Last Saturday, I told my mother that a tornado could definitely hit Brooklyn. Now my mother thinks I’m a witch. Read some of the coverage on the latest wild weather in the NYC area.
August 8th, 2007:
More on OJ Gude – The Patriarch of Outdoor Signage
© Frank H. Jump
Recently, I stumbled upon the weblog of OJ Gude’s Great Great Grandson Julian Seery Gude, and I wrote him a letter. Here is what Gude commented on the fading ad blog:
Hi Frank,
I love the pictures on your site you have taken that show (among other interesting items) my Great Great Grandfather’s outdoor advertising signs (The O.J. Gude Company). O.J. sold his company to the General Outdoor Advertising company and along with the company went all the employees, signs, and clients. That was in the early 1920’s. I wonder if you have taken any pictures with a General Outdoor Advertising placard on them? I think General Outdoor survived until the 50’s where it was gobbled up by another outdoor advertising company.
Our family has a great old picture of Times Square from the turn of the century with the same O.J. placard shown in your photo here. The photo was found in an old magazine by a friend of my cousins who is a vintage car enthusiast that found the signs when hunting for his favorite old cars! A gent located at 486 Greenwich Street in Manhattan contacted me via my my blog shortly before you did reporting to have found an O.J. Gude placard like the one in your photo in his building. Thanks for contacting me and keep in touch you have a fantastic site!
Thanks Julian!
Bogus Websites Improve Media Literacy
“Bogus” or hoax websites (like The Onion) can serve as excellent tools in fostering students’ media literacy and critical evaluation skills.
The Dihydrogen Monoxide Research website is a great hoax site to spur the critical thinking skills of young scientists. I leave it up to you to decide if these theories hold any water.
Read how the Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie (AFDB) “can shield your brain from most electromagnetic psychotronic mind control carriers.”
Also read Ken Umbach‘s article on how California’s Velcro Crop is Under Challenge. The Government of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training has a useful article with resource links to Bogus Websites.
