ARGH! I don't know why comments were closed. I've read all the documentation, I've tried to manually open them from my own account in the comment panel. A thousand apologies. At least they're open now. If not, add an X to the URL above - say, http://lileks.com/bleats/archive/16/0716/071216x.html

Anyway, as I noted last week, we're on the annual mid-year fortnight hiatus, but this year there's daily content. Today, from the cleaned-out Institute Archives, one of my favorite Texaco ads:

Don’t you want to slug each and every one of them? Okay, not the kids. They just get a good hard slap. It’s Sullen Hun Dad, Frau Glum, Adolf Jr. and his haughty little bitch-sis Eva, who might just be the worst of them all. Joyless butchers!

Actually, on second thought, you can punch the kids, too.

And where, you might ask, did this picture come from?

It's a gasoline ad.

And my hat's off to the chap who coined that last line - probably not original to this ad, but well-used nonetheless.

Now, let's look at something else from a mere 23 years later. Here's where the culture was:

There's a lot of disparate styles coexisting under the FREAK-OUT banner. And I cannot tell you how much I don't want to see what love is like with the Mamas & the Papas.

Gawd, the Fugs.

Hang-ups! Hairy Things! What a wonderful time. There's a special section on the Monkees, of course, and it reminds you it's all aimed at 13-year-old girls.

Peter Tork: the Third-most popular member of the foursome!

Anyone believe that?

Here's the guy I presume was #1:

Don't worry, Mom.

Exit Question: When you were young, did you have a favorite . . .

Gas station brand? I did, but for good reason.