50 Years of G.I. Joe!

I heared it on the saturday morning airing of the Wall Street Journal radio program.  It was the anniversary of the creation of the famous Hasbro action figure - G.I. Joe!

Then there is the link below to the article by Chris Carola in the Huffington Post entitled:  G.I. Joe, 'World's First Action Figure,' Turns 50.  Hasbro showed off G.I. Joe at the 1964 Toy Fair in New York City and to this blogger, that 1 foot tall action figure has been successful ever since.

Don Levine is often referred to as the "father" of G.I. Joe.  He was the head of Hasbro's research and development.  And since most of Hasbro's work force was of retired US military men from World War 2, or Korea; that is why there was a figure made for the four main US military services (Coast Guard was lumped into the Navy line I guess).

The war in Vietnam was growing, but G.I. Joe managed to survive that as well.  When sales finally started to drop off, then the AT (Adventure Team) was created.  Now the "joes" were out of the military (kind of) - able to grow beards and the figures now had "Kung-fu" grip for added playability.

Back in 1964, the cost per figure was $4.00.  Adjusted for inflation, that figure would retail for about $30.00 each now.

In 2004, six years after Mattel's Barbie earned the same honor; G.I. Joe was elected into the Toy Hall of Fame.


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Ref.
1. Huffington Post. "G.I. Joe, 'World's First Action Figure,' Turns 50" by Chris Carola. February 6, 2014. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/06/gi-joe-turns-50_n_4735699.html).
2.  One Sixth Warriors.com forum.  (http://www.onesixthwarriors.com/forum/sixth-scale-action-figure-news-reviews-discussion/743991-happy-50th-g-i-joe.html).
3.  Images of my own G.I. Joe action figures.

51-Year Old Runway Model

You need to check this out. And when you are through with the photograph here, check out the link below to the Wall Street Journal.

Fifties is the new thirties?

I think there was some tv commercial a few years ago that tried to make that claim. Then again, if they used Ms. de la Fressange as the spokes person.....

Quote " Ms. de la Fressange in the 1980s was the first model to sign an exclusive modeling contract with a haute couture fashion house — Chanel — and then went on to represent France’s symbol of femininity, Marianne. " End Quote.

By the way, Ms. de la Fressange is wearing a creation by Jean Paul Gaultier for his Spring/Summer 2009 haute couture collection. Don't worry - I haven't gone Gay or anything like that. I saw the photograph of Ms. de la Fressange and (under my breath since I was at work at the time) said "Wow!" Now hoepfully, you too can say that aloud as well!

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Ref: http://blogs.wsj.com/runway/2009/01/28/gaultiers-51-year-old-runway-star-ines-de-la-fressange/?mod=yhoofront

Breakup of the United States in 2010?

Some folks may have heard about this Russian professor Igor Panarin who is predicting the eventual breakup of the United States of America due to economic pressures, etc. I won't restate what is covered in the Wall Street Journal article (here is the link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123051100709638419.html . The image is re-posted without WSJ permission, but is fully credited to them.

It makes for a very interesting reading. The way his map looks, it looks like most of Dixie will indeed rise again in a new Texas Confederacy??? Being born and raised in Texas, I have always thought that if ever a time comes around for Texas to be its own country again, it will take place in the 21st century. The ways and means of how this takes place is always due to the citizens of Texas being put into position of protecting what it truely means to be an American. Of maintaing the concept of responsibity, or protecting the very concepts of free market enterprise and liberty. This sudden turn towards socialism and a command driven economy scares me. And the next decade will be a tough one.

I am also wondering if we will truely be able to stick together long enough to get back to the moon and eventually to Mars.

UPDATE (March 04, 2009):  Hes at it again, Igor Panarin.  China and Russia will pick up the reins of power once the good ole USA has bitten the dust, etc, etc, etc.  Heres the latest news link for your review ( http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96N3GCG0&show_article=1 ).