Category: True Stories

Take Your Best Shot


[Calvin Demarest demonstrates the Massé in 1912. He went schizo a few years later.]

Oh yeah. I remember my best shot. Outside of Houston. Twenties on the rail in a call the shot game, and I had spots. Two spots were sitting in adjacent corners at the end of the table, and a stripe was next to the side pocket. I was blocked for the far corner, my cueball was on the wrong side of the near pocket and against the rail, and I couldn’t bank the corner shot. What could I do?

I did what any bluffer would do. Call both corners.

With my cue in the air, I jammed a Massé shot. Put so much spin on the cue ball that it hopped the rail in front of the side pocket, rode it and spun back down to the table on the other side of the side pocket and caught the side rail. It sunk Spot 1 in the near corner, then shot down the end rail to sink Spot 2. No scratch.

Of course I had to keep a poker face, so I walked to my next shot as if nothing spectacular had happened. Within seconds everyone grabbed their money and went upstairs. Game over.

THAT was my best shot.

Joplin Tornado Damage

[Found here.]

And On This Day Awesome Happened.

[Found here.]

R.U.R. Robot

Looks like the tin man’s wants to pop Dorothy because Toto peed on his leg. Fortunately he’s been restrained. He wasn’t a nice guy in those days.

Actually it’s a promo for a 1928 production of the 1921 play R.U.R. [“Rossum’s Universal Robots”] that introduced the word “robot” to the world. Ever since then the control panel has always been in the front.

[Found here.]

Revenge


[via]
“What’s for dinner, hon?”
“Flatbird casserole.”

Never eaten pigeon, but here’s an interesting recipe:

Lark, or Sparrow Pye.
You must have five dozen at least; lay betwixt every one a Bit of Bacon as you do when you roast them, and a Leaf of Sage and a little Force-meat at the Bottom of your Crust; put on some Butter a top and lid it; when bak’d for one Hour, which will be sufficient, make a little thicken’d Gravy, put in the Juice of a Lemon; season with Pepper and Salt, so serve it hot and quick. (Charles Carter’s “City and Country Cook … “ 1736)

Yeah, serve it hot and quick and run out the back door before your guests realize what those gamey little crunchy things that they’ve been snarfing down really are.

Nothing much happened today, but we cured some rats.


[via]
My first impression was that someone messed with an old sot who passed out at his delinquent son’s frat party, but sometimes the truth is more bizarre.

JINAN, Sept. 14, 2010 A patient receives treatment of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion at a hospital in Jinan, capital of east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 14, 2010.
[…]
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort to facilitate healing. (Credit Image: © Xinhua/ZUMApress.com)

It’s believed by some that Moxibustion “…stimulates blood-flow in the pelvic area and uterus. It is claimed that moxibustion militates against cold and dampness in the body and can serve to turn breech babies.”

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! Mugwort is effective for treating rats with trichinellosis. (Gotta be honest here – I never knew that.)

So if any of you have sick rats or need to turn a breech baby or two, cover your eyes with walnut shells, fire up some mugwort and stick some needles in your forehead.

Just more helpful tips for health-minded followers of Tacky Raccoons.


The history of trollface

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.]

Saturday Matinee – Red Foley & Grady Martin, Johnny Burnette, The Yardbirds, Aerosmith & Tiny Bradshaw

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.

The .Gif Friday Post No. 174 – Hair Fixatif, Aelita & Katzenklavier

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.

[Found here, here and here.]

And on this day, Awesome happened.

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.