Views of Arizona: Storm Over the Grand Canyon

We arrived  at the Grand Canyon late in the afternoon on July 17, 2018. We had hoped to see a spectacular sunset. Instead, because it was monsoon season, we saw this:

Sunset from El Tovar

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #625

Take a few swings at my entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #625 for July 30, 2018. The drawing is by John Klossner.

"Real tigers don't have pinstripes."

These captions struck out:

"Heads up."
"Ever have one of those days when you just feel bonkers?"
"You'll need a bigger mask."
"Don't ask. It's a for a Geico commercial."
"Why are there no drawings on your dugout wall?"
"Do you want to connect with my ball club?"
"Just fine, thank you. And how do those pinstripes breathe?"

August 13, 2018 Update:  The Finalists

Each of these finalists had the catcher, not the caveman, doing the speaking.

August 20, 2018 Update:  I voted for the second caption. No way I'm going with artwork being two words.


August 27, 2018 Update:  Winning Caption

Note:  Last week, cartoonist Farley Katz found romance six feet under. My caption needed to come up for some air. Spend eternity with Contest #624.

Then see those old blog posts of mine where John Klossner hit it out of the park.

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Views of Arizona: Monsoon on the Horizon

Heading north towards the Grand Canyon and into the monsoon:

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Views of Arizona: No Golden Arches in Sedona

Sedona, at its own insistence, has the world's only McDonald's with desert teal green arches. No golden arches for this town!

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Views of Arizona: The Desert Tarantula

A male Arizona desert tarantula:

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Views of Arizona: The Van Deren Cabin

Earl Van Deren moved his cabin to land he purchased in 1924 from original homesteader Bill Fredericks. The 43-acre parcel of land was used for cattle  ranching and bootlegging but was left alone by the authorities. When he married, Van Deren had to expand the small north cabin by adding a second one, the so-called "honeymoon cabin," connected to the first by a common roof, now lost, with a breezeway. The cabin was used in the movies "Riders of the Purple Sage" (1941) and "Blood on the Moon" (1948). In the early years after it was abandoned, much of the interior was removed by souvenir hunters. The site is now a part of the Forest Service. The adjoining land has been developed into the Seven Canyons Golf Club.

The tin roof is a modern addition to protect the structure.

The floorboards have been removed.

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Views of Arizona: Snoopy, Woodstock, and Lucy

Here are some photos of Sedona's red rock formations taken from Uptown Sedona. The two views are of the same rock formations taken at different times of day.

That's Snoopy Rock on the right, in the shape of Snoopy lying on his back on top of his doghouse. The rock on his nose is called Woodstock. In the top center of the large formation on the left, you can see Lucy watching TV.

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Views of Arizona: Sedona in Monsoon Season

Last week in Sedona just before a downpour, taken from a moving car...

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Views of Arizona: A "Big" Moment

Just take a look at that! Zoltar makes an appearance in Sedona, Arizona, eager to tell your fortune. Perhaps he'll let you make a wish!

Zoltar
Sedona

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Views of Arizona: The Arizona Sycamore

Wood from the Arizona Sycamore, Platanus wrightii, was used 700 years ago to fashion the roofbeams of Montezuma Castle.

Arizona Sycamore

Platanus wrightii

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Views of Arizona: Montezuma Castle

Here are two photographs taken last week of the Montezuma Castle National Monument:

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Views of Arizona: Cactus Flower

Seen last week at the Phoenician resort:

Cactus flower

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Views of Arizona: Mother of Pearl Pool

The mother of pearl pool was the only pool at the Phoenician resort a quarter century ago on our first visit. Now several pools have been added above it. The pool is covered with mother of pearl tiles which seem less shimmery to me than they were back then, but then so does everything else.

Mother of Pearl Pool
The Phoenician
Scottsdale

Pool access chair

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Views of Arizona: Phoenician Fakery

I can't really object to using fake grass in the desert where water is so precious. But, while I wouldn't want to put any waterfowl at risk, perhaps I can still object purely on esthetic grounds to the fake swans.

The Phoenician
Scottsdale

The Phoenician
Scottsdale

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Views of Arizona: Verklempt Bag

Found at R&R Surplus in the Phoenician resort:

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Views of Arizona: Banana Tango

Seen while shop window-gazing in Scottsdale:

Crazy Horse
Fine Jewelry & Art
Scottsdale

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Views of Arizona: Signs of the Political Times

Last week my travels took me to Arizona. This week I'll show some of the photos I took while there.

Arizona is a red state with midterm political primaries coming up on August 28, 2018. Senate candidate Joe Arpaio is a former sheriff who has been convicted of criminal contempt for his racial profiling. He was, of course, granted a pardon by President Trump. Kate Brophy McGee is one of the current Senators from Arizona. Rodney Glassman is a former Democrat running as a Republican for the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Political placards
East Camelback Road, Scottsdale

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Adolph Schus in College Humor, January 1940

The January 1940 issue of College Humor includes two appearances by cartoonist Adolph Schus, already twice the number he ever had in the New Yorker. In the first of these, the Native American depicted honing his aim has abandoned the traditional bow and arrow. As he's adopted a popular pub game in their place, this gag very well could be making a tasteless reference to Indians and their penchant for alcohol.

Adolph Schus
College Humor, January 1940, Vol 11, No. 1, page 33

The second cartoon takes place in a hospital operating room setting few find reassuring. Who among us feels comfortable with gags premised on running out of general anesthesia?

"We're all out of ether, so I brought a cup of hot milk."
Adolph Schus

College Humor, January 1940, Vol 11, No. 1, page 36

Note:  Adolph Schus is new to the blog. According to Ink Spill, he published one and only one drawing in the New Yorker in 1938.

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #624

Wake up to my entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #624 for July 23, 2018. The drawing is by Farley Katz.

"Just give me some time to decompose myself."

These captions won't ever see the light of day:

"You're just not my blood type."
"But what would your grandchildren think?"
"Look, my lying next to you was not my choice."
"That settles it. I'm going twelve feet under."
"I need to be alone with my thoughts."
"You know, this is a cutaway view. We can't really see each other."
"But how do I know you're a woman."
"Sorry, but I'm allergic."
"I'm a loner. I'm not playing hard-to-get."
"No way I am doing any digging in this suit."

July 30, 2018 Update:  The Finalists

August 13, 2018 Update:  I voted for the first caption, of course.


August 20, 2018 Update:  Winning Caption

Note:  Last week cartoonist Joe Dator took us to a kite park. My caption just wouldn't fly. Soar into Contest #623.

Dig down to my previous post about Farley Katz.

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Harry Haenigsen in College Humor, January 1940

It seems fitting to resurrect a 1940 gag cartoon by Harry Haenigsen in honor of the thirtieth anniversary of Shark Week. If nothing else, this groaner demonstrates the importance of the hyphen in the term man-eating shark.

Harry Haenigsen
College Humor, January 1940, Vol 11, No. 1, page 29

Note: This is the first appearance of cartoonist Harry Haenigsen here on Attempted Bloggery. To me, this cartoon recalls the stylized multipanel gags of Otto Soglow. According to Ink Spill, Haenigsen published work in the New Yorker from 1931 to 1939, which places this cartoon just after that. In 1943, Haenigsen was to launch the popular newspaper comic strip Penny.

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Lee Lorenz: Is it Live?

An original gag cartoon by Lee Lorenz asks one of those questions about perception and reality that perhaps all young people contemplate at one time or another. The bell bottoms may date this drawing to the 1970s. The expression "live action" was used more commonly in that era as well. The cartoon is described on the Cartoon Bank's website as unpublished. The original cartoon is described on eBay only as an original cartoon.

"Do you ever wonder how much of this is live action
and how much is computer generated?"
Lee Lorenz
Original cartoon art
Listed as unpublished at the Cartoon Bank

Lee Lorenz's signature

Lee Lorenz
eBay Listing Retrieved July 21, 2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-cartoon-art-by-New-Yorker-Cartoonist-Lee-lorenz/123088243774?hash=item1ca8a18c3e%3Ag%3AiuYAAOSw3z9alLCL&_sacat=0&_nkw=+RARE-Original-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Art-by-Lee-Lorenz-Metro-North-Train++RARE-Original-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Art-by-Lee-Lorenz-Metro-North-Train++RARE-Original-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Art-by-Lee-Lorenz-Metro-North-Train++RARE-Original-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Art-by-Lee-Lorenz-Metro-North-Train++RARE-Original-New-Y&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

Lee Lorenz
eBay Item Description

https://cartoonbank.com...

"Do you ever wonder how much of this is live action
and how much is computer generated?"
Lee Lorenz
Original cartoon art
Listed as unpublished at the Cartoon Bank

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