Roger's Time Machine 4/25/10

Today I went downtown to browse around a comic shop that I visited many times in the past.

The shop is named Roger's Time Machine. This is Roger.

I really like shopping at this place. This is the only shop that I know of in NYC where you can browse around boxes of silver age comics. There are also new comics, books, movie posters, stills, etc.

While I was there, customers came and went. Roger seemed to know everybody's name and had a brief word with each of them. The employees are great. What a place to work!

This time I found about 8 comics that I liked, Roger magically totaled them, and I got a bargain.

I asked for a picture for this blog and he suggested we pose for this shot which shows us at the moment of the deal. I think I look pretty good.

Roger's Time Machine is located at 207 West 14 Street in NYC.

I'm going to be visiting more often.

Gerry Anderson's Stingray 1964

In 1995 I worked for a software company named Digitalk. I was a road consultant for them which meant I traveled often and worked with their customers.

I spent a year working with a client in Baltimore. I used to board a plane on Sunday afternoon and return to Manhattan on every Friday. I loved my weekends at home in the city.

Every Saturday morning I would wake up around 6:00am, get some coffee, and channel surf on cable.

One day I discovered this teevee series entitled 'Stingray' that was on american television around 1964.

It's one of those Gerry Anderson shows featuring marionettes and lots of cool models. Anderson called this process 'Marionation' which specifically meant that the puppets were equipped with solenoids in their heads that enabled their mouths to move in perfect synchronization with the voiceover actors.

This is a shot of the submarine Stingray. The crew consisted of Troy Tempest, who was meant to look like James Garner. He piloted the ship with the help of 'Phones' who had a voice that sounded a lot like LBJ.

This is 'Marina'. She is some sort of Mermaid and can breath underwater. She's described on some sites as being a tailless mermaid, but I don't agree.

The most unique thing about her is that she is silent! She never talks but does communicate through facial expressions (the puppets had several heads to express different moods or emotions).

I think it's so 60's to have a silent female character. It's really not so sexist since she often saves the day and seems as smart and resourceful as the men. Her silence adds to her mystery. She has a pet seal named 'Oink' (I couldn't find a picture). Oink basically is around for comic relief and always responds by saying 'Oink'.

Of course the 'Stingray' crew had enemies. These were often strange undersea races who hated surface people who they referred to as 'terranians'.

This one is surface agent X-2-0. He had a voice that sounded like Peter Lorre. Peter should have been honored.

The show was kind of sophisticated and featured a love triangle between Troy, Marina, and another character named 'Atlanta', who was voiced by Lois Maxwell who played 'Miss Moneypenny' in the James Bond films.

I just wanted to share this little gem from the 60's that I used to enjoy when returning home from the road.

AMNH highlights tour 4/24/10

Today I gave the 11:15 tour at the museum. We started in the Akley Hall of African Mammals.

The hall is named after Carl Akley who is responsible for it's conception and design. Akley developed the unique techniques used for mounting the animals and led the expeditions to Africa to collect them.

The hall was opened in 1936, although Akley died in Africa, on expedition for the museum,in 1926. The hall was completed by his wife Mary Jobe Akley. In addition to the elephants there are 24 dioramas that span 2 floors.

He was really an amazing man. Each exhibit in the museum has a story. Not only are the subjects exciting, be it elephants or a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but the endeavor required to acquire them always amazes me.

More on this in later posts.

Here are 2 people who took my tour today. They are from Brazil! They're students attending university and working as au pairs. They live in New Jersey.

I attempted to get a picture of them by the Star of India in the hall of Gems but the flash obscures the gem.

But still..., it's really a great picture.

They took my email address and maybe I'll hear from them.

Sea Breeze Jewish Center

I recently found many photos that I took on a trip to Coney Island.

This is a picture of the Sea Breeze Jewish Center. It was taken on 9/6/03.

The real significant event took place here on 1/6/73. Can you guess what that might have been?

Today in photos 4/18/10

These are some photos taken today. No pictures of me, I'm afraid.

I spent a little time downtown and went to St Marks Comics and did a little browsing. I snapped this without asking permission and the salesgirl said that photography in the store was not allowed. The gentleman in the photo was there with his son and didn't mind. But I should always ask before photographing people. I'll do better in the future.

'What's the resolution of your camera?'

'4 meg'

'Really? Why's it so big?

I went to Starbuck's on Astor Place to have coffee and read some James Ellroy. There was a chamber orchestra playing inside. They didn't mind photography.

This is my good friend Bobby. He lives in the west village on Morton St. which is very pretty. He's a life long New Yawker, but nobody's perfect.

Below are some of the characters that I had dinner with this evening. I'd like to introduce you.

This is Alex. He is a sage.

This fella is also named Martin. Here he is having a real good time.

This is Oscar. He's a PHD who doesn't like academics; I think that's funny. He can hypnotize people and give them confidence and other things. A really great guy and a wicked Salsa dancer, I've heard.

That's all for now folks. I will live to blog again.

Lou Reed signing CDs at Tower Records

Lou Reed was signing CDs at Tower Records on Broadway. The date of this photo is 6/9/03.

I talked with him a bit while I took some pictures. My camera has a perpendicular view finder so I can hold it and talk to people as I line up the shot.

"Lou, can I get a picture?"

"Sure, how's this?"

"Thanks, Lou"

Blackout 2003 NYC #1

I found a CD of old pictures! Lots of NYC type stuff from 2003. That's the year I got my camera. Everybody has cool little cameras now, but the one I have is 7 years old and very big and clunky. I still like it. I like big and clunky.

This is a shot from the blackout of 2003. The blackout started on a thursday, 8/13/03, and lasted till the next day in Manhattan.

The traffic lights weren't working, so police cadets from the academy performed service by directing traffic. This is park avenue south and someplace.

I have more shots from the event which I will eek out over time.

It was quite a summer night. You remember, you were there, right?

Cyclophony

Here is a 22 year old Frank Zappa appearing on the Steve Allen show demonstrating 'Cyclophony', which is Zappa's technique for creating music on a bicycle.

It's kind of endearing to see him so young and before he formed the 'Mothers of Invention'. Steve is very amusing as he interacts with Zappa and gently kids with him. They perform an improvisation together involving the show's band, some pre recorded taped sounds, and of course the bicycles.

If you're a fan of old archival TV, and I know you are, you'll enjoy this little time capsule.

just caught this film today:

The Naked Prey

Interesting considering it was made in South Africa in 1965. It seems subversive considering where it was made.

A very physical role for Cornel Wilde. He was 53 at the time!