But I'm sure many boys who played with Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots went on to lead productive lives. www.awesomehq.com This would be another contender for the title. www.collectorsweekly.com The definitive account of why "electric football" was insane can be found in Bill Bryson's "The…
www.texaswatertowers.com When you ask someone about his or her summer vacation, you are... A) Not really listening to the answer. B) Sincerely hoping to hear that the person had a happy, restorative time away from work. C) Ready to compete by jumping in and explaining…
...has seen that promo picture of Leon Russell we've been running in the Today section and immediately thought he looked like a character from a '60s movie based on Old Testament stories.
The game was not played at Riverfront Park, of course. But on this date in 1974, Spokane hosted a preseason NFL game. The Denver Broncos beat the New England Patriots (who had changed their name from Boston Patriots just a few years before). According to…
Widespread mocking of those family letters some people insert in Christmas cards certainly didn't make them go away. For that, I suppose we can all be thankful. But did you know that there are now extended-family summer-in-review letters? Oh, yes. Not all families have someone…
Is not being able to remember the name of your first college dorm. (Yes, I realize not everyone went to college.) Eventually I came up with it: Adams Hall. I suspect 25 percent of all who went to (or, in my case, started) school in…
I'm sure there are plenty of Spokane neighborhoods still monitored by someone looking out the window along the lines of Gladys Kravitz in "Bewitched." But a lot of people are pretty busy these days. So on some streets, it's now up to cats to keep…
One thing some visitors to Spokane notice at this time of year is the seemingly high percentage of cars adorned with racks designed to carry bikes, boats and what have you. This isn't the only place a person would see that, of course. But it's…
After years of producing fruit, the apple tree in our backyard didn't crank out any apples last year. I thought the tree had just gotten old and tired. But this year the apples are back. Why? I'd like to think it has something to do…
There's a new wrinkle in my ongoing struggle to be allowed to take my groceries to my vehicle without assistance and small talk. The baggers have launched an altogether baffling lobbying campaign. They have started saying, "I can bring the cart back." I'm not quite…
Two different singing groups had hits with that song shortly after the Earth's crust cooled. One was The Tempos. The Happenings (pictured below) was the other group. I thought you might enjoy how these groovy guys are dressed. Some threads, huh? And let's not overlook…
In my family, one thing that is not permitted is criticism of the late John Denver. I occasionally forget this but can count on being promptly reminded. And that's OK. He wasn't cool. That's for sure. But I wonder how many of us who were…
You're not really living life to the fullest if you don't routinely find yourself taking part in activities organized by individuals who require you to first sign a detailed "Release and waiver of liability and assumption of risk agreement."
A couple of months ago, a reader asked me for a recommendation about local Mexican restaurants. I wasn't much help. The place I visited most often had just closed, as had another eatery I might have mentioned. My response to the reader's query, as I…
Back when it was common for men to put various oils and goo in their hair to hold it in a rigid, unnatural shape, was America covered in collateral-damage grease stains? Maybe not. I guess your head doesn't actually come in contact with that many…
I'm on vacation. Be back Aug. 29. Meantime, there are 600 gently used blog posts you could scan and dismiss with a harrumph, if you are so inclined. www.clarkjbrooks.blogspot.com