Human history is littered with cataclysmic mistakes and mishaps that captured the imagination, sometimes earning the event its own trope, adjective, or allusive references in everyday conversation. A recent online post shares some of history’s unforgettable epic fails.
A Titanic Error
Perhaps the most well-known example of human error is the famously doomed Titanic voyage, costing 1,500 people their lives. “The disaster was a stark reminder of the fallibility of human technology and planning,” adds a thread member. However, this one boils down to human error with a dash of selfishness and arrogance. Warnings were ignored, and lifeboats were wasted; this was all avoidable.
A KGB Honey Pot Gone Wrong
In 1945, an Indonesian freedom fighter named Sukarno led a coup, ousting Dutch colonial rule. Subsequently, Indonesia became a key Cold War territory due to its large Communist population. With Sukarno as a popular national leader, the KGB attempted to capitalize on his promiscuous nature by entrapping him in a compromising video using Soviet agents posing as air hostesses. However, things went awry after Sukarno heard of the tapes: the president was proud of his conquests and so happy with his encounter he wanted to show his people the tapes.
Fort Blunder
Following the War of 1812, the United States began constructing a massive fort on Lake Champlain, New York. However, things didn’t go according to plan. “After a year of rigorous construction, the U.S. realized the fort was actually on the Canadian side of the border,” explains a history lover. “The construction was halted, and the fort site was abandoned immediately.”
Bitcoin Jackpot
When Julian Assange and Wiki-Leaks became the American government’s enemies, they made depositing money in his bank account a federal crime. However, they couldn’t have foreseen the outcome, says a commenter. “Instead of sending him bank transfers, people started sending him Bitcoin,” claims the observer, “which resulted in him making over 50,000% in returns.”
The Maginot Line
After World War One, France attempted to strengthen their German border with an extravagant concrete border fortress spanning the entire boundary. After suffering humiliation, this idea occurred lest the old enemy think about attacking again — which they did. Sadly for France, the 10-year, two-billion-franc fortification proved useless, as Germany attacked through Belgium, which had weaker defenses. “And if all that was not enough,” says a warcraft enthusiast, “the Germans encountered even less resistance when they reached the main country because all the well-trained and well-armed soldiers had been sent to the Maginot Line.”
The Spanish Armada
When Spain was the dominant European force in the 16th century, their largest adversary was the bothersome English, against whom the Spanish launched their famously giant 130-ship fleet. However, when they arrived in the English Channel, they soon became cut off by a British blockade in Calais, France, before turning back into a storm. The storm duly wrecked at least 50 ships, losing Spain 20,000 men, and sending the retreating ships home in shame.
The Moon Landing Tapes
According to one poster, NASA was going through hard times in 2006. “NASA admitted that the original video recordings of the 1969 moon landing were missing,” he remarks. Later, they revealed that the tapes had accidentally been magnetically erased and reused in order to save money.” If there was one thing NASA could have done to silence its Moon-landing skeptics, this was not it.
Pope Gregory IX and His Cat Phobia
The question shouldn’t be, “Is the Pope Catholic?” but “Is the Pope Cat-phobic?” In the 14th century, the Vatican’s supreme leader decreed that cats were the Devil incarnate, ordering all cats across Europe — especially the more Luciferian black cats — destroyed. “In the absence of cats, the population of rats increased,” notes a contributor, “and as a result, it led to plague, popularly known as the Black Death, that swiped away half the population.” Nice one, Greg.
H.M.S. Victoria
The British warship H.M.S. Victoria was a feat of modern warfare technology, a feared ocean vessel capable of sinking any opposition. However, the British Navy managed to sink it themselves without a bullet fired. When crowds gathered on the shores of Tripoli, Libya, ship commander Vice Admiral George Tryon planned a vainglorious oceanic display with another vessel, H.M.S. Camperdown. Unfortunately, he misjudged the turning capacity of both ships; the Camperdown collided with the Victoria and sank it.
A Cola of Fine Repute
PepsiCo is one of America’s great corporate juggernauts, though, in 2006, the company impressed many with its show of integrity after helping rival Coca-Cola. Three former Coca-Cola employees approached their rivals with trade secrets, hoping to sell the confidential information. However, PepsiCo reported the meeting to their frenemies, who used the FBI to apprehend and imprison the three hapless men.
Blockbuster Video’s Worst Decision Ever
Who can forget Blockbuster Video’s contribution to Western society? Sadly, Blockbuster’s Main Street presence died slowly at the hands of stream-on-demand and subscription-based media platforms. However, it could have all been different in the early millennium. “Netflix’s CEO offered to sell the company to the video rental goliath,” recalls a commenter. “But Blockbuster’s CEO thought it was just a ‘very small niche business’ and turned down the offer.”
The Australian Emu War
Following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Australia’s government ordered higher nationwide wheat production. This increase in crops and water sources led to a 20,000-strong emu invasion, with many farms made uninhabitable by the feathered host. The army eventually intervened, though it discovered that due to their chaotic running, and organized nature, emus were impossible to kill; moreover, eye-witness accounts gave some puzzling imagery. “The army observed that there was a leader in each pack of emus who was keeping an eye on the army while the others were busy destroying the crops,” writes the thread poster.
Source: Reddit.
The United States Constitution: 14 Weird Amendments You Never Knew Existed
This one’s a subtle masterstroke of federalism, delicately balancing the power scales between Uncle Sam and the states. Sketched out with the grace of a professional juggler, it declares that any power not specifically given to the feds is fair game for the states or the people.
In layman’s terms, it’s like your mom telling you that unless she’s explicitly claimed the last slice of pizza, it’s all yours. Now, isn’t that something?
The United States Constitution: 14 Weird Amendments You Never Knew Existed
The Ultimate Buying Guide to the Best Luggage Sets (2023)
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27 Things MAGA Movement Ruined Forever For People
The question at hand is not about the impact of the MAGA movement on the US and the world. Rather, it aims to shed light on what MAGA ruined for individuals—brace yourselves for some truly heart-wrenching responses. Prepare to be both captivated and crushed.
27 Things MAGA Movement Ruined Forever For People
“The Most Morally Upstanding Presidents in US History: Did Trump Make the Cut? Quora Users Share Their Opinions!”
It’s a question that’s been on the minds of many Americans for decades: which president in US history was the most morally upstanding? Based on responses from Quora users, it’s clear that a few U.S. presidents stand out as shining examples of ethical leadership.
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