For some reason, there have been many children’s card games with a fish motif.  I wasn’t aware that children had any particular affinity for fish; I don’t remember having any strong feelings either for or against them when I was a kid.  Maybe graphic designers just like working with them. At any rate, we initiate here […]

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Something fell from my body cavity; I hope it wasn’t hurt by gravity. amateur / maturer Are you going to finish that hemlock? This evening, I heard a pundit on the radio say “re-citizen” instead of “recidivism.” To err is human, to forgive human. Stonehenge was built to support a circus tent. Is it true what […]

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The European experiment in unified currency, the euro, has proven problematic.  One of the main difficulties has been the imposition of standard regulations and controls on such diverse cultures and economies. Like the European Union, the United States is — as the name explicitly reminds us — an organized coalition of states, each with its […]

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These “Fractions Flash Cards” are from 1962; the publisher is Whitman.  The instruction card informs us that we can also use them to play a game called “Halt.”  In case you’re stumped, by the way, this image shows one third. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Common sense tells us the earth is flat, the universe rotates around it, and everyone loves us. Take my lariat — I can’t carry it. If you all talk at once, you won’t have to listen. We may have to accept that it’s no longer possible to monetize intellectual property.  Artists are expected to hold […]

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“72 Pictured Party Stunts” was published by Whitman in 1935.  And it’s just that: a series of actions to be performed by party guests.  As the instructions explain, “Anyone who fails to perform satisfactorily may be penalized by being tickled by everybody, running the gauntlet, being locked in a dark closet, or submitting to some […]

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A fly’s on my icewater; hand me my flyswatter. Most people don’t mean well; they mean nothing at all. Make a Gideon Bible that just says “Gideon,” over and over, on every page. A fox spied a crow with a morsel of cheese in his beak.  The fox praised the crow’s voice, but the crow easily […]

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John Jaques & Son, of Thornton Heath, published “French for Fun.”  The box promises that it’s “The most popular game ever published.”  That’s nice to know.  It’s yet another variation on the model of “Happy Families,” with sober renditions of food and household items to teach vocabulary.  This is the only omelet I’ve seen depicted […]

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Why are humans so fond of rectangles?  They’re rare in nature, but we use them for everything. Feeling in a funky mood?  Try a little monkey food. Rock & roll purists insist you should never use more than three chords.  If you use more, do you have to wear a scarlet 4 on your shirt? Not all […]

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‘Did you ever happen to visit the cinematograph in your travels?’ ‘Never,’ I answered humbly, ‘but I believe it is a dark quarter and little can be seen at all except the photographs on the wall.’  — Flann O’Brien Over the years, I’ve developed a distinct aversion to movies.  I’m aware that this is not […]

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