Egypt Exploration Fund 1893...One of the people they supported in time would hit paydirt.

This is an interesting piece to read from 1893 and the adventure of digging for treasure in Egypt. For those who did not do anything like that, they could belong to such a club. Enjoy reading it.
One of the people supported was Howard Carter. Who would in time discover the tomb of King Tutankhamen

The memorial address on the life and character of William McKinley. The memorial address read by his friend, the Honorable John Hay..Feb. 27, 1902

President McKinley was assassinated the Pan -American Exhibition in Buffalo, New York. He died from the effects of his wounds on September 14, 1901. The entire country went into deep morning of the kind it had not seen for years. McKinley was universally beloved by friends and foes alike. There was a national funeral that went from New York State to Washington DC to Canton, Ohio. The memorial address was read by McKinley's friend and Secretary of State, John Hay. Who was met at the reading with great cheers. It was a sobering address that went into detail of the warm and gentle character of the late President.

This book was printed and was a souvenir of that event.The booklet printed by act of Congress and published in 1902.
John Hay 1838-1905 This man was not only the secretary to Abraham Lincoln, but was Secretary of State to both William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

A French porcelain china clock from the 1850's. I just found part of one with out the top.

This lovely French porcelain china clock from the 1850's is nice. I recently found one. But with out the figure that fits on top.This is the clock I found and although it has a few problems it is quite an attractive clock. Never mind the bottle I put on top of it. It was just to put something there. I am hoping to find more information about such clocks and were to find parts and perhaps tops for them. For now I am just learning about them.

Mussolini's recording for the Italians of America in the 1920's

This beautiful labeled record was made by the Victor Talking Machine Company in the latter part of the 1920's. It afforded Mussolini to talk to the Italians of America in a more innocent age.

JFK campaign record 1960

In 1960 there was a vigorous campaign to elect John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was commonly known as Jack Kennedy. This record helped a lot. It was recorded by Frank Sinatra and pushed JFK over the breach. This recording which was once all over, has become a major rarity now.

The Calvin Coolidge campaign record of August 1924

This unbreakable 5" record was made for the 1924 election. It was recorded by the Arco Company of 96 5th Ave. in New York. It is one of the first of its kind, in the sense of being unbreakable.

Spending a few days in research on the Maya in Guademala

I went on a trip to see and understand the native people of Guatemala. It was an interesting journey, and also one full of fascination and a unique culture of people. It was a trip that will remain with me for the rest of my life.Native women in their Maya style dress ready to sell whatever they can carry on their arms, backs, and heads.
We stayed with a Maya family. They cooked traditional foods on a wood fire.
Pretty much breakfast lunch and dinner. Hygiene is not a high order with them. So one has to be quite careful with everything you ate and drank.
A Maya woman in a Maya temple praying for the dead
A typical street scene
Some very bizarre religious pieces we saw. In this case it says that Jesus came to the rescue of the women who was being attacked by the doctor. But I would think it has more to do with the woman with the broom than Jesus!
Many of the great churches and cathedrals built by the Spanish in the 16th century are being reclaimed by nature. In the days of the Spanish, there was no choice for the natives. Either you were Catholic or they killed you. The church was the state and the state was the church. Fortunately many of these churches are being reclaimed by nature and the horrors of the religious persecutions by the Spanish in the 16th century are part of the past. Never to be revisited.
Volcano's surround the region
Way up in the mountains where we lived with the Maya family

Here is the family with me. 3 generations of them.

One of the major ways to to travel there is by chicken bus. Chicken buses travel at high rates of speed and go up and down the mountains. It is scary as hell to travel on them. One thing I found fascinating was how much they tried to dress up the buses. All of them had their own design. People would hop on and off of them as they were moving and while stopped. I was so impressed with the driving prowess of the native drivers there. I think they should teach others how to drive. As they did things I would not have thought possible, and perhaps were only possible now and then.
Here I am comfortable in a Jesus chair. There is much religious symbolism there and to be honest much of it is a little frightening. Just like this silly Jesus chair. It was funny so I had to take a picture in it.
Here we are climbing the side of a mountain to get to an ancient Maya burial cave.
A Maya ceremony at a local church. It seems that they have mixed the religion and gods of both Christianity and the Maya.
Three little kids I got to know there in the mountains. They are of Maya decent and are part of families that have lived up there for multiple centuries
This is me nervously inside a chicken bus. Just wondering what kind of ride it would be.
Finally down the side of the mountain to a burial cave for the Maya. One side is mountain, the other side is a thousand foot drop.
Were we were staying up in the mountains. The clouds come passing by as the mountains scratch the heavens.
An interesting use of the cross there. In this country they keep Jesus in a glass box. As I mentioned before some of the religious activities there are pretty bizzare. Most religions are a bit bizzare but I thought the Jesus in the glass box pretty creative.
One of the many street sellers there. She was there with a baby on her back.
Two kids I met there and chatted with. They were smart and clever. It was a very fascinating trip. It was a most unique country.

The day I first met Franco Corelli and the book he signed for me

I recall when I first met Franco Corelli. It was through my friend Jerome Hines. I have written about this before, but I never showed the book that Corelli signed for me. We talked for hours and had dinner and then I drove the Corelli's home. I never knew at the the time that we would meet several times and share a number of dinners and talks. So I came to this gathering with a camera and my Corelli book. I thought it would be my only chance. I guess I looked silly, but I wanted to get it signed. Corelli signed it in my car in front of his home at Hemisphere House on 60 West 57th Street.This is us at dinner that first time we met. Corelli, Mrs. Corelli w/dog, me, and Jerry Hines.
This is the book I bought to have Corelli sign. Mrs. Corelli told me that they were working on a book. I am not sure if that ever materialized.
Corelli's autograph in the book. Soon we would meet often, and an autograph became the last thing in my mind. But I am glad I did this the first time we met.

This was a CD in the book. I remember Franco saying "Look mama, we don't get royalties from this recording." We laughed and said good night. Soon we would have dinner a number of times at Jerry Hines House and share many wonderful times.

I was so very lucky to know those wonderful people.