Category: True Stories

Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl Sibyl & Sibyl

“Sibyl” was a popular made-for-TV-movie starring Sally Field as a profoundly schizophrenic girl named Shirley Ardell Mason, who supposedly had 16 separate personalities.  Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) the story was a fraud:

Please try to keep in mind that what you see in the film is only very loosely based on the real events in the life of Shirley Mason. The novel by Flora Schreiber is not a psychiatric case history. It is a fictionalized narrative, exaggerated for shock value, and the film even more so. It is not representative of the real Shirley Mason, her group, or her therapy. Films such as Three Faces of Eve and Sybil and shows like The United States of Tara should not be viewed as educational: they are not representative or models of “how a real multiple acts”.

[Image found here. Quotation from here.]

Automatic Human Jukebox

Wish I’d thought of that. Of course around here, you’d need a business license, a permit to perform in public, a Conditional Use Permit, construction permits, an occupancy permit, a permit for signage, proof of $1M in liability insurance and an ID number for tax purposes.  Oh, and a toilet room. All that just to make a little pocket change and entertain some people.

[Image found somewhere in here.]

23 December: Night of Radishes

Noche de Rabanos (Night of the Radishes) takes place every year, on the 23rd of December, in Oaxaca,Spain and is one of the most impressive vegetable festivals around the world.

The radish was brought to the Americas in the 16th century, and back then the vendors used to carve them and use them on their market stalls to attract customers. Although the origins of the festival cannot be traced to an exact period, it is considered that it all began in the year 1897, when the mayor of Oaxaca organized the first radish-art exposition. Everever since that first celebration, every year, this humble vegetable is meticulously carved into animals, warriors, kings, dancers and pretty much any shape you can imagine. The artists sometimes make use of other vegetables, like onion or lettuce to complete their work. There’s also a prize for the most beautiful piece displayed.

The carver’s work begins about three days in advance and on the 23rd of December, the day of the festival, the results of all their hard work is presented to the public. On that same day, especially in the morning, children have the chance to learn this incredible art of radish-carving, or at least some of its secrets.

The celebrations don’t end that day. They continue on Christmas Eve and Christmas  Day with other joyful “fiestas”, parades of floats, fireworks music and dancing.

[More images here.]

Almost missed it, but Happy Birthday, Axe Cop!

Edmund and Ulysses de Moulin’s Contribution to The World

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.”

7 December 1941 – Remember Always

Never forget that there was no Declaration of War until after the attack. Image from here includes this description:

Photograph taken from a Japanese plane during the torpedo attack on ships moored on both sides of Ford Island. View looks about east, with the supply depot, submarine base and fuel tank farm in the right center distance.
A torpedo has just hit USS West Virginia on the far side of Ford Island (center). Other battleships moored nearby are (from left): Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee (inboard of West Virginia), Oklahoma (torpedoed and listing) alongside Maryland, and California.
On the near side of Ford Island, to the left, are light cruisers Detroit and Raleigh, target and training ship Utah and seaplane tender Tangier. Raleigh and Utah have been torpedoed, and Utah is listing sharply to port.
Japanese planes are visible in the right center (over Ford Island) and over the Navy Yard at right.

Hawaii Time 7:53AM 7 December 1941

Colonel Sanders – South of the Border

Strider’s got an awesome collection of crappy album covers, but he’s outdone himself. He’s got embedded audio for this gem, and one for the Michelin Man Record, both side by side on the same crappy post! Pure awesome.

Saturday Matinee – Bath Cruise, Justin Wilson’s Gumbo, Mulates, Freddie King & Gatemouth Brown, T-Bone Walker

High speed camera cruise through the Bath England train station [via Miss Cellanea].

The late Justin Wilson was a national treasure, I gar-on-tee. I got ticked off today at a restaurant in Santa Barbara called “The Cajun Kitchen.” I ordered red beans and rice, and got a plateful of pinto bean mud on ricepaste with cornbread. No class.

Cajun music, live from Mulates, Beaux Bridge, Louisiana.

Freddy King and Clarence Gatemouth Brown, together for a little over a minute.

Whoa! Lookee here! T-Bone Walker, live! Dang, I’ll have to give our crack team of webminers a tip for finding this rare gem.

Have a great weekend folks, and be back here tomorrow for more fun.

Thanksgiving 1621

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.

____________________________________________

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.

Another Great Gift Idea: Pure Class

[For the sake of anonymity, we’ve blunked out the eyes in a very amateurish fashion so you don’t accuse us of photoshopoopage… and no, that’s not me.]

Let’s compare these two photos.

The guy on the left is despondent, bummed out about everything in his miserable little life. Stuck with a wardrobe full of green and gray, the person who took the photo had such little respect for him that she deliberately offset the negative karma with her thumb.

Contrast that with the photo on the right.

The guy on the right is obviously very successful and satisfied with his lot in life, and enjoys it immensely. And he has an adult beverage camouflaged as coffee when it’s intuitively obvious to the casual observer that it’s a cup full o’ jack.

Why are we posting such an incredible story of success here? Because you too can become successful, and it’s also the start of the holiday season.

Click on either of the images above and they’ll take you to a CafePress store where you can purchase lots of wonderful things. We don’t make any money on the sales, but a percentage of the sales price goes directly to charity.

When you place your orders, tell Christopher Y. that Bunk sent you, and I bet you’ll get a discount.

If you don’t see what you want, lemme know in the comments and we’ll respond. If  you need a custom design, we can do it with short notice.

And there was something else I was gonna say about being an amateur blogwhore, but I lost my train of thought…

[Update– Czech out Amy’s Store, too.]

Brick’s Spider

Bugs I can do…spiders…not so much.

Damn near wrecked my car once on I-81. Flipped down the sun visor and a big-ass spider, about the size of a manhole cover drops down about 6 inches in front of my face and just hangs there swinging ever so slightly on his 200 lb. shock cord, about as thick as my thumb. We were eye-to-eye and even with my sun-glasses on, he had me outnumbered 2 to 1. It was so big it completely blocked my view through the windshield. I think I blacked out for a moment because the next thing I remember I was off the side of the road, trying to get out of my car, with my seat-belt still hooked in.

I noticed my sunroof was open, and off to the side of the road something caught my eye. I saw what I thought looked like a deer being dragged through heavy brush with a similar colored shock cord with 2 big puncture wounds on his neck…and a hairy leg as big around as a telephone pole disappearing into the thickets.

It’s a good thing too, because if I’d have gotten out of my seat belt, that spider would have got a whoopin’ to end all whoopins.

[Image from here. Awesome story via Brick. Crossposted here.]