Life is a Highway

Life is a Highway
Source: Haiku Deck

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Retro Pile: '1979 Wrangler Jeans Commercial'

Source:Retro Junk- 1979 Women's Wrangler Jeans commercial, from Rome, Lazio, Italy. 
"1979 Wrangler jeans commercial set in Rome, Italy."

From Retro Pile 

"Vintage advertising -- found in my mother's basement, flea markets and various corners of the Internet -- dusted off and displayed for your viewing pleasure."

Source:Wrangler Jeans- 1983 Wrangler Jeans ad.
From PZR Services

In the late 1970s there was a boom for dark wash designer denim jeans thats been with us ever since.

It's by far my favorite tend with women's fashion, because we go from an era even in the mid and late 1970s where women didn't look like they were out West in the late 1800s or early 1990s wearing very long dresses and having to hold parts of their dresses when they walked, because they were worried about walking on their dresses and even tripping, but an era where women wore very baggy pants and were not expected to show off their legs at least with pants. And were bellbottoms and what were called in 1974-75 and even a little later and earlier flares. They were sort of like jeans, but not tight at all.

And then we end up in an era starting in 1978 or so with all these magazine covers, as well as movies and TV sitcoms and other TV programming where women are not only wearing jeans, but denim jeans, designer denim jeans, skin-tight designer jeans, where the jeans would go down only to the woman's ankle so and would be real tight in the legs and hip area of the woman's body. Where American women are now wearing jeans the way American men were wearing them on TV and in the movies since the 1950s.

Designer jeans that are simply designed to show off a woman's legs and butt, to show off their curves and how beautiful and sexy they were physically. But in a stylish professional way where women could dress down their jeans with t-shirts and boots, or could dress their jeans up with nice jacket, blouse, as well as boots and could wear denim jeans to work or go out to dinner, go shopping and other places, or go to ballgames with their boyfriends or the movies in their designer jeans. And not look like they're being over sexual or pornographic and have to worry about what more culturally conservative people thought about their tight pants and boots.

American women become liberated economically in the mid and late 1960s with the freedom culturally to not just go to college and get a degree, but then using that degree to get themselves a good job and enter the outside workforce and become economically independent from men. To the late 1970s and ever since where now they're culturally liberated when it comes to fashion. Where it's not only acceptable for them to be beautiful physically, have a beautiful body physically, but then have the freedom and courage to show the world that they have a beautiful body and are proud of it. Designer jeans from the late 1970s and early 1980s, to skinny jeans of today both denim and leather, as well as boots, are great ways for women to showcase their bodies and show people how put together physically that they are.

We go from an era in the early and mid 1970s, where American women weren't supposed to show their legs and butts at all, really other than miniskirts and other skirts which is some cases can be more revealing for a woman's lower body than tight denim, to an era where it was acceptable and in some cases expected for American women to not just wear tight jeans ( both leather and denim, ) but were those pants on a regular basis and in some cases everyday depending on what they did for a living and if they were involved let's say in the fashion or entertainment business or just out running their errands and doing their everyday business like going shopping or their kids sporting events.

And it's not just tight but skin-tight jeans especially denim but in some cases leather jeans like in entertainment and the fashion world, because not just popular but mainstream starting in 1978 or so with all sorts of American sitcoms now showing Americans women wearing skin-tight designer jeans on a regular basis and sometimes even every show with multiple women wearing designer jeans on the shows, but this movement in fashion for women just grew and grew. In the 1980s and especially 1990s, America women were seen everywhere in designer jeans and Levi's in every possible environment on TV. Women were even seen at work in tight jeans like on cop shows, private eye shows, other action/drama shows. Like The Dukes of Hazzard, The Fall Guy and other shows. And this is a trend in women's fashion that just keeps growing and will probably never go away.

A trend that started in 1978 that just kept going by the late 1990s-early 2000s, the dark wash skin-tight designer denim jeans that women started wearing and loving in the late 1970s, came back into style. Didn't replace the Levi's and Guess Jeans from the 1990s, but became an addition. Where you started seeing women in 1997-98 and into the early 2000s, wearing designer jeans that looked like they could be from 1979-80. But were perhaps even tighter and were more low-rise. Studded belts became mainstream on America women in the early 2000s and weren't before that when only biker women and rocker women would wear studded belts for the most part. And you would see women wearing their studded belts with their low-rise designer jeans on a regular basis and everywhere.

We're now in a skinny jeans era ( if you can call 8 years and era ) that started in 2005 where women not only wear skin-tight low-rise designer denim jeans, but can wear them in a way that shows off their butt and legs perfectly ( if they have nice legs and a nice butt ) but can do that in a way that doesn't give away too much. The low-rider ass crack jeans ( as I call them ) that were popular in 2001-02 were replaced by skinny jeans that are still low-rise and skin-tight, but where women can sit down and stand up without showing off skin around their backside. And this is an era for denim jeans for women that will be around forever I believe, as long as sexy women are comfortable in them, like them, and enjoy showing off their legs and butts.   

You can also see this post at The Action Blog, on Blogger.

You can also see this post at The Action Blog, on WordPress.

You can also see this post at FreeState Now, on WordPress. 

You can also see this post at FreeState Now, on Blogger.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Investigation Discovery: Wicked Attraction- Kidnapped (2008)

 

Source:IMDB- from the Wicked Attraction Episode.

“Wicked Attraction examines the kidnapping of Colleen Stan who was held as a sex slave for seven years by Cameron and Janice Hooker.

In 1977, twenty-year-old Colleen Stan hitchhikes from Oregon to California to surprise a friend for her birthday. She never arrives. Colleen is picked up by Cameron and Janice Hooker, an unassuming couple with a newborn baby. When Colleen climbs into the back of their car, it is the beginning of a seven year odyssey of physical, mental and sexual abuse. As time passes, Colleen stays with the Hookers and endures the abuse, even when it seems she is free to leave…leading many to wonder if she was ever truly a captive at all.”

From IMDB 

“The Kidnapping of Colleen Stan The Girl in the Box Crime Documentary. Documentary crime, crime, documentary, murder, killer, serial killer, criminal, documentaries, murderer, lawyer, crime documentary, prison, gang, evil, rape, true crime, serial killer (film genre)”

Source:Kono Hunas- from the Wicked Attraction episode.

From Kono Hunas 

This photo should give you an idea of what sexual slavery (for lack of a better term) can look like, when someone is kidnapped simply to meet the sexual pleasures of the sick kidnapper or kidnappers.

Source:Real Life Journal- this is not from the same episode or story, but hopefully the photo gives you some idea what Colleen Stan went through when she was kidnapped.

I’m not sure how a couple could successfully hold someone hostage for seven years without anyone knowing or having any idea where the kidnapped victim is. I mean playing the percentages the victim would probably have multiple opportunities to escape.

Criminals don’t tend to be so efficient to the point that they can’t go that long without making some mistake that gets back to the authorities and screws up their operation. The kidnappers have bills to pay and have to go out from time to time, they have to keep their victim not only alive, but healthy to do whatever they are expecting from that person.

For Colleen Stan who went through that amount of pure torture, worst than spending long periods of time solitary confinement in jail, she seems pretty healthy both physically and mentally.

You can also see this post on WordPress

You can also see this post at FreeState Now, on WordPress.

You can also see this post at FreeState Now, on Blogger.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Drop Dead Lauren: Coyote Ugly (2000) Piper Perabo: One Way or Another

Source:Drop Dead Lauren- Hollywood Babydoll Piper Perabo's One Way or Another.

"Official video of Piper Perabo in coyote ugly singing one way or another." 

From Drop Dead Lauren (not my nickname)  

The women of Coyote Ugly (2000) the movie) They're all beautiful (at least) but Maria Belo, (far left) Tyra Banks (far right) and Bridget Moynihan to the right of Tyra, really stand out to me as far as how sexy they were in this movie. And Coyote Ugly has more than that, but this is a sexy movie intentionally with the bar dancing, the leather jeans, or in Bridget's case the leather chaps over denim jeans. And Maria, Tyra, and Bridget, really make the movie memorable. And Piper Perabo does a great job singing in the movie.


Source:The Action Blog- The girls of Coyote Ugly (2000)

Left to right: Piper Perabo, Izabella Miko, and Bridget Moynihan from Coyote Ugly. Piper has the voice , Iza I guess has the comedic timing, and Bridget is drop-dead gorgeous and has the sex appeal in this film. Especially the way she moves in those black leather jeans, and Levi's denim jeans, with the black leather chaps and boots.

Source:Coyote Ugly 2000- Left to right: Piper Perabo, Izabella Miko, and Bridget Moynihan.

First of all: I don’t believe this scene is believable and at risk sounding valley, it looks totally Hollywood. Which is sort of another way of saying that it looks made up, not real. 

I mean you essentially have a bar fight if not riot in the bar and this very young woman who could pass as a little girl (if she needed too) gets up on the bar and starts singing and the fighting stops to hear her sing. 

Now having said all of that, Piper Perabo did a very good job with a very good song. She doesn’t make you forget about Joan Jett, but I’m not sure that is possible. 

One of the great things about Coyote Ugly, the movie or the real business is the music. And this is an example of that. And the music might only trail the women of Coyote Ugly as far as importance to it. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

You can also see this post at The Action Blog, on Blogger. 

You can also see this post at FreeState Now, on WordPress.

You can also see this post at FreeState Now, on Blogger.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

TVS Sports: NBA 1972- 1972 NBA-ABA All Star Game


Source:NBA-TV- one of the players being introduced for this game.

"1972 NBA Vs ABA All Star Game 5 25 1972"

From Virgil Moody

As ABA head coach Al Bianchi said in his interview before this game, the American Basketball Association needed this game more than the National Basketball Association. The ABA was just getting started and trying to become a major, professional basketball league that could compete with the NBA for players, coaches, and fans. The NBA even though not nearly as popular as the National Football League or Major League Baseball in the early 1970s, was already a proven product. They weren't where they wanted to be, but they were already established and not trying to simply survive. 

Saturday, January 19, 2013

CBS Sports: WHA 1978- Indianapolis Racers @ Cincinnati Stingers: Highlights


Source:Timothy Gassen- the Racers and Stingers in 1978.

"The end of the third period of a 1978 hockey game between the WHA Indianapolis Racers and Cincinnati Stingers, from Indianapolis Racers." 

If it wasn't for all the Canadian franchises in the National Hockey League, which is made up most of American franchises with a lot of Canadian players, there would probably an NHL club today either in Indianapolis or Cincinnati. Both markets are excellent hockey markets with long histories of supporting minor league hockey franchises. But with all the clubs in Canada in the NHL, there's only so cities available for the NHL in America, unless they wanted to be a super North American league, which you would need a lot of talent to have that. 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

MISL: Memphis Americans Indoor Soccer


Source:MISL- with a look at the Memphis Americans soccer club in 1984.

"Memphis Americans Soccer highlights from WMC-TV Memphis with Jack Eaton 1984" 

From Skiati

Pre-mid-2000s, Memphis, Tennessee never had a major league pro sports franchise. Unless you want to count the Memphis Showboats from the United States Football League in 1983 and the Memphis Mad Dogs from the Canadian Football League in 1994-95. 

But Memphis has always been a big city and major market, with a lot of sports fans and ever major stadiums and indoor arenas, as well it being a big, fairly wealthy city and great entertainment center. So the non-major sports leagues in America (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) have always wanted a piece of the action (pun intended) in Memphis, but have never been successful.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Lamar Matic: ABA 1976- Kentucky Colonels vs St. Louis Spirits: Artis Gilmore 33 Points


Source:Lamar Matic- Major League Basketball in Lexington, Kentucky.

"Artis probably challenges The Iceman and Doctor J. for the title of the greatest ABA basketball player. Devastating under the baskets, always hustling and a great passer as well. Formed a deadly front line with Dan Issel for the 1975 ABA champions Kentucky Colonels. Gilmore got overshadowed by other greats after the merger, but it's good to see that he has been inducted in the Hall of Fame. Artis has a monster game against the Spirits with 33 points. February 22, 1976." 

From Lamar Matic 

Artis Gilmore was a dominant big man in the ABA and NBA.

Monday, January 14, 2013

CBS Sports: NASL 1975- Dallas Tornado @ New York Cosmos: Pele's First NASL Game


Source:CBS Sports- welcome to America, Pele.

"Thirty-five years ago this month, the great Pele made his debut with the NASL's New York Cosmos in this exhibition against the Dallas Tornado at Downing Stadium on Randalls Island in New York. The Black Pearl assisted on one goal and scored the equalizer in a 2-2 draw with the Tornado." 

From The Celebrated Misterk

Only in professional soccer will you see an exhibition game between two teams from the same league play each other during the regular season. Which is exactly what you see here with the Dallas Tornado playing the New York Cosmos during an exhibition game at Downing Stadium in New York City on Randall's Island, in June when the NASL season was already two months old. Just something else that American sports fans had to get use to with professional, major league soccer being played in this country in the 1970s. 

Saturday, January 12, 2013

WWE: WWE 2013- Alberto Del Rio vs The Big Show- World Heavyweight Championship


Source:WWE- Alberto Del Rio vs The Big Show for the WWE-WHC.

"Alberto Del Rio and Big Show clash during the main event of SmackDown for the World Heavyweight Championship in a Last Man Standing Match." 

From the WWE

I don't know much about Albert Del Rio, but he can't be more than 240 pounds. And he was going up against a man who was at least 7'0 and weighed 450 pounds in The Big Show (real life height and weight) with a lot of that weight being muscle. So at least on paper this looks like a mismatch. 

But in a last man standing match you can take all the punishment that you can physically take, but if you avoid getting counted out or submitting and your opponent makes a big mistake, which is what Big Show did, you have the ability to recover and deliver a lot of punishment with no rules. So now it's Albert Del Rio and his 240, plus every hard, heavy object that he can find, against one big man. With Big Show not able to do anything about it. 

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Joey Teefizz: MISL 1985- St. Louis Steamers @ Las Vegas Americans: Highlights


Source:Joey Teefizz- the St. Louis Steamers vs the Las Vegas Americans, from  December, 1984.

"MISL Soccer in Vegas baby...great halftime piece and good solid goals in a close one" 

From Joey Teefizz

Las Vegas has had multiple indoor soccer franchises in multiple leagues. The MISL expanded to Las Vegas in the 1980s and the Continental Indoor Soccer League in the mid 1990s. Pro sports leagues, including major sports leagues have always wanted a piece of the action (pun intended) in Las Vegas, Nevada and to prove that Las Vegas was more than a gambling, rodeo, and boxing market when it came to pro sports. But other than minor league baseball, all of those leagues have failed in Las Vegas. 

St. Louis on the other hand is to major indoor soccer what Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles have been for the NBA: it's hard to imagine pro indoor soccer without a franchise in St. Louis. St. Louis has always been a great soccer market as far as the support that the people give there to indoor soccer. Which is why I'm surprised outdoor soccer has never had a home in St. Louis and why Major League Soccer has never expanded there.  

You can also see this post on WordPress.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

This Week in Soccer: The Houston Hotshots (1994)


Source:This Week in Soccer- from a profile of the 1994 Houston Hotshots.

"Houston Hotshots 1994 / Mirko Castillo"  

From This Week in Soccer

The Houston Hotshots of the old Continental Indoor Soccer League.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Play It & Be Dammed: NASL 1978- Philadelphia Fury @ Houston Hurricane: Highlights


Source:Play It & Be Dammed- the Philadelphia Fury and Houston Hurricane from 1978.

"Yes, this is longer than usual. And it's a Fury loss. But there's good reason. Lots of action in this one. It was Bob Rigby's debut as the Fury keeper. No Shep Messing commercial, but the "NASL Goal of the Week" featuring a pretty goal by Gerd Mueller of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. A few obscure Fury player sightings. And a two-goal performance (nearly three) by a special Fury veteran.

As always, these are from Betamax rips that Dave Brett Wasser (www.davebrett.com) did of recordings that my father did from home. Actually, compared to the other two, the camera footage is pretty good. You'll see.

If you like this, please join the Philadelphia fury fan page on Facebook." 


Outdoor soccer played indoors in the Houston Astrodome. 

If you are an American sports fan who likes offense and action and for defenses to actually be challenged and forced to play well in order to succeed, then I think you would've loved the NASL (North American Soccer League) because the clubs were encouraged to move the ball forward, to score, and actually try to win the game. 

The more goals you scored in the game and the better point differential that you had between your opponents, the more your wins were worth in the standings. And the more close losses that you had in the standings, that was better for you, then if you were blown and didn't even scored when you lost. So in the NASL, soccer looked like an American sport which is why the league was fairly popular in the 1970s. Especially considering soccer has never been a strong American professional sport.