Random Notes
Ah, fall. The time of year for crisp temperatures, pumpkin spice, and 20,000 commercials reminding people to choose a Medicare Advantage plan.
I’ve been buying the Unstopables laundry beads for years, and I’ve just recently noticed that there’s only one “p” in the name.
Did you know that Earth now has two moons? The new one is called 2025 PN7, and is a small asteroid that moves in sync with the Earth. It will leave us in 2083, so don’t get too used to it.
I wonder if people being born this year will say in 2083, wait, the Earth used to have only one moon?
They’re building a new theme park in Las Vegas called RetroEscapes. It will have a ’50s diner, a ’60s rocket bar (?), a ’70s disco, an ’80s arcade, and a ’90s skatepark. For extra realism, you’ll have to stand in long gas lines to get into the ’70s disco.
There’s a new pair of sneakers that has everyone excited. They’re called the Zegna Triple Stitch and they cost over $1100.00. Sure, you may think that’s a lot of money to pay for sneakers, but did you miss the part where I said they’re triple stitched?
If you have that type of money to spend on sneakers, you could have put it toward the purchase of Batman’s costume, Catwoman’s outfit, or Fonzie’s leather jacket.
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
I wasn’t going to talk about this because I don’t want to post yet another rant about “young people today.” But it ties in with another story down below so…why not?
Basically, a lot of Gen Zers can’t tell time on an analog clock.
A video by Duke college professor Aaron Dinin has gotten a lot of views. In it he shows students various times on an analog clock and asks them if they know what the time is. While some of the students get it right (some after a long pause and trying to figure it out), more than a few can’t figure it out at all. One kid says the time is 10:45 but it’s actually 8:53. One guesses 11:40 and then 10:50 for a clock set to 9:58. Another says “Seven. Yeah. No. Seven…yeah…what?”
I know people are most used to the technology of their generation and what they use every day. But aren’t analog clocks still something that are everywhere? Most towns still have at least one big clock, don’t they? Don’t most schools and public buildings have analog clocks? Even my MacBook has a setting to display an analog clock. How about old (and not-so-old) TV shows and movies?
I mean, it’s an analog clock, not a butter churn or an eight-track-tape player.
I’m guessing these students also have no idea what “counterclockwise” means.
Two Stories About Pumpkins
I mentioned pumpkin spice earlier. Did you know that even though we can’t get enough of the stuff here in the U.S., it’s a product that is dividing the beverage drinkers in Europe?
In related but totally different pumpkin news: You probably thought you can only drink or eat pumpkin. But these people in Maine use them as seafaring vessels.
Quote of the Week
“My concern is not artificial intelligence but natural stupidity….I wanted the arrogance of Victor to be similar in some ways to the tech bros.”
–Director Guillermo Del Toro, on his new version of Frankenstein
RIP June Lockhart, Nick Mangold, Anthony Jackson, Jack DeJohnette, Prunella Scales, Björn Andrésen, and Barbara Gips
June Lockhart played the mom on two classic TV shows, Lassie and Lost in Space. She was also on Petticoat Junction and in such films as Sergeant York, She-Wolf of London, the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol, and All This, and Heaven Too. She also won the first Tony Award ever presented. She died last week at the age of 100.
Here’s a remembrance from her Lassie costar Jon Provost.
Nick Mangold was a popular center for the New York Jets. He died Saturday at the age of 41.
Anthony Jackson played bass with Quincy Jones, Steely Dan, Madonna, Paul Simon, and The O’Jays. He died earlier this month at the age of 73.
The O’Jays – For the Love of Money (Uploaded to YouTube by The O’Jays)
Jack DeJohnette was an acclaimed jazz drummer, known for his work with Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, and Charles Lloyd. He died Sunday at the age of 83.
Prunella Scales played John Cleese’s wife on Fawlty Towers. She died Monday at the age of 93.
Björn Andrésen starred in the classic drama Death in Venice. He died Saturday at the age of 70.
Barbara Gips came up with the tagline for Alien: “In space, no one can hear you scream.” She also came up with the taglines for Kramer vs. Kramer, Fatal Attraction, and other films. She died earlier this month at the age of 89.
This Week in History
Erie Canal Opens (October 25, 1825)
It has been called “New York’s gift to the nation.”
Mount Rushmore Completed (October 31, 1941)
And 18 years later Cary Grant almost fell off of it.
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: “Witch’s Mask” by Charles Kaiser (October 31, 1942)
I wonder if Bing Crosby liked being called a “groaner.”
Halloween Recipes
I was going to include these recipes in last week’s column because I thought that maybe you wouldn’t have enough time to make them for tonight’s festivities. But since Halloween is on a Friday night this year there’s no law that says the celebration can’t last the entire weekend.
Here are recipes from The Pioneer Woman for a Spiderweb Cake and a Bloody Halloween Punch. Food Network has Hot Dog Mummies and Mini Pretzel Pumpkins.
Good Housekeeping has these Monster Chicken Sliders, Delish has Witch Finger Cookies, and Country Living has Coffin-Shaped Ice Cream Sandwiches.
That last one is not only fun and festive, you can teach the kids about funerals. Happy Halloween.
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
Novel Writing Month (November 1-30)
The official celebration of NaNoWriMo has been tarnished by a controversy, but there’s no reason you still can’t try to write an entire novel in November.
Daylight Standard Time Begins (November 2)
Turn your clocks back an hour! (If it’s an analog clock, find an old person to help you.)
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Comments
It’s interesting how adults seemingly stopped teaching kids about the importance of learning how to tell analog time. As a child, I remember spending a lot of time (no pun intended) learning analog.
Interesting note regarding clockwise and counterclockwise (or as the Brits would say, “anti-clockwise”). The reason why clocks run “clockwise” is because when mechanical clocks were invented, their creators copied the natural, clockwise progression of the sundial’s shadow as a convention for timekeeping. They mimicked the way shadows move on early sundials, which were invented in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun’s movement across the sky in the Northern Hemisphere causes a sundial’s shadow to move from west to east, which is the direction we now call clockwise. The Northern Hemisphere is where civilization developed and mechanical clocks were invented. If clocks had been invented in the Southern Hemisphere, they would likely run counterclockwise.
Anyone who can’t read an analog clock (short of being a toddler, mentally handicapped or blind) really is pitiful. Same thing with not being able to read or write cursive. If that’s seen as ‘hieroglyphics’ now by idiots that can’t even sign their name other than a split second scribble line, how long will it be before (say) the Coca-Cola logo will have to be changed to plain print lettering, to accommodate these morons?!
Thanks for the end clip scene of ‘North by Northwest’ Bob, up on Mount Rushmore. Had the ‘007’ film series started 15 years sooner than it did, Cary Grant would have been perfect as “Bond… James Bond”. The Charles Kaiser cover here is fantastic, all lit up. Looking forward to getting my new Post sometime this coming week.
The kids are not being taught how to tell time anymore in schools and probably homes too by parents and teachers who themselves can’t tell time if its on an analog clock. Pitiful is all I can say about that.
If this new “moon” has a name, I am curious what is the name of our primary moon…Rex, Fred, Mortimer, Ingrid, etc.? I want to know.
RIP June Lockhart…..The “Lady MD who’s as pretty as can be” at Petticoat Junction. One of my favourite programs, still aired weekly over my local ME TV affiliate.