Magoo in Hi-Fi

Once you get past the daft spoken word bits with Mr McGoo, this gets excellent, almost avant-garde in places, with incredible work by Dennis Farnon and Marni Nixon. The Very Contrary Mary track is stunning.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 30, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Music | Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings | Avant Garde | Cartoons | 1950s

The egg on the head scam

San Francisco Examiner - Dec 22, 1974

Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 29, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams | 1970s

Follies of the Madmen #604

"No more washee, washee! Melican man wear celluloid collar and cuff!"

Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 29, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Fashion | Stereotypes and Cliches | Advertising | Asia | Nineteenth Century

In three weeks he may be dead…

Look at Bambi lying in a field. Bambi will be dead soon.

Sports Illustrated - July 1970

Coincidentally, this ad appeared within a year of the release of the classic animated short "Bambi Meets Godzilla." Perhaps the ad men had seen Marv Newland's film. Newland went into advertising after making his film, so it's at least possible.

Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 28, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Advertising | Cartoons | 1960s | 1970s

Hundreds of Beavers

The Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Aug 28, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Costumes and Masks | Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature | Humor | Movies | Twenty-first Century

Mystery Flesh Pit National Park

Located near Gumption, Texas, the Mystery Flesh Pit National Park is a must-see for all curiosity-seekers.



Of course, it's an elaborate satire. A mash-up of upbeat National Park merchandising and Lovecraftian horror. But apparently not everyone realizes that. Its creator, artist Trevor Roberts, reports:


More info: outdoorswire.usatoday.com

Posted By: Alex - Tue Aug 27, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature | Satire

Atomic Car

Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 27, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters | 1960s | Europe | Cars

A method for irradiating radioactive radiation

Patent No. 6,415,009 (granted in 2002) is titled, "Method for producing a coiled body for irradiating radioactive radiation."

What could it mean to irradiate radioactive radiation? When I came across the phrase I had to stop and think about it.

The text of the patent unfortunately didn't provide any clarification, although it did reveal that all this irradiating is being done in the context of brachytherapy (from wikipedia: "a form of radiation therapy where a sealed radiation source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment").

The phrase "radioactive radiation" actually does make sense to me. Radiation is a catch-all term for the emission of any kind of electromagnetic energy. So 'radioactive radiation' would be high-energy or ionizing radiation, as opposed to, say, low-energy heat radiation.

But I'm still confused what they mean by irradiating radioactive radiation? Does it mean to make radioactive radiation even more radioactive?

Or are they misusing the word 'irradiate'? My dictionary indicates that 'irradiate' means either to be exposed to radiation or to be illuminated by radiation. The sun radiates or emits light, and the earth is irradiated by its light.

So did the patentees mean 'emitting' rather than 'irradiating'? I'm just not sure. If anyone can figure out what the phrase means, let me know.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 26, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Science | Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters | Patents

Death by Manhole Cover

Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 26, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Death | Explosives | Luck, Good and Bad | Urban Life | 1930s

A Woman’s Perspiration

Anatomical horror from the advertising industry:

American Girl - July 1963

American Girl - Sep 1964

Posted By: Alex - Sun Aug 25, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Advertising | 1960s | Women | Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents