I remember as a kid going over to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s house and sitting in the backyard. They had those metal patio chairs that are now considered vintage and are selling for a lot of money! These are not at all like the modern patio furniture which has a sleeker and more contemporary look. If you have some patio furniture that looks like this, you might want to consider fixing it up and selling it!

What could be better than building a boulder out of 5 million legos and then having your friend dress up as Indiana Jones?

Nothing.

Remember when all the cheap toys and goods were “made in Japan.” Now, Japan is one of the leaders in the technology fields. The next cheap goods were labeled “made in Taiwan.” Now, even these goods are expensive compared to the stuff we get labeled “made in China.”

When products were being shipped from Japan, I don’t ever remember hearing anything about safety issues. Now, we face countless warnings about products made in China. I am becoming more aware of what I buy and where it is from. Back in 2002, there was even a diet pill scare that was causing deaths in China (make sure that you get diet pills that work and are made in the United States.)

I recently ordered from eBay some Godzilla toys for my son and didn’t realize they were being shipped from Hong Kong. Two of the items came with broken arms and a few broke shortly after. Next time, I will double check from where the item is being shipped.

I really love the look of antiques, but I don’t always love the convenience. For instance, I would rather have the convenience of steel zero radius sinks in my kitchen, but I love the old look of the porcelain sinks.

Look at this cool old sink. I love the look, but can you imagine cleaning it and getting it sparkly white every day?

Or what about this one. Very chic!

Maybe if I hired a maid or two I could but these in my home!

Slot cars are miniature race cars which is guided by a groove in the track. The first commercial slot cars were sold in 1912 by Lionel, but the product was discontinued in 1915. Many other models were introduced over the following years, but did not gain much popularity until the 1960s. By 1963 a million and a half models had been produced by Aurora Plastics Corp who then changed the design of the motor. It was so popular that slot car races were nationally televised with hosts like Mike Douglas, Steve Allen and Johnny Carson. Even Elvis had a room at Graceland devoted to slot car racing. The track was 155ft long.

In 1968 there were actually more slot car racing facilities then there were bowling alleys. By the late 1970s, the slot car boom was over only to return again in the 1990s.

Here is a short video of a slot car on a fancy track:

iVillage has an interesting slide who on their website – Spot the Skinny Celebrities. Some of these celebs look scary skinny, I mean like they need to GAIN weight. Of course, they do say that the camera adds an extra 10 pounds, but I still think they need to read some diet pill reviews and make sure that they are not taking off TOO much weight.

Keira Knightly looks like she could use a few extra pounds!

Happy Earth Day! Today at my kids schools they are trying to eliminate waste by bringing there lunches in reusable containers. I did my part and packed their lunches wisely!

Earth Day is always celebrated on April 22nd. It was founded by US Senator Gaylord Nelson in the 1970s. The purpose was to teach about environmentalism. The day was announced in 1969 at a conference in Seattle, Washington and grew out of the Zero Population Growth movement. Interestingly enough, they were also concerned about global cooling!

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, had approximately 20 million Americans participating. Today, more and more people participate in Earth Day festivities.

Earth Day is a useful event that can help us take stock of how much waste we produce and what we can do to improve our own, and the world’s, environment.

Nowadays, stereo cabinets are slick and small. But, do you remember the classic stereo cabinets? They had integrated speakers, a turntable and a big radio. When the cabinet was closed it looked like just another piece of furniture. These cabinets were popular for living rooms where they integrated well with existing decor. Isn’t this one a beauty?

After reading the new document put out by the Homeland Security Office, I am starting to wonder whatever happened to Freedom to Believe. Throughout history, Americans have been divided on issues such as federalism, abortion, immigration, gun control, etc. Until recently, each individual was allowed to believe what they wanted and to even voice those beliefs as long as they did not break the law or incite a riot.

Now it seems that even believing in such things is suspect. If you are considered a “right wing extremist” you might:

If you think I am making this up, read the document for yourself.

1984, here we come!