Bear with my story here. Ten years ago I served on a jury as an alternate to convict a fellow of a drug charge. He had been held EIGHT MONTHS in Rikers Island for his " fair and speedy" trial, but that isn't the point of this post. The defendant, speaking only Spanish, attended the trial every day with an interpreter. He had a court appointed lawyer. A guard stayed with the defendant, two others were at the door to the courtroom during the entire trial. There was, of course, a judge. There was a bilingual stenographer. There were two lawyers for the prosecution who called two undercover policemen to testify. They called a court appointed chemist to describe the contraband. They had a person whose job was to tell us to stand up and sit down on occasion. There was another person who knocked on the door of the jury room when we were needed, and three people who were responsible for scheduling, that is, making sure all of us were in the right place at the right time. As it turns out, the defendant was not actually in possession of narcotics, he was charged with sales, although there was no money or drugs on the stoop where he sat...what he did was lift one hand and point to someone across the street who DID have drugs for sale. He was convicted and sentenced to five years, but allowing for the 8 months he had already served, it came to 4 years and 4 months. This means, including the jury, there were 29 people involved in convicting this prisoner. Oh...and one person who screened the movie "your responsibilities as a juror." That makes THIRTY. Deducting the 13 jurors, who spent one day waiting and three days "jurying"...17 full-time paid employees who earned their salary convicting the defendant. I assume he has been cared for and fed since. Now I am not advocating drug legalization or even finding fault with our jurisprudence system. I also don't use illegal drugs, I'm sick enough already. But I do often wonder if anyone has yet provided a job to our rehabilitated Spanish speaking ex-con with a five year record. The film being shown in this Texas town was directed by Elmer Clifton in 1937 with the slogan "a puff, a party, a tragedy". "Assassin of Youth, El Paso, Texas" Original Silver Print Photograph c.1938 8 x 10 Collection Jim Linderman
Just some goofy Brit with his huge camera. I assume this is a model, since he is holding a smoke in his hand rather than a shutter release, this is an undated Real Photo Post Card. The OTHER shot here is the camera of George Lawrence, who in 1900 had horses drag his creation to a location near Chicago to take a 8 foot wide photo of a train. This month, the largest photograph ever was produced according to Guinness, it is easily found on the web but they cheated. It was done with a camera obscura (a pinhole camera) and I don't think the producers collectively shouted "smile."
"Kodaks" real photo post card n.d. Collection Jim Linderman
The work and yard of the late Robert Lee Williams of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Mr. Williams had no lawn for kids to invade, so he yelled at them when they played on his concrete patio. His hand painted signs were not intended for decoration, their purpose was to scare away the "little basters" who danced and played loud music in his space. The imposing bulls on the fence were influenced by the Colt Malt Liquor Bull. Most terrifying were the dogs. TALKING dogs who said things like "we take it to your ass" and "we don't like stink shoes" while hounding the kids, each of whom either rode a bike or lugged a boom-box. Despite his grumpy nature, he was a religious man and painted several crosses, in one work he seemingly converted a delinquent who exclaims "a cross is easier to beire (sic) then to face these dogs" after dropping his stereo. Mr. William's yard was appropriated through eminent domain in order to build a spiffy new convention center. The convention center proudly displays commissioned William Wegman and Jonathan Borofsky artworks. Mr. Williams artworks have been lost.
Five original 35mm photographs c. 1994 Collection Jim Linderman
A complete set of four linen postcards, each depicting a season, crocheted by the remarkable Lena Sauer of Covington, Kentucky in 1937 (or thereabouts, if my handy guide to dating postcards is correct, these were published in 1938) . As the reverse of the cards point out, each season shown took from 750 to 1050 hours to complete. (Ready? Set.......CROCHET!) The backs also point out highlights, such as "93 colorful tulips, even an ash tray on the coffee table with a smoking cigarette, license plates on those cars amaze everyone and no larger than the nail on your hand." As with ALL my postings, feel free to enlarge the images for detail. Squint. Imagine.
I will have much, much more to say about postcards and postcard collecting in future posts, so tell your friends! Feel free to look up "crochet" on wiki...it has a long history, all of which is as boring as the process itself.Set of four Curteich Art-Colortone Linen Postcards, unmailed
1938 Collection Jim Linderman
The Brunswick company shut their bowling ball plant in Muskegon, Michigan (twelve miles from where I found this salesman sample) in 2006 and moved the entire operation to Mexico. An all too familiar story by now. However, this story has a twist and smile...read on.By DAVE ALEXANDER | The Muskegon Chronicle January 12, 2009 Muskegon workers are making bowling balls again. Taking up the Brunswick Corp. tradition of bowling ball production that was moved to Mexico in 2006, a small independent producer of bowling items has launched a new line of professional-grade balls. The Motiv line of bowling balls is being made out of the Wilbur Products plant in Muskegon Heights.
I sincerely hope corporate giant Brunswick enjoys paying the gasoline transportation cost to move every damn one of their 14 pound Mexican Bowling balls to the United States, and that all you hipsters can buy yourself and Dad a Motiv ball this year.Bowling Ball Salesman Sample 4.5" diameter 2 pounds c. 1960 Collection Jim Linderman
