World War II Vintage Ads

Now THAT's how to get people to carpool.

Weird Inventions

Electromechanical teenager repellant

Howard Stapleton (Merthyr Tydfil, Wales) invented an electromechanical teenager repellant -- a device that makes annoying high-pitched noise designed to be audible to teenagers but not to adults. The "Mosquito" ultrasonic teenage deterrent aims to solve the problem of unwanted gatherings of youths and teenagers in shopping malls, around shops and anywhere else they are causing problems, claiming to be "the most effective tool in our fight against anti social behaviour". He later used that same technology to make telephone ringtones that are audible to teenagers but probably not to their teachers.

Apparatus for facilitating the birth of a child by centrifugal force

The late George and Charlotte Blonsky (New York City and San Jose, California) invented a device (US Patent #3,216,423) to aid women in giving birth -- the woman is strapped onto a circular table, and the table is then rotated at high speed.

In their patent application, Blonsky and Blonsky explained the need: "In the case of a woman who has a fully developed muscular system and has had ample physical exertion all through the pregnancy, as is common with all more primitive peoples, nature provides all the necessary equipment and power to have a normal and quick delivery. This is not the case, however, with more civilised women, who often do not have the opportunity to develop the muscles needed in confinement."

Therefore, wrote Blonsky and Blonsky, they would provide "an apparatus which will assist the under-equipped woman by creating a gentle, evenly distributed, properly directed, precision-controlled force, that acts in unison with and supplements her own efforts". The Blonskys explained: "The foetus needs the application of considerable propelling force." They knew how to supply that propelling force.

The rest of their patent - eight very detailed pages altogether - specifies exactly how to do it. The design includes some 125 basic components, including bolts, brakes, wing nuts, a massive concrete floor slab, a vari-speed vertical gear motor, a speed reducer, more wing nuts, sheaves, stretchers, shafts, thigh members, a butt plate, aluminium ballast water boxes, more wing nuts, pillow clamps, a girdle member, and some additional wing nuts.

Anti-flatulence Underwear

Buck Weimer (Pueblo, Colorado) invented "Under-Ease", airtight underwear with a replaceable charcoal filter that removes bad-smelling gases before they escape. As the slogan says: "Wear them for the ones you love".

Dog-to-human language translation device

Keita Sato, President of Takara Co., Dr. Matsumi Suzuki, President of Japan Acoustic Lab, and Dr. Norio Kogure, Executive Director, Kogure Veterinary Hospital, invented Bow-Lingual, a computer-based automatic dog-to-human language translation device. The Bow-Lingual's a two-piece set—a wireless microphone that attaches to your dog's collar, and a walkie-talkie-looking handset with an LCD screen. Barks and yelps are transmitted to the handset, where their voiceprint is analyzed and placed into one of six emotional categories: happy, sad, on guard, frustrated, needy, or assertive. Once the appropriate emotional state is determined, the Bow-Lingual randomly selects a phrase belonging to that category and displays it on the screen. So if your pooch is determined to be on guard, maybe you'll get "Are you my friend or my enemy?" If aggressive, perhaps the sentiment will be "I'm dominant." You get the drift.

Alarm Clock that runs away from you

Gauri Nanda (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) invented "Clocky", an alarm clock that runs away and hides if you don't get out of bed on time. When the alarm sounds you can snooze one time. If you still don't wake up, Clocky will jump off of the bedside table, and wheel away, mindlessly bumping into objects until he finds a spot to rest. You'll have to get up and out of bed to silence his alarm. Clocky will find new spots everyday, kind of like a hide-and-seek game.

Artificial replacement testicles for dogs

Gregg A. Miller (Oak Grove, Missouri), invented "Neuticles", testicular implants for pets. Many caring pet owners hesitate or even to refuse to neuter their pets, soNeuticles eliminates 'neuter-hesitant' concerns - as a 'Neuticled' pet looks exactly the same after surgery. Neuticles are available for canines, felines, equine, bulls or any pet which is neutered. Neuticles should be implanted when the pet is neutered- but can be implanted years afterwards in most cases.

Self-perfuming Business Suit

Hyuk-ho Kwon of Kolon Company of Seoul, Korea, invented this suit. The suit is made with fabric soaked in a chemical that contains scented micro-capsules, which pop and release the odour when the wearer moves -- or gets bumped on a crowded subway train.

Washing machine for cats and dogs

The co-inventors of the Lavakan, Eduardo Segura and Andrés Diaz, decided in 1998 that their dogs deserved the same treatment that humans get from a shower massage. The side-loading automatic pet washing machine, is safer and less stressful for the animals than washing them by hand. It soaps, rinses and dries dogs and cats in less than half an hour. It has a series of conical nozzles that wash and massage beasts from every direction, while dirty and soapy waste is filtered through a hose at the bottom. Operators use the Lavakan's touch panel to choose the best wash cycle for the animal's size and dermatological needs. Pesticide soaps, for example, require an extended wait period to kill fleas and ticks.

Software that detects cats walking across the keyboard

Chris Niswander (Tucson, Arizona) invented PawSense. When cats walk or climb on your keyboard, they can enter random commands and data, damage your files, and even crash your computer. This can happen whether you are near the computer or have suddenly been called away from it. PawSense is a software utility that helps protect your computer from cats. It quickly detects and blocks cat typing, and also helps train your cat to stay off the computer keyboard.

Automobile burglar alarm consisting of a detection circuit and a flamethrower

Charl Fourie and Michelle Wong (Johannesburg, South Africa) invented an automobile burglar alarm consisting of a detection circuit and a flamethrower, to provide a deterrent to carjackings. With a rising crime rate, carjackings became a serious concern in South Africa. The Blaster car modification functions as a liquified petroleum gas flamethrower; when a carjacking occurrs, the driver steps on an additional pedal next to accelerator and flames erupt from outer sides of both front doors, "neutralizing" the assailant. The inventor claims it is unlikely to kill but would "definitely blind" the assailant. In South Africa, it is legal to use lethal force in self-defense if in fear of ones life, and ownership of flamethrowers is unrestricted.

Vintage Sexist Ads

Famous Celebrities Kisses

Tom Cruise kissing Katie Holmes on the red carpet - "War of the Worlds" New York City Premiere (June 2005)

A 1968 movie still from "The Night of the Following Day" -- Marlon Brando kisses Rita Moreno during a love scene.

50 Cent, right, receives a kiss from Paris Hilton at 50 Cent's album release party on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling kiss on stage as they accept the award for best kiss for their work in "The Notebook," during the MTV Movie Awards on Saturday, June 4, 2005, in Los Angeles.

Bruce Willis and Brooke Burns stop for a brief kiss as they leave the 2003 Radio Music Awards Monday, Oct. 27, 2003 at the Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.



Actor Adrien Brody suprises presenter Halle Berry with a kiss after he won the Oscar for best actor for his work in The Pianist at the 75th annual Academy Awards Sunday, March 23, 2003, in Los Angeles.



Actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, 31, kisses her former husband Cris Judd, 32 during a party at the Donatella Versace villa, in Moltrasio, on Lake Como, Italy, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001.

Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson is kissed by her boyfriend Kid Rock in the box of her host, Austrian businessman Richard Lugner during the traditional Opera Ball at the state opera in Vienna, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003.



Actress Julia Roberts kisses actor Denzel Washington after presenting him with the best actor award at the 74th annual Academy Awards Sunday, March 24, 2002, in Los Angeles. Washington won for his work in "Training Day."

Actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, 31, kisses her former husband Cris Judd, 32 during a party at the Donatella Versace villa, in Moltrasio, on Lake Como, Italy, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001.

Adult film actress Jenna Jameson, left, kisses her boyfriend, athlete Tito Ortiz, right, at the 2 B Free fashion show at Boulevard3 night club in Los Angeles on Monday, March 19, 2007.



Will Smith shares a kiss with Eva Mendes at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Smith is the recipient of the festival's Modern Master Award for his career achievements in the film industry.



Hong Kong film actor Jackie Chan, left, kisses Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat during an event to promote their movie "The Myth" in Bombay, India, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005. The movie was shot in China and India and Sherawat is cast as an Indian princesswith whom Chan's character falls in love.



American actress Melanie Griffith kisses her husband Spanish actor Antonio Banderas as they arrive at the Festival Palace at the 54th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 19, 2001.

Irish-born American actor Pierce Brosnan kisses his wife Keely Shaye Smith as they pose for photographers on the beach for the new James Bond film "Die Another Day" at the 55th International Film Festival in Cannes, southeastern France, Saturday, May 18,2002.



Paris Hilton, left, kisses Carmen Electra as Snoop Dogg looks on after Hilton presented Electra with the Best Kiss award for "Starsky & Hutch" during the 2004 MTV Movie Awards on Saturday, June 5, 2004 in Culver City, Calif.

Hollywood actor Richard Gere, left, hugs and kisses Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty during and event for HIV-AIDS awareness in New Delhi, India, Sunday, April 15, 2007. The event was organized by Truckers Corporation of India Foundation and HIV-AIDS advocacy organization Heroes Project to help create awareness on unsafe sexual practices amongst the truckers community and prevention of the spread of HIV-AIDS.

Presidential Palaces

Kremlin (Russia)

The Moscow Kremlin is a historic fortified complex at the very heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River (to the south), Saint Basil's Cathedral (often mistaken by westerners as the Kremlin) and Red Square (to the east) and the Alexander Garden (to the west). It is the best known of kremlins (Russian citadels) and includes four palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers. The first recorded stone structures in the Kremlin were built at the behest of Ivan Kalita in the late 1320s and early 1330s, after Peter, Metropolitan of Rus had moved his seat from Kiev to Moscow. By 1475, the principalities of medieval Russia were united under Grand Prince Ivan III, who assumed the title of the Grand Prince of All Rus, envisioning Moscow as the only legitimate successor to Rome and Constantinople. In order to illustrate his imperial ambitions, Ivan organised the reconstruction of the Kremlin, inviting a number of skilled architects from Renaissance Italy, like Pietro Antonio Solari and Marco Ruffo. During Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, the French forces occupied the Kremlin from 2 September to 11 October. When Napoleon fled Moscow, he ordered the whole Kremlin to be blown up. The Kremlin Arsenal, several portions of the Kremlin Wall and several wall towers were destroyed by explosions and fires damaged the Faceted Chamber and churches. Explosions continued for three days, from 21 to 23 October. Fortunately, the rain damaged the fuses, and the damage was less severe than intended. After that, it took the Soviets to take the government from Petrograd to Moscow again on 1918.

The complex now serves as the official residence of the President of Russia.

Palac Prezydencki (Poland)

The Palac Prezydencki in Warsaw, Poland, is the elegant classicist latest version of a building that has stood on the Krakowskie Przedmiescie site since 1643. Over the years, it has been rebuilt and remodeled many times. For its first 175 years, the palace was the private property of several aristocratic families. In 1791 it hosted the authors and advocates of Poland's May 3rd Constitution, Europe's first modern codified national constitution, and the world's second after the U.S. Constitution.

It was in 1818 that the palace began its ongoing career as a governmental structure, when it became the seat of the Viceroy of the Polish (Congress) Kingdom under Russian occupation. Following Poland's resurrection after World War I, in 1918, the building was taken over by the newly reconstituted Polish authorities and became the seat of the Council of Ministers. During World War II, it served the country's German occupiers as a Deutsches Haus and survived intact the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. After the war, it resumed its function as seat of the Polish Council of Ministers. In July 1994 it replaced the much smaller and more difficult to protect. Belweder palace as the official residence of the Polish President.

Palácio do Planalto (Brazil)

The Palácio do Planalto (English: "Palace of the Plateau") is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília, Brazil. As the seat of government, the term "o Planalto" is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of the government.

The architect of the Palácio do Planalto was Oscar Niemeyer, the "creator" of most of the important buildings in the new capital of Brasília. The idea was to project an image of simplicity and modernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures. The Palace is four stories high, and has an area of 36,000 m². Four other adjacent buildings are also part of the complex.

Presidential Palace (Vietnam)

The Presidential Palace of Vietnam, located in the city of Hanoi, was built between 1900 and 1906 to house the French Governor-General of Indochina. It was constructed by Auguste Henri Vildieu, the official French architect for Vietnam. Like most French colonial architecture, the palace is pointedly European- the only visual cues that it is located in Vietnam at all are mango trees growing on the grounds.

When Vietnam achieved independence in 1954, Ho Chi Minh refused to live in the grand structure for symbolic reasons, although he still received state guests there, and he eventually built a traditional Vietnamese stilt house and carp pond on the grounds. Today, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum stands nearby and the Presidential Palace remains part of Hanoi's cultural core. The palace hosts government meetings.

Palazzo del Quirinale (Italy)

The palace, located on the Via del Quirinale and facing onto the Piazza del Quirinale, was built in 1573 by Pope Gregory XIII as a papal summer residence. It was also used as the location for many papal conclaves. It served as a papal residence and housed the central offices responsible for the civil government of the Papal States until 1870. In September, 1870, what was left of the Papal States was overthrown. About five months later, in 1871, Rome became the capital of the new Kingdom of Italy. The palace was occupied during the invasion of Rome and became the official royal residence of the Kings of Italy, though in reality some monarchs, notably King Victor Emmanuel III (reigned 1900-1946) actually lived in a private residence elsewhere, the Quirinale being used simply as an office and for state functions. The monarchy was abolished in 1946 and the Palace became the official residence and workplace for the Presidents of the Italian Republic.

Grassalkovich Palace (Slovakia)

The Grassalkovich Palace is a palace in Bratislava and the seat of the President of Slovakia. It is situated next to the Summer Archbishop's Palace. The building is a Rococo/late Baroque summer palace with a French garden. It was built in 1760 for Count Antal Grassalkovich, a Hungarian noble of Croatian origin serving as the head of the Hungarian Chamber (a sort of ministry of economy and finance for the Kingdom of Hungary), by architect Anton Mayerhofer. It features many beautiful rooms and an impressive staircase.

Rashtrapati Bhavan (India)

Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India, located in New Delhi. Until 1950 it was known as "Viceroy's House" and served as the residence of the Governor-General of India.

During the Delhi Durbar year of 1911, it was decided that the capital of India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. This was announced on December 12 by King George V. As the plan for New Delhi took shape, the Governor-General's residence was given an enormous scale and prominent position. The British architect Edwin Landseer Lutyens, a key member of the city-planning process, was also given the prime architectural opportunity of designing the building. The Viceroy declared that the palace was to be classical, but with an Indian motif.

Schloss Bellevue (Germany)

Schloss Bellevue is a château in the centre of Berlin. It is situated on the north edge of the Tiergarten park, beside the Spree, near the Berlin Victory Column, with the address "Spreeweg 1". It has been the principal residence of the German President since 1994. Its name derives from its beautiful view over the Spree. It was built in 1786 for Prince Ferdinand of Prussia, the younger brother of King Frederick II of Prussia, and was designed by architect Philipp Daniel Boumann as a summer residence, on the site of a house built in 1743 by Knobelsdorff. It was the first Neoclassical building in Germany, and has three main elements: a central building of 19 bays, with a central pediment supported by Corinthian columns, with wings on either side (the "ladies' wing" and the "Spree wing"). It is surrounded by a park covering 20 hectares.

It served as the official residence of the Crown Prince of Germany until 1918. The treaty ending the Franco-Prussian War was signed here on 3 September 1870. In the mid-1930s, it was used as a museum of ethnography, before being renovated as a guest house for the Third Reich. It was damaged in May 1945, at the end of the Second World War, and refurbished substantially in the 1950s. From 1957, it was a secondary residence of the President of Germany, a pied a terre in Berlin in addition to his primary residence at the Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn. It was refurbished again in 1986/7, and Richard von Weizsäcker moved the primary residence of the President of Germany here in 1994, after the German reunification. It was reconstructed from 2004 to 2005 to remedy defects in earlier renovations. The President of Germany used Schloss Charlottenburg for representative purposes during this period. Schloss Bellevue became his primary residence again in January 2006.

The White House (USA)

The above is the White House in 1860. The architect of the White House was chosen in a competition, which received nine proposals, including one submitted anonymously by Thomas Jefferson. President Washington traveled to the site of the new federal city on July 16, 1792 to make his judgment. His review is recorded as being brief and he quickly selected the submission of James Hoban, an Irishman living in Charleston, South Carolina. The building Hoban designed is verifiably influenced by the first and second floors of Leinster House, a ducal palace in Dublin, Ireland, which is now the seat of the Irish Parliament. Construction began with the laying of the cornerstone on October 13, 1792. A diary kept by the District of Columbia building commissioner records that the footings for the main residence were dug by slaves. The foundations were also built by slave labor. The initial construction took place over a period of eight years, at a reported cost of $232,371.83 ($2.4 million in 2005 dollars). Although not yet completed, the White House was ready for occupancy on or about November 1, 1800.

Casa Rosada (Argentina)

La Casa Rosada (Spanish for "the Pink House"), is the official seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina. The Casa Rosada was built at the eastern end of the Plaza de Mayo, a large square which since the founding of the city of Buenos Aires has contained the top political institutions of Argentina. The current building, however, dates back only to 1873 and was constructed over the foundations of an earlier customs house, post office, and fortress. Its balcony, which faces the square, has served as a podium for many figures, including Eva Perón, who rallied the descamisados from there, and Pope John Paul II, who visited Buenos Aires in 1998. Madonna sang her filmed rendition of the song "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," for the movie Evita, from the balcony after a meeting with the then President Carlos Menem.