Crisco is digestible

When the best that a company can say about their food is that "it's digestible," it sounds like damning with faint praise.

Better Homes and Gardens - Sep 1956

Better Homes and Gardens - Sep 1954

Better Homes and Gardens - Mar 1957

Posted By: Alex - Wed Feb 01, 2023 - Comments (4)
Category: Food, Advertising, 1950s

Suitcase-Size Wife

If it was allowed to save money on airfare by carrying your contortionist wife on as luggage and putting her in the overhead compartment, I'm sure some people would try it.

Omaha Morning World Herald - June 6, 1951

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 27, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Human Marvels, Air Travel and Airlines, 1950s

Sidney Cornell’s Geyser Relays

Over the years there have been a lot of ideas proposed to solve Southern California's water shortage. One of the more unusual, from back in the early 1950s, was Sidney Cornell's geyser relays.

His idea was that, instead of moving water from Northern to Southern California by means of pipelines or canals, one could use hydrocannons to shoot it through the air.

He envisioned a series of powerful hydrocannons each positioned a mile apart. A geyser of water would be blasted from a cannon, a mile through the air, and collected in a funnel at the next pumping station. It would then be blasted to the next station in the chain, continuing like this for four-hundred miles.

Durham Herald-Sun - Jun 17, 1951

Mechanix Illustrated - Oct 1951 (via California WaterBlog)

San Pedro News-Pilot - Aug 8, 1951

The idea seems so harebrained that it's hard to understand how Cornell thought it could be even remotely possible. I'm guessing he was persuaded by the phenomenon of laminar flow, by means of which it's possible to get a jet of water to remain tightly focused, with minimal turbulence or scattering. See the video below for an example.

But even so, I'm sure that winds would push the water off-course, despite Cornell's claim that this wouldn't happen. And the cost would be significant.

Posted By: Alex - Tue Jan 24, 2023 - Comments (8)
Category: Engineering and Construction, Crackpots, 1950s

Noses

Read it here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 20, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Body, Science, Psychology, Self-help Schemes, 1950s

Les Baxter, THE PASSIONS

Knock yourself out with an emotional Saturday!

Posted By: Paul - Sat Jan 14, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Emotions, Music, Space-age Bachelor Pad & Exotic, Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings, 1950s

Follies of the Madmen #552

Please note the last cartoon in this ad (magnified below). Man attempts to kill mother-in-law by darkening the stairwell. Everything A-OK!

Source.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Jan 09, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Death, Domestic, Technology, Advertising, 1950s

Miss Electrical Wonderland

Miss Electrical Wonderland used a radioactive key to open 1950's Electrical Wonderland expo in San Francisco. The radioactivity of the key was sensed by a Geiger counter that then triggered a man-made bolt of lightning to flash between two towers in the auditorium.

San Francisco Examiner - Sep 18, 1950

San Francisco Examiner - Sep 18, 1950

However, the identity of Miss Electrical Wonderland was, for some reason, switched at the last minute. The pre-show publicity stated that Janet Jackson was Miss Electrical Wonderland, and a photo (above) showed her handling the radioactive key bare-handed.

However, the news on the day of the opening stated that Elaine Doyle was now Miss Electrical Wonderland, and that she "gingerly lifted a radioactive copper key from its lead lined box with a pair of long handled tongs."

Why the switch? Gotta wonder if Janet Jackson was recovering from radiation burns.

San Francisco Examiner - Sep 24, 1950

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 08, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1950s

Treasure Chest

It occurs to me that these Jam Handy PSA's, with just a little inflection, could become episodes of TWILIGHT ZONE.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Jan 07, 2023 - Comments (4)
Category: Domestic, Food, PSA’s, Industry, Factories and Manufacturing, 1950s

Merck satisfies your growing appetite for MSG

A full plate of MSG, but you already need more... MORE!

Never fear, "You can depend on Merck for unlimited quantities of MSG." In Crystal or Fine Crystal form.

Food Technology - Sep 1958

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 06, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Drugs, Food, Advertising, 1950s

Mississippi’s Queen of the Forest

I believe the title of this post alone would make the basis of an excellent fantasy franchise. Netflix, Apple+ or Amazon Prime--you know where to find me!

Senator John C. Stennis poses with Miss Katherine Alexander of Booneville, Mississippi and Governor of Miss. J. P. Coleman at the State Queen of the Forest Pageant in 1956. Left to Right: Senator Stennis, Miss Katherine Alexander, and Governor J. P. Coleman.

1959 Press Photo Dixie Shadburn, "Queen of the Forest" for Southeast Mississippi

Posted By: Paul - Sat Dec 31, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Agriculture, Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Regionalism, 1950s, 1960s