11.
Invading Russia. Always invading Russia.
12.
Thomas Midgley Jr can lay claim to three:
First, he discovered and helped popularize the use of lead in petrol/gasoline, causing unimaginable harm to the atmosphere and our brains. He contracted lead poisoning when working on the project, but apparently neglected to draw any conclusions from this.
Second, he lead the team that discovered freon, the first chlorofluorocarbon, and helped popularize the use of CFCs in refrigeration and industrial applications, causing further unimaginable harm to the atmosphere
It’s suggested that he had a greater impact on the atmosphere than any other single person in history.
As for the third, well:
In 1940, at the age of 51, Midgley contracted poliomyelitis, which left him severely disabled. He devised an elaborate system of ropes and pulleys to lift himself out of bed. In 1944, he became entangled in the device and died of strangulation.
13.
Here’s a recent one…
After successfully invading Iraq and toppling Saddam Hussein, the US decided that all members of the ruling Baath party should be banned from government and military positions in the new government.
The result was a crop of knowledgeable bureaucrats and military leaders available to join a group of terrorists under Zarqawi to form a little group that would go on to become ISIS.
14.
Maybe the worst business decision ever made was by Xerox with their Alto computer.
Xerox invented the graphical interface modern computers use. Desktop, folders, copy/paste etc. They basically invented the modern computer in the ’70s. But the problem was, the people in charge at the time were businessman without any technical knowledge so they didn’t realize what they had. They did nothing with it and gave it away to universities and showed other companies. The famous story is that Steve Jobs saw this and within 5 minutes realized this was the way computers would work in the future. He copied it, because Xerox didn’t patent their invention and didn’t do anything with it and the rest is history.
15.
The guy who rejected Hitler’s art academy application?
16.
John H. Sununu might count. He was an MIT educated engineer, brilliant guy, PhD in mechanical engineering. He even served on MIT’s Advisory Board of the Technology and Policy. He remains a member of the National Academy of Engineering. More importantly, he was a governor of NH and later the White House Chief of Staff under George H.W. Bush.
As Bush’s adviser, he was the first one with a STEM background to doubt climate change. He publicly questioned the validity of James Hansen / NASA’s modeling efforts. In fact, the US was on the verge of signing a binding climate treaty with 65 other nations (in 1989!)
Prior to this point, the argument was “how do we balance emission reductions versus economic losses”, with conservative forces recognizing the danger but insisting we protect businesses from overreaching regulation. After Sununu’s public doubts, the entire debate shifted to “is climate change even real?”. It inspired the “everything’s fine” PR campaign that has been ongoing ever since. I honestly suspect treaty opponents didn’t even realize that pure denial would be a realistic strategy until Sununu called James Hansen a liar.
I guess in another 50 years we’ll see the true extent of the damage he did. Ironically all this falls not on some moron, but on a brilliant guy who decided to speak on something outside his expertise.
17.
The decision by the Scottish to invade England during Black Death must be up there.
18.
Gavrillo Princip shooting Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
On that day, a man acted upon his self-constructed vendetta against a non-tyrranical monarch, thinking the world would remember him as a symbol against foreign tyranny. A symbol of national sovereignty.
A year later, 10 million men were dead.
19.
Game of Thrones Season 8
20.
That one time nintendo had a partnership with sony to develop a CD based console but in the end changed their mind and kicked Sony out cuz they decided to stick with cartridges.
Sony then thought “screw this, We’ll make our own console, with blackjack & hookers” and created the playstation as a f**k you towards Nintendo…
