November 26, 2007

Peanut Persons (Oct, 1947)

Filed under: DIY — @ 2:15 am
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Oct, 1947
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Peanut Persons
INGENUITY, a sense of humor and a bag of peanuts—that’s the new recipe for fun with color photography. Put a peanut on a peanut and you’ve got a torso. Add a few more for arms and legs. Bits of bright cloth or crepe paper make fine dresses and pants. Stick a tooth pick in your model’s hand, tie on a piece of thread and he’s a fisherman. Water is a pocket mirror. See? Now it’s your turn!

Nine People Can Look You In One Eye (Nov, 1931)

Filed under: Medical — @ 2:15 am
Source: Science And Mechanics ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Nov, 1931
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Nine People Can Look You In One Eye
RIGHT off the bat, the reader will probably want to know, why all this complex set of spy glasses for a sociable gathering? The apparatus illustrated is a German device for the instruction of medical classes studying the eye. While the patient looks into the large tube, nine students, at nine eyepieces, see what ails him.

How Good Are the Foreign Cars? (Jan, 1947)

Filed under: Automotive — @ 2:15 am
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1947
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How Good Are the Foreign Cars?

Endlessly people keep asking. “Why are the foreign cars better than ours?” Here is the true dope.

BY TOM McCAHLL

WHICH are really the best?” I’ve often been asked, “American or foreign automobiles?” And readers have written and asked flatly, “Why is it we can’t build as good cars as they do in Europe?”

If you have been around automobile enthusiasts, you know that arguments on this subject have been going on for over 30 years. There is only one truthful answer when asked if imported cars are better than ours, and that is, “Yes and no.”

I will explain. I have never felt more qualified to write any article than I have this, because I don’t believe any one in this country has ever, over a period of years, personally owned more imported cars of various makes than I have, in addition to owning cars made by every leading manufacturer in this country.
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November 25, 2007

Weird Jailhouse Art (Jan, 1947)

Filed under: Just Weird — @ 12:50 pm
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1947
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I’m not really sure how this would discourage drinking….

Never Again swear drunks who wake up in the Galena, Ill., jailhouse. For there in front of their eyes is the gosh-awful biggest snake they ever saw. Ana wrapped around a pink elephant, too. Jailer George Herman says the scheme may not be scientific, but it works. He’s thinking of adding an octopus.

Human Sailboat Swims at Ease (Jan, 1932)

Filed under: Nautical — @ 12:50 pm
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1932
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Human Sailboat Swims at Ease
A HUMAN sailboat made his appearance at the recent diving tournament in London. To take advantage of each puff of wind, this water sports enthusiast attached a small sail to his middle, as shown in the photo below, and so equipped, he swims effortlessly.

Pinwheel Bus (Jan, 1947)

Filed under: Aviation — @ 12:50 pm
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1947
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Pinwheel Bus

Time-killing bus rides from airports to cities will soon be quick hops in ten-place copters.

FROM the window of the airliner, you look down upon the city of your destination. The plane turns with deceptive laziness—you’re moving at a rate of almost 200 miles per hour—and approaches the field. Minutes later you step to the ground. Ah, the wonders of flying. The two cities are 200 miles apart. You’ve gone from one to the other in a little over an hour.
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Ancient Mayan Throwing Stick Modernized by Bowmen (Jan, 1935)

Filed under: Sports — @ 12:49 pm
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1935
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I thought I remembered watching a Daily Show clip where the correspondent tried in vain to use one of these, but I couldn’t find it online.

Ancient Mayan Throwing Stick Modernized by Bowmen

BORROWING an idea from the Mayan Indians of Yucatan, Los Angeles sports enthusiasts have revived the ancient throwing stick to add new zest to the enjoyment of modern archery.

Used instead of a bow to hurl arrows great distances with deadly accuracy, the throwing stick, or “hul-che,” was used for both hunting and combat by the ancient Mayans. Several specimens of the weapon were found by Robert B. Stacy-Judd, famous archaeologist, and were given to Earl B. Powell, nationally known archery expert, who developed them as a modern sports accessory.

November 24, 2007

Stereophonic Chair (Jul, 1957)

Filed under: Radio — @ 9:10 am
Source: Popular Electronics ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jul, 1957
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Stereophonic Chair
Grandfather’s chair, “ears” and all, has been hauled down from the attic, dusted off, and given a new lease on life by Stereo Products Co., Severna Park, Md. By sticking loudspeakers into each of its side-”ears” and hooking them up to a stereo tape player, this company has come up with a new model of the old wing chair that provides an effect akin to listening with binaural earphones. Low volume assures semi-private listening.

Pigantics (Jul, 1957)

Filed under: Just Weird — @ 9:09 am
Source: Popular Electronics ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jul, 1957
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Pigantics

Artificial jet thunder storms the barnyard to test effect of noise on farm animals

OUR four-footed friend above is a principal participant in scientists’ experiments to determine whether noisy jet aircraft, roaring over the barnyard all day, has any adverse effect on the milk and meat producing capacities of farm animals.

Aircraft sounds are beamed from a giant loudspeaker to our “victim,” all decked out in amplifier and radio transmitter. Laboratory receiving equipment includes an electrocardiogram recorder, heart rate recorder and oscilloscope, which enable experts to study the animal’s heart action and determine effects of noise.

Experiments conducted by the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Research Center have been going on for over a year. The “subjects,” however, don’t appear to be at all concerned over the earnest proceedings, and though they may pause momentarily while eating or wriggle their ears in response to the racket —so far, no noise nerves have been reported.

Dry Ice-Capades (Nov, 1947)

Filed under: Chemistry, DIY — @ 9:09 am
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Nov, 1947
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Dry Ice-Capades

Dry ice is very interesting stuff! Get yourself a chunk (handling it with gloves) and perform the simple experiments illustrated here.

DRY ice is solid carbon dioxide. It’s very interesting stuff. For one thing, it sublimes at room temperature; that is, although a solid, it evaporates to form a gas without passing through the liquid state. The mist you see formed by dry ice is water “squeezed” out of the air because it has been chilled below the dewpoint.
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Mammoth Outdoor Stage Is Mounted on 224 Balloon Tires (Oct, 1937)

Filed under: General — @ 9:09 am
Source: Popular Science ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Oct, 1937
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Mammoth Outdoor Stage Is Mounted on 224 Balloon Tires

Called the largest of its kind ever built, a 150-ton movable stage has just been completed for outdoor entertainments in a New York City stadium. Roofless, the giant stage is supported by 224 truck-type balloon tires, and is rolled into position by a tractor and a complicated pulley system. Although the huge structure has a stage 140 feet wide, and six dressing rooms built into the wings, it can be dismantled in one hour into fifty-three separate sections for shipment to a new location.

FROM PLAY JOBS TO REAL JOBS (Oct, 1940)

Filed under: General — @ 9:09 am
Source: Popular Science ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Oct, 1940
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FROM PLAY JOBS TO REAL JOBS

Vocational Training from Kindergarten to High School Fits Students To Follow Careers in Industry

By ANDREW R. BOONE

IN A schoolroom at Burbank, Calif., seven – year – old youngsters build a dummy transport plane. One of the boys occupies the pilot’s cabin, a little girl stands at the door taking tickets, and others play the parts of passengers. Near-by, junior high-school students rebuild in miniature the Lockheed Aircraft Company’s main plant; while others construct a map showing Southern California’s mountains and airports. In Los Angeles, boys and girls of high-school age, and older, engage in fifty-one trades at the Frank Wiggins Trade School, putting on the finishing touches which prepare them to take real jobs in industry.
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