Tumba del Caracol, Cozumel

On: By: Romeyn

Tumba del Caracol is a Mayan building found on the southern end of Cozumel, erected during the post-classic period. There are a couple of legends concerning the buildings. One is that it functioned as a weather alarm, producing a whistle via conch shells that would precede the arrival of a hurricane, The other is that the building was used to send a pillar of smoke into the air so that travelers could find their way back to the island, the later is more believable because of the Maya ruins found at San Gervasio. Those ruins were believed to be the home of some sort of fertility ritual, those ruins are unique to Mayan culture as there are no signs that any human sacrifices had taken place there.



Photos copyright paper-dragon, 2018

Iter-Auto, 1930

On: By: Romeyn


In car navigation has its roots back in the 1930s when an Italian company invented the Iter-Auto. The Iter-auto was attached to the dashboard and synced up with the car’s speedometer, the device would use routes printed on long paper scrolls. Besides the route you were taking, the maps would also feature info on hotels, garages, diners and the like.
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R.I.P. Stan Lee 12/28/1922 – 11/12/2018

On: By: Romeyn

Stanley Martin Lieber started his career as an office assistant at Timely Comics in 1939 (Timely eventually became Marvel Comics in 1961). Lee made his comic-book debut with the text filler “Captain America Foils the Traitor’s Revenge” in Captain America Comics #3, shortly after that he became an interim editor for the company in the early 1940s.

From 1942-1945, Lee served stateside in the US Army in the Training Film Division, where he was involved in writing manuals, training films, and making slogans.

As they say, the rest is history…

Goodbye Mr. Lee, and thank you for many years of inspiration and entertainment, you will be missed

Black Mask Captured?

On: By: Romeyn

WOULD-BE “BLACK MASK” HELD.

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Mason City Lad, 18, Tries Out Story Book Role — Arrested

Mason City, Dec. 14. — Attempting to emulate the bandit heroism and adventurous life of blood and daring of “Daredevil Dick” and other proverbial characters, with his mind fired by the reading of “The Black Mask” and similar literature, Cecil Adams, the 18-year-old son of Charles Adams of this city, attempted to rob the M.&O. sporting goods store at 118 Federal avenue north, Sunday night.

The boy was armed with a black mask, a putty knife and a screw driver. Around his neck he wore a silk bandana handkerchief.

The boy was found by a policeman who was making his rounds about 11 o’clock at night. The would-be burglar had just scraped the putty off of one of the back windows of the store with the purpose of removing the pane so as to permit an entrance, when the policeman discovered him.

As soon as Adams discovered the officer he lost his cue, forgot what the “Black Mask” hero would have done in a similar case, and gave himself up without a struggle.

The Mask worn by the dime novel bandit was of a beautiful design, constructed of black velvet and black oilcloth. It was made with the idea that it would last a lifetime. It seems regretful that it should come to to such an inglorious end on its first adventure.

When asked where he obtained the idea for his attempted robbery, the youth gave the names of several books he had read. One of them was “The Black Mask.” It told the story of bloody battles, of looting and other adventurous deeds of disreputable heroes. The masks worn were of the kind he had made.

When asked why he wanted to rob the store, he said it was only to try out some of the things he had read about.