Old Time Radio at The Monster Club

Happy Halloween. Title link takes you to downloads of classic radio shows.

Brooklyn's Broken Angel

Via Laughing Squid.
"The fantastic Broken Angel building in the Clinton Hill neighboorhood of Brooklyn is in great jeopardy. The owners have been evicted after 30 years because of code violations. To make matters worse, today it caught on fire, which luckily was quickly put out by the FDNY. They are in desperate need of help to save this historic building.

Along with being a fixture of the Brooklyn arts community, Broken Angel was also used as the location for Michel Gondry’s film “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party”. For more info, check out the amazing photos and information posted on Flickr by Christopher Wood, the son of the owners who grew up in the house and is trying desperately to save it from extinction.

I am Christopher Wood, son of Arthur (age 75) and Cindy Wood (age 65) the owners and creators of Broken Angel. The New York City Building department is attempting to remove my parents from their home of 30 years, unless we immediatly get an architect or engineer to bring the building to NYC codes. We do not have the money to do this. If there is anyone out there who is qualified and willing to work Pro Bono we desperately need the help, contributions are also welcome. You can contact my father.

Arthur Wood
4 Downing St
Brooklyn, NY 11238

Also we appeal to David Chappelle and Michel Gondry. Our home became the backdrop for your wonderful concert film, please help us to save it now."

The Canals of Venice.... Beach

Although I've been to the canals in Venice Beach, California, I never knew the story behind them. Via Laughing Squid:

"Many people may not know the reason behind the name of the Venice district of Los Angeles (and neighboring Venice Beach). Orginally called Venice of America, it was founded on July 4th, 1905 by local developer Abbot Kinney who had numerous canals dug as a tribute to the orginal Venice, Italy and also as a way drain the marshes to aid in developing the area. Unfortunately many of the canals were paved over in 1929 to make way for more roads, but several still remain."

Title link takes you to more shots on Flickr. Make sure to check out the post on Laughing Squid for a top down Google map image of the canals.

Frog Hot Air Balloon

Airlines (haunted #4)

Image via guacamole airlines on Flickr. Title link takes you to more.

Cover Browser

Title link takes you to Cover Browser, home to scans of comic book covers. The Uncanny X-men Issue #94 was the first in the series to feature the new X-men characters including Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Colossus. Only Cyclops was from the original line up. Whatever happened to Banshee anyway? : )

Asteroids

Red Raven Animated Records

Another via Retro Thing.

CBGB's To Close After 33 Years

Via the Associated Press:
"CBGB owner Hilly Kristal sits at his club during an interview Sept. 26, 2006, in New York. After Oct. 15, the legendary club that has hosted acts such as Patti Smith, the Talking Heads, the Ramones, and Blondie will close its doors for good, ending a 33-year run as punk rocks seminal music venue. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams) Email Photo Print Photo"

Title link takes you to an article on Yahoo. Some Excerpt:

"'I knew the closing was inevitable, because my lawyers said, `You can't win this case. The law is that your lease is up, and they don't even need a reason to put you out,'' said Kristal.

Kristal sits beneath a platinum record from Joan Jett, a CBGB's clock and a few of the endless band stickers that blanket the interior. Kristal, who is battling lung cancer, wears a black and white CBGB's T-shirt with a matching baseball cap.

Kristal plans to move the club far from its roots with a new CBGB's in Las Vegas. The owner plans to strip the current club down to the bare walls, bringing as much of it to Nevada as possible.

'We're going to take the urinals,' he said. 'I'll take whatever I can. The movers said, `You ought to take everything, and auction off what you don't want on eBay.' Why not? Somebody will.'

Even a longtime CBGB's devotee like McNeil thinks the best advice for the 74-year-Kristal is go west, old man.

'I always said Hilly should go to Vegas," said McNeil. "Girls with augmented breasts playing Joey Ramone slot machines. It would become an institution.'"

World's First Printed Atlas

Sold for for £2.1m. Title link takes you to the full article on Retro Thing.

Album Cover Battles

Clikc the box.