Weird Universe Archive

January 2019

January 26, 2019

“Die British and Remain British”

The 1930's version of British remainers.

The Monroe News-Star - Oct 1, 1934

Posted By: Alex - Sat Jan 26, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Death, 1930s

January 25, 2019

Rail-Delay Scarf

Knitted by Claudia Weber of Germany to visually represent the delays she experienced each day, for one year, on her rail commute between Moosburg and Munich.

[She] knitted "two rows per day" and she chose "grey for [delays] under five minutes, pink for between five and 30 minutes delay, and red if she was delayed on both trips, or one trip by over 30 minutes."

Weber put the scarf for sale on eBay where it was bought for €7,550 by the German railway company Deutsche Bahn.

More details: euronews

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 25, 2019 - Comments (6)
Category: Fashion, Trains and Other Vehicles on Rails

Moodles





The artist's homepage.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 25, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Art, Surrealism

January 24, 2019

Laura the Nazi-Saluting Parrot

At the end of World War II, the Allied forces wanted to make sure that Nazism didn't rise again in Germany. So they implemented a program of denazification, making it a criminal act, punishable by up to three years in prison, to display Nazi symbols such as the swastika or to give the Nazi salute. However, they encountered resistance from an unusual quarter: a 15-year-old white, female, South-American parrot named Laura who lived in a cage at Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo. This bird had the disturbing habit of greeting visitors by loudly squawking the phrase 'Heil Hitler' as she bobbed her head up and down.

Children at the Munich Zoo hoping to hear Laura say her signature phrase. Image via icp.org.




More in extended >>

Posted By: Alex - Thu Jan 24, 2019 - Comments (7)
Category: Animals, 1940s

Pre-Infected Tissues

The company Vaev claims to be selling tissues that have already been sneezed into. For about $80 it seems that you get a box containing one infected tissue. The idea apparently is that you can infect yourself with a cold, and this will somehow strengthen your immune system, thereby protecting you from further colds or the flu. Although the company's website is very vague on details, offering only this:

We believe that when flu season comes around, you should be able to get sick on your terms. We’re not about chemicals or prescription drugs here at Væv. We believe using a tissue that carries a human sneeze is safer than needles or pills. This isn’t like any tissue you’ve used before, but we love using them, and you will too.

The idea is so odd that I wonder if it isn't some kind of hoax. Note that it isn't actually possible to buy these things because the company's online store claims to be sold out.

More details at Yahoo News!.



Posted By: Alex - Thu Jan 24, 2019 - Comments (4)
Category: Health, Disease, Overpriced Merchandise, Cures for the common cold

Follies of the Madmen #408

"He risked his life and did us a great service--but he's got a bad haircut."

Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 24, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Business, Advertising, Hair Styling, 1960s

January 23, 2019

Human waste explodes from kitchen wall

For years the Carlone family of Cleveland had been bothered by a foul smell in their kitchen. Nothing they did could get rid of it. Then they noticed their kitchen wall starting to bulge, until finally, on August 21, 1972, the wall exploded and covered them with 40 gallons of sewage.

It turned out that eight years earlier a technician from the phone company had accidentally drilled a hole through the sewer pipe, causing raw sewage to seep out into the wall cavity. Until it all eventually exploded.

It was reported that the Carlones sued the phone company, but I couldn't find any follow-up reports about their suit.

It amazes me that they had been living with the smell for eight years, and it apparently never occurred to them that it might be related to the sewer pipe in the wall.

Tampa Tribune - Oct 19, 1975

Posted By: Alex - Wed Jan 23, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Excrement, 1970s

January 22, 2019

The Techno-Bra

Created by Kursty Groves. The bra monitored the wearer’s heartbeat and contacted the police if there was a sudden change indicative of a panic response (suggesting that the wearer was being attacked or in danger). The bra was reportedly going to be manufactured and sold by the British design firm PDD, but as far as I can tell, it never made it to market.

Image source: Visual Arts Data Service



Discover magazine - October 1999



Atlanta Constitution - July 25, 1999

Posted By: Alex - Tue Jan 22, 2019 - Comments (8)
Category: Fashion, Underwear, 1990s

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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.

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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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