Vintage Knott's Berry Farm Souvenier slides

Not too long ago, I converted over 400 of my parents old film slides to digital format. The slides featured tons of pictures spanning from 1966 to 1982, and brought back a ton of memories.

During the massive digital conversion, I found some souvenir slides that my old man had bought at Knott's Berry farm back in the late 70's.  Dad used to love Knott's Berry Farm, and actually preferred going there over Disneyland.   I'm not sure exactly how many of these slides were made, or if this was a complete set that was sold at the park. Nevertheless, I've posted them here for you to enjoy..

Old Gold prospectors

Barber shop

Lonely Joe

Chinese Laundry

Gamblers

I remember seeing most of these life size dioramas around Knott's Berry farm as a kid.  I have no clue how many of them still exist however.  If I have enough time during my next California trip, maybe I'll poke around the theme park to see.

Retro Flashback.. The Sci-Fi Comedy Red Dwarf

Red Dwarf is a British sci-fi comedy series that ran from 1988 to 1999.  It was such a big hit, that the series was brought back in miniseries form in 2009, and again for full seasons in 2012, 2016, 2017 and for a 90 minute TV special in 2020.  Can you imagine?  A series coming back and picking up in the thick of the storyline some 21 years later, and then still garnering interest and going strong ever since?

Back in the day, Americans could watch the series on PBS if they were lucky, but videos were also abundantly available at movie and book stores (back when those still existed) which is where I used to buy all my VHS tapes of the series.  For those who haven't had the pleasure of watching this great show, here's a quick rundown..

The series takes place on a mining spaceship called 'Red Dwarf' which is 6 miles long, 5 miles tall, and 4 miles wide.  The series focuses on the lowest ranking crew member and last human being alive named Dave Lister, his bunk mate Arnold "Judas" Rimmer, a humanoid feline named 'Cat', an android named Kryten and the ships computer whose name is Holly.

 From left to right:  Arnold Rimmer the hologram, Kryten the mechanoid,

Dave Lister (The last human being alive) and Cat.

Some shoddy work on the ships drive plate by Arnold Rimmer, resulted in the whole ship being flooded with lethal radiation. The accident ended up killing everyone on board except Lister and his pet cat.  The only reason Lister survived, was because of being put in suspended animation as punishment for smuggling his cat "Frankenstein" on board.



Frankenstein who ended up being pregnant, was locked safely in a cargo hold and gave birth.  Her offspring evolved over the course
of three million years into a humanoid race, which eventually leads to the emergence of "Cat" who is the last of their kind.  The ships computer kept Lister in stasis until the radiation reached a safe background level, which unfortunately ended up being three million years.  Upon Lister's awakening, Red Dwarf is turned around and starts heading back towards earth. 



Arnold Rimmer is brought back to life by the ships computer in hologram form (hence the letter H on his forehead.  Towards the end of series one, the crew comes across a mechanoid named Kryten who later becomes a permanent fixture from season two on.  During the crews voyage back home, they start encountering different species and space anomalies of every manner.


The series was side-splittingly funny, and I never missed an episode.  When it got pulled from my local PBS stations programming, I turned to the movie and book stores to start building my collection of VHS tapes.  I've always meant to get them on DVD, but never did, as I can now stream them anytime I like.


Below is a clip from the show to give you a taste.  In this clip from the episode "Camille", Lister is trying to help Kryten break his programming so he can become independent.

And another..

In this clip, the crew learns there's a shape shifting alien on board.

I was a huge fan of Red Dwarf right from the get go, but the show definitely got better with time due to bigger budgets and the evolution of special effects.  If you're a fan of comedy or Sci-Fi, do yourself a favor and check out Red Dwarf.


Visit Red Dwarf online


The Red Dwarf YouTube channel

Two retro tech items I (almost) bought in 2014

I saw a couple items while hitting the thrift stores last year that I came incredibly close to bringing home with me.  Behold..

Early 1970s KODAK Instamatic X-15 Camera

I had an Instamatic X-15 exactly like this one when I was a kid.  I took pictures of everything from my BMX bikes, to diorama scenes I'd make with my Star Wars toys.  I had this camera in hand and was ready to spend a hard earned $1.99 for it, when reasoning took over.  

I figured this camera would only be a conversation piece that would take up more of the ever shrinking real estate upon my office shelves.  You can no longer buy 126 film for them, and heck.. the camera on my phone takes great pictures and even fits in my pocket.  

Just for kicks, I did a Google search for 126 film when I got home.  While you can sometimes find old unopened rolls of 126 film on eBay, I learned that 126 film cartridges can be loaded with 35mm film, meaning that yes.. you could in all actuality still use one of these cameras.  How cool would it be to pull one of these cameras out to snap pictures with, while everyone else around you is using iPhone's?

Yup.. I'm kicking myself now for not buying it.  Darn this rationalism and sensibility that seems to be rearing its ugly head more and more as I get older!

 SONY Walkman Cassette Player

Talk about retro high tech! Dig that digital display and functions like auto reverse!  This is an item I could've put to good use.  I have plenty of cassettes lying around, and could use this player when riding my bike or doing yard work. Good arguments for buying it huh?  Now lets look at the reasons why I didn't..

This is the primary reason I left the SONY Walkman cassette player on the thrift store shelf.  It's my SONY Walkman MP3 player that plugs right into my cars stereo system, operates for over one week per battery charge, has an FM radio tuner, sports noise cancelling ear buds, and holds 16 Gigs of music, video and photos.

While looking at the cassette player and reminiscing, the memories started flooding back about the old bulky headphones, endless scads of AA batteries I would constantly have to buy, and of course, the bulkiness of the player itself.  Once again, I talked myself out of buying another obsolete piece of technology.

As funny as it sounds to many folks.. I love antiquated tech items including; Cassette, 8-Track, Record, and Reel to Reel players.  I own all of these types of players and love using them.  I'd gladly buy even more, but have been setting boundaries for myself more and more lately, so as not to approach hoarder territory.  Sure I was a good boy this week, but next week.. who knows.  If for some reason I fail to stay strong, at least I'll more than likely have something cool to share with you here.

Television catch phrases solidified in pop culture

Every decade has its share of catch phrases that people love to rattle off.  Heck.. I'd go as far to say that the uttering of a catch phrase at just the right moment can make you instantly funny and cool!  I've never had this happen to me personally, but it's common knowledge right?!?

Here's some of the catch phrases I remember most from my short period of my existence on this big blue marble.  I've got ten catch phrases listed, accompanied by where they originated, as well as their respective decades.

• "Where's the Beef?"
    Wendy's 80's / Clara Peller

• "Whatchoo Talkin' Bout Willis?"
  
  Different Strokes 80's / Gary Coleman

• "You Look Mahvelous"
  
  Saturday Night Live 1984 / Billy Crystal
  
  

• "Flick my BIC"
  
  BIC lighters 70's advertising slogan
  
  

• "I Dare ya"
  
  EverReady Batteries 70's / Robert Conrad

• "I've fallen.. and I can't get up"
  
  Lifecall 80's / Mrs. Fletcher
  
  

• "Hey Hey hey"
  
  What's Happening? 70's / Haywood Nelson aka Dwayne
  
   

• "Ayyyyyyy"
  
  Happy Days 80's / The Fonz
  
  

• "DY-NO-MITE"
  
  Good Times 70's / Jimmy Walker aka J.J.

• "Whassuuuuuuuuuuup?"
  
  Budweiser ad campaign (this decade)

And before any of you ask... yes I use some of these catch phrases to this day.  I'm not lying when I say that I used four of these catch phrases quite recently (hence my idea for this post!)  I'm not a total nerd however..  I usually only reserve these particular catch phrases when I'm participating in tomfoolery.

So.. are there any catch phrases from years past that are stuck in your head and just begging to get out?

My Old Mans rides circa 1968 and 1973

This is my father, myself and my older brother in front of my Old Man's Chevy back in 1973.  We were getting ready for a Saturday outing at the beach, and Santa Monica pier.  Can't remember what kind of car it was.. possibly a Biscayne?

Here's another picture of one the Old Man's cars.
a 1962 Dodge Lancer...

That's my dad and my older brother in 1968.  This picture was taken somewhere in the hills outside of San Bernadino I believe.  What I'd give to own that car today!!  There's several models of cars that my folks, and I personally have owned, that I would like to buy for the purpose of restoration.  The only thing holding me back is a lack of space to store and work on the vehicle.

Do you have any fond memories from your folks automobiles growing up?  Would you ever buy an older car and restore it?

Forgotten folk - Tammi Terrell

The world of music is full of artists who died well before their time, and Tammi Terrell is one of them. She was best known for her association with Motown, and her duets with Marvin Gaye.

She signed with Motown in 1965 and enjoyed modest success, but her career really started taking off when she started singing with Marvin Gaye in 1967.  However, her new found success would be short lived.  Later in October of that same year, she collapsed in Marvin Gaye's arms while performing on stage. That led to a diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor which led to her death three years later at the age of 24.


While Tammi Terrell is no longer a household name, I have no doubt that you'll recognize at least one or two of these incredibly beautiful songs..

Marvin Gaye was so distraught by Tammi's death, that he took a four year hiatus from live performances.  They had an incredible chemistry, and virtually every song they recorded together was a hit on the charts.  Who knows just how amazing her career could have been if her life hadn't been cut so tragically short.  One thing is for certain, music as great as Tammi and Marvin Gaye's will never die.

The Dukes of Hazzard.. Ghost of The General Lee

One of my 2014 additions to the old toy collection..

This is the Ghost of General Lee model kit made by Model Products Corporation ( MPC ) back in 2010.   I was, and still am a huge fan of the Dukes of Hazzard TV series.  On the 26th of October, 1979, one of my favorite episodes “The Ghost of General Lee” aired on television.  You can see Rosco P. Coltrane on the packaging, scared out of his wits by a glowing General Lee that's apparently back from the dead.

In this episode, the General Lee is stolen by two pool hustlers who drive it into the pond while being chased by Rosco.  For all intents and purposes, everyone believes that Bo, Luke, and the General have drowned.  When Boss Hogg comes up with a scheme by claiming the Duke Boys stole from him before their demise, they figure the only way to prove their innocence is to haunt Boss and Rosco by making the General Lee look like a ghost.

MPC created this kit of the infamous ghostly General Lee that even features glow in the dark plastic parts!  I would love to put it together just to see what it looks like in the dark, but this box displays so nicely, I don't think I'm even going to open it.  I may have to buy another one at some point to assemble, and if I do.. I'll make sure to post some pictures of the completed model here on the blog.

Fitz & The Tantrums

I find myself really not caring for much of the new music coming out these days, but I actually really like Fitz and The Tantrums.  I've had my eye and ear on them for a few years now, and truly dig a lot of their soulful indie-pop tunes.  In certain songs, the lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick's voice is so similar to Daryl Hall's it's almost scary.

I'm sure one of the reasons I was originally drawn to this band, is because of the retro and at times 80s vibe they've got going on.  You can see for yourself from this video posted below.  From a retro loving standpoint, I very much dig the Max Headroom-esque special effects executed in this video.

WARNING.. the hook that's delivered in this song by band member Noelle Scaggs very well may get stuck in your head for the next week.  But not in a Macarena or Achy Breaky Heart type of way.

Here's another great video with Fitz & The Tantrums performing their hit song 'Money Grabber' with Daryl Hall on his show "Live from Daryl's House".  It's a trip to hear Fitz and Daryl sing together!

Fitz & The Tantrums are an incredibly talented band, and I look forward to hearing their future albums.  If these videos above got your interest piqued, check out Fitz & The Tantrums YouTube Channel and Facebook Page.

You still read comics?

by Darrin Vindiola


"You still read comics?" is a question I get from time to time.  I usually respond the same way I do when someone asks "You still watch cartoons?".  I opt to answer the question with another question.. "You don't?"  Granted, I'm a busy guy with a lot on my plate, so reading comics doesn't occupy too much of my time (at least not enough for my liking).



As a kid, I read an insane amount of comic books.  I would go over to my best friends house after school with comic books in tow, and we would spend hours trading, reading, and discussing what we read.  I remember my friend inheriting about a half dozen boxes of old comics from one of his cousins.  That stockpile provided us with endless hours of entertainment and stimulation for our young and impressionable minds.  It's really what started us off on our obsession with comic books.



I guess we were what you could call equal opportunity comic book readers.  We would happily read DC, Marvel, Disney, western, crime, horror comics, and what ever else we could get our hands on.  we read a lot of stinkers as well, but figured time spent reading a bad comic was better than not reading comics at all.


Fast forward to 2015.  For years I've casually read comics.  Sometimes it's in the afternoon with an ice cold beer in hand, and sometimes it's before bed to decompress after a long day. Those comics usually consisted of a big stack of classics that are tucked away in the closet like 70s and 80s X-Men, Spiderman, Batman, Fantastic Four, and even a few Disney comics.  I never really gave much thought to following any new comic lines, simply because I didn't feel like jumping into the middle of a long running story line.  That being said, just as movie franchises like Batman, Spider-man, and STAR TREK have done reboots to create an entirely new universe for the characters, comics often do the same thing.


In the area where I live, the last several years have been dark ones for the comic book fan.  Yes, comic book shops in this part of the country, seemed like they were nearly pushed to the brink of extinction.  It wasn't until 2014 that I actually got back into reading some new comic story lines, and that's largely in part to a new comic book store that opened up in Northern Colorado called The Nerd Store.

Some of my all time favorite comic book characters are Batman, The Joker, Harley Quinn, and The HULK just to name a few.  And, I would primarily visit comic book shops to look for collectibles geared towards those characters.  Recently, I stumbled across comics based on some of these characters that were fresh into a new run, so I started reading them.  I liked them so much, I've since begun having the new releases of these comics held for me at the comic shop when they're fresh off the presses.

The new Harley Quinn comics

I recently started reading 'Harley Quinn'.  It's a reboot of an existing DC comic, that features new artists and an incredibly fresh storyline.  Another new comic I'm a big fan of is 'Batman '66, which draws its inspiration from the 60s Batman TV series, and revisits old villains from years past.  The possibility of newer villains being introduced into this universe is going to make for some better than great issues very soon!

 The new Batman '66 comic

For the retro comic fanatic like myself, there are trade paperbacks and omnibus's which catalog many older story arcs like the death of Robin, the Joker, or the Marvel Secret Wars.  This is a great way to revisit some of your favorite comic runs.  I'm a big fan of being able to pull an omnibus or trade off the shelf and being able to take it anywhere.

Trade paperback showcasing the classic story of how Robin died.

So I guess you get my point. As an adult I still dig comics, but why?  Quite simply, it gives the old grey matter a stimulating work out, while relaxing me at the same time.  It puts me in a calm place very easily, gets me in a good mood, and heck, let's not deny it.. to some extent makes me feel like a kid again.

I highly recommend giving comics a read, no matter how old you are.  Whether it's Popeye, Alley Oop, Garfield, The Peanuts, Spider Man, Batman, The Hulk, or even Mickey Mouse, everyone is partial to some sort of comic book or cartoon character.    Why not buy a book showcasing your favorite old (or new) comic strips or comic book story lines?  Pick it up when you have a little free time and give it a read.  You very well may be surprised at just how therapeutic it can be.

Retro Dad trick #221.. "The snack decoy"

With a family of five, it's a safe bet that somebody in my household, may be hungry at any given moment.  During the course of my trip through fatherhood, I've developed a few tricks to ensure Daddy-O is never lacking in the morning, afternoon, or midnight snack area.  Here is one trick that's worked particularly well for me over the years..

1.) Pick out any random food package.  

(the less appealing the food is to young folks.. the better!)

2.) Hide your favorite snacks within the package.  

Voilà! A decoy to preserve your "Dad Snacks" for emergencies.  

By chance.. your brood may get suspicious or wise to this trick, so it may behoove you to be a little more sneaky err.. creative.  A simple way around this problem, is by further camouflaging your snacks as shown above.


The snack decoy trick has always worked well for me personally.  Just don't tell my kids, or bride!

80s music flashback.. The English Beat and General Public

by Darrin Vindiola

The second "British Invasion" that took place in the 80s brought attention to some great musical talent from across the pond.  One of my favorite bands from this era was General Public.  They were one of those bands that instantly made you a little bit edgier and cooler once you became a fan.

General Public actually started out as 'The English Beat'.  The group disbanded, and band members Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger formed General Public with a number of other skilled artists.  Other band members included; drummer Andy "Stoker" Growcott and keyboardist Mickey Billingham from Dexys Midnight Runners, guitarist Mick Jones from the Clash, and bassist Horace Panter from The Specials.  Remaining members of the English Beat Andy Cox and David Steele in turn formed the music group "Fine Young Cannibals", but that's another story altogether.

Bands like Madness, Bad Manners, and The English Beat got me hooked on Ska music in the 80s, and I'm still a fan to this day.  I've listened to all manner of ska bands since, like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Less Than Jake, Fishbone, Cherry Poppin' Daddy's, Sublime, and No Doubt (yup.. No Doubt started out as a ska band).

Through thick and thin however, I've always had a special place in my heart for the English beat and General Public.  They always receive an ample amount of play time on my iPod, especially during bike rides and walks.  If you need your memory jogged as to some of the hits these guys put out, I've posted a few videos below for you to check out.  Enjoy..

The epitome of great 80s music

"Tenderness"

My absolute favorite General Public song..

"Never you done that"







Going back A little farther with the English Beat..


 "Too Nice to Talk To"
My favorite English Beat Jam






"I confess"
Now THIS is an 80s video!







"Save it for Later"