1954 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 7: A Masterpiece of Aerodynamic Art

The 1954 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 7 is widely regarded as the most spectacular of the three Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica concept cars designed by Franco Scaglione for the Bertone coachworks.

Introduced at the Turin Motor Show, the B.A.T. 7 pushed the boundaries of automotive design with its radical, bird-like silhouette and dramatic curved tail fins. Beyond its futuristic aesthetics, the car was a triumph of engineering; its extremely low drag coefficient allowed it to reach high speeds even with a modest engine.

With its deep blue finish and flowing lines that mimic the movement of air, the B.A.T. 7 remains an enduring icon of mid-century Italian design, blending the elegance of fine art with the scientific precision of aerodynamics.

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Promotional Still Photoshoot Featuring Mel Gibson as William Wallace for the 1995 Epic Historical Drama “Braveheart”

In the 1995 epic historical drama Braveheart, Mel Gibson stars as the legendary Scottish warrior William Wallace. Directed and produced by Gibson himself, the film chronicles Wallace’s leadership of the Scots during the First War of Scottish Independence against King Edward I of England.

Following the brutal execution of his wife, Murron, by English soldiers, Wallace transforms from a peaceful farmer into a revolutionary leader seeking revenge and national freedom. Gibson’s portrayal is widely recognized for the character's blue face paint (woad) and long hair, symbolizing the defiant spirit of the Scottish rebels. The performance is anchored by stirring speeches, most notably the “Freedom!” address to his outnumbered army before the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Released on May 24, 1995, Braveheart was a critical and commercial success, receiving praise for its battle scenes, production design, musical score, and acting performances, though it received some criticism for its historical inaccuracies. The film also garnered numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture. A legacy sequel, Robert the Bruce, was released in 2019.

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25 Amazing Postcards of a Young and Beautiful Anna May Wong

Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese American actress to gain international recognition. Her varied career spanned vaudeville, silent film, sound film, television, stage, and radio.

After starting as an extra at age 14, Wong landed her first leading role at 17 in The Toll of the Sea (1922), the first feature film made in two-color Technicolor. She gained further national prominence in The Thief of Bagdad (1924) as a Mongol slave. Despite her talent, Hollywood’s anti-miscegenation laws (and later the Hays Code) prevented her from kissing white male leads. This restricted her to supporting roles, often portraying “Dragon Lady” or “Butterfly” stereotypes, while lead Asian roles were frequently given to white actors in “yellowface” makeup.

Frustrated by discrimination, Wong moved to Europe. She found greater success and artistic freedom in Germany and England, starring in acclaimed films like Piccadilly (1929) and performing on the London stage with Laurence Olivier in The Circle of Chalk. Wong mastered French and German to maintain her career during the transition to sound film. Her voice was highly praised; after receiving criticism for her accent, she trained with a tutor to acquire an upper-class English accent.

Returning to Hollywood in 1930, she signed with Paramount and starred in Daughter of the Dragon (1931) and famously appeared alongside Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express (1932). In the biggest setback of her career, MGM refused to cast her as the lead character O-Lan in The Good Earth, choosing white actress Luise Rainer instead. Wong rejected a secondary "villainous" role in the film as a form of protest.

In the late 1930s, she starred in several “B” movies for Paramount, such as Daughter of Shanghai (1937) and King of Chinatown (1939), where she finally played more positive, non-stereotypical roles like a heroine or a surgeon.

Throughout these decades, Wong was a major style trendsetter. In 1934, the Mayfair Mannequin Society of New York voted her the “world’s best-dressed woman.” She was famous for her “boss bob” with bangs and her unique “flapper” style, often blending traditional Chinese elements (like silk cheongsams/qipaos) with modern Western fashion. She used her clothing to reclaim her identity, sometimes embroidering her Chinese name, Wong Liu Tsong, into her garments in gilded thread.

Below is a collection of 25 amazing postcards of Anna May Wong in the 1920s and 1930s:

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The Charm of the Past: Humorous Novelty Snaps of Yesteryear

While we often think of our ancestors as stern and humorless due to the stiff poses in early portraits, “novelty photos” reveal a much more playful side of history.

Long before Photoshop, people used creative practical effects to craft amusing and surreal images. Popular trends included “tall-tale postcards,” which featured giant crops or oversized animals through clever forced perspective and double exposure. At carnivals and boardwalks, “comic foregrounds”—wooden cutouts where people popped their heads through painted scenes—allowed Victorian and Edwardian folks to transform into weightlifters, mermaids, or babies.

These quirky snapshots prove that the desire to capture a laugh and share a bit of whimsical personality is a timeless human trait, bridging the gap between the sepia-toned past and today’s internet memes.

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1920s Jodhpurs: A Symbol of Female Liberation

The 1920s marked a revolutionary era for women’s fashion, characterized by the rejection of restrictive corsets in favor of freedom and movement. Among the most daring garments adopted during this time were Jodhpurs.

Originally a masculine military and polo attire, Jodhpurs became a symbol of the “New Woman”: independent, adventurous, and active. Women began wearing these flared-hip trousers for horse riding and aviation, famously championed by pioneers like Amelia Earhart and Coco Chanel.

By blurring the lines between masculine and feminine wardrobes, the 1920s Jodhpurs stood as a powerful sartorial symbol of the early feminist movement.

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The Infamous Exploding Whale Incident in Florence, Oregon in November 1970

On November 9, 1970, a 45-foot, 8-ton sperm whale washed ashore near Florence, Oregon. Because Oregon’s beaches were technically classified as public highways at the time, the responsibility for removal fell to the Oregon State Highway Division (now ODOT) rather than a wildlife agency. The carcass was rotting quickly, and the stench was becoming unbearable. Burying it was considered, but officials feared it would just be uncovered by the tide.

The engineer in charge, George Thornton, consulted with the U.S. Navy and decided the best course of action was to treat the whale like a large boulder. He figured that a massive blast with 20 cases (half a ton) of dynamite would “atomize” the whale into tiny pieces that seagulls and crabs would then finish off. A military veteran in the crowd reportedly warned Thornton that 20 sticks would have been plenty and that 20 cases was a recipe for disaster. He was ignored.

At 3:45 p.m. on November 12, they pushed the plunger. The result was captured in a now-famous news report by KATU’s Paul Linnman. A 100-foot-high column of sand and blubber erupted into the air. Instead of disintegrating, the whale broke into large, heavy chunks. Spectators who thought they were at a safe distance (about a quarter-mile away) had to run for cover as “meaty” rain began falling. The most famous casualty was a brand-new car parked nearby, which was completely crushed by a massive chunk of flying blubber. Ironically, the car had been purchased at a “Whale of a Deal” promotion. The seagulls that were supposed to eat the remains were scavenged away by the explosion and didn’t return for some time.

While Thornton later claimed the operation was a success because the whale was “removed” from its original spot, the state never tried it again. When 41 sperm whales beached themselves nearby in 1979, the state opted to bury them instead.

Today, Florence embraces the history. In 2020, the city officially named a new park the Exploding Whale Memorial Park to commemorate the 50th anniversary.

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A Year of Al Moore Pin-Up Girls From Esquire Magazine, 1950

Great vintage pin-up girl artwork by artist Al Moore. These lovely ladies were part of a 1950 calendar. Which month is your favorite?

Born in Illinois, AI Moore played college football at Northwestern University and professional football with the Chicago Bears. After attending classes at Chicago’s Art Institute and Academy of Art, he opened a commercial art studio in New York in the late 1930s. By the mid 1940s, his clients included major companies like Galey and Lord, Beauty Counselors, the Viscole Corporation and Champion Spark Flags.

During the war years, Moore painted posters for the government and also took on assignments from Gold cigarettes, Cosmopolitan, The Saturday Evening Post and Collier’s.

Advertising work for U.S. Rubber, Nash automobiles, and Coca-Cola led, in 1946, to Moore’s breakthrough assignment – he was chosen by Esquire to replace Alberto Vargas, the most popular pin-up artist of the day. Among Moore’s triumphs at the magazine were his creation of the Esquire Girl, his answer to the Varga Girl; the 1948 Esquire calendar (with Ben-Hur Baz and others); front covers in 1948 and 1949; and the rare honor of painting the entire 1949 and 1950 calendars himself. By 1950, his two-page gatefolds in Esquire were collected by millions of Americans.

Moore contributed four pinups and a centerfold print to Brown & Bigelow’s Ballyhoo Calendar for 1953, which was as huge a success as the work of Gil Elvgren for the previous year’s calendar. In the 1950s, his corporate clients included contemporary Munsingwear, Hertz Rent-a-Car, and the McGregor Corporation. During the same years, his illustrations appeared in American Magazine, Woman’s Home Companion, McCall’s, and Woman’s Day, and he painted several front covers for The Saturday Evening Post. As an active member of the Society of Illustrators, Moore was asked to paint the poster for the society’s 1959 exhibition; it was such a success that both Pan American Airlines and Germaine Monteil Perfume also commissioned posters for their national marketing campaigns.

When photographs started to replace artwork in magazines and advertising, Moore decided to retire and pursue fine-art painting, including portrait commissions, Shortly after he moved to Crawford, Colorado, he accepted a commission from the United States Olympic Committee for three paintings for their world headquarters that would call attention to the problem of illegal steroid use by athletes.

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