Weird Universe Archive

March 2018

March 31, 2018

Sanatogen Tonic Wine

Back in 2016, Paul posted some ads for Sanatogen Tonic Wine from early in the 20th century. Here are some more ads for this fine product, but from later in the century (1960s), in which the marketing team decided to focus on how this medicinal wine was the cure for a housewife's blues. Feeling bored at home, run-down by the kids? No problem, just take a little swig of Sanatogen and you'll be numb to your problems in no time! "That's lovely... that's better"



Posted By: Alex - Sat Mar 31, 2018 - Comments (3)
Category: Inebriation and Intoxicants, Advertising, 1960s, Alcohol

March 30, 2018

The Non-Smokers Inn



Lyndon Sanders opened the Non-Smokers Inn in 1981 in Dallas. At the time, it was the first exclusively non-smoking hotel in America. Actually it may have been the first to offer any rooms exclusively for non-smokers, period. I'm not sure. But as it turned out, he anticipated the non-smoking trend too well. From cnn.com:

In a business sense, he was ahead of his time -- too far ahead. The Non-Smokers Inn did well at first, but by 1991 Sanders had to turn the hotel over to new management, which changed the name to the Classic Motor Inn, and allowed 22 of the 135 rooms to welcome smokers.

It wasn't that the world had turned its back on his idea -- it was that the world had embraced it too thoroughly. Major hotels had started putting in nonsmoking floors, and advertising the fact; people who didn't smoke suddenly had no trouble finding a clean, fresh-smelling room. The Non-Smokers Inn, struggling for business, had to become something else and let smokers in, because the nonsmokers no longer had to look so hard for what they desired.

Posted By: Alex - Fri Mar 30, 2018 - Comments (0)
Category: Hotels, Smoking and Tobacco, 1980s

March 29, 2018

The Dieter’s Conscience

Carol Kiebala invented a dieting gadget that would verbally chastise you whenever you opened the refrigerator door.

I guess that would encourage you to eat more potato chips, and other non-perishable snacks.

The Arlington Daily Herald - Sep 22, 1977



Fort Lauderdale News - Nov 6, 1977



Tallahassee Democrat - Sep 21, 1977





More in extended >>

Posted By: Alex - Thu Mar 29, 2018 - Comments (5)
Category: Inventions, 1970s, Dieting and Weight Loss

Mystery Illustration 71



What product and/or company is this image touting?

The answer is here.

And after the jump.

More in extended >>

Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 29, 2018 - Comments (3)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Food, 1940s

March 28, 2018

Mystery Illustration

2018 NOTE: The very first in this series.

image

What does this great illustration by Jan Faust depict?

1) Young lads who prey on MILFs
2) Embezzlement by cash register clerks
3) Lyndon LaRouche's theory of Space Lizards among us
4) An incident from the next Spider-Man film
5) The dangers inherent in our food supply

Find the answer here.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 28, 2018 - Comments (7)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Art, Women

Serb, the men’s cologne

In the midst of the Bosnian War, two Serbian designers came out with "Serb" the cologne. I can't think of any other cologne inspired by a war.

Arizona Republic - Apr 17, 1994





St. Louis Post-Dispatch - May 9, 1994

Posted By: Alex - Wed Mar 28, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: 1990s, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents

Juice-Head Baby

Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 28, 2018 - Comments (0)
Category: Music, 1940s, Women, Alcohol

March 27, 2018

Vasectomy Ties

Britain's first vasectomy tie was designed by David Shaw, a Leeds rugby player and father of two children, after he had had a vasectomy. His wife, Jean, says that the tie boosts the confidence of men who have had vasectomies.

Vasectomy ties, however, can be abused. Unscrupulous men—who have not had vasectomies—are reputed to have lured unsuspecting girls into bed by sporting the ties. The success of these men can depend upon the design they wear.

A sober tie has greater credibility than one which bears the abbreviation I.O.F.B. ("I only fire blanks").




Chicago Tribune - Jan 13, 1974

Posted By: Alex - Tue Mar 27, 2018 - Comments (0)
Category: Fashion, Birth Control , 1970s

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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 books such as Elephants on Acid.

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.

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