Dancer/skater extraordinaire Bill Butler was a close friend of mine in the 1970s. I performed with Bill and his cousin Lakisha at a number of skating rinks across the Midwest at that time. Our subsequent fame resulted in the release of the critically acclaimed book, JAMMIN’.
See if you can spot me in the picture below. HINT: I had to wear ski pants for the photo shoot because it was laundry day. FURTHER HINT: I’m the white guy. LAST HINT: I’m on the right. INTERESTING TRIVIA: I’m holding Bill’s hand.
A rare photo of a little-known marriage rite among Kyrgyzturgidstan hill people: A bride gets to keep her prospective father-in-law’s nickel collection.
If you dare, gaze upon the terrible splendor of the Iowa festival of Tulip Time! Now avert your eyes, puny mortal, before your soul is torn to shreds by its Tulip Timeliness!
1937 ad
The small text of this ad may not be visible to you. Some bits: Once every two or three years, along comes one Christmas gift that’s “just the thing” for anyone on your list . . . . For the youngsters or their grandma — for the office boy or boss, Targeteer will be the prize package under the tree . . . this pistol is built for harmless fun — (you can shoot it, without casualties, in the living room) . . . it has the balance and “feel” that makes you want to draw a bead and squeeze the trigger.
Easy Money, June, 1936 issue
Familiar criminal types are in a money grab: The debonair but cruel sophisticate, the grasping femme fatale, the sneering thug, and the bald banker. Most famous of them all, was N-Z-O (far right). Nowadays, we have forgotten how this redhead in blackface terrorized the good folk who kept large amounts of cash in black kettles.
Maud and Miska Petersham, 1940 promotion for the Children’s Book Council
Comrade! You will find the books on our recommended reading list educational and enlightening. Read, so that a new social order may be born.
Reuters photo, 3/1/03
POP QUIZ: A member of the Turkish Parliament is holding up a sign. Does it say:
A. No to war!
B. I am a very silly man!
C. Kiss me, I’m Irish!
Find the answer embedded somewhere in the text of this site.
Movie poster for The Lost World, 1925
This raffish ruffian points out his idea for a new reality show.
New Jersey Driver’s Manual, circa 1940
We can see that not much has changed in driving habits since World War II. Put a cell phone in this guy’s hand and have him slouch to the left and he’d fit right in with today’s drivers. Then run over him in an armored vehicle.
Ty and Sally Pollard, 2002
This instructional illustration shows the swimmer staying at a goodly distance from the boat. (You get no credit for swimming the Channel if you touch a floating object.) To stave off hunger, our aquatic athlete has sensibly chosen a meal of a turkey drumstick and what appears to be a quart of milk.