Weird Universe Archive

March 2022

March 16, 2022

The Frozen Woman

Dec 20, 1980: On a cold winter's evening, 19-year-old Jean Hilliard's car got stuck in a ditch, so she decided to walk for help. She was found the next morning, two miles away, frozen solid.

Later, people told her she'd made it to her friend's yard, tripped, and crawled on her hands and knees to his doorstep. They said she lay there for six straight hours, with her eyes frozen wide open. Hilliard doesn't remember any of that.

Remarkably, doctors were able to thaw her out even though she was so rock hard that needles broke on her skin. She suffered no serious injuries — just some blistered toes.

Read the full story at MPR News

Posted By: Alex - Wed Mar 16, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Human Marvels, 1980s, Weather

Obscene Chinese Money

The portrait of Confucius is expressing his opinion with his fingers of the occupying Japanese army.




Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 16, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Innuendo, Double Entendres, Symbolism, Nudge-Nudge-Wink-Wink and Subliminal Messages, Money, War, 1930s, Asia

March 15, 2022

Hairdresser in a glass coffin

Celebrity hairstylist Antoine de Paris used to sleep in a glass coffin, which he claimed he would one day be buried in. He died in 1976, and whether he actually was buried in the glass coffin I haven't been able to find out.

Info from Logan Sisley:

Antoni "Antek" Cierplikowski was born in Poland in 1884 but made his name in Paris as Monsieur Antoine, hair stylist to the stars. In 1924 he purchased the top four floors of a Parisian apartment building which he set about remodelling as a School of Beauty and an apartment with sculpture studio. Construction of The House of Glass began in 1929. It occupied the upper floors of the building and contained the studio and living quarters. Glass was supplied by St Gobain, of whom Antoine claimed at one time to be the biggest client. The external walls were clad with large panes of opaque glass to eradicate the need for curtains, which Antoine believed had no place in the modern interior. The interiors were decorated extensively with glass including the staircase, a cupola, pillars, chairs and even a glass bed in the shape of a coffin, which attracted much press attention.

Dayton Daily News - Mar 25, 1932



"M. Antoine in the curious burial costume he has designed for his funeral"



From The San Francisco Examiner - Sep 25, 1932:

It is in the arrangements for his own funeral that Antoine's genius soars to its greatest height. In life, he surrounds himself with death, so in death he will be surrounded by sparkling life. He has engaged eight beautiful models to be his pall-bearers. They have agreed to be gay and sprightly and bright at his funeral, to shed no tears nor betray any sorrow. And, if he dies and they go through the ordeal successfully, they will be rewarded by provisions in his will.

But models die, get married, get fired, while Antoine continues to live. Always he must be replacing the original ones. He picks them out for their gaiety and their good looks.

More info: Polish Fashion Stories

Posted By: Alex - Tue Mar 15, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Death, Fashion, Furniture

March 14, 2022

Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal

Paula Begoun calls herself "The Cosmetics Cop". And as such she firmly believes that blue eyeshadow is violating some kind of law.

You can read the full book (published 1985) at archive.org.





In 1991, she came out with a follow-up: Blue Eyeshadow Should Absolutely Be Illegal. Evidently her feelings on this matter had only grown stronger over time.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Mar 14, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Cosmetics, Books, 1980s

March 13, 2022

Name That List, #66

What is this a list of? The answer is below in extended.

  • the formula for the making of Wrigley's chewing gum
  • the recipe for Purina Dog Chow
  • the city records of Chicago and Los Angeles
  • most of the Walt Disney films, including all of the original prints from the Mickey Mouse Club
  • 109,000 old MGM movies
  • the wedding dress of a lady from Wichita
  • fur pelts
  • a collection of antique newspapers dating back to 1659
  • copies of Bibles in 1700 languages and dialects
  • a couple of jars of pickled frogs


More in extended >>

Posted By: Alex - Sun Mar 13, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Name That List

March 12, 2022

Suicide with sock

This sounds like a particularly unpleasant way to end one's life.

Dayton Daily News - Mar 25, 1932

Posted By: Alex - Sat Mar 12, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Suicide, 1930s

Kaliedoscope, “Chocolate Whale”



Their Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Mar 12, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Music, Psychedelic, 1970s

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