Weird Universe Blog — December 30, 2022

Blast-Resistant House

Here's a house with all the advantages of any concrete house — PLUS protection from atomic blasts at minimum cost.


House Beautiful - June 1956

Posted By: Alex - Fri Dec 30, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Architecture | Advertising | Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters | 1950s

No Pink Tax in the 1950s

Proof that the past was a happier era. No "Pink Tax" in effect. Daintiness at a discount!

Although of course the base prices were outrageous. See the screenshots below the video.





Posted By: Paul - Fri Dec 30, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Education | Hygiene | Advertising | 1950s

December 29, 2022

Mammiform and Protector

In 1864, Eleanor Marshall was granted Patent No. 43,321 for her "mammiform breast-protectors." From her patent:

Be it known that I, E.M. Marshall, of Hillsdale, Columbia county, in the State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a new and improved article for ladies' wear, which I term a "Mammiform and Protector"...

My improved mammiform and protector is formed of wire wound upon these formers, forming two springs, AA, connected together as shown, and being as similar as possible to the natural breasts. These springs AA may be separated and used singly when desired...

My improved mammiform and protector, being thus constructed, will be found to possess the following advantages: light, flexible, and covering the natural breasts without depressing them, and serving to protect them, and yet the springs of my mammiform and protector may be pressed together or onto the natural breasts, or in any other direction, and when relieved from such pressure resume their natural position and save the wearer the relaxing and debilitating effects of pads, answering all the purposes of a protector, and always presenting a natural appearance.

With springs like that, if a woman accidentally fell forward she'd bounce right back up.

Posted By: Alex - Thu Dec 29, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Patents | Underwear | Nineteenth Century

Follies of the Madmen #551

Posted By: Paul - Thu Dec 29, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Business | Advertising | Robots | Women | Twentieth Century

December 28, 2022

Is it art, or is it a medical emergency?

London police recently responded to a report of a woman in an art gallery who appeared to be unconscious. The gallery was closed, but the non-moving woman could be seen through a window. So, "officers forced entry to the address, where they uncovered that the person was in fact a mannequin."

The mannequin was part of a sculpture by American artist Mark Jenkins depicting the time his sister had "passed out and buried her face in a plate of soup."

More info: artnet.com

Posted By: Alex - Wed Dec 28, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Art | Confusion, Misunderstanding, and Incomprehension

Lily Dale Spiritualist Camp

The entire HBO documentary appears to be free on YouTube, as embedded below.

The Wikipedia page.





Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 28, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Supernatural, Occult, Paranormal | North America | Nineteenth Century

December 27, 2022

Mayo-Nog

In order to "highlight the versatility of Hellmann's Mayonnaise" Hellmann's hired mixologist Cody Goldstein to create an eggnog that substitutes mayo for eggs. And posted the recipe on its website.

Personally, I'd be willing to try it. However, the idea of a mayonnaise cocktail definitely lacks mainstream appeal.

More info: foodandwine.com





Googling "mayonnaise cocktail" then revealed a far more disturbing creation: the tapeworm shot.

Posted By: Alex - Tue Dec 27, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Mayonnaise

Dawn in a Duckblind

Listen in the comfort of home, and avoid the cold and wet.





Posted By: Paul - Tue Dec 27, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Hunting, Trapping and Other Wilderness Activities | Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings | 1960s

December 26, 2022

Magic Oval Panties

The Magic Oval Pantie lady had no qualms about parading around in public in her underwear and evening gloves, while her alter ego frantically tried to save herself from a wedgie.

Charm - Apr 1957



Cosmopolitan - March 1957



Life - Sep 16, 1957



Life - Sep 9, 1957



Photoplay - March 1957



Mademoiselle - March 1957

Posted By: Alex - Mon Dec 26, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Advertising | Underwear | 1950s

Hal Hayes’s Swinging Bachelor Mansion



For $600,000 -- adjusted for inflation, about $4.9 million today -- Hayes got a six-level, steel-and-glass pad with masculine, maximum technology and minimal custom decoration. He parked on girders projecting from the edge of his hillside lot, piped in hi-fi music, poured drinks from an ultra-sleek mini kitchen designed for catering, not for cooking, seduced brunettes in an orchid greenhouse and did what bachelors do in a free-standing “playroom.”

There was a circular fireplace, a louvered skylight, a mirrored master suite and an artificial beach for topless tanning. An outdoor hearth in gunite lava rock warmed women chilled by gin martinis.




Guests in the bomb shelter of Hal Hayes's house.



Retrospective write-up at the LA TIMES.


1958 feature in LIFE magazine.

Some great pix with this article.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 26, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Architecture | Domestic | Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough | Space-age Bachelor Pad & Exotic | 1950s

Page 18 of 18 pages ‹ First  < 16 17 18
Custom Search
All original content in posts is Copyright © 2016 by the author of the post, which is usually either Alex Boese ("Alex"), Paul Di Filippo ("Paul"), or Chuck Shepherd ("Chuck"). All rights reserved. The banner illustration at the top of this page is Copyright © 2008 by Rick Altergott.

Go to top