Weird Universe Blog — April 23, 2025
King Kong climbs the Empire State Building
On April 1, the drone company Studio Hock, which specializes in creating "world-class drone show experiences," posted a video clip on its Instagram account claiming that they had used their drones to simulate King Kong climbing the Empire State building.They concluded the post with the remark, "#aprilfools might just be my favorite holiday" — a giveaway that this hadn't happened. Nevertheless, the clip is fooling quite a few people (such as here and here). At least one news station (wsvn-tv in Miami) has reported it as an actual event.
Posted By: Alex - Wed Apr 23, 2025 -
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Category: Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators | Pranks
April 22, 2025
The Human Mummification Project
The ancient Egyptians practiced mummification for over 2000 years, but they never wrote down how they did it. In 1994, egyptologist Bob Brier decided that the only way to figure this out was to attempt to duplicate what they did, by mummifying a body.Brier collaborated with Ronn Wade, director of the Maryland State Anatomy Board. They obtained the body of a man in his late seventies who had died of a heart attack. His name has never been made public. The man had signed up to be a body donor, though of course he would have had no idea he was going to be mummified. His family was only told that his body was being used for a "long-term research project."
Brier's mummification project was featured in a 1994 National Geographic documentary (below). The mummy they produced still resides at the University of Maryland at Baltimore.
More info: The Maryland Mummy, "Surgical procedures during ancient Egyptian mummification," "Making a Modern Mummy"
Posted By: Alex - Tue Apr 22, 2025 -
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Category: Death | Experiments | Ancient Times
Follies of the Madmen #621
Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 22, 2025 -
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Category: Destruction | Food | Advertising | 1960s
April 21, 2025
Miss Soft Water
Deseret News - Sep 17, 1954
Posted By: Alex - Mon Apr 21, 2025 -
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Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests | 1950s
The Anís del Mono Corporate Icon
The monkey who is the symbol of this Spanish anisette company bears the face of Charles Darwin.
Read more here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Apr 21, 2025 -
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Category: Anthropomorphism | Science | Corporate Mascots, Icons and Spokesbeings | Historical Figure | Europe | Nineteenth Century | Alcohol
April 20, 2025
Zink’s Womanless Library
When T.M. Zink died in 1930, his will directed that the bulk of his estate should go to the construction of a library in his hometown of LeMars, Iowa — a library from which all women, and any books written by women, would be permanently banned.The city government of LeMars wasn't exactly pleased by this gift and raised no objections when Zink's daughter (successfully) challenged the will, arguing that her father was of unsound mind. So Zink's womanless library never became a reality.
Of course, as odd as his bequest sounds today, throughout most of history womanless libraries were the norm — until well into the nineteenth century, I believe.
More details below.
Evansville Press Sun - Nov 23, 1930
American Libraries magazine - Dec 1976
click to enlarge
No woman shall at any time, under any pretense or for any purpose, be allowed inside the library, or upon the premises or have any say about anything concerned therewith, nor appoint any person or persons to perform any act connected therewith.
No book, work of art, chart, magazine, picure, unless some production by a man, shall be allowed inside or outside the building, or upon the premises, and this shall include all decorations for inside and outside of the building.
There shall be over each entrance to the premises and building a sign in these words: "No Woman Admitted."
It is my intention to forever exclude all women from the premises and having anything to say or do with the trust estate and library...
If any woman, or women, shall be allowed to disregard any of the limitations herein placed upon them, it shall be ground for removal of the trust estate and library...
My intense hatred of women is not of recent origin or development nor based upon any personal differences I ever had with them but is the result of my experiences with women, observations of them, and study of all literatures and philosophical works within my limited knowledge relating thereto.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Apr 20, 2025 -
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Category: Gender | Women | Libraries | Inheritance and Wills | 1930s
Under the Weather
Under the Weather, Tali, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Posted By: Paul - Sun Apr 20, 2025 -
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Category: Oceans and Maritime Pursuits | Recreation | Cartoons | 1990s
April 19, 2025
Dishpan Hands
Bob looks more disturbed/disgusted than hurt.
Ladies' Home Journal - Jan 1945
Lux ran ads throughout the 1930s and 40s, warning women of the danger of dishpan hands, and their warnings eventually reached an unintended audience.
In 1948, a Soviet delegate to the UN explained that the reason Soviet women were not allowed to leave the country with foreign husbands was because that in the West wives became kitchen slaves and developed dishpan hands.
Detroit Free Press - Dec 7, 1948
Posted By: Alex - Sat Apr 19, 2025 -
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Category: Diplomacy and Foreign Relations | Advertising | Baths, Showers and Other Cleansing Methods | 1940s
Here Comes the Bird
Read about the creators here.Album player embedded below album cover.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Apr 19, 2025 -
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Category: Humor | Politics | Weddings and Marriage | Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings | 1960s
