MCMXXXVII - MMXXIII (september 2023)

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THEN: The German dirigible Hindenburg exploded during landing at Lakehurst, New Jersey. This event was the worst aviation disaster to date, It commanded an unparalleled coverage by the worldwide press.

NOW: Visiting one of the worst nautical disasters in history, the Titanic wreckage, the OceanGate submersible Titan Imploded during the descent to the site. For days after the mini-sub went silent, there was hope it would be found intact and in time (before oxygen supplies were depleted).  However, the Titan's implosion was similar to the Zeppelin’s explosion, close to instantaneous.   

THEN: Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered as the first animated full length movie. This movie was deemed by the US Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. Guess the library wanted one to be able to choose the significance.  

NOW: Snow White, the ‘live action’ movie, is being remade by Disney with the dwarfs replaced by ‘magical people’ of all sizes and genders. Who or what will be Dopey in this version of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale?

THEN: The Supreme Court of the US decision West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish (re: minimum wage law) was quipped as The switch in time that saved nine old men. In 1937 FDR considered court packing because of several conservative SCOTUS decisions. It was both theorized and refuted that Justice Roberts (Owen J) siding with the Musketeers instead of the Horsemen may have put off the packing plans.

NOW: Democrats again consider court packing after several conservative decisions, including reversal of the controversial Roe v Wade decision of 1973. Another Justice Roberts (John) has tried to manage SCOTUS politics with mixed success.

THEN: SPAM, a salty, processed pork shoulder product in a can, was introduced by the Hormel Company in 1937. The 'Sizzle, Pork And Mmm’ product has not always be thought of as 'Mmm, Mmm Good', to steal a slogan from Campbells, but there was just too much pork shoulder not being consumed.  SPAM was the answer, at least the US military of the 1930-50s so believed.

NOW: SPAM (unsolicited social media, physical junk mail, etc.) is even less popular than its’ predecessor, the spiced up pork product. In fact, SPAM the meat-like product now has some historical panache and a recent surge in popularity. 

THEN: Joe Louis KO’d James J[W] Braddock for the 1937 world heavyweight boxing title. Braddock was the against all odds winner of the previous heavyweight title fight with Max Baer.  Braddock was known as the Cinderella Man in Ron Howard’s 2005 movie about his life and the Great Depression.

NOW: The Cinderella Man of 2023 is William [Lia} Thomas, a biological male, who self identifies as a woman collegiate swimmer. Competing as a female, with all odds, and an intact male anatomy, this and other re-gendered athletes have absconded with recognition and financial incentives that would have previously gone to biologically born females. Transexual athletes should be able to compete, against other trans athletes. Might this 2023 story more accurately be titled The Drizella Man?

THEN: In 1937 the cost of a dozen plain (not free range or cage free, not organic or hormone free) eggs was $0.36. 

NOW: the cost of a dozen plain eggs is about $2. Keep in mind that $0.36 in 1937 would be approximately $6 in today’s currency. So, eggs cost a lot more in 1937 (part of the depression years). Maybe if folks just give ‘Bidenomics' a chance we’ll soon get back to $6 a dozen eggs.  Some egg lovers aren't waiting to find out and are raising their own egg laying hens.  The added advantage of this approach is one can choose which of the typically meaningless egg attributes (e.g., like 'cage free') to claim.  Since it worked for beer, maybe these new chicken ranchers can start a 'craft-egg' trend like 'closet clucker' or 'hopped-up hen’ eggs?

THEN: Amelia Earhart mysteriously disappeared in her attempt to be the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in 1937. After many investigations she was declared dead in 1939.

NOW: Hundreds of commercial flights have mysteriously disappeared (have been canceled) from airport departure status boards during recent holidays. Trains carrying toxic chemicals have mysteriously derailed.   There were fears the US Secretary of Transportation had mysteriously gone missing.  Not to worry, Pete Buttigieg has reassured the nation that he didn’t die, he was just on leave or vacationing. Pete cares about and is on top of these other mysterious events. After many, more remote and intense investigations, Buttigieg is confident the government is not responsible.  Guess it is hard to disagree with the obvious. 

THEN: The first year of FDR’s second term as president was described by some as the warmest year ever. Retrospectively 1937 was one of the earliest where the recognized impact of human activity on climate change was purportedly demonstrated.  Hot temperatures, drought and dust storms, during much of the "Dirty 30’s”, were common in Oklahoma, Kansas and other nearby states.  

NOW: 2023 is described by some as the hottest year ever with record consecutive high temperature days in Arizona and other states. The religious fervor of climate activist and opportunistic politicians has asserted that all natural disasters are directly and unquestionably (or one is a denier) caused by climate change. This empty rhetoric dust storm of the 2020s has hindered more meaningful approaches to address this issue.