Atomic Monster Cafe: Now This Right Here...

...is what progress looks like. Mandy and Co. from The Retro Revival are nearing completion on the restoration of our Philco V-handle classic.

coolest / most complicated door mechanism of its era

Finishing the detailing, a burn in for 48 hours or so, then ready to ship.

Cue wild cheering and applause!

yes, I know it's a repeat, but like this gif, especially the kid right up front

In the "Political Theater Of The Absurd" department, the dems have selected Eric "Sleeping With The Enemy" Swallwell...

...as one of their impeachment managers.

You can't make this stuff up.

L'imbécile, targeted by a Chinese spy because he's dumber than a box of rocks, is one of the leads for the dems in the sham impeachment of private citizen Trump.

If you tried to submit this as a screenplay -

"No, seriously...hear me out on this...we have the guy who's been sleeping with a Chinese spy, who's so compromised he couldn't get a security clearance from the Boy Scouts - we have him lead the charge on this impeachment thingamajiggy..."

- you'd be laughed out of your agent's office.

But...since the dems got away with the biggest political heist in American history, they're now convinced they're above the law...

...and accountable to no one...least of all you.

As the Scriptures say...

Recently we've been plowing through The Pacific as our nightly edutainment...

...and parts of it have been very difficult to watch.

What those marines endured in their gory battles with the Japanese defies...well, everything...imagination, human decency, conscience, the limits of physical, emotional and spiritual endurance.

Because this has been so compelling, I've ordered a copy of Helmet For My Pillow by Robert Leckie...

...and With The Old Breed: At Peleliu And Okinawa by Eugene Sledge...

...two of the marines featured in the series and upon whose books much of this epic is based.

Band Of Brothers evoked a sense of camaraderie in the midst of deadly conflict, but Pacific - well, this is permeated with the dread of sudden annihilation at the hands of a fanatical and merciless enemy who never surrendered, fighting to the last man, intent on taking you down to the bloody grave with him.

Not for the faint of heart, but must-see television to gain a sincere appreciation for just how much our freedom really cost.

Mr. T is back up for sale...

...a necessary sacrifice on the altar of this summer's pool project.

See it here: GRAutoGallery 1923 Model T

Assuming he finds a new home, next up in the classic car department may be one of these fellas...

...that's a 1980 Shay Model A...built by the Shay Motors Corporation with Ford's permission to use their Model A molds, and so registered as 1929 Model A's.

The fun thing about these cars - besides their classic good looks, of course - is they have modern engines and drive trains, so are easier to drive and maintain.

Karen has made two things abundantly clear: if we buy another vintage car, a) it can't be 100 years old, and b) she has to be able to drive it (i.e., it can't involve clutches and shifting gears).

Won't be this year, but maybe when we move into that humble Art Deco cottage...

...a few years hence.

Can't you see it parked in the driveway?

For my friends on the GE Monitor Top forum...found this CK-30-C16 sitting in the Gateway Thrift Shop...

Right next to it was this 1927 GE Hotpoint electric stove with a double oven...

No doubt someone was cleaning out the former dwelling place of their pater familias and having no idea what they were really looking at, decided to drop them off at the thrift shop.

This is what's known as a crying shame.

Both of these are uber-cool and are crying out for someone with more space (and deeper pockets) than yours truly to restore them and give them a good *art deco* home.