CRAIG CONLEY (Prof. Oddfellow) is recognized by Encarta as “America’s most creative and diligent scholar of letters, words and punctuation.” He has been called a “language fanatic” by Page Six gossip columnist Cindy Adams, a “cult hero” by Publisher’s Weekly, a “monk for the modern age” by George Parker, and “a true Renaissance man of the modern era, diving headfirst into comprehensive, open-minded study of realms obscured or merely obscure” by Clint Marsh. An eccentric scholar, Conley’s ideas are often decades ahead of their time. He invented the concept of the “virtual pet” in 1980, fifteen years before the debut of the popular “Tamagotchi” in Japan. His virtual pet, actually a rare flower, still thrives and has reached an incomprehensible size. Conley’s website is OneLetterWords.com.
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A Turkish Delight of musings on languages, deflations of metaphysics, vauntings of arcana, and great visual humor.

Found 63 posts tagged ‘invention’

Colorful Allusions – November 28, 2022 (permalink)

339
> read more from Colorful Allusions . . .
#invention #prof. oddfellow #video #penetralia
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Yearbook Weirdness – November 21, 2022 (permalink)

An evolution machine from Northwestern University's 1896 yearbook.

*For some unbelievably weird yearbook imagery, see our How to Hoodoo Hack a Yearbook.
> read more from Yearbook Weirdness . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #vintage yearbook #monkey #yearbook #evolution
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I Found a Penny Today, So Here's a Thought – October 23, 2021 (permalink)

Doctor Bombay’s “Atmospheric Oscillator” from Bewitched.

> read more from I Found a Penny Today, So Here's a Thought . . .
#invention #contraption #gif #betwitched
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Yearbook Weirdness – April 13, 2021 (permalink)

A player piano powered by an exercise bicycle.  It's the "Cyclianola," from Indiana University's 1913 yearbook.

*For some unbelievably weird yearbook imagery, see our How to Hoodoo Hack a Yearbook.
> read more from Yearbook Weirdness . . .
#piano #exercise #bicycle #player piano #invention #vintage yearbook #vintage illustration
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Restoring the Lost Sense – November 28, 2020 (permalink)

From Nebelspalter, 1958.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #contraption #kitchen
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Restoring the Lost Sense – April 15, 2020 (permalink)

If you think you're tired, here's what it took folks in 1905 to get out of bed.  From L'Impartial de l'Est, 1905.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #alarm clock #contraption #tired #1900s #rude awakening #bed #waking up #trick bed #get out of bed #get up
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Restoring the Lost Sense – April 5, 2020 (permalink)

From Kladderadatsch, 1926.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #illustration #audio recorder #listening device #waterfall sound
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Restoring the Lost Sense – March 12, 2020 (permalink)

From Jugend, 1897.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #polar bear #arctic #hot air balloon #unicycle
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Yearbook Weirdness – February 23, 2020 (permalink)

You might have assumed that dandies look so good because they have the help of manservants, but the truth is that they rely upon sophisticated robotics.  From Purdue's 1910 yearbook.

*For some unbelievably weird yearbook imagery, see our How to Hoodoo Hack a Yearbook.
> read more from Yearbook Weirdness . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #vintage yearbook #yearbook #dandy #robotics
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Yearbook Weirdness – January 11, 2020 (permalink)

From Millikin's 1910 yearbook.

*For some unbelievably weird yearbook imagery, see our How to Hoodoo Hack a Yearbook.
> read more from Yearbook Weirdness . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #vintage yearbook #yearbook #bald #haircut
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Restoring the Lost Sense – June 18, 2019 (permalink)

It rises and rotates to make a most profound impression.  From The Judge, 1912.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #novelty #top hat #hat tip
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Restoring the Lost Sense – January 14, 2019 (permalink)

From Fliegende Blätter, 1926.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #cyborg #illustration #armor #personal protection
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Yesterday's Weather – January 9, 2019 (permalink)

The rainmobile of 1926.  From Fliegende Blätter.
*Inspired by the world's only accurate meteorological report, "Yesterday's Weather," as seen on Check It Out.
> read more from Yesterday's Weather . . .
#vintage illustration #rain #rainy day #invention #illustration #vintage automobile #water car #water power #water engine #alternative fuel #automobile
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Restoring the Lost Sense – December 26, 2018 (permalink)

From Fliegende Blätter, 1927.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #walking on water #strolling musician #art
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Restoring the Lost Sense – November 25, 2018 (permalink)

The Florida bicycle-boat.  From Judge's Library, 1887.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #penny-farthing #boat #bicycle boat #land and sea
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Restoring the Lost Sense – November 2, 2018 (permalink)

From Fliegende Blätter, 1927.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #illustration #brain interface #information
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Restoring the Lost Sense – October 14, 2018 (permalink)

From Der Orchideengarten, 1921.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #mad scientist #invention #contraption #inventor
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Restoring the Lost Sense – October 13, 2018 (permalink)

From L'Album Comique de la Famille, 1905.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #kicked #kick in the pants #kicking machine #art
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Restoring the Lost Sense – August 7, 2018 (permalink)

From Fliegende Blätter, 1928.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #invention #penny-farthing #illustration #stair climber #walking bicycle #climbing bicycle
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Restoring the Lost Sense – May 7, 2018 (permalink)

You've likely seen a video of one of these in action.  Here's one all the way back in 1905.  From Le Journal Amusant.
[Inexplicable images from generations ago invite us to restore the lost sense of immediacy.  We follow the founder of the Theater of Spontaneity, Jacob Moreno, who proposed stringing together "now and then flashes" to unfetter illusion and let imagination run free.  The images we have collected for this series came at a tremendous price, which we explained previously.]
> read more from Restoring the Lost Sense . . .
#vintage illustration #bicycle #invention
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