1970s
Tortured by Ants
This isn't a type of crime one hears about very often:the boys were strapped to the tree for more than an hour, suffering the painful bites of thousands of ants.
On this subject, the Fossil Hunters site has an interesting article about forms of insect torture throughout history, including the gruesome ancient Persian practice of "scaphism," and the "Bug Pit" of Nasrullah Bahadur-Khan.
Alexandria Daily Town Talk - Aug 8, 1978
Posted By: Alex - Mon May 15, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Insects and Spiders, Torture, Sadism, Cruelty, Punishment, and Torture, 1970s
Follies of the Madmen #564
Posted By: Paul - Mon May 15, 2023 -
Comments (7)
Category: Music, Advertising, Candy, Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers, 1970s, Attractiveness, Sexiness, Allure and Personal Magnetism
Legs that come alive in the Spring
Springtime at the Mojud body farm.
Cosmopolitan - Apr 1972
Posted By: Alex - Sun May 07, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: Advertising, 1970s, Legs
Unauthorized Dwellings 30
We surveyed this community earlier in this series, but I thought it deserved a followup chronicling its demise.The whole saga of Maplewood Mudflats is told in an article here.
Source: The Province (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) 05 Sep 1972, Tue Page 25
Posted By: Paul - Thu May 04, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Unauthorized Dwellings, Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers, 1960s, 1970s, North America
Model of the year
I'm sure some psychologist must have conducted a study to see how much pain people would suffer in order to avoid embarrassment. If not, the case of Marcy Kwapil, chosen as "1975 model of the year" in Racine, Wisconsin, would offer an example. Rather than risk the embarrassment of disrupting a parade to get off the burning hot hood of a car, she suffered through to the end, incurring third-degree burns.
Roanoke Times - Aug 19, 1975
Below is the only picture I could find of Marcy Kwapil. She's the second from the right.
Racine Journal Times - Oct 25, 1973
Posted By: Alex - Wed May 03, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Psychology, 1970s
Death by metric system
1976: Leonard Dodge "hung himself — because he could not cope with the change-over to metrication, it was suggested at the inquest on him."
Devon Herald Express - Oct 9, 1976
Posted By: Alex - Thu Apr 20, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Death, Suicide, 1970s
Myles Jackson, “Varsity Cheer”
Firesign Theater had few imitators. Here's one.I cannot learn anything about the creator. Perhaps a pseudonym?
Posted By: Paul - Wed Apr 12, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: History, Humor, Parody, 1970s
Weebles
Certainly one of the weirder toys that ever became popular. No distinguishing attraction other than wobbliness.
"You Jane, me Weeble!"
Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 11, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Television, Toys, Advertising, 1970s
Oh Great, Now What?
Artists Paul Velick and Francis Shishim joined forces in 1975 to create the personae of "Bob & Bob." As Bob & Bob they engaged in performances such as the following:Text from Source book of California performance art.
I'm surprised the restaurants only threw them out. I figured an expensive restaurant would report you to the police, at the very least.
image source: BobandBob.net
Posted By: Alex - Thu Mar 30, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Restaurants, Performance Art, 1970s
Follies of the Madmen #560
Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 29, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Body, Cryptozoology, Health, Advertising, 1960s, 1970s
| Who We Are |
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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, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. 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. Contact Us |