May 16, 2005

Today's Dessicated Yet Truly Morbid Fact!

High up in the ringing room of the west tower of St. James Garlickhythe (an exceptionally beautiful Wren church on Garlick Hill in the City of London), is a heavy cabinet containing the desiccated corpse of a young man. His head rests on a dark, tasseled cushion. Time has hunched his broad shoulders and made talons of his finely manicured hands. His upper lip is drawn back over a good set of teeth. It seems as if he is drawing a deep breath, hundreds of years long, before levering himself up to greet you. He was discovered in 1855 during the clearing of the Vicar's vault. To generations of parishioners he has been affectionately known as Jimmy Garlick. The British Museum is of the opinion that the corpse is that of a late adolescent who died about 300 years ago. He is now awaiting a high-tech wash and brush up by the Victoria & Albert Museum before going back on public display. His handsome new casket, which cost more to make in 1993 than the rebuilding of the entire church after the Great Fire, displays a salutary message: "Stop Stranger Stop As You Pass By. As You Are Now So Once Was I. As I Am Now So Shall You Be. So Pray Prepare to Follow Me."

Culled from: British Studies Archive
Generously submitted by: michelle

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This is sadly not a return to regular MFDJ's but just a brief notice that I am still living and still dedicated to providing the absolute worst in morbid entertainment. I have completed my move to a fabulous new castle in the fair city of Chicago, and I have returned, somewhat intact, from the unfair city of Topeka, Kansas. However, in two short days I will need to return to Topeka for another week and a half stint. So, I'll only have time for a couple of facts before a return to silence. You have my heartfelt apology.

And I must send another heartfelt apology to those of you who belonged to the dearly departed MFDJ Yahoo Discussion Group. It seems that while I was away in Kansas, the bastards at Yahoo decided to delete the group, for the second time in its short existence. Fortunately, one of the loyal members of the group - Sir Paradox - took it upon himself to initiate a new list at Google Groups. So, those of you who are interested in joining the festivities, please stop by:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/MFDJ?hl=en

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Morbid Trinket Du Jour!

Aw, I'm so sad to learn that I missed out on the Frozen Dead Guy Days celebration in Nederland, Colorado, which was held last month. But I am grateful to find out that I can still purchase nifty memorabilia on their website! Check it out to learn about who Bredo Morstoel was and why he is being stored in a Tuff Shed filled with dry ice.

http://www.nederlandchamber.org/FrozenDeadGuyDays/

Thanks to kelshubert for the link!

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Morbid Site Du Jour!

How did I ever miss this television show, "Secrets of the Dead"? This PBS show looks INCREDIBLE based on the website that kelshubert forwarded my way. I will have to search my listings to see if it comes on around here. In the meantime, the website is a brilliant stroll through all sorts of morbid mysteries.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/

May 31, 2005

Today's Fiery Yet Truly Morbid Fact!

A bolt of lightning tore through a group of elderly mourners at a rural Missouri cemetery on Friday, August 23, 2002 igniting a huge fireball that killed three people and injured another. The blast touched down just before 10 a.m. at Clear Creek Cemetery, just west of Willard, hitting a tree and then leaping over to an umbrella held by one of the victims. Leroy Hendrix, 82, and Billy J. Burgess, 66, of Springfield were pronounced dead after being taken to Cox North hospital. Joretta Gray, 71, also of Springfield, died of her injuries Friday evening at St. John's Regional Health Center. Her husband, Junior Lee Gray, 70, was critically injured. He was also taken to St. John's. All suffered extensive burns and internal injuries from the lightning. Charles Turk, 62, lives across the road from the cemetery. He witnessed the accident while driving along the road with his son, Chris. "I'd seen this gigantic ball of fire right here at the base of this tree and I heard a blast just like a bomb went off and I'd seen the people fall," he said while standing next to the tall tree where the victims were struck. "I've looked and there's not a scorch spot on it anywhere, that's what so amazing," a distraught Turk added. "It was a ball of fire probably 10 foot tall and big around as a hot water heater or propane tank. I've never seen anything like that. It was horrible." The tragedy came moments before 25 to 30 family and friends were to begin funeral services for Springfield resident Leon Carroll, who died Tuesday at age 83. Witnesses said several people had gathered under trees as a hard rainbegan to fall. "The reverend leaned over to me and said, 'It's 2 to 10; we'll start,' and then there was a flash and a boom," said Bill Wilson, pastor of the
Glidewell Baptist Church, where Carroll was a member.

Culled from: Springfield News-Leader
Generously submitted by: Bruce Townley

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I have returned from Topeka with my sanity nearly intact! Thankfully, I don't believe I'll need to go back there again. While I was there, I was able to take in the moldy countenance of S.P. Dinsmoor, the creator of "The Garden Of Eden" (http://www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com/). Unfortunately, they wouldn't let me take pictures of his rotting face, so I can't share, but I can share the rest of his eccentric estate and I will be doing so in the future. Thank you, as always, for your infinite patience during these trying times!

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Morbid Site Du Jour!

Now, here's a wonderful concept for a website: a holding place for letters that you want people to read after you're dead. You write the letters, submit them to the site, and put the URL in your will (or somewhere else that someone will find it), and after you're dead, voila! You speak from beyond the grave.

That is, assuming that this website still exists then... I'd be betting against that, personally.

Still, a fun browse (and an even better pun)!

The Dead Letter Office

Thanks to kelshubert for the link.

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Morbid Mirth Du Jour!

Come on, everybody! Do The Schiavo!

http://www.amandaegge.com/schiavo.htm

Thanks to MrMezzie for the horribly cruel link.