly confrontational insects have become known for the genocide of existing European breeds. Considered dangerous due to their fondness of swarming, a good few people die as a result of their activity each year.

9. Tsetse Fly

Also known as tik-tik flies, the Tsetse is a breed of insect capable of mass human death. Annually, it is estimated that they cause as many as 300,000 human deaths each year, most typically through their prize ability to successfully spread infectious and detrimental diseases. The most common such disease is Trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness. This parasitic condition can affect human beings as well as animals, and acts to aggressively attack first the lymph system, and later the central nervous system itself. Tsetse flies are indigenous primarily to the African continent, and as a result this is where they cause the most death to humans.

8. Cone Snail

Despite being miniscule in stature, relatively harmless in looks and belonging to the quite placid sounding Coninae  family of aquatic molluscs, the Cone Snail can do a hell of a lot of damage if rubbed the wrong way, literally. Possessing a reservoir of rather volatile toxins, most commonly used in the stunning and consuming of prey (usually small fish), the Cone Snail is capable of firing a harpoon-like barb at impressive velocity in pretty much any direction. Though attacks on humans are rare, they have been known to cause the untimely deaths of a scuba-diver or two in their native Pacific Ocean. Essentially contaminating human blood to the point of reflexive rejection (loads and loads of regurgitation and diarrhoea, basically) the toxins possessed by the Cone Snail cause almost instantaneous reaction. Add to the aforementioned nausea, headache, weakness, seizures respiratory failure and even coma, as well as the fact that you’re likely to be bobbing about helplessly in the ocean when this goes down, and you get a pretty good idea of just how these tiny molluscs are capable of causing death.

7. Stone Fish

Continuing on the theme of unsuspecting barbarous and toxic sea-creatures, the Stone Fish would likely get on very well with the Cone Snail. In fact, it’s even possible the two have met, as the Stone Fish too enjoys the warm coastal areas of the Indo-Pacific. Though lacking an ability to project its venomous barbs directly towards its intended target, the Stone Fish does possess a couple of separate, yet equally impressive skills- namely camouflage and habitat transition. With the ridiculous ability to blend in to its surroundings with ease, the creature’s already tricky-to-distinguish profile is enhanced even further. On top of this, the Stone Fish may leave the water, taking up a role as a miscellaneous rock on a beach for a period of up to 24-hours. If stood on, the fish uses the victims own wait to leak nasty venom directly into the bloodstream- often causing crippling pain and sometimes even fatality.

6. Black Mamba

Far from being the only snake with a gift for causing pain, suffering and eventually death, the Black Mamba just may be the most notorious. Named so as a result of the black interior of its mouth, this creature is native to Eastern Africa and can range in size from 8ft to 10ft long. One of four snakes categorised as ‘mambas’, the Black Mamba is the second largest venomous snake in the world, behind only the King Cobra. Delivering its incapacitating venom with both ferocity and speed, most who encounter the creature’s wrong side are dead within a matter of minutes.

5. Komodo Dragon

An extremely famous predator, the Komodo Dragon is a species of monitor lizard indigenous to the Southern Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Padar and Gili Motang. Unique among the lizards in its large size, as well as its taste for a good pack hunt, the Komodo dragon is a formidable predator indeed. Possessing a slightly venomous bite used to slow its prey, not to mention a habit of devouring an entire carcass over a relatively short period of time, Komodo Dragons have been causing havoc upon other creatures in their native habitat for millennia.

4. Carpet Viper

Native to the dry regions of Africa, the Middle East, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the Carpet Viper belongs to the Echis genus of venomous vipers. Accounting for a considerable percentage of yearly snake bite deaths, this creature is formidable world-over. Possessing a characteristic ‘sizzle’ threat display, created by rubbing sections of its body together, Carpet Vipers are known to attack humans regularly. It’s venom consists primarily of haemotoxin, and as a result the effects enacted on victims of its bite usually entail the destruction of red blood cells, clotting, organ failure and tissue damage. Despite being commonly smaller than most other deadly snakes, the Carpet Viper is nonetheless fearsome and will usually move towards its aggressor when threatened, a characteristic rare amongst serpentines.

3. Wandering Spider

To put the deadly nature of this god-awful looking arachnid into some kind of perspective, the Wandering Spider has a reserve of venom twice as potent as that of a Black Widow. Whilst far less known than the Widow; the Wandering Spider is the undisputed champion of eight legged death regardless. Indigenous to South America, the spider takes its name from its fondness of surprising (and simultaneously scaring to death) human beings by turning up in completely unexpected places. It’s venom is a precise mix of neurotoxin and serotonin, and whilst the former causes your bodily functions to shut down at a dramatic pace, the other overloads your brain and causes ridiculous amounts of pain all over your body. On top of being the deadliest spider on Earth, at least in terms of poisonous capability, the Wandering Spider is also regarded as the most henceforth and aggressive. Oh, great.

2. Mosquito

The Mosquito is a breed of small fly, or Culicidae. Whilst some species of Mosquito are pretty much harmless, there are those capable of causing a lot of trouble to human beings. Due to their parasitic nature, particularly in relation to their habitual consumption of blood, Mosquitos have made quite a name for themselves in the spreading of troublesome illnesses and conditions, in particular malaris. Feasting on the blood of all manner of creature, in particular mammal livestock and human beings, they have become increasingly susceptible to the claim that they are indeed the most dangerous living creatures on the planet. This is most likely due to their covert nature and mass numbers.

1. Blue Ringed Octopus

A return to the warm inviting waters of the Indo-Pacific see’s us examine today’s top-spot creature, the Blue Ringed Octopus. Though small in size and seemingly attractive (what with its bright blue rings…), this creature packs enough punch to wipe out between 20 and 30 people IN ONE GO. With a sharp beak capable of piercing a wetsuit, the venom possessed by the Blue Ringed Octopus acts to completely paralyse its victim, and can be administered rather easily. With anywhere between 50 and 60 vivid blue rings covering its dorsal and lateral surfaces, this really is a fascinating creature.

The post Top 10 Most Deadly Creatures appeared first on Top Ten Lists.

10. Iran Hostage Crisis

For those born in the 1990’s, it may (or may not) come as a surprise to learn that there have always been issues between the Middle East and the United States of America. The Iran Hostage Crisis was a key feature of the pre-First Gulf War relations between these two areas of the world, and saw the unlawful detainment of some 90 people in the US Embassy, Tehran- for over a year. Following the disposition of the Western approved Iranian leader, Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlevi, by a revolutionary Islamic Government in the initial months of 1979, many Iranian students overran the US Embassy in their nation’s capital city later in the year, in response to their disgraced former leader being granted aid by the West. The situation soured and resulted in several deaths, as well as several very powerful men losing their jobs. It eventually ended in January 1981, after 444 days.

9. Patty Hearst

The story of Patty Hearst and her use as a hostage is one both compelling and outright entertaining. The daughter of a wealthy Californian media mogul, Patty was kidnapped in 1974 by the self-styled ‘Symbionese Liberation Army’. Held hostage for a short time whilst the SLA conducted negotiations with the 19-year-old Patty’s family, she is said to have been kept in close confinement, as well as sexually assaulted and brainwashed. Her kidnapper’s wishes of re-appropriating the wealth of their home state by demanding Patty’s father supply the poor of California with food though fulfilled, were carried out to a sub par level according to the SLA. Not like it mattered anyway, by this point Patty had announced herself as a fully-fledged supporter and member of their ranks and for the next couple of years participated in their anti-establishment activities. Patty’s case is considered to a prominent example of Stockholm syndrome.

8. Moscow Theatre Hostage Crisis

One of two cases on this list to include confrontation between two well-known belligerents in recent decades, Chechnya and Russia. This is an example of an extremely precise and brutally dealt with hostage situation. Also known as the Nord-Ost siege, the Moscow Theater Hostage Crisis began on October 23^rd 2002, when between 40 and 50 armed Chechen rebels stormed a busy Moscow theater  claiming over 800 hostages in the process. After a very brief two days of negotiations the Russians minds were made up, and Spetsnaz troops entered the building, after pumping its ventilation systems full of disabling gas first, of course. All of the insurgents were killed, along with most of the innocent hostages.

7. Roy Hallums

One of several hostage victims of the recent Iraq War, Roy Hallums is an American contractor who, on November 1^st 2004, was kidnapped by Iraqi militants after a troop of around 20 gunmen stormed the compound in which he was based. Captured alongside a Philippine colleague, as well as a Nepalese one and three native Iraqis, Hallums soon found himself the only one left un-liberated. Despite various international pressure movements and publicized pleas, Hallums remained in captivity until September 2005. His release coming as a result of a US Army Delta Force raid on the farmhouse just south of Baghdad wherein he was being kept.

6. Air France 8969

In the midst of the Algerian Civil War (1991-2002), the militant Islamic opposition (GIA) to the French Algerian government hijacked an Air France flight destined for Paris. Taking the aircraft by first gaining unquestioned armed access disguised as policemen, the insurgents soon took control of the craft and eventually mastered its take off from Algiers some 39 hours after initially boarding. Though their initial aim was to head for Paris, insufficient fuel supplies resulted in a stop off in Marseilles. Once on the runway here, and collaborative French/Algerian Special Forces group successfully raided the aircraft, killing each of the four militants and causing no further death. In total, three passengers died over the course of the hijacking.

5. Beslan School Hostage Crisis

Also known as the Beslan School Siege or the Beslan School Massacre, this tragic incident occurred in the September of 2004 in Beslan, South Western Russia. Much like the Moscow Theater hostage incident, the motive behind the overrunning of this school was Chechen separatist militancy. Taking the facility by force on the 1^st of September, the rebels instigated a crisis that would last a total of three days and result in the deaths of some 334 innocent hostages, including 186 children. It is unclear how many were killed by the militants themselves, or by the slightly heavy handed (once again) solution dreamed up by the Russian authorities.

4. Dos Palmas

Another hostage crisis situation to arise from religious divide and separatist tension, the Dos Palmas hostage situation occurred in the Southern Philippines in 2001. Commencing with the kidnapping of some 20 hostages in the upscale island resort of Dos Palmas, Honda Bay, the crisis was to last a further 12 months, as members of the Islamic separatist group Abu Sayyaf shook their nation to the core with a string of brutal kidnappings and subsequent hostage scenarios. Of the 20 original hostages, at least five were killed.

3. Japanese Embassy Hostage Crisis

In a move all too familiar by this point in our list, the Japanese Embassy hostage crisis was the result of a raid by the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, a separatist group of Marxist persuasion operating within Peru. Though conveniently named the Japanese ‘Embassy’ crisis, the events did not occur within the confines of the embassy itself, but instead the home of the Japanese Ambassador to Peru. Many influential diplomats, government and military figures and business executives had gathered at the home of the Ambassador to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Akihito when members of the TARM took the building by force. Whilst many of the hostages were released all-but immediately, some were held for a total of 126 days, granted liberation after a successful raid by Peruvian special forces on April 22^nd 1997.

2. Amish School Hostage Shooting

More a blind massacre than a hostage situation, nonetheless most definitely worth knowing about. On October 2^nd, 2006 gunman Charles Carl Roberts IV entered an Amish one-roomed school house and took a range of young female hostages. Allowing the boys to leave the building, as well as letting a pregnant woman go, Roberts ordered the young girls (aged between six and thirteen) to line-up against the chalk board. Shooting ten in total and killing five, Roberts soon turned the gun on himself. Little is known of his motive, though the incident received much coverage at the time, playing a pivotal role in the on-going debate on gun-laws.

1. Ingrid Betancourt

A former Columbian senator and anti-corruption activist, Ingrid Betancourt was the central character in one of the 21^st centuries first decades’ most compelling tales. An extremely active political figure for most of her adult life, Ingrid was kidnapped during her campaign for national presidency on February 23^rd, 2002. Her kidnappers, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), seized the politician in-keeping with their anti-bourgeoisie ideals. What they may not have anticipated however, is to just how high a level the situation may be likely to escalate. Detaining Betancourt for a total of six and a half years, FARC condemned themselves to a reputation as little more than a terrorist organisation, as opposed to the feudal saviors as whom they were attempting to convey themselves as. On July 2^nd 2008, Betancourt was liberated, along with 14 other hostages, by the Colombian security forces’ successful deployment of ‘Operation Jaque’.

The post Top 10 Hostage Situations in Modern History appeared first on Top Ten Lists.

10. Znojmo Catacombs, Czech Republic

Worldwide, many places have been distinguished as catacombs even though they lack the first and foremost qualification: dead, interred bodies. The Znojmo Catacombs in the Czech Republic represents these posers, but these underground passages share an interesting history nonetheless. They were mostly built during the late middle ages (14th and 15thcenturies). The primary purpose of these underground mazes was to provide a safe haven from invaders. At times, these subterranean safe havens were self-sustainable for months on end. Fresh water wells and ample storage meant the city’s residents could outlast even the longest calamities.

9. Catacombs of London

Most of London’s catacombs can be traced to the Victorian era, back when Jack the Ripper first haunted nightmares and fictional, sleuthing characters such as Sherlock Holmes began solving crimes. Gas lamps were as common as railways, and the Industrial Revolution was in full swing. The premiere catacomb locations are the West Norwood and Kensal Green cemeteries. These grounds are famous for their Gothic and Victorian architecture and historical significance. Although devoid of interred corpses, another area of interest for spelunkers is the Camden catacombs that run underneath the Camden Market.

8. l’Ossuaire Municipal, Paris

Paris always has an answer for anything London does, and when it comes to catacombs they have over compensated once again. During the same period as London’s catacombs were built so too were holes being dug under Paris for disposing of the dead. Catacombs proved a cheap way for the lower class to lay their dead to rest. The bones of over six million decorate the walls of the main ossuary. The place is usually open for tourism when it isn’t being vandalized (the ossuary was closed in 2009 for such a reason). Have a look inside. Like London, there are many tunnels of different origins (with or without human remains) that fully constitute the “Catacombs of Paris”.  One could spend days fully exploring the world below this modern metropolis.

7. Monastery of San Francisco, Lima

Construction of the Church and Monastery of San Francisco was completed in 1774. Over one hundred years in the making, the structures withstood many earthquakes only to be damaged by a quake in 1970. The complex baroque architectural style of the grounds dates to 1600, and emanates a special grandeur that has helped earn the monastery a place as a world renowned site of historical importance. The grounds house catacombs that acted as Lima’s first cemetery. The tunnels below were used for burials until 1803, and have been frequented since by pilgrims and tourists amazed by the skeletal patterns along the walls. Intermingling are the bones of an estimated 70,000 burials that are thought to have happened here. The catacombs were lost for a period of time only to be excavated in 1943.

6. Rabat Catacombs, Malta

Off the southern tip of Italy, in the middle of the mythical Mediterranean Sea, lies the island archipelago that makes up the nation of Malta. On this Island, the village Rabat is home to a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels and tombs. A small settlement of around 7,000 people, Rabat shares a patch of land that used to be a full-on Roman city. Much of the Roman influence that has been preserved can be found underground. St. Paul’s and St. Agatha’s catacombs offer two nearby stops for tomb tourists. The type of burials found in St. Paul’s catacombs indicate the complexes date at least as far back to the 4th century. Only a small fraction of the catacombs are open to the public, but this doesn’t mean you can’t get an early Roman Christian experience while enjoying the twists and turns of the bleak corridors.

5. Huda Jama, Slovenia

The 20th century had an outbreak of mass killings throughout Eastern Europe. Whether by the Nazis, the Communists, or any number of political factions that resulted from the crumbling of the iron curtain, mass graves litter the countryside. Many have yet to be identified, but some have been including the one in Huda Jama, Slovenia. This small town was embroiled in intrigue during the Second World War. Mines still exist where the Yugoslav Partisans (a communist anti-German fighting force) would take cover from attacks. After the war ended, the resulting reversal of power led to mass killings in the mine called the Barbara Pit. Over 700 bodies have been removed from the sight since it was thoroughly explored starting in 2009. It is thought that the Axis powers that be found themselves suddenly playing the role of the victims, and were subsequently stripped and gassed. Needless to say, this site isn’t very tourist friendly at this point.

4. Sacromonte Abbey, Spain

The Abbey of Sacromonte, built circa 1600, is a hillside monument surrounded by a small town. Although aged in their own right, the structures of the abbey were built atop Roman-era Catacombs. The history of these catacombs is blurred, but legend has it that it was within these very hallways that Saint Caecilius was burned alive during the age of the lunatic Roman Emperor Nero. The abbey protects what they believe are the remains of Caecilius and other saints. A festival is held annually at the abbey honoring Saint Caecilius for his martyrdom.

3. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Austria

Austria is a great place to visit for good beer and other characteristics of Germanic culture. Like many places, Austria also has its fair share of Roman relics. One of the more well known of these is St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a monumental construction from the middle of the 14^th century. The cathedral was commissioned by Rudolf IV and erected on the same spot previously inhabited by two lesser chapels. Bodies of famous and common people alike inhabit the inside and outside of the cathedral, including the massive catacombs below. One notable corpse is that of Prince Eugene of Savoy, considered by Napoleon himself to be one of the sharpest military minds in history. Also present is Frederick the Peaceful who reigned over Germany and the surrounding areas, eventually being crowned the Holy Roman Emperor in 1492. Those entombed in the cathedral went unmolested even though the roof to the cathedral was severely damaged during World War II. The Cathedral has since been restored and stands as a prime sight to be seen when visiting Vienna.

2. Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Egypt

Perhaps it is a mistake not to place Egypt as being the premier place in the world to gawk at entombed corpses. Feel free to read both descriptions and let us know what you think. This is the one location on the list that is considered a necropolis, or a compound of ancient burial grounds often littered with tombs and passages. Furthermore, a necropolis is largely untouched or unused by the modern world. The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa are often considered conjointly as a wonder of the ancient world. To travel across these grounds is to experience an evolution of culture from ancient Greek times, to the Hellenistic era heralded by Alexander the Great, and ultimately through Roman imperialism. Among the stories haunting this area is that of the Halls of Caracalla. It is said that the mix of horse and human bones found in this chamber were those of Christians that were massacred by the Roman Emperor Caracalla sometime around 200 AD.

1. Catacombs of Rome, Italy

There is a vast variety of hidden niches in Italy for both professional and novice tomb explorers. Naples and Rome headline these possibilities. Rome, in particular, is home to vast networks of underground tunnels and catacombs, many of which line the famous Appian Way. From Jewish catacombs to early Christian martyrs, many catacombs are present from before and after Jesus walked the planet. The Roman catacombs exist as one of the best testaments to this time period. Such is the worth of the Catacombs of Commodilla that claims one of the oldest depictions of Christ wearing a beard. It is thought that many of the catacombs lining Rome are the result of secret Christian burials during times of persecution. Due to the discretionary nature of these burials, many of these passages have gone unnoted until recently and many more may yet be undiscovered.

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10. Substance Abuse

Referring to an exposure to elicit substances whilst in their mother’s womb as well as later in life, it is widely believed that children who grow up in an environment which advocates such abuse are not only more likely to suffer from the onset of particular mental conditions, but from substance dependence themselves later in life. Whether sustained alcohol intake acts to affect the growth and natural development of an unborn child, or the heroin addiction of an infant’s parents ensures that they are emotionally destabilised for good, FBI statistics suggest that around 70% of serial killers experience problems linked with substance abuse early on in life.

9. Sexual Abuse

Not many people would argue with the perspective that the people we become in adulthood largely, though perhaps not wholly, depends on the nature of our upbringing. Whilst substance abuse can act to hinder the psyche of a child through isolation, negligence and physical abuse, the matter of sexual abuse is very different. Whilst the term may suggest it, sexual abuse in this setting does not solely refer to direct physical abuse. Though such abuse is unfortunately common, it is not the only sexually themed form of childhood torment likely to influence a future killer. Acts of humiliation in relation to the likes of masturbation, the witnessing of the abuse of parents or close relatives, or just about anything else that prohibits healthy growth in relation to this most sensitive and natural of human functions can all have adverse effects.

8. Loneliness

Whilst loneliness and isolation may be considered natural amongst grown-ups, they are states which can be extremely detrimental to the rounded development of a child. The ability, or lack thereof, to forge meaningful relationships with other people is often what sets serial killers apart from their societal neighbours. It is widely believed that most serial killers grow up in environments that are unstable as a result of warring family members. This home life then transfers to other areas of their life, such as school, and soon they find themselves friendless and at the mercy of playground bully’s. Resentment and disregard for others and their feelings comes next, followed by the fulfilment of hateful urge and fantasy.

7. Animal Abuse

It is believed that a great deal of serial killers, in fact 99% of them, complete childhood apprenticeships in their trade upon animals. As violent fantasies and tendencies develop within the increasingly warped mind of a troubled child, they are likely to seek appropriate animals as necessary targets upon which to vent their torturous desires. What’s more, due to the typically dysfunctional settings in which children performing such acts grow up in, their behaviour is likely to go largely un-noticed.

6. Trouble With Employment

Opinions tend to vary more-so with regards to this characteristic than with any others on the list. Whilst FBI research maintains that serial killers need not be considered to have any specific troubles when it comes to the world of work and holding down a job, there is countless research which suggests they do. Presumably, this characteristic stems from the fact that social and academic exclusion during education leads to a disregard for the institutions importance rather early on in life. Under qualified for more professionally orientated roles, serial killers are then left with more menial unskilled societal roles.

5. Fantasies

Many apprehended serial killers will at some point open up to inquisitors about the role fantasies play in shaping their actions. It is far from uncommon for a child, having been abused in a particular manner, to then fantasise about role reversal, or in other words- carrying out such crimes themselves upon someone as helpless as they may have been. Furthermore, upon committing an initial murder in adherence to a particular fantasy, a killer will then offend again in an effort to perfect the procedure or to even satisfy a completely separate urge altogether.

4. Voyeurism

An interest in those sexual activities widely deemed as elicit or unorthodox is believed to be extremely common amongst serial killers. Voyeurism is a term which applies to receiving sexual gratification through means of spying or intruding on the sexual activity of others. Whilst this may apply to a fondness of watching another masturbate with or without them knowing, or spying on the neighbours whilst their having sex, the development of voyeurism usually starts rather innocently at a relatively young age. The dangers of such a problem remain unaddressed are obvious, with a childhood peeping tom often making the severe transition to rapist and murderer by the time they reach early adulthood.

3. Pyromania

Another prevalent hobby amongst serial killers during their childhood is pyromania. Just as future killers are likely to harm animals at a young age, in fulfilment of fantasies or delusions likely to be developing as a result of circumstance, fire starting is believed to be another frequent tell-tale sign. As one of the three characteristics listed under the ‘Macdonald Triad’, a set of behavioural signs towards future violent conduct outlined by psychiatrist John Marshall Macdonald in his 1963 paper ‘The Threat to Kill’, pyromania is widely recognised as a popular method for venting aggressions or stresses prior to being able/ready to commit murder.

2. Bed-Wetting

Another member of the Macdonald triad, the act of frequent or habitual bed-wetting sits alongside, at least according to some, both pyromania and animal cruelty as an early sign of someone likely to commit homicide in the future. Whilst there are countless other studies which speak against the triad, bed-wetting past the age of twelve is nonetheless considered a prevalent symptom amongst many notable serial killers.

1. Suicidal Tendencies

In many ways the ultimate side effect of each of the characteristics outlined above, it may come as no surprise that many serial killers have a history of displaying suicidal tendencies, or even in making attempts on their own lives. The level to which many killers psychologically sink is one that commonly leaves as little mercy for their own well-being as it does for their hapless future victims. Extreme isolation and physical/sexual abuse are motives for suicide amongst many people, not just potential killers.

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10. “The Walrus was Paul”

Here’s a bit of a disappointing one to start with – the clue comes from “Glass Onion” on the White Album, when John sings – “well here’s another clue for you all/The walrus was Paul”. Theorists got excited over the mention of Paul in the lyrics and rumors started flying that walrus was a Scandanavian word, meaning death. Unfortunately, a little digging reveals that the word is derived from the Old Norse “rosmhvalr”, which means…walrus. Sorry folks!

9. Billy Shears

This clue all ties in with the man that was said to have replaced Paul – William Shears Campbell, winner of the 1965 Paul lookalike competition. When the band are announcing the arrival of Billy Shears at the start of Sgt Pepper, they are actually introducing the new version of Paul. It’s also a bit of wordplay, as “Billy Shears” can be willfully misheard as “Billy’s here.”

Apparently, a picture of the real Billy (above) appears on the poster that was given away with the White Album, and he had plastic surgery to look more like the real Paul. Still, die-hard fans claim to notice differences between Paul and William, whom they christened “Faul”. Some even say that there is a 2-inch height difference and the color of his eyes has changed. As recently as 2010, things “Faul” said in interviews were still being picked apart for discrepancies.

8. Magical Mystery Tour Cover Art

An obscure one next, from the fittingly obscure Magical Mystery Tour EP. On the cover, the word “Beatles” is spelled out in stars, but if you put a mirror up to it, it comes up with a number – 2317438. What’s the significance of the number? It’s meant to be the telephone number of a London mortuary, but there’s no evidence that anyone ever called this number to find out.

The clues don’t end there though – there’s a cartoon of Paul, with a cracked head, labelled “The Fool on the Hill”. There’s a picture of all 4 Beatles where Paul is wearing a black carnation, and the others are wearing red. And then there’s a picture of Paul, sitting in front of a poster that says “I was”. Enough for you yet? Don’t worry, there’s more to come….

7. Revolution 9

This track from the White Album is largely inexplicable, with its strings of gibberish, strange noises and Yoko Ono droning “number 9″ over and over again. But again it contains clues that point to Paul’s demise. Lyrics like “his voice was low and his eye was high and his eyes were closed” and “intended to die” are meant to refer to Paul, but the real giveaway is when you play it backwards. There’s the noise of a car crash, a scream and then the repeated phrase “turn me on dead man”. It seems there is some point to that track after all…

6. Lyrical Prophecy

A bit of a red herring next. Many conspiracy-theory sites list the lyric “I was alone I took a ride I didn’t know what I would find there” as another pointer, but the theory collapses under scrutiny. That line was taken from “Got to Get You Into My Life”, a track from Revolver (above). Revolver was released on 5 August 1966, a full 3 months and 4 days before Paul’s supposed accident. I think we can safely rule this one out, unless it was Paul singing about his own death. Now, that really would be spooky…

5. Yesterday and Today “Butcher Cover”

Now here’s a cover that provoked its own controversy. A product of a photo shoot with Robert Whitaker, this gruesome picture adorned a clumsily put-together compilation of Beatles’ tracks from various albums, aimed at the American market. When it was released in the US on 20 June 1966, the cover causes immediate outrage and new covers were sent out to stick over the old ones, featuring Paul in a trunk. A  few years later both covers would be raked for clues, such as the decapitated head in Paul’s lap and the way that Paul seems to be in  a coffin. There was only one problem. Have a look at the date of release again – yes, it’s another anachronism. Just a bad taste photoshoot after all!

4. “I Buried Paul”

Another clue which at least fits into the chronology, this derives from a murmur at the end of “Strawberry Fields Forever”, which was released as a double A-side in February 1968. It’s unclear what John Lennon is saying at the end, but it certainly sounds a bit like “I buried Paul”. Later, John would insist that the line was “cranberry sauce“. Sound unlikely? Bear in mind the original lyrics to “Yesterday” were “Scrambled eggs, oh my darling how I love your legs”. Suddenly, Lennon muttering about a condiment doesn’t seem anything out of the ordinary.

3. Linda Eastman

This was a cruel but plausible fan theory that points to Paul becoming Faul. Paul had been in a relationship with actress Jane Asher for 3 years prior to the “accident” and they were living together. Two years later he was marrying Linda Eastman, with the smallest of gaps in between women. Paul’s fans – who George referred to as the “Apple Scruffs” – were skeptical about his choice of bride and sneered at awkward Linda who had none of the poise of Jane. When Paul’s “death” was uncovered, many people took his change of personality as evidence that he wasn’t the same Paul who’d dated Jane. He also withdrew from London and spent time with his family and sheepdog on a remote Scottish farm. Case closed?

2. Abbey Rd Cover Art

The cover art of the Beatles’ last-recorded album is supposed to be blatant proof of Paul’s death. The iconic walk across the zebra crossing is meant to be Paul’s funeral procession, with George as scruffy denims as the gravedigger, barefoot Paul as the corpse, Ringo as the pallbearer in black, and all-white John as the preacher. Then it’s said that if you zoom in, a car license plate reads “28 IF” – 28 if Paul had lived. It can be argued that Paul would have been 27, not 28 in 1969 but Eastern religions include months spent in utero as part of someone’s age, and the Beatles were very involved in Eastern religion at the time. The first part of the license plate – “LMW” stood for “Linda McCartney weeps”. Probably the most famous set of clues, but not the most compelling.

1. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Cover Art

The album that introduced Billy Shears was bound to be a treasure trove of visual clues, especially considering the famously complicated cover art. Some “clues” are more convincing than others, but there are a lot of them. A floral wreath spells out “Beatles” with a bass guitar with only three tuning pegs, indicating that only three Beatles were left alive. There’s an open palm behind Paul’s head  – a symbol of death in some societies- and a tiny Aston Martin, representing the car he was driving in the apparent crash. There’s a picture of the four early Beatles, and they seem to be looking into a grave. Meanwhile, inside  Paul wears an armband with the initials OPD – said to stand for “officially pronounced dead” – and on the back, Paul faces backwards and George’s thumb points to the line “Wednesday morning at five o’clock as the day begins” which is supposed to be the time of the accident.

But it’s the disc itself which is said to hold the greatest clue – if you hold a mirror along the drum in its center, a message appears, reading “I ONE IX HE DIE”. It’s been interpreted as meaning “ 1 1 9 he die”, or 11 November, the date the accident is meant to have happened. Other people have interpreted it as “1″, “ONE” and “I” referring to the three remaining Beatles, and the X representing the dead Paul. The lyrics of the album were dissected too, until the full theory arose, involving Paul, a car, an early morning drive and a girl called Rita. It may not be true, but the conspiracy theorists certainly did a good job of making you wonder….

The post Top 10 Signs that Paul McCartney Actually Died in 1966 appeared first on Top Ten Lists.

10. Chubbles

On the surface, Chubbles appears as a perfectly normal toy bear, or ‘teddy bear’. According to the above picture we have reason at all to think otherwise. Oh how wrong we all are. The truth is, Chubbles has a secret, a very dark and sinister secret in fact- he talks. Well, I say talk, what I really mean is that he makes a weird bleeping noise which lands somewhere between an over-excited Ewok (which is fitting as I suppose he does look a bit like one) and an alien space craft. Activated either light or noise, I can think of few worse things than being awoken by Chubbles’ screaming in the dead of the night.

9. Lawn Darts

Now, hailing from the UK I was only ever aware of Lawn Darts from that Jim Carrey movie ‘Me, Myself and Irene’. That was until I began research for this list. In the movie, Hank, Mr Carrey’s aggressive alter-ego, purchases Lawn Darts as part of his survival kit with which he intends to save Ms Renne Zellweger, in this scenario the plucky damsel in distress, alongside a bottle of red wine and a dildo. Whilst this does imply that Lawn Darts may have a dark streak to them, I was shocked to discover that they are intended as toys for children aged 3 and above. Further reading uncovered the chilling information that upon their release, three kids died in the US as a direct result of injuries caused by the ‘toys’.

8. Baby Laugh-a-lot

There’s really not much I can say about this particular toy. As can be imagined, it is a baby doll which possesses the unique and charming ability to laugh. Sounds nice eh? Well, it’s really really not nice, or at all acceptable. YouTube the TV commercial, you won’t believe it.

7. Living Dead Dolls

This collection of intriguing doll models first appeared on store shelves in the late 1990’s. They are unique amongst the other candidates on this list, solely in the sense that they are completely designed to be creepy. Manufactured by Mezco Toyz since 2000, the original handmade models fetch a fairly decent price amongst collectors and are rumoured to have inspired the creators of smash horror movies such as ‘Chucky’ and ‘Saw’.

6. Blippy in the Box

Call me soft, but Blippy is a character likely to stay deeply rooted in my subconscious for the rest of my now cursed life. We’re all I’m sure aware of the ancient concept of the ‘jack in a box’, with many of us likely to spend the ensuing seconds reminiscing on the good times spent alone in the company of our old surprisingly surprising friends. Now if I can have your attention back for a minute, I’d like to state my case as to why Blippy, and all evidence to show that he ever existed, should be wiped clean off the face of the planet. Basically, I’ve narrowed it down to any one of two likelihoods: a) he’s an evil alien plotting the end of the human race one uninvited room intrusion at a time, or b) he’s an alien spy device sent to keep tabs on us/brainwash our kids. You choose.

5. Teddy Ruxpin

Many devout Teddy Ruxpin fans may get bent out of shape by my accusations towards him, so if you consider yourself a particularly big fan of the little creep and his little creepy ways, please move on to list item #4. Ushering in a new era of children’s toy technology, Teddy Ruxpin was introduced in the mid-1980’s and became a hit amongst parents due to his abilities when it came to dancing/singing and generally being a sly, sly man indeed. Inserting a cassette into his back, children undoubtedly received hours of entertainment as they watched him sing and dance to their favourite songs. Come to think of it, he is a pretty cool toy, however there’s just something about his voice/general mannerisms/potential motive that doesn’t rest right with me.

4. Pregnant Barbie

In my opinion, the key characteristic that makes childhood the magical adventure that it is, is innocence. The naivety of youth is something we all get to experience once, and once it’s gone, oh my is it gone. With this, we must question the motives of Mattel (the huge multi-national toy company with yearly revenues in excess of $6.2billion) concerning the release of ‘Pregnant Barbie’. With a market covering just about every young girl in the West, why release a product that is not only borderline crud, but also aesthetically repulsive. I mean, LOOK AT IT.

3. Furby

I realise that outing Furby for the little cretin that he (or she) is may isolate an incredible amount of readers, particularly the ones under 30 years of age, however I simply cannot help myself. Whilst many of us 90’s kids spent their decade of birth purchasing, or at least pressuring our parents into purchasing, caring for and loving a Furby, I’m proud to say I sat aside from such activity, instead choosing to merely look on in anguish and confusion. They even had a little comeback around 10 years ago if I remember correctly, I didn’t get it in 97’, I didn’t get it in 03’, I’ll NEVER get it.

2. Facebank

Despite sounding like Mark Zuckerberg’s next business venture, Facebank is far from being what may only be presumed to be an at-first-cool-yet-eventually-boring-and-life-commanding-website. Instead, Facebank is an intricately designed piggy-bank which has a face. The idea is that children feed their money to the face and it hangs on to it for you until you need it back to buy some chocolate or pokemon cards or something. Whilst an excellent idea in practice, the manufacturers soon became wise to one prevalent problem: children were absolutely terrified of the Facebank and, even if they had the nerve to leave their money with it, they were sure as hell unlikely to ask for it back. How to successfully tackle such a problem? Remarket an eyeless model, of course.

1. Lookalike Doll

Ever the innovators of the alternative, the Japanese dreamt up this concept not so long ago. Offering a service which involved creating a doll which not only looks like you, but speaks in your voice, Japanese manufacturer ‘Little Island’ truly believed they were onto something. And, as it happens- they were. Though a toy intended ‘for adults’ I’m sure most who purchased such an absurd product did so in an attempt to entertain, or scare the life out of, their children.

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What you don’t see is the hidden cost of the stunts. A surprising number of accidents happen on film sets, with stuntpeople being killed scarily regularly. It’s tragic, but the movie carries on and the audience generally have no idea what happened behind the scene. So here are our Top 10 Films Where Stunts Went Wrong.

10. Semi-Pro

Will Ferrell is known as a man who likes to do slightly off-the-wall stunts. Just look at his 2006 movie “Talledega Nights” where he drives around with a cougar in the car (and yes, the animal kind). So it was no surprise to anyone that he wanted to wrestle a grizzly bear int his 2008 movie “Semi-Pro”. the unexpected – and tragic – thing was the bear turned on its trainer, Stephan Miller, and viciously attacked him. He sadly died on set.

Rocky the bear had experience in many films and had been previously described as “the best working bear in the business” by Stephan’s brother Randy, so it is unclear why it chose to attack that day. But it’s a stark warning to Hollywood that “tame” animals are never quite tame.

9. The Sound of Music

You would expect to see action-packed, gorefest “Sound of Music” on here, wouldn’t you? Well, here it is…and it’s proof that on-set accidents aren’t just the preserve of action movies. During the filming of the dance number “16 going on 17″ (above) , Charmain Carr, who played Liesl, slipped on a bench and went straight through the glass pane of the gazebo they were dancing in. She sprained her ankle, but it was bandaged up and she finished the dance. Luckily, it was one of the last scenes to be filmed so she had time to recover. If you look carefully at older versions of the film, you can see the bandage.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:Part 1

Another unlikely contender for this list – during the filming of the last Harry Potter book, Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double David Holmes fell from his harness and suffered a serious spinal injury. At the time, it looked as though he would never recover but his current state of health is unknown. 2009 reports suggested that he was paralyzed from the waist down and his IMDb page shows no further work since the last Harry Potter films. Daniel Radcliffe paid tribute to his stuntman at the tome, describing him as an “amazing gymnast” and it seems that the film world may have lost his talent forever.

7. Syriana

Another spinal injury on set, from 2005 political thriller “Syriana”. George Clooney suffered an injury when he cracked his head during a torture scene, and it was later discovered that he had fluid leaking from his spine. It turned out to be a 2-and-a-half inch spinal tear, aggravated by the 35lbs he piled on for the role.

The subsequent pain, managed only by Vicodin, drove Clooney almost to the point of suicide and he later said that the weight gain was “stupid”. He was bedridden for a month and had severe migraines but finally overcame the pain with therapy, although it has never disappeared completely.

6. Aeon Flux

I always worry when actors declare their intentions to do their own stunts. Stuntpeople are trained for years and are in the peak of physical fitness and they still have accidents on a regular basis – how does an actor compete with that. So, Charlize Theron’s decision to do her own stunts in 2004 sci-fi action movie “Aeon Flux” was maybe not the wisest. She performed a series of backflips while wearing heels and fell onto her neck, herniating a disc close to her spinal cord. She was lucky to escape paralysis and vowed never to do stunts again. It’s good to see someone learning from their mistakes…

5. The Flight of the Phoenix

There have been two versions of this survival drama, but it was the 1965 version where the real drama happened off-screen. Renowned stuntman and pilot  Paul Mantz was on set to fly an aircraft, known as the Tallmantz Phoenix P-1, which had been designed and built especially for the movie. Flying over a desert in Arizona, Mantz hit a small hill and attempted to correct the plane, which placed the structure under stress. It broke in two and Mantz was killed, while another stuntman Bob Rose was thrown clear but suffered serious injuries. Coroner’s reports suggested that Mantz had been under the influence of alcohol but this was later dismissed as blood ethanol, causing by delays to the toxicology report. The end credits to the film contained a tribute to Mantz, saying “”It should be remembered… that Paul Mantz, a fine man and a brilliant flyer, gave his life in the making of this film..”

4. Twilight Zone

This accident was horrible, tragic and terrible. It was also captured on film. It’s described as the worst accident in the history of cinema, but it was also the start of a long lawsuit against the production and John Landis in particular on charges of negligence.

The scene in question involved actor Vic Morrow, carrying two Vietnamese children across a river, while helicopters flew overhead and explosives detonated in the water. If it sounds like a Health and Safety nightmare, it was and part of the case after the accident rested on whether John Landis was aware of the risks he was taking. Evidence suggests he may have – the casting agents for the children weren’t told of their involvement in that scene and they were hidden from a fire safety officer on set who also acted as a welfare worker. The children were also being asked to work later than child labor laws allowed, and were being paid off-record to cover this up. The children’s parents were also asked not to discuss the scene with any firefighters.

After this ominous set up, they started shooting, late at night. Vic Morrow was taking the two children – Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen – through the river when a helicopter became disorientated and crashed into the river, decapitating Vic and Myca and crushing Renee. The horrific scene was filmed on 3 different cameras. Landis and other people involved in the stunt were found not guilty, but it was the end of Landis’ friendship with Steven Spielberg, who had raised safety concerns about the movie already and was disgusted with his friend’s lax attitude towards them.

3. The Exorcist

A film which has a reputation of being cursed – partly because of the supernatural subject matter but also because of the number of accidents on set. Exact numbers vary according to report, but between 4 and 9 people associated with the film died during production. This included two actors – Jack MacGowran and Vasiliki Maliaros  – who both died before release. Then there was the mysterious fire that ravaged the sets and put the whole production schedule back.

So, a stunt going wrong was almost inevitable. Actress Ellen Burstyn, who played the mother,  was thrown away from the bed on a harness but fell on her coccyx and screamed in pain (the scream was included in the final cut, sounding as realistic as it did). She was hurt enough to need a chiropractor and Linda Blair later hurt her back too. Rumors of a curse may not have been exaggerated…

2. Quantum of Solace

It’s not as well known as some of the other “curses” here, but there was definite talk of a jinx around Daniel Craig’s second outing as Bond. Craig himself was injured multiple times, including slicing the top off one of his fingers, and three stuntmen were injured within a week of each other, all in car chases around Lake Garda. One, Aris Comninos, was airlifted to intensive care but went on to make a remarkable recovery. Just don’t mention the “curse” to Daniel Craig – he later described the idea of it as “#!<&ing offensive”

1. The Crow

Another movie that has a reputation for being cursed, “The Crow” had a diffcult shoot from day one, when a carpenter sustained serious burns after a metal girder he was sitting on collided with power lines. Then a worker got a screwdriver through the hand and a lorryload of equipment caught fire for no apparent reason. There are also reports of a sculptor driving his car through the studio’s plaster shop, a stuntman breaking his ribs falling through a roof and a hurricane destroying the sets. All this was reported in an article called “Bird of Ill Omen” that hit newsstands on April 2nd 1993. By then, something had happened that overshadowed all those things – the death of the star, Brandon Lee.

No-one knows for sure how he died, although his father Bruce Lee is said to have predicted the death. All we know for sure is that a stunt shooting went wrong and a bullet pierced Lee’s abdomen. Was it live ammo or just some rogue gunpowder? Was it an accident or was someone out to make it look like one? There are no definite answers (although the actor who fired the shot is under no suspicion whatsoever) but the film proved how great an actor Brandon Lee could have become. A sad loss.

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10. Surplus Apollo Missions

Following the successful conclusion of the space race in the July of 1969, the US National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) launched six more Apollo missions to the moon, the last of which was Apollo 17 which was launched on December 7^th, 1972. Perhaps the most notable of these surplus missions was that of Apollo 13, the crew of which managed to survive an oxygen tank explosion whilst on their way to the moon.

9. The Ballpoint Pen Was Invented During the Space Race

Perhaps not the most exciting fact I could muster on the topic, however interesting nonetheless. After scratching their heads for a number of months, as well as spending around $1million (which back then was more a lot more than it is now) on research, expert researchers at NASA came up with the prototype for the ballpoint pen- intended to eliminate problems caused by zero-gravity conditions. Funnily enough the Soviets had a similar problem, though came up with a much more cost effective option- using a pencil.

8. The Russians Took an Early Lead

In October 1957, the Soviet space programme took an early lead, and in many ways signalled the true beginning to the space race when they successfully launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. This early incarnation of what would eventually become the technology upon which most modern communications are now built, was just 22 and a half inches in diameter, weighing in at relatively modest 183 pounds. In terms of instruments, the Sputnik carried only a radio transmitter designed to transmit on the 15-meter short-wave band.

7. Sputnik 3 Was the Size of a Moon

Maybe a little bit of an over-exaggeration in terms of literal speaking, however far from it if we consider the generational differences between Sputnik 3 and its aforementioned generational elder. Launched in the spring following the success of Sputnik 1, Sputnik 3 was a much vaster mission, in terms of size, duration and ambition. Orbiting Earth an estimation 10,000 times over 682 day period, Sputnik 3 returned to its home planet in the April of 1960. Given the satellites size for the time, sizing up and 5×11 feet and weighing in excess of a ton, Premier Khrushchev is said to have stated at the time ‘America sleeps under a Soviet moon’. I bet that did a lot to calm the escalating tension.

6. President Eisenhower was no war-monger

The USSR launched their first spacecraft, named Vostok, on May 15^th, 1960. Vostok’s mission entailed a brief four day orbit of the Earth, followed swiftly by an unproblematic return to the planet’s atmosphere via use of retrograde rockets. However, upon attempting to give the Vostok its much needed nudge towards Earth, the retro rockets instead acted to thrust the spacecraft further out into space, and into a much higher orbit. As a result, the originally scheduled return date of the Vostok (September 1960) became far from accurate, with the craft instead returning some five years later in October 1965. Whilst the Soviets undoubtedly anticipated all manner of ridicule for such a faux pas (as I’m sure the misdirection of retrograde rockets is regarded amongst rocket scientists), Western observers instead congratulated the Soviets on their invention of this unique in-orbit move.

4. The Russians Orbited the Sun First

Lunik 1 was launched towards the moon on January 2^nd, 1959. Following the decision to set aside initial plans to load the craft up with a small atomic bomb which would explode upon impact with the moon, the Soviets decided that their idea was in fact utterly ridiculous and instead decided to fill the Lunik with loads and loads of sodium instead, the intention being to mark the occasion of leaving the Earth’s orbit for the first time in recorded history. Whilst Lunik failed to get anywhere near the moon, even by space terms, (it missed by around 4,000 miles) it did become the first manmade craft to go into orbit around the Sun. Thank god they decided against the atom bomb idea, eh?

3. NASA was not alone

President Eisenhower enjoyed the opportunity of serving his two terms in the White House in not only the midst of the USA’s post-WW2 economic and industrial boom, but of the space races beginnings. Ever the military mind, Eisenhower saw a huge amount of potential in the science that was going into getting mankind to the stars. Aside from the central, and far more publicised, NASA space program, Eisenhower also sponsored two separate programs of research. The first was spearheaded by the Air Force and was solely dedicated to exploring the possibilities of the militarisation of space technology, whilst the second was a far more covert affair. Led by the CIA, the Air Force as well as an organisation created especially for the purpose, named the National Reconnaissance Office (which remained a top secret government agency until the end of the Cold War in the early 1990’s), the operation was entitled Corona. Corona had one particular agenda: the use of satellites in the garnering of intelligence on the USSR and her allies.

2. Astronauts were almost called ‘Cosmonauts’

The two terms act to significantly divide the two nations involved, as well as entirely symbolise the space race as a whole. Though fulfilling the same role in their respective programs, it is fairly common knowledge that those trained to man spacecraft under the USAs space program are named ‘Astronauts’, while those who fall under Russian jurisdiction are ‘Cosmonauts’. This was almost not the case however, as NASAs Deputy Administrator of the late 1950’s/early 1960’s- Dr. Hugh Dryden wanted to name American crew members ‘Cosmonauts’, his reason being that the prefix ‘cosmo’ was more fitting as it referred to space (the ‘cosmos’) instead of just the stars (astro). Though he had an extremely intelligible point, he was out-voted by his peers.

1. The Space Race was a HUGE thing at the time

Though intergalactic travel still enthrals many people nowadays, at the time of the space race it was simply the most talked about thing in popular society. Coinciding with the advent of television, the race was symbolic of a new and exciting era for the United States of America. Astronauts were portrayed as pioneering heroes, which in many ways I suppose they were, and enjoyed superstar status amongst the optimistic populous. A perfect distraction and tool of propaganda for a time of international nuclear size-offs, the Soviets were in turn played out to be total villains, interested in surpassing American efforts and not much else.

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