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Friday, April 29, 2011

The Return of the Young Fogey


The term Young Fogey was humorously applied, in British context, to some younger-generation, rather buttoned-down writers and journalists, such as Simon Heffer, Charles Moore and, for a while, A. N. Wilson. The term is attributed to Alan Watkins writing in 1984 in The Spectator.
Young Fogey is still used to describe conservative young men (aged approximately between 15 and 40) who dress in a vintage style (usually that of the 1920's-1950's, also known as the 'Brideshead' look, after the influence of 'Brideshead Revisited', by Evelyn Waugh), and who tend towards erudite, conservative cultural pursuits.
Old, somewhat shabby clothing is preferred, such as heavy tweeds and antique dinner jackets. As well, the favoured mode of transport is the bicycle or Morris Minor. Popular pursuits are classical music, fine wines, pipe smoking, and ecclesiasticana, generally of the High Anglican or Roman Catholic persuasion.
The movement reached its peak in the mid eighties with adherents such as A.N. Wilson and Gavin Stamp. The movement declined in the nineties, but still has a following amongst students at Oxbridge, Durham, Edinburgh, St Andrews and other older universities, as well as in some professions (in particular the antiques and arts dealing world, and the minority classical architecture practices). At Oxbridge, teenage undergraduates can be seen wearing tweed and affecting mannerisms that are reminiscent of a long-gone era; a particular strongholds of Young Fogeys include the Oxford University Conservative Association and Trinity College, Cambridge, but they are also seen elsewhere.
The Young Fogey is sometimes confused with the Sloane Ranger, but this is incorrect; whilst there is some crossover between the two in clothing styles, the Young Fogey tends toward reserved, intellectual and cultured pursuits, and avoids heartiness.
The Young Fogey style of dress also has some surface similarity with the Preppy style, but it is essentially an anglo-centric style, restricted to the United Kingdom and the more anglicised areas of the British Commonwealth such as Australia and New Zealand.
The Chap magazine has revived many aspects of the Young Fogey, albeit in a somewhat boisterous and tongue-in-cheek manner.


It is difficult to define the Young Fogey. The most obvious trait in him however, is that he likes to pretend that the modern age does not exist and that he is living in another era. Any era will do. The Young Fogey knows that such fondness for past times has nothing to do with weakness and little to do with mere nostalgia or escapism. The Young Fogey is tired of consumerism and of the giant shopping mall world; the Young Fogey rebels against the constant search for 'the latest thing'. The Young Fogey believes in Pleasantness, Civility, Music, Art, Literature, gentlemen doffing their hats to ladies... and gentlemen having hats to doff in the first place. The Young Fogey knows the importance of grammar and punctuation; generally dislikes modern architecture, enjoys walking and travelling by train, and laments the difficulty of purchasing good bread, cheese, kippers and sausages (see Alan Watkins' defintion of the Young Fogey for more details).
The Young Fogey knows that a vinyl record is better than a CD, that a book is better than a laptop, and believes that the telephone worth sleeping outside stores for is a 1935 model in deep black - not a small, silver mobile. The Young Fogey has been known to wail: what has happened to the BBC?
The Young Fogey may feel homesick as he watches a period drama or a historical programme be it "Brideshead Revisited", "Pride and Prejudice" or a documentary on Ancient Egypt.
The Young Fogey may read works by William Shakespeare, Walter Scott, Boswell, the Brontes, Elizabeth Gaskell, William Thackeray, Henry Fielding, Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy,Charles Dickens,George Gissing, George Eliot, Henry James, Edith Wharton, Lewis Carroll, Samuel Butler, Robert Louis Stevenson, Anthony Trollope, Joseph Conrad, John Galsworthy, Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, Oscar Wilde, E.M Forster, Graham Greene, Marcel Proust, F.Scott Fitzgerald, Evelyn Waugh (indeed, most Young Fogeys are disciples of Mr Waugh), Anthony Powell, Saki, JRR Tolkien, Kingsley Amis, C.P Snow, James Lees Milne, P.G Wodehouse, Simon Raven, Barbara Pym, Nancy Mitford, George MacDonald Fraser, A.N Wilson, Niall Ferguson, Roger Scruton, Mark Steyn, James Delingpole, Tom Hodgkinson, Eva Rice, Hugh Massingberd, Jonathan Coe...the names stretch into eternity.
The Young Fogey often enjoys the films of Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and Alfred Hitchcock. He never switches off a movie because it's in black and white. The Young Fogey spends long hours deciding who is the better: Mr Fred Astaire or Mr Gene Kelly?
As for music, this varies a lot, of course. So here we discuss pretty much anything from the 1980's back to primitive 'lets dance in grass skirts' BC. Also discussed are are radio programs like Hancock, the Goons, Round the Horne. Poetry is much favoured (well, by some of us,) from Chaucer to Wordsworth to Dylan Thomas to Wendy Cope.
Here at the Young Fogeys Club you can exchange ideas and views with like Fogeyed souls; discuss the revolution that will come as we Young Fogeys prepare to stand up and be counted; as we bewilder the masses with our tweeds and silver hipflasks; with our traffic-stopping hats and perfectly pressed trousers or skirts (sometimes, but not always, depending on the sex of the Young Fogey in question) with our haircuts and homes, with our ability to recite the works of our favourite poets for five solid hours. We are a happy band of brothers (and sisters) confident in the belief that, if we do not rule the world, it is the world's misfortune. And we prize our Freedom and Fogeydom above all else.


A combination of the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton and a Coalition run by public schoolboys has had an interesting side-effect – the return of the Young Fogeys, those young men who wear four-piece tweed suits, read the old Prayer Book and travel around by sit-up-and-beg bicycle, equipped with wicker basket and bicycle clips.

A new society has been set up at Oxford University, called The Young Fogeys of Oxford. They’ve even got their own Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10150138616045696
It’s run by someone called Kelsey Williams at Balliol, who says, “A brief survey of Balliol men and their acquaintances throughout the university suggests that young fogeydom is alive and well and present everywhere, from Duke Humfrey’s to the college dining societies.”

“It’s hardly the most young fogeyish of things to join a Facebook group, but it’s hoped that this one will let isolated young fogeys know they’re not alone and, perhaps, encourage the continued vibrant cultural of young fogeydom in our glorious university.”

It’s an intriguing sociological phenomenon. In 2003, I wrote an article for the Spectator, saying that the Young Fogey had died.

“They’re playing rap music in the jewellery department at Christie’s South Kensington,” I wrote, “In T.M. Lewin, the Jermyn Street shirtmakers, you can dip into a fridge by the cufflinks counter and have a frozen mini-Mars while you are leafing through the chocolate corduroy jackets. Goodbye, braces with old-fashioned fasteners and trouser waistbands strapped perilously close to the nipple line. Farewell, frockcoats cut for long-dead Victorians. No more the endless pairs of black brogues. Hello, suit of modern cut. Hello, moccasins. Hello, loafers.”

It turns out – to quote Evelyn Waugh, a Fogey deity – that I was preaching a panegyric over an empty coffin.

These things go in cycles. The Young Fogey died out in the 2000s – through a combination of a New Labour government, and a tide of international money that obliterated all talk of monocles, wind-up gramophones and discussions over how many buttons you should have on your jacket cuff. The recession, the anarchists on the streets of London, the collapse of the brave new modern world… all of it sends wistful hearts harking back to a supposed golden age of sound, thornproof tweed jackets, stout brogues and a teddy bear stuffed into the armpit.(By Harry Mount, The Telegraph)











Coming this weekend

I've got an action-packed weekend planned. This afternoon I'm driving down to the old Alma Mater (University of Illinois) with my son Tommy. He's a "mathlete" participating in the state math meet. Looking forward to seeing some old friends, and I guess, watching kids do math problems? Then Sunday is Sean's First Communion, so excitement abounds.

I won't be posting a Chicago Radio Spotlight interview this weekend, but I will be posting a new Father Knows Nothing column on Sunday. It's about birds. A very strange coincidence involving birds.

Have a great weekend!

2 1/2 Men without Charlie Sheen

The brass at CBS and Warner Brothers are working on restructuring the show to continue without Charlie Sheen.

The New York Times has the details
, but I didn't need to read the article. I know what they'll do. They'll just cast Dick Sargent in the role, and nobody will be the wiser.

German soccer coach receives death threats

See Dusty Baker? While it's true it was uncivilized of a Cubs fan to leave you a steaming pile of something to encourage you to leave Chicago, it could have been worse.

The coach of the German soccer team from Cologne had to resign after receiving death threats.

The Germans always know how to take it up one notch, don't they?

Look at that rock!

It's 5 carats, or approximately 10 times bigger than the one I got Bridget twenty years ago. (Remember girls, it's not the size of the diamond, it's the size of the heart. I always say that to Bridget, to which she always replies "If size really mattered, would I be with you?" I think she's referring to the diamond.)

You probably think this ring belongs to the newly Royal Kate Middleton.

Actually, it doesn't. This rock is now on the finger of Jay Cutler's fiance.

I kid you not. Click on the link to read all about it in People Magazine.

The Royal Wedding

OH NO! I missed the Royal Wedding! Why didn't they let people know this was happening?

Actually, this was a pretty funny piece about it on the Daily Show last night.

80% of people in England didn't care about it.

Howard has the Johnny Carson schedule now

According to Tom Taylor's Radio-Info.com column...

"Howard Stern’s new (sometime) 3-day work week begins Monday. He said yesterday “I don’t want to hear any nonsense about it, because the option was either leave or work a few less days…I figured it was better if we showed up three days a week, sometimes four days a week or whatever, be here for you, touch base and do a good show.”

I haven't heard Howard's show since he went to satellite radio, but I do believe him when he says he's not going to be phoning it in. That show puts a lot of time and effort into it. I don't begrudge him the 3-day work week.

Oprah's Farewell Show

The show will be taped on May 17 at the United Center in front of 21,000 fans, and here's my favorite part--the entire show will be a surprise to Oprah. She won't know who the guests are until they show up.

Robert Feder has the details.

I used to do this to Landecker on his birthday every year, and it was a lot of fun for John and the listeners. Of course it takes a very sharp host/hostess to pull this off (someone quick on their feet), but obviously Oprah can handle it. Landecker was always spectacular in those situations.

Trump unveils another political first

Behold: The profanity laced stump speech.

The guy is 100% class.

100 years ago

Two Cubs related births this week, one hundred years ago.

One was born in a little town in North Carolina and became a catcher for the Cubs with the memorable nickname of Tarzan: Walter Stephenson.

The other was born in Chicago, sold Cubs banners as a boy, and became the assassin of an assassin: Jack Ruby.

Sights & Sounds


Sights & Sounds at Just One Bad Century this week features an entire Bob Newhart show episode about the Cubs, and a song called "Land of Wrigley" by the local band Stormy Weather.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale

Following on from last year’s TZ3 Corsa, Zagato has unveiled the TZ3 Stradale.



Although both models have been created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Alfa Romeo, conceptually there are some key differences. As the names imply, the one-off TZ3 Corsa was strictly a track car, whereas the TZ3 Stradale - which will have a limited production run of just nine examples - is street-legal.



Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ3 Stradale (2011) Front Side
Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ3 Stradale (2011) Rear Side


Underneath the carbon fibre body of the TZ3 Stradale sits a chassis and drivetrain borrowed from the defunct Dodge Viper ACR, so it gets an 8.4 litre V10 engine developing 600 bhp (447 kW / 608 PS). Unfortunately, no performance figures have been released to gauge how effective this combination is.



Stylistically the striking TZ3 Stradale is defined by its prominent Kamm tail, and there’s no escaping the resemblance to the TZ3 Corsa. But are the two Zagato cars better looking than the gorgeous Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione? The answer has to be no.



Related posts:

Viper production ends

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa

Viper Final Edition

Bob Schieffer calls out Trump

Bob Schieffer is widely seen as the most genteel member of the electronic press. A man with more than 40 years of experience. A man that has seen it all. But a man that will give everybody the benefit of the doubt.

When Bob Schieffer calls you a racist...stick a fork in yourself.

Ann Margret

Can you believe she's 70 years old today? This is way I always think of her...and remember she was playing Tommy's mom in this movie....

Warren Spahn

Exactly 50 years ago today a very special baseball game was played in County Stadium in Milwaukee. 40 year old lefty Warren Spahn was on the mound for the Milwaukee Braves, and Sam "Toothpick" Jones (the first African-American pitcher in Cubs history) was on the mound for the San Francisco Giants. Less than 9000 fans were on hand to witness it.

The Giants had one of the most powerful lineups in history. Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Orlando Cepeda (all in their prime) batted 3rd, 4th and 5th.

Sam Jones was masterful that day. Hank Aaron knocked in an unearned run in the first inning with a single, but Jones allowed only 3 more hits the rest of the game, while striking out 10.

But Warren Spahn, the crafty 40-year-old, no-hit that feared Giants lineup, facing the minimum 27 batters. He walked two men, and both of them were wiped out by double plays. The Braves won the game 1-0.

Spahn went on to 21 games that season at the age of 40, and won 23 more two seasons later at 42. He pitched in the big leagues until 1965, when he finally hung up his spikes at the age of 44.

The last team he pitched for? The San Francisco Giants.

RIP: Empire Carpet Man

I missed this story yesterday. The spokesperson for Empire Carpet, the one we've known as the Empire Carpet Man for more than thirty years, passed away this week. His name was Lynn Hauldren, and he was 89.

I met Lynn several times over the years, including one time when fellow producer Vince Argento and I went to Lynn's apartment in Evanston to record a bit for the John Landecker show. It was the 20th anniversary of "The Empire Strikes Back," so I want to say it was 1999.

I wrote a bit using out of context lines from the original movie, and created a trailer for a new film called "The Empire Carpet Man Strikes Back." I called Lynn to ask if he would record some dialogue for the bit. He was a great sport about it, and did it without complaint. I don't remember exactly what happened in the bit, but I believe The Empire Carpet Man saved the galaxy...and threw in free installation, and a Michael Jordan basketball.

RIP, Lynn. You were a Chicago institution.

Steve Carell's final episode

I must admit, I DVR the show every week. It's hit and miss--sometimes very funny--sometimes not at all. But there are so few good comedies on the air these days, it's worth it to DVR "The Office."

I'm having a hard time imagining the show without Steve Carell. I bet it's going to be a surprisingly emotional farewell tonight.

Paige Wiser has more info about his last episode and his legacy in this morning's Sun Times.

The Most Useless College Majors

The Daily Beast crunches the numbers, and whoo boy, my friends are not going to like these results.

#1 on the list is journalism. It's considered more useless than horticulture. #4 on the list? My major--advertising.

FM chips in cell phones

This morning's Radio Ink has another editorial from another radio company CEO demanding that the phone companies put FM chips into all future cell phones.

I have a suggestion for the radio CEOs. Instead of demanding another industry do what you say, why don't you just offer to pay for it? You claim the cost is negligible. It's crucial to your future existence, correct? Then just offer to pay for it, and be done with it.

The fact that you'd never even consider that does sort of undermine your own argument, doesn't it?

I once had a radio GM tell me I couldn't use the stationery because it was too expensive. One man's negligible is another man's stationery.

Alan Kabel

Do you remember Alan Kabel from his time in Chicago at Z-95? OK, maybe it's only me. I admit I'm a bit of a radio geek.

Well, in case you're wondering what he's up to now, I found this article about him this morning. He's hosting a nationally syndicated show.

Pandora

From Tom Taylor's Radio-Info.com column this morning...

"Forbes looks at Pandora’s more than 80 million registered users and its prospects in mobile advertising, online advertising and subscriptions – and decides the valuation could be as high as $984 million. And that’s for a company that expects to have operating losses through fiscal 2012 and almost went bellyup three years ago, before the licensing fee problem was resolved."

I understand the upside of Pandora, and if I were radio--I would fear it, but when I hear these price tags being put on internet properties it really reminds me of the 1990s tech bubble. I'm no Wall Street analyst, but I have lived a few years. Am I the only one that is getting that queasy feeling?

Birthers Respond

For two and a half years we've been hearing "All he has to do is produce his birth certificate." Yesterday he did.

Typical birther response: "This proves nothing."

My response: "Just drop the pretense, and start wearing your white hoods and sheets again."

I know it offends you to be called a racist, but we've officially gotten to the point where no other explanation will do.

Teaching babies how to hate

Scandalous video from the St. Louis area...



This is how it starts. Teach them to blindly hate before they can even form complete sentences. It's sad, isn't it?

Which reminds me, have you seen these incredible onesies we're selling at Just One Bad Century?


You can buy yours here.

Cubs tickets not selling

If you've been uninspired by this year's version of the Cubs, you're not alone. To hear some real tales of woe, read about the difficulties the ticket brokers are experiencing this year.

Kind of makes you think that, hmmm, I don't know, maybe the ticket prices have gotten a little too high in this down economy. But that's just me, Mr. Logical.

I've had the same seats for fifteen years. This is my ticket stub from the Kerry Wood 20 strikeout game in 1998. Look at the price. It was only $11. That's nearly two strikeouts for a buck. Those same seats today are $60 face value, and Kerry Wood strikes out an average of 19 less guys every time.

Do the math.

Joe Niekro


He had a great career, won more than 200 games, and the Cubs had him first.

You can guess the rest. The tale of Joe Niekro is today's Tale from a Bad Century.
Since the beginning, the ancestral sartorial "Temple", Huntsman, at Savile Row has been suporting "The Tweed Run"... Watch for the "Tweed Run Cycling Suit"!
Yours ... Jeeves.

Henry Huntsman established this firm at №11, in 1849, and received a royal warrant in 1865 from the Prince of Wales. Since the 1950s, they have been known for a silhouette based on a riding coat and featuring firm shoulders and a nipped, sculpted waist

Huntsman & Sons special edition Tweed Run Cycling Suit. As the most famous address on Savile Row, Huntsman has been trading since 1846, each year commissioning a limited edition ‘house tweed'. For the Tweed Run cycling suit, the cut is based on a traditional Huntsman shooting suit with the house's famous broad shouldered single button, single breasted silhouette with nipped waist. Made by their expert tailors, in your choice of archive house tweed and featuring a pure silk lining of the Tweed Run bicycle pattern. Available in made-to-measure and bespoke options.





two honourable members of the house (Huntsman) actually riding in the Run wearing Huntsman house tweed






Wednesday, April 27, 2011

2010 Volkswagen Beetle Pink Strange New Car Features

2010 Volkswagen Beetle Pink Strange New Car Features
2011 Upcoming lexus Cars wallpapers: http://masti-jokes.blogspot.com/2011/04/2008-lexus-ls-600h-l-previews.html

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