Category: True Stories

El Rey

Rey Mysterio in a lucha libre “Mask vs. Hair” match in 2010.
Mysterio, aka Óscar Rubio, was one of the greatest luchadores of all time.

During 2010’s Smackdown, The Undertaker was pushing 50 years old. He had been wrestling since the ’80s and was getting on in years. It’s unclear whether he was still in the ring for the cash or because he still loved the work. His opponent at the time was Rey Mysterio. They were qualifying for the Fatal 4-Way. At one point, Mysterio hit the Undertaker directly in the face, fracturing his orbital bone. The good news is that the Undertaker won the match. The bad news is his injury prevented him from competing in the 4-Way. Who took his place? Mysterio, of course.

[Images from video of the 2010 match; story found here.]

Deterrent In The Deep 1960

From TIME, Vol. 76, No. 5, August 1, 1960, p.18.

My Marimo

Every two weeks I take a photo of Moss Toshi and the offspring moss balls Toshita, Microtosh & Nanotosh. Related post with more photos and story here.

Those pictures also represent an important milestone for me. I’ve completed a fourth year of chemo, one every two weeks, 104 in total since May 2020. All is well, side effects are tolerable, and the dosage has been reduced twice. We’re just keeping a couple inoperable little bastards from waking up and messing around.

Badwater Basin

Sea level sign, Lake Manly, Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California.

Badwater Basin is 282 ft. (855 m) below sea level, the lowest point in North America. Seasonal runoff water covers the salt flats of Lake Manly.

[Check out Google Maps “lakeview” images here and have a walkabout. Image found here, h/t Paul Y.]

Photos Of An Unknown Family Who PROBABLY Owned A Liquor Store

In 2005,  someone named “BENBENEK” found a box of photos at a Southern California swap meet and realized he’d found a treasure, a glimpse of unknown history. The photos were bland and banal, yet oddly endearing, so he set up a website to share them with the world: HouseplantPicturesStudio.com.

Unfortunately the site is defunct, but via the Wayback Machine we can still enjoy Photos Of An Unknown Family Who PROBABLY Owned A Liquor Store.

Tomb Sweeping Day, Taiwan

Visual artists Lilly Kaohsiung and Yin captured Fu De Keng public cemetery in Taiwan during the Qingming festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day.

[Source here, h/t Charlen604.]

Vehicle Mounted Manipulator 1956

“Popular Mechanics (Sep 1956, p.90) drawing made by Frank Tinsley from designs by Lee A. Ohlinger of Northrop Aviation, Inc. of a robot mechanic for the proposed atomic-powered airplane, a star-crossed project that stumbled through 10 years and $500,000 without ever getting off the ground.”

Other designs were developed based on the concept, including the GE “Beetle” of 1961.

[Images & story found here.]

The Amazing 1951 Hoffman

“There’s something to be said about a car company that after 73 years, 100% of its cars are still running today.”

The Hoffman was a German three-wheeled microcar created by Michael Hoffman, a shop foreman from Munich. It features an aluminum body with asymmetrical roof/windshield, rear wheel drive and steering, a pivoting single-cylinder 6.5 hp engine, and many more questionable design flaws.
Only one exists: the only one ever built.

Images (and more) found here, test drive video via Road & Track.

American Indian Chiefs Cigarette Cards – Pt. 3

[See Part 1 & Part 2 for more. Source: Allen & Ginter Cigarette Cards 1888-1889.]

Monkey Pastry Chef

“When wound and the start/stop pull actuated, the incredibly detailed and realistically modeled standing monkey chef begins his performance by looking left then right whilst opening and closing eye lids as mouth moves to speak, lowering head slightly to indicate his latest culinary creation…”

This mechanical wonder (ca. 1880) sold for over $36k in 2014, and was presumably purchased by someone to keep their little brats and pets in line.

[More photos and background story here and here.]