October 2022
October 11, 2022
Parisian Tree Climbers
After World War II, some Parisians embraced existentialism. Others took to climbing trees in their underwear.Images and text from Life (July 18, 1949).
"Treetop acrobatics are privilege of veteran climbers who go as high as 100 feet above ground"
"Prettiest tree climber is 25-year-old Catherine Arley, an actress specializing in comedy roles"
"Preclimb ritual finds scantily-clad members saluting huge plane tree, which Cofounder Jacques Gall recently described as a 'symbol of heaven.'"
Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 11, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Fads, Nature, 1940s
Follies of the Madmen #543
Wonder Bread gets you sex.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Oct 11, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Food, Advertising, Twentieth Century, Sex
October 10, 2022
Kinki Nippon Tourist
The Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. was founded in 1947. By the 1970s it had become Japan's second-largest travel agency. But trouble began to emerge when, during this same decade, Japanese tourists showed up in Europe and America, often carrying bags emblazoned with the name "Kinki Nippon Tourist." Naturally, this attracted some attention.
London Daily Telegraph - Oct 25, 1972
Saffron Walden Weekly News - July 1, 1976
The name 'Kinki' referred, of course, to the Kinki region in the south of Japan. Also known as the Kansai region. It had nothing to do with the sexual preferences of the tourists. But in a possible case of truth in advertising, the Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. was, in fact, involved in a scandal in 1979 for having arranged sex tours abroad for Japanese businessmen.
Vineland Daily Journal - Nov 28, 1979
The company quickly learned what its name meant in English, so when it opened a branch in America in 1974 it didn't use the Kinki name. Instead, it called itself Kintetsu International Express (it's still in business).
Likewise, the name Kinki has become a problem for other organizations in the Kinki region that have an international presence. For instance, in 2016 Kinki University changed its name in English to Kindai University, in order to spare the staff and students embarrassment when they traveled abroad.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 10, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Innuendo, Double Entendres, Symbolism, Nudge-Nudge-Wink-Wink and Subliminal Messages, Odd Names, Asia, Mistranslations
Toshi Ichiyanagi, RIP
The avant-garde composer was Yoko Ono's first husband, with, apparently, a similar flair for the experimental.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 10, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Music, Avant Garde, Obituaries, Asia, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults
October 9, 2022
The Pug Anti-Bandit Bag
Inventor John Rinfret debuted his "Pug Anti-Bandit Bag" in 1963. His idea was that, if attacked, you could activate a spring that would forcefully eject all the contents from the bag. The attacker would be so shocked that he would run away. At least, that was the theory.From what I can gather, Rinfret hoped to rent his anti-bandit bags to companies that used couriers to carry important documents or money. He definitely put a lot of work into promoting his invention. He even came out with a new and improved version of the bag the following year. But evidently few companies were interested in using his bag.
Possible reasons why: 1) a bandit might pick up the money instead of running away; or 2) what if the spring was activated by accident, spraying money everywhere?
London Daily Telegraph - Aug 28, 1963
Rinfret demonstrates his anti-bandit bag (August 27, 1963). Source: Getty Images
London Evening Standard - Aug 27, 1963
London Daily Telegraph - Sep 25, 1963
Personnel Management and Methods - April 1964
Posted By: Alex - Sun Oct 09, 2022 -
Comments (2)
Category: Crime, Inventions, 1960s
Dr. L. A. Sayre’s Apparatus
Not sure how long the patient was to remain suspended in order to achieve results.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Oct 09, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Inventions, Medicine, Nineteenth Century
October 8, 2022
WABOT-2, the Organ-Playing Robot
WABOT-2 was created in the early 1980s, but I can't find any info on what's become of him since then. Whoever now owns him should be renting him out to play at weddings and funerals — recoup some of that $1.2 million it cost to build him.More info: Waseda University
Belleville News-Democrat - Sep 13, 1984
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 08, 2022 -
Comments (2)
Category: Music, Robots, AI, Robots and Other Automatons, 1980s
Dick Hyman’s “The Man From O.R.G.A.N.”
Sometimes Alex and I appear to be coordinating our posts, but it's only coincidence. This time, however, I made it intentional!Let's see WABOT-2 play better than Dick Hyman!
His Wikipedia page.
Embedded player below track listing.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Oct 08, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Movies, Music, Space-age Bachelor Pad & Exotic, Television, Ridiculousness, Foolishness, Public Ridicule, Silliness, Goofiness and Dumb-looking, 1960s
October 7, 2022
Jane’s skin didn’t pass the love test
Jane didn't use Lux Toilet Soap. So she was doomed to be forever alone.Previously posted: Lux ads about "undie odor" and gossiping underwear. During the 1930s and 40s, Lux Soap specialized in ads designed to terrify women into buying its products.
San Francisco Examiner - June 18, 1939
Posted By: Alex - Fri Oct 07, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Advertising, Baths, Showers and Other Cleansing Methods, 1930s, Love & Romance
Papaya Mama
Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 07, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Music, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1950s, Caribbean
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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 |
