This Man Attempted the First Motorcycle Parachute Jump in 1926, And It Didn't Go Well

Even though this short video may seem a bit disturbing for certain viewers, it shows, in fact, how stunt riding began in the early 20th century. This is Fred Osborne's failed attempt at the first motorcycle parachute jump.

In 1926, aviator and stuntman Fred Osborne had an idea for a stunt that was as simple as it was badass. He was going to drive a motorcycle over a cliff in Santa Monica, California at 60mph (96 km/h), and then parachute to safety. Unfortunately, only half the stunt went right for Osborne. As you can probably guess based on how the rest of these stunts have gone, that was the “driving over the cliff” part.

After driving over the cliff, Osborne pulled the cord of the parachute but it didn't deploy properly, and Osborne and the bike plummeted 500 feet to the ground below.

The April 27, 1927 edition of Popular Science Monthly attributed his survival to the telephone wires that supposedly broke his fall. The cycle crashed to the ground and caught fire, and Osborne was rushed to the hospital where it was reported that he was expected to recover fully.

Belgian Man Discovered Stash of Cars Hidden in Abandoned Quarry Since World War II

For nearly 80 years these cars have been hidden underground in a quarry in France but they were uncovered by Belgian PE teacher Vincent Michel in 2016. The cars were hidden away during World War II and after the war ended they were never removed.

It is thought the rusting collection was hidden to avoid it being captured by German soldiers.

“We suppose the cars were brought into the quarry at the start of the war to stop them being seized,” Vincent said. “After the war, nobody took them out from there, forgotten forever. The owner of the quarry added a few more cars some years later. Almost all the cars were empty, with the shells the only things remaining.”

Amazing photographs show the rows of cars neatly parked in their underground hideaway. Vincent revealed that since his discovery some cars had been taken out by the quarry owner to sell at auction, but many that are too fragile to move still remain in the quarry.

Stash of cars was hidden in a French quarry to avoid capture by German army

Rusted motors were discovered by an astounded explorer who said it was like 'traveling back in time'

Huge treasure trove of ancient cars have been hidden away since WWII

The motors were hidden in a rural French quarry to avoid being found by German troops during WWII

Rusted vehicles have been stowed away for nearly 80 years

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46 Lovely Portrait Photos of Couples From the 1950s

Happy Valentine's Day! Here is a lovely photo collection of couples in the 1950s.

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23 Hollywood Beauties That Defined Short Hairstyles From Between the 1920s and '30s

In the 1920s, a woman decided to cut her hair was a serious thing. In short, long hair was considered feminine and short hair was not. But not as everyone thought, short hairstyles as marcel wave, finger wave, bob cut... were popular in this era, and even the 1930s.

These glamorous photographs of Hollywood beauties that defined short hairstyles in the 1920s and 1930s.

Irene Ware

Alice Joyce

Anna May Wong

Bernice Claire

Blanche Sweet

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Did You Know: The Man Who Invented the Revolving Door Because He Hated Opening Doors for Women?

In the late 1800s, Theophilus van Kannel supposedly designed a revolving door because he hated chivalry. He didn't like to parry with other men over who should enter or exit a door first. Even worse, he hated to open doors for women.

Large revolving door with a central display case (counter-clockwise rotation). Revolving door is flanked on both sides by conventional doors with arrows pointing inward towards the preferred entry. (Image: Wikipedia)

Improving upon German inventor H. Bockhacker's patent for a “door without draft of air,” Theophilus van Kannel received a patent for a “storm-door structure,” later called a “revolving door,” in 1888.

Patent drawing by Theophilus Van Kannel for a "storm-door structure", 1888.

H. Bockhacker's patent in Berlin for a “Thür ohne Luftzug” (“draftless door”).

He set up his own company, the Van Kannel Revolving Door Co., to manufacture his product. In 1907, Van Kannel sold it to International Steel (known today as the International Revolving Door Co.)

Although not much is known about Van Kannel's life, there's an interesting rumor concerning the inspiration behind his invention: He disliked the chivalrous act of holding open doors so ladies could pass through them. Thus, he spent most of his adult life focused on the invention, improvement and installation of revolving doors.

1875 photograph of Theophilus Van Kannel with his wife Amanda and daughter Lulu.

Van Kannel was recognized for his invention both during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1889, he received Philadelphia's John Scott Medal for his invention's usefulness to society. In 2007, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

The revolving door is not Van Kannel's only claim to fame. He also invented the Witching Waves ride at Coney Island. The ride, which was installed in 1907, featured two-person seats that moved along an undulating metal floor.

Undated photograph of Theophilus Van Kannel.

Van Kannel died in 1919 at age 78, but his revolving doors live on. Today, the doors have been paired with metal- and chemical-detection technology, and have become an important security feature in airports and detention centers. Some revolving doors even feature facial-recognition surveillance systems.

12 Strange and Funny Vegetable Children Valentine’s Day Postcards From the 1900s

These twelve postcards are from the ‘Garden Patch’ series, illustrated by Edith Curtis in 1907. They were typically used as Valentine’s Day greetings. The novelty illustrations feature an exaggerated-size vegetable or fruit as the head of a boy or girl with a related pun displaying around the image.

The postcards were published by Raphael Tuck & Sons, a London-based publishing business that was one of the most well-known during the ‘postcard boom’ of the late 1800s and early 1900s. The company headquarters, Raphael House, was destroyed during the Blitz of the Second World War.

Edith Curtis was born in Gloucestershire, England, in 1881. After a blessed and pleasant childhood with loving parents, Edith was enrolled in a ladies private college and concentrated her studies in preparation for a career in drawing and illustrating. As destiny for some, the muses create situations that make talent more necessary than experience, and so it was when Curtis came upon employment at Raphael Tuck & Sons just before a major expansion of the company in 1904.

Curtis loved the idea of making people smile at her visual creations which often hinted at the absurd and ridiculous. St. Valentine’s Day was her favorite holiday and the Tuck brothers had enough wisdom to give her a free hand. It is unsure, but the postmark dates suggest that the Valentine Garden Patch Series #2 was created for distribution in February 1907. There are twelve cards in the set. All twelve are available with and without a green border, but all (at least those found so far) have divided backs.

1. DEAREST VALENTINE, YOU DO beet ALL THE OTHERS

2. DEAR HEART, WHAT A peach YOU ARE

3. DEAR LOVE, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT AN 18- carrot ON YOUR FINGER

4. LET ME TWINE- orange BLOSSOMS 'ROUND YOUR HEAD

5. lettuce BE MARRIED, DEAR-

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25 Incredible British Propaganda Posters During World War II

Britain re-created the World War I Ministry of Information for the duration of World War II to generate propaganda to influence the population towards support for the war effort. A wide range of media was employed aimed at local and overseas audiences. Traditional forms such as newspapers and posters were joined by new media including cinema (film), newsreels and radio. A wide range of themes were addressed, fostering hostility to the enemy, support for allies, and specific pro war projects such as conserving metal and growing vegetables.

Posters were widely used in the propaganda campaigns. Their content ranged from simple instructions to purely motivational content. One series of posters for London Transport featured Billy Brown of London Town.

1. "Children should be evacuated" by Dudley S Cowes, Unknown Date

A poster designed for the Ministry of Health in the latter part of 1940 to reinforce the message that children should be evacuated out of London. The background to the poster shows a ‘blitzed' street with the Union Flag flying defiantly from the rubble. The better-known version of this poster showed a member of the auxiliary fire service and a young boy dressed up as a fireman, eager to do his bit for the war effort.


2. "Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)" - Artist unknown, Date unknown

A strongly colored recruitment poster for the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). It shows a scared-looking Nazi soldier with his arms raised in surrender. The ATS was first formed on 9 September 1938 to free as many men as possible for service on the front.


3. "Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) girl" by Abram Games, November 1941

Described by the art critic Eric Newton as ‘slightly Russianised', this Forces recruitment poster depicts the head-and-shoulders of a uniformed Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) girl. It is printed in two shades of fire-red. Advertiser's Weekly described the ATS girl as ‘fresh and smiling… looking upwards with a gaze of eager enthusiasm'.

Games' previous ATS poster had been removed from the hoardings after complaints were received that the woman depicted was ‘too glamorous'. The ATS used publicity to counteract its poor public reputation. Parents needed to be reassured that if their daughter joined the ATS, she would not get a reputation for being ‘cheap'.


4. "They can't get on without us" by Dugdale, Date unknown

A Forces recruitment poster for the ATS. It illustrates a smiling young woman in ATS uniform. The backdrop is of uniformed soldiers surrounding an anti-aircraft gun. The slogan ‘They can't get on without us' demonstrates the purpose of the ATS, which was formed on 9 September 1938 to free as many men as possible for service on the front. The women were simply expected to ‘spot' the aircraft, not to fire the guns. But some women did exceed their defined role. Conscription for women was introduced in 1941.


5. "We beat 'em before" by Pat Keely, Unknown, Possibly 1940

A strongly coloured and graphically designed war effort poster, clearly recognisable as Keely's symbolic shorthand style, with a message intended to be intelligible to everybody. The image consists of a First World War infantryman with the slogan ‘We beat 'em before' and a Second World War machine gunner attacking, above the slogan ‘We will beat 'em again'. France surrendered to the Nazis in June 1940, and this poster was possibly produced in response, encouraging the population to fight, rather than cave in.

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