The Business of Pre-Beatlemania

What hasn't been written about the Beatles? One of the items on display in the touring Beatles exhibit featured at Davenport's Putnum Museum earlier this year is one of two known business cards of Beatle manager Brian Epstein. While the front side is very modestly designed - a few months before their iconic logo was developed, the back side was signed by all four Beatle members at the time.

On the back side of the business card John Lennon scribbled "Best Wishes" and signed his name. George Harrison and Paul McCartney signed too. The Beatles drummer at the time, Pete Best also penned the card's back. Best was dismissed as the Beatles drummer by Brian Epstein on August 16, 1962. Two days later, Ringo Starr joined the group and the rest is Beatlemania history.

Living in a Material World

A recent wave from an Union Pacific engineer is reminiscent of the album cover from 1973's Living in a Material World by George Harrison. While not exactly the same hand with Hindu script the gesture acknowledges that he sees me and I see him - from the safety of an overhead bridge. The fast moving train is probably doing about 60 mph at this point as it travels east through eastern Iowa.

First Light on Blue Jay Way

A lone wintertime blue jay finds its way to some seed after the bird threw it from a suspended feeder earlier. Blue jays, cardinals, red headed wood peckers, crows and sparrows all hang around 42N country for the winter season. Hawks and eagles come around too if they don't lose their way. This first light image is made possible by a 1.4x teleconverter.