A Usable Past

Washington, D.C., 1920. "Bill Dudack, Georgetown University basketball." National Photo Company Collection glass negative.

November 1935. Prince George's County, Maryland. "CCC boys at work." Another one of those Civilian Conservation Corps projects that involved lots of photogenic exertion. 35mm negative by Carl Mydans for the FSA.

Washington, D.C., 1915. "Dog show." The happy couple, looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative.

As always, check out the great site here.

Cookbook collection at the Monash University Library!

British “Hello-girls” ready to “carry on” In case of an air-raid, 1938

Less digital history and more digital future, but cool nevertheless.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo has recently acquired a new beast for its “collection” (can we call it that?): a Giant Pacific Octopus. So far, this octopod is only a mere 3 pounds, hardly fitting for its name (according to the press releases, at this point in time it is too early to designate a gender to the octopus, though they suspect this is a male. I prefer to think that the Smithsonian is making a political statement about the constructions of gender. Or that perhaps in the mollusk kingdom, being agendered is where it’s at.). But soon the octopus will grow up to 13 times in size its CURRENT size, making this species of invertebrate the “giant panda” of the sea. The only octopus at the National Zoo, this one will provide visitors and scholars with the opportunity to study one of the most interesting eight-sticky-suction-cup-adorned-armed creatures, ever.

You can watch the octopus live on the octopuscam!

Hipster Puppies picked my friend Kevin’s rocktastic pup Falcor as the Hipster Puppy of the Day!

Congrats, you hip, hip beast.