How to Save Money on Amazon
There are a lot of good deals to be had on Amazon.com, but first you've got to find them.
Here's where to look if you want to save BIG:
Check the Gold Box Deal of the Day
Amazon offers an extra discount on one item each day, the Gold Box Deal of the Day, and that discount can be quite substantial--sometimes as much as 75 percent off. Get in the habit of checking the deal each day, and you may just find a bargain on something that you need.
Where to Find It: Roll over the "Today's Deals" tab at the top of any Amazon page, and select "Gold Box" from the drop-down menu. The Gold Box Deal appears at the top left corner of the page.
Look for a Lightning Deal
Be lightning quick and you'll be rewarded. Amazon's Lightning Deals promotion offers an extra coupon savings on a single featured item--but only for four hours or until all of the coupons are used.
Where to Find It: Roll over the "Today's Deals" tab at the top of any Amazon page, and select "Gold Box" from the drop-down menu. The Lightning Deal appears at the top right corner of the page.
Shop the Friday Sale
The Friday Sale is yet another opportunity to save. It offers special one-day-only prices on over 100 items each Friday.
Where to Find It: Roll over the "Today's Deals" tab at the top of any Amazon page, and select "Friday Sale" from the drop-down menu.
Take Advantage of Super Saver Shipping
Buy $25 in qualifying items (those marked as "eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping") and enjoy free shipping on those items.
Tip: If you find yourself a bit short of the $25 needed to qualify for free shipping, you can use the Amazon Filler Item Finder run by filleritem.com to search out an item that will bring you to the $25 threshold.
Check the Deals and Bargains Section
The Deals and Bargains page is your one-stop spot for all of the latest information on sales, markdowns and special promotions. Be sure to check it regularly.
Where to Find It: Roll over the "Today's Deals" tab at the top of any Amazon page, and select "Deals and Bargains" from the drop-down menu.
Search for Clearance Bargains
Looking for a real steal? Then, check out grocerycouponguide.com. They maintain links to all of the 50-90 percent off pages in Amazon's groceries, beauty, gourmet food, health and pets departments.
Another good site to check: Brand-Name-Coupons.com. This site allows you to search for deals in all departments by the percentage off—anywhere from 10-90 percent off.
Buy Used
Find an item that you want on Amazon, but not thrilled with the price? Then, check to see if you can buy it used. Amazon allows private sellers to post their used items up for sale alongside the new items. Just look for the link that says "# used and new for sale" and click on it to see what's available.
Let Someone Else Track the Deals for You
Looking for an easy way to stay on top of the latest deals? Then, let someone else do the work for you. Several websites dedicated to bargain hunting track and post the best Amazon deals throughout the day. A few to try:
* DealLocker (includes coupon codes)
* JungleCrazy
* DealCatcher
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
How to Avoid Automated Phone Greetings at Big Companies
How to Instantly Get a Human When Calling Big Companies
Actually, it's probably a weekly occurrence for many of us. What am I talking about? That frustrating, wanna' throw the phone out the window feeling when you call a company and have to speak to robots for 5 minutes before you get to speak to a real person.
The other, just as frustrating alternative is when you have to press a sequence of buttons when prompted: 'press 3 for X, 4 for Y, 5 for Z' etc. Someone has taken the initiative to create a website called 'gethuman.com' where you can find the 'secret' codes to be put through to a real human in the shortest time possible, sometimes instantly.
Many companies have this provision so that employees or field workers can get through to the front of the line. All the big companies are listed, from AAA to XM Radio, from Amazon.com to Walt Disney World. In some cases a direct line is provided that gets you right to a human, instantly!
You might want to print out the list, or at least keep it bookmarked on your computer.
You'll save your time and your sanity! www.gethuman.com
gethuman 500 database
1-800-FLOWERS.COM 800-716-4851 Direct to human.
AAA 800-222-4357 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
AARP 888-687-2277 Press 0.
AARP Healthcare 800-523-5800 Press 1; at prompt press 4.
AARP MedicareRxPlan 888-867-5575 Press 1; hold through message.
AARP Pharmacy Services 800-289-8849 Press 1; hold through message.
ABN AMRO Mortgage 800-783-8900 Press #; at prompt press #; at prompt press 0.
Ace Hardware 866-290-5334 Press 0.
Adelphia 888-683-1000 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Adobe Systems 800-833-6687 At prompt, press 1.
Advance Auto Parts 800-314-4243 Press 0.
Aetna 800-738-7674 Say "member"; press *0.
Aetna Rx Home Delivery 800-227-5720 Press 0.
AFLAC 800-992-3522 Press #; at prompt press #; at prompt press #; at prompt press 3.
AIG 877-638-4244 Direct to human.
Air Canada 888-247-2262 Press 1; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0.
AirTran Airlines 800-204-5695 Press 0.
Alamo 800-462-5266 Direct to human.
Alaska Air 800-252-7522 Press #.
Alitalia 800-223-5730 Press *.
Allmerica Financial 800-533-7881 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Allstate 800-255-7828 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Allstate Motor Club 800-869-7997 Direct to human.
Alltel Wireless 800-255-8351 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Amazon Visa 888-247-4080 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Amazon.com 800-201-7575 Don't press or say anything.
America Online 800-827-6364 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
American Airlines 800-433-7300 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
American Airlines Baggage 800-535-5225 Press 7.
American Express 800-528-4800 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ameriquest Mortage 888-436-7571 Don't press or say anything.
Amtrak 877-444-4773 Direct to human.
Apple 800-275-2273 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
AT&T 800-288-2747 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
AT&T Business 800-750-2355 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
AT&T Universal Card 800-423-4343 Don't press or say anything.
AT&T Worldnet 800-400-1447 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Auto Zone 800-288-6966 Press 1; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 0.
Avis 800-230-4898 Press 2.
Baby Bjorn 866-424-0200 Press 2.
Bank Card Svcs. 800-655-1491 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Bank of America 877-231-9372 Direct to human.
Bank of America Credit 800-732-9194 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Bank of New York 800-225-5269 Press ###.
Barclays 877-523-0478 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Barnes & Noble 800-422-7717 Direct to human.
Barnes & Noble.com 800-843-2665 Press 16.
Bear Stearns 888-807-6898 Direct to human.
Bed, Bath & Beyond 800-462-3966 Press 4; hold.
Belkin Tech Support 800-223-5546 At prompt press 2263; press 1 at each prompt thereafter.
BellSouth 888-757-6500 Press *0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Bellsouth FastAccess DSL 888-321-2375 Press 1; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 2, ignoring messages.
Best Buy 888-237-8289 Press 2.
Best Buy Card 800-365-0292 Press 6 at each prompt, ingnoring recording.
Best Western 800-780-7234 Direct to human.
BJ's Wholesale Club 800-257-2582 Press 0#.
Black & Decker 800-544-6986 Direct to human.
Blockbuster 214-854-3000 Press 22.
Blockbuster Online 866-692-2789 Press 11.
Bloomingdales Credit 800-295-4057 Direct to human.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield 877-526-3425 Say "get associate" at prompt.
BMG Music 317-692-9200 Press #.
BMW 800-831-1117 Say "customer relations" and then press 1 for "vehicle" or 2 for "motorcycle."
Boost Mobile 888-266-7848 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Borders 888-812-6657 Press 0.
Bosch Power Tools 877-267-2499 Press 100.
Bose 800-444-2673 Direct to human.
Briggs & Stratton 414-259-5262 Press 0 at prompt.
British Airways 800-247-9297 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Brother International 800-284-4329 Press 7.
Budget Rent a Car 800-527-0700 Press 0.
Buick 800-521-7300 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Buy.com 800-800-0800 Don't press or say anything.
Cabela's 800-237-4444 Direct to human.
Cablevision 800-868-9840 Press 1. Then press 0 at each subsequent prompt.
Cadillac 800-333-4223 Press 0.
Canon USA 800-828-4040 At prompt press *; at prompt press 0.
Capital One 800-548-4593 Press 0.
Card Services 888-363-8001 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Caremark 800-262-7890 Press 0.
Carnival Cruise 800-929-6400 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Casio 800-706-2534 Press 3.
Celebrity Cruises 800-647-2251 Press 0.
Cellular One 888-910-9191 Press 4.
Centers for Disease Control 800-232-4636 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 800-999-1118 Press 1000.
Ceridian Benefit Svcs. 800-877-7994 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Charles Schwab 800-435-9050 Press 3, followed by eight digit account number
Charter Communications 866-472-2200 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Chase Credit Cards 800-432-3117 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Chase Home Finance 800-848-9136 Press #0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
CheapTickets 800-755-4333 Don't press or say anything; when offered customer service say "Yes."
CheapTrips 800-211-5119 Direct to human.
Chevrolet 800-222-1020 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
ChevronTexaco Credit 800-243-8766 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Chrysler Financial 800-700-0738 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Chrysler Group 800-992-1997 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
CIGNA 800-849-9000 Press ## at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Cingular Wireless (AT&T) 800-331-0500 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Cingular Wireless Warranty Dept. 800-801-1101 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Circuit City 800-843-2489 Press 0.
Citi Cards 800-633-7367 Don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Citi Simplicity 866-696-5673 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Citibank 800-756-7047 Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Citizens Bank 800-922-9999 Press 000.
Columbia House DVD 888-467-7404 Press 1 for English; then don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Columbia Mutual Funds 800-345-6611 Say "representative."
Comcast 800-266-2278 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Comcast 800-266-2278 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Comfort Inn 877-424-6423 Direct to human.
Commerce Bank 888-751-9000 Direct to human.
Commonwealth Edison 800-334-7661 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Compaq 800-652-6672 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Compass Bank 800-239-5175 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
CompUSA 800-266-7872 Press 33.
CompUSA erebates 888-716-8555 Press **.
CompuServe 800-848-8990 Press 1211.
Computer Associates 877-694-8509 Press 2.
Consolidated Edison 800-752-6633 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Consumers' Energy Company 800-477-5050 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Continental Airlines 800-784-4444 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Costco 800-220-6000 Press 55.
Costco.com 800-955-2292 Press 55.
Countrywide Loans 800-669-5864 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
CVS.com 888-607-4287 Press 0.
Days Inn 800-329-7466 Direct to human.
Dell Financial Services 800-283-2210 Press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press #; at prompt press #.
Dell Sales 800-624-9897 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Dell Tech Support 800-624-9896 Press 3; say "agent" at each additional prompt, ignoring messages.
Delta Airlines 800-221-1212 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Delta Dental 888-335-8227 After language option, press 2 for existing or 3 for new account.
Detroit Edison (DTE) 800-477-4747 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
DHL Express 800-225-5345 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Dillard's 800-345-5273 Direct to human.
Diner's Club 800-729-5309 Press 2.
DirecTV 800-824-9081 Don't press or say anything.
Dirt Devil 800-321-1134 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Discover 800-347-2683 Please enter your 16 digital account number
DISH network 800-333-3474 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Disney Cruise Line 800-951-3532 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Disney Shopping 800-328-0368 Press 0.
Disneyland Resort 714-781-4000 Direct to human.
Dodge 800-992-1997 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Dodge and Cox 800-621-3979 Press 0.
Dollar Rent-A-Car 800-800-4000 Press 0.
Drugstore.com 800-378-4786 Press 2; at prompt press 5.
Earthlink 888-327-8454 Press 1; press 0 at each prompt thereafter, ignoring messages.
eBay 800-322-9266 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Eddie Bauer 800-426-8020 Press 1.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car 800-261-7331 Press 3 at prompt.
Entertainment Weekly 866-228-1183 Say "agent." Say "yes."
Epson 800-533-3731 Direct to human.
Equifax 866-640-2273 Press 30 at each prompt, ignoring message.
e*Trade 800-786-2575 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Eureka Vacuum 800-438-7352 Press 17.
Evenflo 800-233-5921 Press 4.
Expedia 800-397-3342 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Experian 800-493-1058 Say "yes"; enter report #; enter social security #; say "yes"; say "agent" then "yes" to confirm at prompts thereafter.
Express Scripts 800-206-4005 Press 0.
Exxon Mobil Card 800-344-4355 Press 000, ignoring message.
Farmer's Insurance 800-435-7764 Do not press or say anything, ignoring messages.
FedEx 800-463-3339 Say "representative" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Fidelity 800-544-6666 Ignore prompt for social security number; press ###.
First Nat'l Bank of Omaha 888-530-3626 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Fisher-Price 800-432-5437 Do not press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Florida Power & Light 800-226-3545 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ford 800-392-3673 Press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 0.
Ford Interest Advantage 800-462-2614 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ford Motor Credit 800-727-7000 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Four Points by Sheraton 888-625-5144 Press 17.
FreeCreditReport.com 877-481-6825 Press 51 at prompt.
Frigidaire Parts 800-599-7569 Press 3.
FTD 800-736-3383 Press 2.
Fujitsu PC Support 800-385-4878 Press 00.
Gap Credit Card 800-887-1198 Press 000 at each prompt; ignore request for account number.
Gateway Computers 800-846-2000 Press 4; say "no" at each additional prompt.
GE Appliances 800-626-2005 Press 000.
GE Finance CareCredit 866-893-7864 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GE MONEY BANK 877-317-5544 Press 1, then don't press or say anything.
Geek Squad 800-433-5778 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GEICO 800-841-3000 At prompt press 6; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 5; at prompt press #.
Georgia Power 888-660-5890 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GM MasterCard 800-947-1000 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GMAC 800-200-4622 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GMC 800-462-8782 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GoDaddy.com 480-505-8899 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Goldman Sachs Mutual Funds 800-762-5035 Direct to human.
Goodyear Tire 800-321-2136 Press 1; at prompt press 5.
Google 650-623-4000 Press 0.
Google AdWords 866-246-6453 Press 22.
Graco 800-345-4109 Press 0.
Great West Health 800-663-8081 Press 1; at prompt press 1; press 4 at each prompt thereafter, ignoring messages.
Greyhound 800-231-2222 Press 26.
Hampton Inn 800-426-7866 Direct to human.
Harley-Davidson 414-343-4056 Press 0.
Hertz 800-654-3131 Direct to human.
Hewlett-Packard 800-474-6836 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Hilton HHonors 800-548-8690 Press 5 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Hitachi 800-448-2244 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Holiday Inn 800-465-4329 Press 0; at prompt press 0.
Holmes 800-284-3267 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Home Depot 800-793-3768 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Home Depot Credit 800-677-0232 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Home Shopping Net 800-284-3100 Press 0.
Honda 800-999-1009 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Honda Financial Svcs. 800-445-1358 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Honeywell 800-468-1502 Press 11900.
Hoover 800-944-9202 Press 52.
Hotels.com 800-346-8357 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring prompts.
Hotwire 866-468-9473 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Household Bank Credit 800-771-7339 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
H&R Block Advisors 866-295-7912 Press 3; at prompt press 2.
HSBC 800-477-6000 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Hughesnet 866-347-3292 Press 2.
Humana 800-448-6262 At prompts say "member," "pharmacy," "prescription benefits"; give invalid ID.
Humana Medicare Claims 800-457-4708 Press *; at prompt press *; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press *.
Hyatt Corporation 888-591-1234 Direct to human.
IBM 800-426-4968 Direct to human.
Ikea 800-434-4532 Press 0 quickly and repeatedly.
ING Direct 800-464-3473 Direct to human.
Intuit 800-811-8766 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
JC Penney Catalog 800-222-6161 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
JC Penny Credit 800-542-0800 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Jeep 800-992-1997 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
JetBlue Airways 800-538-2583 Press 0.
John Deere 800-537-8233 Press 1; at prompt press 4.
John Hancock 800-732-5543 Press 2; at prompt press 0.
Johnson & Johnson 800-526-3967 Press 0.
JP Morgan Chase 800-392-5749 Press 131.
Juno 888-839-5866 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
JVC America 800-252-5722 Press 3.
Kensington Tech Support 800-535-4242 Press 11.
KitchenAid 800-422-1230 Press 3420.
Kmart 866-562-7848 Press 12.
Kodak 800-235-6325 Press #.
Kodak Gallery (Ofoto) 800-360-9098 Say "agent."
Kohls Credit 800-564-5740 Press # at each prompt, ignorning messages.
Kolcraft 800-453-7673 Direct to human.
Lands End 800-743-9706 Direct to human.
Le Meridien 888-625-5144 Press 13.
Lexmark 800-539-6275 Press 1.
Liberty Mutual (Claims) 800-225-2467 Press 10.
Lincoln Mercury 800-521-4140 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Linksys 800-326-7114 Press 1; at prompt press ###.
Little Tikes 800-321-0183 Press 11.
LL Bean 800-441-5713 Direct to human.
Logitech 702-269-3457 Press 2000.
Lord & Taylor Credit 800-223-7440 Press 2002.
Lowe's 800-445-6937 Press 0.
Lowes Visa 800-508-2520 Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Lufthansa 800-399-5838 Direct to human.
Luxury Collection Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 15.
Macy's 800-289-6229 Press 4; press *# at each prompt thereafter.
Macy's Credit 800-280-4356 Press 9; press 0 at each prompt thereafter, ignoring messages.
Magnavox 800-705-2000 Select language. Say "agent."
Mariott Rewards 800-321-7396 Press 0.
Marriot International 800-228-9290 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring prompts.
MasterCard 800-622-7747 Press 000 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Mattel 800-524-8697 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Maytag 800-462-9824 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Mazda 800-222-5500 Press 0.
MBNA 800-421-2110 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
McAfee 888-847-8766 Press #40.
MCI 888-624-5622 Press 2 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Medco Insurance 800-251-7690 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Medco Pharmacy 800-987-5269 Say "representative" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Medicare 800-633-4227 Say "agent."
Mellon Investor 800-522-6645 Press #.
Memorex Electronics 800-919-3647 Press 333.
Merrill Lynch 800-637-7455 Say "Advisor".
MetLife 800-560-5001 Press ####.
MetLife Bank 866-226-5638 Press 000 rapidly and repeatedly, ignoring messages.
Metro PCS 888-863-8768 Don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Microsoft Tech Support 800-642-7676 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Midwest Airlines 800-452-2022 Press **.
Money Magazine 800-633-9970 Don't press or say anything.
Moneygram 800-926-9400 Press 0.
Morgan Stanley 800-869-3326 Press 00.
Motel 6 800-466-8356 Direct to human.
Motorola 800-331-6456 Press 00.
MSN 800-386-5550 Say "agent" at each prompt, until offered a representative; say "yes."
Napster 800-839-4210 Press 33; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 2.
National Car Rental 800-227-7368 Direct to human.
Nationwide Insurance Claims 800-421-3535 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Nautilus (Bowflex) 800-628-8458 Press 3; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 4.
NetFlix 888-638-3549 Press 0 at each prompt.
Netgear 888-638-4327 At prompt press 41.
Netscape 866-541-8233 Press 000.
NetZero 866-841-1442 Press #### at each prompt, ignoring messages.
New York Times 800-698-4637 Press 500.
Newsweek 800-631-1040 Press 0.
Nikon Service 800-645-6687 Press 4 at prompt.
Nintendo 800-255-3700 Press 0.
Nissan Credit (NMAC) 800-888-2799 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Nissan USA 800-647-7261 Press #.
Nokia 888-665-4228 At prompt press 1; at prompt press 3; at prompt press 1.
Nordstrom 888-282-6060 Direct to human.
Northwest Airlines 800-692-6980 Direct to human.
Northwest Airlines WorldPerks 800-447-3757 At prompts say "WorldPerks," "agent," "yes," "agent," "yes."
Northwestern Mutual 800-388-8123 Press 0; press 1 to participate or 2 to decline survey.
Norwegian Cruise Line 866-234-0292 Don't press or say anything.
NY Life Benefit Services 800-294-3575 Press 0.
NY Life Retirement Svcs. 800-586-1413 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Office Depot 888-463-3768 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
OfficeMax 800-283-7674 Press 2.
OfficeMax Rebates 866-765-5702 Press 2; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 2; enter fake phone #; press 1 to confirm; press 1 to confirm.
Olympus - Digital 888-553-4448 Press 5; at prompt press 0.
Omron Healthcare 877-216-1333 Don't press or say anything.
Orbitz 888-656-4546 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Overstock.com 800-843-2446 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Pacific Gas & Electric 800-743-5000 At prompt say "Operator"; at prompt say "Yes"; at prompt say "Operator"; at prompt say "Yes."
Palm 800-881-7256 Press 1; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 2.
Panasonic 800-211-7262 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
PayPal 888-221-1161 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
PayPal Buyer Credit 866-571-3012 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
PC World 800-234-3498 Press *; at prompt press 2.
People Magazine 866-365-1620 Press 0.
People PC 800-736-7537 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Pep Boys 800-737-2697 Press 33; at prompt press 1; hold through prompts for representative.
PepsiCo 800-433-2652 Press 0.
PETCO 888-824-7257 Don't press or say anything.
Philips Electronics 888-744-5477 Say "agent."
Pitney Bowes Equipment 800-522-0020 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
PNC Bank 888-762-2265 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Poland Spring 800-950-9396 Say "representative" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Polaroid 800-343-5000 Press 0.
Pontiac 800-762-2737 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Pottery Barn 888-779-5176 Don't press or say anything.
Priceline 800-774-2354 At prompt press 1; at prompt press 1; at prompt enter phone number #; at prompt enter phone number #; at prompt enter phone number #.
Primerica 800-544-5445 Press 0.
Princess Cruise Line 800-774-6237 Press 0.
Principal Financial 800-547-7754 Enter social security #, then press 0.
Principal Life 800-247-4695 Press 1; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0.
Procter & Gamble 800-331-3774 Press 1.
Progressive Insurance 800-776-4737 Press 000.
Prudential Annuity 888-778-2888 Press ** at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Prudential Financial 800-778-3932 Direct to human.
Public Service Electric & Gas 800-436-7734 Press 0.
Qantas 800-227-4500 Press 3; at prompt press 2; hold through message.
QuickBooks 888-729-1996 Press 0.
QVC 800-367-9444 Press 0.
Qwest 800-244-1111 Press 1; say "operator" at all subsequent prompts.
Radio Shack 800-843-7422 Press 0; at prompt press 0.
Radisson 888-201-1718 Direct to human.
Ramada 800-828-6644 Direct to human.
RBS Credit Card 800-747-8155 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
RCA / Thompson Electronics 877-794-7977 Press 2.
RCN 800-746-4726 Press 1; at prompt press 3; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 4.
Reader's Digest 800-304-2807 Press 0.
Reliant Energy 866-222-7100 Don't press or say anything.
Rent-A-Center 800-422-8186 Press 1.
Rite Aid 800-748-3243 Don't press or say anything.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines 866-562-7625 Press 0.
Ryder Customer Service 305-500-3726 Direct to human.
Ryder Rentals 800-297-9337 Don't press or say anything.
Sallie Mae 888-272-5543 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sam's Club 800-964-1917 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sam's Club Credit 800-203-5764 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Samsung 800-726-7864 Press 2; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 3; at prompt press 3.
Saturn 800 553-6000 Press 3.
SBC DSL support 877-722-3755 Say "sales".
Sears 800-469-4663 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sears Credit Card 800-917-7700 Press 0000000; press 0 at subsequent prompts.
Sears Delivery 800-732-7747 Press 95111.
Secure Horizons 800-228-2144 Say "prospective member".
Sharp 800-237-4277 Press 1132.
Shell Gasoline Card 800-490-9119 Press 0 when prompted for an account number.
Sheraton Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 12.
Simple Freedom 800-335-6401 Press #0#0.
Sirius 888 539-7474 Press 1; at prompt press 0.
Smith Barney Benefitaccess 888-822-6067 Press 0.
Sony / Playstation 800-222-7669 Say "agent"; at prompt say "agent"; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 1.
Sony Ericsson Mobile 866-766-9374 Select language.
Southern CA Edison 800-655-4555 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Southwest 800-435-9792 Direct to human.
Sovereign Bank 877-768-2265 Don't press or say anything.
Spirit Air 800-772-7117 Press 00.
Sports Illustrated 800-284-8800 Press ###, ignoring messages.
Sprint - Nextel 800-639-6111 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sprint Broadband Direct 888-996-0001 Press 00.
Sprint Long Distance 800-877-4646 Press 000 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sprint Mobile 877-349-4413 Direct to human.
St. Regis Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 0.
Staples 800-333-3330 Don't press or say anything.
Staples Easy Rebates 877-266-6483 Wait for "main menu" then press 0 * *.
Starbucks Coffee 800-782-7282 Press 0.
State Farm Auto Insurance 877-734-2265 At prompt, say "insurance."
State Farm Bank 877-734-2265 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Student Loan Corp. 800-967-2400 Press 5.
Student Loan People 888-250-6401 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
SunCom 800-786-7378 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
SUNOCO 800-278-6626 Press 00000; mumble when prompted for an account number.
SunTrust 800-786-8787 Press # rapidly and repeatedly.
Super 8 800-800-8000 Direct to human.
Symantec 800-441-7234 Don't press or say anything, ignoring prompts.
T. Rowe Price 800-922-9945 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
T-Mobile 877-537-7389 Direct to human.
Talk America 800-291-9699 Say "Agent"; confirm phone number; say "agent" at each prompt thereafter.
Target 800 591-3869 Press 2; don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Target Online 800 591-3869 Press 1; don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
TD Ameritrade 800-669-3900 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Tech SupportT-Mobile 877-369-4588 Direct to human.
Telecheck 800-710-9898 Press 1, 3, * at prompts.
Teleflora 800-835-3356 Press 2.
Texas Instruments 800-842-2737 Press 0 # and hold.
Textron Financial 800-388-1826 Direct to human.
The Company Store 800-285-3696 Press 0.
Thrifty Car Rental 800-847-4389 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
TIAA-CREF 800-842-2733 Don't press or say anything.
Ticketmaster Local Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Timberland 888-802-9947 Press 0.
Time Magazine 800-843-8463 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Time Warner Cable Local Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Time Warner Road Runner 877-318-8333 Direct to human.
TiVo 877-367-8486 Say "Agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
TJ Maxx 800-926-6299 Don't press or say anything.
TomTom 866-486-6866 Press 1.
Toshiba 800-457-7777 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Toyota 800-331-4331 Press 6.
Toyota Financial Svcs. 800-874-8822 Select Language option; press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Toys ''R'' Us 800-869-7787 Press 1; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 7; at prompt press 2; hold through requests.
Tracfone 800-323-2366 Direct to human.
TransUnion 800-916-8800 Press 2 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Travelers Insurance 800-252-4633 Don't press or say anything.
Travelocity 888-872-8356 Press ### at prompt.
TrueValue 773-695-5000 Press 0 and ask for customer service.
TV Guide 800-866-1400 Say "customer service" twice.
TXU Energy 800-218-7130 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ubid.com 800-317-7995 Hold for representative.
UHAUL 800-789-3638 Direct to human.
Union Pacific 800-877-5123 Press #.
United 800-864-8331 Press 0; say "agent," say "yes"; say "domestic" or "international" as appropriate.
UnitedHealth 800-585-6586 Select type. Say "Representative" three times.
Universal Studios Hollywood 800-864-8377 Press 4.
Upromise 888-434-9111 Press 0.
UPS 800-742-5877 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
UPS (International) 800-782-7892 Say "Agent" at prompt.
US Airways 800-428-4322 Press 41.
US Bank 800-872-2657 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
US Bank Visa 800-285-8585 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
U.S. Cellular 888-944-9400 Press 0.
US Citizenship & Immigration 800-375-5283 Select language; press 2; press 4; at prompt press 0.
US Dept. of Edu - Financial Aid 800-433-3243 Select language then press *0.
US Dept. of Edu - Loans 800-848-0979 Don't press or say anything.
US Dept. of State - Passports 877-487-2778 Select language and then press 10.
US Dept. of Transportation 800-832-5660 Press 000.
US Dept. of Veterans Affairs 800-827-1000 Press 10.
US FBI 202-324-3000 Direct to human.
US Federal Trade Commission 877-382-4357 Press 450 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
US Fish & Wildlife 800-344-9453 Press 0.
US Food & Drug Admin 301-827-4573 Press 1.
US Homeland Security - FEMA 800-621-3362 At first prompt, select language; press 00.
US IRS 800-829-1040 Don't press or say anything.
US Mint 800-872-6468 Press 0.
US Postal Service 800-275-8777 Press 5 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
US Social Security Admin 800-772-1213 Press 1; press 0 at each prompt, until SS# is requested; enter SS#.
USA Today 800-872-0001 Press 0.
USAA 800-531-6095 Press 000#; at prompt press #.
USAA Investment Mgmt 800-531-8448 Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Vanguard Funds 800-662-2739 Press 0.
Verizon Billing 888-780-3964 When prompted for phone number, say "Operator." Repeat if necessary.
Verizon Business 888-649-9500 Say "representative" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Verizon DSL 800-567-6789 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Verizon FiOS 888-553-1555 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Verizon Fraud 888-483-7200 Direct to human.
Verizon (land line) 800-483-3000 Don't press or say anything.
Verizon Repair 800-275-2355 Direct to human at times, otherwise press 00.
Verizon Wireless 800-922-0204 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Victoria's Secret 800-411-5116 Press 0 at each prompt.
Virgin Atlantic 800-821-5438 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Virgin Mobile 888 292 8223 At prompt say, "English"; at prompt say, "something else"; at each additional prompt say, "live advisor" until mobile number is requested; enter mobile number.
Virginia Electric & Power 888-667-3000 Don't press or say anything.
Visa 800-847-2911 Press 0 at each prompt; ignoring messages.
Volkswagen 800-822-8987 At prompt, press 32; if offered, press 1 to take survey or 2 to decline.
Volvo 800-458-1552 Press 0, ignoring messages.
Vonage 866-243-4357 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
W Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 16.
Wachovia 800-922-4684 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Wal-Mart 800-925-6278 Press 1433.
Wal-Mart Credit Card 866-888-3868 Don't press or say anything.
Wal-Mart.com 800-966-6546 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messges.
Walgreens 877-250-5823 Direct to human.
Wall Street Journal 800-568-7625 Press 0 at prompt; press # at prompt; press # at prompt.
Walt Disney World 407-824-2222 Direct to human.
Washington Mutual 800-356-0011 Don't press or say anything.
Washington Mutual 800-788-7000 At first prompt press 1. Then press # at each additional prompt, ignoring messages.
Washington Post 800-627-1150 Don't press or say anything.
Wells Fargo 800-869-3557 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Wells Fargo Credit 800-642-4720 Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Western Union 800-634-1311 Press *##.
Westin Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 11.
Whirlpool 800-253-1301 Press 421; at prompt press #.
White House 202-456-1414 Direct to human.
Williams-Sonoma 877-812-6235 Don't press or say anything.
Wirefly 888-843-2485 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Wisconsin Electric 800-242-9137 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Xbox 800-469-9269 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Xerox 800-822-2979 Press 0.
XM Radio 800-967-2346 Press 0 and then say "customer service."
Yahoo 866-562-7219 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Actually, it's probably a weekly occurrence for many of us. What am I talking about? That frustrating, wanna' throw the phone out the window feeling when you call a company and have to speak to robots for 5 minutes before you get to speak to a real person.
The other, just as frustrating alternative is when you have to press a sequence of buttons when prompted: 'press 3 for X, 4 for Y, 5 for Z' etc. Someone has taken the initiative to create a website called 'gethuman.com' where you can find the 'secret' codes to be put through to a real human in the shortest time possible, sometimes instantly.
Many companies have this provision so that employees or field workers can get through to the front of the line. All the big companies are listed, from AAA to XM Radio, from Amazon.com to Walt Disney World. In some cases a direct line is provided that gets you right to a human, instantly!
You might want to print out the list, or at least keep it bookmarked on your computer.
You'll save your time and your sanity! www.gethuman.com
gethuman 500 database
1-800-FLOWERS.COM 800-716-4851 Direct to human.
AAA 800-222-4357 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
AARP 888-687-2277 Press 0.
AARP Healthcare 800-523-5800 Press 1; at prompt press 4.
AARP MedicareRxPlan 888-867-5575 Press 1; hold through message.
AARP Pharmacy Services 800-289-8849 Press 1; hold through message.
ABN AMRO Mortgage 800-783-8900 Press #; at prompt press #; at prompt press 0.
Ace Hardware 866-290-5334 Press 0.
Adelphia 888-683-1000 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Adobe Systems 800-833-6687 At prompt, press 1.
Advance Auto Parts 800-314-4243 Press 0.
Aetna 800-738-7674 Say "member"; press *0.
Aetna Rx Home Delivery 800-227-5720 Press 0.
AFLAC 800-992-3522 Press #; at prompt press #; at prompt press #; at prompt press 3.
AIG 877-638-4244 Direct to human.
Air Canada 888-247-2262 Press 1; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0.
AirTran Airlines 800-204-5695 Press 0.
Alamo 800-462-5266 Direct to human.
Alaska Air 800-252-7522 Press #.
Alitalia 800-223-5730 Press *.
Allmerica Financial 800-533-7881 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Allstate 800-255-7828 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Allstate Motor Club 800-869-7997 Direct to human.
Alltel Wireless 800-255-8351 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Amazon Visa 888-247-4080 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Amazon.com 800-201-7575 Don't press or say anything.
America Online 800-827-6364 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
American Airlines 800-433-7300 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
American Airlines Baggage 800-535-5225 Press 7.
American Express 800-528-4800 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ameriquest Mortage 888-436-7571 Don't press or say anything.
Amtrak 877-444-4773 Direct to human.
Apple 800-275-2273 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
AT&T 800-288-2747 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
AT&T Business 800-750-2355 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
AT&T Universal Card 800-423-4343 Don't press or say anything.
AT&T Worldnet 800-400-1447 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Auto Zone 800-288-6966 Press 1; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 0.
Avis 800-230-4898 Press 2.
Baby Bjorn 866-424-0200 Press 2.
Bank Card Svcs. 800-655-1491 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Bank of America 877-231-9372 Direct to human.
Bank of America Credit 800-732-9194 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Bank of New York 800-225-5269 Press ###.
Barclays 877-523-0478 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Barnes & Noble 800-422-7717 Direct to human.
Barnes & Noble.com 800-843-2665 Press 16.
Bear Stearns 888-807-6898 Direct to human.
Bed, Bath & Beyond 800-462-3966 Press 4; hold.
Belkin Tech Support 800-223-5546 At prompt press 2263; press 1 at each prompt thereafter.
BellSouth 888-757-6500 Press *0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Bellsouth FastAccess DSL 888-321-2375 Press 1; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 2, ignoring messages.
Best Buy 888-237-8289 Press 2.
Best Buy Card 800-365-0292 Press 6 at each prompt, ingnoring recording.
Best Western 800-780-7234 Direct to human.
BJ's Wholesale Club 800-257-2582 Press 0#.
Black & Decker 800-544-6986 Direct to human.
Blockbuster 214-854-3000 Press 22.
Blockbuster Online 866-692-2789 Press 11.
Bloomingdales Credit 800-295-4057 Direct to human.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield 877-526-3425 Say "get associate" at prompt.
BMG Music 317-692-9200 Press #.
BMW 800-831-1117 Say "customer relations" and then press 1 for "vehicle" or 2 for "motorcycle."
Boost Mobile 888-266-7848 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Borders 888-812-6657 Press 0.
Bosch Power Tools 877-267-2499 Press 100.
Bose 800-444-2673 Direct to human.
Briggs & Stratton 414-259-5262 Press 0 at prompt.
British Airways 800-247-9297 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Brother International 800-284-4329 Press 7.
Budget Rent a Car 800-527-0700 Press 0.
Buick 800-521-7300 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Buy.com 800-800-0800 Don't press or say anything.
Cabela's 800-237-4444 Direct to human.
Cablevision 800-868-9840 Press 1. Then press 0 at each subsequent prompt.
Cadillac 800-333-4223 Press 0.
Canon USA 800-828-4040 At prompt press *; at prompt press 0.
Capital One 800-548-4593 Press 0.
Card Services 888-363-8001 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Caremark 800-262-7890 Press 0.
Carnival Cruise 800-929-6400 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Casio 800-706-2534 Press 3.
Celebrity Cruises 800-647-2251 Press 0.
Cellular One 888-910-9191 Press 4.
Centers for Disease Control 800-232-4636 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 800-999-1118 Press 1000.
Ceridian Benefit Svcs. 800-877-7994 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Charles Schwab 800-435-9050 Press 3, followed by eight digit account number
Charter Communications 866-472-2200 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Chase Credit Cards 800-432-3117 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Chase Home Finance 800-848-9136 Press #0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
CheapTickets 800-755-4333 Don't press or say anything; when offered customer service say "Yes."
CheapTrips 800-211-5119 Direct to human.
Chevrolet 800-222-1020 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
ChevronTexaco Credit 800-243-8766 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Chrysler Financial 800-700-0738 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Chrysler Group 800-992-1997 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
CIGNA 800-849-9000 Press ## at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Cingular Wireless (AT&T) 800-331-0500 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Cingular Wireless Warranty Dept. 800-801-1101 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Circuit City 800-843-2489 Press 0.
Citi Cards 800-633-7367 Don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Citi Simplicity 866-696-5673 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Citibank 800-756-7047 Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Citizens Bank 800-922-9999 Press 000.
Columbia House DVD 888-467-7404 Press 1 for English; then don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Columbia Mutual Funds 800-345-6611 Say "representative."
Comcast 800-266-2278 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Comcast 800-266-2278 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Comfort Inn 877-424-6423 Direct to human.
Commerce Bank 888-751-9000 Direct to human.
Commonwealth Edison 800-334-7661 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Compaq 800-652-6672 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Compass Bank 800-239-5175 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
CompUSA 800-266-7872 Press 33.
CompUSA erebates 888-716-8555 Press **.
CompuServe 800-848-8990 Press 1211.
Computer Associates 877-694-8509 Press 2.
Consolidated Edison 800-752-6633 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Consumers' Energy Company 800-477-5050 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Continental Airlines 800-784-4444 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Costco 800-220-6000 Press 55.
Costco.com 800-955-2292 Press 55.
Countrywide Loans 800-669-5864 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
CVS.com 888-607-4287 Press 0.
Days Inn 800-329-7466 Direct to human.
Dell Financial Services 800-283-2210 Press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press #; at prompt press #.
Dell Sales 800-624-9897 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Dell Tech Support 800-624-9896 Press 3; say "agent" at each additional prompt, ignoring messages.
Delta Airlines 800-221-1212 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Delta Dental 888-335-8227 After language option, press 2 for existing or 3 for new account.
Detroit Edison (DTE) 800-477-4747 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
DHL Express 800-225-5345 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Dillard's 800-345-5273 Direct to human.
Diner's Club 800-729-5309 Press 2.
DirecTV 800-824-9081 Don't press or say anything.
Dirt Devil 800-321-1134 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Discover 800-347-2683 Please enter your 16 digital account number
DISH network 800-333-3474 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Disney Cruise Line 800-951-3532 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Disney Shopping 800-328-0368 Press 0.
Disneyland Resort 714-781-4000 Direct to human.
Dodge 800-992-1997 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Dodge and Cox 800-621-3979 Press 0.
Dollar Rent-A-Car 800-800-4000 Press 0.
Drugstore.com 800-378-4786 Press 2; at prompt press 5.
Earthlink 888-327-8454 Press 1; press 0 at each prompt thereafter, ignoring messages.
eBay 800-322-9266 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Eddie Bauer 800-426-8020 Press 1.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car 800-261-7331 Press 3 at prompt.
Entertainment Weekly 866-228-1183 Say "agent." Say "yes."
Epson 800-533-3731 Direct to human.
Equifax 866-640-2273 Press 30 at each prompt, ignoring message.
e*Trade 800-786-2575 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Eureka Vacuum 800-438-7352 Press 17.
Evenflo 800-233-5921 Press 4.
Expedia 800-397-3342 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Experian 800-493-1058 Say "yes"; enter report #; enter social security #; say "yes"; say "agent" then "yes" to confirm at prompts thereafter.
Express Scripts 800-206-4005 Press 0.
Exxon Mobil Card 800-344-4355 Press 000, ignoring message.
Farmer's Insurance 800-435-7764 Do not press or say anything, ignoring messages.
FedEx 800-463-3339 Say "representative" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Fidelity 800-544-6666 Ignore prompt for social security number; press ###.
First Nat'l Bank of Omaha 888-530-3626 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Fisher-Price 800-432-5437 Do not press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Florida Power & Light 800-226-3545 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ford 800-392-3673 Press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 0.
Ford Interest Advantage 800-462-2614 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ford Motor Credit 800-727-7000 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Four Points by Sheraton 888-625-5144 Press 17.
FreeCreditReport.com 877-481-6825 Press 51 at prompt.
Frigidaire Parts 800-599-7569 Press 3.
FTD 800-736-3383 Press 2.
Fujitsu PC Support 800-385-4878 Press 00.
Gap Credit Card 800-887-1198 Press 000 at each prompt; ignore request for account number.
Gateway Computers 800-846-2000 Press 4; say "no" at each additional prompt.
GE Appliances 800-626-2005 Press 000.
GE Finance CareCredit 866-893-7864 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GE MONEY BANK 877-317-5544 Press 1, then don't press or say anything.
Geek Squad 800-433-5778 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GEICO 800-841-3000 At prompt press 6; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 5; at prompt press #.
Georgia Power 888-660-5890 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GM MasterCard 800-947-1000 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GMAC 800-200-4622 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GMC 800-462-8782 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
GoDaddy.com 480-505-8899 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Goldman Sachs Mutual Funds 800-762-5035 Direct to human.
Goodyear Tire 800-321-2136 Press 1; at prompt press 5.
Google 650-623-4000 Press 0.
Google AdWords 866-246-6453 Press 22.
Graco 800-345-4109 Press 0.
Great West Health 800-663-8081 Press 1; at prompt press 1; press 4 at each prompt thereafter, ignoring messages.
Greyhound 800-231-2222 Press 26.
Hampton Inn 800-426-7866 Direct to human.
Harley-Davidson 414-343-4056 Press 0.
Hertz 800-654-3131 Direct to human.
Hewlett-Packard 800-474-6836 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Hilton HHonors 800-548-8690 Press 5 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Hitachi 800-448-2244 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Holiday Inn 800-465-4329 Press 0; at prompt press 0.
Holmes 800-284-3267 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Home Depot 800-793-3768 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Home Depot Credit 800-677-0232 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Home Shopping Net 800-284-3100 Press 0.
Honda 800-999-1009 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Honda Financial Svcs. 800-445-1358 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Honeywell 800-468-1502 Press 11900.
Hoover 800-944-9202 Press 52.
Hotels.com 800-346-8357 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring prompts.
Hotwire 866-468-9473 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Household Bank Credit 800-771-7339 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
H&R Block Advisors 866-295-7912 Press 3; at prompt press 2.
HSBC 800-477-6000 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Hughesnet 866-347-3292 Press 2.
Humana 800-448-6262 At prompts say "member," "pharmacy," "prescription benefits"; give invalid ID.
Humana Medicare Claims 800-457-4708 Press *; at prompt press *; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0; at prompt press *.
Hyatt Corporation 888-591-1234 Direct to human.
IBM 800-426-4968 Direct to human.
Ikea 800-434-4532 Press 0 quickly and repeatedly.
ING Direct 800-464-3473 Direct to human.
Intuit 800-811-8766 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
JC Penney Catalog 800-222-6161 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
JC Penny Credit 800-542-0800 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Jeep 800-992-1997 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
JetBlue Airways 800-538-2583 Press 0.
John Deere 800-537-8233 Press 1; at prompt press 4.
John Hancock 800-732-5543 Press 2; at prompt press 0.
Johnson & Johnson 800-526-3967 Press 0.
JP Morgan Chase 800-392-5749 Press 131.
Juno 888-839-5866 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
JVC America 800-252-5722 Press 3.
Kensington Tech Support 800-535-4242 Press 11.
KitchenAid 800-422-1230 Press 3420.
Kmart 866-562-7848 Press 12.
Kodak 800-235-6325 Press #.
Kodak Gallery (Ofoto) 800-360-9098 Say "agent."
Kohls Credit 800-564-5740 Press # at each prompt, ignorning messages.
Kolcraft 800-453-7673 Direct to human.
Lands End 800-743-9706 Direct to human.
Le Meridien 888-625-5144 Press 13.
Lexmark 800-539-6275 Press 1.
Liberty Mutual (Claims) 800-225-2467 Press 10.
Lincoln Mercury 800-521-4140 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Linksys 800-326-7114 Press 1; at prompt press ###.
Little Tikes 800-321-0183 Press 11.
LL Bean 800-441-5713 Direct to human.
Logitech 702-269-3457 Press 2000.
Lord & Taylor Credit 800-223-7440 Press 2002.
Lowe's 800-445-6937 Press 0.
Lowes Visa 800-508-2520 Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Lufthansa 800-399-5838 Direct to human.
Luxury Collection Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 15.
Macy's 800-289-6229 Press 4; press *# at each prompt thereafter.
Macy's Credit 800-280-4356 Press 9; press 0 at each prompt thereafter, ignoring messages.
Magnavox 800-705-2000 Select language. Say "agent."
Mariott Rewards 800-321-7396 Press 0.
Marriot International 800-228-9290 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring prompts.
MasterCard 800-622-7747 Press 000 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Mattel 800-524-8697 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Maytag 800-462-9824 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Mazda 800-222-5500 Press 0.
MBNA 800-421-2110 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
McAfee 888-847-8766 Press #40.
MCI 888-624-5622 Press 2 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Medco Insurance 800-251-7690 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Medco Pharmacy 800-987-5269 Say "representative" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Medicare 800-633-4227 Say "agent."
Mellon Investor 800-522-6645 Press #.
Memorex Electronics 800-919-3647 Press 333.
Merrill Lynch 800-637-7455 Say "Advisor".
MetLife 800-560-5001 Press ####.
MetLife Bank 866-226-5638 Press 000 rapidly and repeatedly, ignoring messages.
Metro PCS 888-863-8768 Don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Microsoft Tech Support 800-642-7676 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Midwest Airlines 800-452-2022 Press **.
Money Magazine 800-633-9970 Don't press or say anything.
Moneygram 800-926-9400 Press 0.
Morgan Stanley 800-869-3326 Press 00.
Motel 6 800-466-8356 Direct to human.
Motorola 800-331-6456 Press 00.
MSN 800-386-5550 Say "agent" at each prompt, until offered a representative; say "yes."
Napster 800-839-4210 Press 33; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 2.
National Car Rental 800-227-7368 Direct to human.
Nationwide Insurance Claims 800-421-3535 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Nautilus (Bowflex) 800-628-8458 Press 3; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 4.
NetFlix 888-638-3549 Press 0 at each prompt.
Netgear 888-638-4327 At prompt press 41.
Netscape 866-541-8233 Press 000.
NetZero 866-841-1442 Press #### at each prompt, ignoring messages.
New York Times 800-698-4637 Press 500.
Newsweek 800-631-1040 Press 0.
Nikon Service 800-645-6687 Press 4 at prompt.
Nintendo 800-255-3700 Press 0.
Nissan Credit (NMAC) 800-888-2799 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Nissan USA 800-647-7261 Press #.
Nokia 888-665-4228 At prompt press 1; at prompt press 3; at prompt press 1.
Nordstrom 888-282-6060 Direct to human.
Northwest Airlines 800-692-6980 Direct to human.
Northwest Airlines WorldPerks 800-447-3757 At prompts say "WorldPerks," "agent," "yes," "agent," "yes."
Northwestern Mutual 800-388-8123 Press 0; press 1 to participate or 2 to decline survey.
Norwegian Cruise Line 866-234-0292 Don't press or say anything.
NY Life Benefit Services 800-294-3575 Press 0.
NY Life Retirement Svcs. 800-586-1413 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Office Depot 888-463-3768 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
OfficeMax 800-283-7674 Press 2.
OfficeMax Rebates 866-765-5702 Press 2; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 2; enter fake phone #; press 1 to confirm; press 1 to confirm.
Olympus - Digital 888-553-4448 Press 5; at prompt press 0.
Omron Healthcare 877-216-1333 Don't press or say anything.
Orbitz 888-656-4546 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Overstock.com 800-843-2446 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Pacific Gas & Electric 800-743-5000 At prompt say "Operator"; at prompt say "Yes"; at prompt say "Operator"; at prompt say "Yes."
Palm 800-881-7256 Press 1; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 2.
Panasonic 800-211-7262 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
PayPal 888-221-1161 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
PayPal Buyer Credit 866-571-3012 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
PC World 800-234-3498 Press *; at prompt press 2.
People Magazine 866-365-1620 Press 0.
People PC 800-736-7537 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Pep Boys 800-737-2697 Press 33; at prompt press 1; hold through prompts for representative.
PepsiCo 800-433-2652 Press 0.
PETCO 888-824-7257 Don't press or say anything.
Philips Electronics 888-744-5477 Say "agent."
Pitney Bowes Equipment 800-522-0020 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
PNC Bank 888-762-2265 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Poland Spring 800-950-9396 Say "representative" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Polaroid 800-343-5000 Press 0.
Pontiac 800-762-2737 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Pottery Barn 888-779-5176 Don't press or say anything.
Priceline 800-774-2354 At prompt press 1; at prompt press 1; at prompt enter phone number #; at prompt enter phone number #; at prompt enter phone number #.
Primerica 800-544-5445 Press 0.
Princess Cruise Line 800-774-6237 Press 0.
Principal Financial 800-547-7754 Enter social security #, then press 0.
Principal Life 800-247-4695 Press 1; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 0; at prompt press 0.
Procter & Gamble 800-331-3774 Press 1.
Progressive Insurance 800-776-4737 Press 000.
Prudential Annuity 888-778-2888 Press ** at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Prudential Financial 800-778-3932 Direct to human.
Public Service Electric & Gas 800-436-7734 Press 0.
Qantas 800-227-4500 Press 3; at prompt press 2; hold through message.
QuickBooks 888-729-1996 Press 0.
QVC 800-367-9444 Press 0.
Qwest 800-244-1111 Press 1; say "operator" at all subsequent prompts.
Radio Shack 800-843-7422 Press 0; at prompt press 0.
Radisson 888-201-1718 Direct to human.
Ramada 800-828-6644 Direct to human.
RBS Credit Card 800-747-8155 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
RCA / Thompson Electronics 877-794-7977 Press 2.
RCN 800-746-4726 Press 1; at prompt press 3; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 4.
Reader's Digest 800-304-2807 Press 0.
Reliant Energy 866-222-7100 Don't press or say anything.
Rent-A-Center 800-422-8186 Press 1.
Rite Aid 800-748-3243 Don't press or say anything.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines 866-562-7625 Press 0.
Ryder Customer Service 305-500-3726 Direct to human.
Ryder Rentals 800-297-9337 Don't press or say anything.
Sallie Mae 888-272-5543 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sam's Club 800-964-1917 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sam's Club Credit 800-203-5764 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Samsung 800-726-7864 Press 2; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 3; at prompt press 3.
Saturn 800 553-6000 Press 3.
SBC DSL support 877-722-3755 Say "sales".
Sears 800-469-4663 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sears Credit Card 800-917-7700 Press 0000000; press 0 at subsequent prompts.
Sears Delivery 800-732-7747 Press 95111.
Secure Horizons 800-228-2144 Say "prospective member".
Sharp 800-237-4277 Press 1132.
Shell Gasoline Card 800-490-9119 Press 0 when prompted for an account number.
Sheraton Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 12.
Simple Freedom 800-335-6401 Press #0#0.
Sirius 888 539-7474 Press 1; at prompt press 0.
Smith Barney Benefitaccess 888-822-6067 Press 0.
Sony / Playstation 800-222-7669 Say "agent"; at prompt say "agent"; at prompt press 1; at prompt press 1.
Sony Ericsson Mobile 866-766-9374 Select language.
Southern CA Edison 800-655-4555 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Southwest 800-435-9792 Direct to human.
Sovereign Bank 877-768-2265 Don't press or say anything.
Spirit Air 800-772-7117 Press 00.
Sports Illustrated 800-284-8800 Press ###, ignoring messages.
Sprint - Nextel 800-639-6111 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sprint Broadband Direct 888-996-0001 Press 00.
Sprint Long Distance 800-877-4646 Press 000 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Sprint Mobile 877-349-4413 Direct to human.
St. Regis Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 0.
Staples 800-333-3330 Don't press or say anything.
Staples Easy Rebates 877-266-6483 Wait for "main menu" then press 0 * *.
Starbucks Coffee 800-782-7282 Press 0.
State Farm Auto Insurance 877-734-2265 At prompt, say "insurance."
State Farm Bank 877-734-2265 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Student Loan Corp. 800-967-2400 Press 5.
Student Loan People 888-250-6401 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
SunCom 800-786-7378 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
SUNOCO 800-278-6626 Press 00000; mumble when prompted for an account number.
SunTrust 800-786-8787 Press # rapidly and repeatedly.
Super 8 800-800-8000 Direct to human.
Symantec 800-441-7234 Don't press or say anything, ignoring prompts.
T. Rowe Price 800-922-9945 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
T-Mobile 877-537-7389 Direct to human.
Talk America 800-291-9699 Say "Agent"; confirm phone number; say "agent" at each prompt thereafter.
Target 800 591-3869 Press 2; don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
Target Online 800 591-3869 Press 1; don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
TD Ameritrade 800-669-3900 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Tech SupportT-Mobile 877-369-4588 Direct to human.
Telecheck 800-710-9898 Press 1, 3, * at prompts.
Teleflora 800-835-3356 Press 2.
Texas Instruments 800-842-2737 Press 0 # and hold.
Textron Financial 800-388-1826 Direct to human.
The Company Store 800-285-3696 Press 0.
Thrifty Car Rental 800-847-4389 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
TIAA-CREF 800-842-2733 Don't press or say anything.
Ticketmaster Local Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Timberland 888-802-9947 Press 0.
Time Magazine 800-843-8463 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Time Warner Cable Local Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Time Warner Road Runner 877-318-8333 Direct to human.
TiVo 877-367-8486 Say "Agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
TJ Maxx 800-926-6299 Don't press or say anything.
TomTom 866-486-6866 Press 1.
Toshiba 800-457-7777 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Toyota 800-331-4331 Press 6.
Toyota Financial Svcs. 800-874-8822 Select Language option; press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Toys ''R'' Us 800-869-7787 Press 1; at prompt press 2; at prompt press 7; at prompt press 2; hold through requests.
Tracfone 800-323-2366 Direct to human.
TransUnion 800-916-8800 Press 2 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Travelers Insurance 800-252-4633 Don't press or say anything.
Travelocity 888-872-8356 Press ### at prompt.
TrueValue 773-695-5000 Press 0 and ask for customer service.
TV Guide 800-866-1400 Say "customer service" twice.
TXU Energy 800-218-7130 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ubid.com 800-317-7995 Hold for representative.
UHAUL 800-789-3638 Direct to human.
Union Pacific 800-877-5123 Press #.
United 800-864-8331 Press 0; say "agent," say "yes"; say "domestic" or "international" as appropriate.
UnitedHealth 800-585-6586 Select type. Say "Representative" three times.
Universal Studios Hollywood 800-864-8377 Press 4.
Upromise 888-434-9111 Press 0.
UPS 800-742-5877 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
UPS (International) 800-782-7892 Say "Agent" at prompt.
US Airways 800-428-4322 Press 41.
US Bank 800-872-2657 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
US Bank Visa 800-285-8585 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
U.S. Cellular 888-944-9400 Press 0.
US Citizenship & Immigration 800-375-5283 Select language; press 2; press 4; at prompt press 0.
US Dept. of Edu - Financial Aid 800-433-3243 Select language then press *0.
US Dept. of Edu - Loans 800-848-0979 Don't press or say anything.
US Dept. of State - Passports 877-487-2778 Select language and then press 10.
US Dept. of Transportation 800-832-5660 Press 000.
US Dept. of Veterans Affairs 800-827-1000 Press 10.
US FBI 202-324-3000 Direct to human.
US Federal Trade Commission 877-382-4357 Press 450 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
US Fish & Wildlife 800-344-9453 Press 0.
US Food & Drug Admin 301-827-4573 Press 1.
US Homeland Security - FEMA 800-621-3362 At first prompt, select language; press 00.
US IRS 800-829-1040 Don't press or say anything.
US Mint 800-872-6468 Press 0.
US Postal Service 800-275-8777 Press 5 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
US Social Security Admin 800-772-1213 Press 1; press 0 at each prompt, until SS# is requested; enter SS#.
USA Today 800-872-0001 Press 0.
USAA 800-531-6095 Press 000#; at prompt press #.
USAA Investment Mgmt 800-531-8448 Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Vanguard Funds 800-662-2739 Press 0.
Verizon Billing 888-780-3964 When prompted for phone number, say "Operator." Repeat if necessary.
Verizon Business 888-649-9500 Say "representative" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Verizon DSL 800-567-6789 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Verizon FiOS 888-553-1555 Say "operator" at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Verizon Fraud 888-483-7200 Direct to human.
Verizon (land line) 800-483-3000 Don't press or say anything.
Verizon Repair 800-275-2355 Direct to human at times, otherwise press 00.
Verizon Wireless 800-922-0204 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Victoria's Secret 800-411-5116 Press 0 at each prompt.
Virgin Atlantic 800-821-5438 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Virgin Mobile 888 292 8223 At prompt say, "English"; at prompt say, "something else"; at each additional prompt say, "live advisor" until mobile number is requested; enter mobile number.
Virginia Electric & Power 888-667-3000 Don't press or say anything.
Visa 800-847-2911 Press 0 at each prompt; ignoring messages.
Volkswagen 800-822-8987 At prompt, press 32; if offered, press 1 to take survey or 2 to decline.
Volvo 800-458-1552 Press 0, ignoring messages.
Vonage 866-243-4357 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
W Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 16.
Wachovia 800-922-4684 Press 00 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Wal-Mart 800-925-6278 Press 1433.
Wal-Mart Credit Card 866-888-3868 Don't press or say anything.
Wal-Mart.com 800-966-6546 Press * at each prompt, ignoring messges.
Walgreens 877-250-5823 Direct to human.
Wall Street Journal 800-568-7625 Press 0 at prompt; press # at prompt; press # at prompt.
Walt Disney World 407-824-2222 Direct to human.
Washington Mutual 800-356-0011 Don't press or say anything.
Washington Mutual 800-788-7000 At first prompt press 1. Then press # at each additional prompt, ignoring messages.
Washington Post 800-627-1150 Don't press or say anything.
Wells Fargo 800-869-3557 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Wells Fargo Credit 800-642-4720 Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Western Union 800-634-1311 Press *##.
Westin Hotels 888-625-5144 Press 11.
Whirlpool 800-253-1301 Press 421; at prompt press #.
White House 202-456-1414 Direct to human.
Williams-Sonoma 877-812-6235 Don't press or say anything.
Wirefly 888-843-2485 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Wisconsin Electric 800-242-9137 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Xbox 800-469-9269 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Xerox 800-822-2979 Press 0.
XM Radio 800-967-2346 Press 0 and then say "customer service."
Yahoo 866-562-7219 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
How to Make a Salvador Dali Clock
How to Make a Salvador Dali Clock
Here's a great way to recycle old records that you don't necessarily want to keep anymore but wouldn't mind having on display as a fun reminder of things once loved.
[edit] Steps
1.
Imagine a Salvador Dali style clock in your mind before beginning. This photo is but one representation of his famous "melting" clock style.
2.
Pick out an appropriate record. Choose one that you no longer wish to listen to but that you would continue to enjoy seeing on display.
3.
Put your record on a cookie sheet.
4.
Put the record in an oven that has been pre-heated to 200ºF (90ºC). Only leave it in there about 5 minutes.
5.
Take it out after five minutes. It should be nice and soft.
*
Place it somewhere that has a flat edge. Bend down the very top of the record and make it nice and flat. You don't have very much time before it hardens, but you can heat it back up if needed.
6.
(If using a clock kit from a hobby store, skip this step) Pull the clock apart.
*
take off the hands; and
*
pull off the clock mechanism.
7.
Put the clock mechanism on the record. The record already has a hole right in the middle of it and the clock mechanism will fit right through.
*
Use hot glue to secure it to the back of the record.
*
Trim the minute hand and the second hand so that they stay inside the label area.
8.
Drill a small hole at the very top so that you can hang the clock. Add a thread or wire for hanging.
9.
Hang your Salvador Dali clock.
[edit] Tips
* If you make this for a friend, ask your friend for a favourite old record that he or she is willing to part with - it will make a great surprise!
* If you don't have any records or aren't ready to part with your collection, most thrift stores and many garage sales have inexpensive records on sale.
* Instead of destroying an old clock, you might purchase a clock-kit for a few dollars at a hobby store, which would include the motor and clock hands.
[edit] Warnings
* THINK before removing the record; 200ºF is more than hot enough to burn your fingers. You may want to use a spatula or even a large piece of cardboard (don't put the cardboard under the record before putting it in the oven).
* Burning vinyl in your oven would make a horrible mess and be very dangerous. Be sure you don't set your oven above 200ºF by mistake!
* Even if it doesn't burn, hot vinyl fumes have the potential to be toxic. Assure that you have adequate ventilation and let the kitchen air out before you make another one!
* If you find really old records (esp. 78 rpm), they may not be vinyl at all, and may respond differently to the heat. These are made of Bakelite, heat resistant to 300 degrees C.
[edit] Things You'll Need
* Old record
* Oven
* Cookie sheet
* Cheap clock from hardware store or clock kit from hobby store
* Drill
* Hanging cord or hook
Here's a great way to recycle old records that you don't necessarily want to keep anymore but wouldn't mind having on display as a fun reminder of things once loved.
[edit] Steps
1.
Imagine a Salvador Dali style clock in your mind before beginning. This photo is but one representation of his famous "melting" clock style.
2.
Pick out an appropriate record. Choose one that you no longer wish to listen to but that you would continue to enjoy seeing on display.
3.
Put your record on a cookie sheet.
4.
Put the record in an oven that has been pre-heated to 200ºF (90ºC). Only leave it in there about 5 minutes.
5.
Take it out after five minutes. It should be nice and soft.
*
Place it somewhere that has a flat edge. Bend down the very top of the record and make it nice and flat. You don't have very much time before it hardens, but you can heat it back up if needed.
6.
(If using a clock kit from a hobby store, skip this step) Pull the clock apart.
*
take off the hands; and
*
pull off the clock mechanism.
7.
Put the clock mechanism on the record. The record already has a hole right in the middle of it and the clock mechanism will fit right through.
*
Use hot glue to secure it to the back of the record.
*
Trim the minute hand and the second hand so that they stay inside the label area.
8.
Drill a small hole at the very top so that you can hang the clock. Add a thread or wire for hanging.
9.
Hang your Salvador Dali clock.
[edit] Tips
* If you make this for a friend, ask your friend for a favourite old record that he or she is willing to part with - it will make a great surprise!
* If you don't have any records or aren't ready to part with your collection, most thrift stores and many garage sales have inexpensive records on sale.
* Instead of destroying an old clock, you might purchase a clock-kit for a few dollars at a hobby store, which would include the motor and clock hands.
[edit] Warnings
* THINK before removing the record; 200ºF is more than hot enough to burn your fingers. You may want to use a spatula or even a large piece of cardboard (don't put the cardboard under the record before putting it in the oven).
* Burning vinyl in your oven would make a horrible mess and be very dangerous. Be sure you don't set your oven above 200ºF by mistake!
* Even if it doesn't burn, hot vinyl fumes have the potential to be toxic. Assure that you have adequate ventilation and let the kitchen air out before you make another one!
* If you find really old records (esp. 78 rpm), they may not be vinyl at all, and may respond differently to the heat. These are made of Bakelite, heat resistant to 300 degrees C.
[edit] Things You'll Need
* Old record
* Oven
* Cookie sheet
* Cheap clock from hardware store or clock kit from hobby store
* Drill
* Hanging cord or hook
Saturday, January 26, 2008
How to Polish Shoes With a Banana
How to Polish Shoes With a Banana
No shoe polish? No problem, as long as you have a banana! That's right, you can go polish your shoes with this yellow crescent of unparalleled beauty because bananas contain a key ingredient found in commercial shoe polishes - potassium. Here's how.
[edit] Steps
1.
Peel a banana. Take the fruit out and eat it if you like, just make sure you keep the skin.
2. Apply the skin. Using the inner lining of the banana skin, begin to rub it all over your shoes, just as you would if you were using polish. It may feel strange to be doing this (and it is) but don't worry, it does work.
3.
Buff. Once you have wiped the banana skin over the whole of both shoes, buff them up with a soft cloth.
4.
Admire your now clean shoes. They'll come up shiny and almost like new again: perfectly polished shoes, organic style.
[edit] Tips
* The natural oils in the banana soak into the leather, helping your shoes to last longer. Potassium, a key ingredient in commercial shoe polish, is found in abundance in bananas!
No shoe polish? No problem, as long as you have a banana! That's right, you can go polish your shoes with this yellow crescent of unparalleled beauty because bananas contain a key ingredient found in commercial shoe polishes - potassium. Here's how.
[edit] Steps
1.
Peel a banana. Take the fruit out and eat it if you like, just make sure you keep the skin.
2. Apply the skin. Using the inner lining of the banana skin, begin to rub it all over your shoes, just as you would if you were using polish. It may feel strange to be doing this (and it is) but don't worry, it does work.
3.
Buff. Once you have wiped the banana skin over the whole of both shoes, buff them up with a soft cloth.
4.
Admire your now clean shoes. They'll come up shiny and almost like new again: perfectly polished shoes, organic style.
[edit] Tips
* The natural oils in the banana soak into the leather, helping your shoes to last longer. Potassium, a key ingredient in commercial shoe polish, is found in abundance in bananas!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
What can happen in a century
- THE YEAR 1907 -
From Mitch Battros - Earth Changes Media
The year is 1907. One hundred years ago. What can happen in just one century---
? The average life expectancy was 47 years.
? Only 14% of the homes had a bathtub.
? Only 8% of the homes had a telephone.
? There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
? The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
? The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
? The average wage in 1907 was 22 cents per hour.
? The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
? A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
? More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.
? Sugar cost four cents a pound.
? Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
? Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
? Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
? Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
? Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
? The American flag had 45 stars.
? The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.
? Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
? There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
? Two out of every 10 adults could not read or write. Only 6 % of all Americans had graduated from high school.
? Marijuana, Heroin, and Morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect "guardian of health."
? Eighteen percent (18%) of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
? There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.A.
Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years-----
From Mitch Battros - Earth Changes Media
The year is 1907. One hundred years ago. What can happen in just one century---
? The average life expectancy was 47 years.
? Only 14% of the homes had a bathtub.
? Only 8% of the homes had a telephone.
? There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
? The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
? The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
? The average wage in 1907 was 22 cents per hour.
? The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
? A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
? More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.
? Sugar cost four cents a pound.
? Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
? Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
? Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
? Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
? Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
? The American flag had 45 stars.
? The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.
? Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
? There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
? Two out of every 10 adults could not read or write. Only 6 % of all Americans had graduated from high school.
? Marijuana, Heroin, and Morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect "guardian of health."
? Eighteen percent (18%) of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
? There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.A.
Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years-----
Saturday, December 29, 2007
List of unusual deaths
Antiquity
Note: Many of these stories are likely to be apocryphal (uncertain authenticity)
* 845 BC: Ancient records were discovered in North Africa describing the death of a ruler named Vondracek Beeir who was sacrificed by cutting an inch off his body starting at the bottom of his feet and working up.
* 720 BC: Bakenranef, the last king of the Twenty-fourth dynasty of Egypt was executed in an extreme form. He was captured and taken prisoner by the Nubian king Shabaka, conquerer of Lower Egypt, who burned him alive.
* 458 BC: The Greek playwright Aeschylus was killed when an eagle dropped a live tortoise on him, mistaking his bald head for a stone. The tortoise survived.
* 454 BC: The rebel pharaoh Inarus, leader of the rebellion in Egypt against Persian rule, was taken captive to Susa after being defeated by the satrap Megabyzus. There, after five years, he was impaled on three stakes and flayed alive.
* 270 BC: The poet and grammarian Philitas of Cos reportedly wasted away and died of insomnia while brooding about the Liar paradox.[1]
* 207 BC: Chrysippus, a Greek stoic philosopher, is believed to have died of laughter after watching his drunk donkey attempt to eat figs.[2]
* 53 BC: Following his defeat at Carrhae at the hands of the Parthians under Spahbod Surena, Marcus Licinius Crassus was executed by having molten gold poured down his throat. Some accounts claim that his head was then cut off and used as a stage prop in a play performed for the Parthian king Orodes II.
* 48 BC: The Roman general Pompey, fleeing to Egypt after being defeated at the Battle of Pharsalus by his rival Julius Caesar, was stabbed, killed, and decapitated: his head was then preserved in a jar by the young king Ptolemy XIII and presented to Caesar, with whom he intended to ingratiate himself. Caesar was not pleased.
* 43 BC: Cicero, the great Roman statesman, was labelled an enemy of the state by the Second Triumvirate. Like all those proscribed by the Triumvirate, he was hunted down and killed; his severed hands and head were then displayed on the Rostra in the Forum for several days, during which time Fulvia, wife of Mark Antony, is supposed to have stabbed his once-skilled tongue several times with a hairpin.
* 42 BC: Porcia Catonis, wife of Marcus Junius Brutus, killed herself by supposedly swallowing hot coals after hearing of her husband's death; however, modern historians claim that it is more likely that she poisoned herself with carbon monoxide, by burning coals in an unventilated room.
* 4 BC: Herod the Great suffered from fever, intense rashes, colon pains, foot drop, inflammation of the abdomen, a putrefaction of his genitals that produced worms, convulsions, and difficulty breathing before he finally gave up. [3] Similar symptoms-- abdominal pains and worms-- accompanied the death of his grandson Herod Agrippa in 44 AD, after he had imprisoned St Peter. At various times, each of these deaths has been considered divine retribution.
* 64 - 67: St Peter was executed by the Romans. According to many sources, he asked not to be crucified in the normal way, but was instead executed on an inverted cross. This is the only recorded instance of this type of crucifixion.
* 69: The short-time Roman emperor Galba was killed after becoming extremely unpopular with both the Roman people and the Praetorian guard-- however, 120 different people claimed credit for having killed him. All of these names were recorded in a list and they all were later themselves executed by the emperor Vitellius.
* C. 98 Saint Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum, was roasted to death in a brazen bull during the persecutions of Emperor Domitian. Saint Eustace, as well as his wife and children supposedly suffered a similar fate under Hadrian. The creator of the brazen bull, Perillos of Athens, was according to legend the first victim of the brazen bull when he presented his invention to Phalaris, Tyrant of Agrigentum.
* 258: St Lawrence was martyred by being burned or 'grilled' on a large metal gridiron at Rome. Images of him often show him holding the instrument of his martyrdom. Legend says that he was so strong-willed that instead of giving in to the Romans and releasing information about the Church, at the point of death he exclaimed "I am done on this side! Turn me over and eat."
* 260: According to an ancient account, Roman emperor Valerian, after being defeated in battle and captured by the Persians, was used as a footstool by the King Shapur I. After a long period of punishment and humiliation, he offered Shapur a huge ransom for his release. In reply, Shapur had the unfortunate emperor skinned alive and his skin stuffed with straw or dung and preserved as a trophy. Only after the Sassanid dynasty's defeat in their last war with Rome three and a half centuries later was his skin given a cremation and burial.[4] (A recent report from Iran mentions the restoration of a bridge supposed to have been built by Valerian and his soldiers for Shapur in return for their freedom).[5]
* 336: Arius, the heretical priest who precipitated the Council of Nicea, passed wind and evacuated his internal organs.
* 415: The Greek mathematician and philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria was murdered by a mob by having her skin ripped off with sharp sea-shells and what remained of her was burned. (Various types of shells have been named: clams, oysters, abalones. Other sources claim tiles or pottery-shards were used.)
[edit] Dark Ages
* 869: Al-Jahiz, an Arab scholar from Basra and author of works on literature, history, biology, zoology, Mu'tazili philosophy and theology, and politico-religious polemics is reputed to have been killed by his own library when shelves fell over on him.
[edit] Middle Ages
* 1016: Edmund II of England was rumored to have been stabbed in the gut or bowels while he was performing his ablutions.[6]
* 1135: Henry I of England died after gorging on lampreys, his favourite food.
* 1258: Al-Musta'sim was killed during the Mongol invasion of the Abbasid Caliphate. Hulegu, not wanting to spill royal blood, had the Caliph wrapped in a rug and trampled to death by horses.
* 1277: Pope John XXI was killed in the collapse of his scientific laboratory.[7]
* 1322: Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford was fatally speared through the anus by a pikeman hidden under the bridge during the Battle of Boroughbridge.[8]
* 1327: Edward II of England, after being deposed and imprisoned by his Queen consort Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer, was rumored to have been murdered by having a red-hot iron inserted into his anus.[9]
* 1410 Martin I of Aragon died from a lethal combination of indigestion and uncontrollable laughing.
* 1478: George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence reportedly was executed by drowning in a barrel of Malmsey wine[10] at his own request.
[edit] Renaissance
* 1559: King Henry II of France was killed during a stunt knight's jousting match, when his helmet's soft golden grille gave way to a broken lancetip which pierced his eye and entered his brain.
* 1599: The Burmese king Nandabayin repotedly "laughed to death when informed, by a visiting Italian merchant, that Venice was a free state without a king."[11]
* 1601: Tycho Brahe, according to legend, died of complications resulting from a strained bladder at a banquet. It would have been extremely bad etiquette to leave the table before the meal was finished, so he stayed until he became fatally ill. This version of events has since been brought into question as other causes of death (murder by Johannes Kepler, suicide, and lead poisoning among others) have come to the fore.[12]
* 1626: Francis Bacon died of pneumonia while filling a chicken with ice in order to prove that freezing preserves food
* 1655: Pope Innocent X died and was hidden in a corner for three days by his sister-in-law and probable mistress Olimpia Maidalchini while she searched and robbed the papal palace of various treasures. Only when she had completed her search was the body allowed to be found.
* 1660: The Scottish aristocrat, polymath and first translator of Rabelais into English, Thomas Urquhart, is said to have died laughing upon hearing that Charles II had taken the throne.[13][14]
* 1671: François Vatel, chef to Louis XIV, committed suicide because his seafood order was late and he couldn't stand the shame of a postponed meal. His body was discovered by an aide, sent to tell him of the arrival of the fish. The authenticity of this story is questionable.[15]
* 1687: Jean-Baptiste Lully, composer, died of a gangrenous abscess after piercing his foot with a staff while he was vigorously conducting a Te Deum, as it was customary at that time to conduct by banging a staff on the floor. The performance was to celebrate the king's recovery from an illness.[16]
[edit] Age of Reason
* 1751: Julien Offray de La Mettrie, the author of Man a Machine, a major materialist and sensualist philosopher died of over eating at a feast given in his honor. His philosophical adversaries suggested that by doing so, he had contradicted his theoretical doctrine with the effect of his practical actions.
* 1753: Professor Georg Wilhelm Richmann, of Saint Petersburg, Russia, was struck and killed by a globe of ball lightning while observing a storm.[17]
* 1771: King of Sweden, Adolf Frederick, died of digestion problems on February 12, 1771 after having consumed a meal consisting of lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, smoked herring and champagne, which was topped off with 14 servings of his favorite dessert: semla served in a bowl of hot milk.[citation needed] He is thus remembered by Swedish schoolchildren as "the king who ate himself to death."[citation needed]
[edit] Modern Age
[edit] 19th century
* 1830: William Huskisson, statesman and financier, was crushed to death by the world's first mechanically powered passenger train (Stephenson's Rocket), at its public opening.
* 1834: David Douglas, Scottish botanist, fell into a pit trap accompanied by a bull. He was gored and possibly crushed.[18]
* 1868: Matthew Vassar, brewer and founder of Vassar College, died in mid-speech while delivering his farewell address to the College Board of Trustees.
* 1884: Allan Pinkerton, detective, died of gangrene resulting from having bitten his tongue after stumbling on the sidewalk.[19]
* 1899: French president Félix Faure died of a stroke while receiving oral sex in his office.
[edit] 20th century
* A number of performers have died of natural causes during public performances, including:
o 1943: Critic Alexander Woollcott suffered a fatal heart attack during an on-air discussion about Adolf Hitler.[20]
o 1958: Gareth Jones, actor, collapsed and died while in make-up between scenes of a live television play, Underground, at the studios of Associated British Corporation in Manchester. Director Ted Kotcheff continued the play to its conclusion, improvising around Jones's absence.
o 1960: Baritone Leonard Warren collapsed on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera of a major stroke during a performance of La forza del destino. According to legend, the last line he sang was "Morir? Tremenda cosa." ("To die? A tremendous thing.") However, witnesses say he was just past that aria and his actual last line was "Gioia, o gioia!" (Joy, oh joy!)
o 1971: Jerome Irving Rodale, an American pioneer of organic farming, died of a heart attack while being interviewed on The Dick Cavett Show. According to urban legend, when he appeared to fall asleep, Cavett quipped "Are we boring you, Mr. Rodale?"[21], which Cavett has recently stated in a May 2007 New York Times article was incorrect - the initial reaction to Rodale was fellow guest Pete Hamill noticing something was wrong, and saying in a low voice to Cavett, "This looks bad."[22] The show was never broadcast.
o 1984: English comedian Tommy Cooper collapsed from a massive heart attack live in front of the audience midway through his act at Her Majesty's theatre. At first the audience assumed he was joking, and started applauding.
o 1987: Dick Shawn, a comedian who starred in the 1968 movie The Producers, died of a heart attack while portraying a politician. Just before he died, he announced, "if elected, I will not lay down on the job,".
* A number of performers have died from unnatural causes during a practice or public performance, including:
o 1925: Zishe (Siegmund) Breitbart, a circus strongman and Jewish folklore hero, died as a result of a demonstration in which he drove a spike through five one-inch thick oak boards using only his bare hands. He accidentally pierced his knee. The spike was rusted and caused an infection which led to fatal blood poisoning. He was the subject of the Werner Herzog film, Invincible.
o 1972: Leslie Harvey, guitarist of Stone the Crows was electrocuted on stage by a live microphone.
o 1976: Keith Relf, former singer for British rhythm and blues band The Yardbirds, died while practicing his electric guitar—he was electrocuted because the guitar was not properly grounded.[23]
o 1999: Owen Hart, a professional wrestler for WWE died during a Pay-Per-View event when performing a stunt. It was planned to have Owen come down from the rafters of the Kemper Arena on a safety harness tied to a rope to make his ring entrance. The safety latch was released and Owen dropped 78 feet, bouncing chest-first off the top rope resulting in a severed aorta, which caused his lungs to fill with blood. The PPV continued even after he was pronounced dead.
* 1911: Jack Daniel, founder of the Tennessee whiskey distillery, died of blood poisoning six years after receiving a toe injury when he kicked his safe in anger at being unable to remember its combination.[24]
* 1912: Tailor Franz Reichelt fell to his death off the first deck of the Eiffel Tower while testing his invention, the coat parachute. It was his first ever attempt with the parachute and he'd told the authorities in advance he would test it first with a dummy.
* 1916: Grigori Rasputin, Russian mystic, was poisoned while dining with a political enemy, and supposedly he was given enough poison to kill three men his size. When he did not die, one assassin sneaked up behind him and shot him in the head, and while checking Grigori's pulse the mystic grabbed him by the neck and strangled him. He proceeded to run away, while the other assassins chased. They caught up to him after he was finally felled by three shots during the chase. The pursuers bludgeoned him, then threw him into a frozen river. When his body washed ashore, an autopsy showed the cause of death to be drowning. There is now some doubt about the credibility of this account, though.
* 1920: Baseball player Ray Chapman was killed when he was hit in the head by a pitch.
* 1923: George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon became the first to die from the alleged King Tut's Curse after a mosquito bite on his face became seriously infected.
* 1923: Frank Hayes, jockey, suffered a heart attack during a horse race. The horse, Sweet Kiss, went on to finish first, making Hayes the only deceased jockey to win a race.
* 1927: J.G. Parry-Thomas, a Welsh racing driver, was decapitated by his car's drive chain which, under stress, snapped and whipped into the cockpit. He was attempting to break his own Land speed record which he had set the previous year. Despite being killed in the attempt, he succeeded in setting a new record of 171 mph.[25]
* 1927: Isadora Duncan, dancer, died of accidental strangulation and broken neck when one of the long scarves she was known for caught on the wheel of a car in which she was a passenger.[26]
* 1928: Alexander Bogdanov, a Russian physician, died following one of his experiments, in which the blood of a student suffering from malaria and tuberculosis, L. I. Koldomasov, was given to him in a transfusion.[27]
* 1933: Michael Malloy, a homeless man, was murdered by gassing after surviving multiple poisonings, intentional exposure and being struck by a car. Malloy was murdered by five men in a plot to collect on life insurance policies they had purchased.[28]
* 1935: Baseball player Len Koenecke was bludgeoned to death with a fire extinguisher by the crew of an aircraft he had chartered, after provoking a fight with the pilot while the plane was in the air.
* 1941: Sherwood Anderson, writer, swallowed a toothpick at a party and then died of peritonitis.[29]
* 1943: Lady be Good, a USAAF B-24 bomber lost its way and crash landed in the Libyan Desert. Mummified remains of its crew, who struggled for a week without water, were not found until 1960.
* 1944: Inventor and chemist Thomas Midgley, Jr., accidentally strangled himself with the cord of a pulley-operated mechanical bed of his own design.
* 1945: Scientist Harry K. Daghlian, Jr. accidentally dropped a brick of tungsten carbide onto a sphere of plutonium while working on the Manhattan Project. This caused the plutonium to come to criticality; Daghlian died of radiation poisoning, becoming the first person to die in a criticality accident.
* 1945: Anton Webern, the Austrian composer, was accidentally shot dead by an American Army soldier on 15 Sept. 1945, during the Allied occupation of Austria. Despite the curfew in effect, he stepped outside the house to enjoy a cigar without disturbing his sleeping grandchildren.
* 1947: The Collyer brothers, extreme cases of compulsive hoarders were found dead in their home in New York. The younger brother, Langley, died by falling victim to a booby trap he had set up, causing a mountain of objects, books, and newspapers to fall on him crushing him to death. His blind brother, Homer, who had depended on Langley for care, died of starvation some days later. Their bodies were recovered after massive efforts in removing many tons of debris from their home.
* 1950: Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire suffered a heart attack and died in Eastbourne, UK in the presence of his doctor, John Bodkin Adams, the suspected serial killer. 13 days earlier, Mrs Edith Alice Morrell — another patient of Adams — had also died. Adams was controversially acquitted of her murder in 1957 but pathologist Francis Camps linked Adams to 163 suspicious deaths in total, which would make him the second most prolific killer in British history after Harold Shipman.
* 1956: Artist Nina Hamnett died from complications after falling out her apartment window and being impaled on the fence forty feet below.
* 1960: In the Nedelin disaster, over 100 Soviet missile technicians and officials died when a switch was turned on unintentionally igniting the rocket, including Red Army Marshal Nedelin who was seated in a deck chair just 40 meters away overseeing launch preparations. The events were filmed by automatic cameras.
* 1961: On March 23, Soviet cosmonaut trainee Valentin Bondarenko died from shock after suffering third-degree burns over much of his body, due to a flash fire in the pure oxygen environment of a training simulator. This incident was not revealed outside of the Soviet Union until the 1980s.
* 1967: In a similar incident, a flash fire began in the pure oxygen environment during a training exercise inside the unlaunched Apollo 1 spacecraft, killing Command Pilot Gus Grissom, Senior Pilot Ed White, and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee. The door to the capsule was unable to be opened during the fire because of its particular design. Had the Soviet Union revealed the earlier death of Valentin Bondarenko, this incident could likely have been avoided.
* 1963: On June 11th Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, sat down in the middle of a busy intersection in Saigon, covered himself in gasoline and lit himself on fire burning himself to death. Đức was protesting President Ngô Đình Diệm's administration for oppressing the Buddhist religion.
* 1967: Vladimir Komarov became the first person to die during a space mission after the parachute of his capsule failed to deploy following re-entry.
* 1967: On Dec. 17 Harold Holt, Prime Minister of Australia, went for a swim at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, Australia. He was never seen again. Rumors and theories include suicide, kidnapping by submarine, and shark attack; the true cause remains unknown.
* 1973: Péter Vályi, finance minister of Hungary fell into a blast furnace (some sources say a pit of molten iron) on a visit to a steelworks factory at Miskolc.[30][31][32]
* 1973: Bruce Lee, a martial arts actor, is thought to have died by a severe allergic reaction to Equagesic. His brain had swollen about 13%. His autopsy was written as "death by misadventure."
* 1974: Christine Chubbuck, an American television news reporter, committed suicide during a live broadcast on July 15. At 9:38 AM, 8 minutes into her talk show, on WXLT-TV in Sarasota, Florida, she drew out a revolver and shot herself in the head.
* 1974: Austrian Formula One driver Helmut Koinigg died in a crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York. On approaching a corner, a suspension failure sent Koinigg's car crashing head-on into the outer Armco barrier. The bottom rail gave way but the top rail did not. Helmut Koinigg was decapitated and died instantly, in what was only his second Formula One race.
* 1975: On 24 March 1975 Alex Mitchell, a 50-year-old bricklayer from King's Lynn literally died laughing while watching an episode of The Goodies. According to his wife, who was a witness, Mitchell was unable to stop laughing while watching a sketch in the episode "Kung Fu Kapers" in which Tim Brooke-Taylor, dressed as a kilted Scotsman, used a set of bagpipes to defend himself from a psychopathic black pudding in a demonstration of the Lancashire martial art of Ecky-thump. After twenty-five minutes of continuous laughter Mitchell finally slumped on the sofa and expired from heart failure.
* 1975: The legendary Japanese kabuki actor Bandō Mitsugorō VIII died of severe poisoning when he ate four fugu livers (also known as pufferfish). The liver is considered one of the most (if not most) poisonous part of the fish, but Mitsugorō claimed to be immune to the poison. The fugu chef felt he could not refuse Mitsugorō and lost his license as a result.
* 1977: Tom Pryce, a Formula One driver, and a 19-year-old track marshal Jansen Van Vuuren both died at the 1977 South African Grand Prix after Van Vuuren ran across the track beyond a blind brow to attend to another car which had caught fire and was struck by Pryce's car at approximately 170mph. Pryce was struck in the face by the marshal's fire extinguisher and was killed instantly.[33]
* 1978: Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian dissident, was assassinated by poisoning in London by an unknown assailant who jabbed him in the calf with a specially modified umbrella that fired a metal pellet with a small cavity full of ricin poison.
* 1978: Janet Parker, a British medical photographer, died of smallpox in 1978, ten months after the disease was eradicated in the wild, when a researcher at the laboratory Parker worked at accidentally released some virus into the air of the building. She is believed to be the last smallpox fatality in history.
* 1981: A 25-year-old Dutch woman studying in Paris, Renée Hartevelt, was killed and eaten by a classmate, Issei Sagawa, when he invited her to dinner for a literary conversation. The killer was declared unfit to stand trial and extradited back to Japan, where he was released from custody within fifteen months.
* 1981: Carl McCunn, in March 1981, paid a bush pilot to drop him at a remote lake near the Coleen River in Alaska to photograph wildlife, but had not arranged for the pilot to pick him up again in August. Rather than starve, McCunn shot himself in the head. His body was found in February 1982.
* 1981: Boris Sagal, a motion picture-director, died while shooting the TV miniseries World War III when he walked into the tail-rotor blade of a helicopter and was decapitated.
* 1982: Vic Morrow, actor, was decapitated by a helicopter blade during filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie, along with two child actors, Myca Dinh Le (decapitated) and Renee Shin-Yi Chen (crushed).
* 1982: Vladimir Smirnov, an Olympic champion fencer, died of brain damage nine days after his opponent's foil snapped during a match, penetrated his mask, pierced his eyeball and entered his brain.
* 1983: A diver on the Byford Dolphin oil exploration rig was violently dismembered and pulled through a narrowly opened hatch when the decompression chamber was accidentally opened, causing explosive decompression.
* 1983: Sergei Chalibashvili, a professional diver, died after a diving accident during World University Games. When he attempted a three-and-a-half reverse somersault in the tuck position, he smashed his head on the board and was knocked unconscious. He died after being in a coma for a week.
* 1983: Author Tennessee Williams died at the age of 71 after he choked on a eyedrop bottle cap in his room at the Hotel Elysee in New York. He would routinely place the cap in his mouth, lean back, and place his eyedrops in each eye. His brother Dakin and some friends believed he was murdered. The police report, however, suggested his use of drugs and alcohol contributed to his death. Many prescription drugs were found in the room. Williams' lack of gag response may have been due to drugs and alcohol effects.
* 1984: An unidentified man died of presumed natural causes in the unfinished Tokyo apartment building in which he had been squatting for 11 years. His decomposed remains were discovered 20 years later, on June 1, 2004[34], with a newspaper dated February 20, 1984 by his side.[35]
* 1984: Jim Fixx, who wrote "The Complete Book of Running" and lectured about how running and a healthy diet would promote longevity, dropped dead from a heart attack while running. An autopsy revealed he had 3 massively blocked heart arteries.
* 1984: Jon-Erik Hexum, an American television actor, died after he shot himself in the head with a prop gun during a break in filming. Hexum apparently did not realize that blanks use paper or plastic wadding to seal gun powder into the shell, and that this wadding is propelled out of the barrel of the gun with enough force to cause severe injury or death if the weapon is fired at point-blank range.
* 1986: While on the air giving a traffic report, the helicopter that Jane Dornacker was riding in stalled and crashed into the Hudson River, killing her. This was the second helicopter crash she had been in that year.
* 1987: R. Budd Dwyer, a Republican politician, committed suicide during a televised press conference. Facing a potential 55-year jail sentence for alleged involvement in a conspiracy, Dwyer shot himself in the mouth with a revolver.
* 1990: Joseph W. Burrus, aged 32, an aspiring magician, decided to perform the "buried alive" illusion in a plastic box covered with cement. The cement crushed the box and he died of asphyxia.[36]
* 1990: George Allen, an American football coach, died a month after some of his players gave him a Gatorade Shower following a victory (as it is tradition in American Football). Some argue this resulted in pneumonia.
* 1993: Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, was shot and killed by a prop .44 Magnum gun while filming the movie The Crow. A cartridge with only a primer and a bullet was fired in the pistol prior to the scene Brandon was in; this caused a squib load, in which the primer provided enough force to push the bullet out of the cartridge and into the barrel of the revolver, where it became stuck. The malfunction went unnoticed by the crew, and the same gun was used again later to shoot the death scene, having been re-loaded with blanks. However, the squib load was still lodged in the barrel, and was propelled by the blank cartridge's explosion out of the barrel and into Lee's body. Although the bullet was traveling much slower than a normally fired bullet would be, the bullet's large size and the nearly point-blank firing distance made it powerful enough to severely wound Lee. It was not instantly recognized by the crew or other actors; they believed he was still acting. Interestingly, the incident was almost an exact replica of a scene in his father Bruce Lee's last film Game of Death, during the filming of which Bruce Lee also died. Even more bizarrely yet; the plot of Game of Death revolved around Bruce Lee's character, a kung-fu actor, faking his own death - by pretending to have been hit by an accidentally fired real bullet while filming a scene where hundreds of blanks were fired at him.
* 1993: Garry Hoy, a Toronto lawyer, fell to his death after he threw himself through the glass wall on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Centre in order to prove the glass was "unbreakable."
* 1994: Stephen Milligan, a British polician who was at the time the Member for Eastleigh in the House of Commons, died in an apparent case of auto-erotic asphyxiation. Milligan was also believed to have been engaging in acts of self-bondage and cross-dressing at the time of his death.
* 1996: Sharon Lopatka, an internet entrepreneur from Maryland allegedly solicited a man via the Internet to torture and kill her for the purpose of sexual gratification. Her killer, Robert Fredrick Glass, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the homicide.
* 1998: Daniel V. Jones was a former hotel maintenance worker in Long Beach, California who shot himself through the chin on the Los Angeles expressway on live television. His suicide was apparently caused by his resentment against his HMO for inadequately treating him when he was diagnosed with cancer and HIV.
* 1998: Tom and Eileen Lonergan were stranded while scuba diving with a group of divers off Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The group's boat accidentally abandoned them due to an incorrect head count taken by the dive boat crew. The couple was left to fend for themselves in shark-infested waters. Their bodies were never recovered. The incident is depicted in the film Open Water.
* 1999: Popular British TV entertainer Rod Hull died following a fall from the roof of his home at Winchelsea, near Rye. He was attempting to adjust the TV aerial in order to get a better picture of the Inter Milan v Manchester United Champions League Quarter Final, 2nd Leg.
[edit] 21st century
* 2001: Bernd-Jürgen Brandes was stabbed repeatedly in the neck and then eaten by Armin Meiwes. Before the killing, both men dined on Brandes' severed penis. Brandes had answered an internet advertisement by Meiwes looking for someone for this purpose. Brandes explicitly stated in his will that he wished to be killed and eaten. This is referred to in the songs "Eaten" by Swedish Death Metal band Bloodbath and "Mein Teil" ("My Part") by German NDH band Rammstein.[37]
* 2002: Brittanie Cecil, an American 13-year-old hockey fan, died two days after being struck in the head by a hockey puck at a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames at Nationwide Arena.
* 2003: Brian Douglas Wells, a pizza delivery man in Erie, PA, was killed by a time bomb which was fastened around his neck. He was apprehended by the police after robbing a bank, and claimed he had been forced to do it by three people who had put the bomb around his neck and would kill him if he refused. The bomb later exploded, killing him. In 2007, police alleged Wells was involved in the robbery plot along with two other conspirators.[38]
* 2003: Brandon Vedas died of a drug overdose while engaged in an Internet chat, as shown on his webcam.
* 2003: Timothy Treadwell, an American environmentalist who had lived in the wilderness among bears for thirteen summers in a remote region in Alaska, was killed and partially consumed by a bear, along with his girlfriend Amie Huguenard. The incident is described in Werner Herzog's documentary film Grizzly Man.[39]
* 2005: Kenneth Pinyan of Seattle died of acute peritonitis after submitting to anal intercourse with a stallion. Pinyan had done this before, and he delayed his visit to the hospital for several hours out of reluctance for official cognizance. The case led to the criminalization of bestiality in Washington.[40] His story was recounted in the 2007 documentary film Zoo.
* 2005: 28-year-old South Korean, Lee Seung Seop, collapsed of fatigue and died after playing Starcraft for almost 50 consecutive hours in an Internet cafe.[41]
* 2005: Gerry Marshall, a british Saloon Car racing driver, died of a heart attack at the wheel of an IROC Chevrolet Camero at Silverstone racing circuit. Marshall managed to bring the car to a halt before expiring, and stopped close to the BRDC suite he frequented in his earlier career. Marshall is notable for holding the record for most race wins in a career, 623.
* 2006: Steve Irwin, a television personality and naturalist known as The Crocodile Hunter, died when his heart was impaled by a short-tail stingray barb while filming a documentary entitled "Ocean's Deadliest" in Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. The stingray was not the creature being filmed.[42]
* 2006: Alexander Litvinenko, a former FSB operative and Russian expatriate who had been investigating the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, was intentionally poisoned with polonium-210, an extremely rare radioactive metalloid.[43]
* 2006: Cheryl Sarate, a 16 year old student in the Philippines, died of severe burns suffered when her costume caught fire during a college beauty pageant.
* 2006: Megan Meier, a 13 year-old girl from Missouri committed suicide after being rejected by a boy she made friends with over Myspace, which turned out to be a fake profile made by the mother of a friend of Meier's.
* 2007: Jennifer Strange, a 28-year-old woman from Sacramento, died of water intoxication while trying to win a Wii console in a KDND 107.9 "The End" radio station's "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest, which involved drinking large quantities of water without urinating. She placed second in the contest. [44] [45]
* 2007: Kevin Whitrick, a 42-year-old man committed suicide by hanging himself live on a webcam during an internet chat session.[46]
* 2007: Surinder Singh Bajwa, the Deputy Mayor of Delhi, India, was kicked by a Rhesus Macaque monkey at his home and fell from a first floor balcony, suffering serious head injuries. He later died from his injuries. [47]
[edit] References
1. ^ Donaldson, John William and Müller, Karl Otfried. A History of the Literature of Ancient Greece, p. 262. London: John W. Parker and Son, 1858.
2. ^ ibid., p. 27.
3. ^ Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, Book 17, Chapter 6
4. ^ Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum, v; Wickert, L., "Licinius (Egnatius) 84" in Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyclopädie 13.1 (1926), 488-495; Parker, H., A History of the Roman World A.D. 138 to 337 (London, 1958), 170. From [1].
5. ^ "Iran to restore ancient bridge built by captive Roman emperor" Press TV, 02 Mar 2007
6. ^ Henry of Huntingdon (tr. Thomas Forester). The Penis of Henry of Huntingdon, p. 196. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1853.
7. ^ Joseph Epiphane Darras and White, Charles Ignatius. A General History of the Catholic Church: From the Life of the Christian Era to the Twentieth Century, pp. 406-7. New York: P. J. Kennedy, 1898.
8. ^ Mortimer, Ian (2006). The Greatest Traitor. Unknown: Thomas Dunne Books. p. 124
9. ^ Schama, Simon (2000). A History of Great Britain: 3000BC-AD1603. London: BBC Worldwide. p.220
10. ^ Thompson, C. J. S. Mysteries of History with Accounts of Some Remarkable Characters and Charlatans, pp. 31 ff. Kila, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2004.
11. ^ Schott, Ben (2003). Schott's Original Miscellany. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 0-7475-6320-9.
12. ^ [2]
13. ^ Brown, Huntington (1968). Rabelais in English Literature. Routledge, p. 126. ISBN 0-714-620-513.
14. ^ (1861) The History of Scotish Poetry. Edmonston & Douglas, p. 539.
15. ^ Bartelby, but it states the authenticity is doubtful.
16. ^ Biography at Vanderbilt University
17. ^ [3]
18. ^ University of Maryland: The source is uncertain if the bull fell in before or after him.
19. ^ Scotsman.com
20. ^ BBC
21. ^ http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/onstage.htm
22. ^ http://donkeyod.wordpress.com/2007/05/04/when-that-guy-died-on-my-show/ Reprint of NYT article by Cavett
23. ^ http://www.elvispelvis.com/electrocuted.htm
24. ^ Haig, Matt. Brand Royalty: how the world's top 100 brands thrive and survive, p. 197. London: Kogan Page, 2004.
25. ^ Reynolds, Barbara. Dorothy L. Sayers: her life and soul, p. 162. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
26. ^ UCLA newsroom
27. ^ Bogdanov, Alexander (tr. & ed. Douglas W. Huestis). The Struggle for Viability: Collectivism Through Blood Exchange, p. 7. Tinicum, PA: Xlibris Corporation, 2002.
28. ^ Read, Simon (2005). The Bizarre Killing of Michael Malloy. Penguin Book Group.
29. ^ Virginia Tech article
30. ^ http://www.cherwell.org/features/how_would_you_like_to_die
31. ^ http://www.brewlab.co.uk/pdf/back%20to%20school.pdf
32. ^ http://www.rev.hu/html/en/films/industrial.htm
33. ^ Tremayne, David [August 2006]. "Chapter 19 - A Moment Of Desperate Sadness", The Lost Generation (in English). Haynes Publishing. ISBN 1-84425-205-1.
34. ^ Tokyo Times
35. ^ Goofball News
36. ^ Snopes.com, on a list of those who "died on stage."
37. ^ "German cannibal guilty of murder", BBC News, May 9, 2006
38. ^ [4] www.komotv.com. Feb 16th 2007. Retrieved August 9th, 2007.
39. ^ Medred, Craig.Wildlife author killed, eaten by bears he loved. Anchorage Daily News. October 8, 2003. Retrieved September 4, 2006.
40. ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002569751_horsesex19m.html
41. ^ "Korean drops dead after 50-hour gaming marathon", Times Online, August 10, 2005
42. ^ http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20355064-30417,00.html
43. ^ Russian ex-spy dies in hospital
44. ^ "Woman dies after being in water-drinking contest", The Los Angeles Times, January 14, 2007
45. ^ "Woman's Death After Water-Drinking Contest Investigated" KNBC.com, January 16, 2007
46. ^ Bale, Joanna (2007-03-24). Get on with it, said net audience as man hanged himself on webcam. Times Online. Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
47. ^ [5]
Note: Many of these stories are likely to be apocryphal (uncertain authenticity)
* 845 BC: Ancient records were discovered in North Africa describing the death of a ruler named Vondracek Beeir who was sacrificed by cutting an inch off his body starting at the bottom of his feet and working up.
* 720 BC: Bakenranef, the last king of the Twenty-fourth dynasty of Egypt was executed in an extreme form. He was captured and taken prisoner by the Nubian king Shabaka, conquerer of Lower Egypt, who burned him alive.
* 458 BC: The Greek playwright Aeschylus was killed when an eagle dropped a live tortoise on him, mistaking his bald head for a stone. The tortoise survived.
* 454 BC: The rebel pharaoh Inarus, leader of the rebellion in Egypt against Persian rule, was taken captive to Susa after being defeated by the satrap Megabyzus. There, after five years, he was impaled on three stakes and flayed alive.
* 270 BC: The poet and grammarian Philitas of Cos reportedly wasted away and died of insomnia while brooding about the Liar paradox.[1]
* 207 BC: Chrysippus, a Greek stoic philosopher, is believed to have died of laughter after watching his drunk donkey attempt to eat figs.[2]
* 53 BC: Following his defeat at Carrhae at the hands of the Parthians under Spahbod Surena, Marcus Licinius Crassus was executed by having molten gold poured down his throat. Some accounts claim that his head was then cut off and used as a stage prop in a play performed for the Parthian king Orodes II.
* 48 BC: The Roman general Pompey, fleeing to Egypt after being defeated at the Battle of Pharsalus by his rival Julius Caesar, was stabbed, killed, and decapitated: his head was then preserved in a jar by the young king Ptolemy XIII and presented to Caesar, with whom he intended to ingratiate himself. Caesar was not pleased.
* 43 BC: Cicero, the great Roman statesman, was labelled an enemy of the state by the Second Triumvirate. Like all those proscribed by the Triumvirate, he was hunted down and killed; his severed hands and head were then displayed on the Rostra in the Forum for several days, during which time Fulvia, wife of Mark Antony, is supposed to have stabbed his once-skilled tongue several times with a hairpin.
* 42 BC: Porcia Catonis, wife of Marcus Junius Brutus, killed herself by supposedly swallowing hot coals after hearing of her husband's death; however, modern historians claim that it is more likely that she poisoned herself with carbon monoxide, by burning coals in an unventilated room.
* 4 BC: Herod the Great suffered from fever, intense rashes, colon pains, foot drop, inflammation of the abdomen, a putrefaction of his genitals that produced worms, convulsions, and difficulty breathing before he finally gave up. [3] Similar symptoms-- abdominal pains and worms-- accompanied the death of his grandson Herod Agrippa in 44 AD, after he had imprisoned St Peter. At various times, each of these deaths has been considered divine retribution.
* 64 - 67: St Peter was executed by the Romans. According to many sources, he asked not to be crucified in the normal way, but was instead executed on an inverted cross. This is the only recorded instance of this type of crucifixion.
* 69: The short-time Roman emperor Galba was killed after becoming extremely unpopular with both the Roman people and the Praetorian guard-- however, 120 different people claimed credit for having killed him. All of these names were recorded in a list and they all were later themselves executed by the emperor Vitellius.
* C. 98 Saint Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum, was roasted to death in a brazen bull during the persecutions of Emperor Domitian. Saint Eustace, as well as his wife and children supposedly suffered a similar fate under Hadrian. The creator of the brazen bull, Perillos of Athens, was according to legend the first victim of the brazen bull when he presented his invention to Phalaris, Tyrant of Agrigentum.
* 258: St Lawrence was martyred by being burned or 'grilled' on a large metal gridiron at Rome. Images of him often show him holding the instrument of his martyrdom. Legend says that he was so strong-willed that instead of giving in to the Romans and releasing information about the Church, at the point of death he exclaimed "I am done on this side! Turn me over and eat."
* 260: According to an ancient account, Roman emperor Valerian, after being defeated in battle and captured by the Persians, was used as a footstool by the King Shapur I. After a long period of punishment and humiliation, he offered Shapur a huge ransom for his release. In reply, Shapur had the unfortunate emperor skinned alive and his skin stuffed with straw or dung and preserved as a trophy. Only after the Sassanid dynasty's defeat in their last war with Rome three and a half centuries later was his skin given a cremation and burial.[4] (A recent report from Iran mentions the restoration of a bridge supposed to have been built by Valerian and his soldiers for Shapur in return for their freedom).[5]
* 336: Arius, the heretical priest who precipitated the Council of Nicea, passed wind and evacuated his internal organs.
* 415: The Greek mathematician and philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria was murdered by a mob by having her skin ripped off with sharp sea-shells and what remained of her was burned. (Various types of shells have been named: clams, oysters, abalones. Other sources claim tiles or pottery-shards were used.)
[edit] Dark Ages
* 869: Al-Jahiz, an Arab scholar from Basra and author of works on literature, history, biology, zoology, Mu'tazili philosophy and theology, and politico-religious polemics is reputed to have been killed by his own library when shelves fell over on him.
[edit] Middle Ages
* 1016: Edmund II of England was rumored to have been stabbed in the gut or bowels while he was performing his ablutions.[6]
* 1135: Henry I of England died after gorging on lampreys, his favourite food.
* 1258: Al-Musta'sim was killed during the Mongol invasion of the Abbasid Caliphate. Hulegu, not wanting to spill royal blood, had the Caliph wrapped in a rug and trampled to death by horses.
* 1277: Pope John XXI was killed in the collapse of his scientific laboratory.[7]
* 1322: Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford was fatally speared through the anus by a pikeman hidden under the bridge during the Battle of Boroughbridge.[8]
* 1327: Edward II of England, after being deposed and imprisoned by his Queen consort Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer, was rumored to have been murdered by having a red-hot iron inserted into his anus.[9]
* 1410 Martin I of Aragon died from a lethal combination of indigestion and uncontrollable laughing.
* 1478: George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence reportedly was executed by drowning in a barrel of Malmsey wine[10] at his own request.
[edit] Renaissance
* 1559: King Henry II of France was killed during a stunt knight's jousting match, when his helmet's soft golden grille gave way to a broken lancetip which pierced his eye and entered his brain.
* 1599: The Burmese king Nandabayin repotedly "laughed to death when informed, by a visiting Italian merchant, that Venice was a free state without a king."[11]
* 1601: Tycho Brahe, according to legend, died of complications resulting from a strained bladder at a banquet. It would have been extremely bad etiquette to leave the table before the meal was finished, so he stayed until he became fatally ill. This version of events has since been brought into question as other causes of death (murder by Johannes Kepler, suicide, and lead poisoning among others) have come to the fore.[12]
* 1626: Francis Bacon died of pneumonia while filling a chicken with ice in order to prove that freezing preserves food
* 1655: Pope Innocent X died and was hidden in a corner for three days by his sister-in-law and probable mistress Olimpia Maidalchini while she searched and robbed the papal palace of various treasures. Only when she had completed her search was the body allowed to be found.
* 1660: The Scottish aristocrat, polymath and first translator of Rabelais into English, Thomas Urquhart, is said to have died laughing upon hearing that Charles II had taken the throne.[13][14]
* 1671: François Vatel, chef to Louis XIV, committed suicide because his seafood order was late and he couldn't stand the shame of a postponed meal. His body was discovered by an aide, sent to tell him of the arrival of the fish. The authenticity of this story is questionable.[15]
* 1687: Jean-Baptiste Lully, composer, died of a gangrenous abscess after piercing his foot with a staff while he was vigorously conducting a Te Deum, as it was customary at that time to conduct by banging a staff on the floor. The performance was to celebrate the king's recovery from an illness.[16]
[edit] Age of Reason
* 1751: Julien Offray de La Mettrie, the author of Man a Machine, a major materialist and sensualist philosopher died of over eating at a feast given in his honor. His philosophical adversaries suggested that by doing so, he had contradicted his theoretical doctrine with the effect of his practical actions.
* 1753: Professor Georg Wilhelm Richmann, of Saint Petersburg, Russia, was struck and killed by a globe of ball lightning while observing a storm.[17]
* 1771: King of Sweden, Adolf Frederick, died of digestion problems on February 12, 1771 after having consumed a meal consisting of lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, smoked herring and champagne, which was topped off with 14 servings of his favorite dessert: semla served in a bowl of hot milk.[citation needed] He is thus remembered by Swedish schoolchildren as "the king who ate himself to death."[citation needed]
[edit] Modern Age
[edit] 19th century
* 1830: William Huskisson, statesman and financier, was crushed to death by the world's first mechanically powered passenger train (Stephenson's Rocket), at its public opening.
* 1834: David Douglas, Scottish botanist, fell into a pit trap accompanied by a bull. He was gored and possibly crushed.[18]
* 1868: Matthew Vassar, brewer and founder of Vassar College, died in mid-speech while delivering his farewell address to the College Board of Trustees.
* 1884: Allan Pinkerton, detective, died of gangrene resulting from having bitten his tongue after stumbling on the sidewalk.[19]
* 1899: French president Félix Faure died of a stroke while receiving oral sex in his office.
[edit] 20th century
* A number of performers have died of natural causes during public performances, including:
o 1943: Critic Alexander Woollcott suffered a fatal heart attack during an on-air discussion about Adolf Hitler.[20]
o 1958: Gareth Jones, actor, collapsed and died while in make-up between scenes of a live television play, Underground, at the studios of Associated British Corporation in Manchester. Director Ted Kotcheff continued the play to its conclusion, improvising around Jones's absence.
o 1960: Baritone Leonard Warren collapsed on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera of a major stroke during a performance of La forza del destino. According to legend, the last line he sang was "Morir? Tremenda cosa." ("To die? A tremendous thing.") However, witnesses say he was just past that aria and his actual last line was "Gioia, o gioia!" (Joy, oh joy!)
o 1971: Jerome Irving Rodale, an American pioneer of organic farming, died of a heart attack while being interviewed on The Dick Cavett Show. According to urban legend, when he appeared to fall asleep, Cavett quipped "Are we boring you, Mr. Rodale?"[21], which Cavett has recently stated in a May 2007 New York Times article was incorrect - the initial reaction to Rodale was fellow guest Pete Hamill noticing something was wrong, and saying in a low voice to Cavett, "This looks bad."[22] The show was never broadcast.
o 1984: English comedian Tommy Cooper collapsed from a massive heart attack live in front of the audience midway through his act at Her Majesty's theatre. At first the audience assumed he was joking, and started applauding.
o 1987: Dick Shawn, a comedian who starred in the 1968 movie The Producers, died of a heart attack while portraying a politician. Just before he died, he announced, "if elected, I will not lay down on the job,".
* A number of performers have died from unnatural causes during a practice or public performance, including:
o 1925: Zishe (Siegmund) Breitbart, a circus strongman and Jewish folklore hero, died as a result of a demonstration in which he drove a spike through five one-inch thick oak boards using only his bare hands. He accidentally pierced his knee. The spike was rusted and caused an infection which led to fatal blood poisoning. He was the subject of the Werner Herzog film, Invincible.
o 1972: Leslie Harvey, guitarist of Stone the Crows was electrocuted on stage by a live microphone.
o 1976: Keith Relf, former singer for British rhythm and blues band The Yardbirds, died while practicing his electric guitar—he was electrocuted because the guitar was not properly grounded.[23]
o 1999: Owen Hart, a professional wrestler for WWE died during a Pay-Per-View event when performing a stunt. It was planned to have Owen come down from the rafters of the Kemper Arena on a safety harness tied to a rope to make his ring entrance. The safety latch was released and Owen dropped 78 feet, bouncing chest-first off the top rope resulting in a severed aorta, which caused his lungs to fill with blood. The PPV continued even after he was pronounced dead.
* 1911: Jack Daniel, founder of the Tennessee whiskey distillery, died of blood poisoning six years after receiving a toe injury when he kicked his safe in anger at being unable to remember its combination.[24]
* 1912: Tailor Franz Reichelt fell to his death off the first deck of the Eiffel Tower while testing his invention, the coat parachute. It was his first ever attempt with the parachute and he'd told the authorities in advance he would test it first with a dummy.
* 1916: Grigori Rasputin, Russian mystic, was poisoned while dining with a political enemy, and supposedly he was given enough poison to kill three men his size. When he did not die, one assassin sneaked up behind him and shot him in the head, and while checking Grigori's pulse the mystic grabbed him by the neck and strangled him. He proceeded to run away, while the other assassins chased. They caught up to him after he was finally felled by three shots during the chase. The pursuers bludgeoned him, then threw him into a frozen river. When his body washed ashore, an autopsy showed the cause of death to be drowning. There is now some doubt about the credibility of this account, though.
* 1920: Baseball player Ray Chapman was killed when he was hit in the head by a pitch.
* 1923: George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon became the first to die from the alleged King Tut's Curse after a mosquito bite on his face became seriously infected.
* 1923: Frank Hayes, jockey, suffered a heart attack during a horse race. The horse, Sweet Kiss, went on to finish first, making Hayes the only deceased jockey to win a race.
* 1927: J.G. Parry-Thomas, a Welsh racing driver, was decapitated by his car's drive chain which, under stress, snapped and whipped into the cockpit. He was attempting to break his own Land speed record which he had set the previous year. Despite being killed in the attempt, he succeeded in setting a new record of 171 mph.[25]
* 1927: Isadora Duncan, dancer, died of accidental strangulation and broken neck when one of the long scarves she was known for caught on the wheel of a car in which she was a passenger.[26]
* 1928: Alexander Bogdanov, a Russian physician, died following one of his experiments, in which the blood of a student suffering from malaria and tuberculosis, L. I. Koldomasov, was given to him in a transfusion.[27]
* 1933: Michael Malloy, a homeless man, was murdered by gassing after surviving multiple poisonings, intentional exposure and being struck by a car. Malloy was murdered by five men in a plot to collect on life insurance policies they had purchased.[28]
* 1935: Baseball player Len Koenecke was bludgeoned to death with a fire extinguisher by the crew of an aircraft he had chartered, after provoking a fight with the pilot while the plane was in the air.
* 1941: Sherwood Anderson, writer, swallowed a toothpick at a party and then died of peritonitis.[29]
* 1943: Lady be Good, a USAAF B-24 bomber lost its way and crash landed in the Libyan Desert. Mummified remains of its crew, who struggled for a week without water, were not found until 1960.
* 1944: Inventor and chemist Thomas Midgley, Jr., accidentally strangled himself with the cord of a pulley-operated mechanical bed of his own design.
* 1945: Scientist Harry K. Daghlian, Jr. accidentally dropped a brick of tungsten carbide onto a sphere of plutonium while working on the Manhattan Project. This caused the plutonium to come to criticality; Daghlian died of radiation poisoning, becoming the first person to die in a criticality accident.
* 1945: Anton Webern, the Austrian composer, was accidentally shot dead by an American Army soldier on 15 Sept. 1945, during the Allied occupation of Austria. Despite the curfew in effect, he stepped outside the house to enjoy a cigar without disturbing his sleeping grandchildren.
* 1947: The Collyer brothers, extreme cases of compulsive hoarders were found dead in their home in New York. The younger brother, Langley, died by falling victim to a booby trap he had set up, causing a mountain of objects, books, and newspapers to fall on him crushing him to death. His blind brother, Homer, who had depended on Langley for care, died of starvation some days later. Their bodies were recovered after massive efforts in removing many tons of debris from their home.
* 1950: Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire suffered a heart attack and died in Eastbourne, UK in the presence of his doctor, John Bodkin Adams, the suspected serial killer. 13 days earlier, Mrs Edith Alice Morrell — another patient of Adams — had also died. Adams was controversially acquitted of her murder in 1957 but pathologist Francis Camps linked Adams to 163 suspicious deaths in total, which would make him the second most prolific killer in British history after Harold Shipman.
* 1956: Artist Nina Hamnett died from complications after falling out her apartment window and being impaled on the fence forty feet below.
* 1960: In the Nedelin disaster, over 100 Soviet missile technicians and officials died when a switch was turned on unintentionally igniting the rocket, including Red Army Marshal Nedelin who was seated in a deck chair just 40 meters away overseeing launch preparations. The events were filmed by automatic cameras.
* 1961: On March 23, Soviet cosmonaut trainee Valentin Bondarenko died from shock after suffering third-degree burns over much of his body, due to a flash fire in the pure oxygen environment of a training simulator. This incident was not revealed outside of the Soviet Union until the 1980s.
* 1967: In a similar incident, a flash fire began in the pure oxygen environment during a training exercise inside the unlaunched Apollo 1 spacecraft, killing Command Pilot Gus Grissom, Senior Pilot Ed White, and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee. The door to the capsule was unable to be opened during the fire because of its particular design. Had the Soviet Union revealed the earlier death of Valentin Bondarenko, this incident could likely have been avoided.
* 1963: On June 11th Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, sat down in the middle of a busy intersection in Saigon, covered himself in gasoline and lit himself on fire burning himself to death. Đức was protesting President Ngô Đình Diệm's administration for oppressing the Buddhist religion.
* 1967: Vladimir Komarov became the first person to die during a space mission after the parachute of his capsule failed to deploy following re-entry.
* 1967: On Dec. 17 Harold Holt, Prime Minister of Australia, went for a swim at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, Australia. He was never seen again. Rumors and theories include suicide, kidnapping by submarine, and shark attack; the true cause remains unknown.
* 1973: Péter Vályi, finance minister of Hungary fell into a blast furnace (some sources say a pit of molten iron) on a visit to a steelworks factory at Miskolc.[30][31][32]
* 1973: Bruce Lee, a martial arts actor, is thought to have died by a severe allergic reaction to Equagesic. His brain had swollen about 13%. His autopsy was written as "death by misadventure."
* 1974: Christine Chubbuck, an American television news reporter, committed suicide during a live broadcast on July 15. At 9:38 AM, 8 minutes into her talk show, on WXLT-TV in Sarasota, Florida, she drew out a revolver and shot herself in the head.
* 1974: Austrian Formula One driver Helmut Koinigg died in a crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York. On approaching a corner, a suspension failure sent Koinigg's car crashing head-on into the outer Armco barrier. The bottom rail gave way but the top rail did not. Helmut Koinigg was decapitated and died instantly, in what was only his second Formula One race.
* 1975: On 24 March 1975 Alex Mitchell, a 50-year-old bricklayer from King's Lynn literally died laughing while watching an episode of The Goodies. According to his wife, who was a witness, Mitchell was unable to stop laughing while watching a sketch in the episode "Kung Fu Kapers" in which Tim Brooke-Taylor, dressed as a kilted Scotsman, used a set of bagpipes to defend himself from a psychopathic black pudding in a demonstration of the Lancashire martial art of Ecky-thump. After twenty-five minutes of continuous laughter Mitchell finally slumped on the sofa and expired from heart failure.
* 1975: The legendary Japanese kabuki actor Bandō Mitsugorō VIII died of severe poisoning when he ate four fugu livers (also known as pufferfish). The liver is considered one of the most (if not most) poisonous part of the fish, but Mitsugorō claimed to be immune to the poison. The fugu chef felt he could not refuse Mitsugorō and lost his license as a result.
* 1977: Tom Pryce, a Formula One driver, and a 19-year-old track marshal Jansen Van Vuuren both died at the 1977 South African Grand Prix after Van Vuuren ran across the track beyond a blind brow to attend to another car which had caught fire and was struck by Pryce's car at approximately 170mph. Pryce was struck in the face by the marshal's fire extinguisher and was killed instantly.[33]
* 1978: Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian dissident, was assassinated by poisoning in London by an unknown assailant who jabbed him in the calf with a specially modified umbrella that fired a metal pellet with a small cavity full of ricin poison.
* 1978: Janet Parker, a British medical photographer, died of smallpox in 1978, ten months after the disease was eradicated in the wild, when a researcher at the laboratory Parker worked at accidentally released some virus into the air of the building. She is believed to be the last smallpox fatality in history.
* 1981: A 25-year-old Dutch woman studying in Paris, Renée Hartevelt, was killed and eaten by a classmate, Issei Sagawa, when he invited her to dinner for a literary conversation. The killer was declared unfit to stand trial and extradited back to Japan, where he was released from custody within fifteen months.
* 1981: Carl McCunn, in March 1981, paid a bush pilot to drop him at a remote lake near the Coleen River in Alaska to photograph wildlife, but had not arranged for the pilot to pick him up again in August. Rather than starve, McCunn shot himself in the head. His body was found in February 1982.
* 1981: Boris Sagal, a motion picture-director, died while shooting the TV miniseries World War III when he walked into the tail-rotor blade of a helicopter and was decapitated.
* 1982: Vic Morrow, actor, was decapitated by a helicopter blade during filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie, along with two child actors, Myca Dinh Le (decapitated) and Renee Shin-Yi Chen (crushed).
* 1982: Vladimir Smirnov, an Olympic champion fencer, died of brain damage nine days after his opponent's foil snapped during a match, penetrated his mask, pierced his eyeball and entered his brain.
* 1983: A diver on the Byford Dolphin oil exploration rig was violently dismembered and pulled through a narrowly opened hatch when the decompression chamber was accidentally opened, causing explosive decompression.
* 1983: Sergei Chalibashvili, a professional diver, died after a diving accident during World University Games. When he attempted a three-and-a-half reverse somersault in the tuck position, he smashed his head on the board and was knocked unconscious. He died after being in a coma for a week.
* 1983: Author Tennessee Williams died at the age of 71 after he choked on a eyedrop bottle cap in his room at the Hotel Elysee in New York. He would routinely place the cap in his mouth, lean back, and place his eyedrops in each eye. His brother Dakin and some friends believed he was murdered. The police report, however, suggested his use of drugs and alcohol contributed to his death. Many prescription drugs were found in the room. Williams' lack of gag response may have been due to drugs and alcohol effects.
* 1984: An unidentified man died of presumed natural causes in the unfinished Tokyo apartment building in which he had been squatting for 11 years. His decomposed remains were discovered 20 years later, on June 1, 2004[34], with a newspaper dated February 20, 1984 by his side.[35]
* 1984: Jim Fixx, who wrote "The Complete Book of Running" and lectured about how running and a healthy diet would promote longevity, dropped dead from a heart attack while running. An autopsy revealed he had 3 massively blocked heart arteries.
* 1984: Jon-Erik Hexum, an American television actor, died after he shot himself in the head with a prop gun during a break in filming. Hexum apparently did not realize that blanks use paper or plastic wadding to seal gun powder into the shell, and that this wadding is propelled out of the barrel of the gun with enough force to cause severe injury or death if the weapon is fired at point-blank range.
* 1986: While on the air giving a traffic report, the helicopter that Jane Dornacker was riding in stalled and crashed into the Hudson River, killing her. This was the second helicopter crash she had been in that year.
* 1987: R. Budd Dwyer, a Republican politician, committed suicide during a televised press conference. Facing a potential 55-year jail sentence for alleged involvement in a conspiracy, Dwyer shot himself in the mouth with a revolver.
* 1990: Joseph W. Burrus, aged 32, an aspiring magician, decided to perform the "buried alive" illusion in a plastic box covered with cement. The cement crushed the box and he died of asphyxia.[36]
* 1990: George Allen, an American football coach, died a month after some of his players gave him a Gatorade Shower following a victory (as it is tradition in American Football). Some argue this resulted in pneumonia.
* 1993: Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, was shot and killed by a prop .44 Magnum gun while filming the movie The Crow. A cartridge with only a primer and a bullet was fired in the pistol prior to the scene Brandon was in; this caused a squib load, in which the primer provided enough force to push the bullet out of the cartridge and into the barrel of the revolver, where it became stuck. The malfunction went unnoticed by the crew, and the same gun was used again later to shoot the death scene, having been re-loaded with blanks. However, the squib load was still lodged in the barrel, and was propelled by the blank cartridge's explosion out of the barrel and into Lee's body. Although the bullet was traveling much slower than a normally fired bullet would be, the bullet's large size and the nearly point-blank firing distance made it powerful enough to severely wound Lee. It was not instantly recognized by the crew or other actors; they believed he was still acting. Interestingly, the incident was almost an exact replica of a scene in his father Bruce Lee's last film Game of Death, during the filming of which Bruce Lee also died. Even more bizarrely yet; the plot of Game of Death revolved around Bruce Lee's character, a kung-fu actor, faking his own death - by pretending to have been hit by an accidentally fired real bullet while filming a scene where hundreds of blanks were fired at him.
* 1993: Garry Hoy, a Toronto lawyer, fell to his death after he threw himself through the glass wall on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Centre in order to prove the glass was "unbreakable."
* 1994: Stephen Milligan, a British polician who was at the time the Member for Eastleigh in the House of Commons, died in an apparent case of auto-erotic asphyxiation. Milligan was also believed to have been engaging in acts of self-bondage and cross-dressing at the time of his death.
* 1996: Sharon Lopatka, an internet entrepreneur from Maryland allegedly solicited a man via the Internet to torture and kill her for the purpose of sexual gratification. Her killer, Robert Fredrick Glass, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the homicide.
* 1998: Daniel V. Jones was a former hotel maintenance worker in Long Beach, California who shot himself through the chin on the Los Angeles expressway on live television. His suicide was apparently caused by his resentment against his HMO for inadequately treating him when he was diagnosed with cancer and HIV.
* 1998: Tom and Eileen Lonergan were stranded while scuba diving with a group of divers off Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The group's boat accidentally abandoned them due to an incorrect head count taken by the dive boat crew. The couple was left to fend for themselves in shark-infested waters. Their bodies were never recovered. The incident is depicted in the film Open Water.
* 1999: Popular British TV entertainer Rod Hull died following a fall from the roof of his home at Winchelsea, near Rye. He was attempting to adjust the TV aerial in order to get a better picture of the Inter Milan v Manchester United Champions League Quarter Final, 2nd Leg.
[edit] 21st century
* 2001: Bernd-Jürgen Brandes was stabbed repeatedly in the neck and then eaten by Armin Meiwes. Before the killing, both men dined on Brandes' severed penis. Brandes had answered an internet advertisement by Meiwes looking for someone for this purpose. Brandes explicitly stated in his will that he wished to be killed and eaten. This is referred to in the songs "Eaten" by Swedish Death Metal band Bloodbath and "Mein Teil" ("My Part") by German NDH band Rammstein.[37]
* 2002: Brittanie Cecil, an American 13-year-old hockey fan, died two days after being struck in the head by a hockey puck at a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames at Nationwide Arena.
* 2003: Brian Douglas Wells, a pizza delivery man in Erie, PA, was killed by a time bomb which was fastened around his neck. He was apprehended by the police after robbing a bank, and claimed he had been forced to do it by three people who had put the bomb around his neck and would kill him if he refused. The bomb later exploded, killing him. In 2007, police alleged Wells was involved in the robbery plot along with two other conspirators.[38]
* 2003: Brandon Vedas died of a drug overdose while engaged in an Internet chat, as shown on his webcam.
* 2003: Timothy Treadwell, an American environmentalist who had lived in the wilderness among bears for thirteen summers in a remote region in Alaska, was killed and partially consumed by a bear, along with his girlfriend Amie Huguenard. The incident is described in Werner Herzog's documentary film Grizzly Man.[39]
* 2005: Kenneth Pinyan of Seattle died of acute peritonitis after submitting to anal intercourse with a stallion. Pinyan had done this before, and he delayed his visit to the hospital for several hours out of reluctance for official cognizance. The case led to the criminalization of bestiality in Washington.[40] His story was recounted in the 2007 documentary film Zoo.
* 2005: 28-year-old South Korean, Lee Seung Seop, collapsed of fatigue and died after playing Starcraft for almost 50 consecutive hours in an Internet cafe.[41]
* 2005: Gerry Marshall, a british Saloon Car racing driver, died of a heart attack at the wheel of an IROC Chevrolet Camero at Silverstone racing circuit. Marshall managed to bring the car to a halt before expiring, and stopped close to the BRDC suite he frequented in his earlier career. Marshall is notable for holding the record for most race wins in a career, 623.
* 2006: Steve Irwin, a television personality and naturalist known as The Crocodile Hunter, died when his heart was impaled by a short-tail stingray barb while filming a documentary entitled "Ocean's Deadliest" in Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. The stingray was not the creature being filmed.[42]
* 2006: Alexander Litvinenko, a former FSB operative and Russian expatriate who had been investigating the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, was intentionally poisoned with polonium-210, an extremely rare radioactive metalloid.[43]
* 2006: Cheryl Sarate, a 16 year old student in the Philippines, died of severe burns suffered when her costume caught fire during a college beauty pageant.
* 2006: Megan Meier, a 13 year-old girl from Missouri committed suicide after being rejected by a boy she made friends with over Myspace, which turned out to be a fake profile made by the mother of a friend of Meier's.
* 2007: Jennifer Strange, a 28-year-old woman from Sacramento, died of water intoxication while trying to win a Wii console in a KDND 107.9 "The End" radio station's "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest, which involved drinking large quantities of water without urinating. She placed second in the contest. [44] [45]
* 2007: Kevin Whitrick, a 42-year-old man committed suicide by hanging himself live on a webcam during an internet chat session.[46]
* 2007: Surinder Singh Bajwa, the Deputy Mayor of Delhi, India, was kicked by a Rhesus Macaque monkey at his home and fell from a first floor balcony, suffering serious head injuries. He later died from his injuries. [47]
[edit] References
1. ^ Donaldson, John William and Müller, Karl Otfried. A History of the Literature of Ancient Greece, p. 262. London: John W. Parker and Son, 1858.
2. ^ ibid., p. 27.
3. ^ Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, Book 17, Chapter 6
4. ^ Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum, v; Wickert, L., "Licinius (Egnatius) 84" in Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyclopädie 13.1 (1926), 488-495; Parker, H., A History of the Roman World A.D. 138 to 337 (London, 1958), 170. From [1].
5. ^ "Iran to restore ancient bridge built by captive Roman emperor" Press TV, 02 Mar 2007
6. ^ Henry of Huntingdon (tr. Thomas Forester). The Penis of Henry of Huntingdon, p. 196. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1853.
7. ^ Joseph Epiphane Darras and White, Charles Ignatius. A General History of the Catholic Church: From the Life of the Christian Era to the Twentieth Century, pp. 406-7. New York: P. J. Kennedy, 1898.
8. ^ Mortimer, Ian (2006). The Greatest Traitor. Unknown: Thomas Dunne Books. p. 124
9. ^ Schama, Simon (2000). A History of Great Britain: 3000BC-AD1603. London: BBC Worldwide. p.220
10. ^ Thompson, C. J. S. Mysteries of History with Accounts of Some Remarkable Characters and Charlatans, pp. 31 ff. Kila, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2004.
11. ^ Schott, Ben (2003). Schott's Original Miscellany. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 0-7475-6320-9.
12. ^ [2]
13. ^ Brown, Huntington (1968). Rabelais in English Literature. Routledge, p. 126. ISBN 0-714-620-513.
14. ^ (1861) The History of Scotish Poetry. Edmonston & Douglas, p. 539.
15. ^ Bartelby, but it states the authenticity is doubtful.
16. ^ Biography at Vanderbilt University
17. ^ [3]
18. ^ University of Maryland: The source is uncertain if the bull fell in before or after him.
19. ^ Scotsman.com
20. ^ BBC
21. ^ http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/onstage.htm
22. ^ http://donkeyod.wordpress.com/2007/05/04/when-that-guy-died-on-my-show/ Reprint of NYT article by Cavett
23. ^ http://www.elvispelvis.com/electrocuted.htm
24. ^ Haig, Matt. Brand Royalty: how the world's top 100 brands thrive and survive, p. 197. London: Kogan Page, 2004.
25. ^ Reynolds, Barbara. Dorothy L. Sayers: her life and soul, p. 162. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
26. ^ UCLA newsroom
27. ^ Bogdanov, Alexander (tr. & ed. Douglas W. Huestis). The Struggle for Viability: Collectivism Through Blood Exchange, p. 7. Tinicum, PA: Xlibris Corporation, 2002.
28. ^ Read, Simon (2005). The Bizarre Killing of Michael Malloy. Penguin Book Group.
29. ^ Virginia Tech article
30. ^ http://www.cherwell.org/features/how_would_you_like_to_die
31. ^ http://www.brewlab.co.uk/pdf/back%20to%20school.pdf
32. ^ http://www.rev.hu/html/en/films/industrial.htm
33. ^ Tremayne, David [August 2006]. "Chapter 19 - A Moment Of Desperate Sadness", The Lost Generation (in English). Haynes Publishing. ISBN 1-84425-205-1.
34. ^ Tokyo Times
35. ^ Goofball News
36. ^ Snopes.com, on a list of those who "died on stage."
37. ^ "German cannibal guilty of murder", BBC News, May 9, 2006
38. ^ [4] www.komotv.com. Feb 16th 2007. Retrieved August 9th, 2007.
39. ^ Medred, Craig.Wildlife author killed, eaten by bears he loved. Anchorage Daily News. October 8, 2003. Retrieved September 4, 2006.
40. ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002569751_horsesex19m.html
41. ^ "Korean drops dead after 50-hour gaming marathon", Times Online, August 10, 2005
42. ^ http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20355064-30417,00.html
43. ^ Russian ex-spy dies in hospital
44. ^ "Woman dies after being in water-drinking contest", The Los Angeles Times, January 14, 2007
45. ^ "Woman's Death After Water-Drinking Contest Investigated" KNBC.com, January 16, 2007
46. ^ Bale, Joanna (2007-03-24). Get on with it, said net audience as man hanged himself on webcam. Times Online. Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
47. ^ [5]
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