Category: True Stories

Hot ‘Lanta in May

Hot Lanta

On May 11-12, 1997, NASA used a specially outfitted Lear Jet to collect thermal data on metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Nicknamed “Hot-Lanta” by some of its residents, the city saw daytime air temperatures of only about 26.7 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) on those days, but some of its surface temperatures soared to 47.8 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit). In this image, blue shows cool temperatures and red shows warm temperatures. Pockets of especially hot temperatures appear in white.

50 degrees Celsius = 120 degrees Fahrenheit = flat roof temperature. The red zone looks to be about 30C = 86F, but these are surface temperatures. The 1997 survey recorded air temperatures of 80 F – exactly the average high temp for May for Atlanta. Cool.

In other words, it’s a peachy image of normal surface temperatures for the city.

[Found here, which links to story here.]

Saturday Matinee – Pete Candoli & Red Nichols & Al Hirt; Scott Biram, B.B. Chung King and Leon Redbone

Red Nichols, Pete Candoli & Al Hirt playing “Hot Lips.”
If that video wasn’t so entirely bitchin’ we’d never have posted it – Every decent link on the U-Toobage we found had “embedding disabled.” Some anusbrain copyright jerks don’t understand the concept of free advertisement. Let’s move on.

Scott Biram is a one-man ass-kickin’ rock machine.

“Mumbo Jumbo” by B.B. Chung King & The Screaming Buddaheads 2007. The Tail Gators did a song by the same name in 1988.

Here’s some fun etymology: In Japanese American slang, a “Buddahead” used to mean a Japanese American from Hawaii (h/t Osprey 1) and “Mumbo Jumbo” (Mandingo, West African in origin) was a bugbear who appeared at night to resolve marital disputes. Mumbo Jumbo was not nice. He’d beat the crap out of wives who disobeyed their husbands.

Let’s lighten it up a bit. Here’s Leon Redbone, one of the few folks I can think of (besides you, of course) who is welcome at my doorstep any time.

That’s it for this episode of The Saturday Matinee. Have a great weekend and be back tomorrow for more nonsensical oddities.

Dutch Deluge January 2012

Dutch Flood January 2012

A Dutch local resident, standing in his house, looks to high waters level through his window, in Dordrecht on January 5, 2012. Gale force winds reaching up to 110 kilometres (about 70 miles) an hour as well as heavy rains are expected along the Dutch coast. About a quarter of the country sits below sea level.

That’s hella scary. There’s a lot of hydrostatic pressure on the base of that wall, and I wouldn’t want to be standing there when it fails. [Found in here.]

Rockin’ Wanda

Rockin' With Wanda

“A collection of great country songs in the rhythmic singing style of WANDA JACKSON.” I thought it might be a ripoff record of Wanda Jackson covers due to the subtitle. Apparently not. This was her 2nd album, recorded in 1960, and she was featured on yesterday’s Saturday Matinee as well.

[Found here.]

1941 Gas Masks For The Elderly

But it can’t happen here…

[Found here, via here.]

Chinese Roadhouse – My Way or The Highway

The House in the Middle of the Street: A car stops beside a house in the middle of a newly built road in Wenling, Zhejiang province, November 22, 2012. An elderly couple refused to sign an agreement to allow their house to be demolished. They say that compensation offered is not enough to cover rebuilding costs, according to local media.

That place screams for a safety sign mounted high on both sides of the house:

Beer Wine Velvet Elvis Carry Out

[Found here. Related post here.]

Saturday Matinee – Rocket Booster Ride, R.L. Burnside, Jeff Beck & Tal Wilkenfeld

I like the soundtrack. [via]

RL Burnside‘s “Let My Baby Ride.” I don’t usually post “slideshow” videos, but this is a good ‘un.

Jeff Beck with Tal Wilkenfeld on bass playing “Nadia.” Nice tune to round out a lazy Saturday.

Have a great weekend, see you back here tomorrow.

Another Great Gift Idea – 28 Switches

This illuminating piece was created by an artist and former colleague of mine, Kiel Mutschelknaus. ‘It is a lamp with 28 switches. In order to turn the lamp ON, you need to switch all 28 toggle switches to the on position. And, logically, to turn the lamp off, ALL the switches need to be turned to the off position.

Very cool. Now wire them up to a rheostat so that the lamp may be dimmed, switch-by-switch. Dare you.  [Found here, via here.]

Saturday Matinee – Pigeon Pong, Axe Cop and Jonathan & Darlene Edwards

Pigeon Pong. [via]

New Axe Cop animated series! (If you don’t know why Axe Cop is pure awesome, you haven’t been paying attention. CLICK HERE and follow the links.)

A fun holiday song (that Bunkarina named “dafuq?”).  Watch for the possum.

Have a great weekend, folks. There’s more awesome coming to a blog near you.

12/12/12 12:12:12 YAY!

Day/Month/Year Hour:Minute:Second and every permutation therein.