Okay, I know it is Monday, but I got this for you. I was doing some cleaning of a room in the basement where I am going to put a wall up. That's right, I am actually going to try to build something. Who knows how it is going to turn out. With my luck I will probably build the wall and not be able to get out of the room. So if in a few weeks you never hear from me again, you know what happened. Anyway, I found an old suitcase that had basically every piece of paper that I used during elementary school. My parents saved everything. All the crafts, my penmanship practicing, math, Idaho history, EVERYTHING. Basically from first grade to sixth. Way too much. I guess I know where I get my packrat gene. So I went thru it before I threw it all out. Just in case I had written down the cure for cancer or something brilliant like that. I found this...
That is a weekly reader. They used to give these out to us, well, weekly, to get us to read more. This is interesting on several levels. One, the main story on the front was really different. On one, dated March 1978, the title was "Boat People - Nowhere to go." with a picture of some boat people looking a bit depressed. The caption next to the picture says "Many men, women, and children live on the crowded boats for a long time." Wow, does not say where they live, just that they live there for 'a long time'. That is funny.
On another, dated February 1978, there is a picture of a whale being gutted and the headline..."Hunting the Bowhead." In April 1978 a picture of a swarm of locust accompanies this one "The Locusts are Swarming". How about a picture of a hunger ravished kid holding an empty bowl with the title "Can the US continue to feed the world?" in November 1978. My personal favorite is the one that is very timely even today..."Show card to Enter" with a picture of some immigrants crossing a border.
For you Canadians who think that Americans do not learn anything about Canada there is one, dated April 1978, that talks about kids going to school in Quebec and learning 'illegally' by learning in English.
Why do I bring it up. I guess the reason is that I kinda think that this is some heavy stuff they writers are bringing on these kids. I guess me also since they are my papers. In 1977 I was in 5th grade, I think. I would think that the Panama Canal and a meeting between Begin and Sadat would be low on my list of things I found interesting. In fact that list probably was real short. Number one...Trucks. Number Two...Football. Number Three...Asteroids Number four...Dinosaurs. Number five...Oil Spills in Alaska.
It is really kind of interesting how the news was worked into the readers. I do not remember reading any of these. Honestly. I can't remember what I read yesterday, but I think things that were as scary as Locust swarming would might register.
As I looked inside the issue on Boat People, I saw an interesting picture and article. Have a look...
OJ back before he had killed anyoneFreaking OJ Simpson. In an obvious photo op looking at the OJ doll. Man would I have something if I had found an actual doll. Really kinda funny if you think about it. If you want to see any more of these, just let me know and I will send them to you to read for yourself.
Ron Maclean, Me, and Don CherryNEXT:I had the pleasure to have my pic taken with the most out spoken hockey coach of all times. Don Cherry was in Edmonton for HNIC last week. It was cool to see the man that I have listened to on Jim Rome and every saturday on Hockey Night in Canada. Cory took the pic for me. Awesome.
My room back in the dayNEXT: Also found whist I was throwing things away was the negatives of an old roll of film. On this roll was some pics of my room back in the '80s. As you can see in the picture I have way too many posters on the wall and if you look close I have some on the ceiling. By looking at this pic you can see that I had quite a flair for decorating. Those of you who have seen my basement now, know that I still have that flair. Much to Donna's dismay.
I just thought you might want to see the pics. Here is a few more...
My Rap Music Wall
The shrine to Sly StalloneOh by the way, I still have all of those posters. Including the one with the picture of Khadafi with a bullseye on his head. If you see anthing that interests you, just send me an email and we will talk price. Everyone has a price.
I guess that packrat gene is still going strong.
NEXT: I will leave you with a link to a site where a couple of geeks put together their own light saber battle. Way too much time on their hands, but very well done.
CLICK HERE to witness what a couple of geeks can do with a computer, a camera, and some light sabers.
Have a good week....
