Dr. G. Robert Weedon is a shelter veterinarian at the Champaign County Humane Society who lectures on shelter medicine as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana. He reminds good Samaritans that what appear to be stray pets often have homes.

“People need to remember that when a stray dog or cat is found, it is very likely that someone is looking for it,” says Dr. Weedon. “While we may be tempted to keep the animal, and provide it a good home, at a minimum we need to make sure it is scanned for a microchip, and a thorough description is given to local humane societies and animal control. A distraught owner may be frantically searching for the lost pet.”

Here is a step-by-step guide to doing all you can to ensure that a “stray” cat has the very best chance to be reunited with its people—or to find a new home. And if you are a cat owner, reading these ideas may prompt you to take steps to ensure that your pet is “findable.”

Step One: Take the cat to your local veterinary clinic.
A veterinarian can help you obtain information about the cat. Ask for the cat to be scanned for the presence of a microchip. Increasingly, responsible owners are having their pets microchipped—a process very similar to getting a shot in which a tiny chip is implanted under the pet’s skin with a needle. The chips are encoded with a number that identifies the animal’s owner. If the cat has been microchipped, the clinic should be able to contact the owner.

If no chip is present, ask the veterinarian whether the cat is male or female and whether it appears to have been spayed or neutered. You may also want to determine whether the cat has been declawed and its approximate age (whether young, senior, etc.).

Step Two: Make a “found” sign.
Like a “lost” sign, this should include information about the cat: its sex, sterilization status, whether it is declawed, and more. It will also be extremely helpful to include a clear photograph of the cat. Be sure to mention the area where and when the cat was found.

Step Three: Distribute the sign.
Take the sign to animal control, the humane society, and any local veterinary clinics and pet stores. When at animal control, check the current lost reports for possible matches among the cats reported missing. Be sure to scan the “lost” fliers for a cat matching the description of the one you found.

Step Four: Place an ad in the local paper.
Most newspapers do not charge for “found” ads. Craigslist is another place to post a found animal; it’s free, and you can upload the cat’s picture.

If, after all these steps have been completed, a week goes by and no one has attempted to re-claim the animal, you may consider taking the cat to the humane society or a local rescue organization or even providing the cat with a permanent home.

Susan Norris is an Information Specialist at University of Illinois’ College of Veterinary Medicine.

1. Get to the airport before the sun comes up
Security lines tend to be shorter earlier in the morning. If you can manage to get a very early flight, you’ll find that slipping through security lines is a much quicker process. Just as important, leave yourself plenty of time to get through the lines. If you’re in a rush trying not to miss your flight, your blood pressure will shoot up and your trip could be miserable.

2. Check your luggage at the door
Yes, checking luggage can be a pain in the neck. It takes a little time, it might cost some money, and your unmentionables could find themselves flown to parts unknown. But hauling your luggage through security means that your security check could take longer. If something in your luggage requires inspection, then your time in line just tripled. Don’t rely on odd luggage gimmicks to get you past carry-on restrictions. Just check the bag. Another huge benefit to checking your bags is that you’re not forced to haul all your luggage throughout the airport. It’s just more convenient.

3.Keep carry-on size reasonable
Travelers are constantly trying to sneak larger and larger carry-on bags onto the plane. Don’t do that. Use your carry-on bags only for electronics, medicine, and maybe a change of clothes — you know, the stuff you absolutely need. If you don’t have large carry-ons you’ll need to stuff into an overhead bin in the plane, the chance those bins might be too full isn’t your problem.

4. Open your bags all the way
While checkpoint-friendly bags can make your time in line a little easier, security officers will still occasionally need to get into your bags. Don’t make them unzip, unlatch, or untie the fasteners on your bag. It uses up a bit of time, of course, but it also means the officer needs to manhandle your bags. If you’re worried about popping a zipper, open your bag all the way before the officers have to. After all, if you do happen to get pulled aside for a closer inspection, you won’t be allowed to touch your bags further. Get your bags open all the way before you put them on the conveyor belt.

5. Pack cables separately and unattached
Music players have headphones, and laptops have power cords. Wrap up individual wires separately from one another, and keep the whole bunch as neat as possible. Stow these cables and wires in a separate bag or pocket if you can. This reduces the tangle of wires you’ll have to sort through in line and makes it easier for the security officers to see them on an X-ray screen.

6. Pay attention to the lines, not your music
We couldn’t tell you the number of times we’ve seen TSA officers try to provide instructions, only for their intended recipients to be too busy with a smartphone, MP3 player, or portable video game to actually pay attention. Don’t do that. It makes the process longer for yourself, and it’s frustrating for everyone around you.

7. Don’t wear a belt; do wear slip-on shoes
When you go through the security checkpoint, the officers scan for metal items on your person that hypothetically could be a threat to the flight. That huge archway you walk through is essentially a giant metal detector. That’s why you have to take off your shoes and usually your belt; those accessories tend to have misleading metal included. Your trip through the metal detector will be a little lower on the stress if you can just pop your shoes off without wrestling with laces.

8. Don’t try to bring any prohibited items
While some of the items you can’t carry on a plane are just common sense (knives and weapons, for example, aren’t allowed), some aren’t. Save yourself time by familiarizing yourself with the TSA’s guidelines for prohibited items in advance.

The key to saving time in the security line at the airport is to avoid anything that could turn into a hassle. Extra luggage can be a big deal, so check any bags you don’t absolutely need to keep with you. Keeping your carry-on light and opening it all the way in line will save you some trouble. If you’re not wearing a belt, you won’t have to bother taking it off. Lastly, keep everything organized in your bags. The faster you can open everything up in line, the better off you’ll be.

Ah, the 1950s—when cars had tail fins and being a female driver was a bad thing. Wives gabbed incessantly and husbands were unsociable grumps. Obviously, the ’50s stereotypes are not what we’d call politically correct today—we’ll let you judge if they still tickle your funny bone.

"How’s the new car?"
From February 21, 1959

Did we really have to tell you the decade here?

"Now forward."
From January 2, 1954

Well, how else will you know when to stop?

"Good Heavens! It IS Herbert!"
From January 1, 1955

There’s always a critic.

"Fred will be mighty sorry he missed you, Miss Vogleswinner."
From September 28, 1957

And she means that sincerely.

From April 1, 1950

No extra charge for the knee shine.

From July 3, 1954

This is a scene you’d really love to see three seconds later.

"Hope you'll excuse the service, sir.
One of our men is home sick."
November 25, 1950

Customer service is definitely not what it used to be.

I am writing in regard to your letter dated March 3rd where you cite my potential involvement in what your company has deemed the “Vase-Breaking Incident.”

First of all, kudos to your team for tracking me down so quickly using, I assume, only my license plate number. I assure you I was not “fleeing the scene” as your letter indicated. I was simply on my way to an appointment I suddenly remembered I had. And the reason you may have heard the words “See ya, suckers” as I drove away was because I happened to have a song playing in my car with the lyrics “See ya, suckers, bye-bye, mall cops, try and get me if you can.”

I am willing to admit that it was in fact me riding around the mall on the Segway I borrowed from a mall security officer. I would like to offer my sincerest apology for the chaos that ensued.

It was never my intention to ride the Segway all the way through the mall, up the escalator in Macy’s, down the escalator in JC Penney, around the parking lot, and into the kitchen of the Cheesecake Factory. I thought I was taking it back to mall security headquarters, which I realize now is inside the mall under the sign that says “Mall Security Headquarters” and not inside the Dumpster outside the restaurant.

As for the vase, I did not break it and I’m happy to explain how it ended up shattered all over the floor of Pottery Barn. What happened was, after I did a bit of shopping in the mall, I was tired and decided to sit down inside the Pottery Barn store on the second level. They have the most comfortable sofas by far. I must have dozed off and about an hour or so later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I sprang up off the sofa, the reason I punched the Pottery Barn employee in the face was because at that time I was having a dream about being a pro boxer and fighting Mike Tyson inside a Crate & Barrel. Weird, I know, since I was actually, as I stated earlier, inside a Pottery Barn.

The employee—I think his name was Jon or Joe or Wisconsin; I don’t know, everyone’s got weird names nowadays—asked me to leave the store because I wasn’t buying anything and other customers wanted to try out the sofa. He was rude and I told him how I felt.

Just then my phone rang. It was a friend of mine named Carol who I hadn’t talked to in months and months. She had some very exciting news to share about a promotion at work. I won’t go into the specifics, but she’s been working in the sales department of a large telecommunications company for almost 23 years and she’s been waiting for a promotion for a long, long time. They’ve had cutbacks over the years and it’s a hard time right now because so many people are switching to cell phones. Do you know that barely anyone has a landline anymore? Carol is a landline specialist. I don’t know if that’s her exact title, but that’s her department. I always feel a little guilty when she has to call me on my cell phone, like it’s a direct attack on what she does for a living. She doesn’t feel that way. We’ve talked about it before and she has no problem with it, it’s just something I always think about. But it’s conversations like that, where you really get stuff out in the open, that make friendships stronger.

So when Carol told me about her big promotion to vice president or president or something of the entire company—I’m not sure which, it’s very hard to hear inside a mall—I got so excited I started jumping up and down on the sofa. Well, that apparently knocked some cushions off, which in turn knocked into a vase, which in turn fell on the floor and shattered. I don’t know who designs your stores, but carpeting might be a good idea if you’re going to have fragile objects on display that can fall and break into thousands of pieces when someone does something as benign as jumping on a sofa.

So anyway, as you can see this is Carol’s fault. I’m happy to send you her phone number and address so you can send her a copy of the bill. I will be forwarding my invoice on to her as well.

Now, the reason I ran as fast as I could out of the store at the exact moment Carol made me smash the vase was because, as you may recall, Wisconsin had asked me to leave. And after I ran out of the store, the reason I kneeled down behind that mall kiosk until Wisconsin passed me by was because I saw a beautiful hat that I thought might fit my head. I don’t know if you like hats, but that kiosk has so many to choose from. I have a small head and it’s hard for me to find hats, so when I see a few that might work I have to stop.

When Wisconsin finally caught up to me—and good for him for recognizing me under that big sun hat and oversize sunglasses—the reason I spoke with a French accent and pretended not to understand him was because I was practicing for a part I’m playing in a French movie called Le Mysterious Lady.

I really like to get into my roles even when I’m practicing and that’s why I quickly grabbed the Segway from the security guard who started to approach us. You know how every French film has an exciting getaway scene where a car drives down a long set of steps? That’s what I was trying to emulate when I took the Segway down that escalator. I realize now that was very dangerous and it was unfortunate timing that I yelled that minute-long series of very adult words just as those children were leaving the Build-A-Bear Workshop. But you have to admit the way they repeat those words in their tiny little voices is adorable.

As for the money I took out of the mall fountain, that’s a much simpler explanation. After the commotion at Pottery Barn and the Segway chase and my purely coincidental makeover into a geisha at the makeup counter at Bloomingdale’s, I stood next to the fountain to take a breather. I saw some children making wishes and throwing money into it and I happened to tell them that the more money they throw in, the more likely it is that their wishes will come true. I mean, a penny doesn’t get you anything nowadays and kids need to learn that lesson. It was my understanding that any money they threw in the fountain that exceeded one cent then belonged to me. I definitely didn’t realize that my getting in the fountain to claim my money would result in such an intense underwater handstand competition between so many people.

I realize that you still might be interested in pressing charges, but I have to say if it wasn’t for all the stress Carol caused by breaking the vase, none of this would have happened.
 
Sincerely and fondly,
Ellen

PS—If you’re wondering how three of the horses from the carousel next to the food court ended up in my backyard, I am happy to explain that in a separate letter.

From the book Seriously … I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres. © 2011 by Crazy Monkey, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Grand Central Publishing, New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Type 1 diabetes develops when an overactive immune system knocks out insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas and sends blood sugars soaring. Early results suggest that infusions of the drug teplizumab avert the misguided attacks and can help prevent type 1 or throw it into remission. But no one knew how the therapy might work—until now.

The Yale report, which appears in Science Translational Medicine and was partially funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, reveals that teplizumab (also called anti-CD3) activates the immune system’s T cells and triggers a specific chain of events to protect insulin production.

“In the new study, we address the way this investigational drug works on human cells in a mouse model,” said co-author Richard A. Flavell, professor of immunobiology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. “The results are exciting and predictive of how this compound would work in people.”

Click here for more about teplizumab research from Diabetes TrialNet, an international network of researchers that conducts studies for people with type 1 diabetes and their at-risk relatives.

As if this wasn’t enough discouragement, there was the challenge of navigating. Road signs were rare and often incorrect. Travelers were frequently reduced to driving from one roadside stranger to the next, gathering a few miles of directions at a time. The earliest road maps by Rand McNally were printed only after 1904.

A motorist uses this high-tech alternative to maps.

Yet a high-tech alternative appeared in 1909: a real-time, on-board directional guide called the Jones Live Map. It was invented by J. W. Jones, who had also introduced the Jones Speedometer, the Jones Disc Phonograph Record, and the Jones Yobel —“the gentlemen’s automobile horn.”

The idea was revolutionary.  The Live Map was a small turntable device with a cable that attached to an automobile’s odometer.  Before making their journeys, drivers would purchase paper discs with the route to their destination prescribed by The Touring Club of America.

At the beginning of the journey, the driver would place his journey’s disc to the Live Map’s turntable so that the journey’s starting point lined up with an arrow indicator on the glass cover. As the car began rolling, the turning odometer cable caused the map to rotate. The arrow would point to the driver’s changing position in the journey.

Each disc had up to 100 miles of travel details around its perimeter.  If the journey was longer than 100 miles, the driver would replace the first disc with a second, or third part.

A Saturday Evening Post advertisement for the device described it as

the phonograph of the road. It has disc records covering the roads of the entire world. You insert the record of the trip you want to make. The Live-Map “plays” it. Not out loud, but with a pointer that always points the way—that tells you where you are now and what to do about it.

To have it with you is like having in your car a man who knows every road, every corner, every crossing, every landmark, every puzzling fork and crossroad in the entire world.

A 1910 booklet, “The Jones Live Map – What Happens Without It” brags that the Jones Live Map would save the driver from the Evil Genius of the Roads, the stranger who always gave incorrect directions. It was superior to route books, which were hard to follow and led drivers into unlisted trolley and railroad crossings. And it was more convenient than the large, clumsy, origamical maps that could never be refolded and were always tearing in the wind.

Jones Manufacturing offered over 500 map routes by 1919.

Jones Manufacturing was offering over 500 routes by 1919. The routes span the entire country from New York to Los Angeles, and included notification of speed laws where they existed.

However, the problem with this first GPS was the same that plagues such systems today. Roadways are in a state of continual change. Every time the Live Map offered printed directions like “take a right at the fork by the flag pole,” it was fighting a losing battle. Landmarks like flag poles could be removed at any time. The map discs might be corrected and reprinted, but a driver’s old discs, which relied on missing landmarks, could be close to useless.

By the 1920s, there was an abundance of road maps for much of the country. States and counties had begun identifying roadways with standardized signs along the roadside. Jones Live Map ceased production.

The next attempt to provide instantaneous driving directions didn’t appear until 1994, when the Department of Defense launched its Global Positioning System, which could locate the signal from a GPS device through a network of 24 satellites. The system was authorized for civilian use in 1996.

It quickly became popular with women drivers, but it proved just as welcome to men who felt that consulting their Garmin or TomTom wasn’t really asking for directions.

Postscript

The need for reliable navigation hasn’t changed in over a century, but the etiquette of the road certainly has. In 1909, the Jones manufacturing company sold its Yobel horn for its good manners, as this ad copy shows:

There is a vast difference between an automobile signal which says, “I’m coming,” and one which says “Get out of here.”

One is a gentleman’s request for his fair share of the road; the other is an insulting, abusive command to get into the ditch.

At the sound of one signal, a man turns out with quick civility; at the sound of the other, he unwillingly sulks aside.

Mr. J. W. Jones wanted a signal which would get the road without getting everybody mad, so he invented the New Jones Electric Yobel.

It is a signal that carries as far as any of the shrieking horns, but gives no offense. It sounds one harmonious, penetrating note. It is not the loud, coarse, vulgar blast of the rowdy. It is the signal of a gentleman’s car.

There are few things that are as ingrained into the American psyche as the Super Bowl. Every year—even months ahead of time—we know that we will: dress up and give out candy for Halloween, exchange gifts for Christmas, and get together with friends for pizza and wings for the Super Bowl. It practically is a religious holiday among die-hard fans, and even those who hate the sport still attend parties and watch “just to see the commercials.”

How big of an event is it? It is estimated that over 173 million people will tune in to the game Sunday evening—over half of the population of the United States. Consumer spending is expected to surpass $11 billion, as many as 1 in 10 workers will miss work the Monday after, and Americans will have eaten over 1.25 billion chicken wings after all is said and done.

And that’s nationwide. The impact the event has on its host city is virtually unfathomable. “There will be over 100,000 people in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl this year,” says Susan Williams, president of Indiana Sports Corporation, a non-profit lobbying group that was instrumental in bringing the event to Indianapolis. “We have been planning for this for three years. It is a huge civic engagement.”

And it is not just the sheer number of people that the city is preparing for. The cultural importance that our country places on this game, combined with the reality of living in the internet age, have indeed meant that Indianapolis has undergone a massive undertaking.

First of all, the enormity of this event means that keeping the venue safe from threats both domestic and abroad is something that the city has taken very seriously. “Fifty percent of the planning so far has been spent on safety and security,” explains Williams. “There are people here from Homeland Security, the FBI, the Secret Service—every possible public safety entity. This ranks right below a presidential visit in terms of security.”

The widespread media coverage of the Super Bowl has also presented unique challenges. There will be 5,000 credentialed media in the city, all of whom will require internet access, access to technology, and hospitality. However, Williams is full of hometown pride and believes Indy is up to the challenge: “An entire floor of the JW Marriott has been transformed into a media center,” she says. “Every single member of the media will have access to equipment, and there will be very high-level volunteers who will act as concierge to ensure that their every need is attended to. That’s why they like coming here: we’ve hosted several Final Fours and the 500 every year, and Indy knows how to deal with it.”

In addition to the special media and security preparations, the city has had to prepare with the physical realities of hosting so many people. Every downtown hotel is sold out; train tracks have been shut down; the downtown post office has been temporarily decommissioned and mail rerouted. It is estimated that visitors will spend between $100-200 million dollars in Indianapolis over the Super Bowl weekend, which is welcome news to local vendors, but presents a logistical nightmare to planners.

This is the reality of the Super Bowl in this modern age. The more cynical among us might say that such importance being placed on a simple sports game shows that our country’s priorities aren’t quite in order, and they might have a valid point.

However, according to Williams, the event will provide a lasting positive impact in Indianapolis outside of the realm of sports. “This has really brought out the best of Indianapolis,” she says. “It’s brought the community together in an incredible way.”

Over 8,000 volunteers will participate in the events surrounding the Super Bowl, which Williams believes will strengthen the community. The city will also benefit from several more physical and concrete improvements:

• Over 200 near-Eastside homes were rehabbed in preparation for the event.
• Volunteers surpassed their goal of planting 2012 trees around the community to commemorate the event.
• 46 murals have been painted around the city by both local and national artists.
• Arsenal Technical High School (an inner-city public school) will get keep the turf field and fitness center created for the New York Giants to  practice in.
• Arts and music should flourish on newly-redesigned Georgia Street downtown.

So, even after this year’s celebration wraps up on Sunday—and we look ahead to the next American holiday—Super Bowl XLVI will leave its mark on Indianapolis and the country as a whole.

Baby Carriage
By: Norman Rockwell
From May 20, 1916

It was a brush with destiny. A young artist named Norman Rockwell had a dream: to do a Saturday Evening Post cover. To this end, he showed a painting of a lovely ballerina to his buddy, Clyde Forsythe. His friend’s reaction: “C-R-U-D! Terrible. Awful. Hopeless.” Apparently, Forsythe was not one to mince words. Then Forsythe picked up one of the illustrations Rockwell had done for Boys’ Life magazine. “Do that,” he said. Do what you’re best at—kids.”

Following his friend’s suggestion, Rockwell was over the moon when “Baby Carriage” appeared as his first Post cover in 1916. He was twenty-two. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship that lasted a remarkable 47 years and over 300 covers.

Celebrating Norman’s 84th birthday in 1978, the Saturday Evening Post collected a variety of quotes from celebrities:

Leapfrog
By: Norman Rockwell
From June 28, 1919

“A Norman Rockwell painting makes you feel happy and warm.” – Bob Hope

“When I was a boy, I used to deliver the Saturday Evening Post in our neighborhood on Long Island. With what joy and excitement I opened the bundles of magazines and studied each new Norman Rockwell cover. I’m so glad that the Post is honoring him on his 84th birthday and I would like to add my personal message to him, “Happy Birthday, Mr. Rockwell, all the way from the Aloha State.” – Jack Lord

“Norman Rockwell is timeless and without a doubt, universal. His warmth and humanity cover you like a winter quilt. Norman Rockwell celebrates life, and it is a wonderful feeling to help celebrate his.” – Henry Winkler

Rockwell Portrait
by Gene Boyer

In 1978 a “new Post cover artist,” Gene Boyer, wished Norman Rockwell happy birthday in his own special way with this portrait.

“For his openness, his goodness and honesty and intelligence, the world thanks him and wishes him a great birthday. He is a great man. And would be embarrassed to be so called.” – Ronald Reagan

“Norman Rockwell is, I think, the most thoroughly American artist of all. Historians a thousand years from now will be able to learn a great deal of what life was like in the United States in the 20th century from studying the warm, human impressions by an artist who obviously loved his subjects.” – Steve Allen

Gramps at the Plate
By: Norman Rockwell
From August 5, 1916

“Norman Rockwell’s name has become synonymous with a whole age of innocence in America, and his great paintings evoke in all of us a nostalgia for a simpler and happier time.” – Walter Cronkite

“Norman Rockwell has always had a way of staying in touch with the feelings and hearts of the American people. In this time of constant hunting by the news fraternity for the provocative, the thoughts and moods and illustrations of Norman are most welcome and refreshing.” – John Wayne

“Norman Rockwell is America’s greatest, and I wish my home was full of everything he ever painted. Love, Lucy.” – Lucille Ball

“Some of us grew up thinking that Uncle Sam’s real name was Norman Rockwell; I still do.” – Paul Harvey

Rockwell Painting Nasser

Rosey Grier’s Needlepoint

Rosey Grier’s Needlepoint
From November 1, 1974

This cover was designed by a needlepoint expert—Rosey (Roosevelt) Grier, a former pro for the L.A. Rams and the New York Giants.

According to this issue, Grier appeared on a talk show in the 1970s and “one of the guests brought her work and Rosey was so taken he spent—after she taught him—the entire program pulling yarn through canvas. Later, Rosey would haul his sewing to card games. If he had a good hand, out would come the needlework from under the table, an unusual alternative to the poker face.”

Grier at the 2008 Movieguide Faith and Value Awards Gala.
Photo from lukeford.net

Johnny Unitas by Leifer Neil

Johnny Unitas
by Leifer Neil
From December 12, 1964

Widely considered one of the NFL all time greats, Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts appeared on the cover in December 1964. By this time, photographs had replaced work by artists that the Saturday Evening Post was so known for. Not that photographers aren’t artists, as this great shot by Leifer Neil shows.

The article in this issue was ironically called, “The Runaway Colts.” This referred to an outstanding season in 1964, one of Unitas’ (and the Colts’) best. The title has no bearing on “Bob Irsay’s Midnight Ride,” abandoning Baltimore for Indianapolis, which didn’t occur until 1984. Although he had been retired for a decade by then, Unitas and fellow players were outraged by the move. Unitas passed away in 2002.

“Quarterback Pass” by Maurice Bower

"Quarterback Pass"
by Maurice Bower
From October 12, 1935

Artist Maurice Bower was brilliant at capturing moments of high-energy action, as this 1935 cover will attest to. Other great examples of this were Bower’s many covers of another kind of athlete: horses. Galloping, muscles straining, nostrils flaring and manes flying—see “Maurice Bower’s Horse Power” from 2009.

“Inflating Football” by Harrison McCreary

"Inflating Football"
by Harrison McCreary
From October 16, 1926

Equipment sure has changed since the Roaring Twenties. For one thing, you needed a good set of lungs just to keep the ball inflated. Secondly, it is hard to imagine the helmet provided much protection. A really cute touch to this illustration by artist Harrison McCreary is the 4-leafed-clover pinned to the boy’s sweater for luck. Apparently, the need for a good set of lungs continued into the 1940s—see below.

“Grandma and Football” by Russell Sambrook

"Grandma and Football"
by Russell Sambrook
From October 26, 1940

In this 1940 cover, the helmet looks a bit more sophisticated, but that ball still needs to be inflated the hard way. If I were this young man, I would do it myself and let grandma get on with her apple peeling. I don’t know how the game will turn out, but something tells me a rockin’ apple pie is in his future.

“College Man’s Number” by George Gibbs

"College Man’s Number, 1900"
by George Gibbs
From October 27, 1900

The Saturday Evening Post started out as a newspaper. It didn’t sport a cover and start looking like a magazine until 1899. So, with a virtually new format, artist George Gibbs paints a football cover. Gibbs did several early Post covers as well as inside illustrations and covers for other prominent magazines of the time such as The Ladies Home Journal and Redbook.

We hope you enjoyed our multi-decade gridiron salute and have a great time watching the Super Bowl!

Celebrate the Super Bowl with a laugh!

From September/October 1995

Ever notice how far away that goal is? Try looking at it when a bunch of big, angry guys are chasing you. Post cartoonists look at the funny side of football.

"Do you have the same thing in Parmesan?"
From January/February 2006

No Cheeseheads this year, but fans do have to dress the part.

"He’s going to feel that tomorrow."
From September/October 1995

And you have to be ready for it to get a little rough.

"My wife thinks that I put football before marriage,
even though we just celebrated our third season together."
From July/August 1999

Women!

"Football is a game where 22 big, strong men run around for two hours while millions who really need the exercise sit and watch."
From November/December 1998

Okay, so women do understand the game.

"Boy, you should hear their coach!"
From November 25, 1950

You would think hearing one coach rant and rave would be enough.

"Relax—the game is over!"
From October 5, 1957

Hey, the team didn’t get this far by giving up. Enjoy the game!

Before long, Sylvia was in well over her head. “I was up to a balance of nearly $7,000, and paying interest rates as high as 39.99 percent on seven different cards,” she says. “I realized that I was going to have a very hard time ever paying that off and I became very depressed.”

In today’s economy, Sylvia’s story is far from unusual. Americans hold an estimated 610 million credit cards, and the average household with credit card debt carries a balance of nearly $16,000.

With so many people owing so much, a large debt settlement industry has emerged. By way of unsolicited phone calls and advertisements on radio and television—usually late at night when the debt-ridden presumably are sleepless—these companies make promises of fast, painless relief. “We’ll cut your bills in half!” the ads promise. But, as the old adage states, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. According to a recent investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the debt relief industry is rife with fraudulent and deceptive practices that often leave people only more in debt, sometimes facing multiple lawsuits and bankruptcy.

Here’s what’s behind those promises of miraculous debt reduction. First, the firms tell you to stop paying your bills. After your creditors haven’t been paid for several months, the strategy is for the debt settlement attorneys to go to your creditors and offer them a lump sum payment for far less than the amount owed. It actually can work. The catch is that you’re stuck paying fees to the debt settlement company that may be close to—or even exceed—the amount you’ve saved. Plus your credit rating is shattered. In the worst case scenario, you might pay thousands to the debt relief company and still fail to reduce your debt in the slightest. These companies’ actions are “appalling beyond words,” said Senator John D. Rockefeller (D-WV), who ordered the GAO investigation. “These debt settlement companies are kicking people when they are down.”

There is a legitimate alternative to all this. It’s called “debt consolidation.” Such programs are usually managed by nonprofits following strict ethical guidelines that help you group your debts together into one payment (often using your home as collateral) so that your interest rates can be lowered.

In part due to the GAO investigation, new federal laws went into effect in October of 2010 that make it more difficult for unscrupulous debt relief firms to continue doing business as usual. But industry insiders warn that the new laws will not protect consumers from all fraud and deception. If you are in debt and can’t find your way out, consider the following tips to help you distinguish good help from bad.

1. Check under the hood. Look for a nonprofit credit counseling agency—not a for-profit “debt settlement” company. The nonprofit should belong to either the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA) or both.

These organizations set ethical standards that all member agencies must follow.

2. Beware extravagant claims. Legitimate companies aren’t going to cut your debt in half—or anything close.

3. Refuse up-front costs. Charging fees in advance is typical among the firms investigated by the GAO. Some of these companies demanded hundreds or even thousands of dollars on day one. A legitimate nonprofit agency will charge you no more than $50 a month, often less, and only after they’ve worked with you to lower your monthly credit payments by at least that amount, says Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC.

4. Do a background check. Ask the Better Business Bureau and your state Attorney General’s Office if complaints have been lodged against any credit counseling enterprise you approach.

Sylvia Mitchell finally landed a fulltime position with the Transportation Security Administration. At the same time, she sought help from a nonprofit agency called InCharge Debt Solutions (a member of both the NFCC and AICCCA). With its help, she was able to consolidate her loans, lower her payments, get control over her budget, and, over two years, reduce her credit-card debt to zero. “I’ve learned my lesson,” Sylvia says. “No more credit. From now on, it’s just cash and carry for me!”

A graduate of California Culinary Academy (CCA) in San Francisco, Cheryl has worked in top restaurants in France and San Francisco. She now has an urban farm in Napa, California.

The holidays are long gone, and the time of reckoning has come.

A month ago, we switched from party-goer to gym-goer, from festive cheer to mid-winter resolve. But by now, you may be having a post-holiday showdown with the bathroom scale, and the results are disappointing. Or you’re feeling sluggish and lackluster after weeks of snowed-in cabin fever without exercise.

Still, don’t let a slow starting pace discourage you. The key to getting back on track is to adopt the right frame of mind. Instead of berating yourself for slacking off, use a strategy called “framing” to isolate and contain the unhealthy indulgences that might have occurred. Just as a physical frame surrounds a picture, behavioral framing surrounds a splurge with a solid boundary of good habits. By reinforcing your exercise program and healthy eating plan before and after an indulgence, you give yourself permission to savor special treats, secure in the knowledge that the next day you’ll be right back on track. After all, a single day—or even several—won’t ruin your healthy lifestyle; it’s the long-term pattern that counts.

Now that we have a small dent in the New Year, don’t let a day or week of splurging turn into a month; the longer you go, the more slippery the slope and the tougher it is to get back on track.

Top Tips for Getting Back on Track:

Keep drinking.

Swap out festive libations for water! Try to drink 8 to 12 glasses each day—more if you’re working out. A recent study published in the journal Obesity found that drinking two cups of water prior to meals helps drop more pounds than without hydration. Water makes you feel full, and provides your body with the hydration it needs for optimum function. If you dislike the lack of flavor, add herbs like mint or basil or slices of citrus fruits or cucumber to a pitcher of water.

Swap cans and boxes for fresh food.

Stay away from processed foods in cans and boxes and start buying more fresh foods. You don’t have to be a fancy cook—buy a simple cookbook, and you may surprise yourself at the chef you find within and, in the long run, you’ll save money too.

Swap food rewards for non-food rewards.

It’s so easy to reach for a donut or candy at work when we’re having a stressful day. And after a rough day so many of us drown our worries in a cocktail (or two) or a rich comforting dinner to soothe ourselves into feeling better (temporarily!). Pay attention to emotional eating which causes us to make poor choices and even to eat when we’re not hungry. If an emotional trigger of stress or loneliness sabotages your best intentions, increase your awareness and substitute a hot bath, a book, or a walk for a bag of chips or bowl of ice cream.

Get moving. Exercise will give you more energy.

Get moving.

There’s nothing like an intense workout to combat winter blues. Although it may seem counterintuitive, exercise actually gives you more energy —and if you add weight training to your routine, you’ll build muscle mass and boost your metabolism, helping drop pounds even faster. If you haven’t added a workout into your weight loss plan, you may find that your stamina and strength have diminished a bit, but don’t let that hamper your restart effort. Keep moving on a regular basis, and you’ll soon find your fit self.

Swap fear for confidence.

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said: “Do something each day that scares you.” Take a swim class. Dust off your bicycle. Join a hiking club. Experiment til you find an activity you really enjoy. If you actually look forward to your workouts, you’ve made huge progress!

Eat often.

Include a good source of lean protein with your breakfast to feel full longer, and then eat five to six small meals a day. In a meal-skipping study at the National Institute on Aging, people who skipped meals during the day and had all of their calories at one nightly meal exhibited unhealthy changes in their metabolism, similar to unhealthy blood sugar levels observed in diabetics. And, of course, skipping meals or snacks increases your chances of coming to the table famished at the next meal and over-eating or making less healthy food choices.

Get plenty of sleep.

It’s easier to overeat when you’re tired, and fatigue can make it hard to stick to your work out plans. Caffeine, sugar and simple carbs are the worst choices for a pick-me-up, but they’re what we frequently turn to when sleep-deprived. Aim to get eight hours of sleep per night, and/or try taking short naps during the day. As extra insurance, pitch the junk food and have healthy snacks in the house at all times. That way, if a fatigue-induced craving does hit, the only choice you can make will be a good one.

 
Cheryl Forberg RD is a New York Times bestselling author and a James Beard award-winning chef. Cheryl co-wrote the eating plan for NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” and was the show’s nutritionist for twelve seasons. Her latest book is Flavor First, and she writes a blog of cooking and nutrition tips. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook for more tips and recipes. And continue to read the Saturday Evening Post website for more regular nutrition tips and features from Cheryl.
 
 
 
 

Although American stocks of materiel were sufficient for tackling Libya, they are far from inexhaustible. In fact, the U.S. military remains critically short of these same types of weapons. Early in the Iraq war, for instance, stocks of precision bombs were so reduced that the Pentagon ordered Boeing to ramp up emergency production. Boeing’s attempts to supply the military’s needs were thwarted by a Swiss company, Micro Crystal, which—angered by the U.S. decision to invade Iraq—ceased delivery of a key part, according to defense officials. Because no firm in the U.S. made the part, finding an American company capable of starting a new production line took the Pentagon seven months. If the most powerful military in the world could run short of a key weapon system against a third-rate military power like Iraq, what would happen if we faced a more powerful opponent such as China?

In the last century, American industrial might twice rescued the democratic world: first from German militarism and then from Axis totalitarianism. After World War I, one of Germany’s top military commanders claimed that his country was not beaten by the Allied military but by “pitiless American industry” that was able to mass produce war materiel on a previously unimaginable scale. Two decades later that same “pitiless industry” became President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Arsenal of Democracy,” which buried the Axis powers under an avalanche of war materiel belched out of Pittsburgh’s furnaces and Detroit’s assembly lines. Sadly, those days are relegated to the past. As American heavy industry has moved off shore, so has much of the nation’s ability to mobilize the kinds of forces that met the crises of the last century.

Despite rumors to the contrary, however, America still possesses a formidable industrial base. Unfortunately, it is no longer unrivaled by other growing powers. Every passing year sees China further solidifying its position as the world’s production base. According to the Pentagon’s 2011 annual report to Congress on Chinese military developments this “sustained economic development … coupled with an expanding science and technology base, has facilitated a comprehensive and ongoing military modernization program.”

Knowing this, one cannot help but wonder if the U.S. industrial base is still capable of winning the production war in a major conflict. Meanwhile, there is another looming threat that is only beginning to be understood—the globalization of supply chains. In today’s globalized economy a weapon may consist of parts from a dozen or more countries that come together at a single assembly point. At least 50 percent of all of content in any item bought by the Department of Defense must, by law, come off American production lines, and some weapons are 100 percent made in the USA. Still, in certain cases, parts are made in America, shipped to China for assembly, and then shipped back to the U.S. for sale. This presents America’s high technology military with a major problem.

Illustration by Jonathan Bartlett

Then, there is the potential for sabotage anywhere along the supply chain. For instance, many of the microchips purchased for the Pentagon come from China, where they theoretically could be tampered with by Chinese intelligence. And, in fact, in 2010 alone the U.S. Navy purchased more than 59,000 computer chips from China that were discovered to be counterfeit. These chips were destined for use in our most sensitive weapons systems—from missiles to transponders, as reported in Wired magazine. Any or all of these chips could have included malware that would allow the Chinese military to turn off or otherwise wreck whatever systems the chips were inserted within. After counterfeit chips were discovered, the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity initiated the Trusted Integrated Circuit Program both to help prevent foreign adversaries from tampering with U.S. chips and to check foreign-sourced chips for flaws after delivery.

But the problems don’t end there. The Pentagon is expecting huge budget cuts as a result of our current wars ending and the nation’s dire economic position.

For this reason, America’s defense industry is scrambling to reduce capacity.

Northrop Grumman, a global aerospace and defense technology company, recently announced plans to close troubled shipyards and leave the shipbuilding industry. This means that one of the country’s five remaining naval shipyards—Avondale—could close for lack of work with a loss of 5,000 jobs.

With those jobs goes decades of shipbuilding experience that will be near impossible to replicate if it is needed in an emergency.

Today U.S. shipyards produce less than one percent of all commercial vessels while Asia builds 95 percent. Without the naval shipyards America would effectively be exiting the shipbuilding business entirely, a sad end for an industry that in World War II produced ships six times faster than Hitler’s submarine wolfpacks could sink them.

In the meantime, China has the capacity to build almost 60 million tons of ships per year and is looking to increase that capacity, according to the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore.

In the end, if America loses a future war because of production shortfalls that leave our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines bereft of what they require to fight and win, it won’t be because we lack the capacity. America’s ability to win the wars of tomorrow rests on implementing the economic policies necessary to rebuild our industrial base and ensure the availability of funds required to meet an unforeseen crisis.

Jim Lacey, Ph.D., is the professor of strategic studies at the Marine Corps War College. The opinions presented here are entirely his own and do not represent those of the Department of Defense or any of its members.

“Consumers are being more pro-active about their health,” says Michele Merhib, certified massage therapist and founder of Elements Therapeutic Massage, a national franchise with more than 85 studios. “And they are realizing that getting a professional massage—with the right therapist—can help keep their immune system up and running throughout cold and flu season.”

Post editors talked to the massage professional about turning to the relaxing technique for better health.

What does science say about the benefits of massage in besting colds and flu?

Recently, a study at Cedar-Sinai hospital evaluated 59 clients who received a 45-minute massage while connected to a lot of equipment. In the end, they discovered that a single massage resulted in significant biological changes: it decreased the stress hormone cortisol, increased production of lymphocytes (an important facet of the immune system response), and boosted levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with a feeling of contentment.

What do your clients say about the benefits of massage?

Clients notice that regular massage at home or in a studio helps reduce colds and flu and improves overall health. For example, those who typically get a massage every 4^th week say they feel sluggish by the end of week 5 if they miss a session. They also report that regular massage helps them sleep better.

Is any one type of massage particularly effective?

Research shows that hands-on bodywork increases circulation and promotes health—whether that touch is light, or deep. What matters most, then, is identifying the pressure that works for your body. If it’s too deep, you won’t enjoy the massage or reap its benefits.

Can you suggest a massage technique to perform at home?

I’ll give you two! One technique massages the hand with the eraser-end of a pencil. The other uses a tennis or golf ball to rub the feet.

For Hands:

1. Turn palm up. With the eraser of a #2 pencil, apply pressure in a small circular motion at base of the thumb.
2. Repeat at base of each finger. Continue to work down the lateral, or pinkie-side, of the hand.
3. Travel twice around each hand.

For Feet: Reflexology teaches that points on the feet connect to the chest and lungs, so this technique may be especially good for avoiding colds and flu.

1. Sit comfortably on chair or couch and place tennis or golf ball near your feet.
2. Roll foot over ball, moving back and forth and side to side to cover the entire sole. Repeat with other foot. Apply enough pressure to feel a substantial, but not painful, massage. Ease up just before reaching the “hurts-so-good” threshold. As an alternative, cross the right leg over the left one. With your left hand, roll ball over right foot. Repeat on other side.
3. Set aside ball. Use hands to massage each toe from base to tip.

Can you offer tips to finding the right massage therapist?

First, start your search on websites affiliated with the American Massage Therapy Association and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, especially if interested in a particular technique. These national organizations provide continuing education and liability insurance to its members as well as resources for the public.

Then, before scheduling your massage, set up a meeting to describe what’s going on in your body. You want to find a therapist who fits your needs. If you have back pain, for example, you want someone with knowledge and experience in that area.

Finally, try a half-hour massage session to gauge the therapist’s touch and communication style. Questions to consider include: Are they talking too much? Are they addressing the areas that most affect me? Do they even ask?

Remember that you don’t have to visit the same therapist. Personally, the one I choose for relaxation is not same person I see to get the knot out of my shoulder.

Part of what makes my business successful is that each Elements studio has 15-20 therapists on staff.  We are going to find a therapist who can meet a particular need.

The watchman conveyed the request on to Edison, who replied,

“Go back. Tell that fellow that I say the expiration of those patents won’t amount to a hill of beans.

“Tell him that Mr. Edison says he has never had exclusive use of his inventions and never expects to in this world.

“Tell him the expiring of a patent has no effect whatever upon the fortunes of an inventor.”
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hearing Edison’s response, Crawford wrote another note: “What do you mean by ‘no exclusive use’? No protection? Must see you.” Eventually the great inventor admitted Crawford and gave him this statement:

“There is no such thing in this country as an inventor’s monopoly. The moment he invents something that is an epoch-maker in the world of science and commerce, there will be pirates to spring up on all sides and contest his rights to his ideas.

“I might invent a new monkey wrench which could go without infringement, but the moment I take certain forces and work out a moving picture for the first time in history… mark you how the pirates rise up and call it their own.”

Thirty years later, Crawford was back at Edison’s laboratory, again asking about patents and their profitability. Having invented the sustainable electric lighting, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera, Crawford asked him, “Why aren’t you the richest man in the world today?”

Edison’s reply:

The only patent that ever made money for Edison.

“Nearly $10,000,000,000, they tell me, are invested in modern industries which developed from ideas embodied in my inventions and my patents.

“A billion or so dollars, I am told, may be the annual total income to artisans and workers in fields thus created.

“But I have made very little profit from my inventions.

“In my lifetime I have taken out 1180 patents, up to date. Counting the expense of experimenting and fighting for my claims in court, these patents have cost me more than they have returned me in royalties. I have made money through the introduction and sale of my products as a manufacturer, not as an inventor.”
 
 

Edison was one of the fortunate few inventors who knew that great engineering, on its own, never earned a dime. The success of any technology is due to its business model. And the protection of its copyright.

Unfortunately, Edison said, the U.S. had a “miserable system” for protecting inventions from infringement.

Edison in 1906.

“I have never enjoyed a monopoly upon anything that I have ever invented, with this single modification: the producers of motion pictures did pay me royalties until my patents expired. But even in that case I had to fight a long time in court over my claims.

“I frankly acknowledge that on one of the patents I had filed claims that were a little too ambitious, too broad, and one of the courts threw us out.

“But we modified our claims and the patent was reissued to us, and the picture people recognized our rights and paid us royalties until the patents expired.”
 
 
 
 
 

The foundation of America's tattoo-parlor industry: Edison's Stencil Pen from the 1870s.

“I have known of several inventors [whose] ideas would have made them millionaires. But they were kept poor by the pirates who were allowed through our very faulty system of protection to usurp their rights.

“Do you see that little incandescent lamp hanging over my head? Well, I fought in the courts of this and other countries for fourteen years to establish my rights as inventor, even after I had the patents. My associates and I had to spend more than $1,000,000 to prove our rights to the incandescent light, even though our claims had been duly vouched by the United States patent office.

“Everywhere, all around the earth, the pirates kept picking on that little lamp, and they were able to keep me out of the profits on my patents until there were but three years left out of the seventeen. So, while the light was a boon to the world at large, to the inventor the patent was well-nigh useless.”

 

“The first step is to hire a sharp lawyer—one who can make any judge unfamiliar with technology believe that black is white. They set up the claim that they, and not the inventor, should be recognized as the originator of certain ideas. They boldly strut into court and enjoin the inventor from manufacturing anything from his own creations and formulas, even though the inventor may hold in his hands a patent issued by the United States Government.

“Pirates can readily get all the money they require—millions, if needed—to carry on their contests.”

As always, when facing a problem, Edison came up with a solution. The answer to high-tech piracy was a high-tech court.

The source of endless patent battles.

“A separate and special court. Take the whole business out of the regular judicial system. It has never belonged there.

“What does the average judge of our district courts, or circuit courts of appeal—or even of the Supreme Court, for that matter—know about the technical phases of chemistry or physics? These judges have been lawyers all their lives, and they are—some of them—distinguished for their ability as jurists. But when it comes to understanding a contest over amperes, or ohms, or the atomic theory, or subatomic energy, they can be fooled by a smart lawyer quite as soon as… any farmer from the hinterlands.

“I would appoint, to this special court for trying patent cases, judges from the faculties of colleges of technology, men who know something about science. They could travel around the country and hold court, if need be, in the factories and workshops of the inventors and their competitors, and get first-hand data upon each issue involved in the litigation, just as President Wilson’s War Labor Board, headed by William Howard Taft, went around during the war settling labor disputes in the mills, right on the ground. There wouldn’t be much quibbling on the part of lawyers before these scientist judges. Then, and not till then, will an inventor stand some show of being rewarded for the long, tedious labors he has expended through ceaseless experimentation to gain the fruition of his ideas.”

Perhaps Edison’s court of scientist-judges would make more intelligent decisions about the theft of patented technology. It might also spare businesses the overwhelming costs of time, money, and resources for such suits. (Surely the legal profession will profit more from the pending lawsuit of Apple and Google than the technology developers.)

However, an American court would be of little help in protecting U.S. patents in the global markets. According to our International Trade Commission, China’s theft of Americans’ intellectual property, in 2009 alone, cost U.S. businesses $48 billion and 2.1 million jobs.

The late Don Asher and Dr. Lois Goodwill, his partner of more than two decades, discovered their answer and share the tale in the memoir Entangled: A Chronicle of Late Love.

Don Asher was an 80-year-old pianist in San Francisco, and Lois, who goes by Sarah in the book, was a 69-year-old semi-retired clinical psychologist with a penchant for travel and art. They seemed happy together, but after twenty-two years with Don, Lois met a former Jesuit priest and formed a startling romantic connection with him, triggering an excitement in her that she hadn’t felt since she was young.

The results of her departure and subsequent love affair obviously shook both Don and Lois and Entangled offers both sides of the couple’s story. (Don’s perspective is written after the events while Lois’ diary is written during them.)

It’s not easy to read about Don’s depression and anxiety, but the memoir paints a vivid picture of the fractured relationship, and the story of how each of them picked up the pieces and moved forward is both intense and startlingly beautiful.

Surprisingly, I was most drawn to Lois’ diary entries, written while she was embarking on a new course and starting a new relationship. Her thoughts, worries, and pleasures make her seem open and alive, still enjoying life at nearly 70 years of age.

Don Asher previously wrote for the Saturday Evening Post, and his half of the book is equally intense as he lets us into his life, revealing his fears about returning prostate cancer and his sadness about losing his love.

Entangled is truly a story of new life and new love, showing us that love and affection never truly die, even as we get older.

Entangled: A Chronicle of Late Love is available from Heyday at a list price of $14.95.

“Rockwell Models”

Rockwell Models in "Progress?"
From August 21, 1954

One advantage of living near Rockwell in the 1950s is that you had a good chance of being forever remembered in a Saturday Evening Post cover.

“Progress?” – August 21, 1954

"Progress?"
From August 21, 1954

This is progress? The construction crew is meant to build a cellar, but along come the local would-be All Stars pleading, “Gee, mister, this is our baseball lot!”

Rockwell gathered up models for this scene in midwinter by knocking on doors (in Stockbridge, Mass.) and rousting up members of the Little League team. My favorite touch is tiny Scott Ingram sucking his fingers as the negotiations proceed. The boy in the baseball suit is big brother, Kenneth Ingram. We’ll see Scott again.

The workers appear sympathetic, but we suspect things do not bode well for the great American pastime.

According to Kenneth, Scott’s best buddy was Eddie Locke (below).

“Before the Shot”– March 15, 1958

"Before the Shot"
From March 15, 1958

We recently showed you Eddie Locke as “The Runaway” (see: ROCKWELL: BEHIND THE CANVAS). The young man shows up on yet another classic Rockwell cover: as the boy checking out the doctor’s credentials before getting a shot.

The physician preparing the shot was Donald Campbell, a real local doctor. “Norman lived across the street from me for a number of years, said Dr. Campbell in a 1976 issue of the Post. “It was a familiar sight to see his long legs carrying him down to the studio regularly before eight a.m. “

Dr. Campbell continued, “Norman couldn’t help being nice to people, especially children. When my five-year-old Betsy fell from her bike because a little dog followed her, barking, Norman gathered her up, stopped her tears and took her home with him. With Betsy on his knee, he drew a series of pictures as in a cartoon, showing a little dog chasing a little child on a bike. The picture showed the little girl’s face with the caption, ‘See. The nice little dog only wanted to play.’”

“Girl at the Mirror” – March 6, 1954

"Girl at the Mirror"
From March 6, 1954

Rockwell once called Mary Whalen his favorite model, even if the young girl on the cover didn’t think she measured up to Jane Russell (who did?). The artist captures the “in-between” age well between the cast away doll and the closer “necessities” of lipstick and hairbrush.

Mary’s first memory of the artist “was at a high school basketball game in Arlington, Vermont, about 1950. His son Tommy was on the local team, so along with nearly everybody else in town, Norman was there to cheer them on. When I harassed my Dad for a Coke, a friendly man sitting behind us gallantly reached over my shoulder and invited me to drink some of his Coke. That was the beginning of my admiration for Norman Rockwell.”

How did Rockwell get the facial expressions he wanted from the kids? “He would laugh and shout, pound the floor, or jump up and down,” Mary recalled. “He did the acting while I reacted. What a wonderful moment of joy when Norman drew forth from me the expressions he wanted. He would burst out laughing, with happy shouts. It is the memory of those triumphant, creative moments which I treasure most,” she recalled, more than twenty years later. “I can still hear deep within me his laugh of celebration.”

“A Day in the Life of a Girl” – August 30, 1952

"A Day in the Life of a Girl"
From August 30, 1952

Earlier in 1952, Rockwell did a cover called “A Day in the Life of a Boy,” which follows a boy getting up and ready for school, playing baseball, getting distracted by a pretty girl, and so on. A few months later, the summer version, “A Day in the life of a Girl” appeared. Both covers featured Charles Marsh, Jr. and Mary Whalen. Mary awakens, then it’s off to go swimming, where a young man promptly tries to drown her. The spirited lass returns the gesture, and it was love at first fight.

The last row shows a chaste kiss, which Marsh just couldn’t pull off. “I considered her my girlfriend then,” he said later, but I had never built up enough courage to kiss her. Mr. Rockwell finally gave up on trying to get me to kiss her and posed us puckering separately.” The ordeals of being a model!

“The Missing Tooth”- September 7, 1957

"The Missing Tooth"
From September 7, 1957

When Rockwell needed a child for a Crest ad (“Look, Ma! No Cavities!”), he asked his friends, the Morgans, if he could borrow their daughter. When cute little Ann Morgan showed up at the studio, she was missing two front teeth. Oops. “Mr. Rockwell went ahead and painted my front teeth in for the ad,” said grown-up Ann Morgan Baker in 1976, “but my missing teeth may have given him the idea for a Post cover.”

Living near a famous artist had its perks: “Being on the cover changed my life,” Ann said, “People were always saying, ‘I saw you in Chicago,’ or ‘I saw you in a drugstore window in New York.’ I thought of myself as a tiny little international star.” And the modeling fee? “$25 when you’re six is a lot of money.” Famous AND rich—what more could you ask for?

Having Rockwell as a family friend has its odd moments, too. The artist would call Ann’s mother “at 7 a.m. and say, ‘Don’t make the beds. I want to come and look at some messy rooms.’ Then he would come and wander through our morning rubble.”

Ann’s first love? Neighbor and fellow Rockwell model, Scott Ingram (above as the littlest ball player and below).

“The Discovery” – December 29, 1956

"The Discovery"
From December 29, 1956

Poor little Scott Ingram—this unexpected discovery is suddenly answering a lot of questions. The good news is that this 1956 cover also made him a celebrity of sorts. He actually got fan mail and even made a television appearance with the famous artist. He enjoyed working with Rockwell, and looked forward to the end of each session, when he would be treated to a milkshake.

The painting is more multi-faceted than the first glance would indicate. The way Rockwell captured the burling of the wood of the dresser is one such detail. And life for the artist would have been easier had he just closed the door. Instead, he replicated the patterned wallpaper outside the room, illuminated by the light of a window we have the barest glimpse of.

Next: Rockwell in the 1950s Part II —including a controversial topless model.

“We have one and one-third million survey responses in our database waiting to be mined,” says Professor John Oxford, chairman of the Hygiene Council and lead investigator of the Lysol-funded study.

Current analysis shows that, among 12,000 responders from 12 countries, adults who felt embarrassed after sneezing or coughing on others were most likely to be free of colds. Why? Researchers found that those who respect the health of others are more apt to wash their hands frequently and generally protect themselves.

“Furthermore, we found that if considerate people do get infected, they are less likely to pass along germs than others who are generally less thoughtful,” explains Dr. Oxford. “There are three layers of protection to ward off spreading illnesses at home. First: vaccines. Second: antiviral or antibiotic drugs. Third, and perhaps most important, is breaking the chain of infection with good hand washing and use of disinfectants.”

In the study, stay-at-home moms took top honors for manners and hygiene. Students and office workers ranked lowest. But there’s room for improvement in all sectors, says Oxford.

“We’d like to see 80 percent of a population using good hygiene habits, and no country is at that mark,” adds the expert. “This is a big threat to public health. The good news is that people can change their habits. We learned to use seat belts, and we can adopt—and teach—better hygiene habits, too.”

Click here for tips on where, when, and how to disinfect.