Category:
1970s
1970s
The Highest Streakers
I can find absolutely no supporting documentation of this event, but the photo comes from the Library of Congress, so it must be true!
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jul 24, 2021 -
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Category: Architecture, Fads, Public Indecency, 1970s
The Winooski Dome
In 1979, officials in Winooski, Vermont applied for a $55,000 federal grant to study the possibility of building a dome over the entire city. They explained that a dome might slash the cost of heating Winooski's buildings by up to 90 percent.They didn't actually have a plan for how the dome would be built, but they eventually enlisted the help of architect John Anderson who came up some ideas. Details from UnofficialNetworks.com:
Thinking ahead, he envisioned a vinyl-like material attached over a network of metal cables, ranging from transparent (on the southern side, to allow in sunlight) to opaque on the northern side. Air would be brought inside by large fans and heated or cooled as necessary. The Dome would be held up by air pressure just slightly above atmospheric pressure. Entrances and exits would consist of double doors, akin to an airlock. The homes inside would require no individual heating or cooling — “you could grow tomatoes all year-round” he said. If the Dome were punctured it would come down slowly, allowing for ample warning.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jul 23, 2021 -
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Category: Architecture, 1970s
Dr. Somers’ Cocaine Cure for Arthritis
Back in the late 1970s, Dr. Lowell Somers, chief of staff at Redbud Community Hospital, made headlines by claiming to have discovered that cocaine could cure arthritis. Somers explained that he discovered this by observing his identical twin cousins, Chuck and Rick. Chuck had arthritis, but Rick didn't. And Rick was a cocaine user, while Chuck wasn't.Somers said he had successfully treated a dozen rheumatoid patients with cocaine. His procedure:
Somers' patients take the powder by sniffing it through a straw or chewing it on a piece of cotton. They take about four doses of 100 milligrams each day, but the frequency is later reduced.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat - Apr 13, 1979
It didn't take long for authorities to shut him down, which they did by charging that he was addicted to demerol and cocaine, and revoking his medical license. I guess he was taking the cure himself. Some info from The Oklahoman:
The California licensing board told The Oklahoman... that Somers was placed on probation in 1980 for addiction to demerol and cocaine; that he later was paroled but was placed on probation again in 1984 for 10 years for violating terms of that probation. A complaint signed by the California agency chairman states that Somers was examined by psychiatrists and found to be suffering from a psychosis; that he treated patients with a mixture of cocaine and hydrochloride and that he "manifested a sincere belief in the value of his treatments with cocaine."
This sidestepped the issue of whether he may actually have been right about the medical benefit of cocaine for people with arthritis. It doesn't seem entirely implausible to me.
However, some googling pulls up an article suggesting that cocaine use may actually cause rheumatologic conditions. Although the authors admit they're not sure if the cocaine is the culprit, or the contaminants in the cocaine.
On the other hand, there's quite a bit of literature about the potential medical benefits of coca leaves, which people have been consuming in South America for thousands of years. Although coca leaves are a far cry from the pure cocaine Somers was using.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat - Apr 13, 1979
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jul 15, 2021 -
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Category: Drugs, Health, Medicine, 1970s
The Resurrection of Gladys Rogers
When 80-year-old Gladys Rogers died of flu in 1978, her evangelist son decided that he would freeze her body and then bring her back to life with prayer. Her resurrection, he believed, would turn people to Christianity. She lay in an upright freezer as he prayed.
St. Joseph Gazette - Mar 13, 1978
He prayed for two months before conceding that he had failed. He attributed his failure to a lack of faith. "It had nothing to do with the power of the Lord," he said. "The main thing was I can't bring mama back, but I'll meet her again in Heaven."
More info: Springfield News-Leader
Miami Herald - Apr 1, 1978
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jul 09, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death, Religion, 1970s
Beauty Knows No Pain
A species of Independence Day-style patriotism--I guess.
You will learn of this miraculous slogan around the 11-minute mark.
The Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 04, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Regionalism, Sports, Sex Symbols, 1970s, Attractiveness, Sexiness, Allure and Personal Magnetism
Sesame Street Fever
The Wikipedia page
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jun 29, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Fads, Music, Television, Children, 1970s
Company seeks frozen sparrows
1978: The Taiei Company of Japan contacted the U.S. State Department seeking an American company willing to provide it with frozen sparrows "at regular intervals". The company was ready to "give guidance on how to catch small birds and how to process them".
Bangor Daily News - Jan 14, 1978
According to the British Food History site, sparrows used to be a common part of the British diet.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jun 28, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Food, 1970s
Battle of the Amazons
Maybe the popularity of the WONDER WOMAN films will cause this gem to be reissued.The IMDB page.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jun 26, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: History, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Movies, 1970s, Women
Boar Mate
Miami Herald - Jun 08, 1979
It's available for purchase here.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jun 12, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, 1970s, Attractiveness, Sexiness, Allure and Personal Magnetism
Pythagoron
Released in 1977, the album Pythagoron consisted of electronic sounds that supposedly stimulated certain brain waves, thereby allowing the listener to get high, without the use of drugs. The Hum blog offers more details:While obscure, Pythagoron’s sole LP – a distillation of fine art, drug culture, high New Age thinking, and musical Minimalism, is a near perfect image of the outer reaches of its era. Privately issued in 1977 – sold via advertisements in High Times, the album’s origins are mysterious – thought to be a product of USCO (The Company Of Us), one of the earliest multimedia art collectives based in New York – pioneers in the field of immersive sound and light environments...
The album is intended to get the listener high – the aural mirror to Brion Gysin’s Dream Machines, and the step beyond La Monte Young. Capitalizing on the the tonal precision allowed by synthesizers – it attempts to harness the resonant interaction of sound and brainwave patterns to induce states of euphoria – the precursor of more recent efforts in binaural beats and neural oscillation.
The album is intended to get the listener high – the aural mirror to Brion Gysin’s Dream Machines, and the step beyond La Monte Young. Capitalizing on the the tonal precision allowed by synthesizers – it attempts to harness the resonant interaction of sound and brainwave patterns to induce states of euphoria – the precursor of more recent efforts in binaural beats and neural oscillation.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jun 11, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Drugs, Psychedelic, Music, 1970s
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