Description: Ripcord Games began as a publishing label of Panasonic Interactive Media in 1997, and is probably best known for Postal, its debut game, and the Spec Ops series. In 1999 Ripcord Games was spun off from the parent company and sold, but continued to operate as it had previously, but as a privately held company. The company partnered with Southpeak Interactive for publishing, but when Southpeak suddenly dissolved in November 2000, so did Ripcord's much needed funding. Although the company had the most experience publishing games for the PC, Ripcord had announced and promoted several console titles, but without the financial support it required, Ripcord shuttered their offices in 2001 and stopped publishing.
Description: Based in the town of Norphlet in Union County, Arkansas, Macmillan Oil Company began producing their Ring Free line of motor oils in 1923. The company was highly successful in promoting their products through sponsorships of motorsports ranging from flat track motorcycle racing and powerboats, to air racing and grand prix events, leveraging them to make their 'race proven' claims. Ring Free products continued to be popular throughout the '60s and '70s, but in as more high-tech formulas from new companies arrived in the '80s, Macmillan Oil Company's fortunes began to wane, and by the end of the decade, they had ceased operations.
Description: Rifle Western Jeans were created in 1958 by the brothers Giulio and Fiorenzo Fratini in Tuscany, Italy. From their first import of American jeans, the brothers became the ambassadors of jeans culture in Italy, before ultimately producing their own denim line under the name Rifle. Rifle combined the best of rugged Americana with classic Italian heritage. Their jeans were known for their premium quality materials and workmanship, especially the ones made in the denim golden age of the ’80s and ’90s. In addition to their standard Western Jeans, they also offered upscale lines of Rifle Jeans, called Super Rifle, Golden Rifle and Royal Rifle.
Description: Revenge of the Zombies is a 1943 horror film directed by Steve Sekely, starring John Carradine and Gale Storm. The story follows Scott Warrington and his hired detective Larry Adams as they arrive at an old mansion in the middle of a Louisiana swamp to meet his brother-in-law, Dr. Max von Altermann after the death of Scott's sister Lila. Von Altermann, a German scientist who has been creating zombies for the German army, has turned the deceased Lila into one of the undead as well, but is surprised when she shows signs of free will and challenges Max for control over his zombie thralls. The film was a follow-up to the horror-comedy King of the Zombies (1941), and is the first zombie film to presume that audiences knew what a zombie was.
Description: Repudilation was a brutal underground death metal band from New York City that formed in 1994 under the name Mangled. They only managed to release a demo, a split with Disfigured, and a compilation album with all of their recordings. They disbanded while recording a second demo that was entitled Encrypted in Blasphemy, that was never completed.
Description: 'Repeal POThibition' was a marijuana legalization rally that took place on July, 3 1978 in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. The rally's stated goal was to get Americans to defend their rights to 'smoke, grow, and share marijuana.' We have no idea if the event had any effect, as marijuana is still very much illegal at the federal level, but the good news is that decades later many states have implemented various legalization efforts of their own.
Description: Despite appearances of being Russian in origin, Relsky vodka was actually made in Sweden, beginning in 1721. As Russian vodkas gained in popularity in the early 20th century, Relsky's identity began to morph, giving the illusion of being from Russia without actually saying as much. From the red bearded Cossack with the Papakha hat, to frequent use of images of Moscow in advertising, they really drove it home. While Sweden does produce some quality vodkas, history says that Relsky wasn't one of them, and was largely considered a bottom shelf brand.
Description: Ernest Michael Allred was a surly carnival man who opened the Regal Reptile Ranch & Menagerie along Route 66 in Erick, Oklahoma, giving post-war American travelers one of their earliest tourist trap experiences. Showcasing over 100 snakes, lizards, and other animals (that's the menagerie part), Allred charged minimal admission to get behind the walls and then put on a show for visitors, handling venomous snakes and letting them get an up close look. Of course, the real money was in the 'gift shop' which ranged from rattlesnake rattler keychains to snakeskin wallets to remember the experience. The Regal Reptile Ranch eventually moved down the way to Lena, Texas in the '70s, where Allred erected a giant sign reading 'RATTLESNAKES EXIT NOW.'
Description: Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States on November 4, 1980. His triumph capped the rise of the new right/conservative wing of the Republican Party and ushered in a new era of governing. Reagan served as arguably the first true conservative U.S. president in over 50 years. Reagan advanced domestic policies that featured a lessening of federal government responsibility in solving social problems, reducing restrictions on business, and implementing tax cuts. Internationally, Reagan demonstrated a fierce opposition to the spread of communism throughout the world and a strong distrust of the Soviet Union, which in 1983 he labeled an "evil empire."
Description: Raybestos was established in 1902 by Arthur H. Raymond and Arthur F. Law of Bridgeport, Connecticut to manufacture automotive brake linings and components. In 1906, Raymond and Law invented the woven brake lining, an important innovation in automotive brakes that not only made brake pads last longer, but improved performance by dissipating heat better than previous composites. From 1919 to 1989, Raybestos brakes were manufactured by Raymark Industries in Stratford, Connecticut. Since the early days, Raybestos was involved in motorsports, using what they learned on the track, and applying it to their consumer products, and often used "speedway tested for turnpike safety" in their advertising.
Description: The earliest sandrails started out as pan or tunnel buggies and were named as such depending on what factory vehicle was stripped down and used as the basis of the sand car. By the mid-sixties, professionally fabricated, purpose built full tube chassis sandrails were quickly becoming the hot setup and from their shop in Imperial, California, Ray’s Rails was one of the originators. From more traditional import rear engine setups, to all out mid-engine, V8 powered dune rockets, Ray and company rocked the scene and could routinely be found testing and tuning their latest designs and customer rides at the local dunes for over three decades.
Description: In the early '70s, racing fuels hit the market from several major petroleum refineries to meet the needs of various motorsports. As increasingly higher performance racing engines were developed with higher compression ratios, they needed higher octane fuel to operate. Octane is one of the most significant differences between racing fuel and standard pump gas. The fuel at the corner gas station ranges from 87 to 93 octane, but racing fuel ranges from 100 to 120 octane. While the big brands focused on a few standard blends, indie outfits like Randy's Racing Fuels popped up to create custom blends. After perfecting their 'Formula 69' base, they proceeded to develop the perfect blend of secret spices to give their racing fuels the edge.
Description: Randy's Restaurant was a kitschy 24-hour restaurant in Tukwila, Washington with an aeronautical theme that served up classic American diner food for 40 years before closing their doors for good. Whether you were a pilot, engineer, or just visiting the museum of flight, Randy's was the go-to spot for breakfast any time of the day, any time of the year. With countless aircraft models hanging from the ceiling and artifacts donated by commercial and military pilots who frequented the establishment, the place was filled with eye candy that was almost as good as the food.
Description: While wooden skateboard ramps may seem rather common nowadays, back in the '70s, skateboarders were riding backyard pools, and eventually in dedicated skate parks with cement bowls. After riding a set of massive concrete pipes in the Arizona desert, skateboarder Tom Stewart decided to design what would become the world's first half pipe. With $250 in supplies, he built a ramp in his front yard in Encinitas, California, and soon realized he had created something very special as people were coming to skate his ramp or just watch skaters doing their thing. Tom enlisted his architect brother's help in drawing up plans based on his design, and began selling them through magazines as 'Rampage' at $20 a pop.
Description: Radar Scope is a 1980 shoot 'em up arcade game where the player assumes the role of the Sonic Spaceport starship and must wipe out formations of Sonic Gamma Raiders. Gameplay is similar to other space shooters of the era, but viewed from a three-dimensional third-person perspective. The game was a huge hit in Japan, but that success didn't translate when it came to America. With 3,000 cabinet form arcade games manufactured, but only 1,000 sold amidst negative reviews, the 2,000 unsold units marked a massive commercial failure and created a financial crisis for the fledgling developer. On the upside, most of the cabinets were repurposed for a new game with a gorilla throwing barrels and oil drums at a carpenter/plumber that would be a hit.
Description: Quick Draw McGraw is a fictional anthropomorphic horse and the protagonist of an animated cartoon of the same name. He is depicted as wearing a red cowboy hat and light blue bandanna in all 45 of his cartoons that originally aired between 1959 and 1961, along with his donkey sidekick, Baba Looey. Yeehaw!
Description: The '80s were an exciting time for drunks as manufacturers pioneered new ways to legally pack more 'punch' in their libations, including malt liquors, fortified wines, and ready to drink cocktails. Launched in 1986, Purple Passion was one such beverage, a unique grape punch cocktail that came out of Saint Louis, Missouri, and became a nationwide favorite. Made with grain alcohol, Purple Passion was 26 proof (13% alcohol by volume) and was available in plastic half pint and half gallon bottles. How good it was is obviously up for debate, but mentioning it to most people will tell you it reminds them of purple vomit. You know, after that one night that nearly killed them?
Description: Like most places, cannabis wasn't legal in Hawaii for most of the state's existence. Also like most places, that didn't stop industrious individuals from growing and harvesting cannabis on the down low. Puna Moon Farm is one such operation that became synonymous with high quality weed offered under their Puna Luna label, most of which was sold on the mainland. Grown in the lower Puna region of the Big Island, which is regarded as one of the best places in the Islands to grow cannabis, the unique terrain and volcanic soil of the archipelago were known for their sweet flavor, spicy-citrus aroma, and beautiful flower buds laced with orange threads.
Description: Puerto Vallarta is considered one of the more sophisticated destinations in Mexico, but that quickly changes each year as thousands of spring breakers make their way down to the town's beautiful resorts and beaches. Puerto Vallarta has long been a top spring break destination because of its tropical locale, all-inclusive resorts, unique excursion opportunities, and vibrant culture. It doesn't hurt that it also has an amazing strip of bars along the Malecón, a 12-block, mile-long beachfront esplanade. With daytime pool parties and wild nightlife every day of the week during spring break, Puerto Vallarta is definitely a great option for those looking for a real spring break experience.
Description: Puerto Rico, unofficially known as "Isla del Encanto" (Island of Enchantment), is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico is only 100 miles long by 35 miles wide, making it the smallest island of the Greater Antilles. Puerto Rico (Spanish for "rich port") consists of an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and several islands: Vieques, Culebra, Mona and numerous islets. This '80s tourist design is just like the one you still regret not picking up during that family vacation back in '86, so here's to second chances and Isla del Encanto!
Description: The Pterodactyl Club opened in the mid-'80s in Charlotte, North Carolina as an alternative dance hall with a DJ spinning all the greatest non-mainstream music. Housed in an old steakhouse with 40 year old carpet on Freedom Drive, Pterodactyl Club had one of the smallest bars of any club, which made getting a drink a challenge. Within the first year, The Pterodactyl began featuring live bands and quickly became the go to spot to catch the coolest bands. From punk and hardcore to goth and metal and everything in between, this Charlotte nightspot hosted countless big name acts before they made it big.
Description: Prodigy Communications Corporation was an online service that operated from 1984 to 2001 that offered its subscribers access to a broad range of networked services. Prodigy grew and evolved to become one of the major internet service providers of the '90s. The company claimed it was the first consumer online service, citing its graphical user interface and basic architecture as differentiation from CompuServe, which started in 1979 and used a command-line interface. By '94, Prodigy was the first of early dial-up services to offer full access to the web and to offer web page hosting to its members. Two years later, they retooled as a true ISP, making its main offering internet access branded as Prodigy Internet.
Description: Pro Wings are an off-brand athletic shoe label that first hit the market in 1979. The low priced sneakers were known for being made poorly and with cheap materials that reportedly caused foot odor. And since middle schoolers are just terrible, Pro Wings became a point of ridicule for many kids who couldn't afford the brand names, and even decades later, those who had to wear them have trauma over them. Somewhat ironically, sneaker collectors have found an affinity for Pro Wings, and new in box kicks can climb pretty high at auction.
Description: Most of us probably can't consider ourselves to be wealthy, but did you know that you're probably prison rich? For those who haven't spent time on the inside, being prison rich means to possess large quantities of something that has very little actual monetary value, similar to if someone possessed a large quantity of cigarettes in prison. So yeah, you may just be scraping by, but that drawer full of hot sauce packets makes you a prison millionaire. Prizillionaire? Meh, let's just say prison rich.
Description: The early 1900s saw the commercialization and mass marketing of Hawaiian pineapple, making them not only accessible to Americans, but extremely popular. Named after ‘The People’s Prince,’ Prince Kuhio Farms jumped into pineapple farming in 1933, converting most of their Wahiawa sugarcane farmland into pineapple fields. The unintended side effect of growing pineapple in generational sugarcane fields was a golden, sweet fruit that was different from most other pineapple produced in the islands. While they weren’t as large or as well marketed as other brands, Prince Kuhio Hawaiian Pineapple found their audience in those who wanted real Hawaiian pineapple, but something a little more special.
Description: Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Priceman-Fox Transport Company specialized in hauling of perishable foods in their state of the art dry ice refrigerated trailers pulled by International KR-11 tractors. While Priceman-Fox was just getting started when WWII broke out, they got a boost by getting a contract to haul food supplies to military bases throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic region.
Description: It was on January, 15 1998 that then President Bill Clinton uttered the words that would go down in history: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman." The fallout would dominate 1998’s news and go down in history as one of the biggest scandals in U.S. presidential history. This retro design could be seen as either supporting Bill or mocking him, but seeing how it was his detractors that usually referred to him as 'Slick Willie,' it was probably the latter. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, Bill was (and still is) a wildly popular figure, and there is no denying that he could play a mean saxophone. I'd just politely decline if he ever offers you a cigar...
Description: Power-Lube Motor Oil was introduced in 1930 by the Powerine Oil Co. of Santa Fe Springs. Claiming to be ‘smooth as a tigers tread’ and comprised of 100% pure Pennsylvania crude, Power-Lube was popular with motorists and a common sight at service stations across the U.S. throughout the ’30s and ’40s.
