Monday, November 28, 2011

Log Cabin Saves a Marriage!


Lan sake?  Were they still using such archaic expressions in the late '30's?  Evidently his daddy was addicted to pancakes too.  Perhaps it was Ernest McGroucher from this earlier Pillsbury Ad.  Yes the mania of pancake madness runs in families but here we see how pancakes are just a gateway drug to some thing more sinister, more insidious... Syrup.  Yes, this Aunt Jenny Lookalike (or perhaps it is Aunt Jenny of Spry fame) is here pushing Log Cabin Syrup on unsuspecting family members.  It's all a pyramid scheme you know.  Get people hooked then they buy from you and get others hooked, quite a lucrative business model.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Sunday Stealing, The Big Guy is Back Meme

Today we ripped off a blogger named Firecat from the blog Party in My Head. He doesn't state where he got it. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!




Sunday Stealing: The Bud is Back Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!


1. Why did you sign up for writing your blog?
        Because I like history
2. Why did you choose your blog's name? What does it mean?
         Ummm... Pretty self explanatory
3. Do you ever had another blog?
        Did you ever had an engrish class?  Yes, way back in the day (1991-1995) I was SysOp of the Ghosts In Gray BBS and from 2007-2008 I ran the Jimmy Buffet Living Blog.
4. What do you do online when you're not on your blog?
        Read the Fedora Lounge Message board
5. How about when you're not on the computer?
         Spend time with family
6. What do you wish people who read your blog knew about you?
        That I have been a student of history for about 30 years now
7. What is your favorite community in the blogosphere?
         Don't participate
8. What is your philosophy on your blog layout?
         Taoist
9. Tell me about your picture you use to represent you on your blog.
         It's from a 1903 postcard of Main St. in the Springfield section of Jacksonville, Fl.
10. Pick 3 random blogs from your blogroll and tell us about them.
          I don't really blogroll, Everyday Fish Phil is my wife's visa journey blog and Kitchen Retro is a blog very much like my own focusing on vintage ads.
11. What features do you think your blog should have that it doesn't currently?
        Followers and Pageviews
12. What do you consider the 10 most "telling" interests that we would infer from what you blog persona?
         Command of the English language
13. Do you have any unique interests that you have never shared before? What are they?
          Yes I hunt fibbets
14. The best thing about blogging is all of the friends that you make, Beside from those folks, do you think your blog has fans?
          I have few followers but few people who comment on a regular basis so no large fanbase just yet
15. What's your current obsession? What about it captures your imagination?
           Dressing like an extra from Boardwalk Empire
16. What are you glad you did but haven't really had a chance to post about?
           I dunno
17. How many people that first became a blog friend, have you met face to face?
         None
18. What don't you talk about here, either because it's too personal or because you don't have the energy?
         If I don't talk about it on the blog why am I going to tell you?
19. What's a question that you'd love to answer?
         How about "What do think sets you apart from everyone else?"
20. Have you ever lost a blogging friendship and regretted it?
        Nope
21. Have you ever lost a blogging friendship and thought, “Was that overdue!”
        Nope

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Where's BrSpiritus?


I tell you it has been a crazy last couple of weeks and I realize that I have been away from writing for some time now.  First it was the run up to my wife's flight over here to the USA and I can say she arrived safely.  I spent most of my time with her, helping her to adjust to the the USA and we went out clothes shopping as North Florida Fall is here and her clothes are not warm enough to cope.  I was just enjoying spending time with her for the first time in over 1 1/2 years so, understandably, the blog suffered.

About the time my wife finally was getting settled Thanksgiving arrived, and with it a plethora of cooking including a 12lb Amish raised turkey smoked on the grill and a vintage recipe for Amish Apple-Sausage stuffing.  It was the best Thanksgiving we have had in a long time and I'm so happy my wife was able to share it with us.  Today we will be getting into the overhead in the garage and taking down the boxes of Christmas decorations.  I don't know if we'll get around to decorating today but we'll certainly get through arranging all the decorations and seeing what still works after years of storage.

I will get back to writing on Monday and I apologize for getting away from the blog for so long.  It was never my intention to leave it in the lurch but on the flipside I hope you can understand that family take precedence, especially when you have been apart for so long.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Special Edition: 5 Years of Love


I never ceases to surprise me how fast time moves on.  By the time my wife gets to read this, she will be in the USA after over a year and a half of waiting for her Visa to be approved.  Truly though is the amazing fact that as of today my wife and I have known each other for 5 years now.  We met back in 2006 on MySpace, the now defunct social network that was all the rage back then.  I had a friend of mine who was sharing my apartment at the time and trying to talk me into going to the Philippines.  I guess to spice up the offer he told me to go to MySpace and just look for girls in Cebu which is what I was doing at the time.  I had a few fits and starts with different girls then one day I found this one.  She interested me because there was no town listed where she was from but I saw she had worked in Davao so that was where I assumed she lived.  I had a bad taste in my mouth when it came to Davao, mostly because of the martial law that was in place there a few years back, however I took the chance and sent the friend request anyway.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Sunday Stealing: The Nightmare Before Monday

Today we ripped off a blogger named Tense Teacher from the blog Tense for a Reason. It's long so we'll do it in two parts. She stole it from The Coffee Table. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!


Sunday Stealing: The Madness Meme, Part 2

Cheers to all of us thieves!

23. Do you ever walk around the house naked?
      No, the neighbors would complain if I did.
 24. If you were an animal what would you be? Why?
     A Wolf.  I've always liked wolves and my nickname up in my job in Alaska is Nightwolf which I might add, was given to me without my input lol.
25. Hair color you like on someone you’re dating?
     Black
26. If suffering an injury, would you rather be left blind or deaf?
     Deaf, if I couldn't hear at least I could still drive
27. Do you have any special talents?
     Not that I know of... maybe some X rated ones lol
28. What do you do as soon as you walk in the house?
      Take a leak
29. Do you like horror or comedy?
     Horror and Comedy all in one.
30. Are you missing anyone?
     Definitely my wife but I get to see her again for the first time in over a year and a half on Wednesday
31. Where do you want to live when you are old?
      Maybe the Philippines
32. Who is the person you can count on the most?
     My wife, she's always there when I need her to be.
33. If you could date any celebrity past or present, who would it be?
    Anne Hathaway
34. What did you dream last night?
     I don't remember, I was tired and fell asleep like I was clubbed.
35. What is your favorite sport to watch?
     Football, Jacksonville Jaguars or the Baltimore Ravens
36. Are you named after anyone?
      Louis for my father (and grandfather and great grandfather) and Alexander for Alexander Graham Bell.
37. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?
     Aviation Cocktail or a Classic Martini
38. Non alcoholic drink?
     Water
39. Have you ever been in love?
       A few times, but never like I am with my wife.
40. Do you sing in the shower?
      No
41. Have you ever been arrested?
      Yes, I was falsely accused of several charges by my stepfather and could have gone to prison for 15 years.  All charges were dropped.
 42. What is your favorite Holiday?
        Halloween
43. Would you ever get plastic surgery?
       Yes, lipo to get rid of my effen gut.
44. Have you ever caught a fish?
       Yes, I've been trout fishing many times.

It's Not Polite To Point


Hawk lady wants you to join the Diplomat Corps!  Or is it owl lady?  Perhaps it's the goddess Athena come down from Mt. Olympus to help sell cheap cigars.  I don't care how you look at it this is just another ridiculous ad from the 1970's.  White Owls were always cheap machine made cigars, but at least before the Cuban Embargo they were made of Cuban tobacco.  By this point in time they were being manufactured with floor sweepings from the Dominican Republic and I don't think anyone smoked them as cigars, instead pulling out the filler and using the wrapper to make a blunt. 

Eventually White Owl bowed to the drug culture and started flavoring their cigars with such tasty treats as Grape, Chocolate and Strawberry... enough to make you want to vomit.  I myself smoke machine made cigars from time to time, but I never stoop so low as to smoke a White Owl.  I prefer to stay with what my grandfather smoked, mainly Dutch Masters with a Claro wrapper, but it's a once in a blue moon kind of fetish for me.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Pick a Peck of Pick's Soda


It struck me the other day that I keep posting alcohol ads on Fridays but for a rather large chunk of the time period I cover on my blog (1900-1950), there was Prohibition.  The Volstead Act became law on Jan 1st 1920 and lasted until 1932 when it was repealed.  It is a lesson to the American people on just what happens when you try to legislate morality, or push your person view on what is "healthy" on the rest of the people.  Banning the sale of alcohol was heralded as the saving of our age, no more would drunkenness be a societal problem.  But as always happens with anything banned, people naturally seek it out for the thrill of "breaking the law".  Drunkenness actually increased by as much as tenfold over what it was pre-prohibition.  This also gave rise to the Gangster era, on punctuated with soaring crime and horrible murders. 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Personal Day...

I'm taking a day off, I've been so wrapped up in helping my wife with last minute preparations before she flys to the USA next week that I've just not been in the mood to write or do anything else.  Rather than bore you with half-assed articles I just want to take a day off and start writing again on Friday.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Pagerank!

If you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the blog you'll see Google assigned me a pagerank of 2.  I wasn't really expecting this for a couple of months yet.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Wordless Wednesday, Pumpkin Pie

The First Pumpkin Pie of 2011

Sartorial Guidance

I routinely go through YouTube just playing videos for music to listen to while I write articles.  Mostly Django Reinhardt, 20's Jazz and 30's Swing.  Whilst going through I found this video:






Now she claims to be giving sartorial advice on how to dress, and somehow this video turned up as part of 1920's videos.  Please save me from modern fashion!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Colonial Peanut Soup


It's been chilly down here lately... well as chilly as it gets in North Florida at this time of year. I was looking for something different to have for dinner one night.  I knew I wanted soup but I just wasn't in the mood for Tomato or Mushroom soup and it's not quite chicken soup weather yet.  So it was off to an old standby, Peanut Soup.  Peanut Soup has been a staple in the US since colonial times but it's popularity waned in the late 20th Century except in areas where peanuts are a dominant crop (Georgia and especially Virginia).  This recipe is from an old Williamsburg recipe and has gone unchanged since Colonial times.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

The Hurry Up Breakfast

Post Toasties 1912

"It's Post Toasties dear, don't you want to have your breakfast before leaving?"  "Yes buttercup, but do look at time.  I'm never going to catch that train to New York before I sail to England on the Titanic.  Marvelous ship, I do wish I was able to sail on her maiden voyage."  Yes Post Toasties... The memory lingers.  What sort of catch phrase is that?  I don't want my breakfast haunting me all day, thank you very much.  I prefer to eat it and get on with the day's activities.  And how exactly does it linger?  Does it feel like you ate a brick?  Do you need some Sal Hepatica to move that mass of flattened corn along?  Or perhaps it just keeps "repeating", a quaint term my grandmother used to use when she kept burping.  Of course, as with many food ads from the early 1900's. there's the serving suggestion.   

Take with Milk or Cream and Sugar (if desired).

Not much for low fat diets back then were they?  I also love how this sugar is optional, what if I just want sugar and no milk or cream?  Or perhaps grape juice? (Laugh if you want to, but I knew a vegan that ate his cereal this way.)

Saturday, November 5, 2011

A Bacchanalia of Bacchus


Sometimes I think that my friend Lidian over at Kitchen Retro and I are in a contest for who can find the the most ridiculous piece of Vintage Advertising.  Here's one specifically for you Lidian, Bacchus Cologne from 1970.  Yes it's the secret weapon of the Roman army, by smelling like a French Whorehouse Rome was able to cower their enemies into submission with an olfactory assault that apparently brought on an orgasmic orgy of whore bathing in cheap cologne.  Men were apoplectic with joy as they doused themselves with a chemtastic chemical concoction and upon smelling the waft in the air women were overcome with sexual energy that led to an excessive amount of carnal frivolity.  Whilst the denizens of the town were reveling in wanton caresses, the Roman army was able to move in and capture the ramparts thus ending the siege... Roma Victor!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Miller High Life Redux

1952 Miller High Life

I don't really even have to say too much about this ad.  It's from the same series as the other Miller Ad I posted a couple weeks ago and I haven't changed my mind about it.  The designers were definitely high when they made it.  What are your thoughts about this ad?  Leave me a comment below and let your voice be heard!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Pancake Madness

1928 Pillsbury Pancake Mix

Besides doing one good turn a day, Ernest McGroucher loves his pancakes.  It's a serious addiction, one that has obviously disrupted his family life.  His wife left him and married the milkman and now poor Ernest has to keep his daughter drugged so she'll keep making pancakes and not run away too.  As with most addictions, Ernest now deals on the side to support it.  Yes, he lures his bachelor friends into the house and slyly offers them pancakes while his Quaalude ridden daughter looks on with vapid eyes and plastic smile.  It's ok, we all know you're crying on the inside because of having to make pancakes all day.  After introducing his friends to the pleasures of Pillsbury Pancakes, they show their gratitude... by buying more pancakes.  It's a vicious cycle, this pancake addiction, one that ensures family life will never be the same again once it invades the home.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Tabasco Sauce

1958 Tabasco Ad

I was looking in Google Analytics at search terms that brought people to my site and I noticed a number of Tabasco related inquiries.  Hmm interesting.  I don't think I talked too much about Tabasco except early on when I wrote the recipes for the Creole Collard Greens but I can take a minute now and speak about it.  Personally I love Tabasco, I put it on just about everything... well not ice cream surely but you get the point.  I have to buy it in the enormous food service size bottles though.  I'm not much of a pepper head when it comes to hot sauce.  Habanero peppers give me the hiccups and I think people who are eating Ghost Chilies are out of the heads.  It's a condiment, plain and simple and I use it to add zest to my food not dominate the flavor. 

Tabasco has been around since the late 1860's when Mr McIlhenny came back to his Avery Island home to find it completely destroyed by invading Yankees.  Fortunately he discovered the place had become overrun with Tabasco peppers, seeds of which a friend had originally brought back from Mexico after the Mexican War in the 1840's.  McIlhenny came up with the idea of macerating the ripe peppers with Avery Island sea salt and vinegar and letting them age in used whiskey barrels and thus Tabasco Sauce was born.  It gained popularity in the US after being featured in the Colombian exposition in the 1880's but it really didn't become a household item outside Louisiana until the 1950's when this ad was made.  People were still rather timid about spicy food back then as both recipes call for a whopping 1/2tsp of Tabasco, but dad remembers his father using it in many dishes back when he was a kid. 

More recently Tabasco introduced their new flavors starting out with a mild Jalapeno Sauce in the 90's and eventually adding Garlic, Habanero and Smoked Chipotle.  The nutritional info is about the same no matter what sauce you buy, no calories, no carbs and around 35mg Sodium per teaspoon.  There are many other hot sauces out there and I've tried many of them, but non can replace the original Tabasco.
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