June 11, 2021

"In fact, Wallace [Idaho] is the self-declared 'Probable Center of the Universe,' and according to its citizens, for good reason."

"A proclamation given by then-mayor Ron Garitone on September 25, 2004, avowed, 'Our government-contracted scientists...have, after years of diligence, been unable to unearth one scintilla of [proof] that Wallace is NOT the center of the universe.' This year Wallace is celebrating the centennial births of two native Hollywood elite: Doris Houck, known for her roles in several Three Stooges films, and The Postman Always Rings Twice star Lana Turner, whose childhood home at 217 Bank Street still stands, and is in the midst of a renovation."

 From "THE 15 BEST SMALL TOWNS TO VISIT IN 2021/From Alabama’s music capital to the self-proclaimed ‘center of the universe,’ these American towns are calling your name" (Smithsonian).

Why not proclaim yourself the center of the universe? Everybody is a star. That's a song title

By the way, do you know that "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" has been on TV for 20 seasons? Here's a promo for the finale episode of their 20th season:

 

Despite years of diligence, scientists have been unable to unearth one scintilla of proof that the Kardashians are not the center of the universe.

FROM THE EMAIL: Wince writes:
Doris Houck may be best known as the girl who tried to mash Shemp Howard's head in a vice in BRIDELESS GROOM in an attempt to persuade him to marry her. 
Famous Stooges line: "Hold hands you lovebirds..."

Wow, these are some tough dames:

6 comments:

Ann Althouse said...

Tim writes: "If the universe is infinite, then every point within it is the center."

Wouldn't the center be that point where the Big Bang happened and everything's moving out from there?

BTW, is the present the center of time?

Ann Althouse said...

Whiskeybum answers the question "is the present the center of time?"

"I don’t know about that, but I think that incense and peppermints are the color of time."

Good answer!

Ann Althouse said...

Wince writes:

After watching Doris Houck put Shemp's head in a vice, makes me wonder whether Joe Pesci in Casino...

subjected his victim to the horrors of the "Three Stooges Ward"?

Ann Althouse said...

Chris writes:

"The consensus in science, from what I read today, is no, there is no center of the universe. Which I find oddly comforting. No center, no one privileged point of view. Only a multiplicity of perspectives."

Ann Althouse said...

Mayville writes:

"Might I humbly suggest that the mine tour in Wallace is a fun stop on anybody’s I-90 journey. The local high school used to teach vocational mining classes in that mine. Hard rock mining was a thing in the Silver valley for a hundred years and was a very viable career. My next door neighbor was pulling down $70,000/yr as a “gypo” miner in the late 70s."

Ann Althouse said...

David writes:

I grew-up in Spokane and had heard that bordellos were operated in Wallace. I had no first-hand verification of these rumors until some years later. A friend had a bachelor party in State Line ID. Next to the bar was a cat house. The proprietress made it clear what they were doing there, without directly saying it. This made me conclude that it may not be legal, but is tolerated. A few years later I was in a situation where I needed to drive between Sun Valley ID and Spokane every month, always late at night/very early morning. I mainly used a route which took me right past (really over, since it was an elevated part of the freeway) Wallace on I-90. The architecture looked interesting, but I never stopped; I had a 500 mile trip, which was either just starting or nearly over. Plus I would be going past between midnight and 5 AM.

I did end up going there once. I picked-up a hitchhiker on one of the trips. Yes, back in my 20’s I was pretty care-free and thought the chances of being murdered were remote. I soon found out I had picked up a prostitute who needed a ride into Wallace, for work. I don’t remember how she told me, but I remember it was pretty matter-of-fact. Me: This is certainly an odd hour to need to be anywhere. Her: I work at the bordello, my car wouldn’t start and this is a good time of the night for this line of work. Me: Glad I could help. She was dressed provocatively, so I assumed she wasn’t some sort of support staff. In fact, she may have just come out and told me she was a hooker, but it’s been over 30 years and memory fades.

Down in the city, it looked like an interesting place and I wanted to go back and visit in the day time. But the thing is that it was kind of a hike from Spokane (about 90 miles), so I never did. Also, I now live near Boston, which may not be the center of the universe, but is claimed to be the hub of the universe. So, I’ve always kept some kind of central point not too far away.