By Bob Jewell, Farmington Hills (Rjewell) on Wednesday, November 1, 2006 - 07:08 pm:
Re George Hite:
George explained everything in his journal on his website.
Flamingo Owners:
You better start guarding your birds. From Yesterday's Detroit Free Press.
But the original version of the plastic flamingo may be singing its swan song after inspiring countless pranks -- and being alternately celebrated as a tribute to one of nature's most graceful creatures and derided as the epitome of American pop culture kitsch.
Union Products Inc. stopped producing flamingos and other lawn ornaments at its Leominster factory in June, and is going out of business Wednesday -- a victim of rising expenses for plastic resin and electricity, as well financing problems.
The small privately held firm has been in talks with a pair of rival lawn ornament makers interested in buying the molds and resuming production of the flamingos, designed in 1957 by local son Don Featherstone.
"We think the flamingo will go on," Keith Marshall, Union Products' chief financial officer, said at the company's aging brick factory, where just a few years ago more than 100 employees churned out flamingos by the millions.
Just a couple workers were still around to wrap up business. At the front desk stood a lone flamingo with the words "Happy 50th birthday" written with a black marker on the side, symbolizing hope that the flamingo will rise phoenix-like from the ashes to be reborn.
Other companies' knockoff versions of the Featherstone original remain in production. But the uncertainty surrounding the original has aficionados of kitsch snapping up what they can via the online auction site eBay and elsewhere in case Featherstone versions go out of stock for good.
By Capt. Paul (Eclogite) on Wednesday, November 1, 2006 - 09:29 pm:
Thanks for all the "thank you's" today from everyone. Although all the talk of the big lake, deer hunting, Keweenaw geology, and everything else UP has made me quite homesick now!! :(
By Tara Plante (Michmedic) on Wednesday, November 1, 2006 - 10:47 pm:
I'm sure it's somewhere on here, and I just can't find it (!), but what happened to the bridge cam?
Thanks!
By Danbury (Danbury) on Thursday, November 2, 2006 - 02:47 am:
Michmedic, look at the very last line on this page, below the Preview/Post Message button - there's the link.
It just worked, but the last BridgeCam appears to be from 10/15 ...