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Mystic Funnies #3 (Last Gasp, 2002)

Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, Jimmy Durante et Buster Keaton portrait pour la MGM 1931

Sometimes I think that we don't remember Jimmy Durante well enough. Laurel & Hardy and Buster Keaton still get their due (dues?) these days, but I seldom see Durante mentioned. Great talent, and one of a kind. I will always remember listening to my dad's record of Durante singing "Inka Dinka Doo", not to mention the narration of "Frosty the Snowman'". Give him a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWqi9eWwXvk

A few snapshots from last August's visit to the Bonneville Salt Flats. We were out in SLC for our step-daughter's wedding, and decided to do a day trip at the 2025 Speed Week. What cinched it was that my wife's cousin's son* was a big fan of Superfast Matt, one of the drivers racing that week (he's the guy working on the white Streamliner), so we headed out the flats for the day.

It's hard to get a good picture of the cars doing their runs - there are three 5-mile tracks, and they're parallel to Pit Row Road but not very close (for extremely good safety reasons). The one car being towed is in the Return Lane, which is closest to the pits. Good binoculars are a must, so you can see them running. I didn't bring the Big Lens on this trip, though. You can hear them, and even at that distance, when a car roars by at over 200MpH, you know it.

The other thing to know is that the the heat is amazing. Hotter than hot and drier than dry. One needs a quart of sunblock and a gallon or two of water for the day. Hats, sunglasses, etc. etc.

In the end, young Mike and my bro-in-law Mike had tons of fun seeing the cars and talking to the teams. Superfast Matt was happy to spend time with Mike while he and his crew prepped for another run. A fine day, wrapped up with a short drive over the Nevada border because, well, why not? And a sunset, because.

- Technically my "first cousin once removed-in-law", which is impossible to remember and a real mouthful.

#bonneville salt flats #speed week #superfast matt

jgthirlwell

03.23.26 Orcutt Shelley Miller, the avant-rock trio comprised of three Bill Orcutt (Harry Pussy), Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) and Ethan Miller (Howlin Rain, Comets On Fire) at Roulette Intermedium

depsidase

vitalnews

Yeah, and the "under god" part felt kind of out of place to a young mostly-secular me. Then adult me found out that they added it in the mid-50's to appease religious groups.

ak-nm

muddypolitics

trump had a plan to get OUT of Vietnam

Like many, I'm a sucker for a good sunset. This from a few years ago. Heading south on 95 and about to pass the Linc. (If anyone asks, I was not the driver when this was taken.)

#sunset #sun rays #philly #Lincoln Financial Field #Route 95