[Found here.]
[All images found here, and there are more. Click to enlarge.]
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Three years back, the Hinsleys of Dora, Missouri, had a tough decision to make.
To buy a new mule.
Or invest in a used bug.
They weighed the two possibilities.
First there was the problem of the bitter Ozark winters. Tough on a warm-blooded mule. Not so tough on an air-cooled VW.
Then, what about the eating habits of the two contenders? Hay vs. gasoline.
As Mr. Hinsley puts it: “I get over eighty miles out of a dollar’s worth of gas and I get where I want to go a lot quicker.”
Then there’s the road leading to their cabin. Many a mule pulling a wagon and many a conventional automobile has spent many an hour stuck in the mud.
As for shelter, a mule needs a barn. A bug doesn’t. “It just sets out there all day and the paint job looks near as good as the day we got it.”
Finally, there was maintenance to think about. When a mule breaks down, there’s only one thing to do: Shoot it.
But if and when their bug breaks down, the Hinsleys have a Volkswagen dealer only two gallons away.
[Genuine VW ad found here.]
Alalaké, Bembeya Jazz National (1971)
Formed by vocalist Aboubacar Dembar Camara in 1961 and specializing in modern arrangements of Manding classic tunes, Bembeya Jazz National won the first two national Biennial festivals in 1962 and 1964 and was crowned National Orchestra (of Guinea-Bissau) in 1966. The song is from a live album, Hommage a Demba Camara, recorded during a 1971 concert.
Fun Fact: No one has ever visited this blog from Guinea-Bissau, the Central African Republic, North Korea or Turkey.
The Doodle Boy reminds me of this kid.
Wikipedia has the power to shape science?
Cool 3D watercolor .gif animation technique [via].
Magawa the Rat was awarded a gold medal for his heroism. [h/t Corinne L.]
The Ford Pinto was no more dangerous than other sub-compacts of the 1970s.
“In the beginning, there was disorder, discord and confusion.”
The fate of seven young explorers is a scary story. Here they are enroute to the Urals in 1958. [h/t eaglesoars]
[Top image: 1949 Buick Super 4-Door Sedan in retirement, found here. Classic Harley Earl design.]
From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago.
“…and packs an impressive top speed of 100mph.” Good God.
[Found here.]
Billy Gibbons covers R. L. Burnside. From the YouTube comments:
“Just hit play on this one and my 6 year old son immediately yelled from across the room ‘is that was ZZ TOP?!'”
R. L. Burnside was born in Lafayette County, Mississippi, learned from Mississippi Fred McDowell who lived in the next county over. Burnside and his family, tired of the life of sharecroppers, moved to Chicago in the early 50s. Subsequently his father, two uncles and two brother were murdered there. In 1959 he returned to Mississippi, was convicted for murder himself, and served time at the Parchman Penitentiary.
“I didn’t mean to kill nobody. I just meant to shoot the sonofabitch in the head and two times in the chest. Him dying was between him and the Lord.”
The Obscuritones self describe as “Close harmony and rockin rhythm. Like the Andrews Sisters singin with the Stray Cats after a night out with the Cramps.” Okay, almost, but not bad for this sextet from the UK, and their album got a decent review.
Have a great weekend and we’ll do something tomorrow for sure.
Tacky Raccoons 