The Funnies - The Wood Alcohol Tree (1920)

The Wood Alcohol Tree

The Judge Magazine, July 1920

The Funnies - That Second Cocktail (1919)

That Second Cocktail

April 1919, Life Magazine

100 Years Ago - Felix the Cat

Almost since the first moving pictures thrilled audiences, we've enjoyed cartoons. Digging through the internet archives I came across this little gem from 1919. One hundred years ago, maybe not to the day, but close enough to qualify. Enjoy a bit of ragtime piano and the antics of Felix the Cat.

The Funnies - First Lap of 2019 (1919)

Starting on the first lap of the year.

A combination of the funnies and a 100 years ago post today, the beginning of 1919 in kitten terms. From Life magazine's, January 1919 issue.

Merry Christmas from 1918

A Merry Christmas from a hundred years ago. Funny how times have changed. It's hard to imagine a card shop or mega-mart stocking war-themed Christmas cards nowadays. Sure, you'll find the requisite patriotic one here and there (still rare), but actually mentioning an ongoing conflict? I can't imagine it. Maybe that's just the view from a generation privileged enough to have the choice not to experience any of the ongoing armed conflicts. These are different days.

So, Merry Christmas everyone everywhere. Put on the Bing Crosby or Judy Garland version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and really listen to the lyrics. Understand that it's a song written to those who are far away, fighting a war that seems endless...understand the singer doesn't know if they'll ever see their loved one again. May we all have a Merry Little Christmas...if the fates allow.

Happy National Picnic Week 2018

There's a national (and sometimes international) day or week for just about any interest you can think of nowadays. Poodles have their day on October 6th, Stamp collecting gets the whole month of October, Strawberries get February 27th, and picnics get June 15th - 24th. What's the deal with a week that doesn't begin on Monday anyway? Was it a ploy to give people time to plan a picnic for the weekend that sits in the middle of picnic week? Something doesn't smell right and I don't think it's the Limburger. Speaking of cheese, why not have a picnic ad?

I have to say this is one of those odd occurrences where I've got a little experience with the products that show up in this 1937 ad from Life Magazine. In my case it's probably expected I'd know Velveeta, Kraft is still manufacturing this fine petroleum-based cheese food product to this very day. And, I guess everyone knows Kraft singles, those plastic slices of salty something that topped the bologna sandwiches of my youth. But, today I'm speaking of the little jars of cheese spread at the left of the ad. My grandparents used to get the Pimento Spread and Old English and I remember them being a feature at many a holiday gathering. Now, I don't really remember them being eaten. I definitely only tried them once. Still seeing them is enough to bring back memories.

Anyway, if you're out to celebrate picnic week, maybe throw some bulletproof cheese products into your basket. If nothing else you can use them to build a signal fire, or you can throw them at bears.

The Funnies - Quite Likely (1909)

Minnie Mermaid - Don't you wish you could go rowing with a Summer man?

Bessie Mermaid - No, I don't; men are lazy things. He'd probably make me scull over the stern with my tail!