Batraquomancing Hot Links

Aviation Machinist’s Mate Airman Christian Myers, from Las Vegas, conducts a performance test on an F/A-18 Super Hornet jet engine on the fantail aboard the aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) on May 12, 2022. US Navy Photo

I Won’t Tell, Tracey Dey (1964) Very pretty song about a girl cheating on her boyfriend with his brother – her sister’s boyfriend – and lying to both of them.
Nora Ferrari (aka Tracey Dey) was a college coed when she recorded a demo tape that found its way to the ears of Bob Crewe, producer and songwriter for The Four Seasons and others. Dey released nine solo singles 1962 through 1966; several made the Billboard Top 100 beginning with Teenage Cleopatra.

Under the table.

Future futbol star.

3D Butterfly Zoetrope.

Ladies and gentlemen…

The “Not Famous” people.

Some serious damage from an AR-15.

You GOTTA hear this bird. [h/t Bunkerville]

Commuting in Stunt City. [h/t Mme. Jujujive]

Outhorse Your Email: “Let the horses of Iceland reply to your emails while you are on vacation.”  [h/t Philosopher Mouse]

[Top image from USNI News.]


From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago.

Helmet Testing 1912 – W. T. Warren’s Contribution To The World

“This rather comical photo was taken in 1912, and contrary to popular belief on the internet it isn’t a man testing a new prototype of American Football helmet by bashing his head against a wall. The truth is actually more interesting than the myth when it comes to this image. In actual fact the man is British inventor W.T. Warren, and the image is of him leaping against a hanger wall at the flying school of William Hugh Ewen, at Hendon in the UK.

His invention, the Warren Safety Helmet was a spring-equipped pilot safety helmet, which was padded with horsehair. It was designed to absorb an impact as head injuries were the leading cause of death in flight accidents at the time. The helmet saw considerable use during World War I and an example of Warren’s invention can be found in the Imperial War Museum.

The other men in the photo are the flying school’s owner William Hugh Ewen, in the middle, on the left stands his chief pilot Lewis Turner and the man on the right was named A. M. Ramsey. The photograph was published in Aviation magazine Flight on 6th April 1912.”

[Image found here, description from the comments.]

“Complete This Sketch Of A Horse Time’s Up.”

[Found here. Related posts here and here.]

Saturday Matinee – Operation Ivy Mike, Zippo Tricks & Ohio Players

1 November was the 60th Anniversary of the first thermonuclear blast known as Operation Ivy Mike – 10 megatons set off on Eniwitok Atoll.
[h/t Soylent Green]

Papa Strutts was on the flagship USS Estes, and said that although they were miles away,  the shock wave blew out all the light bulbs on the ship. He’s an official member of  The Glow In The Dark Society.

Zippo tricks were a necessary evil growing up, at least they used to be a million years ago when we’d flip the cap on the downstroke and flick the wheel coming up, on our jeans. A quick 1-2 flourish. Zippos rock.

And that’s about as silly a performance of pure funk that I’ve ever seen. The Ohio Players, introduced by Helen “I Am Woman” Reddy in 1975.

That’s about all I can take for tonight. Have a great weekend, folks.

Saturday Matinee – Frans de Waal’s Capuchins, Russian Monkeys, Ska and The Specials

The Capuchin Monkey experiment is classic. Full video here, and it’s worth watching. Frans de Waal‘s  joke about OWS is wrong, but the rest is good IMO.

Good God are these guys scary monkeys. One errant gust of wind at that height would blow ’em away. [via]

The Specials only had one album, but it put Ska back on the map for pop music. The late Amy Winehouse did a horrible cover of the song.

Let’s see. How do we wrap this up on a positive note? Got it.

The Specials Live in Glastonbury 2009. With that we’re out of here. Be back here for Real Gangster Time tomorrow for more inane fun.

[Update: Joanne C corrected me in the comments below. The Specials recorded several albums.]