"Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet"

Luckies green were pre WWII. Luckies red and white were introduced in 1942 after "Lucky Strike green goes to war." They were thought to be more "female friendly." (American Tobacco Co.)


We think there are a lot of con men around today but they are probably a small group compared to the guys who were in the advertising and promotion business of the 1920s.

That decade wasn’t called “The Roaring ‘20s” for nothing. It was a post WWI party for ten years that contributed greatly to the worst Depression in the history of the United States. Every night was party night and Prohibition only added to the fun with the characters it wrought. It also was the first decade of commercial radio which spawned a new generation of con artists with what we would consider today as outlandish advertising.

The number one guy in that group and probably the most successful was the head of the American Tobacco Company, George Washington Hill. Flamboyant and brilliant only begins to describe this guy who would ride to his Fifth Avenue office daily in a limo decorated with Lucky Strike cigarette packages.

Hill took over the company from his father in 1926 and was totally sold on radio as an advertising tool. Until radio, advertising was done in print but in 1928, Hill dropped all print ads and replaced them with a radio show called the “Lucky Strike Dance Hour.” Within two months, sales of Lucky Strike cigarettes went up 47%.

One day Hill looked out his limo window and saw two women standing at a bus stop. One was overweight and chewing gum. The other was thin and beautiful and smoking a cigarette. A light bulb lit in Hill’s head: women smokers were considered modern and daring in the 1920s but there were still millions of women who didn’t smoke. However, like today, most women were very conscious of their weight. That was the group Hill went after with his slogan, “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet.” The candy makers were livid but sales of Lucky Strikes shot up again.

Other gimmicks like “It’s Toasted” and “LS/MFT” (Lucky Strike means fine tobacco) sold plenty of Lucky Strikes but probably his most creative idea was early in WWII when he was told that the green ink on the Lucky Strike package had to be discontinued because the chromium in the ink was needed for the production of tanks.

Hill was never one to pass up an opportunity to peddle more Luckies, so he redesigned the package to be white with a red and black bull’s eye. At the same time, he advertised that the discontinued green package was helping the troops and that “Lucky Strike green has gone to war.” It was a brilliant patriotic line that sold a lot of cigarettes but many people also thought it was just another way to sell more Luckies as Hill wanted a newly designed package anyway to lure more women to smoking.

He may have been a con artist but no one can doubt the success of George Washington Hill as a superb salesman and a true character from yesterday.

Common sense, political correctness

Common sense can’t be learned. You either walk out into the rain or you take an umbrella. Those who do the former are the same people who think it makes perfect sense to type messages to their friends on a cell phone while driving a car. They will always do it (unless they are killed in the process) and the non umbrella users will always get soaked. Neither party “gets it.”

The latest person to join the list is a car salesman in Chicago who wore a Green Bay Packers tie to work Monday after the Chicago Bears lost to the Packers the day before in the NFC Conference Championship Game. The car dealer is a sponsor of Bears’ games and most of his customers are huge Bears’ fans so what was this guy thinking? I know what his boss was thinking after he probably blinked a few times in disbelief while looking at the dreaded Packers tie: “You’re outta here!” The guy probably crossed the street on a red light as he was headed to the bus stop afterward.

The insanity of political correctness: So, here we go with the latest example of jumping to conclusions.

Congresswoman Giffords was shot by an insane guy working on his own and suddenly any kind of terminology concerning weapons is becoming politically incorrect. The other day I saw a wimp talking head on CNN named John King apologize because a guest used one of these now forbidden terms.

King’s guest was a guy named Andy Shaw of the Better Government Association, whatever that is. Shaw used the term “in the crosshairs” while he and King discussed the mayoral race in Chicago.

A few minutes later, King was apologizing for the dreaded “in the crosshairs” term just like the politically correct little liberal he is. Watch this (0.24) if you would like a good laugh.

Based on CNN’s attitude, I guess Target Stores better change their name, Steve Nash better stop taking “shots” at the basket, you can’t collect sea “shells”, and during elections there will no longer be “battleground” states. Let’s not forget those “bullets” used in typing to indicate certain important items, no one should be the “butt” of jokes since rifles have butts, and whatever you do, don’t put an ink “cartridge” in your printer.

This is what we have to put up with today, folks. Don’t allow it, use those supposed offending terms daily plus the many others that accompany them. We still have free speech in this country and I defy any politically correct group to try and change that.

I'm wondering.....

Handsome fellow, huh? Javelinas won't usually bother you unless they are provoked. It's good to have a couple rocks handy just in case.

Why are people who live near the desert in the Phoenix area surprised when they encounter snakes, javelinas, coyotes, etc.?

The Scottsdale Republic reported recently that some guy who is a ten year resident, and his daughter, were walking near the desert in Scottsdale when they met some javelinas. They were scared out of their wits as they jumped somebody’s fence and called the police. The police? I wonder what they expected the police to do other than tell them not to worry about it. There is no word yet as to whether the javelinas were arrested and charged with living in their natural habitat.

It reminds me of a couple of years ago when I was doing a story for the Republic about the Scottsdale Fire Department. One of the firemen told me it is not unusual for them to get calls from hikers who wanted to report a snake sighting while they were on their hike and would the fire department please remove the offending reptile? Snakes in the desert? How dare they live there!

Also in the Republic last week: Advice on how to be a better business writer.

This is a subject that strikes close to home for me. When I got out of college and went looking for a job, I must have had the longest resume in history. I was stoked up to find work and wanted every prospective employer to know all about how great I was. Little did I know that most of the junk I had on there was worthless and would never be read. A friend who knew about these things told me something that I have never forgotten: keep it simple! He was right; those who interview people have more to do than read resumes the length of a Tolstoy novel.

I found that simplicity was also more desirable in making sales presentations. Make presentations brief, stay relevant, and don’t try to show off your $1.98 vocabulary. You won’t impress anyone by using “aggregate” when “total” will do the job.

Speaking of jobs, the current feeling that if you have been unemployed for a while, it hurts your chances of being hired, may not be true. Some companies are only hiring those who have been unemployed rather than those who are employed and just want to change jobs. They feel that the unemployed will show a better appreciation and not have unrealistic expectations. However, it is usually important to have a good explanation as to WHY you have been unemployed.

Honey West is gone

The late Leslie Nielsen with Ann Francis in "Forbidden Planet" (1956)

One of my all time movie heartthrob babes left us this week when Ann Francis died. When I was a kid, my friends and I drooled over any film Ann was in whether it was Glenn Ford’s wife in “Blackboard Jungle” (1955) or the gorgeous daughter of Walter Pidgeon in “Forbidden Planet” (1956).

Her most popular years were the 50’s although one of my favorite roles from her was a “Twilight Zone” episode from 1960 where she played a mannequin trapped in a department store.

In 1965-66 she won a Golden Globe award for her portrayal of “Honey West”, a female private detective, on television. Ann Francis was 80. I will miss her!

I recently saw the ballet film “Black Swan”. As a man, I’m not the type of demographic that the makers of ballet films expect to see in their audience. But, my wife wanted to see it plus I like Natalie Portman from other films and heard she plays an Oscar nominating role in the film.

Although it’s a decent film, it doesn’t match “The Red Shoes” (1948) as a great film about the ballet. Nothing ever will as that film stands by itself. “Black Swan” also contains the typical gratuitous sex scene that we have come to expect from modern films. I usually refer to it as the “obligatory f--- scene” because you know it is coming at some time.

This time it was a lesbian scene that Portman herself said was the “hook” used to get an audience. It’s too bad modern film makers feel they have to incorporate those scenes but they are in the business of making money and that’s what gets butts in the seats. Personally, I like my sex and violence at home but, hey, I guess that’s just me.

I still like the old films the best. They didn’t need sex scenes to draw an audience. The other night I watched “The Sting” (1973) and enjoyed it as much as ever. Paul Newman and Robert Redford were big with the ladies at that time but that film was a huge hit without any gratuitous sex scenes. Imagine that: a film getting by on pure acting and a good story! What will they think of next?

If you would like to leave a comment or read some of the 32 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for The Arizona Republic newspaper in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Steam engines and cabooses

I enjoy the 24 hour showing of “A Christmas Story” (1983) every year on TBS. They start the loop at 9:00 Christmas Eve night and it runs continuously until 9:00 Christmas night. It takes place in the 1940s and brings back some nostalgic memories like Ralphie having to put a bar of Lifebuoy soap in his mouth as punishment for uttering the infamous “F” word when he and his dad were changing a flat tire.

In one scene there is the background sound of an old steam driven locomotive going down the tracks with its whistle blowing as it makes its way through the night. I grew up in southwest Ohio and can identify with that steam engine. They were still operating in the early 1950’s before diesels took over and we lived close enough to the railroad tracks that I could hear them late into the night. I would lay in bed next to my window on rainy nights and think about the romance of working on the railroad. To a ten year old kid it seemed like a really cool job.

A freight train never went through a crossing where I didn’t wave at the engineer and the other crew members who worked on the train. All of us kids respected those guys as trains were a really big deal. I loved movies involving trains like Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” (1939) where George and Lenny hop a freight train during the Depression years. The trains were the major form of transportation for the hobos of that era.

During the early ‘50s, before our brains had matured enough to know danger, my friends and I would “hop” freight trains and ride them several miles before jumping off. This was really stupid but when you were 13 or 14 in those days, it was great fun. Never mind that we could have been easily killed or that many times we had to ride a lot farther than we wanted because the thing was going too fast to jump off!

The caboose was always intriguing to me. Unless you are a certain age, you probably don’t remember cabooses. They were separate cars attached to the back of the freight trains that were used as living quarters for the train crew. Many times they were decorated with pictures and posters and many had a cast iron stove used for heat and cooking. The stoves usually had a lip on the edge of the surface to keep cooking and coffee pots from sliding off. Those guys thought of everything!

By the 1980’s, cabooses had outlived their use as railroads were looking for ways to reduce labor costs and materials. They were replaced by a FREDs (Flashing Rear End Device). A FRED could be attached to the rear of the train to detect the train's air brake pressure and report any problems back to the locomotive. It did other duties too which used to be done by crews.

Cabooses are gone now but to a lot of us they were a big part of growing up in a friendlier, simpler time.

If you would like to leave a comment or read other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for The Arizona Republic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Hello, 2011!

One of the political victories of 2010 has to be the failure of the DREAM Act. It was nothing but semi-disguised amnesty in the form of a plea to help illegal immigrant children up to age 35 who were brought to the U. S. as babies to gain a path to citizenship.

Up to age 35? Now, that is funny! It’s ridiculous when we are expected to cater to kids (kids?) who are illegal and have parents who are also illegal all of whom are living illegally in the U. S. Somehow, I didn’t see the kids wanting to serve two years in our military or do two years of college. As simple as this would have been for them, this would have been a great dodge. How about a bill sending the parents and kids back to Mexico and letting them start over the right way?

The bill was an attempt to gain votes from the Latino community in the next election and nothing else. Defeating it was the right thing to do. Seal the border; then we can talk some more.

I don’t see the big deal about “Don’t ask, don’t tell”. Gays have been in the military for a long time. When I was serving Uncle Sam for four years in the 1960’s, we had at least ten gay guys in our barracks. One of them was a roommate of mine and he knew that I knew he was gay. However, neither he nor any of the other gay guys had confrontations about their sexual preferences that I ever heard of. They went their way and we went ours, no big deal.

Now, a can of worms has been opened with the repeal of DADT. Why they didn’t let sleeping dogs lie on this, I will never know unless it is just another typical attempt by this government to endorse a certain lifestyle in their never ending push for votes. I wonder how Clinton feels about his legislation from 1993 being repealed by Obama.

Anyway, 2011 is upon us so Que sera, sera. It will have to go a long way to beat the events of 2010.

Jim McAllister writes for the Arizona Republic in Scottsdale, AZ. To leave a comment or read the 39 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus.

Awesome things in life

"Excuse me m'am, excuse me sir, sorry.......Uh, I only have one item. Would you mind if I went to the front of the line?" Yeah, right!


Phil Hawkes of the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance has dug up an interesting blog by a guy named Neil Pasricha. It’s called “The Top 1,000 Awesome Things”. The list started on June 6, 2008 and by posting one awesome thing per weekday since then, Pasricha is down to number 373.

You may be thinking “What are awesome things?” Think of them as universal small joys and pleasures that we can all identify with. And, while they are not necessarily big things, they are all “awesome“.

Here are some of them separated into various categories. Those are my comments in parentheses.

School: #472…finishing your last exam. (what a great feeling it was to finish up that last dreaded blue book! If you are too young to remember blue books, let me know.)
#503…walking into class and seeing a substitute teacher. (another great feeling, the kids ran the class that day!)

Pets: #622…when your dog is really excited that you are back home. (pets like dogs and cats are the best with their unrequited love.)

Kids: #392…catching the ice cream truck. (a glorious feeling, especially if it was Mr. Softee!)
#394…when your dad checks under the bed and finds no monsters. (you never can tell!)

Work: #765…thinking it is Thursday when it is really Friday. (truly a glorious feeling!)
#738…coming back from lunch and copping a much better parking spot. (stupendous!)

Driving: #597…when that police car that has been on your bumper for a couple miles finally passes. (whew!) #499… when you should have gotten a parking ticket and didn’t . (double whew!)

At Home: #475…when your dinner guests wash the dishes even though you told them not to. (great people) #606…the kid’s table. (as much as you love them, it’s nice to have them out of the way.)

Grocery shopping: #953…When the cashier opens a new line in a busy store and you are first in. (this is part luck, part savvy) #575…When the customer with a full cart let’s you ahead in line because you have one item. (what a humanitarian!)

All things food: #643…the sound of steaks hitting a hot grill. (especially if you have a beer in your hand) #870…when you get the cereal to milk ratio just right (if you don’t, it’s best to have more milk than cereal)

Random: #400…putting your own shoes back on after bowling. (that is, if they are rented shoes. I preferred to own my own bowling shoes)

Some of my awesome things would be driving a golf ball down the middle of the fairway, a trip to the mailbox with no bills waiting for me to pick them up, hitting three 7’s on a slot machine, having every traffic light on Hayden from Frank Lloyd Wright to Indian School be green, a bowl of sweet-sour cabbage soup and a brisket on rye at Goldman’s Deli, looking out my back window on a January morning and seeing the beginning of another 72 degree Arizona winter day.

How about you?

Jim McAllister writes blogs and columns for the Arizona Republic in Scottsdale, AZ. To leave a comment or read 39 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus.

Baby boomers turning 65

New Speaker of the House John Boehner is a baby boomer. No extra charge for tears. (AP)

On January 1, 2011, 14 days from the time I am writing this piece, the so called “baby boomers” will start turning 65. That’s right; all 77 million or so of them will start becoming 65 beginning with the one second after midnight births from January 1, 1946.

Most of us know why these folks are called baby boomers but, in case you don’t know, it is because they were born after millions of guys returned from military service after World War II. Needless to say, after living in foxholes for four years, they kept their wives busy in the bedrooms of America to the point that the population soared. When the birth rate dipped below 4% in 1964, the boom was considered finished.

Why has this subject been discussed and debated for years? I’ve never given special attention to people in the boomer age category but have looked at those born in that microcosm as fortunate only because it makes every one of them younger than I am. However, some look at 77 million people born within a 19 year period and they want to categorize them into a group with similar beliefs.

Is that being fair, especially since the categorization is usually negative? Writer Ray Cooklis (b. 1950) doesn’t think so. He says “I’m sick and tired of ‘experts’ lumping us together as a monolith of people who supposedly act alike, think alike, buy alike, and age alike.” He is resentful of being informed that “because I was born in a certain year I wear these clothes, listen to this music, or hold these views.” He also tires of hearing about how boomers are “wasteful, self-indulgent, and spoiled.”

It does seem odd that so many people can be grouped into a whole when you consider the many races, beliefs, and nationalities in the USA. For example, Cooklis mentions Spike Lee and Rush Limbaugh. Would anyone in their right mind link those two? How about George W. Bush and Barack Obama? Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton? Light years apart, right? But, they are all boomers.

Besides these examples of the baby boomer myth, how about the fact that the first and last born boomers are 19 years apart in age. That alone puts them into basically two generations with different ideas.

A recent AP poll says that “baby boomers are the unhappiest of all Americans when it comes to making love. The generation that promoted free love has become old and cranky about sex.” I don’t know who the AP polled but I know a lot of people who were born between 1946 and 1964 and I would say the LAST thing they are cranky about is sex.

I look at most people as individuals, not as a group. Besides, if those born during the “baby boom” are cranky about sex, where does that put us pre baby boomers?

Jim McAllister writes blogs and columns for The Arizona Republic newspaper in Scottsdale, AZ. To read 80 comments on this blog or to add a comment, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links and scroll down. You WILL NOT receive a virus.

Expressions through the years

A typical "juke joint" in Louisiana circa 1930s. You probably wouldn't want to "mouth off" in there on a Saturday night. (Library of Congress)

I love films of the 1930’s, 1940’s, and 1950’s. The cars are great, the street scenes in cities have a nostalgic look, and the dialogue is tremendous.

They had their own hip expressions in those days. I watch a lot of films on Turner Classic Movies and they have the best examples: When a woman would give guys like Humphrey Bogart or Spencer Tracy a hard time, they were likely to hear an annoyed “Listen, sister!” A common definition for women was “dames” as in: “Those dames don’t know nothin’". A woman’s legs were “gams” and a woman who consorted with gangsters was a “moll.” A dependable secretary or assistant to a man was known as “his girl Friday.” I suppose that was a takeoff on Defoe’s man Friday from Robinson Crusoe.

Girls were also called “sugar” and if they wouldn’t shut up were told to “quit flappin’ your lips!” Many times a good looking girl was referred to as a “Jill”, “dish”, “babe”, “doll”, or a “looker.” A woman who thought she was really something was referred to as the “Queen of Sheba.” Sometimes when a guy was pursuing a woman he was said to be “chasing skirt.”

If you were surprised or amazed by something, you were a “monkey’s uncle.” If you went to a lower end bar or club with music and dancing, you went to a “juke joint.” If you were given a drugged up drink in that juke joint you were “slipped a Mickey Finn.” If you were in an embarrassing situation, you were said to be “in the hot seat” but if you got lucky in a juke joint you may have received a “smooch” (kiss) from a babe. If you were rich you had “folding money.”

Everyone wanted to have as much as their friends or neighbors and when they did they were said to be “keeping up with the Joneses.” That expression leaked into the fifties, the decade when rock music was born along with “tough guy” punks and hoods.

By this time, the Bohemians of the 1920’s had evolved into the 1950’s “beatniks”. Beatniks were early day “hippies” as they were called in the 60’s. They were basically people who were trying to find themselves and figured the way to do it was through drugs and saying “hey, man” a lot. It was also a convenient way to find an excuse not to work, take baths, or get haircuts.

The punks and hoods of the fifties liked to refer to people in positions of authority as “Daddy-O.” For a good example of this see The Blackboard Jungle (1955) with Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier, and gorgeous Ann Francis.

The old terminology will probably return some day as almost everything gets recycled. So, if you think something is “cool” today you may someday be saying it was “keen”, “boss”, “neat”, or maybe an entirely new word.

To leave a comment or to read the other 49 comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for The Arizona Republic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Television then and now

The console model TV in the middle looks like ours from 1949

This morning I received an email from Cox Communications telling me they are adding the Filipino Channel to their already gigantic lineup of channels. The Filipino Channel will be the first network in Asia to deliver full time programming to Filipino-Americans.

I felt a sigh of relief when I received the news that this channel is coming on board to Cox. I’m sure the entire Filipino community in America is also celebrating as I punch out this blog. Now, if we write enough letters to Cox maybe we can get the “illegal immigrant network” or maybe the “Iceland-Greenland Today” network.

Of course, I am speaking tongue in cheek but it does amaze me the number of TV stations and networks we can receive in this world of endless communication. As I look at the Cox schedule and see channels like The Pentagon Channel, Jewelry TV, and AZCapitolTV, I wonder what their viewing numbers are. They have to be miniscule but there they are, wishin’ and a hopin’ that you will punch in their numbers.

As far as Cox is concerned, I sometimes wonder how they run the place. I have had their basic lineup, digital stations, and music channels for quite a while and have been paying a monthly bill of $123. That includes TV, computer, and land line phone.

Recently, I called them and asked how I could get the Fox Business Channel. The guy said “No problem, that is part of the ‘sports-info’ tier and if you take it you will also get a bunch of movie channels, the NBA, NHL, NFL Networks and many more.” And, the cost of these wonderful additions? Surprisingly, my monthly cost dropped $4 to $119. Go figure. Maybe I should order HBO and Showtime and see if I can get the cost down to about $100.

With all this TV to watch, it reminds me of the days we had our roof antenna in Cincinnati and gleefully tuned in our three stations broadcasting NBC, ABC, CBS, and occasionally DuMont before they folded in the early 1950’s. Having our own TV was quite the luxury. Before TV became more common, we would pile into the house of a girl up the street to get our daily fix of “Howdy Doody” on a 14 inch Admiral. Later, it was Tuesday nights for Uncle Miltie on NBC with the “Texaco Star Theater.”

My Catholic friends would be steadfast in watching Bishop Sheen give out his advice on TV. I sure was glad I wasn’t Catholic; my friends said the bishop was “borrrrriiiiing” but their parents insisted they watch him.

Sports were really fun to watch. We never missed the Cleveland Browns games on Sunday as they flickered in 16" black and white. I liked the commercials for Carling’s Black Label beer, the sponsor of the games. “Hey, Mabel! Black Label!” I could use one now.

Sorry, I have to go now. I don’t want to miss the 1:00 program on the new Filipino Channel.

To leave a comment or read any of the other 47 comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes blogs, columns, and opinions for The Arizona Republic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"GUY" films

"You have to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?" (flixster)

What are “guy" films? For one thing they are not made for the sushi eating, lily liver, liberal guys that we have to put up with today. You know who I mean: they are the ones who would never eat Tabasco Sauce, chicken wings, or drive a car that gets less than 30 miles per gallon. They get squeamish when guns are mentioned and they can’t wait to get one of those tiny Volt electric toy cars with the 100 mile range. Wow! That sounds exciting and they only cost $41,000!

For that crew I suggest they buy a ticket to see “The Devil Wears Prada”, "Beaches”, “The Women” or “Sex in the City” so they can wring the tears out of their hankies with their white wine drinking girlfriends (or boyfriends).

Guy movies are for guys who drive real cars or trucks, love burgers and fries, hot sauce, and don’t necessarily shave every day. And, if they did, it wouldn’t be with a fancy electric razor. These guys love sports and sports bars with plenty of TVs and would never wear lavender.

For them, movies with Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, and Clint Eastwood top their list of favorites. If the film is about war, cops, or loners they fit in nicely. It helps to have as much political incorrectness as possible as that movement has strangled our country and we need these guys to destroy it.

Unfortunately, Newman and McQueen are deceased but their films live on taking us back to an era when men were men, not imitation guys carrying European shoulder bags (purses!) and drinking light beer.

Eastwood is 80 but is still hanging on either through occasional acting gigs or directing films. What guy would ever get tired of him in “Dirty Harry” or “Unforgiven”?

Eastwood’s lines in “Dirty Harry” (1972) about the 44 Magnum being “the most powerful handgun in the world” and “You have to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?” are still memorable to guys. How about “Make my day” from “Sudden Impact”? Classic stuff.

Like “Dirty Harry”, “Bullitt” (1968), starring Steve McQueen, was filmed in San Francisco. The first thing guys think of from this film is Steve chasing the guys in the ’67 Dodge Charger while driving his Mustang 390GT. It’s great action but McQueen’s coolness rules the film; nothing can disturb that.

“Cool Hand Luke” (1967) shows Paul Newman at his best. In “Luke” he is a loser but has a never give up attitude toward escaping from a southern chain gang. Although he is always captured, he holds the respect of the other prisoners; especially after he eats all those hard boiled eggs!

I have to go now. Some of the guys are coming over to watch “The Magnificent Seven”, one of the all time great guy films. Not only does it have Steve McQueen but also Charles Bronson!

For those who don’t like that fare, I believe “Thelma and Louise” is showing just for you on another channel.

To leave a comment or to read the 60 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for The Arizona Republic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Holiday grocery shopping, part 2

Here is a display of Libby's food products from the 1950's. Notice the loose cans in the front. That was a gimmick to entice more sales as customers were likely to pick them up than disturb a perfect display. It's all about merchandising. (Flickr)
A year has passed and we are again into the holiday grocery shopping season. Last December 21 (see archives) I did a column with some advice for shoppers about pitfalls to avoid. I mentioned the importance of keeping a hand written list at home of necessities for your shopping trip and to be sure you know the stores ad for that week. Clip as many manufacturer’s coupons as possible from magazines, newspapers, or anywhere else you see them.

Be sure you have the store’s card, buy in bulk when possible, buy private label, be careful of peripheral departments, leave your cell phone at home, and NEVER shop when you are hungry! If you followed that advice you saved some money.

Here are a few more ways to save a buck at the grocery store. You have to keep in mind that the stores are in business to make money and the only way they can do that is with the customer’s permission. That is why stores spend a lot of money on research to find ways for you to spend more than you intended. That may seem devious and in a way it is, but they are not putting a gun to your head. It is up to you to use common sense while shopping, especially if you are on a budget.

Watch out for “end cap” displays at the end of aisles. If an item from your list is on the cap, go ahead and buy it, then proceed. Otherwise, pass it up. End cap items are usually high profit stuff or tie in with other products. Also, watch out for “shippers” which are usually full of high profit items and placed in the aisles with like items.

Be careful with free samples. Stores usually have kindly old ladies cooking up stuff for you to sample and they are usually in a high volume area of the store like the meat department. Usually the item is high fat or sweet but tastes really good. Try and avoid this stuff as it is unhealthy, expensive, a high profit item. You shouldn’t be hungry anyway since I told you to eat before shopping.

Okay, let’s assume you have made it this far and have dutifully followed this blog and the one from last December. In your mind you are thinking about what a genius I am and for that I say, “Thank you.” However, you have one more hurdle to jump. That involves going through the check stand without succumbing to the lure of picking up a couple candy bars or a magazine. I know it’s hard; I love those Snickers too but we must be strong. And, do you really care about that magazine describing Lindsay Lohan’s latest drunk escapade? Of course not, you are a mature adult, right? Let the kid bag your items in the cloth bags you brought with you, pay the cashier with a credit card that racks up points, and be on your way.

As you go to your car, hold your head high. You have resisted temptation, saved money, helped support a business, and shopped sensibly.

To leave a comment or to read the other 60 comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for The Arizona Republic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Politically correct nonsense

If you read my blog post of 3-30-09 on azcentral (http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/Jim8413/49617) you know how stupid I think political correctness is. Since the holidays are coming, be ready for more nonsense from the weenies (that’s right, weenies!) who will be making sure that no public place has “Merry Christmas” signs posted.

Be sure you say “Happy Holidays” and if you go to a concert in December, be sure it’s a “Winter Concert” and not a “Christmas Concert”. Also, if you have the audacity to put up a tree in your house with lights and ornaments, be sure you refer to it as a “holiday tree” and not a “Christmas tree”.

Somewhere, Jesus must be looking down and either shaking his head in disgust or laughing his butt off. What’s it been, 2000 years since he was around? Apparently, that’s not long enough for him to stop intimidating some people!

It never ends in our ever increasing PC silly society. No wonder the terrorists have their way with us. How did that guy get on the plane headed to Detroit with that bomb up his rear end last Christmas? We are fortunate that these dummies don’t know how to set off their explosive devices or 300 people would have missed Christmas (Oops! I mean the holiday Christians celebrate on 12-25, sorry!). That would have been an effective use of terrorism (Darn! There I go again. I mean “man caused disaster”). I guess the important thing is that he wasn’t offended by airport security while boarding the plane.

One guy on the Urban Dictionary blog asks if black people really want to be called “African American”. Good point. Come to think of it, I don’t remember them ever demanding that. I think the PCers were probably trying to “save” them like they do everything else that their little minds consider improper. So far in my lifetime I have seen them referred to as “colored”, “negro”, “black”, and now, “African American”.

“Black” makes the most sense to me. I’m a white guy and I think it would be silly to refer to me and other whites constantly as “Caucasian”. But, the PC people would probably call you a racist if you said “black” because that differentiates them by color. I’m telling ya, you have to be careful.

It’s like some of the left leaners on these blogs who chastise those who are against illegal immigration as racist. That’s crazy, but try to convince them. Paranoia is not easy to overcome.

Until we tell them to “shove it” (as Mr. Caprio of Rhode Island told Obama) be prepared to refer to bums as “displaced homeowners” and alcoholics as “anti-sobriety activists” among other similar definitions. I have a definition of “political correctness” from the urban dictionary that also seems very appropriate: “It’s a way we talk in America so we don’t offend whining pussies.” How’s that?

To leave a comment or to read the other 77 comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for The Arizona Republic in Scottsdale Arizona.

Election facts and stats

Setting the record straight….Liberal op-ed writer for the Washington Post, Dana Milbank, says in his November 3 column that on election night, Fox News, “to be fair and balanced, brought in a nominal Democrat, pollster Doug Schoen.” I guess that is his attempt at making a wisecrack about Fox not being fair and balanced as though liberal networks like MSNBC and the over the air channels are.

Anyway, Milbank is wrong and his envy of Fox’s success is showing as it does with other networks who can’t measure up. Fox was fair and balanced in their coverage and, if anything, leaned to the left with Democrat contributors Juan Williams, Kirsten Powers, Joe Trippi, Geraldine Ferraro, Pat Caddell, and Bob Beckel. Oh, yes, let’s don’t forget Doug Schoen.

As far as ratings, Fox walloped both their major cable competitors MSNBC and CNN by a large percentage. That was expected but the amazing thing was Fox also beat the over the air networks of ABC, NBC, and CBS. Did I just say that a cable network beat three major networks at something?

Great line by Dennis Miller last night on Bill O’Reilly’s Fox show. Commenting on John Boehner’s tearful speech during the Republican onslaught, Miller said, “Who is this, Tammy Faye Boehner?”

Have you seen the commercial with disgraced ex-Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich? He is pushing nuts. Only in America can guys who lose wind up winning, at least for now. He is being re-tried on 24 counts this spring. Too bad he couldn’t sell Obama’s former Senate seat when he had the chance. Mr. Kirk, a Republican, will now be occupying it.

Lock your bedroom door, mom…A 12 year old kid in Surprise, AZ wanted to go trick or treating on Halloween as a “Gay Justin Bieber”. His mother said no way and that it was inappropriate for the kid to do so. The kid went into a tantrum and threatened to kill his mom with a knife. Fortunately, she was able to disarm the kid.

Are you shaking your head in disbelief over this sort of thing? When I was 12, I was afraid to usurp the authority of my parents. My old man would have gotten out the razor strap and I wouldn’t be able to sit down for a few days. If this kid’s father tried that, The ACLU would probably sue.

A kid in Oklahoma was given a zero on his Spanish test because he refused to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish. Do you think this is appropriate? My feeling is that with the strained illegal immigration situation in Oklahoma in particular and many other states in general, why not eliminate possible problems and let them translate something else?

If you want to leave a comment or read the other 52 comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right coliumn under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for the Arizona Republic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The election of Nov. 2, 2010 vs. the election of Nov. 2, 1920

Frank Conrad and his crew reporting the election returns on November 2, 1920.
You can tell we are getting down to business relating to the upcoming elections. Just watch the campaign ads on television and you will think that everyone you support and their opponents are a bunch of crooks that should be on their way to Palookaville, the state penitentiary, or some other dastardly place.

Locally in Arizona, the House seat pitting incumbent Harry Mitchell against Republican David Schweikert is a good example of mudslinging on both sides. I love the one with ‘ol Harry dancing around to the tune of Pelosi and Reid.

Nationally, the Delaware race is interesting. The Republicans dropped the ball on this one. Although Castle was a RINO he would have given the R’s a continuing seat in the Senate and with him running against a twerp like Democrat Coons, he would have won easily. Now, that seat is gone and a guy who once referred to himself as a “bearded Marxist” will get the nod.

Close Senate races: West Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, Colorado, and maybe California. Republicans need the majority of those seats to take the Senate. As far as the House, Republicans should win it.

Election Day this year is on November 2 and the broadcast media crush is quite a contrast to the November 2, 1920 Election Day, exactly 90 years ago. Unlike this year, that was a presidential election and unlike now there was no television flowing into the nation’s homes to influence voters. Radio was even in its infancy so the main form of campaigning was through the “whistle stop” which took candidates across country campaigning in every significant town via trains.

James Cox and Franklin Roosevelt were the ticket for the Dems. Their opposition for the Republicans was Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. Cox and FDR did whistle stops from August until Election Day but it didn’t help as the Republicans won.

That election was the beginning of media coverage for election returns. A guy named Frank Conrad, who worked for Westinghouse, was desperately, along with his crew, completing a radio transmitting station on the roof of the tallest building on the Westinghouse campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their goal was to be ready on election night to broadcast the returns to the few folks who had radios.

On October 27, the facility was complete and given the call letters KDKA. On November 2, four men recorded the election numbers that were received from the Pittsburgh Post via telephone and a gentleman named Leo Rosenberg read them over the air through a clumsy array of wires used as a microphone.

On that night broadcasting was born. The next day, the Westinghouse switchboard was flooded with calls from people wanting to know how they could get a radio. Today, we have several TV networks on election night feverishly reporting every trend and vote throughout the night and into the early morning.

Frank Conrad died in 1941 at 67 but he got to see radio flourish from the humble beginnings at KDKA to the number one form of entertainment at the time of his death.

To leave a comment or to reply to the 22 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not get a virus. Jim McAllister writes for the Arizona Republic Newspaper.

The cost of college

The Campus at Soutern Cal. Beautiful and expensive.

Froma Harrop writes for the Providence Journal. The Republic usually picks up her column to give us the East Coast liberal point of view. I guess the idea is to offset some of the more conservative guys they carry like Charles Krauthammer and George Will.

Anyway, although I usually disagree with her pandering to Obama, I do agree with her column from 9-27 where she talks about the insane cost of going to college these days. On my August 4, 2009 blog, I talked about the high cost of education but mentioned I thought it was worth it even though it means debt for a lot of people for a long time.

Even with the bad job market, one is better off with at least a bachelor’s degree. It puts them to the front of the line over those without a degree in case jobs are ever available again. However, a college degree is not always the answer to good employment since many are not suited for the classroom and can do better in some sort of trade work. It’s an honorable alternative and plenty of skilled trade workers earn a very comfortable income. A good example is a quote from Herman Melville made 150 years ago: “A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.” I would assume he cashed in pretty good from Moby Dick. I wonder what he would have received for the movie rights.

Harrop mentions some interesting numbers for college costs: In the last 40 years, American median income has grown 6.5 times while the cost of attending a state college has risen 15 times.

Tuition at the privately owned U. of Southern California has risen 360% since 1980 to $41,434 a year. At the U. of Illinois, a state school, the tuition is $13,658, six times the cost of 1980. This does not include room and board.

Maybe universities need to tone down their expenses a bit. Harrop mentions that the president of Vanderbilt makes $1.2 million a year. Also, highly acclaimed Duke University spends over $20,000 per year on each varsity golf team member. There is no way the golf teams can cover that expense with the small following they have. What about the beautiful campuses and amenities for students? Is all of that necessary? Do the schools need fancy student unions?

I’m sure there are many who simply can’t afford to go to college. Bill Gates has said that “Five years from now on the Web, you’ll be able to find for free the best lectures in the world. It will be better than any single university.” Gates also mentioned that a year at a university costs an average $50,000 but you can get the same quality education on the Web for $2,000.

Gates is a Harvard dropout but seems to have done pretty well for himself so maybe he is right. Of course, if you follow his advice you may miss some traditional college life. With the cost of college, you may not have a choice.

To leave a comment or to read 24 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for the Arizona Republic newspaper.

Is the "Smart Car" smart?

Below: The Smart Car for $17,600. Top: The Nissan Versa for $12,000. Which would you want?

A couple of weeks ago I saw an ad in the Republic for the “Smart Car”. It’s made by Daimler and has been around in Europe for a while before making its way to us.

This is one tiny little car that seats two. When I saw the thing my first thought was “So, THAT is what a pregnant roller skate looks like!” I figured you could probably pick one up for about $5,000 which may not be a bad deal for something to just run around in locally. To my surprise, they start at $13,640 for the standard two door and go to $17,690 for the cabriolet convertible. That’s a bit expensive for a “car” that small that only gets 41 miles per gallon EPA estimate.

I’m sure there are people where I live who will “absolutely have to have one.” That’s fine with me, they have my permission to be trendy, but I think if I was looking for a new small car I would pass on the Smart Car and look at something that gets almost as good gas mileage and cost thousands less like the Toyota Yaris or the Nissan Versa.

The Yaris gets 36 mpg highway and has a backseat. One reviewer says it also “has the ability to do distance driving without terrifying driver and passenger.” The Versa is even less expensive, has a back seat, and gets 35 mpg.

In the 1950s, there was a postwar car from Italy called the Isetta. I remember seeing a few of them around when I was a kid. It had a door on the front that swung open to allow passengers to enter. Like the Smart Car, it was designed for two people who prayed they would not have a head on collision.

I think they sold well in Europe but we didn’t see many in the states. That was the era of big clunkers and cheap gas here and not many were worrying about fuel economy.

I could be wrong but I don’t see people flocking to the Smart Car showrooms. It’s probably a tree hugger’s dream but I don’t think the average American will go for it. I’m glad I don’t want one; I doubt that at my height I would be able to squeeze into the driver’s seat.

If you would like to leave a comment or read 41 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for the Arizona Republic.

Obama vs. Fox News

How do you expect me to look? I just saw my poll numbers and the ratings for Fox News at the same time! (StarPlus)


Obama obviously has never heard the old saying that “every knock is a boost” and that when you are being criticized by someone, you should ignore them. Otherwise, you show they are getting to you which is like throwing gasoline on a fire. Maybe BO cut class too many times in a public relations class at Harvard.

Now, the prez is claiming in a Rolling Stone interview that “Fox News is destructive to [America’s] long term growth.” He also states that Fox News pushes "a point of view that I disagree with. It's a point of view that I think is ultimately destructive for the long-term growth of a country that has a vibrant middle class and is competitive in the world."

OK, he is the President of the United States so he, like all of us, has a right to his opinion. But, this is where that “every knock is a boost thing” rears its head. He is showing weakness by letting Fox get under his skin and I’m sure more than a few people are scratching their heads about him when they read his statements. Meanwhile, the Fox News ratings continue to climb as the networks that grovel at the president’s feet, like MSNBC and CNN, see their ratings dwindle.

I agree with the prez on one thing, "But as an economic enterprise, it's (Fox) been wildly successful. And I suspect that if you ask Mr. (Rupert) Murdoch what his number one concern is, it's that Fox is very successful."

I wonder why Fox is so successful. I watch the news with Shepard Smith and I see him offering no opinions; he gives a professional report of what is happening around the world. He is simply better than anyone the other networks have to offer.

As far as guys like Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, they have a point of view which usually differs from that of the White House although I think O’Reilly is very fair to the prez. Those are the guys Obama is after. But, does he really think that one cable news network can be responsible for his large descent in the polls since his election? It sounds like more whining from another member of the “It’s not my fault” generation.

I have a suggestion for the president. Keep watching MSNBC, NBC, and CNN. For every criticism O’Reilly and Hannity throw your way, Chris Matthews and Rachel Maddow will be there to drop roses in your path. Although no one watches them, it may make you feel better.

To leave a comment or to read any of the 77 comments posted, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for the Arizona Republic newspaper.

Where were you?

It took the U. S. Army to safely escort "The Little Rock Nine" into Central High School in 1957 after Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus refused to abide by a Supreme Court decision on integration that allowed black kids to attend the school. Faubus closed high schools in Little Rock for the 1958-59 school year in protest. That was known as "The Lost Year." (UPI) I was a junior in high school in Ohio and wondered what the fuss was about. I had gone to school with black kids all my life. But, I wasn't living in Arkansas.
Regardless of our ages, we have memories of important events that have happened during our lifetimes. I’m not talking about personal items as much as events that affected the nation and/or the world. How many times have you heard someone say, “I remember where I was when I heard the news of Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963.” Personally, I was crossing the street at Whiteman AFB in Missouri going back to work after lunch when it happened. Where were you?

Since I can only vouch for events in my lifetime, probably the first one would be the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I was alive at that time but at eight months of age, I can’t say that I remember the event. I would bet that guys like Bob Amento, Dr. Don, and Fancy remember it well though.

I do remember when President Roosevelt died in April of 1945. I had just turned four and was standing by the side of our house in Cincinnati watching my dad paint. Our neighbor came rushing into the yard shouting the news of FDR’s demise.

I remember when Truman beat Dewey in November, 1948 for the presidency. I was seven as my dad and I listened to the election returns well into the night and since he was a big fan of Dewey, he became glummer as the night went on. Television was still in its infancy and was very expensive so we listened to the results on our big Stromberg-Carlson radio. Only bars had TVs in those days.

In November, 1952, General Eisenhower easily won the presidency over Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson had no chance; he was a dry, no personality guy from Illinois going against a war hero. It was the same result when Stevenson ran against Ike in 1956. I watched returns of both elections on our black and white 16” “National” TV set. The ’52 returns pre-empted Milton Berle’s show on NBC, not a happy night for Uncle Miltie watchers.

I was a Nixon fan in 1960 when he ran against Kennedy. Tricky Dick had no chance after the TV debates. He looked tired, had a five o’clock shadow beard, and was upstaged by the vibrant JFK. The election results in November were no surprise. I was 18, had just registered for the draft, and was disappointed in the results.

I’ll always remember where I was in October, 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I was in the Air Force stationed in Missouri when Kennedy and Khrushchev had a stare down over Russian built missiles being installed in Cuba. Our B-47 Bombers had left our base and were poised on the East Coast ready to go to war. Finally, after a few tense weeks, Khrushchev blinked first and the missiles were dismantled. You could hear a collective exhale of breath on our base when it was settled.

Do you remember the above events happening? How about Beatlemania in ’64? We all know where we were on 9-11-2001 but how about Little Rock and Governor Faubus in 1957? When was the first time you saw a color TV? What about Elvis’s first hit?

Where were you?

To leave a comment or read the other 27 comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for the Arizona Republic.

Obama goes to church

For probably political reasons, Obama went to church last week for the fourth time in 19 months. Not a sterling record but who am I to say anything? It’s four more times than I have been to church in a much larger time frame than that. I don’t think church is a necessity for the average person to lead a proper and honest life although it probably can’t hurt.

Churches are suffering an attendance problem, especially the Catholic Church. I grew up in the ‘50s as a non Catholic in a heavily Catholic neighborhood in the heavily Catholic city of Cincinnati. Our family lived three blocks from a large Catholic Church, St. Mary’s. It was an old neighborhood with street parking only and the cars of those attending the myriad of masses on a Sunday were parked all the way to our house.

The Catholic kids I knew were well trained and never missed an opportunity to tell me my Presbyterian Church was totally incorrect in its doctrine and that the Catholic Church was the only “true” religion. St. Mary’s was run by the Jesuits and they are great teachers and brainwashers. I heard a priest say once that if they could keep a kid until 15, his thinking would be irreversible. He was wrong; I knew several who left the church.

The remarks of those kids didn’t bother me as I wasn’t crazy about church anyway and I quit going as soon as I was old enough to pull it off. But, in those innocent days of the ‘50s when most kids did as they were told, Catholic Church attendance was high. A Gallup Poll from 60 years ago shows that 75% of Catholics went to Mass. Today it is 45%.

Currently, two out of three Catholics in the greater Cincinnati area don’t go to Mass anymore. It’s not just there that this is happening; Mass attendance has been declining for decades across the country as people find things they would rather do. Some cite busier schedules, changing cultures, and what I believe is the main reason: discontent with Catholic leaders.

The Church is against birth control and is firm about an all male priesthood. Also, the many clergy abuses with children have hurt the cause as has the mild punishment handed out.

In the past, the poor depended on the Church for a social life as they were shunned by society. Today, Catholics are as rich and educated as anyone else and don’t depend on the Church as much. Also, many are turned off by the churches liberal attitude based on more government control and higher taxes.

A few years ago, the Catholic Churches of Phoenix ran TV ads asking “Catholics to come home.” Whether they did or not, I don’t know but in 2004, Bishop Thomas O’Brien of Phoenix was discovered to have been harboring pedophile priests for 20 years. Shortly after that, he was arrested for a felony hit and run accident. Such activity by a church leader is inexcusable and didn’t help church attendance.

Is church attendance on the decline? Recent figures say “yes”, especially for the Catholic Church.

To leave a comment or to read 51 other comments, click "Jim's azcentral blog" in the right column under links. You will not receive a virus. Jim McAllister writes for the Arizona Republic