Today is Veterans Day. A United States holiday like many others that is taken for granted by far too many as a day off from work or just another holiday sale. Continue reading
Go into the supermarket and examine just about any product. You will notice shrinking packaging and products. You are getting less and paying more.
Tropicana orange juice just shrunk again – from 64 ounces to 59 ounces to 52 ounces and now 46 ounces. Coffee is sold in a pound can, but contains about 11.3 ounces of product.
In 1954 the price of coffee was rising, and the answer was not shrink the cup, but raise the price. A 50% price hike to be exact, from ten cents to fifteen cents.
Even after World War II many places still sold a nickel cup of coffee.
The original news slug reads: Continue reading
In this advertisement from The St. Paul Globe of July 18, 1903, Dr. Alfred L. Cole does not explicitly say what condition he is treating in “night losses”, but it sounds extremely perilous.
The mores and morals of the time would not permit the condition to be talked about in polite society.
But, reading between the lines, Dr. Cole proposes to stop men from having wet dreams. Continue reading
It’s not what you might think. There was no Pride Day 100 years ago. These two members of the armed services shown in the poster above are definitely sharing a moment. But it was not intended to be depicting a gay moment.
Asking for a fag may not be in the parlance of Americans, but to Brits the meaning is very clear. “Do you have a cigarette?” Continue reading
Socialists Hold May Day Celebration In Central Park
Shown above is a scene on the Mall in Central Park, New York City on May Day as the Socialists listened to the various speakers. The Mall was crowded to capacity. credit: Acme May 1, 1935
In 1930s New York socialism was a popular draw. Continue reading
Radio As Effective As Morphine
This photo shows several young patients at Beth Israel Hospital, N.Y. listening in to concerts on the radio taking their minds off their ailments, and making them happy.According to Beth Israel Superintendent L.J. Frank, the doctors and nurses agree that in a large number of cases, that, at times the radio is as effective as morphine, bromine and other narcotics. Many sufferers of rheumatism and other chronic afflictions require no other sedative other than radio since it was introduced at that hospital as a treatment. photo: United Press International / Acme – August 25, 1925
Radio, morphine? An interesting comparison.
When doctors made this proclamation 99 years ago Continue reading
Pick of Nation In Race For Nation’s Beauty Crown!
A staggering fascinating view of the cream of America’s beauty , gathered from all corners of the United States to vie for title of Miss America at Atlantic City. The beauties of all sorts and moods – are pictured as they appeared September 8, lined up for rehearsal of ceremony of picking of winner. photo: Pacific and Atlantic Photos 9/9/1926
The Miss America prize was awarded to “The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America” starting in 1921. As you can see in our photo, originally the competitors were from various cities around the United States and not representing individual states.
The irrelevant Miss America contest still takes place but without the bathing suit competition. Continue reading
Page 2 article New York Herald January 16, 1921
In 1921 instead of illegals, the New York City Police Department were gathering up men from other cities who were jobless.
This article is from the January 16, 1921 New York Herald:
POLICE ROUNDING UP NON-RESIDENT IDLE
Jobless Who Do Not Live Here Arrested as Vagrants.
Squads of detectives and uniformed policemen, under orders to arrest unemployed men who could not prove themselves residents of New York City, went through the lower East Side last night and early to-day inspecting saloons and lunch rooms. At one saloon at 199 Worth street twenty-nine men, who had nothing to do but warm themselves beside a stove, were made prisoners and locked In the Elizabeth street station on charges of vagrancy. Continue reading
With today being Christmas many Americans make their annual appearance in what was once a a weekly tradition. Attending religious services has been on a steady decline for decades. Continue reading
This illustration from the December 21, 1895 Harper’s Weekly shows some of the tests put to applicants of the NYPD.
Instead of Tammany Hall patronage to get on the police force, Continue reading
