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Comment count is 45
Billie_Joe_Buttfuck - 2009-01-06

Holy fucking evil.


charmlessman - 2009-01-06

Thomas Edison was a dick.
Nikola Tesla was the man.


Cena_mark - 2009-01-06

Truly a mad scientist.


Keefu - 2009-01-07

Truly a huge fucking asshole scientist.


bopeton - 2009-01-06

Dupe!

Not one-starring it though, PoeTV is really getting a lot of videos to be able to remember all of them.


Godard's Drinking Problem - 2009-01-06

I think the real lesson to learn is not to fear the dangers of alternating current, it was to fear the dangers of thomas edison. because he will fucking electrocute you.

Also, I feel guilty swearing after the "how to get banned from poetv" statutes discussion


poopskin - 2009-01-06

speaking of which, there IS death in this video, which is NSFW; guess the exception is sepiatone.


Cube - 2009-01-06

But elephants aren't people ....

... Or are they!


RomancingTrain - 2009-01-06

I think it should count as NSFW because an elephant is the only animal that will be missed by it's family if you kill it.


Chinballs - 2009-01-28

I wonder if Edison sold electricity on late night infomercials...

:)


bias - 2009-01-06

To be fair, that elephant was a three time murderer.


Cleaner82 - 2009-01-06

I read about an elephant that got so pissed at the neighboring village that he used to KNOCK ON DOORS, pull out whoever answered, and trample them. That is murder.

So maybe this elephant did have it coming.


1394 - 2009-01-06

I believe the elephant had killed some people in the circus and they were initially going to hang him. Luckily, Edison had a far 'better' idea.


Architeuthis Tux - 2009-01-06

And the system that Edison was proposing would have required cables the size of tree trunks and power stations every two blocks.


pastorofmuppets - 2009-01-07

Probably why he wanted it so bad.


Cleaner82 - 2009-01-06

I get it Mr. Edison. There's really no need for this. Put the elephant down.


Caminante Nocturno - 2009-01-06

Where did even get an elephant? I don't think there's ever been a point in American history where it was easy to get one.


Hay Belly - 2009-01-06

"He does it to demonstrate the dangers of alternating current electricity"

Wrong.


Architeuthis Tux - 2009-01-06

Are you privy to some secret knowledge that the elephant was actually a part of the secret anti-Freemason conspiracy?

'Cause Edison was actually quite explicit about why he was touring the country electrocuting random animals and calling it 'Westinghousing'.


Hay Belly - 2009-01-06

He didn't do it on a whim, the elephant was going to be killed anyway. You make it sound like he bought an elephant just to kill. Which ain't so. You need to read further down that Wired article you stole your description from.


Architeuthis Tux - 2009-01-06

It's not my description, but it is an accurate one.

Edison *really did* electrocute the elephant to show how dangerous alternating current was. If his only goal had been to kill it and thus help the poor, poor people who needed to kill an elephant, he would have just hired it as a lab assistant.

It was very, very clearly part of his ongoing demonstrations on the horrors of alternating current.


HarrietTubmanPI - 2009-01-06

I love the old timey music accompanying this.

I expect cops to come wheeling around the corner so fast that a few fall out of the back.


FineFilter - 2009-01-06

Electrocuting An Elephant Part 2: Electric Boogaloo


Cleaner82 - 2009-01-06

I mentally add "Electric Boogaloo" to every instance of the phrase "Part 2". It's maddening, but I can't help it!


mashedtater - 2009-01-13

there are not enough stars in the heavens for this comment.


atheistgirl - 2009-01-06

Edison was a sick bastard.


Midnight Man - 2009-01-06

He did this to dogs and cats too. It was bizarre, grotesque, and comically unscientific (direct current DIDN'T kill things?), but a wonderful example of how Edison's greatest talent was salesmanship.

Bulbed for historical educational content


seriouslyuguys - 2009-01-06

Such great salesmanship that we all have AC in our houses today, making it cheap and convenient to electrocute elephants whenever the mood strikes.


Caminante Nocturno - 2009-01-06

Air conditioning is nice, but it's a nice thing made by a jerk.


pastorofmuppets - 2009-01-07

AC and DC work out equally well if you're the one running (and selling) the meters.


baleen - 2009-01-06


Ah, Edison, one of the worst human beings that ever walked this salty earth. Thief of inventions, belligerent racist, gangster who controlled his patents with armed thugs and extortion.


RockBolt - 2009-01-06

Thomas Edison, king douche of the universe


MrBuddy - 2009-01-06

Yeah! Who needs all those movies and audio records electric lighting! It's destroying the moral fiber of the World! @#$%!! you Edison!


RockBolt - 2009-01-06

Yeah and I'm glad the inventor of x-rays, vacuum tubes, radar, alternating current, polyphase power transmission, hydroelectric generators, radio, florescent lighting, wireless power, bladeless turbines and tesla coils died penniless so Edison could win a dick waving competition in his own mind


Burnov - 2009-01-06

As far as I understand, according to the account I read.

The elephant's name was Topsy and it suffered it's fate because some carnie fed it a lit cigarette, much to it's displeasure.


garcet71283 - 2009-01-06

Man...it should've never stopped being the turn of the 20th century...


lordpotato - 2009-01-06

Edison was such an asshole, go Tesla


Keefu - 2009-01-07

Fun possible fact/rumor: While Alexander Graham Bell was dying, his deaf wife whispered to him, “Don’t leave me.” Bell responded by signing the word, “No”.


Cold motherfucker.


mashedtater - 2009-01-13

i wonder.....


Keefu - 2009-04-23

Haha what the fuck this is embarrassing


Keefu - 2009-04-23

I have no idea why I confused Bell with Edison


Big Beef Burritos Supreme - 2009-01-07

With irony it should be noted that DC is now the most efficient way to transmit electricity.


spikestoyiu - 2009-01-07

Big deal. This is how everyone advertised back in the day before there were television commercials and pop-up ads. If I remember correctly, Ray Croc deep fried a dozen kittens to advertise the first McDonald's.


SixDigitDebt - 2009-01-28

You know what else you can't see? The writing on the wall! Vaudeville isn't dead!


Bort - 2017-04-03

Awwww, Topsy.


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