Mildly interesting
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The T is miserable. I only took it once, but I had a personal chauffeur. Once was enough.
I did ride with Phibes one night. I think I’ve related the comedy of us trying to find our way downtown.
@Mik said in Mildly interesting:
I did ride with Phibes one night. I think I’ve related the comedy of us trying to find our way downtown.
People assumed I could find my way around Boston because I lived 30 miles away, but you've probably spent more time there than I have.
Nowadays I get hopelessly lost in Providence, but my daughter can drive around it no problem.
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The greatest space prank in history? It belongs to astronaut Owen Garriott.
It happened back in 1973, aboard the American Skylab space station. Garriott wasn’t just a brilliant astronaut — he was also a first-class prankster. And what he pulled off with a cassette recorder deserves a place in cosmic folklore.
Before the mission, Garriott had packed a little something extra: a cassette recorder. On it, his wife Helen had recorded a few lines — part of a top-secret prank planned just for Flight Controller Robert Crippen back at Mission Control.
One day, during a routine transmission, Garriott took his position by the transmitter... and hit play.
: “Skylab, this is Houston. Do you read?”
: “Good afternoon, Houston. This is Skylab.”
A woman’s voice. From orbit.
There was silence on the line. Then a hesitant voice from Earth:
🧑
: “…Who is this speaking?”
: “Hi Robert. It’s Helen, Owen’s wife.”
A longer pause. Then Crippen — clearly panicked — responded:
🧑: “…What are YOU doing up THERE?!”
: “Oh, I just thought I’d bring the guys something to eat. It’s all fresh and homemade.”
And then — radio silence. Total confusion.
Mission Control froze. For a full minute.
Then... the line cut out. Likely because Robert Crippen’s nerves couldn’t take it anymore.
To this day, it remains one of the most legendary pranks in space history.
Proof that even in orbit, astronauts carry a good sense of humor. -
Henry VIII of England, who reigned from 1509-1547, had people who were called "Grooms of Stool" whose job it was to wipe his butt. He had 4 such people during his reign, all of whom were knighted. He may have hated most of his wives, but he took care of his butt wipers.
Henry VIII of England, is infamous for his six wives and ruthless political maneuvering, but one of the more bizarre aspects of his court was the role of the Groom of the Stool. Despite the humorous title and rather intimate job description, assisting the king with his toileting, the position was one of incredible trust, influence, and prestige.
The Groom of the Stool was responsible for managing the king’s personal hygiene, including wiping his rear after using the royal close stool (a portable toilet). But the role went far beyond that.
These grooms had unparalleled private access to the king, and because of the time spent in such close quarters, they became trusted confidants and even political advisors. The intimacy of the role created an unusual path to power, every Groom of the Stool during Henry’s reign was eventually knighted.
In total, Henry VIII had four men serve in this position, including Sir William Compton and Sir Anthony Denny. Far from being laughed at, they were envied. In a court where access to the monarch was everything, the Groom of the Stool was arguably closer to Henry than anyone. He may have sent wives to the executioner, but he certainly looked after his butt wipers.
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Henry VIII of England, who reigned from 1509-1547, had people who were called "Grooms of Stool" whose job it was to wipe his butt. He had 4 such people during his reign, all of whom were knighted. He may have hated most of his wives, but he took care of his butt wipers.
Henry VIII of England, is infamous for his six wives and ruthless political maneuvering, but one of the more bizarre aspects of his court was the role of the Groom of the Stool. Despite the humorous title and rather intimate job description, assisting the king with his toileting, the position was one of incredible trust, influence, and prestige.
The Groom of the Stool was responsible for managing the king’s personal hygiene, including wiping his rear after using the royal close stool (a portable toilet). But the role went far beyond that.
These grooms had unparalleled private access to the king, and because of the time spent in such close quarters, they became trusted confidants and even political advisors. The intimacy of the role created an unusual path to power, every Groom of the Stool during Henry’s reign was eventually knighted.
In total, Henry VIII had four men serve in this position, including Sir William Compton and Sir Anthony Denny. Far from being laughed at, they were envied. In a court where access to the monarch was everything, the Groom of the Stool was arguably closer to Henry than anyone. He may have sent wives to the executioner, but he certainly looked after his butt wipers.
The job is still out there, tho' now called "Groom of the Robes."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom_of_the_Robes
But maybe not in a so intimate position. Henry VIII seems to have other occupants than the one in Wiki.
Flushing the toilet is like practicing the piano; you just cannot go too long without doing it.--Axtremus
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The job is still out there, tho' now called "Groom of the Robes."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom_of_the_Robes
But maybe not in a so intimate position. Henry VIII seems to have other occupants than the one in Wiki.
@Tom-K said in Mildly interesting:
The job is still out there, tho' now called "Groom of the Robes."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom_of_the_Robes
But maybe not in a so intimate position. Henry VIII seems to have other occupants than the one in Wiki.
I dunno. I could see good King Charles maintaining the tradition.
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Imagine gathering moss daily, and selecting the softest for His Majesty. No twigs or holly thank you.
We've only used paper for about a hundred years. One of my grandmothers was born in the 1872 and died in the 1969. Would love to have asked her about the transition from moss to newspaper to izal...
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Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn, pitcher for the Boston Beaneaters (later the Braves), was captured giving the middle finger to a team photographer. This grainy black-and-white image is considered the earliest known photograph of someone making the gesture.
Radbourn was known for his fierce competitiveness and iron will. In 1884, he pitched a staggering 678.2 innings and won 59 games, a Major League record that still stands. He was gruff, intense, and short-tempered, a man who once reportedly threatened teammates and argued with umpires regularly.
The photo wasn’t widely recognized for what it was until more than a century later, when historians and fans looked more closely at the team portrait and spotted Radbourn’s subtle act of defiance.
It is a small moment frozen in time, but it speaks volumes. Even in baseball’s earliest days, personalities like Radbourn were pushing against decorum with unapologetic flair.
