Random Thoughts
This is one of my favorite times of the year. Oh, it’s still much too warm for a cold-weather-loving person like me, but right around Labor Day you can feel things changing. Maybe it’s the combination of school starting, the days getting shorter, and the vise-like oppressive humidity easing up just the slightest, but autumn is in sight now, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m ready for the fall leaves, the hot tea, and the football-shaped Little Debbie brownies.
Parents always complain about the cost of college tuition, yet some are spending thousands to hire an interior designer for their kids. I remember when a dorm’s “interior design” was a mini-fridge and an M.C. Escher poster on the wall.
You don’t think the pumpkin spice thing has gotten out of hand? It’s now an official hair color: “Pumpkin spice hair is all about embracing the warmth and richness of autumn….creating a look that’s both vibrant and cozy — just like the first sip of a pumpkin spice latte.”
There’s also a pumpkin spice detail polish (“to get both you and your car ready for the fall season”), pumpkin spice Milk-Bones for dogs, and pumpkin spice kitty litter, because why should dogs have all the fun?
I would have suggested a pumpkin spice-scented issue of the Post, but the fall issue is already out. Maybe next year?
Joey Chestnut not only defeated fellow hot-dog-eater Takeru Kobayashi on a live Netflix special on Monday, he broke his own world record. He ate 83 hot dogs (and buns!) in ten minutes. I have a package of eight hot dogs in my fridge right now. I could eat ten of those packages and still not match that.
By the way, “chestnut” can also be a hair color.
Why Do We Still Make Pennies?
That’s a good question! Since a lot of people don’t even use them anymore, we just seem to collect them in jars until we have enough to bring to a CoinStar machine. Caity Weaver at the New York Times investigates and finds the answers (and more questions).
(For the record, I’m pro-penny, no matter what.)
Of course, fans of the West Wing have known about the penny debate for a long time.
The Great War
For some reason, there has never been an official national memorial for World War I. There is now, as CBS Sunday Morning reports.
Uploaded to YouTube by CBS Sunday Morning
It’s Only a Game
We all know Charles Schulz created Peanuts, and longtime Post readers know that Schulz drew cartoons for the magazine before Peanuts debuted in 1950. And some of you may even be familiar with the cartoons he drew in the 1950s and ’60s for a religious magazine.
Now another Schulz project has been discovered.
Schulz had a series of strips titled It’s Only a Game, done with Jim Sasseville in the late 1950s, and they focused on sports/games like golf, fishing, and bowling. Nat Gertler over at the AAUGH blog knew about the panels (and even published a collection of them) but several years ago came across short pamphlets called It’s Only a Game that contained many of the strips but had covers that weren’t done by Schulz or Sasseville. What were they and who published them?
Now he not only has a complete set of the pamphlets (he found the last one at an auction), he also has an answer to those questions. They were done for Hallmark.
RIP James Darren, Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Pete Wade, Linda Deutsch, Eric Gilliland, Steve Silberman, Betty Bridges, Fatman Scoop, and Betty Halbreich
James Darren was an actor best known for the Gidget movies and for regular roles on the TV shows The Time Tunnel, T.J. Hooker, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Melrose Place. He directed episodes of many shows and was also a singer, scoring a huge hit with “Goodbye Cruel World.” He died Monday at the age of 88.
Johnny Gaudreau was an NHL star for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He and his brother Matthew, a coach and former player, were both killed in a car accident last week. Johnny Gaudreau was 31 and Matthew was 29.
Pete Wade was a Nashville session musician who played guitar on such songs as I Never Promised You a Rose Garden,” “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” “Young Love,” and dozens of others. He died last week at the age of 83.
Linda Deutsch reported on most of the biggest criminal trials in Los Angeles as an Associated Press reporter for a half century. She died Sunday at the age of 80.
Eric Gilliland was a writer and producer on such shows as Roseanne, My Boys, and That ’70s Show, and wrote for The Wonder Years, Who’s the Boss?, and Married People. He died Sunday at the age of 62.
Steve Silberman was a science journalist and the author of the acclaimed book NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity. He died last week at the age of 66.
Betty Bridges appeared in such TV shows as Good Times, 2 Broke Girls, ER, Scrubs, and Diff’rent Strokes (she was the mother of Todd Bridges). She died last month at the age of 83.
Fatman Scoop – real name Isaac Freeman III – was a Grammy-winning DJ and rapper. He died last weekend at the age of 53.
Betty Halbreich had a very interesting life as the “world’s most famous personal shopper.” She dressed some of the most famous celebrities and worked on many movies and TV shows as well. She released a memoir in 2014 and a new book of wisdom, No One Has Seen It All, will be released next year. She died last month at the age of 96.
This Week in History
Germany Invades Poland (September 1, 1939)
It marked the beginning of World War II.
Beetle Bailey Debuts (September 3, 1950)
Mort Walker’s long-running comic strip character made his first appearance in the Post, as a lazy college student named Spider.
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: “Slow, School Ahead” by George Brehm (September 5, 1925)
Sorry kids, it’s back to school time! Don’t carry your books that way.
September Is National Potato Month
There are approximately 75,000,000 potato recipes online. Here are five of them.
Curtis Stone has a recipe for Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes and Oven-Roasted Broccoli with Lemon, and The Pioneer Woman has these Scalloped Potatoes and Ham. Love & Lemons tells you how to make a Perfect Baked Potato, Food Network has a Loaded Baked Potato Casserole, and Serious Eats has a recipe for Lyonnaise Potatoes.
The new season of Wheel of Fortune starts on Monday, and since it’s National Potato Month, it’s a good time to take a look back at this classic puzzle.
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
U.S. Open Finals (September 7-8)
The women’s final airs on ESPN and ESPN+ Saturday at 4 p.m. ET and the men’s final airs Sunday at 2 p.m. on ABC and ESPN+.
Star Trek Day (September 8)
For all you Trekkies – sorry, Trekkers – out there. This is the day in 1966 that the original series premiered on NBC.
Presidential Debate (September 10)
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump face each other in Philadelphia. It’s on ABC at 9 p.m. ET but simulcast on CBS, NBC, PBS, and other networks.
Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now
Comments
The World War I Memorial looks fantastic, and I appreciate the CBS link you included here. Sabin Howard’s insistence and perseverance has definitely paid off. I froze the picture at various points. It’s as if the World War I soldiers were working through him, lending a guiding hand for the poses, facial expressions and all it entailed.
Mark and Tom, your first-hand looks are appreciated. This would be a destination to spend hours at to take it all in in its entirety, for quiet reflection and understanding. I know it would not be a disappointment. My grandfather was in World War I at 26-27 in 1917-’18. He survived a lot, then the Crash when my mom was almost 2 that left more life scars permanently. He would have been pleased and touched with this memorial. Very much so.
Not sure what to say about the pennies. I watched the West Wing link, and things haven’t changed much since Rob Lowe’s scene here from years ago. I use the debit card for nearly everything, and really don’t come into contact with physical money that often anymore other than paying (or getting paid) under the table. Emergency cash in the glove compartment is a good idea though.
If some parents have money to throw away on a damn dorm room, that’s their business. I certainly wouldn’t, and that was before all of the disastrous unrest and mess from last spring, with more predicted this fall. Whatever.
The debate on September 10th should not overshadow the remembrance of September 11th this year or any, ever.
Maybe something happened on Sept 11th that should be mentioned?
Tom and Bob I would agree that the World War I Museum site (several acres) in Kansas City, Missouri is beyond compare. My son and I spent the better part of a day touring the observation tower and exhibits. The field of poppies was quite impressive as Americans wore poppies on their lapels and dresses supporting the war effort. If you ever get a chance to go through Kansas City you simply must allow time for this downtown attraction. You will not be dissapointed.
The National WWI Memorial and Museum in Kansas City was dedicated in 1926 and designated as the country’s official WWI memorial in 2004 by the US Congress. It is a beautiful and educational facility that tells the full story of those that participated in this war, not just another East Coast, tax-funded, art installation.
Regarding the minting of pennies, just to be hoarded: People are creatures of habit & tradition, and old habits are hard to break. Congress doesn’t mind spending wasting money producing pennies since it’s not their money. The dollar coins would circulate if the government would wean the country off the paper dollar, like Canada did.