No comment here, really. I could tell you the story of being chased by a bear, which is true...but these photos are just too depressing. I will say for all you hikers out there, the key is to run DOWNHILL...bears don't run so well going down, but they excel at running up.Pair of Bear snapshots No Dates Both Collection Jim Linderman
There are numerous Good Hope Baptist Churches, of course, and some of them seem to have state of the art, big budget websites...but somehow I think I would be more comfortable in this place having a chat with the preacher and learning a few things.
Original Snapshot 1960 Location Unknown Collection Jim Linderman
ALSO POSTED ON THE BLOG old-time-religion HEREBooks and Ebooks by Jim Linderman Orders HERE
Little Tommie rocks the stage! I am going to guess Little Tommie's mommy signed the photo to Ronnie. As it is the first day here which will reach 70 degrees, I am also going to guess Little Tommie's name is Little Tommie. It MIGHT be Little Lonnie, so I am putting both in the title. I would rather be outside watching daffodils grow than trying to find out if Tommie did.
If any of you were in the audience and can ID this little honky tonker, please fill me in. Winner gets a t-shirt (really)
I am going to guess West coast, which means I am also going to guess Bakersfield.
Original Photograph Little Tommie and his Little Bass, signed. circa 1950?Collection Jim Linderman ORDER JIM LINDERMAN DULL TOOL DIM BULB BOOKS AND EBOOKS HERE
Another pair of honest. hard working guys (see post of yesterday) but today our worker class members are tin articulated railroad men. Bonus below is Warren Buffet singing the song to the Chinese.Tin articulated toy, circa 1900? Collection Jim LindermanJIM LINDERMAN DULL TOOL DIM BULB BOOKS AND EBOOK ORDERS HERELooks like Warren is getting better along with the rest of the world than some Republicans I know. Railroads are good here too...one can move tons freight with a few gallons of gas and without the diesel pollution. Warren seems to have the right idea.
A pair of grease monkeys. By the way, I might have thought of a way to help with the unemployment situation. Require all gas stations to have one or two guys there to pump your gas. There are some 150,000 gas stations in the United States, putting two guys on the pumps would eliminate a week's worth of unemployment claims, and give that many folks a feeling of self-worth. Don't make the independent owner pay their salary or their benefits, they are being bled by the big guys just like you and I.
Instead, make the record earning petroleum companies who blacken our waters and settle claims out of court rather than going to trial and risk exposing their shoddy practices, their disregard for the environment and their unmitigated greed pay their salaries. 300,000 new jobs, many of which could be returning vets, and I figure British Petroleum owes us.
Each time a guy fills the tank, he could lean in and remind you not to text while driving, ask how your family is and suggest you might need some air in the tires.
By the way? Those prices at the pump? They did it the last time it looked like a Democrat was going to win the presidency too, and it didn't work then.Derogatory for mechanic and wearing the evidence of their labors on their clothes...and working hard to provide for their family with dignity, self-worth, honesty and pride.
Original Snapshot circa 1950? Collection Jim Linderman
ORDER E-BOOK AND BOOKS BY JIM LINDERMAN HERE
Visit the Gnome? First Travelocity booking? No, ROCK CITY!
Certainly makes me want to hike the trail. Rock City, or "SEE ROCK CITY" as any traveler as old as me will tell you, is an extensive tourist attraction anchored by Lover's Leap, a place you can see 7 states while you ponder jumping. At one time, according to Wiki, there were 900 barn roofs in 19 states painted with their slogan. This little shack may have been a part of the famous Rock City Corn Maze, or maybe not.
As for the gnome, the goofy wife of creator (Rock City creator that is, not THE Creator...who put the rock there) Garnet Carter was probably responsible, as she had a thing for European folklore and she likely made her husband Garnet spend a fortune on such things.
Rock City is also credited as creating the first miniature golf course, an accomplishment which darn well automatically puts the place on my first choice for historic site. (I'm not kidding. I LOVE putt-putt golf!)
Rock City is also home of the famous "Fat Man Squeeze" which I am SURE traps far more people now than when the place opened in 1932.
Rock City has a website HERE with the appropriate address seerockcity.com
Original snapshot "Rock City" circa 1940 Collection Jim LindermanORDER DULL TOOL DIM BULB BOOKS AND EBOOKS BY JIM LINDERMAN HERE
I'd like to have met this fellow.
See his brother at rest HERE.
Anonymous Snapshot circa 1940 Scarecrow Collection Jim LindermanOrder Dull Tool Dim Bulb books and ipad downloads by Jim Linderman HERE
Carnival Cutout Standee. Three lovely woman on a "girls day" at the carnival! (Does this suit make me look hippy?)
Who doesn't have a photo in the basement or the attic of the kids in fake stockades at some western tourist trap? They are back, if they ever left, that is. Here is a company which will make them, disco-style.Original carnival cutout snapshot circa 1940 Collection Jim Linderman
ORDER JIM LINDERMAN BOOKS AND EBOOKS HERE
I never did find out what sideshow game Roly-Poly was, but if they really did award a prize to every player you can be sure it was from under the counter, not from the wall display in back.I will, however, take the slightest excuse to share Bob Wills, especially when it is a number performed by the great Tommy Duncan. Tommy was smooth as the expensive whiskey Bob was able to drink to excess every day, but what made the pair work so well was the suppressed, seething tension in Tommy's voice every time the lovable drunk buffoon stepped on his lines with a patented "Aaah Haah" aside. You can tell Tommy wanted to throttle Bob, the biggest country ham in the state of Texas, but it was a good gig.He finally left...and as the clip below shows, he should have stayed. Still, you have to see a real roly poly play the Bob Wills part. Gnaw on a biscuit. Roly-Poly Carnival Sideshow Sign. Circa 1930 Collection Jim LindermanORDER JIM LINDERMAN BOOKS AND eBOOKS HERE
CLICK TO ENLARGE CHIEF PAUL'S HAUL OF ELECTRIC SMUTChicago citizens will sleep better knowing the pin-up peep shows have been unplugged by Chief Investigator Paul Newey. Since there was no other crime in the second city on this day in 1959, Chief Paul invited the press over to see his collection of confiscated coin-op smut. Paul's pursuit of the peep shows was crime-bustin' action of the highest order. To celebrate (and convince the public Newey was on top of the situation) he flicks his ashes on the filthy coin slot in distain!
Special Crossover event! (posted on Vintage Sleaze the Blog as well) Other Chicago Smut HERE
Original Press Photograph (8" x 13") Unknown Chicago Paper 1959 Collection Jim Linderman
Books and Downloads by Jim Linderman Available HERE 
A circa 1880 hand-painted tintype. It is remarkable to consider the photographic process which resulted in an actual unique physical object one could hold, paint by hand and frame has gone from black and white to gone in two or three lifetimes. I haven't quite figured it out yet, but the warmth of an image may have gone with the film.
As far as the public goes, each step forward in the photographic process helped the producer become more effective (and profit more) while leaving the consumer holding less of a product in his hand. While it is an art, and it is progress... it is easy to view photography from a simple supply/demand capitalistic perspective. Dags, so beautiful and shimmering, an amazing thing folks will still circle to see at a show, turned to cruddy metal tintypes which were churned out like pizza at the shore in one lifetime.
It wasn't long before paper came and paper went. Instant photos followed and dropped the quality even further. Now the darkroom is empty and the bits and bytes which tore the guts out of reproduced music have done the same to pictures.More and more recording artists are releasing their product once again on vinyl. As I understand it, digital music provides only a very small percentage of the aural quality not only possible, but once common. Once even standard. The consumer loses but pays more for it than ever before.
What is yet to be fully understood is what we have lost in pictures. Is the photo above particularly beautiful or desirable? Nope, not at all. But you could hold it in your hands.
"Full Plate" tintype (ferrotype) painted by hand circa 1880. Collection Jim Linderman
Dull Tool Dim Bulb Book Catalog HERE
