Davis Caves

Back in 1976, Andy Davis of Armington, Illinois decided to dig a cave in the side of a hill and live there with his family, to avoid high heating bills. In the process, he became a pioneer of the "earth-sheltered home" movement, and he went on to start a company building other "cave homes."

Andy died in 1995, but his company still seems to be in business.

Bloomington Pantagraph - Jun 28, 1976

Image source: Mother Earth News

The Davis Cave, a pamphlet by Andy Davis

Arizona Republic - July 25, 1976

Posted By: Alex - Tue Sep 05, 2017 - Comments (1)
Category: Buildings and Other Structures, 1970s

“Yogi” by The Ivy Three

Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 05, 2017 - Comments (0)
Category: Humor, Music, Cartoons, 1960s

Hunting Licenses for the Blind

It sounds like it should be a joke, but apparently in the past various states have debated whether they should issue hunting licenses for the blind. And today some states appear to issue such licenses. For instance, on the website of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game a "Resident Hunting License for the Blind" is listed as costing $45.00.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Dec 2, 1953

I think the clipping below explains these licenses. They allow blind people to go out hunting with their friends. Someone else (who can see) has to do the actual shooting, but the blind person can claim one of the game animals as their own kill.

Tallahassee Democrat - Apr 15, 1959

A separate issue is whether a blind person can purchase a regular hunting license. I don't know what the current laws are, but in 1963 in Washington state there was nothing to prevent them from doing so, as demonstrated by the stunt below in which blind attorney Arnold Sadler purchased a hunting license for himself.

Staunton News Leader - Jan 31, 1963

Posted By: Alex - Mon Sep 04, 2017 - Comments (6)
Category: Guns, Sports, Regulations, Differently Abled, Handicapped, Challenged, and Otherwise Atypical

Mystery Illustration 56

Why?

The answer is here.

Or after the jump.

More in extended >>

Posted By: Paul - Mon Sep 04, 2017 - Comments (3)
Category: Costumes and Masks, 1930s

Lion Cage Weddings

The recurring theme of people who get married in a lions' cage.

1930s — no exact date or location specified

Lion-tamer George J. Keller weds Ginny Lowry in Cleveland, Ohio
Minneapolis Star Tribune - Mar 10, 1957

Lion-tamer Jimmy Bells weds trapeze artist Experanza Esqueda Gonzales
Torreon, Mexico - July 18, 1967

Lion-tamer Julius Von Uhl and his assistant of six years Linda Pritchard wed in Warren, Michigan
Fremont News-Messenger - Aug 15 1987

Posted By: Alex - Sun Sep 03, 2017 - Comments (3)
Category: Animals, Weddings, Love & Romance

Orangeine:  Death in a Box

Original ad here.

The deadly chemical in question.

"I was first called to see the patient, a young lady, physically sound, who had been taking Orangeine powders for a number of weeks for insomnia. The rest of the family noticed that she was very blue, and for this reason I was called. When I saw the patient shoe complained of a sense of faintness and inability to keep warm. At this time she had taken a box of six Orangeine powders within about eight hours. She was warned of the danger of continuing the indiscriminate use of the remedy, but insisted that many of her friends had used it and claimed that it was harmless. The family promised to see that she did not obtain any more of the remedy. Three days later, however, I was called to the house and found the patient dead. The family said that she had gone to her room the evening before in her usual health. The next morning, the patient not appearing, they investigated and found her dead. The case was reported to the coroner, and the coroner's verdict was "Death was from the effect of an overdose of Orangeine powders administered by her own hand, whether accidentally or otherwise, unknown to the jury.'"

Full story here.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 03, 2017 - Comments (6)
Category: Death, Advertising, Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil, Nineteenth Century

A sad day in juicing

Juicero, the company that made a $700 wi-fi connected juicer (also called the Juicero) that squeezed packs of pre-cut fruits and veggies, has permanently shut its doors. We've posted previously about this company here and here.

This closure comes even though the company had recently dropped the price of its machines from $700 to $400. For some reason, there just wasn't enough demand.

Could this have been because of reports that you didn't actually need the juicer? You could squeeze the juice packs by hand just as quickly. Surely not. After all, as the CEO pointed out, the Juicero also scanned the QR code on the juice pack which let it know if a juice pack had expired. This saved users the trouble of having to read the expiration date printed on the packs.

Also, the company wouldn't sell anyone the juice packs unless they had previously bought the machine.

Posted By: Alex - Sat Sep 02, 2017 - Comments (0)
Category: Business, Products

Navassa Island:  Guano Capital of the USA

Wikipedia page.

Navassa Island was claimed for the United States on September 19, 1857, by Peter Duncan, an American sea captain, under the Guano Islands Act of 1856, for the rich guano deposits found on the island, and for not being within the lawful jurisdiction of any other government, nor occupied by another government's citizens.

Article from 2012 here.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Sep 02, 2017 - Comments (0)
Category: Business, Excrement, Natural Resources, Nineteenth Century

Misunderstood Probability

I'm guessing the 50/50 chance didn't go in his favor.

Marion Star - Dec 28, 1995

Posted By: Alex - Fri Sep 01, 2017 - Comments (7)
Category: Surgery, 1990s

World Famous Tree House

Posted By: Paul - Fri Sep 01, 2017 - Comments (3)
Category: Regionalism, Natural Wonders, Twentieth Century