American Gothic
These are Grant Wood's original models for his painting "American Gothic". So very uplifting.
Hires To You!
I can remember a time when people made Hires Root Beer at home. Hires is still a Philadelphia tradition that goes very nicely with a cheesesteak.
It's About Knowing All The Lines
With me, it's The Godfather trilogy and the Firesign Theatre comedy routines. With the rest of the family, it's Monty Python, and the 1980 edition of Flash Gordon. Whenever we watch or listen, we can deliver the lines before the actors do. And everyday events get captioned with quotes from one or another of them. I hope that everyone has something like that in their lives. I know Mark Wahlberg and Ted do.
Hand Jive
Why do so many people make hand signs in group photographs these days? I've never gotten the memo explaining what they all mean. Thank you for listening. Now get off my lawn...
The Romance Of Air Travel
Just kidding.
I wonder if there will be a "'Murica Lite"
Hey, 'Murica: This Bud's For You!
"Budweiser announced the campaign, officially named “America Is in Your Hands,” last week and will use it from May 23 until after November’s presidential election. If the brand was hoping to start a conversation with its plan, it accomplished that and then some.
A gesture that felt patriotic to some felt, in the midst of a polarizing election cycle, like pandering to others. Not a few people noted that Budweiser’s corporate parent is the Belgian-Brazilian beverage conglomerate Anheuser-Busch InBev." (New York Times)
That's Life
I don't usually pay much attention to celebrities (unless they're running for President), but damn if Mia Farrow's son doesn't look more like Frank Sinatra than Woody Allen.
Shack Of Sit Furniture Showroom
I cannot believe that this domain name is still available.
The NFL Research Center For Player Safety: Preventing Concussions
The league is conducting extensive testing of helmets prior to the start of the 2016-17 season.
Atari "Space Invaders" Championship Tournament
Everything old is new again. Likely there are dads here of new generations of gamers.
Atari’s National Space Invaders Championship in 1980
Back Bay Boston Before The Pru
Back before there was a Prudential Center on Boylston Street in Back Bay Boston (and the Massachusetts Turnpike running underneath it), there were rail yards. Lots and lots of rail yards.
Knowing When
After the Primary debates ceased to be fun anymore and I suspended my political campaign, I've been getting more and more excited about the upcoming NFL season.
Outside of rooting for my fellow Penn State alum Christian Hackenberg to get drafted by a decent team tonight, I care as much about the NFL Draft as I do about fantasy football. Which is zero.
With the almost-certainty of Jimmy Garoppolo playing quarterback for the New England Patriots while Tom Brady serves his four game regular season suspension, I can't wait for the new season to start.
NFL training camps will open in about ninety days, just after the Republican convention in Cleveland. TB12 will only have played his first couple of regular season games and we will have a good idea of whether or not this will be the "Fuck You" season that Patriots fans had hoped for last year, one that ends with another Super Bowl victory.
And not long after Brady returns from his suspension, we will finally know whether the next President of the United States will be Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.
As it was for me during the late 1960s, I am once again blessed to live in interesting times.