Volcán Calbuco Erupción de Abril 2015

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Timelapse photos by Francisco Negroni of the April 2015 Calbuco volcano eruption, Chile. More photos here.

[h/t Savage, via Facebook]

Two Different Presidential Cabinets.

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Heh.

Saturday Matinee – 1922 Hotties, Grampa Shreds, 50 Blues Riffs & Jeff Healey with Dr. John

1922 beauties and fashions in color [via].

Anonymous octogenarian walks into a guitar store and doesn’t play “Smoke On The Water.”

This guy nails the styles and acknowledges that there are caption typos in the vid. The Utoobage post has the entire list.

Jeff Healey (with Dr. John) had a killer jam recorded in 1988.

Have a great weekend, folks. Rock on wit yo bad sef.

Chew Mail Pouch

“If you can find a job that you would do without being paid, that’s what you should do.” – Harley Warrick

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Large abandoned structure in Dillonvale, Ohio, in Jefferson county. Mail Pouch Tobacco ad barely visible.

[Found here.]

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That’s Mail Pouch barn painter Harley Warrick (1924-2000).

Here’s an excellent tribute site to those who travelled the sticks to hand-paint the ubiquitous advertisements:

Mail Pouch Barnstormers.

That quote on top? It’s similar to what my own grampa told me:
“Find something you like to do, figure out how to get paid for it, and you’ll never work a day.”

Of Christmas Past

Christmas Eve Tree

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New Zealand circa 1910. “Studio portrait, young woman in Christmas tree fancy dress and hat costume, with little presents and decorations hanging off her, Christchurch.”
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1909. “Midwinter carnival, children’s parade with dog sled. Upper Saranac Lake, N.Y.”
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December 6, 1924. “Greenwich Village Follies girls mending toys.”
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New York, December 1924. “Unloading Railway Express car.”
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Washington, D.C., circa 1920.

[Top image found here. Other images and captions  found at Shorpy.]

The Feast Of The Bean Kings

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Fest des Bohnenkönigs (Feast of The Bean Kings)
Jakob Jordaens (ca. 1640-45)

The Lord of Misrule:

The functionary with the above whimsical title played an important part in the festivities of Christmas in the olden time. His duties were to lead and direct the multifarious revels of the season, or, as we should say at the present day, to act as Master of the Ceremonies. The following account of him is given by Stow:

‘In the feast of Christmas, there was in the king’s house, wheresoever he lodged, a Lord of Misrule, or Master of Merry Disports, and the like had ye in the house of every nobleman of honour or good worship, were he spiritual or temporal. The Mayor of London, and either of the Sheriffs, had their several Lords of Misrule, ever contending, without quarrel or offence, who should make the rarest pastime to delight the beholders. These lords beginning their rule at Allhallond Eve, continued the same till the morrow after the Feast of the Purification, commonly called Candlemas Day, in which space there were fine and subtle disguising, masks and mummeries, with playing at cards for counters, nayles and points, in every house, more for pastimes than for game.’

If that description is correct, the Fest des Bohnenkönigs was a celebration that ran for three months every year starting at Halloween, and there’s probably a good reason why the Feast was banned… twice. Click on the link, then zoom, scroll and enjoy the debauchery.

Somewhat related was the British tradition of “The Bean Feast.”

[Top image and description found here.]

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Hot Links

NOEL is LEON spelled backwards, so here is Mr. Redbone (with Dr. John) from the album “Christmas Island.”

Nice list of Christmas Carols organized by language.

Here’s a great title from 1553: “Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle” (“Bring a Torch, Jennette, Isabelle.”)  Basically, two girls are directed to create a fire hazard in a stable, someone bangs on the door to deliver cakes, but there’s a sleeping newborn so everyone better shut up.

The medieval Christmas carol, “Entre le bœuf et l’âne gris” (“Between the Ox and the Grey Ass”) as performed on 10 Theramins.

Q: What’s the oldest Christmas carol?
A: I dunno, but here’s a start.

Every Christmas Tree needs a Jingle Pug.
(That one’s for you Ms. Oops.)

The Story of the Crap Tree.

The missus showed me a coupon that included a turkey stuffing recipe using White Castle Sliders yesterday. Wow.

Every rock band has a Christmas song, including The Ramones.

Los Angeles Ex-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, aka Tony Villar, grunts “Jingle Bells” [via The John and Ken Show AM640KFI].

Pah-Rumpa-Pum-Pum indeed. This is the best version ever.

Ever hear anyone say, “Now, bring us some figgy pudding?” Neither have I, but if someone does, this is what you gotta do.

We Remember – 7 December 1941

WE REMEMBER

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[Top image is my late Dad’s rubber stamp; 2nd image found here.]

Wright Brothers’ Early Spacewalk Test (ca. 1915)

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Using a pressurized helium-vapor suit, Orville and Wilbur Wright sought to solve future problems of space exploration, and their younger step brother “Nottle” volunteered to be the test pilot. Once afloat, the tethers snapped, and he sailed over the horizon. He landed in France and enlisted with the 43rd Balloon Company, serving as a practice target in WWI. Out of eleven volunteers, he was never shot down by the Boche once, and he survived the friendly fire, too.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t a spacewalk test, and maybe it had nothing at all to do with WWI, but maybe it did, depending on how you look at it.

[Original image found here.]

Raul, You’re Next.

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[Update:  Required reading.]