Long Walks on Short Piers

Take A Stroll?

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Winter in Southern California.

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How diseases are spread on airlines courtesy pammysueposts

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Outtakes from the 2014 Christmas card shoot. Craft services by Buddy Bones

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Here's a great look back at a drive from Burbank to Toluca Lake in 1958. Lots of great iconic Los Angeles 50s and 60s businesses and restaurants including Bob's Big Boy, Food Giant, Gaby's (now Paty's)...not to mention Chryslers, T-birds, and DeSotos.

Was this shot as studio backdrop footage or from the back of someone's station wagon?

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Library Without Books?

Though the idea of all libraries losing their printed relevance seems horrible, having some smaller libraries move to an all-digital format is probably the wave of things to come. Greater access to information and tech, while still providing a service-based approach for the community. Though I'd miss that musty book smell.

First, it would provide free access to the kind of technology many library patrons may lack access to, and second, "a bookless library would save space that could be used for work, study, or community meeting areas, which is important in the densely populated Koreatown neighborhood which lacks this kind of facility."

From Curbed LA

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The Saab That Could've Been

Though most of the final days of Saab's existence were laden with stories of the impending financial collapse, there was still some great design and engineering work going on, which was mostly hidden until now. From "The Story of the 9-3 Phoenix":

Jason Castriota’s mission from Saab was to design a car that captured the historical roots of the company while bringing out something new that could be based on the new flexible PhoeniX-platform that Saab had developed for a couple of years. Another criteria was that everyone needed to instantly see that the car was a Saab, without looking at the logo, while at the same time feel that the car was ground breaking and new. Having these criteria in mind you can understand the difficult job Jason was given, considering the long and important history of different designs that Saab has. To keep thing simple, Jason was given free reign to create a car within certain limitations and this is what he accomplished.

Read more about this great story at Saabsunited.com

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I guess this is kind of an epitaph. Basically, a new Saab 9-5 for $30K (10 miles on it). I know if Saab were still in business, I'd be there before the dealer opened with a completed credit app and down payment from my change jar.

Now just a car for someone with a garage full of cars.

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Shhhh…no one tell Fox News that the “wedding kiss” picture they’re using to accompany a piece about traditional gender roles is actually of a same sex couple. (MADE MY DAY)

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Oh, Fox News. You are the network of folks with CRT TVs.

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Caran d'Ache a.k.a. drawing sticks

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New Owner, New Logo For Saab

At least the brand lives, and latest reports still have some manufacturing in Sweden.

From: BrandChannel

Despite being passed around to a few different owners over its lifespan, 64-year-old Saab has been around long enough to build up a strong brand. It went bankrupt back in 2010, but now is expected to be turning out a new breed of cars in the next few years thanks to the new ownership of Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), a partnership between China's National Modern Energy Holdings and Japan's Sun Investment.

NEVS will be turning Saab into an electric car, which likely won’t be on the market for a few years. But when it does, something will be gone from Saab that's survived all the other changes: the griffin on its logo.

The mythical creature that has the body and tail of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle will still be found on Saab trucks and planes, which are not owned by NEVS and will remain with their current manufacturers. For now, a griffin-less logo will represent the company.

NEVS has assigned Stockholm Design Labs to develop the new visual identity for the new car. A utilitarian grey logotype looks to be featured on the new cars themselves. The newest logo iteration, likely for other uses, has each letter of the word “Saab” showcasing different elements of the four seasons, emphasizing its all-weather abilities.

Saab fans — a diehard bunch if there ever was one — continue to express opinions on the switches. One called the grey logo "perfect." Another said: "Why the circle? Why grey? It still doesn't make sense to me. However, I will have to get used to it, no?"

A year ago, Saab was spiraling toward its demise until being bought in summer by the NEVS investment group, bent on the electric-car approach. Manufacturing of the new cars is expected to take place in China after a recent deal with Qingdao Qingbo Investment Co. for a 22 percent stake in the company.

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Official Airline of Team America World Police

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Happy New Year

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2012 Holiday Card

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Pennsylvania Railroad Position Light Signal