大鯨@海洋

26 11月 2023

Kyoto in the 1970s: A Retro Trip Through Japan’s Ancient Capital

Kyoto in the 1970s was a city on the brink of transformation. While it had always been known for its ancient temples, shrines, and traditional architecture, the ’70s saw the city modernizing at an unprecedented pace. Even so, Kyoto managed to maintain its unique charm and sense of history. Here are some highlights and fascinating tidbits from the Kyoto of yesteryear:

Today, I’m taking you on a groovy trip back to the 1970s to explore Kyoto – a city that has long been the heart of Japan’s rich history and cultural heritage. So, dust off your bell bottoms, grab your favorite pair of platform shoes, and boogie our way through Kyoto in the ’70s! And to transport you back in time, I’ve gathered some vintage photos from that era for you to check out.

The Rise of Pachinko Parlors

During the 1970s, pachinko parlors began popping up all over Kyoto. Pachinko, a popular Japanese game that crosses pinball and slot machines, became a favorite pastime for many Kyotoites. You’d find people from all walks of life, young and old, enjoying this addictive game in the brightly lit and cacophonous parlors.

Traditional Tea Houses and Modern Cafes

The ’70s saw a unique blend of old and new in Kyoto’s food and beverage scene. While traditional tea houses continued to serve matcha and Japanese sweets in serene settings, modern cafes began to emerge, offering Western-style coffee and pastries. It wasn’t uncommon to see a centuries-old tea house nestled beside a trendy new cafe, creating an interesting juxtaposition that remains a hallmark of Kyoto to this day.

10 11月 2023

NASA Releases Trove of Over 8,000 HD Photos from the Apollo Moon Missions

Astronaut John L. Swigert, Jr., Apollo 13 Command Module Pilot, holds the “mailbox,” a makeshift device used to purge carbon dioxide from the Lunar Module that played a significant role in saving the doomed astronauts lives. Apollo 13 Hasselblad image from film magazine.

During the course of the Apollo space program astronauts were charged with enduring unknown perils, conducting science experiments, piloting spacecraft, walking on the surface of the moon, and comprehending sights, sounds, and physical stresses never before experienced by humans. All the while, they were also asked to snap a couple thousands photographs of practically every moment with a modified Hasselblad camera.

Last Friday, for the first time ever, NASA uploaded the entire catalogue of 8,400 Apollo mission photos to Flickr spanning Apollo 7 (the first manned test flight in 1968) through Apollo 17, the final lunar mission in 1972. The effort to bring the photos online was lead by Kipp Teague of the Project Apollo Archive who first began scanning camera film magazines on behalf of the Johnson Space Center in 2004.

While we’re all used to seeing the more iconic photos like Blue Marble, the Apollo 11 bootprint, or this image of Buzz Aldrin, this random assortment of mundane moments and blurry horizons seems to highlight the humanity of the entire endeavor. Collected here are a few of our favorite shots, and you can see thousands more organized by mission on Flickr. Digg and PetaPixel also have collections of their favorites.

Fabulous Photos of a Young Barbi Benton in the 1970s and ’80s

Born 1950 as Barbara Lynn Klein in New York City, Barbi Benton began to model at the age of 16, and at age 18 took a job with Playboy to appear on their entertainment show Playboy After Dark. She appeared on the cover of Playboy four times: July 1969, March 1970, May 1972, and December 1985. Though she was featured in a number of photo-essays, she was never a Playmate of the Month. She landed a spot on television’s Hee Haw doing short comedy sketches, and subsequently enjoyed a career as a country singer.

Benton also began acting, and appeared in the West German comedy film The Naughty Cheerleader (1970), before appearing as a featured repeat performer on a number of popular television series, including The Bobby Vinton Show in 1976, The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.

Benton lived with Hefner from 1969 until 1976 and is known for discovering the Playboy Mansion West, where Hefner resided until his death in 2017. Years later, when the television series The Girls Next Door visited her in Aspen, Colorado, she expressed gratitude that the two had remained friends.

Fascinating Photos Capture Street Scenes of Montreal in the 1950s

Montreal is the most populous municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec and the second-most populous municipality in Canada.

The city is centred on the Island of Montreal, which got its name from the same origin as the city, and a few much smaller peripheral islands, the largest of which is Île Bizard. It has a distinct four-season continental climate with warm to hot summers and cold, snowy winters.
Montreal is the second largest primarily French-speaking city in the developed world, after Paris. It is situated 196 km (122 mi) east of the national capital Ottawa, and 258 km (160 mi) south-west of the provincial capital Quebec City.

Montreal is considered one of the most liveable cities in the world, and the best city in the world to be a university student in the QS World University Rankings.

Take a look at these fascinating photos to see what street scenes of Montreal looked like in the 1950s.