Postcard from Richard Nixon

I'm using the front of this postcard from the 60s as my Christmas card
this year. You should, too. Click to enlarge.

More Sci-Fi Paperback Art

I found these at a local bookstore, the covers are great, the authors are some of my favorites. Click the pics to enlarge, and I'll let you know how good the books turn out to be.

Transistorize Your iPod Video

You might remember one of the earliest entries on this site, "Transistorize Your iPod". Well, I sold the rights to publish it to Make Magazine, and an entire article appeared in Make Magazine Issue 13.


Now they've redone the whole thing as a video! Click below on the window, or if that doesn't work, click here to watch.


Transistorize Your IPod! - More amazing videos are a click away

Again, I think Apple should put this out soon.

Mercury Space Stamps

Here's a sheet of space stamps from the Mercury program in the early 60s. I went to the post office with my dad to buy these on the day of issuance. Everybody else did, too. The stamps aren't worth a lot of money, but they're still cool. Click the image for a wallpaper sized version.

Random Comic Books

Here are some random comics from my collection that caught my eye. Click on any pic to enlarge, and post a comment if you'd like to see inside any of them.

Here are some random comics from my collection that caught my eye. Click on any pic to enlarge, and post a comment if you'd like to see inside any of them.

The Omni Hut in Smyrna Tennessee

The Omni Hut is another one of those restaurants that are local treasures. It's in Smyrna, Tennessee, just north of Murfreesboro, and accessible from I-840. Here are some shots from a recent Friday night visit. Click any pic to enlarge.



The interior is just what you'd hope for.

The service is quick and attentive.

The Omni Hut was opened in 1960. You can read more of its history here.

Flaming chicken sticks for an appetizer.


















Here's the second larger dining room and the Flaming Volcano dessert.


The waiting area is filled every night. Omni Hut is open 5:30-9:30pm Tuesday through Saturday.

A souvenir! Two bottles of Omni Hut Teriyaki Sauce.

Visit the Omni Hut website at www.omnihut.com

Radio QSL Cards Part 2

Here are some more radio QSL cards from the 1960s. Back then, if you heard a faraway AM radio station, you could write them and give details of what you heard, and they would send back their QSL card as confirmation. QSL actually came from ham radio, but stuck through to the AMs. If you missed Part 1 of the QSL cards, see them here. As always, click any pic for a larger version.

Hawaiian Shirt Wallpapers

It's a slow news day, so here are two shots of some Hawaiian shirt fabric that I have. Click for wallpaper sized versions.

The Peacemaker Comic

"A Man Who Loves Peace So Much That He Is Willing To Fight For It!"
Well, it's not quite the Fugs and "Kill For Peace", but how could you not buy this comic book?


The Peacemaker was from Charlton Comics in 1968, who also gave us The Fly, The Jaguar, and Captain Atom. Funny thing, though, are the ads inside: Click any pic to enlarge.


You can make a lot of peace with all that stuff.

The Peacemaker's been brought back more times than an Arab-Israeli summit. You can read all of his convoluted history here.

Atragon Revealed!

In 1965, I saw an ad on TV for what to a 10 year old boy had to be the greatest movie ever made - Atragon. Japanese scientists build a vessel that flies, goes underwater, and bores through the earth! I had to see this movie. (Click any pic for a larger version)



Somehow I never got around to getting to the movie, and over the years I missed it every time during the late night TV airings.



Finally in 2005, Atragon is released on DVD. Oh yeah.




An underground civilization is attacking the surface world, and the Atragon is dispatched to save the planet. That's about it. All of the plot info is here.




After waiting 42 years to see Atragon, was it worth it?




Yes. Buy your copy today.

School Safety Patrol 1960s

Remember the honor, the glory, the admiration heaped upon the selfless guardian of the school trafficways, the Safety Patrol officer? Yeah, me neither.



Joining the Safety Patrol was my first attempt to impress a girl. She didn't really notice, but there's no way she could ignore a Safety Patrol Captain! Off to Officer camp.


Still no luck. Oh well, sorry Julie, I tried.
Move along.

I Met Captain Kangaroo

Back in 1989, my son was signed up for a brand new day care center in Nashville. I went to the opening ceremony and guess who was on the corporate board? That's right, Lamar and Honey Alexander. But also Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo! I went up and asked for a pic of him with my son Will. Click for souvenir-sized pic:


Seeing the Captain was one thing, but when I heard his voice I thought I was three years old again. He was truly as nice and soft-spoken as everyone says. That was a good day.
All hail the Captain!

Cap'n Crunch Animation Art

Here's an actual production cel from a Cap'n Crunch with Crunchberries TV commercial. The actual art is just the characters, but you can see a background and the cel numbering on the lower right side. Click for wallpaper sized pic.

This makes me smile every time. Here's a link for more Cap'n Crunch memories.

AM Radio QSL Cards

Back in the old days, you could listen to the AM radio band at night and hear stations from all over the country. Of course, you can do that today, but they're all playing the same syndicated music format, so who cares? If you sent the station a letter telling them where you heard them, what time and what they were playing, they would send you a souvenir QSL card, usually signed by the station engineer. Here are a few blasts from the past, click for larger pics. Part 2 was added March 2008. See it here.



I was on Estero Island in Ft. Myers, Florida when I picked up WABC New York city.



WOWO Fort Wayne Indiana.


A blank QSL card I picked up when I worked at WSM Nashville in the 1970s.