That is a buboes scraper, from 14th century England, back in the days when leeching was common, bleeding was a bonafide medical technique, and infection was the feelings you had for your good friends. When a person contracted the plague and developed buboes (huge, swollen, purulent welts in their armpits), monk-physicians would use the scraper to open them up and let them drain "bad humors" from the resulting wounds. It was thought that this approach would allow the villainous plague to escape the afflicted's body. Unfortunately, this rarely resulted in extended survival for the patient, but it made the monk-physicians feel good about having tried something.

Brainier Than the Average Bear, XXL, please.

I agree that it isn't racist. But I do think it's neato, and I'm glad you posted it.

It's an old line snarl-saver for fishing. It ties into the line near the leader, with the spike end of the device facing the hook or lure. The spikes are soldered to the post in the center, and the acorn slides along the post. If a fish pulls the line away from the fisher, the spikes are out and the line will get caught in whatever is available at the bottom of the lake or stream. If the fisher pulls the line towards themselves, the acorn slides and covers the spikes. They don't work as well in practice as they do in theory. But I have a dozen of them in my tackle box.

Brainier than the average bear, XXXL.

Berhard nailed it. I used one of these for years as a metalsmith, though I kept it in better condition.

That isn't a shark. It's a dolphin. And as others have said, the human or other mammalian eye is Photoshopped in. They didn't bother to remove the visible eye slit which is right where it should be.

Although the circumstances that lead to double-yolk eggs may not yet have been investigated, because of the way that eggs are handled, these more than likely came from a fairly close group of chickens living under the same conditions in the same location. In fact, they are likely close cousins or even sisters. I expect that whatever conditions or unusual occurrence that led to one hen laying a few double-yolk eggs caused a cluster of hens to do so. If the pallets surrounding this one from the egg-gathering process could be found, they probably also contain large numbers of double-yolk eggs.

And not only that, doctors don't always know best. But for 1932, that's pretty cool -- it's in Uncle Walt's actual handwriting.

The decades-long assumption that this letter is written to a woman is interesting. There seems to be nothing indicating so in the translation. I'm not a language scholar; does German have nuances of language that would indicate the gender of the intended recipient?

Ryan S, you are drastically mistaken, I'm afraid. While the goat trike and similar devices were used in numerous non-Masonic fraternal organizations, and jokes about "riding the goat" are found in 20th century Masonic cartoons, such devices are not now, and never have been, used in Masonic initiation ceremonies. Masonic ceremonies are solemn and uplifting for both the candidate and the members. There is nothing to embarrass a candidate or to take away his dignity. He is not made fun of.

I am a Master Mason, and an officer in my Lodge. I am a 32nd degree Mason in the Scottish Rite, and a member of the Shrine. I have never, at any time, witnessed or participated in anything that could remotely be called "hazing."

While it is a stanchion, as others have suggested, this small one is for castrating baby pigs. It was made as a 4H project by Horace Merriweather of Pott's Creek, Kentucky, in 1982. Horace unfortunately was castrated himself while demonstrating the device at the Kentucky State Fair, when--not paying attention to his surroundings--he was struck from behind by a shovel that had been kicked by the ornery bull in the stall next door. Very sad.

Brainier than the Average Bear, Gray, 2XL.

My sister-in-law gave me a set of these recently: http://www.brooklyn5and10.com/KOLA-Camera-Accessory-Kolor-Your-Photos-p/kf08.htm

Not quite as fanciful as ye Fruit Rollup, but at least you can hold them over the lens.