by Cat DeSpira
I don't know about you but old photographs of the Christmas of yore are rather remarkable and fascinate me to no end. All those shiny aluminum trees dripping in tinsel, standing next to the most popular object in the room -the Television set- or if it's pre-1950, a Zenith or Imperial tube radio. It all … Continue reading A Blast of Christmas Past: 5 Decades of Retro Photos, Toys and Fashion
Every year it happens without fail: I’m standing in line somewhere, perhaps at the grocery store or one of those long, cramped lines in The Mall, and someone –almost always an uptight and anxiety-ridden woman with a horde of unruly kids- spies a seasonal promotional item near the checkout that reads “Happy Holidays” and goes … Continue reading Merry KISSmas: Why Santa Really Needs a Brand New Bag
We all have our favorite holiday films. For me it’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I never grow tired of Eddie’s white patent shoes and his dickie showing through his too tight sweater…or the shitter being full …or the antics of the adorable buffoon, Clark Griswold, trying to make the most of the often chaotic holiday … Continue reading Anti-Claus: A Look at The Most Bizarre Christmas Movies Ever Made
UPDATE August 13, 2020: It has come to my attention that Rudy Ferretti, the man discussed in my story below murdered a woman and then himself. I have no further comment on this at this time but will at a later date. Cecelia D'anastasio from WIRED explores Ferretti's concerning history prior to the tragedy. Prologue … Continue reading Radical Felines: When Harassment Becomes a Game
It was inevitable that Donald J. Trump, the pussy-grabbing presidential candidate who employed tactics of race-baiting, misogyny and religious persecution to romance his way into The White House, would become the pariah of a Nation. It was also predicted by many familiar with the anti-Reagan underground music movement of The 80s -including myself- that history … Continue reading Calling All Ghosts: Portland’s Poison Idea Flips The Switch on The New Era of Anti-Trump Rock
PROJECT: The Trial of Mike Diana I remember being shocked when I heard that the Dead Kennedys, a San Francisco punk band, had their house raided by federal agents in April of 1986 simply because they'd included a poster from artist H.R. Giger in the album Frankenchrist. I recall thinking it was a joke or … Continue reading Boiled Angel: 1994 Trial Of Mike Diana Should Serve as a Warning To The Future
I smiled when I wrote that title. I admit it. My lips curled mischievously to the right as my thoughts drifted over the array of images and descriptions to come. I reveled in glee, smiling in anticipation like a troll fingering the influxes of constructing a first sentence -the fuse- if you will, of keyboard … Continue reading HARDCADE: Sex in Classic Video Games
As a historical researcher constantly on the make for video and/or images that afford a rare non-commercial glimpse back at arcade games and the real "arcade scene" of the 70's and 80s, I often use YouTube to peruse people's vintage home videos. I've found a lot of fresh and never-before-seen images of the early days … Continue reading Woman in a Red Beret: 1988 Home Movie Shows Possible Police Shooting
(Continued from Part 1) For many school age kids, the American Summer of 1978 was the longest anyone could ever remember. Save for the release of Jaws 2, the only real bite any kid got from anything that summer was if he or she was into Disco, the new craze sweeping the nation from the … Continue reading Before We Were “Gamers”: History of an Unrecognized Youth Movement/ Part 2
I hear it a lot, and I’ve heard it for years: “Those high scores from The 80s are fake. There's no way some kid did that.” It’s usually said by someone too young to have been an eye-witness to the first video craze, or by someone who doesn’t possess the skills and/or stamina to beat … Continue reading Before We Were “Gamers”: History of an Unrecognized Youth Movement/Part 1