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So this bust of Mad Magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman is something I brought home from Alaska after Dad died. He had it on his desk for years, and now I have it near mine.

I got curious (after watching a little Antiques Roadshow) and did some Googling to see what I could find out about it.

Turns out these busts were modeled by the original designer of Alfred E. Neuman, artist Frank Kelly Freas (also well known for his sci fi artwork). They were sold through the magazine starting with issue 53 (March 1960), and were available in two sizes, either 3.75” tall for $1, or 5.5” tall for $2. This is the larger size.
Apparently the larger size is more rare, and I’ve found auction prices ranging from $125 to $400 (not that I’m planning on selling mine – not only is it a nice memory of Dad, but now I know that it’s been in the family for around 57 years…that makes it an heirloom, right?). Just neat to know a little bit more about this silly (or creepy, according to Prairie) bit of kitsch.

#madmagazine #alfredeneuman #bust #statue #antique #whatmeworry #frankkellyfreas #kellyfreas

Linkdump for February 26th from 08:00 to 08:06

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Sometime between 08:00 and 08:06 on February 26th, I thought this stuff was interesting. You might think so too!

  • The Second Amendment was ratified to preserve slavery: "The real reason the Second Amendment was ratified, and why it says 'State' instead of 'Country' (the Framers knew the difference – see the 10th Amendment), was to preserve the slave patrol militias in the southern states, which was necessary to get Virginia’s vote.  Founders Patrick Henry, George Mason, and James Madison were totally clear on that . . . and we all should be too."
  • Gun Rights, ‘Positive Good’ and the Evolution of Mutually Assured Massacre: "In the abstract, where no humans actually exist, there’s actually a compelling logic to this. If I know you’re armed, I’ll be on my best behavior. You will too because you know I’m armed. Of course, in practice, almost everything is wrong with this logic."
  • The AR-15 Is Different: What I Learned Treating Parkland Victims: "With an AR-15, the shooter does not have to be particularly accurate. The victim does not have to be unlucky. If a victim takes a direct hit to the liver from an AR-15, the damage is far graver than that of a simple handgun-shot injury. Handgun injuries to the liver are generally survivable unless the bullet hits the main blood supply to the liver. An AR-15 bullet wound to the middle of the liver would cause so much bleeding that the patient would likely never make it to the trauma center to receive our care."
  • Inside The Federal Bureau Of Way Too Many Guns: "There's no telling how many guns we have in America—and when one gets used in a crime, no way for the cops to connect it to its owner. The only place the police can turn for help is a Kafkaesque agency in West Virginia, where, thanks to the gun lobby, computers are illegal and detective work is absurdly antiquated. On purpose."
  • Why the Second Amendment does not stymie gun control: "Nearly every gun regulation under discussion today—from expanded background checks to bans on military-style weapons—would seem to pass constitutional muster."
  • Slavery, the Second Amendment, and the Origins of Public-Carry Jurisprudence: "The idea that citizens have an unfettered constitutional right to carry weapons in public originates in the antebellum South, and its culture of violence and honor."

Linkdump for January 17th through February 26th

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Sometime between January 17th and February 26th, I thought this stuff was interesting. You might think so too!