Category Archives: History

vintage girl eating chocolate Bar

Wholesome Candy-Treat or Trick?

For some parents the scariest part of Halloween is the prospect of all the candy their children will consume once they’ve brought home their haul. Chill. It may be hard to swallow but once upon a time candy was not

vintage girl eating chocolate Bar

Wholesome Candy-Treat or Trick?

For some parents the scariest part of Halloween is the prospect of all the candy their children will consume once they’ve brought home their haul. Chill. It may be hard to swallow but once upon a time candy was not

vintage ad American dream illustration

Ghosts of American Dreams Past

  Once upon a time the promise of “skies the limit” was fundamental to the American Dream. Now something is fundamentally wrong. The core elements of the American dream are increasingly unaffordable for the majority. Fundamentally Frustrated From millennials saddled

vintage ad American dream illustration

Ghosts of American Dreams Past

  Once upon a time the promise of “skies the limit” was fundamental to the American Dream. Now something is fundamentally wrong. The core elements of the American dream are increasingly unaffordable for the majority. Fundamentally Frustrated From millennials saddled

vintage travel sign polio epidemic 1916

Panic and Prejudice Go Viral Pt III

Americans are suffering from a serious panic attack, as panic itself has gone viral. Ebola hysteria is spreading faster than the virus itself, creating a climate of fear mongering, misinformation and intolerance. Along with frantic calls for travel restrictions and

vintage travel sign polio epidemic 1916

Panic and Prejudice Go Viral Pt III

Americans are suffering from a serious panic attack, as panic itself has gone viral. Ebola hysteria is spreading faster than the virus itself, creating a climate of fear mongering, misinformation and intolerance. Along with frantic calls for travel restrictions and

Man expressing fear

Panic Gone Viral

Scarier by far than any Grimm’s Brothers fairy tale, or even an episode of the Twilight Zone, were the stories my grandmother would tell about the time a virulent polio epidemic swept through NYC in 1916. While  war raged over

Man expressing fear

Panic Gone Viral

Scarier by far than any Grimm’s Brothers fairy tale, or even an episode of the Twilight Zone, were the stories my grandmother would tell about the time a virulent polio epidemic swept through NYC in 1916. While  war raged over

vintage photo of people No One is Safe

A Paralyzing Fear

  A pandemic of panic seems to have swept the nation. Ebola fear has gone viral, spreading faster than the virus itself. Fear-mongering in the face of an unknown epidemic is nothing new. The panic and the rampant distrust, the

vintage photo of people No One is Safe

A Paralyzing Fear

  A pandemic of panic seems to have swept the nation. Ebola fear has gone viral, spreading faster than the virus itself. Fear-mongering in the face of an unknown epidemic is nothing new. The panic and the rampant distrust, the

Vintage illustration Columbus

Christopher Columbus- America Dreaming

Next to July 4th Columbus day was the most sacred American Holiday in my mid-century childhood. After all, Christopher Columbus embodied the very spirit of a founding father. Or so the story went. Skillfully weaving fairy tales with the deftness

Vintage illustration Columbus

Christopher Columbus- America Dreaming

Next to July 4th Columbus day was the most sacred American Holiday in my mid-century childhood. After all, Christopher Columbus embodied the very spirit of a founding father. Or so the story went. Skillfully weaving fairy tales with the deftness

vintage photo 1930s nightclub

Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer for Hipsters and Hi Society

Who would have guessed Pabst Blue Ribbon that iconic working class beer ironically embraced by hipsters has a pedigree more blue blood than blue-collar. 75 years ago Pabst positioned itself to appeal to the “gay, smart modern set” hoping members

vintage photo 1930s nightclub

Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer for Hipsters and Hi Society

Who would have guessed Pabst Blue Ribbon that iconic working class beer ironically embraced by hipsters has a pedigree more blue blood than blue-collar. 75 years ago Pabst positioned itself to appeal to the “gay, smart modern set” hoping members

vintage illustration army enlistment

Join the Army See the World

No matter the season, mid-century Americans in unprecedented numbers were venturing out into the cold war world traveling abroad as never before spending billions of dollars on fun for all vacations. But tourists weren’t the only ones packing their passports

vintage illustration army enlistment

Join the Army See the World

No matter the season, mid-century Americans in unprecedented numbers were venturing out into the cold war world traveling abroad as never before spending billions of dollars on fun for all vacations. But tourists weren’t the only ones packing their passports

Vintage Packard Car Ad 1937

Envy and the American Dream

Screen Envy Happy days are here again… the new iPhone is out! An uncharacteristic hush descended on my local Starbucks today as a wave of envy swept through the coffee-house. As if in unison, covetous coffee drinkers looked up from

Vintage Packard Car Ad 1937

Envy and the American Dream

Screen Envy Happy days are here again… the new iPhone is out! An uncharacteristic hush descended on my local Starbucks today as a wave of envy swept through the coffee-house. As if in unison, covetous coffee drinkers looked up from

Teddy Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt Empire Builder

America has a long history of flexing our formidable global muscles, confident that our take charge performance, and American ways would be gladly received wherever we went. If the American Century began in earnest in post war America it had

Teddy Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt Empire Builder

America has a long history of flexing our formidable global muscles, confident that our take charge performance, and American ways would be gladly received wherever we went. If the American Century began in earnest in post war America it had