ouch

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engraving by Theodore De Bry after a painting by Jacques le Moyne (who accompanied a French expedition to Florida in 1564) showing how the Timucua treated the enemy dead. Ouch.

Note the time lapse quality of the figure(s) running in the background.

The Facebook Queen

Above is part of The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II by Feliks Topolski. c. 1960. I have yet to find someone who likes his work as much as I do. The Duke of Edinburgh commissioned it so he might.

I hear that the Queen of England is on Facebook. I assume she gets on facebook, looks up people from school and messages them asking :

"Remember me from algebra class? I was the girl who wore a crown everyday..."

or

"I was the girl who hit you with a scepter when you were flirting with the boy I had a crush on. I think it was a ruby that came off and had fastened itself to your forehead."

(I can't find the magazine to scan the image I wanted so this one will have to do.)

It is so big...

It seems like all nature shows that deal with any sort of geography at some point say "blah blah blah it is so big that it can be seen from space." Of course it can be seen from space. Basically everything can be seen from space unless it is underground.

Russian Rocket Powered Horse

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The rocket powered horse was developed by Paco Industries for the Russian Imperial Army circa 1904. The exhaust force from the vertical nozzle pushed the rear of the cart down and raised the horse off the ground to prevent injury at high speeds. Steering was accomplished through a handle next to the driver controlling a differential mechanism affecting the comparative speed of the wheels. Pulling back turned left and pushing the lever forward turned right. The rear exhaust nozzle's thrust enabled unprecedented speeds which any army could appreciate.

The main problem with the Rocket Horse was inattentive conscripts being told to pour the volatile rocket fuel into the opening at the rear. This lack of clarity did not lead to good results for either the horse nor the conscript. Other minor problems included its tendency to flip, its poor steering capabilities, its lack of passenger or driver restraints and its occasionally becoming unintentional airborne.

or

A Russian Soup Wagon
The Czar takes good care of his soldiers. A notable feature of the equipment of the Russians in the traveling field kitchen, consisting of a boiler mounted in a special wagon, so arranged that it keeps the army soup hot while being served.

Robert Crumb's biological father?

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Coney Island by Paul Cadmus (1904-1999) painted in 1934


Robert Crumb (born 1943)

Dr. Seuss and a pussy cat

Above is "The Rather Odd Myopic Woman Riding Piggyback on One of Helen's Many Cats" painted by Theodor Geisel aka Dr. Seuss.

The Cat in the Hat could have been so different.