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Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

Retrorewind – 1966: Transogram Swing Wing Toy

Published on November 15, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities

The Swing Wing was supposed to be Transogram's answer to the Hula Hoop. It wasn't...

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Footnote – 1940: ‘Perfect Host’ Gets Prison Term

Published on November 2, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities

In 1940, Wayman G. Woody was arrested for robbing the homes of friends while his wife entertained them at dinner.

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Footnote – 1952: Dammed Missouri Valley Book Disappears in Flood

Published on October 12, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Humor, Tidbits

A patron was unable to return the book The Dammed Missouri Valley to his local library because the river had taken it away in a flood.

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A Woman Had Some Run-Ins With Modern Appliances (1957)

Published on October 5, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Tidbits

Firemen had to be called to get Virginia Schoen's hands out of her garbage disposal. They later returned to get her toe out of her refrigerator door.

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Footnote – 1928: Husband Refuses to Buy His Wife False Teeth

Published on September 24, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Law & Order, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

In 1928, Mathias Blau was in a Chicago courtroom because he had his wife's teeth pulled and refused to purchase dentures for her.

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Footnote – 1957: Helicopter Melon Thief

Published on September 12, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Crime & Punishment, Footnotes to History

In June 1957, a helicopter landed in a Brawley, California watermelon patch and stole three melons before taking off again.

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Footnote – 1952: 200 Hog Calling Records Stolen

Published on September 7, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Crime & Punishment, Footnotes to History, Humor

Just what would anyone do with 200 stolen hog calling phonograph records?

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Footnote – 1949: Just Tell It Like It Is

Published on September 7, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Humor

A company in London decided to do away with desk trays labeled Incoming and Outgoing. Instead, they came up with trays with more realistic labels.

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Footnote – 1913: Leg Broken 3 Times in 3 Minutes

Published on August 24, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! In 1913, Daniel Sullivan's leg was broken three times in three minutes.

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England’s Oldest Woman Seeks New Husband

Published on July 15, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

In 1924, 106-year-old Betsy Pennick of Tiptree, England was in search of a new husband. She was in her late teens when Victoria became Queen.

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Footnote – 1933: Surgeons Take Table Fork from Girl’s Stomach

Published on July 14, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

It seems nearly impossible but a girl in 1933 swallowed a full-size table fork. Surgery would be needed...

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Footnote – 1928: Ford Car Mysteriously Receives Telegraph Signals

Published on July 10, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

In 1928, a Ford car was reported to have received telegraph signals. The engine of the car was off.

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Penned Will on Ladder

Published on June 12, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Death and Murder, Law & Order, Money & Financial, Tidbits

Hermann Strathmann, of Los Angeles, wrote his will on a step-ladder shortly before he passed away. Eight other wills were found. Which would be the accepted one?

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Wrote Will on Petticoat

Published on June 5, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Death and Murder, Money & Financial, Tidbits

In 1925, George W. Hazeltine was near death and wrote his will on the petticoat of one of his nurses. Would it hold up in court?

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The Tapioca Time Bomb

Published on April 17, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Tidbits

It was reported on September 14, 1972 that firemen in Cardiff, Wales had spent several days putting out a fire on the 12,000-ton Swiss vessel Cassarate. Timbers stacked in the upper holds of the ship had caught fire 25 days earlier while at sea and the crew was able

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