Sunday, September 20, 2009

Paleo-Future



My daughter Rachel has pointed her parents to Paleo-Future, a site offering “A look into the future that never was.” The woman in the above photograph is a woman of the future. She appeared in the play Railroads on Parade at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

That half-circle, I finally realized, is part of her garb. Note the shadow that it casts on the train of the future.

Thank you, Rachel!

comments: 5

Geo-B said...

For the baby-boomers, no "look into the future that never was" can be complete without My Weekly Reader. An archivist could probably prove me wrong, but I'm sure this Cold War propaganda rag promised us we'd all be getting to work with rocket belts and one vaccination would cure everything. I'm still waiting. (Where's my pied-a-terre on the moon?)

thalkowski said...

The photo makes me think of the brilliant William Gibson short story, 'The Gernsback continuum.'
I highly recommend the story.

Michael Leddy said...

Thanks for the comments, sirs. George, you might want to browse — there are “vintage” copies of My Weekly Reader for sale online. Timothy, I’ve put that story on my list of things to read.

Elaine said...

And we have as yet neglected to use futuristic sausages as clothing embellishment! No doubt useful when food-gathering on the Moon proves futile....

Michael Leddy said...

“[W]e have as yet neglected to use futuristic sausages as clothing embellishment.”

Elaine, speak for yourself! : )