Most Haunted Cities in America

With the approach of Halloween, it's natural for thoughts to occasionally dwell on ghosts, goblins, and things that go bump in the night.  This week I'm blogging about America's most haunted cities.

There are several lists of the most haunted cities in the United States, most of them basically naming the same cities in varying order.  Here's one list of 10 cities that recently came to my attention. There are certainly several cities other than these ten, perhaps the city where you live, that are considered very haunted.

10)  Portland, Oregon:  Portland has a reputation for being the most haunted city in the Pacific Northwest. It's a city of many haunts, both seasonal tourist attractions and historical happenings where the participants refuse to leave. One of the most famous…or more accurately, most infamous…historical haunts in Portland are the Shanghai Tunnels. We've all heard the expression of someone being Shanghaied, meaning to be abducted. This is where it originated.  In the Victorian era (around the 1870s), ship captains would put into Portland on the Columbia River looking for fresh crew members. Local middlemen drugged pub goers, dropped the bodies through trapdoors into the tunnels below where they were held captive until they could be carted off to the waterfront and sold to the captain for $50/each. These ships were quite often headed for China and the port of Shanghai, thus the term being Shanghaied. Many of these drugged unfortunates died while being held in the tunnels. Today, the Shanghai Tunnels have several ghosts, some menacing and others apparently confused.

9)  San Francisco, California:  A city of many haunted locations and happenings.  One of the most interesting is Alcatraz. The island has a long history, first as a military prison during the Civil War. It was used off and on by many different groups to house various prisoners from that time until 1933 when it was officially turned over to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and used as a maximum security prison for the likes of Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. On March 23, 1963, Alcatraz closed its prison doors for good. Over the one hundred plus years that the island housed prisoners of all types, many died in cruel and terrible ways. Those spirits still inhabit Alcatraz. Even today as part of the National Park Service system, tourists taking one of the park ranger guided tours report seeing and hearing strange things that can't be explained. I've done the National Park Service tour of Alcatraz and found it very interesting but didn't see or hear anything unusual or strange. But, I can honestly say, I wouldn’t want to be locked up there overnight.

8)  Chicago, Illinois:  Chicago was the center of gangland activity during the Prohibition years, including the famous St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Many gangsters of the era used Chicago as a body dumping ground. There were also six thousand Confederate soldiers and sailors buried during the Civil War at Oak Woods Cemetery which has ongoing paranormal activity. Only twenty miles from Chicago is Justice, Illinois, which is famous for the ghost of Resurrection Mary, named for Resurrection Cemetery.  She was killed by a hit and run driver on the street in front of the cemetery and now is often seen hitch hiking along that street.

7)  Charleston, South Carolina:  The downtown area known as The Battery was an artillery installation during the Civil War. The area is known for its ghost stories. The Battery Carriage House Inn is the city's famous haunted hotel where visitors often see strange happenings. The inn's two most famous ghosts are the gentleman ghost and the headless torso. The gentleman ghost is thought to be a young man whose family owned the house in the early 1900s and, for reasons unknown, jumped off the roof and killed himself. The headless torso is believed to be military from the Civil War. There is no evidence that he intends any harm, but guests have been scared and often felt threatened when he has suddenly materialized in their room.

6)  St. Augustine, Florida:  The nation's oldest city and the first permanently occupied European settlement on our shores, dating back to its founding in 1565. Castillo de San Marcos is a star-shaped fort and is considered to be one of the most haunted places in a city filled with unexplained phenomenon. The construction of The Old Fort began in 1672 and took twenty-three years to build. Many strange sightings, including a Spanish soldier, have been reported. It is not uncommon for individuals to capture on film strange lights, orbs, rods, spheres, and even distinct apparitions composed of strange mists.

5)  San Antonio, Texas:  The home of the Alamo is regarded as the most haunted city in Texas.  Prior to the Battle of the Alamo, the ground was a cemetery between 1724 and 1793. It's estimated that about one thousand people were buried during those years. On the morning of March 6, 1836, following the thirteen day Battle of the Alamo, one thousand six hundred Mexican soldiers lay dead along with the approximately one hundred forty-five defenders of the old mission. The remaining buildings at the Alamo as well as the surrounding area is one of the most haunted places in the nation. Tales of ghostly sightings have been reported for almost two centuries.

4)  New Orleans, Louisiana:  With a history of voodoo and slavery in its past, it's no wonder that New Orleans is considered a very haunted city. Its most famous ghost is voodoo priestess Marie Laveau who was buried at St. Louis Cemetery #1, considered one of the most haunted cemeteries in the country. New Orleans is well below sea level, so the dead are buried in above ground tombs or vaults resembling small architectural buildings. Located on the edge of the haunted French Quarter, this oldest still-in-service cemetery has been the setting for many haunted New Orleans movies such as Easy Rider, Interview With The Vampire, and Johnny Handsome. But its biggest draw is the tomb of Marie Laveau.

3)  Salem, Massachusetts:  This site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials in the late 1600s certainly makes the list of haunted cities. Gallows Hill is believed to be haunted by the spirits of the nineteen women accused of being witches who were hanged there. Most of the original witch trial activity actually occurred in Salem Village (now part of the city of Danvers, Massachusetts) located about 5 miles north of Salem. It also shouldn't be surprising that Salem has one of the largest Halloween celebrations in the country for people of all ages.

2)  Gettysburg, Pennsylvania:  The Civil War battle at Gettysburg resulted in 51,000 casualties. It is believed that nearly all forty miles of the Gettysburg battlefields have paranormal activity. Many of the ghosts show up in photos, including the ghost of Robert E. Lee. In July 1863, Gettysburg's living population was out numbered twenty to one by the dead.

1)  Savannah, Georgia:  Savannah was named America's Most Haunted City in 2002 by the American Institute of Parapsychology. The city was home to a Revolutionary War battleground as well as Civil War actions. Savannah offers several different haunted tours and is also famous as the location of the bestselling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that all of these cities offer ghost tours. Have any of you ever had any firsthand experience with hauntings?

America's Haunted Hotels

Are you looking for that Halloween thrill that's real rather than manufactured?  A true haunted hotel for a night away from home?  The U.S. has many haunted hotels and inns from which to choose.  Here's a sampling (in no particular order) of 21 spooky destinations to spend the night.  Or longer…if you're brave enough.  Just make sure your stay doesn't become permanent.

The Myrtles Plantation—St. Francisville, Louisiana

Built in approximately 1796, this former home is considered one of the most haunted hotels in the U.S. with one murder and several natural deaths. The Plantation now has 11 guest rooms.

Hotel del Coronado—Coronado (San Diego), California

Opened in 1888 and a National Historic Landmark since 1977, the Hotel del Coronado is said to be haunted by the ghost of Kate Morgan, who committed suicide there after being jilted by the man she thought was going to be her husband.  This is one of my favorite hotels and has also been used as a location for many movies and television shows, probably the most well-known being SOME LIKE IT HOT starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Marilyn Monroe.

Marrero's Guest Mansion—Key West, Florida

Built in 1889 by Francisco Marrero for his bride, the 13 guest room Victorian home is rumored to still be haunted by her ghost.

Stanley Hotel—Estes Park, Colorado

First opened in 1909, this hotel is most famous these days as the inspiration for Stephen King's horror novel, THE SHINING.

Queen Anne Hotel—San Francisco, California

This B&B in San Francisco's Pacific Heights area is said to be haunted by the spirit of Mary Lake who was the Head Mistress of the school that used to be located inside the building. 

Manresa Castle—Port Townsend, Washington

The former 30 room private residence is haunted by 2 ghosts, including a former guest who was stood up by her lover and subsequently jumped to her death from the hotel.

Driskill Hotel—Austin, Texas

Originally built in 1886 for cattle baron Jesse Driskill, the Austin landmark hosts travelers today in addition to the spirit of Jesse Driskill.

The Lemp Mansion—St. Louis, Missouri

This hotel offers paranormal tours complete with appetizers and a drink.  Several members of the Lemp family died under various circumstances including more than one suicide.

Hawthorne Hotel—Salem, Massachusetts

The location of the infamous Salem Witch Trials would certainly lend itself to hauntings and Halloween visitors.  Guests of this hotel have reported hearing eerie sounds in the stairwells and feeling ill at ease while staying there.

Green Mountain Inn—Stowe, Vermont

Boots Berry died in a fall from the roof.  His ghost has been seen standing in room 1840, where he was born.

Buxton Inn—Granville, Ohio

The ghost of Orrin Granger, who built the Buxton Inn, has been seen wandering the halls.  The ghost of Bonnie Bounell, a former innkeeper, is said to hang out in room 9. 

1866 Crescent Hotel & Spa—Eureka Springs, Arkansas

The deceased who are still residing at the hotel include a stonemason, a cancer patient, a cat, and a man in a white suit.  A new ghost, a dancer, was recently spotted at the hotel.

Beverly Hills Inn—Atlanta, Georgia

This property is said to be haunted by the souls of 3 women.  An investigation in 2007 recorded voices whispering "Get out."

Hotel Queen Mary—Long Beach, California

With its history as both a luxury cruise ship and a troop transport ship during World War II, the Queen Mary is reportedly haunted by many spirits.  One of them is a young girl who broke her neck sliding down one of the ship's banisters.  She can be seen today hanging out by the swimming pool.

Gettysburg Hotel—Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Ghosts dance in the ballroom and the ghost of a Union soldier strolls through the halls.  The nearby Gettysburg Civil War battle field is considered by many to be the most haunted place in the U.S.  When the battle ended on July 3, 1863, there had been a total of 51,000 casualties on both the Confederate and Union side.

Congress Plaza Hotel—Chicago, Illinois

Built in 1893 for visitors to the Chicago World's Fair, the hotel is reputedly one of Al Capone's hideouts.  Members of a rival gang did a drive by shooting attempt on his life while he was staying there.  The hotel is said to be haunted by a young boy, possibly an innocent victim of that shooting.

The Battery Carriage House Inn—Charleston, South Carolina

Many guests have reported seeing the torso of a decapitated confederate soldier floating through the Inn.

1859 Historic National Hotel—Jamestown, California

Located in the Sierra foothills in the heart of the California gold rush country, the hotel is said to be haunted by a woman whose fiancé was shot by a drunk on the hotel premises.  She is said to have died of a broken heart while wearing her wedding dress and has been giving hotel guests an uncomfortable feeling ever since.

Burn Brae Mansion—Glen Spy, New York

The former home of the third president of the Singer Sewing Machine company offers ghost tours.

Prospect Hill Bed & Breakfast Inn—Mountain City, Tennessee

The haunting spirit at this Inn apparently has a sweet tooth.  The smell of baking cookies wafts through the Inn in the wee hours of the morning.

The Colonial Inn—Concord, Massachusetts

This 24 room Inn was established in 1716.  Room 24, located in the oldest part of the Inn, was reportedly used as an emergency hospital during the Revolutionary War and that is where guests have reported odd happenings.

There are, of course, many more hotels and inns in the United States reported to be haunted.  This is just a sampling.  Do you have any haunted hotels in your city?  I have been to seven of the hotels on this list and of those the Hotel del Coronado is definitely my favorite.  Actually, it's one of my favorite hotels in any season. 

7 Signs Your House Could Be Haunted

It's October, the time of spooky things that go bump in the night, leading up to Halloween on October 31^st. It's also part of a series of blogs that honor the season of spooks and spirits.

I recently came across an article sharing these signs that suggest your home may have visitors from beyond the grave. It first caught my attention because I have a friend who is involved in ghost hunter type investigations. The location in question does not need to be an old abandoned haunted looking location. It could be a currently occupied, new, upscale residence or building that was constructed at a suspected site.

1)  Mysterious sights and sounds

Clearly we have a fascination with haunted places in this country as evidenced by the numerous  television offerings exploring this topic. There are professional ghost hunters who believe most of the signs indicating a haunting aren't so scary. It's suggested that the entities are simply trying to send a message, that they aren't evil—only misunderstood. It's believed that a lot of the classic signs that people run into are mysterious noises that seem to come from places they can't locate, a lot of bumping and scratching on walls, seeing full-bodied apparitions, and things moving from place to place when no one has touched them. Of course, anyone who has seen a horror movie or a ghost show probably knows this already. What you might not know, however, is that what you call a haunting may not be the real thing. There are experts in the field who have been called to houses where the causes of these phenomena have actually been carbon monoxide poisoning which caused people to hallucinate. Mold, too, can cause the same reaction. For houses with legitimate ghosts, there are more telling signs that your house is haunted.

2)  Ectoplasm

Fact: Ectoplasm is a substance that still mystifies even the most seasoned paranormal experts. Historically, it has been reported to show up during seances through a spiritual medium. One paranormal investigator experienced the phenomenon in real haunted houses. The family living in the house reported that things moved on their own. While he was at the house he actually had a strange, viscous fluid show up and drip down his arm from out of nowhere. The family living there claimed that happened all the time. It was a very strange kind of off-white, almost like a raw egg kind of fluid. Ectoplasm is not often seen or experienced at your run-of-the-mill haunted house, but paranormal experts see it as a sign of certainty that there is a paranormal presence at work.

3)  Feeling watched

Though the sensation of being watched isn't a proven factor, people who live in genuine haunted houses do report it a lot. Many believe in a kind of sixth sense. Basically, you might be in a house with a really bad vibe—cold chills move throughout the room along with the feeling of being watched. Sometimes whispers, or waking in the middle of the night because of the feeling that somebody's standing there. Whether there is a normal explanation for this sensation or a paranormal one is hard to know for sure, but it's definitely a contributing factor for nearly any house that is afflicted by spirits.

4)  Inexplicable movement

Objects don't move on their own—unless you live in an old drafty house where strong winds make doors open and close. Otherwise, there has to be some kind of force applied to get it to move. That's why when you see things flying around inside your house without visible cause, you can be pretty sure that there is something—or someone—other than you in your house. Soaring objects are another staple of horror movies, but inexplicable movement can be even more sinister than that.

5)  Personality change

When we think about possession, our minds immediately go to demons…demons…demons. More often than not, demonic possession and even a demonic presence is not behind whatever it is you're experiencing. A normal ghost can possess you, too. The tip-off is if someone you know is acting extremely strange all of a sudden. If you start to notice someone has taken on a pretty distinct personality change, that can be a sign of possession.

6)  Previous homeowners

If you suspect you might have a haunted house on your hands, you should probably dig into the history of your property. If you're experiencing things you can't explain, doing research might help clear it up. Hopefully, once you know what happened or what you're dealing with, you can ease the haunting. However, some places can't be cleared of their histories.

7)  Physical and emotional disorientation

A haunting can have a terrible effect on your mood and even your physical condition. It can leave you feeling angry or weak.

The three types of hauntings

Many experts sort hauntings into three categories: intelligent, residual, and intentional. There's the classic haunting which is an intelligent haunting. The spirit seems to interact very intelligently with people. And then the other common one people run into a lot is a residual haunting. With that, it just kind of plays over and over and over. It doesn't ever really acknowledge that people live in the house. It just is. It just happens. Sometimes it's because a traumatizing event happened on a particular date. There's no intelligence there, so there's really nothing you can do about it. Lastly, an intentional haunting is actually more about living, breathing humans than spirits. It really comes from people who have put so much energy and intention into the belief that their house or object is haunted that they've ended up actually manifesting a haunting. Think of kids who follow urban legends and routinely go visit the place of the supposed haunting. They feed the story so much that they actually open the place up to paranormal activity.

What to do if your house is haunted

Experts say that the best way to deal with a haunting is to make a firm statement. Talk to the presence in your home and let it know what your intentions are. Most people who discover that their house is haunted can live peacefully with whatever spirits are there. If it's something that really, genuinely bothers you, say something as simple as 'You need to leave.' Finally, if you try to use sage, just be cautious and use it the right way. It's so cleansing it almost creates a vacuum. It's like dusting your whole house then leaving your doors and windows open in a sandstorm.

So next time you think something in your space is off, keep in mind these telltale signs that your house may be haunted. 

Jack The Ripper—His True Identity?

After all these years of speculation about his true identity, it seems that Jack The Ripper finally has a name.

Next month marks 137 years since the world's most famous—perhaps infamous is a more appropriate word—serial killer murdered and mutilated his fifth and final victim. Mary Kelly was only 25 years old when her body was discovered on November 9, 1888, in London's East End Whitechapel neighborhood.

For over a century theories about his identity ran rampant, including such candidates as a member of the royal family, a prominent surgeon, a famous artist, an American doctor, and a Polish immigrant living in the neighborhood. One case was even made for Jack The Ripper being a woman. I had always thought the Polish immigrant was Jack The Ripper. However, after seeing a documentary about the search for Jack The Ripper's true identity, I started leaning toward the American doctor as the culprit. Francis Tumblety was an Irish-born American medical quack who earned a small fortune posing as an East Indian herb doctor throughout the United States and Canada. He was in England at the time of the murders and when he returned to the U.S., the London murders stopped and a similar series of murders started in the U.S.

I find it interesting that most images of Jack The Ripper, whether drawings from that time or modern depictions, show him dressed in formal gentleman's attire including a cape and top hat. A man dressed like that on the streets of Whitechapel at night in 1888 would definitely have stood out to anyone living in the area as someone who didn't belong there.

Thanks to modern forensic science, a DNA match shows that Jack The Ripper is Aaron Kozminski, a Polish Jew who fled to London in the 1880s. He died from gangrene at the age of 53 while incarcerated in Leavesden Asylum. Kozminski was one of the names on the list of strong suspects from the time of the murders, but the police never had enough evidence to arrest him.

Russell Edwards, author of Naming Jack The Ripper (published in 2014), bought a shawl in 2007 at an auction. Even though the shawl came without provenance, he was told that it belonged to Catherine Eddowes, the Ripper's fourth victim, and had been found near her body. After the auction, he obtained a letter from the previous owner claiming his ancestor had been a police officer who was present at the murder scene and had taken the shawl.

Edwards handed the shawl over to Dr. Jari Louhelainen, a world-renowned expert in analyzing genetic evidence from historical crime scenes. He tracked down a descendant of Catherine Eddowes and a British descendant of Kozminski's sister, both of whom agreed to provide DNA. With a DNA match from the samples, the doctor stated that Aaron Kozminski was Jack The Ripper.

The evidence has not yet been independently verified, and there is the possibility that it will never be officially 100% confirmed. We may never know for sure the true identity of Jack The Ripper.

9 UNUSUAL USES FOR VODKA

I came across these interesting little tidbits of household helpful hints and thought I'd share them with you.  Most people agree that vodka doesn't have a smell or taste.  However, to me it smells and tastes like rubbing alcohol.  Therefore, I find these uses for vodka far more viable than drinking it.  :)

Remove a Band-Aid

If you've got a Band-Aid you want to remove without the pain of ripping it off, dab some vodka over the adhesive part so that it comes off with more ease. This method also works with stickers.

Treat Poison Ivy

If you think your skin has come into contact with poison ivy, pour vodka over the affected area immediately. Some say the stronger the alcohol, the better. Rubbing alcohol can also be used.

Freshen Laundry

Spritz some vodka on your clothes to freshen them up. Vodka kills odor-causing bacteria and dries with no smell. Be sure to keep the clothing in a well-ventilated area.

Ease a Toothache

Got a toothache? You should go to the dentist, but until then swish some vodka in your mouth. It will help disinfect the affected area and also numb the pain a little.

Insect Repellent

Pour some vodka into a spray bottle to repel pesky insects. Spray near you or on you, but avoid the eyes!

Keep Flowers Fresh

Mix vodka with a spoonful of sugar or baking soda with water to keep your flowers fresher in the vase for longer.

Tame Frizzy Hair

Mix some vodka into your hair conditioner to tame any frizzy hair and make it shinier. It also might help reduce flakes.

Window Washing

Instead of buying that blue stuff, use vodka to clean your windows. Just mix some cheap, high-proof vodka with water and spray away.

Treat Jellyfish Sting

Stung by a jellyfish? Pour some vodka on it ASAP to disinfect it and calm some of the sting.

9 Weird Allergies

Allergies are caused by the body's defense system overreacting to some substance it comes in contact with. We're all familiar with the allergies to everyday things such as mold, pollen, specific foods, and animal dander. There are 40 to 50 million Americans allergic to these common bad guys. But you'd be surprised at the uncommon allergies people can develop.

Here's a list of 9 (in no particular order) weird and unusual allergies.

1)  Water Allergy

Water is absolutely mandatory for our survival, but there are those rare people who get the hives from water. The hives and itching usually go away in 15 to 30 minutes and antihistamines will relieve the symptoms.

2)  Exercise Allergy

This type of allergy has only been officially reported in medical journals about 1000 times since the 1970s. Of course, unofficially is a different story…at one time or another I imagine most of us have professed being allergic to exercising. :)  In mild cases the result is hives. But in more severe cases it can lead to anaphylaxis, a dangerous condition where the blood pressure drops suddenly and there is difficulty breathing. This is the same type of reaction as severe food allergies and is treated as a medical emergency, usually with injections of epinephrine.

3)  Sun Allergy

Solar exposure can result in hives with the itching and stinging symptoms relieved with antihistamines, but not prevented. Sun allergy is very rare. The hives appear within 30 minutes of exposure to the sun and will clear up within minutes of getting out of the sun. Needless to say, avoiding the sun can prevent this reaction.

4)  Electricity Allergy

Those who claim to suffer from electro sensitivity say they are sensitive to electric fields generated by products such as cell phones, microwaves, computers, and power lines. The symptoms include headache, ringing in the ears and fatigue among other complaints. The experts say this is one type of allergy that you don't have to worry about because it doesn't exist. There have been several studies done and almost all of them have come up empty.

5)  Shoes Allergy

A poison ivy-type rash on your feet after you've worn leather shoes could be allergic reaction to the chemicals used in the leather tanning process. This type of allergy is known as contact dermatitis and can be diagnosed with a patch test. Contact dermatitis is somewhat of a catchall term for a common skin condition resulting from contact with many possible irritants. The solution to shoe allergy? Wear socks or shoes made from something other than leather.

6)  Allergy to Money

Another type of contact dermatitis can be an allergic rash on your hands after handling coins. The culprit would most likely be the nickel metal in coins, also an alloy found in the manufacture of jewelry, zippers, and eyeglass frames among other things. The best treatment is to avoid the substance. Good luck with that one.  :)

7)  Allergy to Touch

This is known as dermographism and is another form of hives. The literal translation is skin writing and was named because with this type of allergy a person can write his name on his skin using nothing more than the pressure from a fingernail. That pressure on the skin causes an itchy hive reaction. This reaction can also be the result of tight clothing or even toweling off after a hot shower. The resultant itching can be controlled with antihistamines.

8)  Cold Temperature Allergy

This allergy is very rare, but potentially dangerous. It can be life-threatening if a person with this allergy is suddenly exposed to extreme cold, such as diving into very cold water. This can cause a massive release of histamine, which can severely drop the blood pressure. Handling this kind of allergy is to focus on prevention such as avoiding exposure of large areas of skin to the cold.

9)  Allergy To Pollinated Fruit

Millions of Americans have allergies to pollen and some of them could also experience a type of allergy known as oral allergy syndrome. This happens when someone allergic to pollen eats a fruit that contains the same protein as the pollen. This is a cross reactivity and can happen between such things as ragweed and bananas, grasses and tomato, and birch trees with apples, plums, or peaches. The symptoms are itchy mouth and throat and sometimes swelling of the lips and will go away if you swallow or spit out the fruit with treatment usually being unnecessary.

19 Things That Kill More People Than Sharks

And by things that kill, I'm not referring to crime, war, disease, or natural causes. Some are bizarre and others more common place. A recent survey provided a list of cause-of-death statistics that I found interesting and thought I would share with you. I actually found two lists, one a list of 10 Incredibly Bizarre Death Statistics and the other a list of 20 (all the 10 items from the first list plus 10 more, not necessarily in the same order).

Sharks reportedly kill an average of 5 people annually in unprovoked attacks. 2020 was an unusually deadly year with sharks killing 10 people around the world in unprovoked attacks. This number does not include provoked attacks and shark bites that were not fatal. But that's a small number compared to other bizarre causes of death.

Roller Coasters are responsible for 6 accidental deaths annually. Overall, the risk factor for injury while riding a roller coaster is very low. In the U.S., people take about 900 million rides a year.

Vending Machines kill 13 people a year. What? A crazed vending machine out on a killing spree? Nope, the deaths are a result of the vending machine toppling over and crushing the unfortunate person who happened to be in the way.

High School Football is responsible for 20 tragic deaths annually.

Ants kill 30 people annually. There are over 280 different species of ants that can kill with the fire ant and siafu ant, both found in Africa, among the most deadly. Ants live in colonies that can reach 20 million ants in a single colony. Once an attack begins, ants can easily overpower their prey.

Dogs kill 30 people annually in the U.S. There are approximately 4.7 million dog bite victims in the U.S. alone with 1000 of those treated in emergency rooms. Most of those victims are children who were bitten in the face.

Jelly Fish are responsible for 40 deaths annually. Most jelly fish are not deadly, but some can cause anaphylaxis which can be fatal.

Tornadoes kill an average of 60 people annually, with some years having more tornado outbreaks than other years as attested to by the outbreaks of extreme weather the last few years.

Hot Dogs are responsible for 70 deaths annually, primarily from choking.

Icicles kill 100 people a year in Russia. This happens when sharp icicles fall from snowy rooftops and land on unsuspecting victims on the sidewalks below.

Deer are responsible for 130 annual deaths (I, personally, was attacked by a deer as a child but the injuries were very minor).

Bathtubs account for 340 annual deaths, primarily from people slipping and falling. They die either from a fatal blow to the head or knocking themselves out and drowning.

Falling Out of Bed results in a surprising 450 deaths a year. According to the Center for Disease Control, falling out of bed produces 1.8 million emergency room visits and over 400,000 hospital admissions each year. The very young and very old are most at risk with people over 65 faring the worst.

Shopping On Black Friday gives us 550 annual deaths. A U.S. phenomenon, that mad scramble for bargains the day after Thanksgiving which has traditionally been the busiest shopping day on the year. The name Black Friday referring to a financially good economic situation, the day that retail businesses operate 100% in the black for the rest of the year (all income being profit, rather than the loss after deducting expenses related to being in the red). However, with online shopping becoming more and more popular, especially during the pandemic years, this figure is decreasing.

Autoerotic Asphyxiation kills 600 people annually. This is the act of strangling or suffocating (most often by hanging) yourself to heighten sexual arousal. Depriving the brain of oxygen gives a person a dizzy, high feeling, however it's all too easy to make a mistake and accidently kill yourself while practicing this dangerous sex act.

Volcanoes kill 845 people annually.

Airplanes are responsible for an average 1,200 annual deaths.

Hippos come in on the survey with 2,900 deaths annually. Many experts believe that the Hippopotamus is the most dangerous animal in all of Africa. They weigh up to 8,000 pounds and can gallop at 18 miles per hour. They have been known to upset boats for no reason and bite passengers with their huge, sharp teeth. They are aggressive, unpredictable and have no fear of humans.

Texting while driving is responsible for 6,000 deaths each year. A survey by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute reports that a driver's risk of collision is 23 times greater when they are texting while driving.

Lightning, the final cause of death on our list, kills 10,000 people annually.