Middle-aged professional typists in early holographic form

. . . and if that headline isn't enough of an enticement, I give up. But read on to see a 50s invention that made Fairgoing seem so marvelously modern.

September 1, 2009 at 3:37PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

What are these people looking at?

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Before we get the answer, note how the folks are arrayed in height so perfectly. Almost as if the photographer lined them up.

Here's the object of fascination:

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Fifty years later, I'm not sure we could improve on the technology, and the very term "newspaper personality" might confuse a lot of people. You mean someone whose personality is flat and square? No. I mean someone whose personality is made up of soy-based inks and a certain percentage of post-consumer pulp. OF COURSE I DON'T MEAN THAT. I MEAN COLUMNISTS. FAMOUS COLUMNISTS.

Sorry for shouting, but lately the imaginary people with whom I pick fights seem denser than usual.

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jameslileks

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