Yesteryear's Humor

I can't understand why many of today's comedians use so much "blue" material in their acts. 

Somehow I don't find obscene language funny. In fact, I find it offensive and think it detracts from the comedy.

I got to thinking about how humor has changed from the "good old days". The other day I came across "The Featherheads", a comic strip that regularly appeared in the Tuckerton Beacon in the late 1920' and early 1930's. I'm curious to hear if today's Blog readers find it funny.

Well, what do you think? Does it tickle your funny bone? What were your favorite comic strips when you were a kid?

I especially enjoyed Joe Btfsplk from Little Abner. He always walked around with a dark cloud over his head, obliviously

wrecking havoc in his wake.

Let's hear from you about your favorite childhood comic strip!

Pete S

West Creek's Own Charles Lindbergh

One of the icons of American aviation history was Charles Lindbergh who, in May 1927, made the first non stop flight across the Atlantic when he took off from Roosevelt field in Garden City, Long Island and landed in Paris. He became an overnight hero.

Well, it seems that little old West Creek had it's own "Charles Lindbergh", Everett Cameson, who flew into West Creek a little over a year from Lindbergh's epic flight. A gathering of locals gave a rousing welcome to their local "Lindy".

I wonder if there are some photos of some of the locals with Everett floating around in a West Creek attic. It sure would be interesting to see one.

Pete S

Howard Ware and the Sochi Olympics

A few years ago, my buddy, Howard Ware, now 92 years young, gave me a quick tour of an outhouse situated on the property next to his garden where he grows his famous pole "limers". It was a reminder of a much slower paced and simpler era in old New Gretna 

The outhouse adjacent to Howard's garden.

Howard took a load off his feet as he sat down to give me a brief talk regarding his experiences with various types of outhouses.

Oh, the memories that Howard had.

Howard pointed out that this particular outhouse was a two seater. That concept always seemed strange to me. How often did nature call two people at the same time that two adjacent seats were necessary? And wasn't this bringing togetherness to a whole new level? 

The two seater

Some might say that the two hole outhouse fostered an early form of social networking now satisfied through Facebook and other internet services. Maybe things were more advanced back in the old days then we give them credit for.

I shouldn't be so judgmental regarding the togetherness fostered by the two hole outhouse of the past, as this was brought to my consciousness as I was surfing the net regarding the Sochi Olympics and came across the following photo. 

Twin toilets at the Scoci Olympics

The twin toilet concept in the Olympic Village was causing quite a stir among the athletes and commentators. It's hard to image, that in an Olympic environment that took 51 billion dollars to create, the Russians couldn't spring for a separate booth for each toilet. I guess that, with today's inflation, 51 billion dollars doesn't go as far as it use to.

Howard is probably scratching his head, wondering what all the fuss is about and smiling as he thinks back to the good old days when a good two seater was a status symbol in New Gretna.

Maybe the twin toilets are a sign of things to come, that in addition to synchronized swimming, the Russians are lobbying for a new Olympic sport - synchronized pooping. Don't laugh! They say that truth is often stranger than fiction.

Pete S

Local Man Is First New Jersey Civil War Draftee

A favorite Television show for many years is the game show Jeopardy with Alex Trebek. Contestants pick a category and then must provide a question for a answer appearing on the Jeopardy board.

Should anyone out in the Blog-O-Sphere ever appear on Jeopardy with a "New Jersey Civil War" category, I thought I would offer the following obituary which would provide the question for the following answer - "William L. Shinn from West Creek, New Jersey".

The question would be "Who was the first New Jersey man drafted in the Civil War?"

Charles Shinn was also the oldest West Creek resident in 1928 and appears to have led an interesting life. I'm sure you would agree.

Pete S