July 2023
July 16, 2023
Letter to Diognetus
The "Letter to Diognetus" is an obscure early Christian text, probably written in the second century AD. Its author is unknown.No known references to this letter survive from ancient times. The only reason scholars are aware of it today is that a copy of it was discovered in 1436 — and it's the way it was discovered that was unusual. A young cleric was at a fishmarket and realized that the paper the fishmonger was wrapping the fish in seemed to be from an ancient manuscript. He rescued the paper and discovered this previously unknown ancient text written on it.
From "An Introduction to the Letter to Diognetus," by William Varner:
More info: wikipedia
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jul 16, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Lost, Newly Discovered, Cutting-Room-Floor, and Discarded Cultural Items, Ancient Times
Mystery Illustration 111
What's going on here?The answer is at the link.
Or after the jump.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 16, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: 1940s, Weapons
July 15, 2023
Sideburns for Girls
The Fresno Bee - Jan 14, 1968
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jul 15, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Fashion, Hair Styling, 1960s
Always on Call
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jul 15, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Police and Other Law Enforcement, PSA’s, Social Services, 1950s
July 14, 2023
Flying Manhole Cover
Continuing our recent theme of random airborne objects that kill or injure people:
Arizona Daily Star - Feb 13, 2016
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jul 14, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Death, 2010s
Hoosier Poet Canned Goods
Very few--if any other--poets have a line of canned goods named after them, as did James Whitcomb Riley.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 14, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Food, Poetry, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century
July 13, 2023
Death Valley Moon Test
July 1968: It was widely reported that Kathie Pieper, recent winner of the Miss AAU California beauty contest, would be participating in a hike through Death Valley. The hike was said to be part of an experiment conducted by researchers at the California Institute of Technology, in cooperation with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, that would have "something to do with testing clothing and other equipment that could be used if man ever landed on the moon." Pieper agreed to go on the hike after being contacted by a JPL official who told her she was "just the type of girl they were looking for."See below in extended for the follow-up.
The Fresno Bee - July 19, 1968
More in extended >>
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jul 13, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Deceit, Trickery, Subterfuge and General Slyness, Experiments, 1960s
Unlikely Reasons for Murder No. 15
Source: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) 17 Feb 1949, Thu Page 21
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 13, 2023 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, Food, Scary Criminals, Stupid Criminals, 1940s, Alcohol
July 12, 2023
Flagpole of Freedom
Plans are afoot to build the world's largest flagpole, flying the world's largest American flag, in the small town of Columbia Falls, Maine, "where the rays of the sun touch America first every day." It would stand 1,461 feet tall, higher than the Empire State Building, and cost over $1 billion.According to Wikipedia, America currently isn't even in the top 10 in the list of the world's largest flagpoles. It only comes in at #16, with the Acuity Flagpole in Sheboygan, Wisconsin (height: 390ft).
The Flagpole of Freedom, if it actually gets built, would more than double the current world's tallest flagpole. But it remains to be seen if it ever gets built, since many of the residents of Columbia Falls aren't keen on the idea.
More info: Oakland Press
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jul 12, 2023 -
Comments (3)
Category: Architecture, Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough
Follies of the Madmen #570
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 12, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Animals, Anthropomorphism, Advertising, Air Travel and Airlines, 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. Chuck Shepherd Chuck is the purveyor of News of the Weird, the syndicated column which for decades has set the gold-standard for reporting on oddities and the bizarre. Our banner was drawn by the legendary underground cartoonist Rick Altergott. Contact Us |
