Look hard enough and you can still find early twentieth century telephonic equipment like this Kellogg wall mount model. At a recent auction in Belle Plaine, Iowa this crank-ringer attracted four bidders and fetched around $75. In its day the phone represented state-of-the-art communication. Roughly 80 years later the Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company of Chicago, Illinois phone is more of a decorative object than a functioning household staple. Just think - a phone with no capacity for dialing, photography, music, gps, internet, portability or even fancy ringtones. The only amenity on this model is an authentic oak cabinet. How did people ever survive? Text me the answer. Know that.Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Look hard enough and you can still find early twentieth century telephonic equipment like this Kellogg wall mount model. At a recent auction in Belle Plaine, Iowa this crank-ringer attracted four bidders and fetched around $75. In its day the phone represented state-of-the-art communication. Roughly 80 years later the Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company of Chicago, Illinois phone is more of a decorative object than a functioning household staple. Just think - a phone with no capacity for dialing, photography, music, gps, internet, portability or even fancy ringtones. The only amenity on this model is an authentic oak cabinet. How did people ever survive? Text me the answer. Know that.Saturday, 7 February 2009
Rounding out tribute week to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper is a month long exhibit of the Buddy Holly & the Crickets 1955 Touring car at the Belle Plaine (Iowa) Area Museum. Holly memorabilia collectors from Marshall county, Iowa were contacted by Peggy Sue (of the Holly song fame) about the availability of the car from a Lubbock, Texas source a few years ago. LeRoy and Patti Morford purchased and restored the 1955 Pontiac. The car (named Rave On after one of Holly's songs) was once owned by Jerry Allison the drummer of the Crickets. The present owners display the car at various car shows and parades. While other Holly memorabilia is on display at the museum a more personal item is located in the car's back seat - one of Buddy's acoustic guitars. Did he compose any of his hits on that guitar? Did he use the six string during live performances or recordings? You knows, but with all the attention focused on the Holly legend this week we unexpectedly walked into a setting of real Holly artifacts that simply won't fade away.Listen or download here as museum volunteer, Elizabeth Gates describes the touring car and guitar. Know that.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
While the celebration at last night's tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa made international news a re-discovered telephone call recording by Buddy has appeared. Apparently in 1957 Buddy was unhappy with his Decca Records contract and wanted out. He phoned the Decca boss and tried to move the issue along. Here are links to the story and to the call. Download the call here. Know that.Monday, 2 February 2009
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Tonight many people who are lucky enough to have a ticket will gather at Clear Lake Iowa's Surf Ballroom to honor the legends of early rock and roll - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J. P. Richardson, also known as the Big Bopper. The story is familiar to many about the tragic plane crash 50 years ago tonight that took the lives of the pilot, Roger Peterson and these influential pioneers of the rock era. Our last visit to the Surf two years ago showed it to be a busy place with booked acts like the Los Lonely Boys, B.B. King and the Doobie Brothers scheduled to play during early summer 2007 (see top photo.) L (Sea) Storm moves in front of the then closed ballroom (it was a Sunday) to get a better look at this icon in rock history. Its something to imagine that Peggy Sue, LaBamba, and Chantilly Lace were last performed inside that ballroom by the original artists that made them hits. We remember and celebrate in spirit with the on-site revellers tonight -- maybe even with a Beatle. Know that.Sunday, 1 February 2009
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Canada geese hang out in below zero degree weather near the Quaker Oats and Cargill plants in Cedar Rapids, Iowa last week. What is the attraction to sticking around sub-zero quarters instead of someplace warm? The answer is food - lots of it. Where these geese hang out is one of the staging areas for grain trucks heading to the plants. Spills of grain by the waiting trucks accumulates on the road. This in turn attracts the large birds from the north keeping them well fed over the winter. Watch your step. Know that..JPG)
EVP stands for electronic voice phenomena. This definition is a standard for anyone who watches the SciFi Channel's Ghost Hunters. It refers to the ability to hear ghostly sounds that are usually unheard by human ears at the time of an audio recording. Interesting. So off to the Mt. Vernon - Lisbon, Iowa's cemetery with our team to see if we could get EVPs on our first attempt. Though it was mid-afternoon (not nighttime) one day last summer we walked the cemetery with a voice recorder in hand asking questions and listening.Listen to or download the file here.
Upon review of the recording we distinctly heard the following:
Investigator: "Is there anything that you wish to say?"
EVP: "No" or another interpretation is "Get Out" which may start before the question audio ends.
Listen closely to hear the soft response to the first question. Our follow-up question and the none response is included for you to hear the background noise as a comparison. We don't know what we captured but it certainly was quite the find for first time ghost hunters. We plan to check the site out again. Read more about the account here. Know that.
June 2008's historic level flood of the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa continues to take its toll on the city in many ways. Demolition of the century old Trinity Methodist Church near downtown is scheduled to occur in the next two weeks. Five feet of mud and water entered the church and caused more damage than the cost to replace according to church officials. The water line on the door can be seen in the photo above. Salvage teams reclaimed the stained glass windows and other less damaged items from the church recently. Rev. Robert Dennert, the church's pastor several years ago helped celebrate many good times in the sanctuary. Those images endure. Know that.
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