Friday, September 14, 2012

Rock 'n' Rolling Happy Pants

Thought for the day:  I hear Akron is bouncing back from financial difficulties. Makes sense to me. After all, it is the rubber capital of the world.


[morguefile]

Now, I can't vouch for the authenticity of those elephant ears and toes offered for your dining pleasure at that Ohio concession stand in the picture, but I know they DO drink a lot of pop up that way. (As opposed to my neck of the woods, where all sodas are called cokes.)

I've only been to Ohio once, but it was a blast. We celebrated our thirty-somethingth anniversary there at the Dayton Hamfest. (WHAT? You celebrate your way, and we'll celebrate ours...) In addition to hobnobbing with thousands of amateur radio operators from all over the world, we also took a side trip to nearby Wright-Patterson Museum, an enormous USAF museum of aviation history. As I recall, it was a monsoon kinda day, but pbbbbt! we didn't let torrential rain dampen our spirits.





                                                Okay, ready for a little picture tour?

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [Wikipedia]
Let's start with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, located in Cleveland. An interesting tidbit: Ohio actually has an official state rock song. Neat concept, huh? However, I find Hang on Sloopy to be a rather odd choice, don't you? 






The Great Serpent Mound [Pollinator -en.wikipedia]

Prehistoric inhabitants of North America built earthen mounds for religious and ceremonial burial purposes, and one of the more unusual mounds winds a 411-mile wiggly serpentine path near Peebles, Ohio. The mound varies in height from less than a foot to more than three feet, and winds back and forth for more than 800 feet, ending in a triple-coiled tail. The mouth opens around a 120-foot long oval, which is believed to represent an egg. Similar serpent mounds can be found in Ontario and Scotland.



Map of Serpent mound, circa 1848 [Wikipedia]

Longaberger Basket Company [morguefile]

I'm not saying that working at this company is always a picnic, but come on! Located at Basket Village, USA, in Dresden, this world's largest basket is the seven-story corporate HQ of the Longaberger Basket Company. I wonder if they have a mascot. Yogi Bear, maybe? Yeah, definitely a smile-worthy building. Except for the darned ants...




Pro Football Hall of Fame [Wikipedia]

I'll bet the Pro Football Hall of Fame, located in Canton, would be another fun place to visit. Interesting tidbit: Ohio had the first professional BASEBALL team in the country. The Cincinnati Reds, who started out as the Red Stockings, got their start back in 1869. Kinda makes me wonder why the baseball hall of fame isn't in Ohio. And if a team is the FIRST professional team, who do they play...?





[morguefile]
Talking about baseball, didja ever hear of the Great Nickel Beer Night Riot? On June 4, 1974, in an ill-conceived promotion intended to attract fans to the stadium to watch the Cleveland Indians play the Texas Rangers, somebody came up with the bright idea of offering five-cent beers. Yeah. Right. Well, the promotion certainly filled the seats. It was the largest crowd Municipal Stadium had seen in years. But a simple Beer 101 equation should've warned them: big crowd plus dirt-cheap beer equals a big inebriated crowd. The crowd grew so rowdy, the baseball players had to leave the field to escape all the beer bottles raining down from the stands, the Indians had to forfeit, and THAT, my friends, was THE END of cheap booze at any U.S. stadium.

Time for a brief intermission. The phenomenal Dayton Hamvention, the largest hamfest in the country, if not the world, is an incredible multi-day experience for any amateur radio operator. There, it's actually cool, and the norm... to be a nerd. Since it'd be next to impossible to capture the essence of this fest in a single snapshot, how about a short video?

                        Okay, back to our tour.

Sopwith Camel [Chris Light- en.wikipedia]

The Sopwith Camel in the picture (an English plane) is one of a bazillion planes on display at the Wright-Patterson USAF Museum near Dayton. Just about everybody knows about the Wright Brothers' test flights at Kitty Hawk, NC, but didja know Dayton was actually their hometown?








Wright Cycle Company [Wikipedia]


The Wright Brothers' bicycle shop was housed in five different locations in the Dayton area. At right is the Wright Cycle Company location now deemed a national historic site.




Neil Armstrong Museum [Wikipedia]






The Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum is located in Wapakoneta, Ohio. The first man to walk on the moon is a native Ohioan. I've never been there, but I hear the museum is (ahem) outta this world.







Okay, time to relax and check out some of the laws still on the books in Ohio, and see if any of THEM are outta this world. By the way, how about this flag? It's the only state flag shaped like a pennant.


  • If you ignore an orator in Ohio on Decoration Day to such an extent as to publicly play croquet or pitch horseshoes within one mile of the speaker, you can be fined twenty-five dollars. (Sheesh, talk about ego!)
  • It's illegal for women to wear patent leather shoes in public. 
  • Oh, no ya don't! Sorry, but no fishing for whales on Sundays.
  • It's also against the law to get a fish drunk. (But some days, that's the only way I can convince one to come home with me...)
  • You must honk your horn before passing another car.
  • Participating or conducting a duel is prohibited. (But it's okay to watch.)
  • It's illegal for more than five women to live in the same house. (What? No sororities?)
  • It's against the law to mistreat anything of great importance. (And who, exactly gets to decide?)
  • No one may be arrested on a Sunday, or on the fourth of July. (Better plan that heist for Independence Day, gang!)
  • In Akron, it's illegal to display colored chicks for sale. (Hide 'em!)
  • In Bay Village, it's against the law to walk a cow down Lake Road. (So, do the cha-cha.)
  • Now, this one is just plain foul. In Bexley, it's illegal to install and use slot machines in outhouses.
  • In Canton, if you lose your pet tiger, you must notify the authorities within an hour.
  • In Cleveland, women are forbidden from wearing patent leather shoes, but they at least know the reason here. It's so men can't see a reflection of the women's underwear.
  • Also in Cleveland, it's illegal to catch mice without a hunting license. (Wow! Can ya step on a roach?)
  • Lima laws say you can't sell any maps there that don't show a clear depiction of Lima on it.
  • In Lowell, it's illegal to run a horse over 5 MPH. (Last time I rode a horse, the speedometer was missing.) 
  • In McDonald, it's against the law to parade your duck down Ohio Avenue. (I'm telling ya, people... CHA-CHA!)
  • In North Canton, it's illegal to roller skate without notifying the police.
  • Oxford laws say it's illegal to honk your horn, because it might scare the horses, and it's against the law for a woman to strip off her clothes while standing in front of a man's picture. 
  • Better keep a close eye on your pooch in Paulding. It's legal there for a policeman to bite a dog to quiet him.
  • In Toledo, it's illegal to throw a snake at anyone.
  • And finally, in Youngstown, it's against the law to run out of gas. 
***

Okay, it's that time again. Time for (ta-DA!)

The Weirdest News Stories of the Week


[Wikipedia]
*** Some people just don't know when to leave. Twelve years after a South Carolina woman broke up with her boyfriend, he was discovered living in her attic, using old coats and insulation to line his "bed"... a heating duct. No telling exactly how long he'd been living up there, but he'd fashioned a peep hole above her bed so he could keep an eye on her. Recently, he made more noise than usual, and after investigating, the surprised homeowner learned the rat living in her attic only had two legs. Which he used to flee when the police were summoned. The cheeky rodent is still at large.







[Wikipedia]
*** Eleven-month old Elvis O'Connor is already a seasoned actor. In fact, the little fella was signed by a talent agency before he was even born... based on his image in a pre-natal scan! Agents said they could tell from that scan that he was going to look like his five-year old big sister Alana, who was already a client. She's a regular on Brit TV show CBeebies, while the talented baby is a regular on Mrs. Biggs. Go figure. I dunno. My grandchildren are all beautiful, but in their ultrasound images, they looked a lot like creepy little aliens to me.







[Wikipedia]

*** Is that a gun in your pocket, honey, or are you happy to see me?  [Mae West]

When a flight from Bangkok landed in India for a layover before continuing on to Dubai this week, security personnel opted to frisk several of the male passengers, whose, um, britches looked a little too...  happy. Turns out, they were smuggling lori monkeys in their underwear. (Bangkok, indeed!) The big-eyed exotic monkeys, who measure about 17 cm, (6.7 inches) are much-sought after as pets, but they're also an endangered species. (Especially if those men had beans for lunch.) Another monkey was found discarded in an airport trashcan, so evidently, one of the men decided carrying two of the furry critters in his undies wasn't particularly comfortable. Oh, and if toting a monkey in a pair of tighty whities isn't bizarre enough for you, Indian officials also recently nabbed a man with ten turtles nestled in his Fruit o' the Looms. Jeez. I've heard of guys stuffing a sock down there before, but this is downright ridiculous.
****

                        Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.


25 comments:

  1. I've been through Ohio, but I don't know anything about it.
    I like the basket building a lot. I suppose working there could turn you into a basket case - - or it could be a basket of fun.

    I've never consumed elephant ears or toes - - but I've seen pink elephants on occasion.

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  2. I'm in favor of the Toledo law. When we were kids my brother picked up a gopher snake. It hissed and he threw it 10 feet to me. I caught it and it sank its fangs into my finger until we pried it loose and released it. That was the moment my brother and I realized we weren't geniuses, or Ohioans.

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  3. "...to strip off her clothes while standing in front of a man's picture." Okay.
    I was thinking Ohio looks much cooler than I thought, maybe I should take a trip, but then this.
    *shakes head sadly*

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  4. 411 miles of Serpent Mound? Maybe 411 metres would be enough for anyone; even in Ohio!

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  5. Oh, that kind of HAM. I was smelling BBQ. You HAMs are all nuts, you know that don't you?

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  6. Yogi Bear as a mascot--LOL!!

    Looks like a FUN trip!

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  7. Hi Susan .. lots going on in Ohio - but your 30thxxxx anniversary sounds fun (for you!!) - but wonderful you share and love the same hobby - that's great ...

    Hope and expect you enjoyed your more expensive Happy Anniversary beer with many Hamsters ... cheers Hilary

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  8. Sounds like Ohio was doing their best to prevent being over run by brothels.

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  9. Darn. That news story would have been perfect if they'd been smuggling gerbils in their underwear instead of monkeys. ;)

    Ohio sounds like a great place to visit!

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  10. That basket building is COOL! I haven't been to Ohio in years. Great pics. :)

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  11. We used to drive through Ohio every year on our way to Michigan to visit hubby's family. The terrain was so flat. We must have missed those mounds.

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  12. I htink you've outdone yourself this week with the weirdest news stories.

    Love that basket headquarters. I'd love to see the architectural design on that baby.

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  13. Jon- Oh yeah, ya gotta beware of those pink elephants.

    Geo- OUCH! Next time, wear your fielder's mitt.

    Laura- That's an odd law, isn't it? I mean, it'd take some gal to excite a guy in a picture frame.

    Cro- I guess those Indians had a LOT of ceremonies.

    Mr. C- Not nuts. We prefer to think of ourselves as a teensy bit eccentric.

    Jennifer- Heck, a trip to the grocery store can be fun if you're in the right frame of mind.

    Hilary- No beer for me, either cheap or expensive. I'm not a fan of the stuff. One little sip and I could belch the alphabet. Forward AND backwards. Um, not that I WOULD, mind you. Just saying it's not my beverage of choice.

    Delores- Yes, ma'am, I do believe you're right. (Anybody ever tell you you're one smart cookie?)

    Linda- It cracks me up that they'd try to smuggle ANY animal in their undies!

    Liz- Thanks. Glad you liked them.

    Arleen- Yeah, it is pretty darned flat up there. Guess we weren't looking in the right place.

    Anne- Thanks. You're right. The blueprints must be pretty amazing.




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  14. The Great Serpent Mound looks amazing. I'd love to see it. I wonder how far away it is from Chattanooga--time to check Google maps.

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  15. Ohio and how are you? Sorry, that was me, yes me, Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet star, attempting a bit of humour (humor) :)
    What a nifty neato article on the amazing state of Ohio. And you, my human friend, have submitted, along with all those photos, some very fascinating info.
    My human, Gary, has informed me that Akron is famous for some band named "Devo" who did a song about not being men but being Devo. Very weird.
    Have a lovely weekend.
    Pawsitive wishes and doggy kisses, Penny xx

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  16. Okay, how many whales make their home in Ohio, and how DO you get a fish drunk???

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  17. Connie- If you do go see it, please take pictures!

    Penny & Gary- Ohio back atcha. I hear quite a few fans are quite Devo-ted to that band. You take care and have a paw-sitively wonderful weekend.

    Dianne- None. They all moved to Detroit. And it's quite simple to get a fish drunk. Open their little mouths and pour it in.

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  18. Hey Susan, Thanks for the tour of Ohio, I did enjoy it.

    The old laws still on the books do make you grin, I am sure there is one that makes grinning against the law though :^)

    calling a coke by the term soda should be against the law, it is proper where I come from to call all sodas no matter what they are by the name Coke.

    excellent post Susan.

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  19. Your line about sodas reminded me when I first moved from New York to South Carolina. I said "pop" and the Walmart cashier asked me where I was from.

    I didn't understand the question. Was he referring to my German accent? Was he referring to my Yankee accent?

    So I said, "Where do you want me to be from?"

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  20. Jimmy- Yeah, I've come across some really bizarre laws in my "tour" around the country. It's kinda fun to root them out and make fun of them. Ah, so you must be a native of the South. We moved here from MD, and the first time I heard someone down here reply to what kind of coke he wanted by saying "root beer", I was a teensy bit taken aback.

    Pixel- HA! That's a funny story, and I must admit, I didn't realize New Yorkers said "pop", too. One of our sons went to college in Chicago, and he still calls soda "pop".

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  21. Lots of stuff going on here and in Ohio both. Very entertaining reading. I would like to see that Neil Armstrong museum, should be interesting.

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  22. As a native New Yorker I must protest. Only Upstate New Yorkers call soda "pop". City folks call soda soda.

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  23. Oh wow I love the Longaberger Basket Company building. Brilliant and witty!
    What an amazing amount of info you pack into your posts. Awesome!

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  24. Ohio. Oh, yeah. Been there multiple times. Love the book and movie of "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio." Hmmmm. I don't think I have the title right, but maybe the city of Defiance will forgive me.

    Love,
    Janie

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  25. Inger- I'd like to see that museum, too. Nothing could completely replicate the feeling of awe we all had while watching his moon landing in 1969, but it'd be interesting to see how they try.

    Laura- HA! Glad ya straightened that out for us.

    Madeleine- Glad ya liked it.

    Janie- I'm not familiar with that book/ movie, but it made me smile that you've been to Ohio, too. Buckle your spurs on, kiddo... we're headed to Oklahoma next time around.

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