News of the Week: Soccer Talk, Old Tech, and Everything You Need to Know About Ghost Kitchens

Should I Care About Soccer?

I don’t. Sorry!

I know the World Cup started this week and I know a few people who are incredibly PUMPED about it, but I have never been able to watch soccer.

When I was a kid, I loved playing soccer in gym class. All that running and kicking! But it’s one of those sports that I’d enjoy playing but not watching, either in person or on television (see also: golf).

Maybe it’s the fact the matches go on forever, and just when I think a match is over and I can watch the show that’s supposed to come on right after, suddenly this mysterious “stoppage time” comes up and I’m confused and irritated.

Why can’t they just play a regular match with regular time? I don’t like surprise math.

Or maybe it’s the fact that the game can go on and on and on and on and … still end up in a tie. Or if it’s really exciting match, 1-0.

If it makes you soccer fans happier, I don’t care for the sport that Americans call football either. Though I can watch the Super Bowl for the commercials.

Old Tech Could Solve a Lot of Problems

I’ve always tried to live my digital life in an analog way, and I believe that any digital problem has an analog solution.

Oh, balderdash. Also: hogwash!

I’m finding this new interest in older technology by younger generations incredibly encouraging. Beyond VCRs, vinyl is making a comeback, and people are writing in notebooks, learning how to knit and cook, getting away from screens, and playing board games again.  And I don’t think it’s some passing fad, especially as AI continues to infest everything.

You want kids to know what it’s like to use old tech? Give ’em a butter churn! Think of all the hours of enjoyment!

Curtis and the Giant Pencil

You can’t get anymore “old tech” than a pencil, even when it’s 20 feet long.

Something I Learned This Week

The other day I heard the term “ghost kitchen” for the first time. It’s a “virtual” restaurant that only serves their customers by delivery. They’re also called a “cloud kitchen” or a “dark kitchen.”

But that’s not the only kitchen-related fact I learned about this week. This list from the terrific Fishwrap blog at Newspapers.com lists 11 items that we used to use in kitchens but don’t anymore, including sugar nippers, jelly strainer stands, and asparagus tongs.

Yes, at one point in American history we ate so much asparagus we needed a special tool for them.

RIP Anthony Head, James Handy, Bob Packwood, James Blood Ulmer, Gordon Wood, Ernest Chambers, and Max Kleven

Anthony Head played Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also had roles on Ted Lasso, Little Britain, Merlin, Jack Ryan, and Dominion. He died last week at the age of 72.

Head also starred in a popular series of coffee commercials in the 1980s and ’90s.

Uploaded to YouTube by RetroCapeBreton

James Handy was a veteran, prolific character actor who appeared in such films as The Verdict, Top Gun: Maverick, Jumanji, The Rocketeer, and Arachnophobia, as well as dozens of TV shows. He died last week at the age of 81.

Bob Packwood was a Republican senator from Oregon who was forced to resign in 1995 because of a sex scandal. He died Saturday at the age of 93.

James Blood Ulmer was an influential avant-garde jazz guitarist. He died earlier this month at the age of 86.

Gordon Wood was an acclaimed historian and author. He died Sunday at the age of 92.

Ernest Chambers was a producer and writer on way too many TV shows and specials to list here. He died last week at the age of 97.

Max Kleven was a stuntman, actor, and director who worked on films and TV shows from the 1950s until the 2010s. He died last week at the age of 92.

This Week in History

Frank Lloyd Wright Born (June 8, 1867)

Back in 1961, the Post published a multi-part story titled “Frank Lloyd Wright: Defiant Genius.”

First American Automat Opens (June 9, 1902)

I wish I could go back in time and visit an Automat. But maybe I don’t have to. There are plans to bring them back.

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Hires Root Beer (June 6, 1936)

Boy, some ads were certainly text-heavy back in the day.

(I don’t know who won the contest, but if you do let me know in the comments.)

Next Wednesday Is National Root Beer Day

At first I was wondering if there were enough root beer-centric recipes for this week – beyond, of course, “make your own root beer at home” – but I found some.

The Magical Slow Cooker has a recipe for Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken and Allrecipes has these Root Beer Pork Chops. If you’re incredibly daring (and a fan of The Simpsons), you can try the Cheeto Root Beer Noodles from Cartoon Cuisine.

For dessert, Taste of Home has a Root Beer Float Cake, Kudos Kitchen has Root Beer Ice Cream, and Allrecipes has an Old-Fashioned Root Beer Slushy.

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

Flag Day (June 14)

Think you know a lot about the American flag? Take this test and find out.

Juneteenth (June 19)

Here’s some background on how the holiday came about.