Recent content by Undertow

I came on here to throw my .02 about the 1970's and 80's until I read through Lizzie's posts. Lizzie, thank you for summing up something I can never seem to articulate. And to beat a dead dog, since when did an economic model, e.g. capitalism, necessarily become a place of worship...

I realize this is an older thread, but may I make a suggestion (for any of yous guys still interested)? I have thick, wavy hair and 3 cowlicks. I often need to tame my hair, and something like Brylcreem just doesn't cut it. If this is your first time using a pomade, and you're uncertain of...

Better throw the old hat in the ring... The below photo was recovered from a plastic bin of unwanted photographs. The two in this photo were Rosa and Floyd Dean of Des Moines, IA, both from smaller farm towns previously. They were married sometime in the 1920s; this photo being taken at the...

Boy, I remember when my sister and I had to take two tin buckets a piece and walk 1 mile down hill to the water pump, fill both buckets each and then come back without spilling a drop. And these danged kids don't even appreciate a "drop in a bucket"! Heck, they probably think "buckets" are just...

Regardless of the actual usage of these data recorders, does anyone think there would be a surge to public transit if all major insurers announced they would harvest said data? Or would it likely just create some grumbling as everyone obediently installed said devices? Can anyone picture...

Sheeplady, the connection between recording devices and public transportation is as follows: if you feel that recording devices are becoming, or could potential become, pervasive to the point that your whereabouts are used for various dubious reasons, would you change your transportation habits...

I want to show you a few pictures before I get started. These are in Des Moines, certainly not the largest city in the Midwest. Public transportation used to be a matter of fact, even in smaller cities like Des Moines, Iowa; it took you to work, it took you to the theater, it took you to...

Hey Lizzie, I have a '36 Stromberg-Carlson desk phone and wall phone (same models). I'm planning to cannibalize the wall phone into the desk phone. As you know, these S-C phones aren't dial; they're the crank style. Would the pulse-to-tone adapter work for something like that?

Excellent article, Cookie!

1944. We had a large flux of Japanese Americans relocated throughout the Midwest during the war. I believe 600 men were moved into Des Moines proper. This man, Mr. Kiyoshi Ideta Minami, purchased that house and boarded a number of Japanese men as they waited for the green light to move back to...

Rats! My edited version (where I dubbed that bit out) escaped me and I accidentally posted the wrong one! Nice catch ECP. The Good - hey, you were pretty darn close! Since I screwed that one up, how about this one - it's a curveball:

Glad to see all of you are making it out there. Hope to hear from the rest!

Wow, that really had me off. I was looking at the lapels on the far left and the button stance - just didn't look anywhere near the 30's, 40's or 50's while the fellow in the DB had wide enough lapels to look 30's/40's or maybe early 50's. Nice picture! I'm wondering myself. Unfortunately, I...

This is true. There are certain older buildings - quite old - that have been taped back together, shimmed into place, had foundation supporters installed, windows bricked up, updated doors reattached, new facade's installed and they STILL look poorly, as evidenced below. Notice that these are...