Weird Universe Blog — October 6, 2024

Mystery Gadget 113

The purpose of this contraption? The answer is here, or after the jump.





More in extended >>

Posted By: Paul - Sun Oct 06, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Technology | 1940s

October 5, 2024

Practising yoga in Hyde Park, London

Photograph by Patrick Ward from Wish You Were Here: The English at Play. Gordon Fraser (publisher), 1977.

You can check out Ward's book of photograhs at archive.org, although the metadata incorrectly lists it as "Once a year: some traditional British customs." (which is the book I was looking for, though I enjoyed Ward's photographs also).

Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 05, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Photography and Photographers | 1970s

October 4, 2024

Slammed door, house fell down #2

Four years ago we posted about the case of Mary Adams of Stockport, England, who slammed her front door shut, causing the house to fall down.

The exact same thing happened to Claudine Rossi of Caderousse, France in 1971. She left her house to go shopping, slammed the front door shut, and the whole building fell down.

If I can find one more example of this phenomenon, I'll classify it as 'no longer weird'.

Daily Mirror - Oct 23, 1971

Posted By: Alex - Fri Oct 04, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Architecture | 1970s

October 3, 2024

Jackson Whitlow, the Mountain Faster

Jackson Whitlow made headlines in 1937 by fasting for 52 days. He did it because he said God had told him to. He broke his fast with elderberry wine and squirrel broth.

About a year later God told Whitlow to live in a cave. His condition rapidly deteriorated and by the start of 1939 he was dead. According to Whitlow, this was also "the Lord's will".



Atlanta Journal - Jan 2, 1939



Posted By: Alex - Thu Oct 03, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Religion | 1930s | Dieting and Weight Loss

Seated Sleeping Aid

Full patent here.



Posted By: Paul - Thu Oct 03, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Inventions | Patents | Medicine | Sleep and Dreams | 1910s

October 2, 2024

The Thousand Egg Club

Do you eat at least 1000 eggs a year? If so, you're a member of the 'Thousand Egg Club.'

The club was created by the National Poultry and Egg Board in 1957. Several political figures who swore to eat 1000 eggs a year were given certificates of memberships. But as far as I know, the general public couldn't send away for a certificate.

I usually eat two eggs for breakfast every day. But I doubt I eat enough eggs in addition to that to reach 1000.



Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Mar 27, 1957



Glen Falls Post-Star - July 31, 1959

Posted By: Alex - Wed Oct 02, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations | Eggs | 1950s

Asparagus, by Suzan Pitt

Let us know when you bail!



The creator's Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Oct 02, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Surrealism | Cartoons | Stop-motion Animation | 1970s

October 1, 2024

Miss Furniture

She won $2000 worth of furniture. In today's money that's almost $25,000. That's a decent amount of furniture.

Pottstown Mercury - Aug 16, 1954



Allentown Morning Call - Aug 23, 1954


Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 01, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests | Furniture | 1950s

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All original content in posts is Copyright © 2016 by the author of the post, which is usually either Alex Boese ("Alex"), Paul Di Filippo ("Paul"), or Chuck Shepherd ("Chuck"). All rights reserved. The banner illustration at the top of this page is Copyright © 2008 by Rick Altergott.

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