Follies of the Madmen #330

This wife has a problem bigger than an inconsiderate husband--he's a clinical alcoholic!

From THE ELKS MAGAZINE for November 1950.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Oct 17, 2017 - Comments (6)
Category: Addictions, Alcohol, Business, Advertising, Products, Domestic, Appliances, 1950s

Weighing the Mayor

The town of High Wycombe in England has an ancient custom of weighing their mayors, first upon taking office and again at the end of their term. To have gained weight is taken as evidence that they've grown wealthy at the taxpayer's expense. It's like an ancient form of fat-shaming.

In the 1950s, the mayor of Minneapolis, Eric Hoyer, decided to adopt this custom. He even arranged to have the official scales flown in from High Wycombe. He apparently was pretty confident that he'd lost weight, but according to the scales he had gained some. He blamed the extra weight on the ceremonial costume he was wearing for the occasion.

It's an interesting custom. Perhaps we should weigh more politicians periodically. Such as an annual weighing of senators and the president.

Pleasant Grove Review - Jan 4, 1952

Cincinnati Enquirer - Dec 1, 1951

Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 16, 2017 - Comments (6)
Category: Politics, 1950s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Crazy Cafe

Posted By: Paul - Tue Oct 10, 2017 - Comments (1)
Category: Entertainment, Restaurants, 1950s

The Bubble Hat

More pix and info here.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 09, 2017 - Comments (3)
Category: Eccentrics, Toys, Headgear, 1950s

A Date With Your Family

No one, even at the time, thought of incest allusions?

Posted By: Paul - Sat Oct 07, 2017 - Comments (3)
Category: Etiquette and Formal Behavior, Family, PSA’s, 1950s

Flexiclogs

Hinged, segmented shoe soles. There must be a good reason why this innovation never caught on.

Pairs seem to come up for sale on eBay and Etsy if you want to give them a try.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 06, 2017 - Comments (4)
Category: Fashion, Shoes, Technology, 1950s, Feet

The Morale Raiser

Also known as a pat-on-the-back machine. An earlier version of this.

Wilmington News Journal - Dec 22, 1950

Posted By: Alex - Sun Sep 17, 2017 - Comments (3)
Category: Inventions, 1950s

Full Financial Disclosure

Back in the old days, when politicians still felt obliged to reveal their finances...

October 1952: Mike Murphy, 12-year-old candidate for secretary of the student body at Madison high school in Phoenix, AZ, felt it would be the honest thing to do to release a full financial statement. He revealed that he earned a dollar a week allowance, and a dollar for every gopher he caught in the yard. Gophers from neighbors' yards didn't count. He won the election.

Kansas City Times - Oct 13, 1952

Posted By: Alex - Wed Sep 13, 2017 - Comments (4)
Category: Politics, 1950s

Punky Punkin

WU's contribution to the seasonal craze for all things pumpkin.

He's the happiest pumpkin--despite having his guts ripped out of him and doomed to rot more swiftly than his brothers in the field.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Sep 11, 2017 - Comments (1)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Death, Holidays, 1950s

Nikita Made Me Kill!

Not only did he not like modern art, but he caused mental illness!

Original article here.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 07, 2017 - Comments (3)
Category: Death, 1950s, Russia, Brain Damage