Making Hollywood Seem Quaint: Real Men and Women Whose Lives Outdid Anything on the Silver Screen, 1st Edition

This will be a series of posts, where I will highlight a real person whose life was so interesting or crazy that Hollywood would fail to create anything as fantastical. Basically, I'll be writing short bios for people whose life-stories I have judged require a greater audience.

The inimitable Frederick Russell Burnham had a life so extraordinarily badass that I struggle to believe it. It really reads like wild pulp magazine, one where the reader would be expected to regard the events as exciting, yet implausible. But Burnham's life was exceptionally plausible, and exciting it damn sure was. Audiences in the early 20th century would most likely have been familiar with him; he was good friends with President Theodore Roosevelt, and his international exploits were widely reported. But, somehow, his legacy has not been sustained in the public memory, which is a damn shame because his life is more interesting than 99.9% of Hollywood scripts (I'm lookin' at you, Lone Ranger).

Frederick Russell Burnham was born on a Sioux Indian Reservation in Minnesota in 1861 to frontier missionary parents. Keep in mind that the Minnesota that Burnham was born to was a wild place, a far cry from the placid, bucolic scenery that defines it today. Less than a year after he was born, a band of Sioux Indians, infuriated at repeated treaty violations by American Indian Agents, went on a rampage in the Dakota and Minnesota territories, killing up to 500 white settlers. Burnham's own family barely avoided annihilation, with Burnham being saved when his mother hid him alone in a basket of corn husks in a corn field during an attack by the Sioux. After the Sioux had been repelled, Burnham's mother found their house burned to the ground, but the infant Burnham was fast asleep in the basket. It was in the fires of this wild frontier that Burnham was brought up. Living in close proximity to the Sioux, he learned their customs and ways in a manner few European Americans ever dared to in his era. He was uniquely disposed to be more connected to the land and perceptive to the natural world, which would serve him in his adult life.

Settlers in Minnesota seeking refuge from Sioux attacks in 1862

By the age of 14, Burnham was supporting himself in the American West, working a variety of odd jobs. The Wild West truly lived up to its moniker in this era, and Burnham found himself in a host of conflicts and nearly lost his life and multiple incidents, most notably the Pleasant Valley War. This local conflict in Arizona was emblematic of a variety of range wars fought throughout the American West during this era, where conflicts between competing ranchers and prospectors often erupting into clan like conflicts. Burnham had the misfortune of being caught up in this violent affair due to loyalty to his employer, a sheep herder in the Pleasant Valley area of Arizona. Burnham himself narrowly avoided death, while most of the principal actors in this conflict were eventually killed in an example of ruthless tit-for-tat frontier violence. This period of itinerant work on the frontier hardened Burnham, and although he was slightly built at 5'4", his tracker skills and rugged looks made him a dashing character (basically, a 19th century Tom Cruise, but with grey-blue eyes). 

A young Burnham circa his involvement in the Pleasant Valley War

After a period of working as a tracker for the U.S. Army in its conflicts with the Apache, Burnham was beginning to feel restless. The West was becoming smaller, railroads had allowed massive and rapid transportation to even the most far flung locations, and with the railroads came civilization, a prospect that did not sit well with the man who was raised on a Sioux reservation. In other words, the West was becoming too tame. Burnham then set his eyes on the a place that Western civilization was just beginning to make inroads: Africa.

In the late 1800's, all of the major European powers were scrambling to snatch up any scrap of Africa they set their imperial aspirations upon. By the end of the century, Ethiopia stood alone as the only part of Africa not under European control. It was during this great enterprise that Burnham arrived in Africa in 1893 with his young family, which by then consisted of his wife Blanche and their eventual three children. Settling in the British controlled Southern Africa, Burnham offered his superlative tracking skills to the imperial powers that be, and they were eager to use them. It was during the Anglo conquest of Matabeleland (in modern day Zimbabwe) that Burnham began to cement his legacy. Burnham's scouting exploits were legendary, and in one of the most famous incidents of the war Burnham used his tracking skills to track down the main chief of the Matabele tribe, an eminent belligerent in the war, and assassinated him, skillfully avoiding capture by the chief's many guards in the process. Burnham's considerable skill were put to the ultimate test in the war in Matabeleland, which was far from a foregone conclusion, with the Anglo settlers being far outnumbered and often cutoff from resupply and reinforcement.

Burnham on patrol in Matebeleland

By the end of the conflict in Matabeleland, Burnham's reputation as a unparalleled scout and tracker became well known. He traveled the world, seeking gainful employment wherever his skills were needed, be it conquering the frozen expanses of the Northern Canada during the Klondike Gold Rush, providing sniper security during a dangerous presidential meeting between President Taft and Mexican President Porfirio Diaz in El Paso, or helping to quell the Afrikaaner threat towards the British during the Boer War in South Africa. This last assignment earned him special military recognition from King Edward VII, a rare honor for a non-British national. His scouting skills helped him meet and gain the respect of Theodore Roosevelt, a venerable outdoors-man in his own right. His friendship with the former president helped him gain an assignment training a special cavalry corps for the U.S. Army during World War I, a war that he actively supported joining long before the U.S. declaration of war.

Perhaps Frederick Russell Burnham's most enduring legacy is the impact he had on the early Boy Scouts Movement. His time scouting in Matabeleland brought him in contact with Robert Baden-Powell, a British scout employed by the British Army. In their hunt for the Matabele chief, Burnham taught Baden-Powell his woodcraft skills. He left such an impression on Baden-Powell that the British soldier was inspired to organize the nascent Boy Scout Movement, the progenitor of modern scouting movements around the world, including the Boy Scouts of America. Burnham would remain intimately involved with the early days of the Scouting Movement.

Robert Baden-Powell, father of the Scout Movement

Burnham eventually found great wealth by striking gold on private land he owned in Northern California, and he died comfortably at the age of 86, spending his last years devoted to causes of conservation and scouting. Everyone who met him said that he was conspicuously moderate, seldom speaking of his many adventures. But if there ever was man who had the right to brag from time to time in his old age, his eyes brimming with the memories of adventures done and victories won, it was Frederick Russell Burnham

What did People Read in the Doctor's Offices of Yore?

Recently, in my inexorable boredom I have been discovering the joys of Google Books. Somehow, Google has managed the rights to thousands of books and periodicals that can be viewed on their website for free. it comprises of mostly out of print books or very old periodicals, but regardless it is an amazing source for someone with enough free time to sift through the voluminous material.

I think the best way to learn about an era is to read periodicals from the period. Even more so than books or movies, periodicals can give a bigger sense about what people in a given time were reading, what they were eating and drinking, what they were shopping for, what subjects were taboo or not, and what they thought was most worthy to be discussed in a public forum. In my free time I have perused some old Time and Texas Monthly articles, and I collected specific examples that I think illustrate how these old periodicals can give us an excellent window into our past.

Here is a picture from an article in Texas Monthly about sororities at the University of Texas at Austin from 1976. The article explains in great detail the benefits and drawbacks for a girl (usually from a background of privilege) entering the UT Greek system, written by a UT alum who enrolled in the early 1960's and pledged. As an alum from this same Greek system, it was an illuminating read. What struck me the most was how little had changed in almost 5 decades. I was honestly expecting much more to be different, but so much of the article described almost to a T many of the same experiences I went through.

Here's and ad from the same 1976 Texas Monthly issue. Nothing extraordinary, however I just really wish these boots were still in production. I would buy a pair in a heart beat.

This picture is from an issue of Time from the 1940's, as will the rest of the images. I thought this one was interesting because it was an example of the sexualized marketing I discovered throughout issues of Time from this era. The old canard about how oversexualized our own modern culture has become really doesn't have much grounding when you see voluptuous young models in skimpy clothing selling fucking insect repellant during the 'Greatest Generation'  (something I gather would be seen as being in poor taste today).

This is another great example of sexualized advertisement, but with a hint of nationalism! I'm sure those limey Brits were none too pleased to see ads advertising some intimate 'R&R' between American servicemen and British girls. But hey, if you're about to hit the beaches of Normandy, why not try to find a Cockney princess of your own to keep you company...

These wartime advertisements are really awesome to me. They highlight the importance of their products in the war effort, with the ads showing intense action with the advertised product in the limelight. I'd much rather my orange juice ads looks like this than have Phil Dunphy make lame jokes about oranges.

This was an interesting image of a ball at the Virginia Military Institute. I think it's an impressive image of young couples dressed to the nines with a dramatic depiction of the Institute's former war glories in the backdrop. Love and war.

This article was extremely interesting to me, and something I had never heard of in my readings on Reinhard Heydrich, one of the most evil motherfuckers in that unprecedented cabal that was the leadership of Nazi Germany. It describes his skillful assassination at the hands of Czech freedom fighters through the eyes of an American eyewitness, who just happened to be in Prague at the time, trapped behind enemy lines when war was declared 6 months before. The fact that he witnessed this momentous occasion and somehow managed to escape back to the United States is quite a tale indeed.

Here's where it starts to get real ugly. Yes, this is a real info-graphic published in Time magazine, explaining to its readers 'how to tells Japs from the Chinese' and enumerating supposed general physical characteristics between people from the two countries. The article was written in an almost sanctimonious appeal to its readers to ensure that they don't wrongfully abuse someone of Chinese heritage, lest they attack one of our allies. It really doesn't get much uglier than this, but this is December 1941 we're talking about. Is it really surprising that a country that at the time had institutionalized segregation would not find this offensive?

This is from another issue of Time from a few years later than the Japanese/Chinese info-graphic. At this point, hundreds of thousands of Americans and Japanese had already died. Emotions were running high. This picture was attached to an article about a female factory worker who had received a Japanese skull in the mail from her boyfriend who was in the Navy at the time (She is writing a 'thank you note' in the photo, pondering the skull on her desk). While the photograph did manage to cause a stir in the military, the fact that Time received it and was willing to publish speaks volumes about the dehumanization of the Japanese during World War II. It is actually really hard for me to wrap my head around this level of casual brutality.

In an example of the cognitive dissonance I uncovered in many issues of these periodicals, the published letters in response to a Time article about a Japanese-American itinerant farmer, Mr. Yamamoto, who was collectively banished from a small New Jersey town during World War II really surprised me, both for their candor and diversity of opinions. The print is hard to read, but I'll offer some summaries. Some letters, unsurprisingly, offer nothing but congratulations for the residents of the town and condemnation towards the Japanese-American farmer (One of these articles is from, you guessed it, Birmingham, Alabama). But most of the letters published by Time offer solidarity for the unfortunate farmer, with one even coming from a farmer offering Mr. Yamamoto a job at his farm. One letter acutely compares the treatment of Mr. Yamamoto to "the attitude towards 'Mr. Finkelstein'" in Germany (Her words, not mine). It is just incredibly interesting to me that the same magazine that unflinchingly publishes a Japanese skull used as a war trophy also displays the positively American acceptance of anyone willing to work hard, regardless of race or creed. It also proves to me that all history is complex, and no one worldview or opinion can accurately describe the attitudes of millions of people. Reading these magazines have also underscored for me the importance of the freedom of the press (the only industry named in the Constitution), one of the cornerstones of our democracy, even if at times the media can espouse less than satisfactory viewpoints.

Animals That Went Extinct (That Should Not Have)

This will be a quick post, but here is my collection of a few of my favorite animals that have gone extinct due to human activities within the last 1,000 years (other than the Dodo). All of these extinctions could have been avoided. With so many species currently at risk of following this disturbing trend, let's hope that by shedding some light on our checkered past we as a species can hope to avoid repeating these mistakes.

*Click to zoom in on pictures.*

Steller's Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas)

This gentle sirenian was related to dugongs and manitees, except instead of living in warm tropical waters it inhabited the frigid coastlines of the North Pacific. It was also significantly larger than its extant cousins, with lengths of up to 30 ft. Within a few decades of its discovery by Europeans, however, the Sea Cow was hunted to extinction, its oily blubber proving too enticing and its peaceful disposition making it an easy target for hunters. R.I.P. Sea Cows.

Haast's Eagle and the Moa (Harpagornis moorei and Dinornis novaezelandiae)

Both of these birds are emblematic of the strange biological history of New Zealand. Being completely isolated from any of the major land masses, the only mammals that found their way to these remote islands, notwithstanding humans, were bats and some species of rats. Thus, in their conspicuous absence, birds filled many of the ecological niches normally inhabited by mammals in other parts of the world. The Moa, a group of large, flightless ratites, evolved to be the islands' primary foragers, filling the ecological roles that deers, pigs, and other herbivores fill throughout the world (think ostriches...but MUCH bigger). The largest species could grow to heights of 12 ft. and weight up to 500 pounds.

No ecosystem is complete without predators, and prehistoric New Zealand was not lacking. Feeding upon the massive Moas was an even more massive species of eagle dubbed the Haast's Eagle. With a 10 ft. wingspan, it was the largest eagle that has ever lived. This formidable aerial hunter helped keep the Moa population in check, but when the ancient Maoris first began to settle New Zealand more than 700 years ago, the Haast's Eagle followed the Moa to extinction, as the Maoris completely wiped out their primary food source (I can't really blame them - can you imagine how awesome chomping into a giant Moa leg would have been?!). Toodeloo, massive birds from Down Under.

Akialoas (Hemignathus sp.)

These resplendent songbirds were native to Hawaii. Their protruding, curved beaks were perfect for catching smalls bugs in the barks of trees. The reason for their extinction? Drumroll please......Modern man! The arrival of Europeans and American farmers completely devastated their native forest habitats. The Akialoas belonged to a group of finches called Hawaiian Honeycreepers. Almost all species have become extinct within the last 150 years, but a few beautiful species, such as the 'I'iwi below, can still be found in the jungles of America's most enigmatic state. Let's hope they stay there for years to come. Aloha, Akialoas.

Gastric Brooding Frog (Rheobatrachus sp.)

The Gastric Brooding Frog sure was a weird animal. Native to a minute corner of the jungles of Queensland in Northeast Australia, these frogs were relatively ordinary looking. What made them so extraordinary, however, was their method of reproduction. After laying her eggs, the female Gastric Brooding Frog actually swallowed her clutch of eggs. The eggs would then hatch in her stomach, where the tadpoles lived for 6 weeks until they morphed into fully developed baby frogs. Only then would they leave their devoted mother's digestive system via her mouth. The eggs and tadpoles were coated in a special slime that shut off the harmful acids of their mother's stomach. Unfortunately, this unique reproduction technique coupled with the already tiny geographic range of this species meant that human pressures proved too overwhelming. They became lost to the world in the mid-1980's. Happy trails, you weird-ass frog.


Caribbean Monk Seal (Monachus tropicalis)

The Caribbean Monk Seal was a species of seal that, unlike most pinnipeds (seals, walruses, and sea lions), actually lived in tropical waters, similar to the extant Hawaiian and Mediterranean Monk Seals. However, its ideal tropical home proved to be its downfall; after hundreds of years of pirates, cruises, wars, and other intense human activity, the last Monk Seal in the Caribbean died in 1952. How cool would it have been to lay out for some sun in Cancun, with some playful seals waddling around nearby? Ciao, Monk Seals.

Koala Lemur (Megaladapis)

Similar to New Zealand, the island of Madagascar has developed an ecosystem unique from the influences of the major continents. Most famously, the major arboreal primate species on this island are not monkeys like on nearby Africa, but the charismatic lemurs. When Malagasy sailors became the first humans to set foot on Madagascar more than a thousand years ago after their trans-Indian Ocean trip from Borneo, they discovered an island that was much different than it is today. The lemurs made famous by DreamWorks© were there, but so were a whole host of other weird primates related to lemurs. Some of these lemur relatives had evolved to look like gorillas and orangutans, while others almost completely resembled sloths. But my favorite of these odd creatures was Megaladapis, the Koala Lemur. Somehow, convergent evolution had created a primate that looks like a slightly less cuddly koala bear. I think I can speak for the entire internet when I say that the world could use another koala-like creature. However, these same Malagasy sailors found Madagascar to be a mighty fine place to live, and they fetched their relatives from thousands of miles away back on Borneo. Sadly, they exterminated the Koala Lemur and the other mega-sized lemurs of Madagascar. Au Revoir, Koala Lemur.

Wake Island Rail (Gallirallus wakensis)

Finally, we come to one of the weirdest extinction stories in the history of this planet. The Wake Island Rail was a small, unassuming bird that lived in Wake Island, a tiny coral atoll smack-dab in the middle of nowhere in the Northern Pacific. (If you've noticed a trend of these animals living on islands, you're not crazy. Island species are often highly specialized and susceptible to human pressures). Millions of years of evolution dictated that this bird lose its ability to fly. Why spend the extra energy to grow flight-capable wings when there are literally no predators to worry about on this desert island? Unfortunately for the rail, evolution had not factored in the brutality of mankind. Wake Island was a strategic island in the Pacific and the American military had established a base there in the early 1900's as part of its general line of defense across its Pacific boundary with Japan. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 ushered in 4 years of savage warfare for both countries. It also spelt doom for the Wake Island Rail. The next day, December 8th, the Japanese attacked and conquered the Wake Island base after a bloody battle. The Japanese would then garrison the island for the rest of the war. As part of the American campaign of 'Island Hopping,' certain Japanese-held islands were to be attacked, but others were left to 'rot on the vine.' Wake Island was one of the latter. The garrison of Japanese soldiers were eventually cutoff from their Army's supply routes and were forced to fend for themselves. After exhausting their own provisions, they soon took to the island's natural resources. Luckily for them, the Wake Island Rail had not only evolved to become flightless, it had also failed to develop a fear of humans due to its unfamiliarity with the concept of predation. Wake Island Rails would guilelessly walk straight up to Japanese soldiers, who simply had to bend down and pluck them up for dinner. By 1945, the starving soldiers had eaten the last Wake Island Rail. Konichiwa, Wake Island Rail.



Well, that turned out to not be a very 'quick post,' but I hope that wasn't too depressing and I hope you learned something. Hopefully, humanity will learn from its mistakes, but at the moment, things aren't looking too good....

Propaganda Through the Ages (But Mostly Just World War II...)

All governments strive to influence their populace. Whether its through carefully prepared wordplay, information dissemination, or highly charged visual rhetoric, no government in the history of the world is innocent of trying to manipulate public discourse. It's what governments do, and if they suck at it, they cannot survive.

One arena where governments really show their colors while attempting to control its populace is during times of war. It is at these times that governments can least afford dissension or pernicious ways of thinking. A government at war is damn well self-assured, and will go out of its way to make sure the people feel the same way about whatever enterprise the government is undertaking.

Here are just a few of my favorite examples of unreserved glorification of violent crusades!
(Note: I am not implying that I agree with the sentiments in these posters, merely that I find them to be fascinating examples of a government's willingness to manipulate its people)

*Click pictures to zoom in.*

1. War: World War I. Country: United Kingdom

"Honey, I brutally massacred dozens of krauts! Now, off to bed for you!"

Related:

This poster of Lord Kitchener appealing for volunteers is the progenitor of the famous "I want YOU" Uncle Sam posters.


2. War: World War II. Country: USA

Say what you will about this poster, but it's definitely not subtle.

3. War: World War II. Country: Poland

In Eastern Europe, kissing on the lips is an acceptable sign of affection between straight men, as shown in the jubilation of this Polish peasant and soldier. Hmmmm.....

4. War: World War II. Country: Australia.

"GET OFF THE BARBIE! THE JAPS ARE COMING!"

5. War: World War I. Country: USA

In 1917, the American government wanted its people to view the Germans as brutish apes. Today, Germans make kickass cars and have an unhealthy collective obsession with David Hasselhoff. My, how times change.

6. War: World War II. Country: USA

Pretty sure this one is self-explanatory.

7. War: Spanish Civil War. Country: Republican Spain.

Not gonna lie, I love this one. The action! The mixing of genders in a combat situation! The Goosebumps® font! It's all too much.

8. War: World War II. Country: Japan

Wow, while I may completely loathe the Japanese position in World War II, the visuals of this poster are so badass....

9. War: World War II. Country: Soviet Union

Stalin was a mass murdering psychopath, but damn he knew how to make an impression. Stalinzilla!

10. War: Greco-Turkish War. Country: Greece

This awesome Greek lithograph actually shows combat, unlike most propaganda pieces. But something tells me that modern combat is not fought at such close quarters, and with such little visible blood.....But hey! What do I know?

11. War: World War II. Country: Fascist Italy.

This poster admonishes the often indiscriminate bombing campaigns made by Allied forces in World War II. Although I think it was morally imperative to defeat Nazi Germany and Mussolini's Italy, I don't think enough attention is given to the millions of civilians killed by Allied forces in order to achieve this. War is hell, and it's about time we portray it as such.

 12. War: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Country: Israel

Finally, I'm ending with a modern example of military propaganda. The Israel Defense Forces have official Facebook and Twitter accounts, which I find to be fascinating examples of visual rhetoric in the social media age. Again, say what you want about this graphic, but it certainly makes an impression.

Well, I hope that this post has made you slightly more adept at identifying bullshit that governments try to feed their people.

America's Fightin' Musical Heritage: Awesome Music from Bygone Eras

I think it is foolish when people pine about an earlier time in history, especially when they enthusiastically claim that a specific era was somehow 'better.' History is way too grey for that.

However, artistic nostalgia is something I find great value in. Regardless of the social history of an era, I like to celebrate the art of the people from that time in history and consider it something we should try our hardest to hold on to.

I do not in any way consider myself a music history buff, but I do have a great interest in music. It started when I first picked up an alto saxophone in second grade. I didn't put it down for 10 years. My playing days have waned, but my love for music, especially jazz and other Americana sounds, has not.

So I thought I  would share just a few of my favorite hoppin' tunes from an era of big bands, economic depression, and highly choreographed popular dances. Think of it at as a way to forget you ever learned what twerking is.

This song was FDR's campaign song in 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression. When you're selling people hope, make sure the music fits!
*Author's note: This song is not one of my favorites, but it is really interesting historically. Although the uploader's choice to put portraits of Obama and JFK in the video is really incongruous to me...*



This song featuring amazing dancers (Dorothy Dandridge and the Nicholas Brothers) and the Glenn Miller Orchestra is so awesome that, even though I was born in 1990, it makes me want to tear up from all the nostalgia (unfortunately, I am incapable of crying).



 
If you have seen the awesome Ryan O'Neal movie 'Paper Moon,' you may remember this ditty. Makes the Depression seem almost fun! (Except for the overwhelming suffering)



Finally, this lively song gets me going so badly that I wish I had a time machine specifically to be transported to whatever speakeasy dive Jelly Roll Morton and his band were belting out this banger.
*Apparently Jelly Roll's accompanying band is called the 'Red Hot Peppers.' They are now my favorite band with 'Red,' 'Hot,' and 'Peppers' in its name.*

Dream Vactions. In a handy Buzzfeed-esque picture list!

Hello amigos/as,

This is my first post for this blog that has no importance in the world whatsoever other than to quench my need to share all the awesomeness of the world with anyone....even if its just myself.

So to start, I thought I'd do something easy so you can get to know me a little better. Here are my top 10 places I want to visit before I die, in a handy list perfectly suited for the attention span of the average goldfish/buzzfeed blogger!

*In NO particular order, with appropriate wiki entry linked. Click on pictures to expand them*

1. Jellyfish Lake, Palau.

Jellyfish Lake is a freshwater lake that used to be connected to the ocean in the karst limestone cays of Palau. After being cutoff from the ocean, a unique species of harmless jellyfish has evolved in the crystal clear waters. To dive surrounded by such alien creatures without fear of a painful sting must be amazing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish_Lake

2. Ennedi Plateau, Chad.

The Ennedi Plateau is in eastern Chad. Which means its dangerous. As fuck. But I need to go...it is a holdover from an era when the Saharra was a much wetter place. There is still a population of crocodiles that inhabit the fetid water that has yet to evaporate from the plateau's wadis, or slot canyons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ennedi_Plateau

3. Bryce Canyon, Utah.

No explanation or wiki needed. If you are American, and this isn't on your list, you're a fool.

4.Chocolate Hills, Philippines.

This peculiar geographical formation in central Bohol, an island in the Visayas chain of the Philippines, has always intrigued me. The denuded hills surrounded by thick jungle remind me of hills from a Mario game, or a child's simplistic drawing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_Hills

5. Ducie Island, Pitcairn Islands.

The Pitcairn Islands are a small spattering of sparsely inhabited islands governed by the UK in the South Pacific. Their only inhabitants are the descendents of the mutinous crew of the HMS Bounty who settled there in the late 18th century. If that isn't interesting enough, the easternmost atoll called Ducie Island has one of the most remote coral reefs in the world. Thus, it is supremely pristine, immune to the pressures of shark fishermen and other human activities. It is was one of the last wild places on earth, and naturalists are always shocked by the quantity of wildlife.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducie_Island

6. Lord Howe Island, Australia.

A little dot between Australia and Kiwiland, this impressive island hosts a unique species of flightless rail and pygmy seahorse, along with spectacular scenery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Howe_Island

7.Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan.

This serene lake in Kazakhstan is an impressive sight, as long dead trees jut out of the water like the serried ranks of an army of silent sentinels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Kaindy

8.Yuanyang County, Yunnan, China.

The swarm of colors in these rice paddies is something I really want to see in real life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuanyang_County,_Yunnan

9. Iguazu Falls, Brazil/Argentina.

After visiting Victoria Falls two summers ago, I've always wanted to visit the other great waterfall in the world: Iguazu. No wiki needed.

10. Socotra Island

Dubbed "the other Galapagos," this island in Yemen is off the coast of Somalia. If you can brave the pirates, you will be treated to a unique, Suessian land of strange, endemic plant and animal species found nowhere else on earth. It's like visiting Mars. Or what Sci-Fi thinks Mars is like.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socotra

Well that was fun, I hope you got to learn about some cool new places. Let's do this again some time!