When Smoking Was Great

There was a time when smoking wasn't the social taboo it is today. Smoking was something people did on planes, in doctor's waiting rooms, in theatres, in their cars and pretty much everywhere else until we came to the shocking realization that smoking is actually bad for you ! Who knew !?!? You'd think that sucking carcinogenic smoke directly into your lungs would actually be beneficial and something to be encouraged. Well at least that's what they thought in the '60s and '70s as witnessed in the following classic cigarette ads.

Marlboro

This ad is wrong on so many levels. Using an innocent baby to sell cigarettes is one thing but to try and make you feel guilty that you don't have the best of everything like this kid's dad since you don't smoke Marlboros is really a shot below the smoke filled lungs. At least it's never too late to experience the "Miracle of Marlboro" and never feel over-smoked (as opposed to under smoked I guess).

Chesterfield

This ad featuring former President Ronald Reagan, really only proves one of two things. Either Ronnie only associated with people who smoked or he was the worst Christmas shopper in history. Although, it's nice to finally see a cigarette that doesn't leave an unpleasant after-taste. Now instead of popping a Tic Tac or Menthos before an interview, have a quick smoke to freshen your breath. Chesterfield Cigarettes - the New Fresh Maker !

Camel

You really can't go wrong with Camel cigarettes when you realize that more doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette brand. What an awesome endorsement. Obviously it's the cigarette brand a doctor would recommend if he finds you're not getting enough tar.

Winston

This commercial aired back in 1960 when Winston cigarettes sponsored the first season of The Flintstones on ABC. Back then the show was geared towards an adult audience much in the same way that Family Guy is geared towards an adult audience. Trying to air an ad like this today would certainly prompt a few lawsuits and a few thousand complaints. Although I gotta say Wilma looked pretty sexy with that cigarette.

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Must Have Retro Car Accessories

We've always had a love affair with our cars. Especially if it's your first car, no attention to detail is too great to try and make this symbol of freedom your very own. We spend countless hours washing and detailing them and hard earned money on accessories to try and put our mark on them and make them not only unique, but the envy of the neighbourhood. Back in the day, these accessories had to include: Foxtail What better symbol of machismo could you possibly hang off the rearview mirror (other than a garter belt you caught at your cousin's wedding) to show you were a virile, hot stud on the prowl than a genuine foxtail? The bushier the better. Even though it impeded your view of the street and the dangers that lurked just beyond your dash, it showed you were an animal and an easy target for PETA. Fuzzy Dice If you were more of the gambling risk taker sort, you could always opt for a neat set of fuzzy dice. It would impede your view just as well as a foxtail but these ca...

Remixes Make the World Go Round

If you grew up in the 70s and 80s, lots of today's music may sound kind of familiar. Big reason for that is the abundant use of samples in contemporary music. Whether it's lifting a few beats and choice riffs or a complete ripoff of the tune with new lyrics rapped over the music, much of the music you listen to today probably wouldn't exist or be popular if it wasn't for the art of the remix. Remixing is the art of combining or editing existing music to create something new. Not to be confused with the term rip off which requires far less talent and vision. I never really gave much thought about the whole thing other than to wax on about how some of today's "artists" lack the same kind of talent that earlier artists had and with the use of technology, many people are getting pretty famous that don't really deserve to be. What will become of music twenty years from now ? Where will new samples come from if much of today's music is already sample ri...

Retro Music Producer of the Day - Arthur Baker

One of the driving forces in early hip hop and Electrofunk was DJ / producer Arther Baker. Starting as a club DJ in the early 70s, he began experimenting with the new electronic sounds of the day and began producing remixes on analog tape. Long before digital took over, to create a quality mix required skill and patience since most of what you were doing was pretty much live. You needed mad skillz back in the day not like these days were software downloaded for free can create a remix on a whim. Though you may not have heard of him, you certainly have heard his work since his collaborations include artists like Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force, Pet Shop Boys, Cyndi Lauper, Hall and Oats, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, ABC, Nenah Cherry and New Order to name a few. He was actually responsible for taking an obscure, instrumental piece from a 1984 New Order album "Lies, Power and Corruption" and churning it into the now classic Blue Monday. His style was easil...

Candies You Grew Up With That May Gross You Out Now (Part 1)

Being a kid in the 70s and 80s allowed you to experience certain candies that may no longer be produced but some of the stuff you grew up with is still around and there are even some specialty stores and websites that cater to making available the treats of your youth. However, just because you can still get them, doesn't mean you should. Your adult palette is vastly different than your youthful taste of what was gross and what was really cool. While eating some of the stuff on this list today may remind you of your youth, it may also provide startling and sobering realizations that you may not have been firing on all cylinders when making choices while spending your hard earned allowance at the candy counter as a kid. Bazooka - Not only was this gum cheap, 2 for a penny back in the day although I may be seriously dating myself, but it also came with a small comic featuring Bazooka Joe, who wore an eye patch and a bunch of his freaky friends including Mort who wore his turtleneck...

Movie Rolls That Could Have Been

When you think of certain roles in classic films, there are actors that take the role and truly make it their own for all time. You watch the film and you can't imagine any other actor in that role because they just seemed to have nailed the character in every way and have in many cases made the character an icon who no other can portray. Here are a few examples of casting attempts that almost changed some iconic characters in American cinema. Al Pacino - His body of work is impressive and second to none. He's brought to life some classic characters in his career such as Michael Corleone in the Godfather, Tony Montana from Scarface and Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman to name a few. He was also offered, and turned down the lead roles in Pretty Woman, Crimson Tide and the part of Han Solo in a little movie that came to be known as Star Wars. "Here they come Chewie - Hoo Haaa!" Gene Hackman - One of the most versatile character actors working in film today, Gene ...

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