Life Spot

Max Needs Your Help

2026-04-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

Max has weeks. Not months. Weeks!

Max is 15 and out of time. 42 million registered donors and 0 perfect matches exist for Max. A cheek swab takes 5 minutes. If you are age 18-35 you could be the one.

"I'm posting this because I need your help to save my son."

Max was six when his blood first told a story no parent wants to hear. Low platelets. Low red cells. Low white cells. For years, doctors watched. In December 2024, his numbers dropped again. A bone marrow biopsy revealed what his doctors called "pink flags." The doctors said they should add a transplant doctor to Max's care team.

The diagnosis: a rare blood disorder that, left untreated, will become MDS — a type of blood cancer that can progress to acute myeloid leukemia. This type affects fewer than 1 in 1,000,000 children. The only cure is a stem cell transplant. The only way to get a transplant is to find a donor.

But Max still doesn't have a match.

Please follow the link below and go to Swab for Max and register to be a blood stem cell donor and request your free cheek swab kit. It only takes 5 minutes to swab your cheek and then PLEASE SEND IT BACK TO THE LAB IMMEDIATELY!

Thank you! Together we can find a perfect match for Max.

https://swabformax.com/?fbclid=Iwb21leARADjljbGNrBEAOLmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHrz0-4bzvt-1G45qtOKTKxFX-N7n5B9zc0Cz8IDbpiNQszdvgG3Jca2x0BeQ_aem_-OKVLOo5jBr-iHewEKpoiA

Back to Blogging

2026-04-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

This post is the beginning of a series about the mustard seed. I haven't published any new blog posts in quite a while mostly due to just being caught up in the every day things that seem to make time fly by. Before you know it it's been more than year. I am sure that some time has gone by with me just procrasinating and I guess you could call it writer's block. I have been struggling with finding the perfect topic to create a blog post that is something to mark my return to my blog. I can't really say that Mustard fills that need but considering my blog content and style I figure Mustard just might be a great subject to make a come back post.

I have always had an interest in herbs and their benefits as well as all the alternative methods such as aromatherapy and of course one of my favorites is the ancient mythology behind herbs. Mustard or the Mustard seed falls into all of those categories with so many uses that I have decided to make a great come back with a series blog post which is something new to my blog but I have faith in it being a very good decision. I have a personal connection to the power of Mustard as it has on so many occasions relieved severe leg cramps that my husband experiences. More on that in the final chapter of this series so please join me in discovering the amazing Mustard seed.

2024-09-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

Click to Give

A free way for anyone to give to charity.

Greater Good is a suite of charity-driven websites that launched in 1999 with The Hunger Site. It has since grown significantly to become a powerful vehicle to raise money for worthy causes in the U.S. and around the world. Proceeds from our Click-To-Give sites and Gifts That Give More programs help fund projects that help people, pets, and the planet in meaningful and measurable ways.

Continue reading: https://click.greatergood.com/clicktogive/ggc/press-media?gg_source=GGC&gg_medium=house&gg_campaign=ctg_footer

Foothill Flyers Win Tournament

2024-03-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

The Foothill Flyers won the USA Softball of Sacramento Select Series III Tournament.

The tournament was held at Livermore Park in Folsom March 10 and 17. Competing in the 12-and-under division against 14 teams from around the region, the Flyers went 6-1 in the tournament.

In the semifinal game, the girls shut out Woodland 12-0 and in the championship game dominated Five Cities 19-4. This was the first time Placerville/Shingle Springs-based Foothill Girls Softball League has had a 12U team win a USA Softball Select Series Tournament Championship.

Pictured from left are Aprilia Brown, Eden Sams, Ruby Mutzig, Abby Herrlin, Bella Milton, Sandy Goelz, Chloe Texdahl, Evelyn Betts, Sophia Kingsbury, Brooklyn Texdahl, Makena Linder, Daphne Lofgren, Kaitlin Munz and Gianna Goelz. In back are coaches Tammy Kingsbury, Shaun Kingsbury, Tim Linder, Andy Lofgren and Amber Goelz.

Courtesy of The Mountain Democrat

https://www.mtdemocrat.com/sports/first-for-flyers/article_a5bc6c74-e6ea-11ee-b25d-f7c3c7a23752.html

Why is it called "Black Friday"?

2023-11-23T19:55:00.000-08:00

Do You Know The History Behind Black Friday?

After Thanksgiving comes Black Friday. But, where did Black Friday come from?

What and when is Black Friday?

Black Friday is a name used for two unrelated occasions. It is now most popularly used in the US to refer to the day after Thanksgiving, which is often considered the first day of the holiday shopping season and is known for featuring discounts from retailers.

Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is always the fourth Thursday in November. In 2023, Black Friday is November 24. In 2024, Black Friday is November 29.

The name Black Friday is also used to refer to September 24, 1869, the date of a financial panic in the US sparked by gold speculators.

Where did the term Black Friday come from?

While many people believe the term Black Friday finds its roots in the sense of black meaning “showing a profit; not showing any losses,” this isn’t actually the case.

Continue reading:

https://www.dictionary.com/e/black-friday/

Boost Your Self Esteem Month

2023-02-02T13:32:00.002-08:00

February is National Boost Your Self Esteem Month.

In this post we are going to explore ways to boost our self esteem and learn the signs of low self esteem in ourselves and our teens. We will also discover ways to improve our teenagers self esteem.

9 Signs of Low Self-Esteem & 10 Ways to Build Confidence

Everyone experiences moments of low self-esteem – you may say it’s just part of being a human being! Rough patches in life may have us questioning our self-confidence and sometimes we need to feel a little self-pity. And then we pull ourselves together, move on, and feel better. When you have healthy self-esteem, it’s just that easy, but not everyone feels this way.

Continue reading: https://blog.zencare.co/boost-self-esteem/

We all need a boost of self esteem once in a while and that is perfectly normal. We can not forget that our teenagers are going through many changes both physically and mentally. Remember to always give your teen self confidence. We will learn ways to ensure your teen has good self esteem.

15 Tips to Build Self Esteem and Confidence in Teens

As parents, we want our teens to feel confident about who they are. We cross our fingers that the encouragement and support we’ve given them up to this point has been enough to build strong self-esteem.

The reality is the teenage years are full of change.

A teen's brain experiences a “reorganization” that can leave both parents and teens feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and confused.

As teens search for their place in the world, many struggle through situations that challenge beliefs about themselves they’ve clung to for years.

Continue reading: https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/build-self-esteem-confidence-teens

National Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Day

2022-03-28T12:01:00.001-07:00

March 29th is National Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Day.

National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29 honors the men and women who served and sacrificed during the longest conflict in United States history.

On March 29, 1973, combat and combat support units withdrew from South Vietnam. Generations later, Veterans of this time period are gaining the respect that was not so freely given upon their return. Involving five U.S. presidents, crossing nearly two decades and 500,000 U.S.military personnel, it left an indelible mark on the American psyche.

Returning veterans did not always receive respectful welcomes upon their arrival on American soil. Over 58,000 killed, never to return. The observance recognizes the military service of these men and women who answered the call to serve their country when she needed them. They didn’t make the decision to go to war.

Throughout National Vietnam War Veterans Day, we recognize the service and duty rendered by all servicemen and women of this era.

NATIONAL VIETNAM WAR VETERANS DAY HISTORY

U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., introduced legislation in 2017 to honor Vietnam Veterans with a day. They chose the anniversary of the withdrawal of military units from South Vietnam. President Donald Trump signed the National Vietnam War Veterans Day Act on March 28, 2017, calling for U.S. flags to be flown on March 29 for those who served.

Monsanto is finally being brought to justice.

2021-12-23T23:21:00.000-08:00

The pesticide company has agreed to plead guilty to 30 environmental crimes, including two felonies for having a banned chemical on Maui.

The plea agreement requires Monsanto to pay $12 million in fines.

“Monsanto is a serial violator of federal environmental laws,” U.S. Attorney Tracy Wilkison said in a statement. “The company repeatedly violated laws related to highly regulated chemicals, exposing people to pesticides that can cause serious health problems.”

At the state capitol Monsanto kept saying they were following agricultural safety practices by the label, because the label is the law,” activist Klayton Kubo of Waimea Kaua’i told Organic Consumers Association. “Now we know that they were lying. What else is the agro chemical industry lying about?"

The federal criminal pleas are a turning point. Finally, the Department of Justice has stepped in to prosecute Monsanto’s crimes because the State of Hawaii has been so corrupt and failed at protecting the health of people living in communities surrounded by poisonous fields of GMOs. Now, Hawaii’s politicians and regulators can no longer lie, claiming that these chemicals are safe or that they did everything they could to protect the people.

Ten years ago, the Organic Consumers Association donated to support the creation of a film about Hawaii being the world’s research lab for experimental GMO and pesticide testing. The film was the first to reveal that Kamehameha Schools was leasing land to Monsanto.

https://www.organicconsumers.org/blog/hawaiis-12m-fine-monsanto?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=OB+737&utm_content=OB+73

Poochy

2021-11-06T23:32:00.000-07:00

My favorite dog is my Poochy.

Poochy is a pitbull and beagle mix which makes him a very loyal and smart family dog.

He has always been a happy dog which shows in the picture above with his ear to ear smile.

Poochy loves to play outside in the yard with his ball and digging holes is his favorite.

He is a very handsome and photogenic dog. I have so many really great pictures of him.

Poochy is a year and a half old and has been with me since he was three months old.

He is my sweet Poochy Poo and I couldn't imagine not having him around all the time.

I wake up and grab my phone to get a picture of him sleeping as close to me as possible.

He is my best friend!

IPhone 12 Pro vs Galaxy Note 20 Cameras

2021-05-14T01:49:00.000-07:00

Which of the latest smartphones has a better camera? The IPhone 12 Pro or The Galaxy Note 20?

iPhone 12 Pro's camera vs. Note 20 Ultra: Portraits, selfies, night mode and more.

The iPhone 12 Pro and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra have two of the best smartphone cameras out there. Let's see which is better for landscape photos, portraits, selfies, night mode and video.

The cameras on Apple's new iPhone 12 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra seem similar on paper. Both have a three-lens camera array with improved low-light performance, 4K HDR video capabilities and advanced autofocus systems. And while they both produce excellent results overall, they each have their strengths and weaknesses in different categories.

For zoom, it's hard to compete with the Note 20 Ultra's 5x telephoto camera, which can make any far-off subject look like it's right in front of you, especially when you compare it to the 2x camera on the iPhone 12 Pro. For portraits, the iPhone generally produces the better result thanks to more natural bokeh (or blur) effects. But choosing an outright winner across every category is not so clear cut, given that both use a clever combination of hardware and computational photography tricks to get great-looking shots in almost all situations.

We put the cameras on two of this year's best smartphones to the test to see how well they handle zoom photos, portraits, landscapes and video.

Read more about the latest smartphones cameras and their features by following this link to the CNET comparison: https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-iphone-12-pro-camera-vs-samsung-galaxy-note-20-portraits-selfies-night-mode-ultra/

May is National Photography Month

2021-05-02T05:12:00.001-07:00

May is “National Photo Month.”

OK, so what the heck does THAT mean???

Well, National Photo Month was created to…

“…help people get even more joy out of photography and their pictures.”

Yet there is a cautionary tale in all this. It is estimated that 657 BILLION (yeah, billion with a “B”) will be uploaded to social media this year alone – and that’s just what will be SHARED, not the total TAKEN.

The problem is that LESS THAN 1% of all these photographs and irreplaceable(!!!) memories will ever be printed, and within only a few years the rest will be LOST FOREVER (see below)!

Add to this the staggering number of old family snapshots currently moldering in attics and basements – even as you’re reading this – and the photographic loss becomes a TRAGEDY OF EPIC PROPORTIONS!

“Print & preserve your important photographs & snapshots – WHILE YOU STILL CAN!”

Continue reading: https://www.archivalmethods.com/blog/national-photo-month/

National Hungar & Homelessness Awareness Week

2020-11-16T03:14:00.003-08:00

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is an annual program where people come together across the country to draw attention to the problems of hunger and homelessness. Participating groups spend the week holding a series of educational, service, fundraising, and advocacy events.

To get involved and learn how to organize events in your community to educate and raise awareness of our hungry and homeless citizens visit the hhweek.org website at https://hhweek.org

National Hire A Veteran Day

2020-07-25T02:35:00.000-07:00

July 25th is National Hire A Veteran Day.

Veteran Jobs with Veteran Friendly Employers 2020

A list of veteran friendly employers looking to hire veterans after the military. These opportunities are for veterans, military spouses, and military community.

For your convenience all links go directly to the veteran friendly job sections of the employers listed.

Continue reading this article from the source at the link below:

https://militarybenefits.info/veteran-jobs-with-military-friendly-employers/

Update for each state reopening

2020-06-29T01:35:00.002-07:00

With all of the stories about our states reopening there can be alot of confusion. Here is the latest news on roping each state.

As of May 20, each state that had imposed a stay-at-home order or shelter in place had begun lifting the restrictions of businesses and public spaces.

People were allowed, in some places, to go back to restaurants and offices and places of worship. Some people have ventured out; some people continue to stay home as much as possible.

State officials and health experts say they want to see expanded testing, tracking contacts of people who had the virus, improved treatment options and vaccine development when they consider moving on to the next step of the reopening process.

Follow this link to read the latest news for your state...

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/us/states-reopen-coronavirus-trnd/

100+ Tips to ward off boredom during isolation due to the Coronavirus.

2020-05-15T21:15:00.006-07:00

Bored During Self-Isolation? 100+ Tips for Staying Entertained.

Trapped inside and going stir-crazy due to quarantine? You aren’t the only one! Here are all kinds of things you can do to stay sane while self-isolating and social distancing!

Continue reading for 100+ Tips to ward off boredom during isolation due to the Coronavirus just click on this link https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/self-isolation-quarantine-tips/

MYTH BUSTERS for the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

2020-03-25T03:16:00.000-07:00

Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for the public.

COVID-19 can be transmitted in areas of hot & humid climates.

From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

For more myth Busters on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) click this link: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-Busters

The World Health Organization (WHO) has very important information on their website. Please go to www.who.int to get current updates and advise on how to keep yourself and your family healthy.

The 5th Annual Migraine World Summit is March 18, 2020

2020-02-29T01:51:00.000-08:00

The next migraine world summit will be held on March 18, 2020.

TAKE CONTROL OVER MIGRAINE

Discover what dozens of world-leading migraine experts, doctors, and specialists really do for migraine and headache.

Learn from the experts

At the leading international patient event for people living with migraine and headache.

HOW IT WORKS

REGISTER

Secure your spot via email for the next event starting March 18, 2020

When you register via email you’ll enjoy complimentary access to this free annual event for migraine and headache patients.

WATCH

Enjoy 32 online expert interviews from anywhere

This is a virtual event you can watch online in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Watch 32 interviews free over the 9-day event.

LEARN

Discover the latest treatments, research, and best practices

You'll meet the global leaders in the field of migraine and headache including, doctors, specialists, researchers, psychologists, and advocates.

Continue reading : https://migraineworldsummit.com

Today is National Battery Day

2020-02-18T04:00:00.001-08:00

National Battery Day is observed February 18th.

We observe nayional battery day to promote recycling of batteries.

The inventor of the battery, Italian physicist Allesandro Volta, was born on today's date in 1745. National Battery Day marks his birth, acknowledges the importance of the battery, and is an annual awareness day to focus attention on the importance of recycling batteries. A battery is an electric cell that produces electricity from a chemical reaction. The name "battery" was coined by Ben Franklin in 1748, and was a term applied to "charged glass plates" at that time. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Allesandro Volta invented the voltaic pile, which is known as being the first battery or "wet cell battery." It was made of alternating discs of zinc and copper, along with pieces of cardboard soaked in brine, and produced a "reliable, steady current of electricity."

Continue reading: https://www.checkiday.com/387351c18d3706372aabbe0f4f250929/national-battery-day

The history of the battery

The battery is one of the most important man-made inventions all throughout history. Today, it is generally used as a portable source of power, but in the past, batteries were our only source of electricity. Without its conception, modern comforts such as computers, vehicles and communication devices may not have been possible.

Continue reading: https://www.upsbatterycenter.com/blog/history-batteries-timeline/

Valentine's Day Week

2020-02-07T04:44:00.000-08:00

Today is the beginning of Valentine's Day week.

The Loveliest week of the year, the Valentine’s week or Love Week! The week starts from 7th of February and ends oh 14th of February. The love week starts with the Rose Day followed by Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day and finishes with the Happy Valentines Day.

Continue reading: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/valentine-week-list.htm

National Poverty in America Awareness Month

2020-01-23T01:47:00.000-08:00

January is National Poverty in America Awareness Month.

Poverty in America affects all walks of life. This post will show a breakdown of the most affected.

Millions of jobs have been created in the US economy, but many Americans still live in poverty. Who are they?

For nearly six years, the US economy has been generating huge numbers of jobs: nearly two million a year.

Not only has the economic recovery replaced the total number of jobs lost during the Great Recession - which followed the bursting of the housing bubble in 2007 - but it has added enough to account for a growing population as well.

Unemployment in the US now stands at just 4.1%,the lowest since 2000 , but there are many households which have not seen their fortunes improve.

In 2016 nearly 41 million people, or 13% of the population, were living in poverty - down from 15% at the height of the recession in 2010.

So, who are those classed as living in poverty?

Continue reading: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-41930107

Fun facts about Thanksgiving

2019-11-28T01:12:00.000-08:00

The first Thanksgiving, history of Thanksgiving and fun facts.

The Nation Celebrates Its 399th Annual Feast.

In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims — early settlers of Plymouth Colony — held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Many regard this event as the nation’s first Thanksgiving.

The Wampanoag Indians in attendance played a key role but historians have recorded harvest ceremonies of thanks among other groups of European settlers in North America, including the British colonists in Virginia as early as 1619.

The legacy of thanks and the feast have survived centuries since the event became a national holiday on Oct. 3, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving.

Decades later, President Franklin Roosevelt officially declared that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping.

Continue reading:

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/11/fun-facts-about-thanksgiving-from-turkey-texas-to-pilgrim-michigan.html?utm_campaign=20191127msacos1ccstors&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

It's National Sons and Daughters Day!

2019-08-11T00:33:00.000-07:00

National Son and Daughter Day falls every year on 11^th August.

National Son and Daughter Day 2019 in United States of America and India is celebrated with fun and frolic. It is a day when parents honour and appreciate their sons and daughters who make their life so beautiful. So if you are a parent then you must send lovely National Son and Daughter Day 2019 messagesand Son and Daughter Day Quotes to your dearest sons and daughters to tell them how important they are to you.

With the collection of beautiful National Son and Daughter Day images, greeting cards, messages, sayings and quotes, you can wish them on this wonderful occasion.

Here is a link to a great website to find a collection of really nice messages and greetings that you can send to your sons and daughters today.

https://www.bestmessage.org/national-son-and-daughters-day-greetings-messages/

Today is National Drive In Movie Day

2019-06-06T02:11:00.000-07:00

The drive-in movie craze peaked in 1958. As twilight fell on those Summer evenings, over 5,000 outdoor screens were flickering to life in fields from Maine to Monterey, attracting millions of movie-goers. Most of those theaters are now gone. A few remain. An even smaller number are still in operation.

Another factor behind the wild success of drive-ins was the equally successful automobile industry. During World War II, America’s auto production had been shut down. With the end of the war, Americans were eagerly looking forward to buying new cars. The first postwar year’s figures were promising: nearly 70,000 cars were sold. The next year, though, sales shot up to 2,000,000. In 1955 Americans bought nearly 8 million automobiles.

They were not cheap, but they were affordable in the new economy, and gas was less than 20 cents per gallon. Moreover, the new automobiles were luxurious by the standards of most 1930s sedans. The front seat of your car was roomier and more comfortable than most theater seats, and more private.

Six years after this article appeared, the Post took another look at the still growing popularity of drive-ins.

“By 1956, Box Office, the trade magazine that styles itself ‘the pulse of the motion-picture industry,’ reported that there were more than 5,000 of the drive-in movies in the United States and Canada. Last year, when only a dozen or so new conventional theaters were opened in the entire country, 389 new drive-ins were launched at a cost of $79,880,000 according to the Box Officesurvey.

“As the older picture houses are abandoned, few are being replaced because it costs $500 per seat [in 1956 dollars] to replace them, and only half that much to provide space for the bring-your-own-seats of the drive-in movie patrons, who, incidentally, spend as much for food and soft drinks at the concession stand as they do for entrance tickets.”

Drive-in owners developed new attractions to build their attendance numbers. They built children’s play areas with swings, slides, and pony rides. Some built miniature railroads in which children could ride. More prosperous operations offered picnic grounds, swimming pools, and even a “monkey village.”

“While the youngsters disport themselves as these elaborate plants, their parents can have a go at miniature golf courses and driving ranges or they can play shuffleboard, pitch horseshoes and dance before live bands … One chain … holds auctions before show time and invites patrons to bring in anything they want sold; another runs bingo games based on speedometer mileage, and a third has a charge-account system open to anyone with means of identification at the gate.

“Several Texas drive-ins … operate laundries as a side line. The housewife, who might otherwise be spending the evening at home with the washing machine, drops her washing at the gate as the family enters the drive-in, and picks it up freshly laundered as she leaves – for a small consideration, of course. Some drive-ins offer warmed milk for babies, and fresh diapers, if their infant patrons forget to bring along a spare pair of pants. Others maintain nurseries and playgrounds for small fry, driving ranges for bored dads, open-air dance floors for teen-agers.”

As fads go, the drive-in went, though it lasted longer than anyone expected. Attendance declined gradually, and the number of theaters slowly began disappearing from the countryside in the 1960s. The automobile culture faded as America became weary of spending to much time inside a car. As the average American spent more time behind the wheel, driving to work or to stores, the joy of the open road was surpassed by the thrill of finding a good parking spot.

Several hundred drive-ins are still in operation, though, so it’s not too late to enjoy the experience of watching the stars under the stars. In addition, several cities across the country present outdoor cinema during their summer festivals. And in Plymouth, Michigan, the vast parking lot outside the Compuware Sports Arena is turned into a drive-in with a hydraulically raised screen, a projector housed inside a truck, and the soundtrack broadcast to car radios.

Today, drive-in movies seem like the essence of American entertainment in the 1950s. However, they date back to the Great Depression. The first drive-in opened for business near Camden, New Jersey, 66 years ago this week (June 6).

Drive-ins proved popular enough to stay alive and inspire a few imitators. Over the next 16 years, hopeful businessmen built about 100 drive-ins in the United States. But outdoor movie theaters remained just another novelty trying to coax money out of the pockets of Depression America.

It was the postwar society, and its booming economy, that launched the rise of drive-in theaters — also called “ozoners” for their open-air atmosphere. Americans were at a loss to explain the explosive growth of drive-in theaters. As a Post writer observed in a 1950 article:

“Most conventional theater owners, who despise the ozoners and battle them at every turn, say the thing is a fad, that it’s going too fast, and, anyway, the places are no more than parking lots for petters. Variety, the bible of show business, calls them “passion pits with pix.” Needless to say, there are no figures on petting frequency in drive-ins, but I can offer the result of a one-man nonsnooping survey made by myself. I talked with dozens of exhibitors, and all firmly state that no more went on in the cars than in the rear seats of the conventional theaters.

“According to one drive-in manager, ‘Sure, a fellow slips his arm around his girl in the drive-ins,’ he said. ‘The same as in the regular theaters or on a park bench. No more than that. And there’s one thing you don’t get in the drive-ins that you get inside. That’s the guy on the prowl, the seat changer who molests lone women. There’s none of that in the drive-ins.’

“But what disproves the [romantic reputation] more than anything else is the type of audience that fills the drive-ins today. It is by far a familiar audience, with a probable 75 percent of the cars containing children who, incidentally, are let in free by most drive-ins if they are under twelve. This is the main reason the ozoners have been so successful — their appeal to the family group. They are the answer to parents who want to take in the movies, but can’t leave their children alone at home. No baby-sitters are needed. And the kids are no bother to anyone in the audience. There’s no vaulting of theater seats, running up and down the aisles or drowning out the dialogue by yapping.

“The ozoners have struck a rich vein of new fans. Leading the list are the moderate-income families who bring the kids to save money on baby-sitters. Furthermore, they don’t have to dress up, find a parking place, walk a few blocks to a ticket booth, and then stand in line. The drive-ins make it easy for them and for workers and farmers, who can come in their working clothes straight from the evening’s chores, and for the aged and physically handicapped. They are a boon to the hard of hearing and to invalids, many of whom never saw a movie before the drive-ins. They draw fat men who have trouble wedging themselves between the arms of theater seats, and tall men sensitive about blocking off the screen from those behind. Add the teen-agers to these people, and you have a weekly attendance of about 7,000,000, an impressive share of the country’s 60,000,000 weekly ticket buyers.”

Six years after this article appeared, the Post took another look at the still growing popularity of drive-ins.

You can find the drive-in closest to you online at driveinmovie.com and drive-ins.com.

Source: https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2009/05/america-drive-in-movies/

The History of Mother's Day

2019-05-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

Do you know how Mother's Day came to be?

While the Mother’s Day that we celebrate on the second Sunday in May is a fairly recent development, the basic idea goes back to ancient mythology—to the long ago civilizations of the Greeks and Romans.

The Greeks paid annual homage to Cybele, the mother figure of their gods, and the Romans dedicated an annual spring festival to the mother of their gods.

MOTHERING SUNDAY

In 16th century England a celebration called “Mothering Sunday” was inaugurated—a Sunday set aside for visiting one’s mother. The eldest son or daughter would bring a “mothering cake,” which would be cut and shared by the entire family. Family reunions were the order of the day, with sons and daughters assuming all household duties and preparing a special dinner in honor of their mother. Sometime during the day the mother would attend special church services with her family.

JULIA WARD HOWE

Here in America, in 1872, Julia Ward Howe, a famous poet and pacifist who fought for abolition and women’s rights, suggested that June 2 be set aside to honor mothers in the name of world peace. This happened not long after the bloody Franco-Prussian War after which Howe began to think of a global appeal to women.

The idea died a quick death. Nothing new happened in this department until 1907, when a Miss Anna M. Jarvis, of Philadelphia, took up the banner.

ANNA M. JARVIS

After her mother died in 1905, Miss Anna Jarvis wished to memorialize her life and started campaigning for a national day to honor all mothers.

Her mother, known as “Mother Jarvis,” was a young Appalachian homemaker and lifelong activist who had organized “Mother’s Work Days” to save the lives of those dying from polluted water. During the Civil War, Mother Jarvis had also organized women’s brigades, encouraging women to help without regard for which side their men had chosen. At the time, there were many special days for men, but none for women.

On May 10, 1908, a Mother’s Day service was held at a church in Grafton, West Virginia, where Anna’s mother had taught. Thus was born the idea that the second Sunday in May be set aside to honor all mothers, dead or alive.

Anna Jarvis, bombarded public figures and various civic organizations with telegrams, letters, and in-person discussions. She addressed groups large and small. At her own expense, she wrote, printed, and distributed booklets extolling her idea.

Her efforts came to the attention of the mayor of Philadelphia, who proclaimed a local Mother’s Day. From the local level she went on to Washington, D.C. The politicians there knew a good thing when they saw it and were quick to lend verbal support.

West Virginia was the first state to officially adopt the holiday, and others followed suit. Proclamation of the day by the various states led Representative J. Thomas Heflin of Alabama and Senator Morris Sheppard of Texas to present a joint resolution to Congress that Mother’s Day be observed nation-wide. The resolution was passed by both houses.

MOTHER’S DAY TODAY

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill designating the second Sunday in May as a legal holiday to be called “Mother’s Day”—dedicated “to the best mother in the world, your mother.”

For the first few years, the day was observed as a legal holiday, but in absolute simplicity and reverence—church services were held in honor of all mothers, living and dead.

In many ways family observance much resembled that of the British version of “Mothering Sunday.”

SOURCE:

The 1972 Old Farmer's Almanac

Digital Civil Rights

2019-01-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

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