Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 140
June 18, 2021
June 17, 2021
The Early Origins of Temporary Tattoos: Hand-Painted Knees
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
A temporary tattoo of a whimsical whale from a Cracker Jack box would hardly turn a head in 1912, but a portrait painted by hand on a woman’s knee in the ’20s? Now that was scandalous.
Temporary Tattoo HistoryAccording to the Tattoo Archive, the origins of temporary tattoos have faded with time. Cracker Jack started making their now-famous “A Prize in Every Box” line in 1912, but it’s unclear when the company started including ink. Temporary tattoos didn’t really take off until the ’50s, and those early ones were made with food coloring and quickly washed off. The temporary tattoos on the plastic sheets that we’ve all come to know weren’t invented until the 3M Company created the technology in the 1980s. Could it be, then, that flappers were early trailblazers of temporary tats as we know them?
Don’t Forget About HennaThe answer is that it’s certainly possible that flappers influenced the temporary tattoo trend in the Western world! However, it’s important to note that the first-ever temporary tattoos were likely henna or Mehdi art. This art form has a deep history in cultural and personal expression for people in Egypt, Pakistan, India, Africa, the Middle East, and more. But it didn’t become popular in the U.S. until the 1990s!
“Henna Tattoo” by Tela Chhe is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Dramatic Flapper MakeupWomen were getting bored with being Gibson Girls—those idealized versions of women with hair piled atop their heads and gowns reaching the floor. With the recent end of World War I, the roaring ’20s saw a boom in women’s desires to shake off their dainty and reserved personas and to celebrate life! The Jazz Age kicked off, and clubs were filled with a Gatsby-esque buzz. While the term flapper was originally an insult to a woman’s modesty, independent women embraced it. Flappers donned dramatic dark makeup, defined their lips, and chopped their long strands.
Rouging Your KneesIt’s hard to imagine a time when showing your ankles was saucy, but in the times of flappers, the hemline of skirts and dresses had only raised to calf-length. A flash of a knee was not a common sight, so dancers would put blush, or rouge, on their knees. When they lifted their hem with the pop of a kick, all eyes were on the pink-hued knees for a moment.
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Painted PatellaeWomen stopped wearing garters to hold up their pantyhose and instead began rolling them down below the knee. With a shorter hemline and a blank kneecap, flappers began painting pictures on their legs. Some used makeup, but many used actual paint and even enlisted artists to help. They would adorn their knees with flowers, portraits of their boyfriends, or detailed landscape scenes.
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Most men and older women thought the trend was immature or too provocative. Interviewed for a Maryland paper in 1966 called “The News,” a man named James A. Rice said that cosmetic knees were “more childish than anything else.” Another man said, “I like to see just plain legs.” But rebellious teens joined in on the fun as well. Members of a Baltimore high school basketball team were almost expelled for painting portraits of their boyfriends on one knee and an image of a flapper on the other to bring them good luck during a game.
On-the-View KneesTemporary tattoos were sold on sheets in the ’50s, and just after, the painted knee trend saw another resurgence in the ’60s. Famous makeup brands started selling kits to create the knee art yourself, like Faberge’s “Madcap Kneesies for on the View Knees.” This lesser-known knee painting trend of detailed tattoo-like imagery, fun florals, portraits, and even depictions of boxers may well have helped spark interest in temporary tattoos as we think of them today.
By Kelsey Roslin, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: The Early Origins of Temporary Tattoos: Hand-Painted Knees
June 16, 2021
June 15, 2021
June 14, 2021
June 13, 2021
June 12, 2021
June 11, 2021
Wandering Herd Of Elephants Gains Internet Stardom
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
[June 7–13, 2021] Surprise decuplets, a pricy nugget, and a brooding cicada—all round-up in this week’s weird news from Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
South American Woman Has Hands Full With Record-Breaking DecupletsGosiame Thamara Sithole, 37, of Thembisa township, Ekurhuleni, was surprised, to say the least, when the eight babies she was expecting were delivered, but doctors kept on going! Two bonus babies later, Sithole became the record holder for most babies delivered in one birth.
Sithole and her husband, Teboho Tsotetsi, had a whirlwind pregnancy that began with a sonogram showing sextuplets, only to be later told two babies were hiding.
Even eight babies shocked the couple and their doctors, as they had become pregnant without fertility treatments—an extremely rare scenario.
The seven boys and three girls were born seven months and seven days into Sithole’s pregnancy and will need a few weeks in an incubator before heading home.
There Are $100,000 McNuggets Among Us
Word of the day is *decuplets*.
Gosiame Thamara Sithole has given birth to 10 babies in South Africa
and she’s already got six-year-old twins at home!
https://t.co/01sRVuUlrR
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) June 9, 2021
A McDonald’s Chicken McNugget broke the mold—and the bank—after being sold on eBay for almost $100,000 due to its resemblance to a video game character.
EBay user Polizna was chowing down on a K-pop band BTS-themed combo meal when they noticed a nugget shaped like player characters from the popular Among Us video game.
Rather than let an opportunity go to waste, they posted it on eBay with a starting bid of 99 cents and a promise that the nuggie would be edible upon delivery.
“This food product has an average expiration of about 14 days and will be delivered prior to expiration,” Polizna stated.
Polizna’s post took off after the official Among Us Twitter account caught wind of the auction and shared the link. Xbox’s account took notice and replied, suggesting Szechuan sauce be included in the delivery. Polizna sweetened the deal by offering the sauce upon request and 184 bids later, the nugget sold for $99,997.
There’s no word on whether the buyer purchased the nugget to consume or collect.
Mysterious Substance Staining Beachgoers Revealed As Gaggle of Dead Bugs
An ‘Among Us’ chicken nugget from a BTS meal just sold for an insane price https://t.co/ORl7JyEbA5 pic.twitter.com/vhRsdsmMFX
— Forbes (@Forbes) June 6, 2021
Maine beachgoers can rest easy after scientists discovered that the mystery substance staining their feet as they walk the shores is not toxic—but rather millions of plant pigment–filled dead bugs. Phew!
Wells Beach regular Ed Smith became concerned when he noticed a black substance in the sand had turned his feet black to the point where even Dawn dish soap wouldn’t remove the stain! After a few days of chatting with other beach walkers experiencing the same problem, he knew it was time to pull in the big dogs.
Smith sent photos of the substance to Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection, who got the pictures to Maine Geological Survey’s marine geologist Steve Dickson.
With the help of Linda Stathoplos and John Lillibridge, two retired oceanographers in the area, Dickson obtained samples of the substance to observe under a microscope, only to discover tiny bug carcasses on their stage plates.
What type of bug and where they came from remains undetermined, but Dickson does not expect the phenomenon to become a regular part of beach life.
“This is the first time I’ve seen or heard of this in my 35 years,” said Dickson.
Cincinnati Driver Crashes Car After Being Slapped By Cicada
The Maine DEP now says pigment from flying insects washing up on shore is why some beachgoers’ feet have been turning black: https://t.co/k3SNdmNDKm
— CBS 13 News (@WGME) June 10, 2021
Cicadas are back and they’re causing a ruckus!
While screeching sounds and swarming are typical parts of cicada season, an Ohio motorist got the brunt of their wrath after being slapped in the face while driving.
The particularly ardent member of Brood X flew into an open car window, causing the motorist to drive off Riverside Drive in Cincinnati and crash into a utility pole.
Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured, but the car did suffer some heavy damage.
Cincinnati Police are advising everyone to keep their windows closed while the brood is on the loose.
China’s latest internet sensations are under constant supervision, with over a dozen drones constantly filming, 24-hour police escorts, and roads closed to ensure their safety. No, we’re not talking about a politician or boy band—we’re talking elephants!
A herd of meandering Asian elephants has skyrocketed to stardom as China livestreams their migration for the masses. Millions of viewers tune in to see what the herd of 15 elephants is up to, especially the three calves.
This week alone, 8 million people watched as one of the babies got stuck under an adult as the herd napped near the city of Kunming.
After leaving their natural habitat over a year ago, the elephants have trekked 300 miles, causing millions of dollars worth of damage to crops, cities, and villages along the way.
Though efforts to guide them back home have failed, the elephant sabbatical seems to be coming to an end as the herd has begun turning back toward their home in the Mengyangzi Nature Reserve in the southwest province of Yunnan.
What exactly prompted this journey is unknown, with some suggesting the herd was led astray by a new leader and others suggesting climate change pushed them away from their home.
Of the 300 wild elephants remaining in China, none have ever traveled this far from their habitat.
POOPED PACHYDERMS: China’s wandering elephant herd have become a viral sensation in the country, with videos of them doing everyday activities like resting racking up hundreds of millions of views. https://t.co/AWXzVrFZlm pic.twitter.com/WCikIE1IdW
— ABC News (@ABC) June 8, 2021
By Meghan Yani, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!The Sour Origin Story Of Circus-Born Pink Lemonade
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Nothing screams summer like a tall glass of cold lemonade, but where did this fruity beverage begin? The story of pink lemonade is actually anything but refreshing.
In fact, we can trace the origins of pink lemonade back to the early days of the circus when performers used to wring out their tights into buckets during nightly performances. Unfortunately, you might be able to guess where this story is headed…
Sweet BeginningsTraditional lemonade dates back to 17th century Paris, France. From the very early beginnings and simple “lemon, water, sugar” recipe, the hype of this sweet drink never seemed to lose its appeal. By the 19th century, the booming ice trade made cold drinks even more popular. Lemonade was having its shining moment.
At this time, traveling circuses were also making a name for themselves with fantastical people, whimsical performances, and death-defying stunts as they made their rounds across the country. It was here that “pink lemonade” made its first appearance as a makeshift concession.
Written in 1921, author Harvey Root’s book, The Ways of the Circus: Being the Memories and Adventures of George Conklin Tamer of Lions, makes mention of the main character’s brother, Pete Conklin, and his quick-thinking abilities.
A drink vendor at the time, Pete ran out of water while selling lemonade during one of the shows. Rather than take the easy route with a simple “Sold Out” sign, he improvised with a tub of dirty laundry water. One of the performers had just finished wringing out her pink-colored tights, and Pete took this as his opportunity to create a whimsical new drink.
Marketed as “strawberry lemonade,” the only difference between this beverage and the mainstream lemonade was its color—well, the color and the fact that it was made with dirty laundry water!
Believe It or Not! BitesVideo producer by day, chef by night, join Matt Mamula as he serves up the strange in the Ripley’s kitchen. Will Matt successfully recreate this peculiar version of summer’s favorite drink, or does the original “recipe” fall a bit sour? Pour yourself a glass and tune in to this episode of Believe It or Not! Bites to find out!
THE STRANGEST STORIES OF THE YEAR Now that you’ve read the strangest stories of the week, how about the strangest stories of the year? Ripley’s all-new annual is an all-true collection of incredible facts, unexpected stories, and stunning photography!Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog
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