February 2018
February 23, 2018
Church of the holy lawn
In 1994, Jeff Goldstein, who described himself as a “semi-active pagan-Jewish minister,” got into trouble with the city of Madison, Wisconsin because he refused to mow his lawn. He claimed that to do so would violate his religious beliefs since he worshipped plants. He said he actually prayed to his lawn, and that to mow it would be a “holocaust against the green creatures.”Goldstein explained that he had formed his beliefs after reading The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tomkins and Christopher Bird. I’ve read that book. If you like strange science, it’s a good read, full of plant-science weirdness. Though I didn't come away from it believing plants are sacred.
The court didn't buy Goldstein's argument, but I don't know if he ever ended up mowing the lawn.
Seems that Jeff died recently, in 2015. You can read his online obituary here.
Appleton Post-Crescent - Mar 13, 1994
Louisville Courier-Journal - Aug 30, 1994
Jeff Goldstein
Available from Amazon
Posted By: Alex - Fri Feb 23, 2018 -
Comments (7)
Category: Nature, Religion, 1990s
Follies of the Madmen #353
Source of ad.
"Our paper towels make women horny."
Posted By: Paul - Fri Feb 23, 2018 -
Comments (4)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Business, Advertising, Products, Domestic, 1950s, Women
February 22, 2018
A Community of Respectful Pals
Dear WU-vies:
Alex and I have just taken a step which I do not believe we have ever needed to take before in the long history of WEIRD UNIVERSE. We deleted someone's comment because it was nasty, rude, hostile and generally boorish. (And may I also say that the suffering longtime member of the community, the commenter to whom the insults were addressed, reacted with restraint, dignity, calm and a noble nature.)
Let me take this unfortunate occasion to remind everyone that WU has always been a landmark of collegiality and friendliness and acceptance, albeit happily flavored with irony, black humor and appreciation for the world's incredible stupidity. Especially in comparison to much of the internet, WU remains a happy place. Let's try to keep it that way.
Thanks, as always, for your attention, support and understanding.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Feb 22, 2018 -
Comments (7)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Etiquette and Formal Behavior, Weird Universe, Comments
Missing Cat Poster or Art?
In 2002, artist Tracey Emin's cat, Docket, went missing. So she put up 'missing cat' posters around her neighborhood. But since she was a famous artist, people immediately began taking the posters down and selling them. Reportedly, they fetched prices as high as £500 each.
This prompted a spokeswoman from Emin's gallery to issue a statement: "Tracey does deal with memorabilia, but the posters are not works of art, it's simply a notice of her missing cat to alert neighbours."
Artist Tamarin Norwood, on her blog, offers these thoughts on the sociology of what was going on with the pilfered Missing Cat posters:
Incidentally, Docket was eventually found.
More info: BBC News (Mar 28, 2002)
Posted By: Alex - Thu Feb 22, 2018 -
Comments (4)
Category: Art, Cats, 2000s
Bandido
Why does no one write folk-rock songs about bandidos these days? "I'll clean my wound with tequila..."More on singer Karen Lawrence.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Feb 22, 2018 -
Comments (4)
Category: Ethnic Groupings, Music, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1970s
February 21, 2018
Shakespeare, Tchaikovsky, and Jayne Mansfield
In 1964, Jayne Mansfield recorded an album for MGM that featured her reading selections from the poetry of Shakespeare, Byron, Shelley, Yeats, and others, as Tchaikovsky's music played in the background. Apparently she hoped the record would show off the asset she was most proud of, her 164 IQ.The album isn't available on CD or MP3, but you can pick up a copy of the original vinyl on eBay for around $30 or $40.
More info: wikipedia
Posted By: Alex - Wed Feb 21, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Celebrities, Poetry, 1960s
Mystery Gadget 57
What's it do?
Answer is here.
Or after the jump.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Wed Feb 21, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Technology, Twentieth Century
February 20, 2018
Unauthorized dwelling at Yale
Here's one for Paul's unauthorized dwellings theme:Able to afford tuition at Yale, but not housing, 22-year-old Allan Kornfeld lived surreptitiously in a ventilation shaft for seven months, from 1963 to 1964.
Appleton Post-Crescent - Jun 18, 1964
Posted By: Alex - Tue Feb 20, 2018 -
Comments (3)
Category: Unauthorized Dwellings, 1960s
The Ritz
Department of HAS NOT AGED WELL.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 20, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Movies, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1970s, LGBT
February 19, 2018
Glove for Handshaking
Invented by Anthony Monde in 1975, a steel-ribbed glove “for the protection of politicians and others who do a lot of handshaking.”
York Daily Record - July 16, 1975
The Shreveport Times - Oct 12, 1975
Posted By: Alex - Mon Feb 19, 2018 -
Comments (4)
Category: Fashion, Inventions, 1970s
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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 |
