November 2023
November 10, 2023
33-year strike
Jan 1961: After being on strike for 33 years, the barber shop boys of Copenhagen finally returned to work. By which time they were middle-aged men
Grimsby Evening Telegraph - Jan 5, 1961
Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 10, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Riots, Protests and Civil Disobedience, 1960s
Miss Tramp Steamer
Posted By: Paul - Fri Nov 10, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1950s
November 9, 2023
If God loves me, why can’t I get my locker open?
A profound theological puzzle. First published in 1980.Lorraine Peterson is also the author of Why Isn't God Giving Cash Prizes?.
Posted By: Alex - Thu Nov 09, 2023 -
Comments (3)
Category: Religion, Books, 1980s
John Pecinovsky, the Half-and-Half Man
Posted By: Paul - Thu Nov 09, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Eccentrics, Human Marvels, Twentieth Century
November 8, 2023
Day out ruined by sea rescue
Aug 1974: British beachgoers demonstrated a low tolerance for what they were willing to put up with to help a sea rescue.
London Observer - Aug 18, 1974
Posted By: Alex - Wed Nov 08, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: 1970s, United Kingdom
Device to Cure Ingrown Toenail
This torture apparatus surely looks to provide worse pain than the malady it purports to cure. A metal hook goes under the toenail itself and yanks it up, whereupon it is strapped into position for permanent wear.Full patent here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 08, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: Inventions, Patents, 1940s, Diseases, Feet
November 7, 2023
Miss Electronics of 1950 and Miss Microwave
The Institute of Radio Engineers chose 19-year-old Toy Palaske to be "Miss Electronics of 1950." She got to wear a swimsuit covered with electronics symbols and a crown topped with a television antenna.A few papers reported a different title for her, "Miss Microwave of 1950".
I assume she was both simultaneously.
(left) Pasadena Independent - Sep 15, 1950; (right) Los Angeles Mirror - Sep 14, 1950
Posted By: Alex - Tue Nov 07, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Technology, 1950s
Show Low, AZ
For our category of weird town names, such as Linoleumville.
The city's home page.
Their Wikipedia entry, from which we learn:
According to a legend, the city's unusual name[5] resulted from a marathon poker game between Corydon E. Cooley and Marion Clark. The two men were equal partners in a 100,000-acre (400 km2) ranch; however, the partners determined that there was not enough room for both of them in their settlement, and agreed to settle the issue over a game of "Seven Up" (with the winner taking the ranch and the loser leaving).[6] After the game seemed to have no winner in sight, Clark said, "If you can show low, you win." In response, Cooley turned up the deuce of clubs (the lowest possible card) and replied, "Show low it is."[7] As a tribute to the legend, Show Low's main street is named "Deuce of Clubs" in remembrance
Posted By: Paul - Tue Nov 07, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Regionalism, Weird Names, Gambling, Casinos, Lotteries and Other Games of Chance, Nineteenth Century
November 6, 2023
Reassuring news in the event of a nuclear war
The reassuring news, according to Dr. G.D. Kersley, was that if you've had one nuclear bomb dropped on you, you're unlikely to have another.Kersley's article appeared in the Aug 9, 1958 issue of the British Medical Journal. You can read it here. The reassuring comments are on the final page, in the conclusions section.
Birmingham Post - Aug 8, 1958
Posted By: Alex - Mon Nov 06, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: War, Weapons, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1950s
Follies of the Madmen #580
"Take some advice from the Professor of Love."
Posted By: Paul - Mon Nov 06, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Hygiene, Innuendo, Double Entendres, Symbolism, Nudge-Nudge-Wink-Wink and Subliminal Messages, Advertising, 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 |
