The world is full of grand schemes that never saw the light of day. In this roundup of 10 failed conspiracies, we dive into the shadowy plans that could have rewritten history if they had succeeded. From murderous plots against dictators to daring attempts to crown a president king, each story is a tantalizing “what‑if” that still sparks the imagination.

10 Failed Conspiracies Overview

10 The Plot To Kill Hitler Before The War

We’ve pointed out previously that Hitler’s own intelligence chief, Wilhelm Canaris, planned to arrest him the very moment the Fuhrer issued the order to occupy Czechoslovakia in 1938. At the same time, Hitler’s second‑in‑command, Hans Oster, also conspired with several other ranking military and civilian leaders to apprehend and assassinate Hitler because they feared that the ensuing war would mean Germany’s utter defeat.

Believed to be the most extensive conspiracy ever hatched prior to Operation Valkyrie, this plot involved sending a squad of soldiers to the Reich headquarters in Berlin to arrest Hitler. Some of the plotters favored taking the Fuhrer alive and either putting him on trial or locking him up in an insane asylum. Hans Oster, however, believed that keeping him alive would achieve nothing, so he planned a conspiracy within a conspiracy. After the soldiers had seized Hitler, they intended to stage a scripted shoot‑out, during which Hitler would be struck by a “stray bullet.” The conspiracy never took off primarily because of the Munich Agreement, in which the Allies allowed Hitler an essentially bloodless takeover of Czechoslovakia.

9 Napoleon Almost Got Killed Before He Became Emperor

During his stint as First Consul of France, Napoleon Bonaparte almost fell victim to a roadside bomb that exploded near his carriage on the night of December 24, 1800 in Paris. The conspirators—royalists and members of the nobility—had placed a concealed bomb called an “infernal device” along the route Napoleon’s carriage would be taking to an opera.

Luckily for Napoleon, the combination of a slow fuse and his drunken coachman’s fast driving enabled his carriage to pass the bomb before it exploded. A second carriage carrying his wife, Josephine, also evaded the blast because it moved too slowly. Although both spouses managed to arrive at the opera unharmed, the explosion injured or killed as many as 52 people, as well as a horse. In the aftermath, the police managed to apprehend some of the plotters, who were later sentenced to the guillotine. The rest successfully escaped to England, where they continued to conspire against Napoleon.

8 The Failed Attempt To Oust Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong may well be the Asian counterpart of Josef Stalin. Like the latter, he can be blamed for the deaths of millions of his countrymen due to ill‑advised programs like the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution. Also like Stalin—and most dictators in general—Mao was subject to his own assassination attempt. Planned by the son of Mao’s right‑hand man and heir apparent, Lin Biao, Project 571 (so‑called because the numbers closely resembled “armed uprising” in Chinese characters) involved a plot to kill the Chinese leader during his tour of Southern China.

Lin Liguo feared that his father would be purged for having fallen out of favor with Mao, so he planned to stage a coup with his father’s supporters in March 1971. However, the plan failed when Mao disrupted his own schedule, suddenly returning to the capital on September 12. With the coup exposed, the principal plotters tried to fly to the Soviet Union, but all of them died when their plane crashed in Mongolia after mysteriously running out of fuel. In the aftermath, Mao instituted a round of purges in the army, arresting, torturing, and killing thousands of his own officers.

7 The Conspiracy To Overthrow The Spartan Class System

For all their fighting prowess and sharp tongues, the Spartans rated rather poorly in the art of slave treatment. They regularly murdered and abused their slaves—who outnumbered them seven to one at one point—to instill fear in them. This systematic brutalization brokered rising tensions between the Spartans and their slaves and even resulted in a number of conspiracies to overthrow the ancient warriors.

In one such instance, a young Spartan named Cinadon plotted to unite the lower classes and revolt against their rulers in the fourth century. Although technically a citizen, Cinadon belonged to the class of Inferiors, Spartans who were too poor to pay their dues and had thus lost their political and social privileges. Capitalizing on the lower classes’ discontent, Cinadon secretly recruited thousands to his cause and even boasted that his men would eat the ruling class raw. Unfortunately, one recruit betrayed the plot to the ephors (leaders), who then had Cinadon arrested, tortured, and put to death. When asked why he wanted to revolt, Cinadon left them with a reply in true Spartan fashion: “To be inferior to no one in Lacedaemon [Sparta].”

6 The Ploy To Unseat The de’ Medici Family

Described by Italian scholar Angelo Poliziano as the incident that almost toppled the Republic of Florence, the Pazzi Conspiracy was a plot by the Pazzi family to kill the leading members of the ruling de’ Medici family and take power for themselves.

In April 1478, two assassins named Bernardo Bandi and Francesco de’ Pazzi attacked Giuliano and Lorenzo de’ Medici inside a church during mass. While the perpetrators successfully killed Giuliano, stabbing him almost 19 times, Lorenzo managed to escape with only a superficial wound. Subsequently, an angry mob formed to protect Lorenzo, killing the perpetrators and those thought to be in league with the Pazzis. By the time the incident was over, the Pazzi family had been exiled, their riches were seized, and their names were purged from Florentine memory. Ironically, the one who benefited most from this conspiracy turned out to be Lorenzo. With his brother dead, Lorenzo became the undisputed ruler of Florence.

5 The Plan To Kill Jefferson Davis And His Cabinet

Depending on which side you’re on, here’s another reason why one of our favorite US figureheads, Abraham Lincoln, was secretly a terrible president: Desperate to end the Civil War, Lincoln allegedly authorized Union forces to conduct a lightning raid on Richmond, Virginia and assassinate Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his Cabinet.

As fate would have it, the raid went badly and resulted in the deaths of several men, including officer‑in‑charge Colonel Ulric Dahlgren, on whom the Confederates found the incriminating orders. Southern media had a field day denouncing the plot, while the Union publicly dismissed the documents as mere forgeries. Upon private investigation, however, Union General George Meade concluded that the letters were indeed genuine. Davis later wrote in his journal that he believed the order originated from Lincoln himself. Regardless of who wrote them, the documents had the unintended consequence of increasing Confederate hatred toward the Union and spurred the former to hatch their own conspiracies against the latter.

4 The Northwest Conspiracy

As a result of the attempt on his life, Davis commissioned Confederate agents to wage acts of terror and sabotage in Union territories. One such plot came to be known as the Northwest Conspiracy of 1864. Led by the daring Thomas Hines, a cavalryman who had earned a reputation as “the most dangerous man in the Confederacy,” the plan involved freeing thousands of Southern prisoners in the Midwestern states and inciting a revolt together with local dissidents such as the Copperheads and Sons of Liberty. After the successful uprising, they would then establish a “Northwest Confederacy” friendly to the South and compel the Union to sue for peace.

Unfortunately for the plotters, incompetent planning and a lack of local support guaranteed that the conspiracy never came to fruition. In addition, Union investigators monitoring subversive activities managed to arrest several of the plotters, effectively dooming the scheme.

3 The Tory Conspiracy To Kill Washington

Of all the forgotten assassination attempts on US presidents, none would have impacted history as much as the attempted assassination of George Washington in New York City in June 1776. The conspirators, which allegedly included the mayor and governor, planned to take advantage of a British fleet that had been dispatched to the city by sparking a general uprising with loyalist forces, making the takeover easier to execute. One of Washington’s bodyguards had been recruited to kill him in the ensuing chaos.

The plot unraveled after Thomas Hickey, one of the plot’s masterminds and a member of Washington’s team of bodyguards, bragged about the scheme to his fellow prisoners during his incarceration for counterfeiting and even tried to recruit them. The inmates, however, chose to tell the authorities, who proceeded to round up the other conspirators. Subsequently, a military tribunal found Hickey guilty and sentenced him to death. On June 28, a crowd of 20,000 people—including Continental forces, by Washington’s order—witnessed Hickey’s hanging.

2 The Last‑Ditch Soviet Coup Attempt Of August 1991

If this conspiracy had been successful, it’s very possible that we would still be embroiled in the Cold War. Fearful that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s democratic reforms would break the USSR apart, Communist Party hardliners launched a final coup on August 18, 1991. Led by Communist leaders collectively known as “The Gang of Eight,” the plotters detained Gorbachev and his family in their vacation home in the Crimea and ordered loyalist forces to take Moscow and arrest Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

However, Yeltsin defied their efforts to apprehend him by barricading himself inside the Parliament building and calling on the public to support him. Thousands of protesters took to the streets and faced off against a row of tanks and troops, whom they managed to convince to switch sides. Faced with no support and having lost their nerve, the ringleaders abandoned the plot after three days. After this crisis, the Soviet Union effectively came to an end in December 1991.

1 The Plan To Make Washington King

You might think that such a scenario could only happen in a video game, but there did come a time when some desired to crown George Washington the King of America. In May 1782, Continental Army Colonel Lewis Nicola, along with several officers who shared his views, wrote Washington a letter urging him to declare himself monarch of the United States. Such a move, they argued, would be the only feasible way for America to survive and grow.

At this point, we can see why Washington was a man like no other: Instead of agreeing with the suggestion, he answered Nicola with a scathing letter, rebuking him and ordering him to never bring up the topic again. That reply moved Nicola so much that he wrote three separate letters of apology to Washington.

However, talk of making Washington king did not die down with that incident. Just a year later, a more serious event transpired. The Newburgh Conspiracy involved Continental Army officers and their men threatening to abandon or even mutiny against Congress for non‑payment of wages and installing Washington either as king or dictator in its place. Again, Washington was having none of it. In the end, he stopped the uprising when he successfully convinced the men, with an emotional speech, to be more patient. He explained that he, too, had made sacrifices for his men, having “grown gray in your service and now find myself growing blind.” At these humbling words, many of those in attendance openly wept, and after Washington left, not one man planned to continue with the uprising.

The quest to command the clouds has tickled human imagination since we first stared up at stormy skies and wondered, “What if we could make it rain on demand?” From ancient rites that tossed strangers into rivers to modern contraptions that fire loud blasts at the heavens, our ancestors have tried every trick in the book. While today we seed clouds with chemicals, the past is littered with wildly inventive – and spectacularly unsuccessful – attempts. Below, we count down the top 10 times we tried to control the rain and spectacularly failed.

Why We Keep Trying: top 10 times of Rain‑Control Folly

10 Hail Cannons

Hail cannons are the loud, megaphone‑shaped gadgets that claim to shoo away hail by blasting upward gusts. The idea first sprouted in Italy in 1880, and the Austrian engineer M. Albert Stiger built the inaugural model between 1895 and 1896. Stiger’s version resembled a giant speaker, firing smoke rings that were supposed to stir the air and keep hail‑forming clouds at bay.

When Stiger’s cannon was deployed, the surrounding region enjoyed two hail‑free years, turning the device into a local legend. Soon, farms across Europe sported similar cannons, each promising hail‑free harvests. Yet, when hail inevitably fell in those very fields, staunch believers blamed poor placement or operator error, insisting the cannon itself was still sound.

To settle the debate, the Italian government tested over two hundred of these machines across varied locales for two years. The test sites suffered heavy hailstorms, leading officials to declare the cannons a failure. Still, a handful of farmers cling to them, even today, swapping smoke for a fiery blend of oxygen and acetylene that supposedly disrupts hail formation. Though their efficacy remains dubious, their deafening roar certainly makes them a neighborhood nuisance.

9 Moisture Accelerator

The Moisture Accelerator was the brainchild of infamous rainmaker Charles Mallory Hatfield. He claimed a secret blend of twenty‑three chemicals, ignited in a towering furnace, could summon rain‑producing clouds. Hatfield’s big break came in December 1904 when a group of Los Angeles businessmen hired him for a thousand dollars, demanding eighteen inches (45 cm) of rain within five months. He delivered, earning instant fame and a flood of commissions, with fees soaring up to $4,000 per rainfall.

In December 1915, Hatfield set his sights on drought‑stricken San Diego, promising enough rain to overfill the Lower Otay reservoir in exchange for $10,000. He erected a 20‑foot (6 m) tower, set his mysterious mixture ablaze, and the city experienced light showers for weeks before a deluge began on January 15, 1916.

The downpour raged for five days, swelling the San Diego River beyond its banks, triggering landslides, and washing away homes, roads, rail lines, and telephone wires. Yet Hatfield, ever the opportunist, phoned the city and pledged even heavier rain. The storm obliged, swelling the reservoir until it burst, unleashing a 40‑foot (12 m) wall of water that surged through the town.

When the catastrophe—dubbed the “Hatfield Flood”—finally subsided, San Diego had endured nearly thirty inches (76 cm) of rain, widespread destruction, and fifty fatalities. Hatfield marched into town demanding payment, but the city, embroiled in lawsuits, offered only to pay if he accepted responsibility for the damage. He refused, walked away, and never received his payday.

8 The Storm King’s Massive Bush Fire

Before the nineteenth century, a common belief held that noise could coax rain from the skies. Church bells rang before storms, and observers noted rain falling after great battles, leading many to link thunderous sounds with precipitation.

James Pollard Espy, dubbed the “Storm King,” served as the United States’ first official weather forecaster. Espy argued that the heat released by weapons during battles could trigger rainfall, not the battles themselves. To test his theory, he petitioned Congress for a 600‑mile (966 km) swath of forest—from the Great Lakes down to the Gulf of Mexico—to be set ablaze, hoping the massive fire would summon rain.

Congress rejected his request, fearing uncontrolled wildfires and the political ramifications of a government that could allegedly command the weather. Thus, Espy’s grand experiment never ignited, leaving his hypothesis unproven.

7 The Battle of Dryhenceforth

Edward Powers shared Espy’s conviction that artillery could coax rain. Unlike Espy, Powers secured congressional funding in 1891, dispatching the self‑styled General R.G. Dyrenforth (who, in fact, was not a general) to Texas to orchestrate a sky‑ward barrage.

Dyrenforth arrived with a cargo of explosives, gunpowder, cannons, balloons, and kites. At the front of his makeshift “battle line” stood sixty mortars aimed skyward, surrounded by ground‑planted dynamite, with towering balloons and 10‑20‑foot kites ready to loft explosives into the clouds.

The spectacle quickly devolved into chaos. Reporters noted confused operators, mis‑fired bombs, and a series of minor mishaps—a shattered window here, a singed tree there. No rain fell, and disgruntled Texans mock‑named Dyrenforth “Dryhenceforth,” cementing the operation’s failure.

6 Cloudbusters

The cloudbuster was the brainchild of Austrian psychiatrist Wilhelm Reich, who claimed the device could create or destroy rain by manipulating the mysterious “Orgone Energy” that supposedly bound cloud particles together. While the scientific community remains skeptical, the machine did attract attention in 1953 when Maine farmers hired Reich to conjure rain, which fell the very next day.

Reich prescribed a strict operating protocol, warning that misuse could unleash floods, tornadoes, forest fires, or even harm the operator. He advised users never to flaunt the device, to wear insulated gloves, to avoid nearby electrical or radioactive equipment, and to position the apparatus in moving water that immersed all metal components.

Whether Reich’s cloudbuster truly harnessed any hidden energy remains a mystery, but the episode cemented its place in the annals of unconventional rain‑making attempts.

5 Operation Popeye

Operation Popeye was a covert cloud‑seeding campaign run by the United States during the Vietnam War. Launched in 1967, its goal was to drench North Vietnam and Laos with enough rain to swamp roads, thereby hampering the flow of supplies along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

The mission remained a tightly held secret for several reasons, including the fear that other nations might blame the U.S. for adverse weather elsewhere. When the operation inevitably leaked, officials attempted to rebrand it as a humanitarian effort, but the cover collapsed, and the program was terminated in 1972.

Initial denials by Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird gave way to later admissions that the operation had indeed increased rainfall by roughly 30 percent, slowing enemy movement. Despite the controversy, Popeye stands as one of the most documented examples of weather warfare.

4 The Fraudulent Rain King

Frank Melbourne, an Australian self‑styled “Rain King” or “Rain Wizard,” marketed a method strikingly similar to Hatfield’s. He claimed that burning a secret blend of chemicals produced clouds that would precipitate rain.

Melbourne’s routine involved sealing himself inside a house, railroad car, or barn, igniting his concoction, and allowing the smoke to escape through limited openings, supposedly directing it skyward. His brother capitalized on the venture by betting against skeptics who claimed Melbourne could not summon rain.

Eventually, the public caught on: Melbourne’s services often coincided with weather forecasts already predicting rain, exposing him as a charlatan. Once the deception was revealed, his business collapsed.

3 Rain Dance

Rain dances are elaborate ceremonial performances traditionally performed by Southwestern Native American tribes such as the Mojave, Pueblo, Navajo, and Hopi—cultures that have historically endured harsh, arid conditions.

Dancers don vibrant costumes laden with symbolic artifacts. Men often attach feathers to their masks to embody wind, while turquoise adorns garments to represent rain. The choreography separates male and female participants into parallel lines, maintaining a four‑foot distance, and relies on synchronized footwork—rather than drums—to create a resonant rhythm meant to appeal to the spirits.

These rituals continue to this day, reflecting a deep cultural connection to the land and an enduring hope that the steps and symbols will coax the heavens to open.

2 Rain Battles

Charles William Post, a cereal magnate, became another proponent of the artillery‑rain theory. He launched a series of self‑funded experiments dubbed the “rain battles,” beginning in 1910 in Garza County, Texas.

Post’s inaugural stunt involved sending a kite equipped with dynamite aloft, where it detonated as intended. Finding the method too hazardous, he shifted to arranging fourteen‑pound (6 kg) dynamite stacks on elevated terrain, detonating them at ten‑minute intervals. In one especially gaudy episode, he expended 24,000 pounds (11,000 kg) of dynamite, claiming the explosions sparked rainfall.

Post invested over $50,000 in these ventures, asserting that seven of his battles produced rain. Critics, however, noted that the experiments coincided with the rainy season, casting doubt on any causal link.

1 Rain Stones

Rain stones have featured in rain‑making rituals across continents—from Africa and North America to Britain, Japan, Australia, and ancient Rome—since at least the 1600s. Their purpose ranged from summoning showers to communicating with deities of precipitation.

In Australia, practitioners placed the stone upon a sand mound, dancing around it while chanting or singing incantations. In ancient Rome, the “lapis manalis” (literally “pouring stone”) resided in the Temple of Mars before being moved to the Temple of Jupiter whenever rain was needed. The stone often contained a hollow channel that allowed water to trickle over its surface, mimicking rainfall.

While the exact efficacy of these stones remains a mystery, their enduring presence in cultural folklore underscores humanity’s timeless fascination with coaxing the clouds.

Energy fuels every facet of our daily lives, but not every bright spark actually powers the future. In this roundup we shine a light on 10 bizarre failed energy ideas that never managed to spark a lasting impact.

From soot‑filled gas bags on vintage automobiles to nut‑oil‑driven cement kilns, these experiments show how inventive minds sometimes miss the mark. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the wild ride through history’s most curious power‑plant flops.

10 Bizarre Failed Energy Ventures

10 Coal Gas Vehicles

During World War I, the majority of gasoline and oil supplies were redirected to the war effort, leaving civilian transport in a pinch. Engineers turned to an old‑fashioned technology—coal‑gas—to keep cars moving. The process involved heating coal in sealed, oxygen‑starved ovens, then filtering the resulting gas for use as fuel.

Unfortunately, storing that volatile gas proved to be a nightmare. Improvised “gas bags” were bolted atop vehicle roofs, looking more like ticking time‑bombs than practical fuel tanks. The bags were fire hazards—especially in an era when most drivers were casual smokers—curbed top speeds, and even made crossing bridges a delicate operation. So the next time you’re stuck behind a bus, you can be grateful it isn’t lugging a coal‑gas balloon on its roof.

9 Square Sails

Wind power dates back thousands of years, with tiny vessels harnessing breezes as early as 3500 BC. Civilizations such as the Romans, the Chinese, and the Vikings relied on square sails to propel their ships across oceans. The catch? Square sails only generate optimal thrust when the wind blows directly from behind, forcing crews to trim massive rigs and employ large teams to keep the vessel on course.

To overcome this inefficiency, shipbuilders looked eastward for inspiration. The Arab dhow’s triangular, fore‑and‑aft rig proved far more agile, allowing vessels to tack into the wind and sail closer to their intended headings with smaller crews. This shift dramatically improved maneuverability and reduced manpower requirements.

Without the adoption of these sleeker sail shapes, the pace of inland settlement expansion and coastal trade would have been considerably slower, delaying the rise of global commerce.

8 Tesla Tower

In 1901, Nikola Tesla erected a 56‑metre‑tall tower on Long Island, christened the Wardenclyffe or “Tesla Tower.” Topped with a massive copper transmitter, the structure was designed to beam electricity wirelessly across the globe, using the Earth itself as a conductor.

Early tests appeared promising; nearby appliances lit up without any direct connections. However, the project ran out of money when Guglielmo Marconi successfully demonstrated wireless telegraphy, diverting investors’ attention and funding away from Tesla’s grand vision.

Conspiracy theorists still debate why the tower was abandoned, suggesting that a free‑energy breakthrough would have threatened entrenched oil interests. Whatever the truth, the tower remains a symbol of audacious ambition curtailed by practical and financial realities.

7 Sugar

The Great Depression drove American farmers to seek cheaper fuel alternatives, prompting experiments with sugar‑derived ethanol. By fermenting corn‑based sugar, they produced a blend known as Agrol, a mixture of ethanol and diesel that could power farm machinery.

While the concept foreshadowed today’s biofuel movement, home‑brewed ethanol never became mainstream. The process demands specialized equipment, time‑intensive fermentation, and a slew of permits. Moreover, raw sugar carries a hefty price tag, and U.S. regulations still prohibit pure ethanol‑only vehicles on public roads.

Nevertheless, the Agrol experiment laid groundwork for modern biofuel research, showing that agricultural by‑products could, in theory, supplement petroleum‑based energy.

6 Tornadoes

The Atmospheric Vortex Engine (AVE) reads like a sci‑fi plot device: engineers heat air in a circular chamber, coaxing it into a tornado‑like vortex that spins at high speed. The rotating column of hot air then drives generators, theoretically converting the vortex’s kinetic energy into electricity.

Louis Michaud has pursued this concept since the 1970s, building several prototypes that demonstrate the vortex’s formation. Yet to date, the devices have only produced modest, laboratory‑scale power, far short of the levels needed for practical electricity generation.

Even if the engineering hurdles are overcome, the AVE must still obey the first law of thermodynamics—creating a tornado consumes more energy than the vortex can return. Mother Nature herself reminds us that whipping up a storm is no cheap trick.

5 Diapers

In 2007, Quebec‑based engineering firm AMEC announced plans to turn disposable diapers into power. Their “poo‑to‑power” concept relied on pyro‑lysis, a process that heats waste without oxygen, breaking down plastic fibers and human waste into combustible gases.

Despite the seemingly endless supply of used diapers, the project never moved beyond the planning stage. Public perception, the inevitable jokes about “diaper fuel,” and concerns over handling hazardous waste likely contributed to the venture’s demise.

Today, the idea remains a footnote in waste‑to‑energy research, a reminder that even the most abundant waste streams can be tricky to commercialize.

4 Air

At the turn of the millennium, a French start‑up teamed up with India’s Tata Motors to develop a vehicle powered solely by compressed air. The design mimicked a conventional piston engine, but the energy source was a high‑pressure air tank rated at 4,350 psi.

Unfortunately, the required pressure exceeds what standard compressors can produce, meaning drivers would need specialized, expensive pumps. Moreover, the air must first be compressed using electricity—ironically sourced from coal‑heavy Indian grids—diminishing the environmental benefits.

While the concept sparked curiosity, the practical hurdles of refueling infrastructure and energy efficiency kept it from ever reaching mass production.

3 Nuclear Planes

During the Cold War, Soviet engineers pursued the daring idea of a nuclear‑propelled aircraft. The principle was simple yet daring: air drawn into the engine would be heated by a compact nuclear reactor, creating thrust without burning conventional fuel.

Radiation shielding posed a massive challenge; the crew would have been exposed to dangerous levels of ionising radiation just meters from the reactor core. Adding the heavy reactor to an airframe also threatened performance, and the prospect of a nuclear crash raining fallout over civilian areas was a nightmare scenario.

These safety, weight, and political concerns ultimately forced the program to stall, leaving the skies free of nuclear‑powered bombers.

2 Propeller Car

In 2000, a French farmer uncovered the Helicon, a peculiar automobile built around a front‑mounted propeller. Though the car’s chassis dates back to 1932, its creator apparently believed that attaching a large propeller and steering with rear wheels would revolutionize road travel.

The reality was far less glamorous. The propeller made handling treacherous, especially at low speeds, and the vehicle struggled on inclines, requiring a long run‑up to generate enough thrust. The quirky design never caught on, and today it serves as a museum oddity rather than a viable transport solution.

1 Peanuts

At the dawn of the 20th century, Henry Ford championed biofuels, even running early Model Ts on ethanol while the 1900 Paris World’s Fair showcased diesel engines powered by peanut oil. The idea seemed promising: turn a common snack into a liquid fuel.

Despite early enthusiasm, the oil boom eclipsed nut‑based fuels, and large‑scale adoption never materialized. A modern twist emerged in 2012 when Jordan’s Rashadiya cement plant burned 24 million tons of pistachio shells, offsetting scarce oil and gas supplies and proving that agricultural waste can, under the right conditions, fuel heavy industry.

While peanuts didn’t replace gasoline, their occasional resurgence reminds us that even the most unlikely resources can spark inventive energy experiments.

When you sang the classic “50 Nifty United States” in school, you probably never imagined how many oddball projects tried to add a few more names—here are 10 failed attempts to create new US states, each with its own dramatic tale.

10 Failed Attempts to Create New US States

10. The State Of Franklin

War‑time expenses hit the newborn United States hard, and the first fiscal nightmare after independence was a mountain of debt. In 1784, North Carolina tried to trim its budget by handing over a massive 29 million‑acre wilderness to the federal government, hoping the sale would pad the treasury.

The western settlers who suddenly found themselves under federal control were terrified the land might be sold to a foreign power. Isolated from the state’s political hubs and feeling abandoned, they grew restless, convinced the distant government didn’t understand their daily struggles.

On August 23, 1784 the four western counties—Sullivan, Spencer, Washington and Greene—voted unanimously to break away from North Carolina and form their own state. They sent a petition to Philadelphia, the nation’s capital, asking for admission under the name Frankland, later altered to Franklin in a hopeful bid to enlist Benjamin Franklin’s support.

Although seven states voted in favor, the motion fell just short of the two‑thirds majority required. Undeterred, the Frankliners ran the area like an independent nation: courts opened in Greenville, officials were appointed, and a barter economy flourished (the governor’s salary was a thousand deer hides a year). By 1788 North Carolina reclaimed the territory, arrested the Franklin governor, and after a brief rescue attempt the leaders conceded. In 1789 they rejoined North Carolina, and the region eventually became the core of Tennessee.

9. The State Of McDonald

Every year Missouri rolls out its Family Vacationland Map without much fanfare, until 1961 when the Missouri State Highway Commission accidentally left McDonald County off the printed pages. Nestled in the state’s far‑southwest corner, McDonald County boasted tourist hotspots that would have suffered from the omission.

Incensed by the oversight, the county’s leaders voted to secede, forming a makeshift government. They organized a militia, stopped every car entering the county, and issued special tourist visas to non‑residents. The fledgling entity even printed its own postage stamps, which today are prized by collectors.

Missouri Supreme Court Justice Mary Russell drove down to negotiate peace. In a heartfelt address she pleaded, “We need McDonald County in this state. You are so very important, you are a beautiful county.” When a local asked if McDonald was back on the map, Russell affirmed it, and the brief rebellion fizzled, leaving the county firmly back within Missouri.

8. The Watauga Association

Before the Revolution even began, a handful of settlers along the Watauga River forged a semi‑autonomous community in what is now Tennessee. In 1772 they settled on land technically belonging to the Cherokee nation, beyond North Carolina’s official borders.

The British Crown ordered the settlers to return, but they negotiated a ten‑year lease with the Cherokee instead. They then drafted a compact, electing five magistrates to govern. Though never formally declaring independence from Britain, the Watauga Association operated outside any colonial authority, making it the first non‑Native American self‑governing body on the continent and the holder of North America’s earliest written constitution.

The fledgling government attracted the ire of the British, yet the empire was slow to react. During the early months of the Revolutionary War the Association fielded its own militia. When the Cherokee, now allied with the British, threatened the settlement, the colonists petitioned North Carolina for protection, ultimately folding back into the state’s jurisdiction.

7. Rough And Ready, California

History’s most impulsive decisions often happen after a few too many drinks, and the miners of Rough and Ready, California were no exception. Fed up with a new federal mining tax, the mostly Wisconsin‑born townsfolk gathered on April 7, 1850 and proclaimed themselves an independent republic, vowing to “form peacefully, if we can, and forcibly, if we must, THE GREAT REPUBLIC OF ROUGH AND READY!”

The self‑declared nation abolished mining taxes and lived in a brief golden age. Yet three months later, on July 4, the patriotic fervor of Independence Day swept the community, and they re‑joined California. Rumor has it that nearby Nevada City saloons refused service to “foreigners,” nudging the miners back into the Union’s fold.

6. Deseret

The early Latter‑Day Saints faced relentless persecution, being driven from Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa before finally settling in the Salt Lake Valley. In 1849, Brigham Young sent a petition to Washington asking for statehood under the grand name Deseret—a term meaning “honeybee” from the Book of Mormon.

The proposed Deseret would have spanned present‑day Nevada, Utah, large swaths of Arizona, and portions of California, New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon. Washington‑era politicians balked at the Mormons’ practice of polygamy and feared the massive theocratic state might become a slave‑friendly stronghold.

While Congress debated, the Mormon community formed its own assembly and enacted laws as the State of Deseret for a year. In 1850 the compromise arrived: Millard Fillmore appointed Brigham Young governor of the much smaller Utah Territory, quelling the push for Deseret. Utah eventually achieved statehood in 1896.

5. Jefferson Territory

In 1855 Kansas carved out Arapahoe County, a sprawling jurisdiction that covered most of modern Colorado. The county, named for the Arapahoe tribe, was largely ignored by the Kansas government, which was preoccupied with the violent “Bleeding Kansas” conflict.

When the 1858 Pikes Peak Gold Rush flooded the area with hopeful miners, frustration boiled over. The settlers declared an illegal territorial government called Jefferson Territory, operating autonomously for 16 months while the nation’s attention remained on the looming Civil War.

4. Nataqua Territory

The mid‑19th‑century West was a patchwork of boomtowns and shifting borders, and the tiny hamlet of Susanville in California’s Honey Lake Valley found itself stuck between California and Utah. Neither jurisdiction appealed, and the residents dreaded being ruled by Salt Lake’s Mormon hierarchy.

To solve the dilemma, locals proclaimed the Nataqua Territory, encompassing roughly a quarter of present‑day Nevada and parts of California. Ironically, a cartographic blunder left Susanville outside the new borders, sparking confusion.

When Nevada was later carved out of western Utah, both California and Nevada claimed Susanville, resulting in double taxation and a two‑year “Sagebrush War.” The conflict ended amicably after a tense standoff when a Californian posse besieged Governor Peter Roop’s cabin; a leg wound and a shared drink led to a cease‑fire, and Nataqua was absorbed into Lassen County, California.

3. The Trans‑Oconee Republic

Elijah Clarke, a Revolutionary War hero from Georgia, felt betrayed by the 1790 Treaty of New York, which forced Georgia to cede western lands back to the Creek tribe. Furious, Clarke raised an army intended for an invasion of Spanish Florida, but the plan collapsed.

Undeterred, Clarke turned his troops toward the reclaimed Creek lands, establishing the Trans‑Oconee Republic and building a chain of forts to protect the fledgling nation.

President George Washington warned Georgia’s Governor George Mathews that an independent republic threatened the young United States. Mathews’ half‑hearted proclamation fell on deaf ears until fellow Georgian George Walton, a signer of the Declaration, demonstrated the illegality of Clarke’s move. Public opinion shifted, Mathews raised 1,200 militiamen, and the promise of amnesty convinced Clarke’s supporters to abandon the cause, ending the republic’s brief existence.

2. The State Of Scott

While the South’s secession is often painted as unanimous, many poor white farmers in places like Scott County, Tennessee, opposed the move. Lacking slaves and wealth, they resisted Tennessee’s June 4, 1861 decision to leave the Union.

Future President Andrew Johnson delivered a fiery speech at Huntsville, prompting residents to proclaim the “Free and Independent State of Scott,” formally seceding from Tennessee and re‑joining the Union.

The fledgling state sparked a bitter guerrilla war as Confederate irregulars tried to regain control. Scott County remained de facto independent for over a century, finally petitioning to re‑enter Tennessee in 1986. The state‑of‑Scott era officially ended with the county’s acceptance as Tennessee’s 95th county.

1. Beaver Island

Amid the many failed statehood bids, one succeeded in an unexpected way: James Strang’s self‑styled monarchy on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan. After a botched law career, Strang embraced Mormonism in 1844 and, following Joseph Smith’s assassination, claimed to be the rightful successor.

Strang’s charismatic letter attracted followers who sailed to Beaver Island, establishing a theocratic kingdom of roughly 3,000 adherents. He expelled dissenters, consolidating absolute control over the island.

Under Strang, the island saw rapid development: forests were cleared, roads built, and the settlement “civilized.” He also turned to piracy, using small schooners to burn sawmills, rob craftsmen, and force conversions.

Despite his tyrannical streak, Strang’s regime was surprisingly progressive—women and Black citizens could hold office. However, personal vendettas brewed, most notably with Thomas Bedford, whom Strang had flogged for marital infidelity.

Bedford eventually led a posse that assassinated Strang in 1858. The monarchy collapsed, many followers fled, and the island’s original residents reclaimed it. Yet a small group of about 300 still regard Strang as the true heir to Joseph Smith.

Geoffrey earned seven liberal‑arts degrees that earned him nothing. Follow him on Twitter as he attempts a career in comedy and reflects on his missteps.

When a film is billed as one of the 10 eagerly anticipated releases of the year, audiences expect a blockbuster experience and a hefty box‑office haul. Yet Hollywood has a knack for turning even the most hyped projects into cautionary tales. Below, we count down ten movies that generated massive buzz but ultimately fell short of the financial expectations that surrounded them.

Why These 10 Eagerly Anticipated Films Missed the Mark

10. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)

The Lego Movie captured hearts worldwide with its clever humor, vibrant animation, and heartfelt homage to a beloved toy. The original dazzled audiences, pulling in $468.1 million on a modest $60‑$65 million budget, and earned a place in pop‑culture lore. Naturally, fans clamored for a sequel, and the trailer for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part sparked a wave of excitement in 2018.

When the sequel finally hit theaters in 2019, the enthusiasm fizzled. Despite a respectable $192.5 million worldwide gross against a $99 million budget, the film underperformed relative to the colossal anticipation it had generated, leaving studios to wonder where the magic went.

9. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

The original 1982 Blade Runner remains a sci‑fi masterpiece, consistently ranking among the genre’s greatest works. Its sequel, Blade Runner 2049, arrived with a hefty $150‑$185 million budget, placing it in the same financial tier as major superhero spectacles. Fans eagerly awaited the continuation of Deckard’s dystopian saga.

Box‑office numbers told a different story: the film earned $267.5 million worldwide. While it technically turned a profit, the revenue fell far short of expectations for a project of its scale and critical acclaim, turning it into a textbook example of a high‑budget film that didn’t sell as anticipated.

8. Crimes of the Future (2022)

David Cronenberg’s return to the body‑horror arena after an eight‑year hiatus made Crimes of the Future the talk of the Cannes circuit in 2022. The director’s reputation for unsettling, thought‑provoking cinema built a sizable buzz among genre fans.

Unfortunately, the film’s theatrical run was a disaster, pulling in only $4.6 million against a $27 million budget. Even with a summer release designed to capitalize on festival hype, the movie became a historic box‑office flop.

7. Catwoman (2004)

Armed with Halle Berry’s star power and the iconic DC Comics anti‑heroine, Catwoman seemed poised for success. The combination of a high‑profile lead and a beloved comic‑book character generated considerable pre‑release excitement.

However, the film failed to resonate. It earned $82.1 million worldwide on a $100 million budget, largely because it strayed from the source material’s tone and omitted any connection to Batman’s Gotham, leaving audiences feeling it was a shallow cash‑grab rather than a faithful adaptation.

6. John Carter (2012)

Disney’s ambitious adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Martian saga, originally titled John Carter of Mars, promised an epic sci‑fi adventure. With a staggering $306.6 million production budget, expectations ran sky‑high.

Yet the film grossed only $284.1 million worldwide. An unfocused $100 million marketing push failed to translate into ticket sales, and despite a visually striking trailer, critics and audiences found the story underwhelming, resulting in one of the studio’s most infamous financial missteps.

5. Hugo (2011)

Adapted from Brian Selznick’s novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo boasted a star‑studded cast and a $150‑$170 million budget, setting the stage for a major box‑office event. Fans of the book anticipated a magical cinematic experience.

Reality fell short: the film earned $185.8 million globally, barely surpassing its production costs. Analysts point to a muddled marketing campaign that framed the adult‑oriented, art‑house narrative as a family‑friendly holiday outing, confusing potential viewers and dampening its commercial performance.

4. The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

The original Matrix (1999) redefined action cinema, and its sequels, Reloaded and Revolutions, cemented the franchise’s box‑office dominance. After an 18‑year hiatus, fans eagerly awaited The Matrix Resurrections, expecting another groundbreaking entry.

Instead, the fourth installment stumbled, grossing $159.1 million worldwide against a $190 million budget. The disparity between fan anticipation and actual revenue turned the film into a notable box‑office disappointment for the storied series.

3. Watchmen (2009)

Adapted from the seminal 1986‑87 DC Comics limited series, Watchmen carried the weight of being the “Shakespeare” of graphic novels. After numerous failed attempts, Zack Snyder finally secured a $138 million budget to bring the complex narrative to the screen.

Despite the high expectations, the movie earned only $185 million globally. Critics argue that the film’s near‑verbatim replication of the comic’s panels stifled creative storytelling, resulting in a disconnect with audiences and a box‑office underperformance relative to its hype.

2. Snakes on a Plane (2006)

When the trailer for Snakes on a Plane dropped, it sparked a viral frenzy. Samuel L. Jackson’s iconic line and meme‑worthy promotional images turned the film into an internet sensation, with fans clamoring for a snake‑filled aerial thriller.

Despite the online buzz and even incorporating fan feedback into production, the movie managed only $62 million worldwide, far below the expectations set by its viral marketing campaign, solidifying its status as a box‑office flop.

1. Steve Jobs (2015)

Biopic enthusiasts were primed for Steve Jobs, a dramatization of Apple’s visionary founder, featuring an A‑list cast including Kate Winslet and Michael Fassbender. The film promised an intimate look at the tech icon’s life.

Nevertheless, the movie earned a modest $34.4 million globally, far below projections. Critics cited Fassbender’s portrayal as failing to capture Jobs’ enigmatic persona, resulting in a commercial shortfall despite the high‑profile subject matter.

When the golden arches try to shake things up, they sometimes launch new dishes that end up as cautionary tales. This “top 10 failed” roundup dives into the most notorious McDonald’s experiments that vanished from menus or left a sour taste in customers’ mouths. Feel free to share your own favorite flop in the comments below.

1. Japanese Macaroni‑Shrimp‑Mashed‑Potato Burger

This specialty burger, aimed at the Japanese market, combined deep‑fried macaroni, shrimp, and mashed potatoes, all perched on a cabbage bed. The odd ingredient mix and baffling name made it a culinary nightmare, even though it still appears seasonally in parts of Japan. It earns the fail award not for financial loss, but for sheer awfulness.

2. Hulaburger

Created in 1963 by Ray Krok, the Hulaburger targeted Roman Catholics who avoided meat on Fridays. It swapped the meat patty for a slice of pineapple, essentially a cheeseburger‑plus‑pineapple. The concept flopped badly, especially when compared to the successful Filet‑O‑Fish launched around the same time.

3. McDLT (McDonald’s Lettuce and Tomato)

The McDLT arrived in a two‑compartment container, keeping the hot patty separate from the cool lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sauces until the consumer assembled the sandwich themselves. The packaging was clunky, and the idea of DIY fast‑food didn’t resonate. An 80s commercial starring Jason Alexander highlighted its shortcomings, and the product was eventually rebranded as the Big N’ Tasty.

4. Arch Deluxe

Marketed as a “hamburger for adults,” the Arch Deluxe tried to project sophistication with grown‑up flavors. Ads featured kids making “yucky” faces and Ronald McDonald playing golf and pool. Despite a $100 million marketing blitz, sales fell, prompting a major shake‑up in management.

5. Lobster‑Themed Burger (Mac4)

Priced at $5.99, this lobster‑inspired burger looked like a culinary disaster, resembling something that had been vomited into a bun. Though it lingered in some Canadian locations and occasional Maine outlets, the high price and unappealing appearance doomed it. If you crave lobster, you probably won’t turn to McDonald’s.

6. McHot Dog

Despite Ray Kroc’s 1977 ban on hot dogs, franchises eventually introduced them in the late 1990s across the Midwest, UK, and even Tokyo. Various attempts—including the “McHot Dog” in 2001 and a 2009 revival—failed to stick, disappearing from menus after brief runs.

7. McPizza

In the mid‑90s, McDonald’s ventured into pizza, delivering a bland product that couldn’t compete with traditional pizzerias. The venture required costly ovens and wider drive‑throughs, yet customers didn’t associate the brand with pizza, leading to its quiet abandonment.

8. McPasta Menu

Testing began in 1989 with pasta dishes like lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, and spaghetti with meatballs across select U.S. locations. A New Dinner Menu added roasted chicken and sides, but diners didn’t embrace pasta at a fast‑food chain. Recent trials in New Zealand and Australia also faltered.

9. McAfrika

Released in Norway in 2002, the McAfrika—a beef and vegetable filling in pita bread—sparked outrage for its poor timing amid African famine news. The backlash forced McDonald’s to add donation boxes for famine relief, but the product remains a notorious misstep.

10. Low‑Fat Water‑Burger

Marketed as a low‑fat option, this burger replaced fat with water and carrageenan (seaweed extract) to retain moisture. The result was a bland, watery patty that alienated male diners and tasted terrible, leading to its swift disappearance.

These ten culinary misadventures illustrate that even the world’s biggest fast‑food empire can stumble. While some experiments fizzled, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the daring (and sometimes baffling) attempts to keep the menu fresh.

Since the introduction of GPS satellite navigation systems, drivers have become increasingly dependent on these digital copilots to guide them from point A to point B. The days of painstakingly plotting a route with paper maps and a trusty compass are largely behind us. While GPS has undeniably made our journeys smoother and often saved our skins, it can also steer us straight into trouble when it decides to take the scenic—or downright dangerous—route.

10 Times GPS: A Grim Reminder of What Can Go Wrong

10 Boy Dies After GPS Leaves Him And His Mother Stranded

In the scorching summer of 2009, 28‑year‑old nurse Alicia Sanchez and her six‑year‑old son were traversing the blistering expanse of Death Valley National Park when their GPS inexplicably guided them onto a desolate, unmarked track. A week later, a park ranger stumbled upon their Jeep Cherokee half‑buried in sand, thirty‑two kilometres from the nearest road, with “SOS” scrawled in medical tape on the window.

Exhausted and severely dehydrated, Alicia collapsed into the ranger’s arms while her son lay lifeless in the front seat. They survived on bottled water, Pop‑Tarts, and cheese sandwiches, but the boy had already passed away two days before his mother’s rescue.

9 Japanese Tourists Drive Their Car Into The Ocean

In 2012, three Japanese tourists on a holiday in Australia set out for North Stradbroke Island, trusting their GPS to chart a direct route. The device failed to warn them about a fifteen‑kilometre stretch of water and mud separating the mainland from the island.

As they drove their Hyundai Getz, the firm gravel gave way to thick mud. Undeterred, they pressed on, convinced the GPS would lead them to solid ground. After another five hundred metres, the vehicle was up to the axles in mud, and as the tide rose, they abandoned the car, which later rested two metres deep in water.

8 Woman Is Shot Dead After Following GPS Through Brazilian Favela

In October 2015, 70‑year‑old Regina Murmura and her 69‑year‑old husband Francisco set out for a beach day near Rio de Janeiro, relying on a GPS mobile app for directions. Unbeknownst to them, the app steered them straight into the gang‑controlled Caramujo favela.

While navigating the narrow streets, their car came under a hail of gunfire from local traffickers. Regina was fatally shot, and despite Francisco’s frantic drive to the nearest hospital, she succumbed to her wounds.

7 Driver Is Left Teetering On The Edge Of A Cliff After Following His GPS

In 2009, 43‑year‑old Robert Jones from England found himself perilously perched on a thirty‑metre cliff after blindly obeying his GPS. The device misguided him onto a steep, narrow footpath, which, according to the satellite, was a proper road.

Police were called when a BMW was spotted hanging off the edge of Bacup Road in West Yorkshire. Jones, a professional driver, insisted the GPS was correct. He ultimately avoided disaster by stopping the car, but was later fined nearly £900 for careless driving.

6 Woman Dies After Her Husband Drives Off A Bridge

In March 2015, 64‑year‑old Iftikhar Hussain and his 51‑year‑old wife Zohra left Chicago for a family visit in Indiana. Their Nissan Sentra’s GPS led them to a bridge that had been closed since 2009.

Ignoring a barrage of orange cones, “Road Closed” signs, and barricades, Iftikhar pressed on. The car plunged more than eleven metres into the void, igniting a blaze. Iftikhar escaped, but Zohra was trapped and perished in the fiery wreckage.

5 Swedish Couple Ends Up In The Wrong Capri

In 2009, a middle‑aged Swedish pair set off for a romantic getaway on the Italian island of Capri. Their GPS, however, misinterpreted “Capri” as “Carpi,” sending them 640 kilometres north to an industrial town in Modena.

The couple only realized the mistake after asking staff at a local tourist office how to reach the famed Blue Grotto, discovering they were nowhere near the Mediterranean shoreline.

4 Man Takes A Fishing Trip And Never Returns

During the summer of 2015, 69‑year‑old Silas Wrigley embarked on a fishing expedition in Oregon. After a week‑long search, authorities found his truck and body on a remote dirt road, far from any known trail.

Investigators believe his GPS led him off the correct turn for Lake Owyhee, forcing him to recalculate and inadvertently guide him onto the isolated road where he ultimately met his fate.

3 Elderly Belgian Woman Takes Detour To Zagreb

In January 2013, 67‑year‑old Sabine Moreau vanished after setting out to travel just sixty‑one kilometres to Brussels to pick up a friend. Her son reported her missing.

Two days later, she was discovered 1,450 kilometres away in Zagreb, Croatia. The GPS had steered her on a massive detour, forcing two refuels, a minor accident, and an overnight stay sleeping in her car before she finally arrived.

2 Three Women Follow GPS Into A Lake

In June 2011, three young women were escaping a sinking Mercedes‑Benz rental SUV after the car’s GPS misguided them onto a boat launch in Bellevue, Washington. Believing they were still on a road, they drove straight into Mercer Slough.

The SUV plunged into the water, fully submerging. All three occupants escaped unharmed, but the vehicle required a tow truck to be pulled from the lake.

1 GPS Shortcut Leads To Death On A Mountain

In March 2011, Albert and Rita Chretien departed British Columbia in their Chevrolet Astro van, bound for a Las Vegas convention. Mid‑journey, they compared their planned route with the vehicle’s GPS and opted for a “shortcut.”

Unaware that GPS routes ignore seasonal conditions, they soon found themselves on a treacherous desert‑mountain road. After nine kilometres, the path turned impassable, and their van became mired in mud.

Attempts to dig out proved futile, prompting them to set out on foot—only to discover they were heading the wrong way. Rita’s swollen knee forced a retreat, and Albert chose to go it alone, following the GPS into the wilderness.

Tragically, Albert never returned. His body was discovered over a year later, having climbed roughly 730 metres before succumbing. Rita survived 49 days alone in the van, rationing food, reading her Bible, and even eating snow before rescue.

Her harrowing ordeal ended with her eventual rescue, while Albert’s remains were recovered in October 2012, highlighting the deadly consequences of trusting a GPS shortcut in unforgiving terrain.

You can reach Craig on Twitter: @marskelog or Instagram: markelog.

When you think of power grabs gone wrong, the phrase 10 failed 20th immediately brings to mind a parade of daring but disastrous coups. The 20th century was a theater of ambition, where leaders and conspirators tried to seize control, only to watch their plans crumble. Below, we dive into ten of the most infamous failed coups, each with its own twist of drama, betrayal, and outright catastrophe.

10 Coup Attempt Against Haile Selassie Ethiopia, 1960

Ras Tafari, who later became the namesake of the Rastafarian movement, was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I in 1930. Even before his coronation, he pushed Ethiopia toward modernity, introducing the printing press, automobiles, telephones, and a revamped legal framework. While his reign saw advances in education, healthcare, and diplomacy, he never dismantled the entrenched class system governing agriculture, and he kept a tight grip on the judiciary, merely polishing the constitution in 1955 without real reform. Discontent simmered, culminating in a December 1960 coup attempt.

A cadre of military officers, led by brothers Germame and Mengistu Neway—Mengistu commanded the Imperial Guard—planned to seize Addis Ababa while Selassie was abroad. Mengistu falsely claimed a citywide uprising to rally his troops. The rebels captured the crown prince and several officials, holding them hostage for days; fifteen of those hostages were later killed. The plot was poorly orchestrated, lacking popular support and backing from key ministers, sealing its fate.

Selassie, having returned upon hearing of the turmoil, outmaneuvered the insurgents and reclaimed the capital. The rebels fled to the outskirts, where many were hunted down and killed, including Germame. Mengistu faced a court‑martial.

9 Attempted Coup Against Saddam Hussein Iraq, 1996

Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s brutal president from 1979, ruled with an iron fist, swiftly eliminating any dissent. In early 1996, a $100‑million operation, allegedly commissioned by U.S. President Bill Clinton, aimed to topple him. The CIA, British intelligence, and a network of Kurdish and Iraqi operatives formed the “Iraqi National Accord” (INA) as a front, headquartered in Amman, Jordan, and led by Dr. Iyad Mohammed Alawi, a former Baath Party member.

Code‑named the “Silver Bullet coup,” the plan intended to strike while Baghdad was vulnerable due to internal fractures and strained Jordanian ties. However, Alawi publicly declared his intent to overthrow Saddam, double agents infiltrated the CIA ranks, INA satellite feeds were hijacked, and Saddam learned of the plot, causing it to collapse instantly.

In the aftermath, Hussein arrested 160 military officers and conspirators, many of whom were executed.

8 The July Putsch Austria, 1934

Before Adolf Hitler rose to global infamy, he served as Germany’s Reich Chancellor from January 1933. His relationship with Austria was fraught: Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss resisted German pressure for annexation. In response, Austrian Nazis bombed government sites, leading to the party’s ban. Hitler’s economic boycott and visa restrictions crippled Austria’s trade and tourism, prompting a more aggressive stance.

After Dollfuss suppressed a three‑day revolt in February 1934, the Nazis escalated. On July 25, 1934, 150 members of SS Regiment 89 stormed the chancellor’s office, killing Dollfuss. The assassination ignited further Nazi uprisings, which the Austrian army swiftly crushed.

Although Hitler publicly denied involvement, Joseph Goebbels’ diary entry dated July 22, 1934, reveals skepticism about the coup’s success, which proved correct.

7 The Kyujo Incident Japan, 1945

By mid‑1945, Japan faced devastating losses in World War II. The nation initially refused the Potsdam Declaration, demanding unconditional surrender. After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9), Emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Suzuki moved toward signing the surrender, alarming the Imperial Guard, which feared the abolition of the imperial system.

Major Kenji Hatanaka led a coup on August 14, mere hours before Hirohito’s public address. Hatanaka’s officers seized the Imperial Palace and cut external communications, aiming to prevent the surrender broadcast and preserve the monarchy under a new military‑led government.

However, Hirohito’s recorded address remained hidden. As the scheduled broadcast approached, Hatanaka took his own life at 11 a.m., and many conspirators followed suit, ending the abortive coup.

6 Coup Attempt Against Corazon Aquino Philippines, 1989

Corazon Aquino made history in February 1986 as the Philippines’ first female president. Yet her administration suffered from perceived inexperience, policy missteps, and economic challenges, including a 25 percent gas price hike and restrictions on divorce and abortion.

Former dictator Ferdinand Marcos had left the nation in ruins, siphoning an estimated $800 million and looting billions. Aquino’s husband, a rising politician, was exiled by Marcos and later assassinated in 1983, prompting Aquino’s return and eventual rise to power.

On December 1, 1989, rebel T‑28 aircraft bombed the presidential palace, seized two radio stations, and locked down the air‑force headquarters. U.S. Air Force F‑4 Phantom jets intervened, delivering a decisive blow to the coup. Despite the turmoil, Aquino retained her presidency, albeit briefly.

5 The Kapp Putsch Germany, 1920

World War I claimed ten million lives, and its aftermath left Germany shackled by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919—reducing its army, ceding territory, and imposing heavy reparations. The fledgling Weimar Republic faced intense public opposition, setting the stage for a coup.

General Walther von Lüttwitz and Wolfgang Kapp, founder of the Fatherland Party, marched 6,000 troops into Berlin on March 13, 1920. Their attempt faltered as many Germans rejected the putsch, and the press went on strike by March 14, crippling communication. The populace continued daily life, resisting the insurgents.

President Friedrich Ebert called for a general strike, halting the coup’s momentum. By March 17, merely four days after its launch, Kapp and his supporters resigned. Lüttwitz fled to Hungary, and Kapp escaped to Sweden.

4 The Algiers Putsch France, 1961

Charles de Gaulle, president of France’s Fifth Republic since 1959, faced the Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN), which had been battling French colonial rule in Algeria for seven years. De Gaulle’s willingness to negotiate Algerian independence angered French generals stationed there.

On the night of April 21, 1961, four generals—Maurice Challe, Edmond Jouhad, André Zeller, and Raoul Salan—led paratroopers into Algiers, seizing government buildings and media outlets with minimal resistance. The coup initially proceeded smoothly, arresting loyalist officers.

De Gaulle appealed to the French populace, urging a one‑hour strike on April 24. Ten million workers complied, undermining the rebels. By April 25, the paratroopers withdrew without firing a shot, averting a potential disaster. Algeria would achieve independence the following year.

3 Kenya’s First Coup Attempt 1982

Daniel Arap Moi, president since 1978, promised to eradicate corruption, tribalism, and other societal ills, earning public trust through swift justice against high‑ranking officials. Behind the scenes, Moi centralized power, creating a one‑party state where opposition was illegal and the police acted as his enforcers.

In the early hours of August 1, 1982, a faction of Kenyan Air Force officers seized the international airport, three airbases, the post office, and the critical radio station. They proclaimed the People’s Redemption Council over the airwaves, encouraging citizens to rise. While some university students supported them, many civilians remained hesitant.

The rebels, many intoxicated and looting, failed to capture President Moi and lacked support from remaining air‑force personnel. Loyalist troops sabotaged fighter jets, and the broadcast station remained out of rebel hands, leading to their downfall. After fierce fighting, the government recaptured the radio station, Moi returned to Nairobi, and the insurrection collapsed, leaving an estimated 600‑1,800 dead and widespread looting and violence.

2 Soviet Coup Attempt Against Mikhail Gorbachev 1991

Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union’s final president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1990, presided over a fragile state plagued by economic weakness, ethnic infighting, and growing independence movements in Lithuania and Ukraine. Boris Yeltsin, head of the Russian Republic, also rose in prominence.

When Gorbachev hinted at a treaty that might dissolve the USSR, hard‑line communists formed the State Emergency Committee and placed him under house arrest on August 18, 1991, during a vacation in Crimea. Their goal was to force his resignation and halt the treaty.

In Moscow, protesters, led by Yeltsin, gathered outside the White House. Yeltsin famously stood atop a tank, defying the conspirators. The coup collapsed without bloodshed; the military refrained from firing on crowds. The conspirators were arrested, two committed suicide, and Gorbachev’s authority was irreparably weakened.

Within months, all Soviet republics declared independence, and the USSR dissolved.

1 Coup Attempt Against President Sukarno Indonesia, 1965

In 1945, Indonesia elected Sukarno as its inaugural president, striving to unite the nation’s diverse religions and ethnicities across countless islands. By 1965, the country was mired in economic disaster: inflation peaked at 650 percent, widespread starvation, severe rice shortages, dwindling export revenues, and crumbling infrastructure. Moreover, 75 percent of the national budget was funneled into the military.

The Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) swelled to 3.5 million members, becoming the world’s third‑largest communist party. Fearing a PKI takeover, a group of military conspirators known as the “September 30th Movement,” led by Lieutenant Colonel Untung of the President’s Guard, kidnapped six senior generals on September 30, 1965. The following morning, five were executed. The rebels seized the presidential palace and national radio station, broadcasting their intentions.

General Suharto, commander of the Army Strategic Reserve, swiftly regained control of Jakarta. The coup, blamed on the PKI, failed, triggering a horrific anti‑communist purge: an estimated 500 000 PKI members and sympathizers were killed, and another million were imprisoned or exiled.

Fast food restaurants have shown time and time again that brilliant marketing and consistent product quality can translate into billions of dollars. Yet, even the biggest names stumble when a “10 failed fast” concept goes off the rails. Below are ten unforgettable missteps—tales of beloved takeaway joints wrestling with disastrous ideas and trying to claw their way back.

10 Burger King Tries to Copy McDonaldland

10 Failed Fast: The Burger King Kingdom Mishap

Everyone knows Ronald McDonald, the red‑haired clown who has been coaxing kids into McDonald’s for decades, handing out toys and (allegedly) contributing to the nation’s cholesterol crisis. McDonaldland, launched in 1971, became a cultural juggernaut, spawning TV spots, play‑areas, and a legion of characters like the Hamburglar and Grimace. Seeing the massive appeal, Burger King decided to launch its own kingdom in 1976, hoping to siphon off the youthful market.

The Burger King Kingdom introduced a regal monarch—the Burger King himself—who supposedly wielded magical powers. He was flanked by a skeptical Duke, a robot wizard who churned out French fries, and Sir Shake‑a‑Lot, a knight armored in Burger King cups. While the concept borrowed heavily from kids’ shows like H.R. Pufnstuf, McDonald’s already held the throne of children’s fast‑food fantasies by the time the Kingdom debuted.

Despite the elaborate costumes and a handful of creepy commercials, the Kingdom never captured the same magic. The brand’s dominance, combined with the fact that the Burger King character was less endearing than Ronald, left the Kingdom floundering. By 1980 the Kingdom folded, retreating to less eerie advertising. The King made a brief comeback in 2003, but his presence is now limited to occasional adult‑targeted spots, leaving the original kid‑centric dream a distant memory.

9 McDonald’s and the 1984 Olympics

In 1984, McDonald’s rolled out a clever‑looking promotion: every time the United States won a medal—gold, silver, or bronze—customers could claim a free Big Mac, fries, or a Coke. The plan hinged on the Soviet Union’s dominance in many Olympic events, leading McDonald’s to assume they’d hand out only a handful of freebies.

However, the geopolitical landscape shifted dramatically. After the U.S. and several other nations boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games over the Afghan invasion, the Soviet bloc retaliated by boycotting the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. With the Eastern Bloc absent, American athletes swept events they’d never even trained for, netting a torrent of medals.

The sudden medal bonanza forced McDonald’s to honor millions of free meals, creating shortages at restaurants across the country. What was meant to be a low‑cost marketing stunt turned into a logistical nightmare, illustrating how external forces can turn a “10 failed fast” scheme into a costly fiasco.

8 McDonald’s Italian Dinner Experiment

In the late 1980s, McDonald’s attempted to broaden its menu with a full‑blown Italian dinner line, featuring lasagna, spaghetti, and the flagship McPizza. To accommodate the new offering, many locations received expensive pizza ovens, a stark departure from the brand’s signature grill‑and‑fry model.

The concept flopped spectacularly. McDonald’s set strict service windows for each item, meaning many dishes were only available after 4 p.m. The longer cooking times erased the “fast” from “fast food,” leading to unacceptably long waits. Combined with operational headaches and a menu that didn’t mesh with the brand’s core identity, the McPizza and its Italian companions vanished by the early ’90s.

7 Burger King Table Service

In an ambitious 1990s push, Burger King tried to shed its “fast‑food” image by introducing a sit‑down, MTV‑style campaign coupled with a full‑service dining experience after a certain hour. The chain draped plastic tables with tablecloths, hired waitstaff, and even offered popcorn as an appetizer.

The move alienated core customers who wanted a quick bite. The upscale atmosphere felt out of place, and the novelty wore off quickly. By 1993 the experiment was scrapped, proving that simply adding “fancy” trimmings doesn’t magically transform a burger joint into a fine‑dining destination.

6 Ray Kroc’s Pineapple‑Burger Fiasco

In the early 1960s, Ray Kroc faced a peculiar problem: many McDonald’s locations saw a dip in Friday sales because Catholic patrons observed fasting rules that prohibited meat. To keep those customers happy, McDonald’s introduced a pineapple‑topped burger, swapping beef for fruit.

The novelty fell flat. Diners weren’t eager to swap a classic patty for fruit, especially when churches promoted traditional fish‑and‑chips meals on Fridays. A Cincinnati franchise owner even suggested a fish‑based alternative, sparking a shift toward the Fish Filet. Within a year the pineapple burger was retired, highlighting how a poorly researched “10 failed fast” idea can quickly become a menu footnote.

5 Styrofoam Split‑Container Sandwich

The McDLT was McDonald’s answer to the classic BLT, designed to keep hot meat separate from cool lettuce and tomato using a two‑compartment Styrofoam container. The company even patented the design, expecting competitors to copy it.

Despite a massive marketing push featuring a singing George Costanza‑type character, the McDLT flopped. Consumers complained about the wasteful Styrofoam, and the concept of a split‑container sandwich felt gimmicky. Within months the product was pulled from the menu, cementing its place among the most memorable “10 failed fast” flops.

4 McDonald’s Attempt at Adult‑Targeted Gourmet

In 1996, McDonald’s launched a $300 million campaign to court older, more affluent diners who shied away from the chain’s child‑centric image. The centerpiece was the Arch Deluxe, a burger with upscale ingredients, accompanied by the macabre mascot “Mac Tonight.”

Market research quickly showed dismal sales. In a desperate bid, McDonald’s rolled out a creepy ad featuring a coupon for a free Arch Deluxe perched over a child’s mouth, and a night‑club‑scene Ronald McDonald dancing. The bizarre messaging failed to win over any demographic, and by 1997 the entire “Deluxe” line vanished from the menu.

3 Buffet‑Style Overreach

Starting in 1988, Wendy’s rolled out three distinct buffet bars—Salad, Italian, and Mexican—across its restaurants, hoping to attract a broader clientele. The concept initially drew crowds eager for variety.

However, the three‑bar setup proved chaotic. Managing multiple food stations increased staff workload and drove up wait times, eroding the brand’s promise of quick service. By 1998 the Superbar was discontinued, underscoring how over‑extension can sabotage even a well‑intentioned “10 failed fast” experiment.

2 Taco Bell’s Taco‑Meat‑In‑ABun

From the 1970s through the 1980s, Taco Bell offered the Bell Beefer, a taco‑meat‑filled hamburger bun that looked odd but initially garnered curiosity. Health officials soon raised concerns about its nutritional value, and the sandwich struggled to stay intact during service.

Combined with complaints about its composition and the growing focus on healthier options, Taco Bell retired the Bell Beefer, marking another classic “10 failed fast” misstep.

1 Controversial Mascot Campaign

In 1997, Taco Bell introduced the Chihuahua—a high‑pitched, “¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!”‑spouting dog—to front a new advertising push. The campaign initially resonated with many viewers, but quickly drew criticism for perpetuating Mexican stereotypes.

Hispanic advocacy groups protested, and revenue began to dip as the backlash grew. By 2000 the campaign was pulled under pressure, and three years later Taco Bell faced a $42 million lawsuit from the character’s creators, further cementing the episode as a notorious “10 failed fast” disaster.

These ten misadventures remind us that even fast‑food titans can misjudge the market, over‑engineer a product, or stumble into cultural insensitivity. The next time a chain rolls out a bold new concept, we’ll be watching closely—hoping they learn from these spectacular flops.

When it comes to big‑screen talent, the phrase “10 actors who” often conjures images of Oscar‑winning performances and box‑office triumphs. Yet a handful of celebrated performers have swapped the mic for the megaphone, only to discover that directing is a whole different beast. While some have seamlessly transitioned, others have left audiences cringing at their misguided attempts. Below, we count down the ten most notable stars whose directorial ventures missed the mark, illustrating that not every great actor makes a great filmmaker.

10 actors who ventured behind the camera and fell short

10 William Shatner

William Shatner is a cultural icon whose dramatic pauses and theatrical flair have entertained generations. Beyond his memorable turn as Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, he also delivered solid performances in shows like T.J. Hooker and Boston Legal. Inspired by his co‑star Leonard Nimoy’s success behind the camera, Shatner took the helm of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Unfortunately, fans quickly labeled the film as one of the series’ low points, citing a plot that wildly jumps the shark and a slew of cringe‑worthy jokes that never land. Adding insult to injury, Shatner penned the screenplay himself, making the film’s shortcomings feel all the more personal.

The movie’s narrative flails from one absurd set piece to another, with manufactured drama that feels forced and a series of laugh‑inducing sight gags that rarely earn a chuckle. Critics and longtime fans alike point to its disjointed tone and over‑reliance on cliché, cementing Shatner’s directorial debut as a cautionary tale for actors who think fame alone can guarantee success behind the lens.

9 Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks may be best known for her comedic chops in hits such as The 40‑Year‑Old Virgin, Pitch Perfect, and the animated marvel The Lego Movie. Even when she appeared in blockbuster franchises like Sam Raimi’s Spider‑Man trilogy or the Hunger Games series, she often played the quirky sidekick rather than the leading lady. Determined to expand her creative horizons, Banks turned to directing, focusing on action‑driven projects.

Her directorial résumé includes Pitch Perfect 2, the Charlie’s Angels reboot, the bizarre Cocaine Bear, and a segment of the notorious Movie 43. While each film varies in ambition, they share a common thread of uneven choreography, clumsy camerawork, and a general lack of polish. Rather than showing growth with each outing, many observers feel that Banks’ style has stagnated—or even regressed—over time, underscoring how challenging it can be to master the director’s craft.

8 Chris Evans

Chris Evans built his reputation on playing self‑absorbed, over‑the‑top characters in comedies like Fantastic Four, Not Another Teen Movie, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Of course, he also earned worldwide fame as the stoic Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and showcased dramatic depth in films such as Snowpiercer. This blend of action and comedy prompted Evans to explore directing.

His sole directorial effort, Before We Go, follows two strangers navigating a single night in New York City. Unfortunately, the film’s modest premise translates into a bland visual style: static shots, uninspired blocking, and editing that feels more functional than artistic. The result is a movie that never truly distinguishes itself, mirroring Evans’ own struggle to step out of the heroic shadow he’s long inhabited.

7 Steven Seagal

Steven Seagal’s career is a study in contradictions. Though he headlined countless action titles, many of those efforts descended into direct‑to‑video releases riddled with laughable dialogue and one‑dimensional characters. Seagal’s on‑screen presence often feels detached, as if he’s merely going through the motions.

His lone directing credit, On Deadly Ground, attempts to tackle environmental activism through an action‑thriller lens. The result is a film plagued by corny lines, a convoluted plot, and lackluster set pieces. Fight sequences are sparse, explosions look amateurish, and the overall enthusiasm feels missing—mirroring the lethargy that has come to define Seagal’s on‑screen persona.

6 Jean‑Claude Van Damme

Jean‑Claude Van Damme earned the nickname “The Muscles from Brussels” by starring in a slew of high‑octane action flicks. While his on‑screen charisma often compensates for thin scripts, his movies are notorious for their cheesy dialogue and over‑the‑top premises.

Van Damme’s directorial forays include The Quest and The Eagle Path. Both showcase impressive landscape cinematography, yet they suffer from choppy camera work and a relentless drive to emulate the brutal violence of his own acting roles. Without a solid narrative backbone, the films feel uneven and fail to leave a lasting impression.

5 Sally Field

Sally Field stands among Hollywood’s most revered performers, with classics like Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump, Steel Magnolias, and Mrs. Doubtfire cementing her legacy. Her ability to toggle between comedy and drama has earned her numerous accolades.

Transitioning to the director’s chair, Field tackled the theatrical project Beautiful after a handful of television directing gigs. Unfortunately, the film collapses under an uneven tone and a bewildering storyline. Its visual style offers nothing distinctive, and the overall execution feels indistinguishable from a low‑budget melodrama, a stark contrast to the high‑caliber work she’s known for.

4 Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker’s acting résumé reads like a masterclass in character work, with standout performances in Platoon, The Last King of Scotland, and The Crying Game. Though occasionally dabbling in less‑than‑stellar projects, his overall reputation remains strong.

Whitaker’s attempts at directing, however, have been less impressive. Films such as Strapped, Waiting to Exhale, Hope Floats, and First Daughter range from generic to outright embarrassing. The director seems intent on delivering earnest arthouse fare, yet the resulting melodrama feels heavy‑handed and suffocating, failing to achieve the emotional resonance he likely envisioned.

3 Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage’s career is a rollercoaster of daring choices and eccentric performances, often pushing the boundaries of conventional acting. His willingness to experiment has produced both cult favorites and critically panned missteps.

When Cage stepped behind the camera for Sonny, the result was a film that aimed for gritty realism but became mired in indecision. The story wrestles with heavy themes yet never commits to a clear tone, resulting in a melodramatic slog that feels both overly cautious and absurdly bold. The film’s uneven execution underscores the challenges even the most adventurous actors face when directing.

2 Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy rose to fame through his electrifying stand‑up routines and iconic roles in Beverly Hills Cop and the voice‑over hit Shrek. Though primarily known for comedy, he occasionally ventured into dramatic territory, with mixed results.

His directorial effort, Harlem Nights, pairs him with comedy legend Richard Pryor in a period piece that tries to juggle laughs and crime drama. The film’s tonal wobble—shifting between slapstick and gritty narrative—creates a disjointed experience, reflecting Murphy’s own difficulty in balancing divergent storytelling styles.

1 Tommy Wiseau

Tommy Wiseau burst onto the scene with The Room, a film that has become synonymous with cinematic failure. His performance alone—stiff, wooden, and riddled with awkward dubbing—sets the tone for an unforgettable train wreck.

Beyond acting, Wiseau took on producing, writing, and directing duties, resulting in a film that feels painfully amateurish. Poor staging, awkward framing, and obvious green‑screen work combine to create a viewing experience that is simultaneously baffling and oddly addictive, cementing Wiseau’s place as the ultimate example of a star who dramatically missed the mark behind the camera.