Author Topic: Today in history

Today in history
« Reply #50 on: December 19, 2023 »


World traveller Annie “Londonderry” Kopchovsky, having changed her impractical attire and beast of a bicycle,



looks somewhat less grim. Moments after this drawing was completed she found herself racing a crocodile along the Nile – they're actually quite fast – and only managed to escape after an admirer sacrificed himself, earning a footnote in her autobiography, Mile Eater.

Today in history
« Reply #51 on: December 20, 2023 »


Billy added 'pump' to his Christmas wish list.

Today in history
« Reply #52 on: December 26, 2023 »
Having conquered the world of boxing, Muhammad Ali took up cycling, determined to be the Greatest Of All Time.



His coach boosted his confidence by initially putting him on the road with competitors slightly below his weight class.



Rocky had a chicken help him with his footwork; Ali perfected his pedalling technique with the help of this specially trained fellow.



History records that Ali didn't, in the end, become the GOAT on wheels, but he was no less an inspiration for all of us to strive to reach our full potential.

. . .

Babbage, born 232 years ago today, played a seminal role in the art of blogging nonsense.

Today in history
« Reply #53 on: January 06, 2024 »
The latest ad campaign for a popular beverage flopped after consumers failed to be enthused by its ironically dry imagery, preferring "Dames and good times", according to research conducted in the aftermath.



God I was thirsty. But what did I thirst for? Money, fame, power? All these are a mirage. You know what's not a mirage? Coca-Cola. It's a sign of good taste.


Horrified bean counters hurriedly replaced it with this,
Quote
agile enough to dance to different cultural tunes, emphasizing that while the setting might change, the universal joy associated with the brand remained a constant.

The three Rs
« Reply #54 on: February 03, 2024 »


Speaking of promotions, "Rapha is Rapha is Rapha" is less effective than "Save up to 60%".

Anne d'Arpajon

  • .
  • aka Anne de Noailles
Plenty of fish
« Reply #55 on: March 04, 2024 »


Marie off to relieve herself, her escort stood ready to fend off the advances of the male of the species stopping by, eager to be 'helpful'.

Quote from: Wikipedia
On one occasion, after falling off a mule in the Forest of Compiégne, Marie Antoinette laughingly asked her entourage to fetch de Noailles so that she could ask her for instructions on the correct etiquette for how a Dauphine of France should behave after having fallen off a mule.

Today in herstory
« Reply #56 on: March 08, 2024 »
Constance celebrated International Women's Day with a stylish spin through town, catching Millard's eye.



Doesn't Even Have A Top Tube
Quote from: the Lovely Bicycle lady
When I considered buying a Betty Foy over two years ago, it left me with mixed feelings to read the following in the description of the bike: "This style - mixte, lady's bike, step-thru, whatever you like to call it - came about originally to allow a woman's dress to drape gently down so it wouldn't get blown up by the wind. Most women don't wear dresses anymore, and if they do they don't ride bikes in them; but there remain benefits to this style frame..." And this was the manufacturer talking, trying to sell this bike? Sheesh.

Stop Calling Them “Girls’ Bikes”
Quote from: the Bikesnob bloke
Like a dog’s tail communicates its mood, a bike’s top tube indicates its intent. A level top tube implies a bicycle of classical proportions and dignified comportment. A sloping one suggests light weight and snappy acceleration. And a top tube low enough to easily lift your foot over in order to mount the bicycle means it’s a “girl’s” bike, and not one meant to be ridden hard by serious riders.

The Insidious Symbolism of Boy and Girl Bikes
Quote from: Lisa Wade, PhD
But the bar is a highly visible signal that we are committed to a gender binary (men and women are “opposite” sexes). It is some men and the defenders of masculinity who are most opposed to this because collapsing the gender differentiation means collapsing a devalued category into a valued category. For individuals who embrace the valued category, this is a disaster. A male-coded bike frame is just one small way to preserve both the distinction and the hierarchy.

Make of that last one what you will, boys and girls.

Today in history
« Reply #57 on: March 24, 2024 »


The boast that "I can break any bicycle lock" wasn't a crowd pleaser, forcing a retreat back into milk cans.



~

An image search for "stolen bicycle old photo" unearthed a new genre for me: cops buying replacements for victims of unsolved thefts.


"I want to grow up to be a bike thief too."


If you ever get your bike stolen, make sure it's in Houston.

Today in history
« Reply #58 on: April 18, 2024 »
An unidentified man walked into a shop and ordered a Brompton. "Gimme the ne plus ultra model," he said jocularly, "with all the trimmings."

He was thereby fleeced, though it was indeed a very nice bicycle. If you like that sort of thing.




Today in history
« Reply #59 on: April 22, 2024 »


An international race to the bottom was held, with no recorded winners.