One of two little green Moon Men from the first and longest story arc of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. The “Jet Fuel Formula” storyline (broadcast 1959-1960) concerns the pursuit of a formula for rocket fuel. The two aliens are sent to Earth by their people to prevent an influx of Earth tourists. Gidney has a mustache and Cloyd carries a “scrootch gun.”
Note: Jay Ward’s alien cereal mascot Quisp, introduced in 1965, obviously bears a significant resemblance to Cloyd.
Rocket J. Squirrel is the cartoon flying squirrel protagonist of the 1959-1964 animated television series The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, produced by Jay Ward. Rocky is the brains of the “moose and squirrel” duo, though he often appears just as naïve and gullible as Bullwinkle. When he flies, he is accompanied by a jet engine sound effect.
P.S. “And now, here’s something we hope you’ll really like!”
The pink cartoon alien mascot of Quisp, a sugar-sweetened breakfast cereal from the Quaker Oats Company. It was introduced in 1965 and continued as a mass-market grocery item until the late 1970s. It is now primarily sold online. Like Cap’n Crunch, Quisp was created by Jay Ward Productions as a trademark character on which to build a cereal brand.
Note: Quisp clearly looks based on the Moon Men (Gidney and Cloyd) from the 1959-1960 “Jet Fuel Formula” story arc of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.
An English leader of the Pilgrim settlers of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. He served as governor for over 30 years after John Carver died. His journal (1620-1647) was published as Of Plymouth Plantation. Bradford is credited as the first civil authority to designate what popular American culture now views as Thanksgiving in the United States.
P.S. Happy Thanksgiving!
The anthropomorphic cartoon bee mascot of Honey Nut Cheerios. This sweetened variation of Cheerios breakfast cereal was introduced by General Mills in 1979. It has a honey and almond flavor. As of 2006, it no longer includes actual nuts.
The cartoon bird mascot of Cocoa Puffs, a brand of chocolate-flavored puffed grain breakfast cereal manufactured by General Mills. Introduced in 1958, the cereal consists of small orbs of corn, oats and rice that have been flavored with cocoa. Sonny the Cuckoo Bird is a desperate addict whose catchphrase is “cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.”
The cartoon bear mascot of Golden Crisp breakfast cereal made by Post. It was introduced in 1949 as Sugar Crisp, then renamed Super Sugar Crisp (before its absurd sugar content was downplayed as “Golden”). The cereal consists of sweetened puffed wheat. Sugar Bear sings the jingle, “Can’t get enough of that Golden Crisp.”
The cartoon frog mascot of Honey Smacks breakfast cereal. This excessively sweetened puffed wheat cereal was introduced in 1953 as Sugar Smacks. Kellogg’s renamed the product Honey Smacks in the 1980s, then Smacks, then back to Honey Smacks. There have been various mascots over the years. Dig ‘Em Frog first appeared in 1972.
The cartoon toucan mascot of Froot Loops breakfast cereal produced by Kellogg’s. It first appeared in stores in 1966. The fruit-flavored cereal consists of brightly colored ring-shaped pieces. Toucan Sam’s catchphrase is “just follow your nose!” With his English accent and penchant for jungle conquest, I suspect him of British imperialism.
The cartoon leprechaun mascot of Lucky Charms breakfast cereal. This General Mills product first appeared in stores in 1964. The cereal consists of sugar-coated, toasted oat-based pieces and multicolored marshmallow bits in various shapes. “They’re magically delicious!” he exclaims in an Irish accent.
An American professional wrestler known by his ring name “Macho Man” Randy Savage. He was recognizable for his distinctively deep and raspy voice, his ring attire and his signature catchphrase (“Oooh yeah!”). He was the spokesman for Slim Jim snack foods in the 1990s. Savage was born on this day in 1952. He died of a sudden heart attack on May 20, 2011.
An iconic college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1966 through 2011. JoePa holds the record for the most victories by an FBS football coach with 409 and coached five undefeated teams. He was fired on November 9, 2011 by Penn State trustees in the wake of the horrific Jerry Sandusky scandal.
Joe Paterno has always reminded me of my late Italian grandfather and, as a Penn State alum and former State College resident, I occasionally saw this humble man around town. It is difficult to understand how a man who stressed moral character didn’t act beyond his legal obligations when the well-being of a child was at stake. Sad times.
The main character of The Lorax, a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss and first published in 1971. The book chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax, who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler. The story is a fable concerning industrialized society and the danger it poses to nature.
The fortune teller from Zoltar Speaks, the magical fortune-telling machine in Big. For the 1988 romantic comedy film, the one-of-a-kind machine was placed at Rye Playland, an amusement park located in Rye, New York. Tom Hanks stars as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish to be “big” and is then aged to adulthood overnight.
Today is Election Day in the U.S. Want to make a wish?
The protagonist of a series of popular children’s books by the same name, written by H. A. Rey and Margret Rey. The books feature a curious brown monkey (or ape, since he has no tail) named George, who is brought from his home in Africa by the evil, nameless Man with the Yellow Hat to live with him in a big city. The first book was published in 1941.
Salvador Dalí was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter known for his striking and bizarre imagery. His painterly skills are often attributed to the influence of Renaissance masters. He is best known for the melting clocks of The Persistence of Memory (1931).
I decided to represent Dalí’s eccentric manner with 8-bit butterfly wings à la Landscape with Butterflies (1956). Also, today is the end of U.S. Daylight Saving Time. Time to embrace perpetual darkness and “fall back.”
The main character of The Amazing Screw-On Head, a comic book written and drawn by Mike Mignola and published by Dark Horse Comics in 2002. In the 1860s, Screw-On Head is an agent for President Abraham Lincoln. A brilliant animated pilot, based on the plot of the comic, was made by the Sci-Fi Channel in 2006.
In Haitian Vodou, he is the intermediary between the loa and humanity. He is the master linguist, the trickster, warrior and the personal messenger of destiny. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee. Papa Legba’s colors are red and black (as worshipped in New Orleans voodoo rituals).
A personification of death. The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onward, came to be shown as a skeletal figure in a hooded black cloak carrying a large scythe.
Bullwinkle the Moose – No. 277
Bullwinkle J. Moose is the cartoon moose protagonist of the 1959-1964 animated television series The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, produced by Jay Ward. Bullwinkle was known for being well-meaning but dimwitted. He and Rocky have a shared sense of optimism, persistence and traditional ethics and moral standards.
You need to watch the hilariously profane short film/mashup Raging Bullwinkle, supposedly created by the animators of The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000) for the film crew’s enjoyment.