Conspiracies in the New Neighborhood: My Kind of People

"Why Do The Children Deserve The Massive Debt of The 'R.D.' Oligarchy?" - Willowbend Blvd. - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

This odd sign is the only thing in the neighborhood like it.  Outside the Loop isn't known as a hotbed for conspiratorial thought, but I'm sure Glenn Beck is on a lot of the TV's here.  Being a fan of conspiracy theories, I'm pretty well versed in most of the major players.   The "R.D. Oligarchy"is a total mystery to me, though.  It doesn't ring any bells and Google shows nothing.

Guess I'm leaving a note the next time I walk that way.

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Wednesday Night Photo Post: Wolves, Safe-Cracking and Pipe Smoking Hotties- Headlines from the Houston Press, c. 1953

For those worried about the recent decline in journalism, maybe these headlines from 1953 will make you feel better about the current state of affairs in print.

"Pretty Susan Puffs A Pipe" - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Saturday, February 14, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Girls Learn Ju-Jitsu For Insurance Against Wolves" - Houston Press - Thursday, April 16, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Crack Alley Theater Safe" - Houston Press - Saturday, April 25, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: An Imagined Vision of Houston from the Past

"The City of Houston, 1868"
Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries

I learned about Mount Houston in April. Like much of the city's historic sights, it too was torn down.

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For more:
Link to original 1868 image - University of Houston Digital Library

Sexy X: Less is More

"This is great, but you know what would make it better?..."

"... much better."

Top:
Field Guide To Wild American PULP ARTIST - Virgil Finlay Entry

Bottom:
Eizo Pin-up Calendar 2010 – more than integral nude | Ufunk.net - Orginally seen on Boing Boing

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 Also see: Neon Poisoning: High-Lighting The Sexy Mind: Folk Art In Atlanta and Modern Elsewhere

(Image from Sperone Westwater Gallery)

A Visit to the Coast Electronics Museum: Post and Pix

I posted a review of the Gulf Coast Electronics Museum on 29-95.com. Lots of pix here.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: A Vision of Houston's Future from the Past

Painting of futuristic view of Houston

Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries

While the unknown artist is no Hugh Ferriss or Norman Bel Geddes, I do find this 1920's rendering of Houston charming. The star-topped building and oil rig skyscrapers make it a most Texan skyline.

Painting of futuristic view of Houston (Detail)

Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries

The curved building is just odd. Must be an early Frank Gehry.  I kid!

Painting of futuristic view of Houston (Detail)

Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries.

This image, and many others can be found on the University of Houston Digital Library site.

What I Got You've Got to Get It Put It In You: For Medical Use Only!

From the Houston Chronicle - Houston inventor in sex toy court battle. Originally found on Obscure Store and Reading Room.

Sadly, inventor Jiro Takashima never visited the Antique Vibrator and Quack Medical Musuem website, or he would have been aware of the pervy potential his invention had.

Plus, I'm envisioning a court room made entirely out of sex toys. Or a court that resolves only sex-toy related legal issues. I'll stop now.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Black And White at Galveston

B&W Cranes, originally uploaded by OneEighteen.

Houston ship captain. Handy with a camera. His industrial landscapes are just great.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Super Chicken

Super Chicken And Rice - Houston, TX 3, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

It was overcast and yet the sun was in front of me. Made for a less-than-ideal photo op, but this is the shot. I love the chicken and was happy to see it on a random drive.

Stay Classy, 1953

Wait 'Til 3-D Gets These!, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Rolling With Sig: Driving "Old" Houston

One of my latest ventures has been reading the columns of Houston Press writer Sigman Byrd. Over fifty years ago, he was walking parts of the city that many would avoid if they could. He made a point of getting to know the people and places that would never make history but made for interesting tales. It was in "The Stroller" that he would recount the misfortunes and good news, the sadness and small victories of people that had the deck stacked against them.

With a map of some of the places mentioned in his columns, I drove parts of the city that I never have need to visit. And it was great. A combination of lovely evening weather, only slightly rude drivers and new neighborhoods put me in a great mood.

One thing I felt closer to was why Sig wrote about a city that was so hard on so many people. I drove unfamiliar roads, and would get to a big intersection and see the towers of Downtown. The skyline was a familiar landmark that would appear in the wide streets only to be hidden by passing trees, run down cottages, abandoned storefronts, taco trucks, churches, factories, etc. Around 7pm, the golden hour took hold, and gave the city some extra warmth. I took the one good picture of the evening, and that was good enough for me. It was the cycle of getting lost and finding a familiar and comforting sight that put me a positive spin on my often terrible sense of direction. While I won't be going through a pair of shoes every couple of months, I hope to put some miles on the car getting acquainted with neighborhoods Sig strolled.

"The King Midas of Smith St." - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 10 - Friday, Sept. 18, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"The House That Screamed at Night" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Monday, July 20, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Four Underlings of the Tradewinds" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Tuesday, May 12, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

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Also see: Facebook | Sig Byrd's Houston

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Melton Steel

Melton Steel - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Cult Cuisine in West Houston

Found on Metafilter, this Houston Press post about dining in a cult-owned restaurant had me smile at the oddness of modern life in general and my city in particular.  It also made me hungry.

Houston, Home to Museums of the Odd

I do like this city, it fosters strangeness. And has for sometime. There was the
Hyde Park Miniature Museum, which was in the news in 1947 (St. Petersburg Times), 1974 (Texas Monthly), and 2002 (New York Times). David David (yup, twice) Smiley had a lovely collection of small things and put them on display in his house. NarrowLarry has a nice collection of pix, and his Facebook post was the catalyst for this blog entry.

I've been thinking about some lesser -known museums in Houston, like the Houston Maritime Museum, the newly relocated Police Museum, and the Gulf Coast Museum of Electronics. But the long-gone Hyde Park Miniature Museum definitely looks like a place I would have truly appreciated.