Last week I posted this picture:
Then I wondered about the origin of the ubiquitous Trollface.
Trollface first appeared in 2008 on the website DeviantArt. Although the internet icon is sometimes called “coolface,” its creator, “Whynne” said:
“It’s trollface, not coolface. Eat a dick.”
And the late great Jim Varney (aka Ernest P. Worrell) shows how it’s done:
So now you know. Fun facts to know and tell, courtesy of Tacky Raccoons.
[Update: Jump to 2:40.]
Grady Martin was probably the greatest session guitar player in country music (that’s him on an electric double neck). He was the creator of what’s now called Rockabilly, but it was early Rock and Roll. Give him credit also for fuzztone.
That brings us to The Johnny Burnette Trio and “Lonesome Train.” Great early rock. Burnette was the guy who had a hit with a cover of Tiny Bradshaw‘s “Train Kept A-Rollin.” (Grady Martin played for Johnny Burnette in the mid 50s.)
So here’s The Yardbirds‘ 1966 version of “Train Kept A-Rollin”, with Jimmy Page.
Why stop there? Let’s jump to 1977 with Aerosmith’s version of the 1951 R&B song.
What? You haven’t heard Tiny Bradshaw’s original version? Well here you go.
And with that we’re out of here. Have a great weekend, folks, and be back here for more fun tomorrow.
Oddness. The 1st .gif is from an unknown TV advertisement. The 2nd is from the 1924 silent movie “Aelita: Queen of Mars.” The “Katzenclavier” dates to the 1500s long before .gif animations were invented.
Shortly after recording what was arguably their best album at Abbey Road Studios, the Fab Four crossed that now famous intersection and posed for this publicity shot. (L to R: Paul, George, John and Ringo.)
Some say the Beatles were too popular, but you’ve got to admit that without “the British Invasion” of the 1960s there’d likely be no Tacky Raccoons.
[Image found here, crossposted here.]
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Update: This is disturbing.
All it’s missing is a giant turquoise squirt of toothpaste.
The Rasin Building, also known as the Dancing House or the Fred and Ginger Building, designed by Frank Gehry in Prague, Czech Republic.
Frank Gehry is an award winning Architect whose firm specializes in designs that resemble wadded up pieces of paper. Not too long ago, such buildings would have been almost impossible to engineer, let alone to construct. With the advent of computer-aided design that can be linked electronically to fabrication software, expensive wadded-up pieces of paper can be made on a large scale.
Questions arise occasionally on where we find topics for Tacky Raccoons. This particular post resulted from a long lost .gif animation that we found behind the Rec Room couch with the cat stuff:
A quick google search for toad lickers brought us to the Wikipuddle that mentioned The Church of the Toad of Light that in turn linked to another article that had a photo with a link entitled “Milking the Toad” that displayed this nice pen and ink sketch:
See how easy it is? Just follow your gut instincts, and you too can put up a unique and mildly disturbing post that is guaranteed to bring your blog traffic from specious sources especially when you link to this one. Now go milk them toads!
[Crossposted here.]
Not sure how this works, but it apparently allows young Japanese girls to smell higher and make magic floating fusilli bucati lunghi at the same time. Or maybe it’s for personal hygiene: “C’mere, hon! Put this on. It’ll make you smell better.”
And then there’s that curious reset button that blows (heheh, nose pun) my theories away. Sneeze inducer? Nasal decongestant? Alternative lifestyle enhancement? This gaijin is clueless.
From Futility Closet:
In 1900, evidently tired of initiating pledges by hand, Edmund and Ulysses de Moulin decided to automate the process.With their “initiating device,” the applicant is blindfolded, placed in position, and told to pull the handles to test his strength. When he does so, the paddle spanks him and an electric shock passes through his arms, “making the sensation rather unique.”
“Owen Godwin—Big Game Hunter, World Traveler, Author and Lecturer—with a walrus trophy taken while on an Arctic hunting trip with Eskimos. The walrus weighed over 3,000 pounds. Photographed at his GATORLAND ZOO between Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida on U.S. 17, 92 and 441.”
[Found here.]
The following is a letter written by one Edward Winslow in 1621. It was included in “A Relation or Journal of the Beginning and Proceedings of the English Plantation Settled at Plimoth in New England, by certaine English Adventurers both Merchants and others,” referred to by scholars as Mourt’s Relation. While Winslow authored most of the book, George Mourt/Morton is presumed to be the London Publisher of the tome. ____________________________________________
A LETTER SENT FROM
New England to a friend in these parts, setting forth a brief and true Declaration of the worth of that Plantation; As also certain useful Directions for such as intend a VOYAGE into those Parts.
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Loving, and old Friend,
Although I received no letter from you by this ship, yet forasmuch as I know you expect the performance of my promise, which was, to write unto you truly and faithfully of all things, I have therefore at this time sent unto you accordingly. Referring you for further satisfaction to our more large relations.
You shall understand, that in this little time, that a few of us have been here, we have built seven dwelling-houses, and four for the use of the plantation, and have made preparation for divers others. We set the last spring some twenty acres of Indian corn, and sowed some six acres of barley and peas, and according to the manner of the Indians, we manured our ground with herrings or rather shads, which we have in great abundance, and take with great ease at our doors. Our corn did prove well, and God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, but our peas not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sown, they came up very well, and blossomed, but the sun parched them in the blossom.
Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after have a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the company almost a week, at which time amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.
We have found the Indians very faithful in their covenant of peace with us; very loving and ready to pleasure us; we often go to them, and they come to us; some of us have been fifty miles by land in the country with them, the occasions and relations whereof you shall understand by our general and more full declaration of such things as are worth the noting, yea, it has pleased God so to possess the Indians with a fear of us, and love unto us, that not only the greatest king amongst them, called Massasoit, but also all the princes and peoples round about us, have either made suit unto us, or been glad of any occasion to make peace with us, so that seven of them at once have sent their messengers to us to that end. Yea, an Isle at sea, which we never saw, hath also, together with the former, yielded willingly to be under the protection, and subjects to our sovereign lord King James, so that there is now great peace amongst the Indians themselves, which was not formerly, neither would have been but for us; and we for our parts walk as peaceably and safely in the wood as in the highways in England. We entertain them familiarly in our houses, and they as friendly bestowing their venison on us. They are a people without any religion or knowledge of God, yet very trusty, quick of apprehension, ripe-witted, just. The men and women go naked, only a skin about their middles.
For the temper of the air, here it agreeth well with that in England, and if there be any difference at all, this is somewhat hotter in summer, some think it to be colder in winter, but I cannot out of experience so say; the air is very clear and not foggy, as hath been reported. I never in my life remember a more seasonable year than we have here enjoyed; and if we have once but kine, horses, and sheep, I make no question but men might live as contented here as in any part of the world. For fish and fowl, we have great abundance; fresh cod in the summer is but coarse meat with us; our bay is full of lobsters all the summer and affordeth variety of other fish; in September we can take a hogshead of eels in a night, with small labor, and can dig them out of their beds all the winter; we have mussels and othus at our doors: oysters we have none near, but we can have them brought by the Indians when we will; all the spring-time the earth sendeth forth naturally very good sallet herbs: here are grapes, white and red, and very sweet and strong also. Strawberries, gooseberries, raspas, etc. Plums of three sorts, with black and red, being almost as good as a damson: abundance of roses, white, red, and damask; single, but very sweet indeed. The country wanteth only industrious men to employ, for it would grieve your hearts (if as I) you had seen so many miles together by goodly rivers uninhabited, and withal, to consider those parts of the world wherein you live to be even greatly burdened with abundance of people. These things I thought good to let you understand, being the truth of things as near as I could experimentally take knowledge of, and that you might on our behalf give God thanks who hath dealt so favorably with us.
Our supply of men from you came the ninth of November 1621, putting in at Cape Cod, some eight or ten leagues from us. The Indians that dwell thereabout were they who were owners of the corn which we found in caves, for which we have given them full content, and are in great league with them. They sent us word that there was a ship near unto them, but thought it to be a Frenchman, and indeed for ourselves, we expected not a friend so soon. But when we perceived that she made for our bay, the governor commanded a great piece to be shot off, to call home such as were abroad at work; whereupon every man, yea, boy that could handle a gun, were ready, with full resolution that if she were an enemy, we would stand in our just defense, not fearing them, but God provided better for us than we supposed; these came all in health, not any being sick by the way (otherwise than sea sickness) and so continue at this time, by the blessing of God; the good-wife Ford was delivered of a son the first night she landed, and both of them are very well.
When it pleaseth God, we are settled and fitted for the fishing business, and other trading; I doubt not but by the blessing of God the gain will give content to all; in the mean time, that we have gotten we have sent by this ship, and though it be not much, yet it will witness for us that we have not been idle, considering the smallness of our number all this summer. We hope the merchants will accept of it, and be encouraged to furnish us with things needful for further employment, which will also encourage us to put forth ourselves to the uttermost.
Now because I expect your coming unto us with other of our friends, whose company we much desire, I thought good to advertise you of a few things needful; be careful to have a very good bread-room to put your biscuits in, let your cask for beer and water be iron-bound for the first tire if not more; let not your meat be dry-salted, none can better do it than the sailors; let your meal be so hard trod in your cask that you shall need an adz or hatchet to work it out with: trust not too much on us for corn at this time, for by reason of this last company that came, depending wholly upon us, we shall have little enough till harvest; be careful to come by some of your meal to spend by the way, it will much refresh you. Build your cabins as open as you can, and bring good store of clothes and bedding with you; bring every man a musket or fowling-piece, let your piece be long in the barrel, and fear not the weight of it, for most of our shooting is from stands; bring juice of lemons, and take it fasting; it is of good use; for hot waters, aniseed water is the best, but use it sparingly; if you bring any thing for comfort in the country, butter or sallet oil, or both is very good; our Indian corn, even the coarsest, maketh pleasant meat as rice, therefore spare that unless to spend by the way; bring paper and linseed oil for your windows, with cotton yarn for your lamps; let your shot be most for big fowls, and bring store of powder and shot: I forbear further to write for the present, hoping to see you by the next return, so I take my leave, commending you to the Lord for a safe conduct unto us. Resting in Him,
Your loving friend,
E.W. [Edward Winslow]
Plymouth in New England this 11th of December, 1621.
Tacky Raccoons 