LIFE Magazine Photo Archive Now Hosted by Google

We've always enjoyed LIFE magazines. Unfortunately, the issues people always seem to want (WWII era, Kennedy, Monroe, NASA) are not readily available. With that said, I'm pleased to announce that LIFE's vast and amazing photo archive is now just a few clicks away and easily searchable, thanks to Google. LIFE stopped publishing monthly issues in April, 2007.

Search for Dayton, OH to find plenty of images from Wright Patterson AFB and more. My favorites, from 1969 featuring "Blood Strip", are of an intersection that was once home to a traffic light, said to be the only one in a 180-mile stretch of highway between Louisville and Detroit. I don't know exactly where "Blood Strip" was located, but I remember a traffic light at I-75 and Little York Road when I was little. I also remember that our mother strongly disliked that intersection. These photos do not appear, to me, to be that intersection.

This site is going to be my favorite time-waster for some time to come. I'd love to hear about the images you find interesting. Please comment and send links! :-)



The color shot is my photo from Courthouse Square (7/8/07) of artist J. Seward Johnson's depiction of Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous kiss on VJ Day (8/14/45) in Times Square.

The Buddha Den: WWSU Puts Out Call for Locals

WWSU 106.9 FM, Wright State University's radio station is looking for submissions from local musicians.

We're big fans of 2WSU from way back in the early 80's. They played great stuff that couldn't be heard on the air anywhere else in Dayton at that time. Ahh, the good old days.*

Back to the point...

If you're a local musician who would like a little airtime and exposure (aside from MySpace, or whatever), check out the link below, or just drop your stuff off at Gem City Records.

The Buddha Den: WWSU Puts Out Call for Locals:
"Would you like more people to know how awesome your band is? Here's a start..."


*My Geezer alarm just told me I've reached my 'fogey' quotient for the day.

File 770 » Blog Archive » Now How Will We Know It’s the Future?

Some writers are going to have to work just a little bit harder now.

» Now How Will We Know It’s the Future?

A look at 1988 from November 1938

I was going through some of my old-magazine scans and this caught my eye... It's the back cover of the Nov. 1938 issue of Amazing Stories. After a bit, I realized that it is now November, 2008. "Amazing Stories" was looking ahead 50 years, and here we are 20 years beyond their prediction. Seventy years ago the future of flight looked like this:

It just so happens that 2009 will be the 70th Anniversary of Bonnett's Book Store. A lot has changed since 1939, a lot has stayed the same, while some things have gone around and come back again. All that history is too much to cover here and now but I'm sure bits and pieces will find their way into the blog eventually. Stay tuned! :-)

Big Changes for Halloween Party!

The official name for the Oregon District's annual Halloween party, formerly known as "Boo-N-Brew", is now "Hauntfest on 5th" and has been so for a little while. Here's the scoop...

DATE/TIME: 2008 October 25, 7pm-1am
This year's event takes place, as always, on the last Saturday of the month of October with two live stages, Costume contests with CA$H prizes, street performances, all free with your paid admission!

The big changes this year are all about saving money $!

• TWO-for-ONE Admission Coupons available FREE at Bonnett's Book Store and other locations in and around the Oregon District . Get 'em while they're hot! That's right, this year you get TWO Admissions for just $10.00! Bring your dates, bring your friends, bring dates for your friends, etc.
  

• Most of the bars and restaurants will have NO COVER CHARGE this year. Check with your favorite establisment to see what they've got going on.

• Safe and easy $3.00 parking at the Convention Center parking garage, also known as the Transportation Center, above Greyhound & the Neon Movies, and right across from Smokin' BBQ.

• Roam the streets, or shamble your zombie feet to meet friends at your favorite watering hole and don't forget to see what's new on Fifth Street in the Oregon District.
  

Visit "Spooky Oregon" on OregonArtsDistrict.com for all the details!

The scariest thing this Halloween season might be the economy, so save some dough with a $10.00 2-for-1 Admission coupon, NO COVER CHARGE at most of the O.D.'s bars and restaurants, and car-pool with your friends to the Transportation Center!

Pick up your coupons at Bonnett's Book Store and other Oregon District businesses.

Natural. Candid. Real. Beautiful. { The Blog. }: { She's got it all }

Found on Christi Traster's Snickerdoodles Photography blog...

Natural. Candid. Real. Beautiful. { The Blog. }: { She's got it all }: "We went to a used bookstore called Bonnett's Bookstore - where I took the below shot:" [click to see the shots]

Thank you Christi and Lauren.

Downtown Dayton on a hot, sunny Sunday afternoon

Books don't need batteries

Hurricane Ike... actually, Tropical Depression Ike made it all the way to Ohio. The last hurricane I saw this far inland was Hurricane Andrew. Andrew was something special because weather was clear here and you could plainly make out the curved leading edge as it approached. Andrew was nothing but a regular old thunderstorm by the time it reached SW Ohio. I don't like Ike. My wife and I

I've got no power at home but the juice is flowing downtown. With judicious use of flashlights and candles, a battery operated radio, and a few books, comics, and magazines, I've made each dark night a new adventure!

Collectively speaking, it's going to be a while before we get our Internet, TVs, and video games back so pass some time with great story, a great big story, or a bunch of small stories. Whichever way you go, you'll be glad you did. Tell your family, friends, and neighbors who may not be able to read this to visit their local book stores!

Also, the waning full moon is still quite bright and the weather is remarkably comfortable... I strongly recommend taking an evening walk if you're not prone to doing so. It can be quite romantic... I wonder if there will be an Ike inspired mini baby boom come June 2009.

Speaking of romance, we attended the wedding of some long-time friends during the windstorm on Sunday. Here are some photos of the site during our brush with Ike.

Babes with Books

Check out Babes with Books -- cute, smart, classy.

I've been considering a "girl of the month" feature here for some time. When Christi of SnickerDoodles Photography was in with a client it dawned on me to ask if I could take a couple of quick photos just before they left. I mistakenly neglected to get the name of Christi's client, who was kind enough to pose for the photos found here. My skills were waaay off the mark because I was trying to hurry. Thank you, whoever you are.

I'm usually a better photographer. See my Picasa Gallery for samples.

Wally Wood Online Checklist

For interested parties (found via the Wally Wood Online Checklist)

Magazine - Year/Month - Volume/Number - Publisher
"Worlds of If" -- 196001 -- V09N06 -- Galaxy Publishing
contained the following stories illustrated by Wood:
"The Good Seed", "The Divers", "The Last Leap"