Friday Links Can't Do That, Dave

• Overheard in New York's most recent history-themed entry.


• This is more likely one for the "awesome" file than the "funny" file, but check it out anyway: in-depth video interviews with eight of the nine sitting Supreme Court justices. And where the hell were you, Souter? Hmm?


• The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum talks about some of the interesting detritus found in old planes.


• The 10 most strangely prophetic sci-fi movies. (Popular Mechanics)
  
• Here's another one that's not straight from the "funny" file, but is bizarrely fascinating all the same: a New York Times op-ed on the history of failed or botched executions in the United States.


• Finally, I got a great email from staff at the Sandusky Library in Ohio today, letting me know they enjoyed my site and pointing me to their detail-rich, absorbing Sandusky history blog. It's really quite a fun place. Check it out sometime!

Is the Smithsonian smarter than a fifth-grader?

Over at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum, one of their exhibits has been erroneously referring to the Precambrian period as an "era" rather than a "supereon." It took 27 years for someone to notice, and that someone happened to be a fifth-grader.

If you listen to the piece, you learn that the Smithsonian acknowledged and corrected the gaffe (yay!), but sent their thanks to the wrong city and misspelled the kid's name (boo.).

There's a dance band on the Titanic playing "Nearer My God to Thee"

Today marks the 96th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. My new favorite blog, The Bowery Boys, commemorates the occasion by telling about some of the ship's more famous New York-native passengers. Previously unknown to me: John Jacob Astor was traveling with his 18-year-old wife, with whom he'd fled to Europe a few months prior in an attempt to avoid scandal.

Also, enjoy the 1997 film, reenacted in 30 seconds by bunnies.

The Other OTHER White Meat

History is Funny took a little unplanned vacation when the ol' day job intervened. Sorry about that. Hopefully we'll resume operations as usual soon.

In the meantime, today at work I learned more than anybody strictly needs to know about the pardoning of the Presidential turkey. Though the White House suggests this practice began with Truman, the Truman Library refutes this. Nobody seems to be sure where this tradition came from, though the photo gallery suggests it might have originated with JFK or Nixon.

Anyway, enjoy this image, from the Ford Library via the White House, of Gerald Ford introducing a live turkey to the frozen, dismembered corpse of one of its brethren. The turkey appears suitably horrified.