Bathroom Readers' Institute's Blog, page 96

The Iceman Cometh? Happy Birthday, Walt Disney!

One of the Disney company’s most popular movies is Frozen. But was the company’s founder and namesake also frozen after he died? On what would have been Walt Disney’s 114th birthday, we put some ice on the story.

Contrary to the urban legend, Walt Disney was not cryogenically frozen. First of all, the technology to freeze deceased human beings and then thaw them out at a future date and cure them of all of the ills that killed them is nowhere near being ready today, let alone in 1966 when Disney passed away at age 65. (Some people, or parts of people, have been cryogenically frozen, most famously, Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams. But bringing him back to life? Science is still working on that.)

The Disney urban legend likely got its start years after Disney’s death. In 1972, a man named Bob Nelson of the Cryonics Society of California, in trying to promote his company and cryogenic technology itself, told the Los Angeles Times that prior to his death, Disney spoke with the agency about the science of cryonics, and where the technology was headed. While Uncle Walt was fascinated with the idea, he didn’t go through with it, because the technology was not yet completely sound.

Nevertheless, Nelson’s nugget was widely reported and over time was exaggerated into “Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen”…or in some takes on the story, only his head was frozen.

In reality, Disney died from lung cancer—he smoked three packs a day. His body was cremated, and his ashes were interred at the Forest Lawn Cemetery outside Los Angeles in his family plot.

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The Tale of Hugh Glass

Leonardo DiCaprio will play this fearless frontiersman in the upcoming film The Revenant. Here’s how his adventures back in the 19th century helped turn him into a legend.

It’s difficult to separate fact from fiction when it comes to his many adventures. In 1806, 26-year-old Glass was reportedly kidnapped by the crew of pirate captain Jean Lafitte. Glass served under the command of Lafitte for two years before he escaped and swam to shore near Galveston, Texas.

Years later in 1822, he responded to an ad posted in The Missouri Gazette and Public Advertiser looking for fur trappers. In August of 1823, he was searching for game near the Grand River in the Dakota Territory when he was attacked by an angry female bear defending her cubs. Glass was brutally mauled but, with the help of two of his fellow trappers, he managed to kill the beast. Back at the group’s camp, their colleagues assumed Glass would not survive his injuries and he fell into a coma. Two men volunteered to stay with him until he died and bury him but they were eager to get a move on. Despite digging him a grave, they tossed the bear’s hide on top of Glass to serve as a burial shroud, grabbed his equipment, and abandoned him. But Glass survived.

After regaining consciousness, he wrapped himself in the hide of the bear and began crawling. Despite being 200 miles from the nearest American settlement, having no supplies and a broken leg, Glass built a raft and sailed down the Cheyenne River toward Fort Kiowa. The journey took six weeks, during which he lived primarily on wild berries, roots, and bison meat. A group of Native Americans also aided him by sewing the bear’s hide directly into his skin to protect his wounds.

Despite his horrifying ordeal, Glass decided to continue working as a fur trapper after recovering from his injuries.. The frontiersman was later killed during a skirmish with Native Americans along the Yellowstone River in 1833. A lonely monument can still be found on the spot where Glass was attacked by the bear. Some claim that his open grave also remained visible until it was covered with water in 1951.

Eager to learn more about legendary encounters with wild animals and how to defend yourself from them? Then grab a copy of Uncle John’s How to Fight A Bear and Win…And 50 Other Survival Tips You’ll Hopefully Never Need .

 

 

 

 

 

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Old Condition, New Name

As they learn more about a disease (or respond to public misconceptions), doctors and scientists may change the name of familiar, widespread conditions.

SEID

Also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the official name for this difficult to understand condition in which those afflicted experience long bouts of otherwise unexplainable tiredness is myalgic encephalomyelitis. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, less than a third of medical schools even cover the disease, so in 2015, the Institute of Medicine convened a committee and released a report outlining plans to get the condition more study and attention, which includes renaming it Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID).

Hansen’s disease

Leprosy is one of the most notorious diseases in the world, and one that has afflicted millions. It’s most famously characterized by scaly skin, respiratory problems, and a loss of body parts. Mother Teresa dedicated her life to helping those with the disease, and to help dispel myths about it. (For example, while in Asia those who have it have been traditionally banished to ghettos, it’s actually very hard to catch.) The name “leprosy” comes from lepra, Latin for “scaly.” In the late 19th century, Norwegian doctor Gerhard Hansen identified the bacteria responsible for leprosy, and soon after the condition was renamed after him.

ADHD

Kids who had trouble concentrating or sitting still were once dismissed as “hyperactive.” In the 18th century, the condition was identified by British doctor Alexander Crichton and titled “mental restlessness,” and was subsequently listed in the DSM-II psychological disorders manual as “hyperkinetic reaction of childhood,” leading to the colloquial term of “hyperactive.” When the DSM-III came out in 1980, the condition was renamed ADD or “attention deficit disorder.” Today’s its known as ADHD, for “attention deficit and hyperactive disorder,” so as to encompass a wider range of symptoms and conditions.

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Only in Canada

Here are a few really weird news stories…that could only have happened in Canada. (This article was first published in Uncle John’s Factastic Bathroom Reader . )

Snowed In

Nelson Rubia of St. Jude’s, Newfoundland, got his snowmobile back from the mechanic in March 2015 and decided to take it for a test ride…only it hadn’t been completely repaired. As Rubia attempted to cross a highway, the throttle got stuck and the snowmobile picked up speed. Rubia was thrown from the vehicle, and the snowmobile took off on its own, heading west down the Trans-Canada Highway, bouncing off the snowbanks on either ride of the road. Rubia, uninjured, called the police for help. They were unable to stop the snowmobile, which traveled 15 miles before it hit a snowbank, flipped onto its side, and died.

Lie-brary

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables is about a plucky 11-year-old redheaded orphan named Anne who charms a stuffy town on Prince Edward Island. It’s a Canadian classic, and dozens of printings of the book, as well as numerous film and TV adaptations, have depicted Anne exactly the way she’s referred to in the original: as an 11-year-old redhead. In 2013 a company called CreateSpace caused a minor uproar when it published a new version of Anne of Green Gables with a cover depicting not a redheaded child but a sexy blonde in her 20s.

Grin and Bear It

In March 2014, cab driver Mohammed Naim had just dropped off a passenger in a Toronto suburb when he spotted a bear. He immediately locked himself in his cab and called police. They quickly arrived on the scene and tracked the bear tracks…to the home of the man Naim had just dropped off. Bear attack in progress? Nope—what Naim thought was a bear was actually a 150-pound very shaggy dog of the Newfoundland breed. The dog’s name: Bear.

Language Barrier

Canada is a bilingual nation, at least legally. Only 22 percent of the general population speaks French, but public signage must be presented in both English and French, a law fiercely enforced by the Office de Langue Francaise (French Language Office). In November 2014, the comedian Sugar Sammy paid for a series of ads in the Montreal Metro subway system that read, “For Christmas, I’d like a complaint from the Office de La Langue Francaise.” Because he didn’t include the French translation, he got his wish. Sid Lee, the advertising firm responsible for the ads, was required to black out most of the sign’s text so that it read, Pour Noel, j’ai eu une plainte de l’Office de Langue Francaise. Translation: “For Christmas I got a complaint from the Office de la Langue Francaise.”

Foot in Mouth

The signature cocktail of the Downtown Hotel in Dawson City, Yukon, is the Sourtoe. It’s a tourist tradition to try the drink—a shot of whiskey with a leathery, black mummified toe in it. It started in 1973; the first toe was the detached frostbitten toe of a 19th-century fur trapper. Customers aren’t supposed to consume the toe—only to let it touch their lips (the alcohol reportedly keeps it sterile), but some people have accidentally swallowed the toe. If it happens, the Downtown Hotel charges $500. The hotel has gone through two dozen old toes in the past 40 years and was down to its last toe. In 2013 a man named Josh (from New Orleans) came into the bar, drank a shot with the toe in it, swallowed the toe, slapped $500 on the bar, and left. The hotel is now running this print ad: “Got frostbite? The Downtown Hotel in Dawson City, Yukon, is currently seeking toes for its World Famous Sourtoe Cocktail.”

Fort Stonewalled

When the 2014 winter began, Yann Lefebvre of Beaconsfield, Quebec, promised his four kids that he would build them “the fort of all forts.” He did. It was the size of a small house, with two snow couches and a snow coffee table inside. Neighborhood kids loved it, until the city government told Lefebvre in January 2015 that he’d have to remove it. Reason: it was blocking snowplow paths. “We’re not against snow forts,” Mayor Georges Bourelle told reporters, adding that technically, it was built on city property. Lefebvre had a party, during which he and friends tore it down and rebuilt it farther back from the road. (They invited the mayor, but he didn’t show.)

Odd Canadian Tax Rules

Benefits paid to Canadian war veterans aren’t taxed, but benefits paid by Germany to former members of the Nazi Party living in Canada are.


All cosmetic procedures are taxed, including nose jobs, botox, breast enhancement, and teeth whitening. Exceptions: “congenital abnormality, a personal injury, or disfiguring disease.”


When Canadians buy a new car, there’s a hidden $100 fee buried in the cost—a tax on automobile air conditioners. (Hearses, ambulances, and motor homes are exempt.)

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Angry Birds

Here are some awful avians and foul fowl that have made headlines recently.

Cunning Cassowaries

The cassowary is widely considered the most dangerous bird on the planet. Native to New Guinea and Australia, cassowaries have super sharp claws and powerful legs. They can run at speeds of up to 31 mph and can jump nearly five feet. Oh, and they’re typically more than six feet tall. The flightless birds are so ill-tempered that American troops were warned avoid them while they were stationed in New Guinea during World War II. Despite their nasty reputation, cassowaries are only responsible for a single reported human fatality. In 1926, two boys foolishly attempted to attack one with some wooden clubs after it wandered onto their family’s property. The bird fought back and severed one of the kid’s jugular veins. He died shortly thereafter.

A Dangerous Duck

Barrie Hayman and Star, his beloved pet duck, are a regular sight in the taverns around Chulmleigh, U.K. Star happily drinks beer alongside his fellow barflies. Unfortunately, Star got a little too tipsy during a visit to The Old Courthouse Inn back in October. After downing a pint, the duck got into a brawl with a dog named Meggie. “Star pushed his luck too far,” Hayman later told reporters. “Meggie snapped – splitting Star’s bottom beak right down the middle.” He was worried that the duck’s drinking days were over but Star was expected to make a full recovery.

Crafty Crows and Problematic Pigeons

Gabi Mann became “internet famous” after she started feeding crows and pigeons around her neighborhood a few years ago. People thought the eight year-old Seattle resident’s new hobby was totally adorable, especially after her parents started sharing photos online of the “presents” the birds gave her in return. But Matt Ashbach and Christine Yokan, two of Gabi’s neighbors, weren’t so thrilled. They’re currently in the process of suing her family because they’re tired of gigantic flocks of birds roaming the neighborhood and pooping all over the place. In addition to comparing them to the birds in The Birds, they say that Gabi’s feathered friends are also attracting tons of rats. Ashbach and Yokan’s lawsuit claims that the birds have caused $200,000 in damages to their home, in addition to thousands more to other houses around the neighborhood.

 

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Underwear Economics

When economists want to get a sense of how the economy is doing, they look at things like the prime lending rate, the unemployment rate, and the Dow Jones Average. It turns out that’s not all they look at. (This article was originally published in Uncle John’s Weird Weird World EPIC.)

Down Under

Alan Greenspan was the chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006. He was one of the most influential economists of his day, and his grasp of how the American economy works was profound. He was also famous for keeping an eye on an economic indicator that, on the surface at least, didn’t seem to have much to do with the economy at all: sales of men’s underwear.

What interested Greenspan about men’s underwear was that the sales figures rarely changed. For most men, underwear isn’t something they treat themselves to when they feel like splurging; it’s a purely utilitarian item. They buy it to replace underwear that has worn out. And since underwear wears out at a pretty steady rate, sales of new underwear are pretty steady too.

Greenspan noticed, however, that on occasion underwear sales did dip. When that happened, he interpreted it to mean that significant numbers of men were financially stressed enough that they had stopped replacing their worn-out shorts.

First Things First

How many people see you in your underwear? When funds are limited, most men will put off buying underwear—clothes that people don’t see—before they stop buying shirts and pants that people do see, if for no other reason than to keep up appearances.

If they have kids, men will put off buying their own underwear before they’ll stop buying things for their children. For this reason, men’s underwear sales tend to lead many other economic indicators— they register signs of economic distress months before sales of other items begin to slow. That’s why Greenspan liked to keep an eye on it: If the economy was losing steam, he’d see it in men’s underwear first.

This, That, and the Other Things

Over the years, economists have developed theories based on a lot of other items besides men’s underwear. For example:

Boxcars. A lot of freight is shipped by rail in the United States, and when the freight isn’t moving, the unused boxcars are parked on railroad spur lines until the economy picks up and they’re needed again.

Movie Tickets. As expensive as a trip to the multiplex is nowadays, it’s still a lot cheaper than a weekend at the beach. People who can’t afford to take a vacation often compensate by going to the movies instead, causing ticket sales to rise in a recession.

Donuts. People who can’t afford a full breakfast in a restaurant will often trade down to a donut and coffee. Hot dog sales do well in hard times for the same reason: In the 1930s, they were known as “Depression sandwiches.”

Laxatives. When people are under stress and living on donuts and hot dogs…well, you figure it out.

Lipstick. Studies show that women who don’t have the money for a new dress or new shoes will spend $15 or $20 on lipstick instead. Belts, scarves, bracelets, and other fashion accessories that dress up old outfits also do well, as do home permanents and dye kits that offer a cheap alternative to hair salons.

Alligators. Most gators that end up as boots, handbags, and other designer goods are raised on farms. Sales of these items tend to crash during a recession (they’re too expensive and too flashy in hard times), and the alligator population on these farms explodes.

Lightbulbs. When Jack Welch took the helm at General Electric in 1981, the company made more than just lightbulbs, but he still swore by sales of bulbs as an indicator of where the economy was heading. “When people are affluent, they go to the store and buy what’s called ‘pantry inventory,’” he told an interviewer in 2001. “They’ll buy a pack of six or a pack of eight, and they’ll wait for the lights to go out. When times are tough, a light burns out, they’ll go buy one to replace the one went out. There are probably a thousand better indicators, but that one’s never been wrong.”

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The Rise and Fall of Tower Records

Many Americans bought their first record, cassette, or CD at a Tower Records. Uncle John’s dutiful blogger here bought a Monkees album at a Tower in Portland, Oregon, for example. The chain’s impact on the American music industry was huge. And now it’s gone.

When Russell Solomon founded Tower in 1960, he was in his mid-30s and nearly broke, decided to open a small record store at 960 Watt Avenue in Sacramento, naming it after Tower Theatre, a nearby business that shared a building with his father’s drugstore. Within seven years, the store was successful enough to warrant a second Tower Records in San Francisco. Additional locations followed as Solomon added books, posters, and other items to their shelves. In the ‘70s, Tower Records took off like a speeding train as Solomon and his growing legion of knowledgeable but often cranky staffers opened stores everywhere from Japan to Ireland.

One key element of the chain’s triumphs during these years was its wide array of music. Unlike other record stores, it offered everything from classical concertos to punk. People who worked at Tower often used their immense music knowledge to order records by new and emerging talents too. Fans of New Wave acts from the U.K. flocked to the Tower Records in Manhattan’s East Village in the early ‘80s to buy records before they arrived in similar stores.

Unfortunately, the rise of online music sharing services like Napster really began to bite into the profits of the industry in the early ‘00s. As more and more music fans opted to steal or buy music online, Solomon’s empire toppled like a rickety Jenga tower. Tower Records entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2004 with debts estimated between $80 and $100 million. All of its stores were quickly closed in the mid ‘00s but the company continues to operate online.

Many mom and pop records shops weren’t sad to see Towers Records go the way of the dodo for obvious reasons but many music fans still lament its downfall. One of them is Colin Hanks, the son of acclaimed actor Tom Hanks. Colin recently directed a documentary about the chain called All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records.

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The Toilet Ghosts of Japan

It would seem that the nation has a major problem with bathroom banshees.

Akai-Kami-Aoi-Kami

According to modern Japanese folklore, Akai-Kami-Aoi-Kami likes to pop up in stalls to ask his female victims (he only pops up in women’s restrooms) a seemingly simple question: “Do you want red paper or blue paper?” Those who answer “red” are killed in a horrific way. Those who choose “blue” are killed in a slightly less horrific way. Choosing any other color will only further enrage the ghost and cause him to drag his victim straight to hell. Some say that there’s only one choice that won’t lead to a gruesome death: opting for yellow paper. This causes Akai-Kami-Aoi-Kami to urinate all over the stall before racing off to the next bathroom on his list.

Reiko Kashima

This ghost is allegedly the spirit of a woman who lost her legs in a railway accident who now spends her time creeping into the bathroom of anyone who says her name. Why? She’s looking for new legs. Much like Akai-Kami-Aoi-Kami, Reiko asks her victims a series of random questions. If she doesn’t like their answers, she’ll twist off their legs. Reiko has become something of a celebrity ghost in recent years. She’s appeared in a few video games including one called Shin Megami Tensei and her bloody quest for replacement limbs inspired a scary monster that stars in a horror film series called Teke Teke.

Hanako

Hanako is similar to Bloody Mary, the mythic Western ghoul invoked by saying “Bloody Mary” into a mirror. Japanese schoolchildren often dare one another to knock on the doors of empty stalls in public bathrooms and ask, Aare you there, Hanako-san?” If they get a “yes” she’ll pop out and frighten them… but, fortunately, that’s it). Hanako is supposedly the spirit of a girl who died during a World War II bombing raid. She sports an old-fashioned haircut and a skirt that went out of style over 70 years ago. The feisty spirit has also appeared in no less than three Japanese films, the most recent of which is 2013’s Hankao of the Toilet.

Akaname

Unlike these other ghosts, Akaname is much more interested in providing a valuable public service than scaring or hurting mortals. However, the way he goes about it is totally disgusting. Akaname loves to scrub toilet stalls….with his tongue. His appearance is also pretty freaky. He’s said to have bright red skin and a pointed tongue (that no doubt helps him clean lots of tough-to-reach nooks and crannies).

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6 Facts About the American Music Awards

The annual awards show took place last weekend. Here’s a look back at the history of the event.

While the Grammys were established by a music industry foundation to recognize its best and brightest, the American Music Awards were created purely for TV. In 1973, ABC lost the rights to air the Grammys to CBS, and hired TV mega-producer (and American Bandstand host) Dick Clark to create a competing music show. Clark created the AMAs, which unlike the Grammys at the time, focused on Top 40 and rock music.


For its first few years, the show enjoyed multiple hosts, one for each genre of music covered in the ceremony. (The show would be broadcast in sections: all of the pop awards, all the rock awards, and all of the country music awards.) Glen Campbell, a ‘70s country star and country portion host, was the most frequent AMAs host.


Like most other awards shows, the AMAs were held and televised live in the very early part of the calendar year, but ABC moved them to November in 2003. They did this to get all the awards show attention squarely on the AMAs (there are no other major awards shows in November), while also moving it to the profitable “Sweeps” period.


Unlike the Grammys, which are voted on by invited members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the AMAs are voted on directly by music buyers and fans.


Most awarded acts in AMA history: Michael Jackson (24), Whitney Houston (21), and Alabama (19). Taylor Swift will probably break this record, as she’s already won 19 American Music Awards, including the first and only presentation of the “Dick Clark Award for Excellence.”


Un-American? For the last two years, the Artist of the Year award has gone to One Direction, a boy band from…England.

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When Celebrities Get TP’ed

Countless teenagers and other rascals have participated in this classic prank since toilet paper was pretty much invented. No one is safe, not even famous people!

Howie Mandel’s House

YouTube entertainer Roman Atwood is something of a prankster and perhaps his greatest one to date remains the time he took aim at comedian Howie Mandel’s residence in a gated community in Los Angeles. Along with some fellow pranksters, YouTube star Roman Atwood and some friends took aim at comedian Howie Mandel’s residence in a gated Los Angeles neighborhood. He gathered together around 4,000 rolls of TP and tossed them in a moving truck before heading to Mandel’s mansion last March. Needless to say, Mandel, who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, was not pleased when he arrived home after a flight from New York City to discover the place covered in more than 4,000 rolls of toilet paper. It was all in good fun though, as both Mandel’s wife and son were informed of the prank ahead of time.

Joel Quenneville’s House

After winning the 2015 Stanley Cup, some members of the Chicago Blackhawks and some friends headed to home of their coach Joel Quenneville very late at night, with lots of toilet paper. An estimated 150 people covered the trees, bushes, and cars of their coach with TP. Even stranger: This has happened before. Blackhawks fans TP’ed Quenneville’s house when his team won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013. And now, it’s a tradition.

The Undertaker’s House

This professional wrestler’s creepy persona and rippling muscles weren’t enough to prevent a gang of pranksters from TP-ing his house in Texas in September. In addition to foolishly targeting a guy who could pummel them each into dust, they struck in the middle of the day while the Undertaker and his wife were appearing at a charity marathon event. Their home’s security cameras caught the pranksters in the act. Whether or not he’ll be sending them to an early grave remains to be seen.

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