Weird Universe Archive
January 2018
January 11, 2018
Drive-Thru Funeral Home
In 1968, Herschel Thornton of Atlanta, Georgia opened the world's first drive-thru funeral home. He called it a "mortatorium." The press dubbed it the "remains to be seen" funeral home.It featured five windows in which bodies could be viewed from the comfort of one's car. Thornton noted, "Folks will be able just to drive by and view the last remains of their loved ones, and then keep going."
The Thornton Mortuary is still around. Herschel died in 1995, so the mortuary is now run by his son and grandchildren. Their website has a page about the "historic drive-thru viewing window." But based on the Google street view image of the mortuary, it looks like the drive-thru option is no longer available.
image source: professionalcarsociety.org
image source: Thornton mortuary
The Greenville News - Mar 14, 1968
However, other funeral homes eventually followed in the path blazed by Thornton. Quartz magazine reports that Japan debuted its first drive-thru funeral home in 2017. And below is an AP news report about a drive-thru mortuary that opened in Michigan in 2014.
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jan 11, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, 1960s, Cars
The Fireballs, COME ON, REACT
"You've got your bag, and I've got mine."
Their Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 11, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Music, 1960s
January 10, 2018
Trimming the Largest Yew Hedge
According to The Telegraph, they use a cherry picker nowadays to trim the thing. It produces almost a ton of clippings, which are sold to pharmaceutical companies who use yew extract as a key ingredient in a chemotherapy drug, Docetaxel.I can't figure out how the guy is just standing on top of the hedge. Can it really support a man's weight? I guess so.
Honolulu Advertiser - July 24, 1990
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jan 10, 2018 -
Comments (6)
Category: Horticulture and Gardens, 1990s
Heidi Lee’s Hats
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jan 10, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Art, Avant Garde, Surrealism, Eccentrics, Headgear
January 9, 2018
Shed Defender
AKA leotards for dogs. Available at sheddefender.com.The patent pending Shed Defender is intended to be worn in the house, car, or anywhere you don’t want dog hair, dirt, dander, and allergens. Made from premium eco-friendly fabric that is lightweight and breathable to ensure the dog stays safe, cool and comfortable. Four-way stretch fabric allows the dog to move freely.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Jan 09, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Fashion, Patents, Dogs
Mystery Gadget 55
What tha--?
Answer is here.
Or after the jump.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 09, 2018 -
Comments (6)
Category: Animals, Technology, 1940s
January 8, 2018
Prisoners who escape a day before release
The recurring weird news theme of prisoners who escape from jail a day before they're set to be released. Usually the escape isn't anything too complicated. They're on a minimum-security work detail, from which they simply walk away. But still, why leave if all you have to do is wait a day and be legally free? Because if caught again, they're looking at years of new imprisonment.Three examples below, though I'm sure there must be more. Worth noting: I didn't find any follow-up stories mentioning their capture. So maybe they all got away with that one extra day of freedom.
McComb Enterprise-Journal - Mar 11, 1990
An inmate from the Shelby County Detention Center working at the state highway garage grabbed a truck and took off Wednesday – the day before he was scheduled to be paroled. Police are looking for Andrew Joseph Wilson, 21, who escaped from work detail in Shelby County Wednesday. Andrew Joseph Wilson, 21, of Richmond escaped while on work release Wednesday by stealing a vehicle that was found ditched in Anderson County.
- Sentinel News - Dec 13, 2013
- Sentinel News - Dec 13, 2013
The Massachusetts Department of Corrections is searching for Barthesday Deberry who escaped Tuesday morning after walking away from a work detail near Boston. Deberry was scheduled to be released on Wednesday (TOMORROW!!!!) after serving five years on a fire arms conviction.
-Newport Buzz - Mar 1, 2016
-Newport Buzz - Mar 1, 2016
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jan 08, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Prisons
Unauthorized Dwellings 4
Houseboats have always been a prime source of contention as authorities try to police dwellings. The Amsterdam article is from 2016. The other news report hails from 1924.
Source.
UPDATE: now behind CHICAGO TRIBUNE paywall.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jan 08, 2018 -
Comments (0)
Category: Buildings and Other Structures, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Unauthorized Dwellings, 1920s, Twenty-first Century
January 7, 2018
An urge to conquer something big
1961: A 14-year-old boy commandeered a Trailways bus and drove it fifteen blocks because he "had an urge to conquer something big" and wanted to drive it "somewhere."Compare this to Bronx bus driver William Cimillo who, in 1947, instead of following his daily route drove the bus to Florida because he was overcome by "that old spring-time urge."
There must be a name for the psychiatric condition of being overcome by a desire to drive a bus to somewhere far away.
Camden Courier-Post - Sep 2, 1961
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 07, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: 1960s, Bus
Wikifeet
I make no comment, criticism or judgment.The page itself.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 07, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Sexuality, Feet
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction books such as Elephants on Acid. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Chuck Shepherd Chuck is the purveyor of News of the Weird, the syndicated column which for decades has set the gold-standard for reporting on oddities and the bizarre. Our banner was drawn by the legendary underground cartoonist Rick Altergott. Contact Us |
