Weird Universe Blog — May 28, 2023

Calories Don’t Count

Dr. Herman Taller was arguably ahead of his time with his assertion that a high-protein diet was more effective for weight loss than simply restricting calories. However, it was his promotion of "CDC" (Calories Don't Count) capsules that got him into trouble. He claimed that these capsules not only would help with weight loss but would also lower cholesterol, treat heartburn, improve the complexion, increase resistance to colds, and boost the sex drive. The FDA disagreed, noting that the capsules primarily contained safflower oil. Taller was eventually convicted of mail fraud.

More info: Wikipedia, Quackwatch

Posted By: Alex - Sun May 28, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Health | Dieting and Weight Loss

May 27, 2023

Mysterious Hiccups Cure

Sep 1949: After Robert Meier had suffered from hiccups for 8 days, a mysterious stranger showed up at his house unannounced, draped a wet noodle over Meier's head, and cured his hiccups.



Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Sep 9, 1949

Posted By: Alex - Sat May 27, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Health | 1940s

May 26, 2023

Bust Cream or Food

If it doesn't enlarge your bust, you can serve it for dinner.

Source: 1897 Sear Roebuck Catalogue

Posted By: Alex - Fri May 26, 2023 - Comments (3)
Category: Body Modifications | Advertising | Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil | Nineteenth Century

Pete Drake’s “Forever”

What is the weird device used by the guitarist? Let his Wikipedia page explain:

You play the notes on the guitar and it goes through the amplifier. I have a driver system so that you disconnect the speakers and the sound goes through the driver into a plastic tube. You put the tube in the side of your mouth then form the words with your mouth as you play them. You don't actually say a word: The guitar is your vocal cords, and your mouth is the amplifier. It's amplified by a microphone.


Posted By: Paul - Fri May 26, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Aliens | Music | Technology | Adaptations, Reworkings, Recastings and New Versions | 1960s

May 25, 2023

Jizai Arms

"Doc Ock" becomes a reality. Although it's unclear to me how one would control these arms or if they're functional at all. Brief explanation from the creator's website:

JIZAI ARMS is a supernumerary robotic limb system consisting of a wearable base unit with six terminals and detachable robot arms. The system was designed to enable social interaction between multiple wearers, such as an exchange of arm(s), and explore possible interactions between digital cyborgs in a cyborg society.

Posted By: Alex - Thu May 25, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Technology | AI, Robots and Other Automatons

Cinejukebox

The Wikipedia page.

A very good article here, with great pictures.

A list of films in this format.







Posted By: Paul - Thu May 25, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Music | Technology | 1950s | 1960s

May 24, 2023

Shoes sold for peanuts

We've previously posted about cases in which advertisers used the word 'bananas' as slang for dollars, and then had to sell the product (a car and a stereo system) for the appropriate number of bananas.

Here's the identical situation, but with peanuts.

Macon Chronicle-Herald - Sep 13, 1949

Posted By: Alex - Wed May 24, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Money | 1940s

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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.

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