Draw Something: Chomper Ghost

I'll always give The Real Ghostbusters cartoon from the '80s credit for being inventive with their weekly creatures of fright and terror. Much of the time, the ghosts were meant to be silly or simply visually memorable. In the vein of those classic animated creatures, I decided to doodle a simple ghost design... something just as likely to be released in the accompanying action figure series as well. Just imagine this slimey fella with a button activated biting feature. CHOMP!

Remember Slim Goodbody?

If you grew up in the '80s and watched PBS, then you'll probably remember this guy...

And you thought you'd pushed this memory out of your mind, didn't you?

In the decade of excess, a thin man hopping around television in an anatomically correct leotard oddly didn't seem so strange. And yet, I wanted to plant this image back in your head.

Yeah... take a closer look.

Ah, Mr. Slim Goodbody. In all actuality, this oddball had a perfectly good reason for prancing around looking like he'd been in a horrible accident with a giant vacuum. He was portrayed by John Burstein, whom created the persona in the mid 1970's to entertain sick hospital children. Along with the flashy costume, he sung songs and performed skits pertaining to the human anatomy and health. In the 1980's, Burstein expanded upon the character and brought the Goodbody act to television on PBS. And that's where all your foggy, semi-frightening memories came from. THE INSIDE-OUT MAN FROM YOUR PAST HAS RETURNED!

Goodbody appearing with television legend and mainstay of my local PBS affiliate as a child, Captain Kangaroo.

Burstein still performs as Slim Goodbody occasionally while touring the USA, mainly playing to school crowds. I'll give the guy credit -- he spoke about the dangers of childhood obesity long before any of the other adults in my life did. I salute you Mr. Goodbody!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, an old episode from the 1980's Slim Goodbody television show! This one's about how you go poop!

Pop-Up Headlights: A Love Story.

Automobiles look incredibly different today than they did in the 1980's and 1990's. Consider the 1989 Honda Accord versus its 2009 counterpart.

1989 Honda Accord

 2009 Honda Accord

Notice the difference between the two? The 2009 version is just so boring and plain. It might as well be a Toyota Corolla or a Ford Focus from the same model year. No unique styling cues. No flair. No sense of individuality. A run of the mill, mundane car. Zzzzzzzzzzz. But that 1989 Accord? It's got panache. There's no mistaking that low cut back end and sharp edges. Sure, the '89 Accord was meant for middle-management yuppies and stay-at-home moms, but at least it had some degree of personality. Most importantly, the '89 had something the '09 does not -- pop-up headlights.

1936 Cord 810

The first iteration of pop-up headlights (aka hidden headlamps) appeared on the 1936 Cord 810. You had to crank them out manually by hand! Pop-up headlights didn't enter into the common lexicon until the mid to late 1970's though, where they stayed with the auto buying public until the mid '90s.

1984 Toyota Corolla

For a good twenty years, pop-up headlights were a common sight. If you didn't drive a car featuring them, your neighbor probably did. Just some of the vehicles to include them were the Chrysler LeBaron, Pontiac Firebird and practically every car Nissan pumped out. Pop-up lamps were everywhere... and they were cool.

1989 Ford Probe

As the '90s were on their way out, laws started to change. Specifically, Europe began requiring auto manufacturers to lessen the number of physical protrusions on cars. Front-ends also needed to be more deformable. This was a measure taken to reduce the number of pedestrian deaths in automobile impacts. Since most car manufacturers operate on a global scale, these changes took place in the American market as well. Couple that with the fact that headlights were soon allowed to be made aerodynamic (as in, built into the styling of the car) on vehicles in the US and pop-up headlights went the way of the dodo bird and Amy Winehouse. The last mass-produced cars to feature pop-up lamps were the 2004 Chevy Corvette and, to a smaller degree, the Lotus Esprit. That, as they say, was that.

My first car was a Dodge Daytona. It was passed down to me from my mom and dad. Believe it or not, I really loved that car. It had personality and a certain unsuspecting charm that many vehicles lack these days. One of the best parts about it was the pop-up headlights. Not once did they ever cease to function (as some hidden headlamps were known to do). It's still legal to produce a car with pop-up headlights, so perhaps public opinion will convince auto makers to implement them once again. As of now, they're a nostalgic figment of a by-gone era when most cars had a sense of identity.

What's In A Name, Donkey Kong?

If you grew up in the 1980's like I did, then you probably pumped at least a handful of quarters into this game... Donkey Kong.

Starring as Jumpman, whom is later revealed to be Mario, you attempt to rescue your girlfriend Pauline from a nefarious giant ape. That massive gorilla is none other than the now world-famous Donkey Kong.

For all of my life, I've wondered... why is the ape named after a donkey?

The creator of Donkey Kong, Shigeru Miyamoto, has since provided a relatively simple explanation for the strange name. When designing the game, Miyamoto wanted to convey the simplistic nature of Kong. Hence, he named him Donkey Kong to make the character seem dimwitted. Surprisingly, Donkey Kong was originally intended to be a game featuring Popeye, Olive Oyl and Bluto, but the license was ultimately not available for use. Donkey Kong took the place of the boisterous villain Bluto, Popeye's arch-enemy.

The rest is video game history. Donkey Kong has gone on to sell more than forty million game units worldwide. In 2016, we'll celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Donkey Kong franchise, without which Mario and all of his Mushroom Kingdom pals wouldn't exist.

You jump those barrels, Mario!

How Do The Transformers Rubsign Stickers Work?

Every child of the 1980's remembers the original Transformers toys. They featured these really cool, heat activated stickers that you could touch. Moving your finger back and forth across these rubsigns, as they're known, revealed the allegiance of the robot. Were they an Autobot or a Decepticon? All you had to do was check the rubsign!

Shockwave's rubsign was on the left side while in blaster mode. I'd bet $20 he's a Decepticon. When's the last time you saw a purple Autobot?

Implementing the rubsign was a novel idea by Hasbro, the creator and manufacturer of the Transformers. While the sticker served as a bit of a gimmick for the toys, it also acted as a mark of authenticity. Beginning in 1985, many toy competitors started to flood the market with cheap knock-off Transformers. The legally patented rubsign was in place to prove that a Transformer was authentic.

At its core, the rubsign sticker is like a flat mood ring. Inside the sticker are thermochromic liquid crystals. These crystals change shape as the heat they're exposed to increases. As such, this molecular change reflects at different wavelengths of light. The more a rubsign sticker is heated up by touching it, the brighter it gets. Over time, as the rubsign cools down, the liquid crystals return to their original structure and lose their color.

This is an original commercial from 1985 proclaiming the importance of the rubsign to indicate a genuine Transformers toy.

Who knew that the Transformers were using cutting edge science in their implementation of the rubsign and fending off crooks at the same time? That's radical!

My Favorite '80s Cartoon Intro Theme Songs.

I'm a little backed up with work this evening, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite cartoon theme songs from the '80s. Some of these you might remember... others you probably won't. I grew up with these cartoons and they've somehow managed to stick with me all these years. Perhaps these intros will inspire you to check into the programs on YouTube and enjoy them for the first time!

Ducktales

M.A.S.K.

Heathcliff

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors

ThunderCats

SilverHawks

The Transformers

and as an added bonus, just because I really enjoy it...

The Transformers (Closing Credits Theme)

What Happened To Saturday Morning Cartoons?

Remember the good 'ol days of Saturday morning cartoons? Pick any national network channel between 8 AM and 12 PM on a Saturday during the 1980's or 1990's and you'd probably find a great cartoon or weird live-action program to watch. For example:

1984... The Smurfs, Looney Tunes, Mr. T, Muppet Babies
1986... Real Ghostbusters, Snorks, Dungeons and Dragons, Teen Wolf
1989... Camp Candy, Alf, Captain N, Pee-Wee's Playhouse
1992... Bill and Ted, Super Mario World, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1995... X-Men, Power Rangers, Life With Louie, Spider-Man
1999... Godzilla, Batman, Pokemon, Transformers: Beast Machines

The shear wealth of awe-inspiring content available on Saturday morning at the time was astounding. I can remember eagerly looking forward to Saturday morning each and every week as a child. These shows were like good friends coming over to hang out. For an introverted kid like me, this was a big deal.

Poor Eek the Cat, always trying to help others.

It was him and his kind that needed the biggest help, though.

Have you looked at Saturday morning television recently, though? Over the course of the last twenty years, what was once an amazing television block for animated programming has all but disappeared. Some would blame the advent of the internet. Others might point the finger at video games, cable television or Netflix. Whatever the reason, the concept of Saturday morning cartoons has vanished into a depressing blur of white noise and static.

Out of curiosity, I checked into my current local Saturday morning network television schedule. Here is what I found.

(Click image to enlarge)

What did I find? Nothing. Ab-so-lute-ly nothing. Fox and ABC, whom previously aired such greats as Reboot, Batman and Robin, Bobby's World and Darkwing Duck, have zero programming on Saturday morning. All they show are infomercials. The CW, which is the love-child of former networks UPN and the WB, broadcasts exclusively pet and animal related programs -- mostly repeats of The Dog Whisperer. The CBS and NBC affiliates, for the most part, air news programs (either local or picked up from the national network). The only shows that aren't infomercials, pet-themed or news are simply E/I (educational and informative) programs legally required to be broadcast by the Federal Communications Commission.

There are NO more Saturday morning cartoons.

Even the menacing powers of the devious Mumm-Ra couldn't save the Saturday morning cartoon.

So, when did they disappear? Well, I researched the last twenty-five years of network television to find the answer. NBC stopped airing animated programs on Saturday morning in 1992 in direct response to the new FCC E/I rules. CBS dropped out of the cartoon business by 1997, mostly for the same reasons. ABC gave up cartoons in the early 2000's, largely due to push-back from local affiliates desiring news coverage. The last channel to air an animated program block was the CW, whom eliminated their cartoons in 2014. In nearly all cases, the profitability of cartoons was on the decline. A major influence in this profit drop-off was new Federal Trade Commission rules limiting child-targeted commercials during animated programming. Viewership also shrunk as cable television became more common in American homes. Instead of waiting until Saturday morning to watch animated shows, kids could watch them every day on channels like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel. 

In essence, Saturday morning cartoons were targeted on multiple fronts and simply couldn't withstand the evolving landscape.

Sorry Kissyfur, your kind has been eliminated.

While I understand that times change and nothing lasts forever, I can't help but feel a little sad inside. Children born approximately after the year 2000 will have no memory or understanding of how important Saturday morning cartoons truly were. Those of us in our late twenties and older should be so thankful that we grew up in the '80s and '90s. It was a special moment in time that will never come around again.

Unfortunately, Saturday morning cartoons won't be back right after these messages.

For information on what shows aired on Saturday morning in the '80s and '90s, check out the links here and here.

Naivety And Toothpaste.

When I was a boy, I can remember fondly all the things that would widen my eyes. Taking the rare trip to the closest shopping mall an hour away was one such event. Even better, actually visiting a toy store was a massive deal -- it was like being allowed into heaven for just a few minutes. Even small things, which I now understand as mundane or ordinary, really brought a sense of awe into my life. Oddly enough, one example was toothpaste.

Man... was I an innocent, naive kid.

As a child, I vividly recall being quite observant of other peoples' homes. I would marvel at how big their VHS or record collection was. Did they have a recliner? Was their garage filled with junk or did they actually keep a car in there? Much less... what kind of toothpaste did they use?

Much as little kids do, I'd usually ask to use the bathroom whenever my parents made social calls with friends and family. As I'd enter into the unknown void of a foreign toilet, my eyes would grow large.

Wow... they have a fancy shower with real tile!

Oh boy... their sink is clean and not covered with clutter!

Look, they have towels that match... rad!

And then, there was their toothpaste. Remember when various brands started selling their toothpaste in pump canisters instead of tubes? It was a passing fad in the '80s and '90s. Two of the biggest brands that had special, more expensive versions of their toothpaste were Colgate and Aquafresh. Though, I'm sure there were others. Instead of the old fashioned toothpaste tubes that you had to roll up, these pumps wore the badge of elitism! They sat on your counter with a trigger on the top, which you'd push to squirt out toothpaste. No more man-handling a useless old tube, nuh-uh!

The future... IS HERE!

These folks were living in the future where toothpaste was ejected in a civilized manner without any muss or fuss! When I saw that someone used pump-action toothpaste, I can remember feeling immediately impressed. Hey, I was a poor kid used to cleaning my teeth with cheap-o AIM toothpaste that cost a dollar. Pump-action Aquafresh was something only people with money bought.

Holy cow... these people must be rich!

Did I mention already how I was a naive kid?

(Little secret... I still am.)

Halloween Candy From The '80s!

Back in the '80s, trick-or-treating was an awesome experience. Nearly all of the homes in my town gave out candy. There weren't many fuddy-duddies whom left their porch lights off and their front doors shut. Even my childhood doctor, whom was already pretty old at the time, participated in Halloween. He passed out full size candy bars and his house was always decorated in a very spooky manner. My younger brother Joshua and I would travel all across town hitting every home we could. It was an all night ritual that usually lasted many hours. When it was all said and done, we'd get home and combine our hauls into one giant heap. The candy would last us for a few weeks. We'd trade off certain types of candy. He usually wanted the Nerds, whereas I preferred the taffy and such. The chocolate was usually split evenly, being as we both loved it.

Thinking back, I can still remember the types of Halloween candy I enjoyed eating. I wonder if kids still get these candies today on Halloween...

Peanut Butter Kisses - Most kids hated these peanut butter taffy candies, as I recall. The children I went to school with always complained about the nasty candy in the "black and orange" wrappers. Personally, I rather liked them! They had little bits of peanuts mixed in with the peanut butter taffy. The Peanut Butter Kisses weren't too hard to chew in your mouth, either. I'd always stuff a few in my pockets and take them to school with me as a snack.

Mary Jane - And no... I'm not talking about illicit Arkansas Stink Weed, either. Mary Jane was a hard, peanut butter and molasses taffy. It was similar in taste to the Peanut Butter Kisses, but without the bits of peanuts. Also, the flavor was much bolder because of the molasses. They were definitely harder to chew, so I'd usually just suck on them until they disintegrated in my mouth.

Clark Bar - One of my favorite candy bars to get on Halloween was the Clark Bar. It was similar to a Butterfingers bar, but had a better-tasting chocolate coating. The inside was made of a layered peanut butter crunch that contrasted the chocolate very well. I can recall that if I ate more than one Clark Bar in a sitting, their unique flavor would give me a light stomach ache. It was so worth it, though.

Sugar Daddy - This is the only candy bar on a stick that I have ever seen. The Sugar Daddy is simple, really. It's a rectangular chunk of caramel... on a stick. How can you go wrong with that? I can remember putting them in the freezer before eating them, as to prevent their tendency to get sticky and stretched out.

Atkinson's Peanut Butter Bar - These tiny striped bundles of joy were AMAZING. They were nothing more than peanut butter wafers coated in a flaky, crunchy layer of white candy, but oh were they so good. I remember hoarding these little bad boys most of all after Halloween. They would crumble in your mouth the moment you bit into it. This would release the peanut butter wafer flakes, whereupon they'd promptly melt into the tastiest candy you'll never forget!

Reese's Pieces - Darn if these weren't always welcome to be dropped into my Halloween candy bucket! Little peanut butter cousins of M&M's coated in chocolate... oh man oh man! Honestly, this was the only thing I liked about the hellishly boring movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. That chubby little alien could take a long walk off a short pier, for all I cared!

After recalling all of these wonderful confectionary treats, I think I noticed a trend -- I must have really liked peanut butter based candies as a kid!

The Triumph Of The Rock Lords!

When you think of the greatest toys from the 1980's, there are many prime examples that would all be worthy of mentioning. Transformers, Thundercats, The Real Ghostbusters, G.I. Joe, Barbie and Masters of the Universe -- each and every one is a winner. But... there is another toy line that's often forgotten about. This series featured sentient robots battling it out on a faraway planet. The toys had unique and often novel designs, each with a distinct personality and profile. Unfortunately... they were robotic rocks.

Of course, I'm talking about Rock Lords.

Oh look... a group of normal, non-menacing rocks!

The Rock Lords toy series began in 1986 as an off shoot of the floundering GoBots line. They were initially presented in the animated feature film GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords. From that point on, the toys received no media support, which definitely hindered any chance for real success. At this time, Hasbro's Transformers were dominating the toy robot market. Tonka, the owners of the sinking GoBots toys, decided the best tactic was to throw rocks at the Transformers. It was most certainly a boneheaded idea, but that doesn't mean the Rock Lords toys themselves weren't fantastic. In fact, they're awesome!

Unsurprisingly, the Rock Lords began their existence as a segment of the Japanese Machine Robo toy line, produced by Popy. Tonka imported them for release in North America, just as Hasbro did with many of the toys in the Transformers series. For example, the Rock Lord we know as Slimestone was originally released in Japan as Magnarock (MR R-5). Each Rock Lord had it's own captivating backstory and design based upon a certain type of mineral or stone. Boulder, the leader of the good Rock Lords, was composed of tungsten. The evil Rock Lord leader, Magmar, was an igneous rock. This was a standard for the entire toy line, creating a dense universal narrative. The characters had weight (literally in some cases) and substance. They weren't just transforming rocks... they were characters that could seemingly come to life in the mind of an imaginative child!

Narligator and Narlizard

Not every character in the Rock Lords toy line was a robotic rock, though. You had the Narlies, which were fuzzy critters whom lived on the Rock Lords' homeworld of Quartex. They were really interesting little toys that featured a unique rolling action feature. Pushing them across a hard surface would activate an internal mechanism, thereby making the Narlies move their mouths and tails.

Terra-Roc

Also present in the series were the Rockasaurs, a keen mash-up of rocks and dinosaurs. Only two were released -- the flying Terra-Roc and the rhino-like Spike Stone. As a twist on the gestalt combiner concept, the Rock Lords even had their own monstrous dinosaur robot called Fossilsaurus. Four individual Fossil Lords would combine to create the terrifying Rockasaurus Rex! This combiner set is quite hard to find and very valuable on the collector market. Considering how great the Rockasaurus Rex set is, I can understand why. It's a shame more rock/dinosaur hybrids weren't released in this series; they look phenomenal!

Over the course of three series, the Rock Lords tried to invade the hearts and wallets of a robot-crazed consumer base. As a concept, the Rock Lords had a lot of untapped potential. Future series could have explored other metal, alloy and space themes. Unfortunately, the Transformers were just too much of a powerhouse to be stopped. The Rock Lords were squashed, right along with the GoBots. Though, I have nothing but fond memories of the series. The Rock Lords are excellent toys that any fan of the 1980's should celebrate! They'll be remembered for their innovation and willingness to try something different. Even though they weren't a financial success, the Rock Lords can never be labeled as uninspired or lacking merit.

The Terror of Count Duckula!

Hunting and stalking at night with a taste for... vegetables?

Any proper child of the '80s will remember the awesomeness that was Count Duckula. It was a cartoon that featured a vampire duck and his various monstrous companions. Within the narrative of the cartoon, Count Duckula would be reincarnated about ounce every century. Though, there was a slight mishap with the current version. The summoning ritual which brought him back to life accidentally substituted ketchup instead of blood. Oh, the horror! Now, instead of sucking blood from his victims, Count Duckula scarfs down carrots and broccoli sandwiches. Using his magical teleporting Castle Duckula, the Count can transport to any place (or time) on the planet, often with hilarious results. Yet, at the crack of dawn, Eastern Transylvanian Standard Time, the castle automatically returns to Transylvania.

Count Duckula was originally broadcast from 1988 to 1993. I can remember watching it on Nickelodeon as a kid. It has a very memorable intro song (as heard above). I also remember how macabre the content was for a cartoon about a friendly vampire duck. As an adult, I learned that Count Duckula was in fact a British cartoon produced for the ITV network, with Nickelodeon merely picking up the American broadcast license.

Here's a batch of classic Nickelodeon commercials.

Jump to the 2:39 mark for Count Duckula!

Count Duckula was broadcast during the golden era of Nickelodeon. It shared the airwaves with other classics like Clarissa Explains It All, Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Double Dare! For a horror cartoon, it was just scary enough to make you sit on the edge of your seat, only to find yourself laughing at how stupid the Count actually was.

Besides having a cartoon, Count Duckula received a series of comics from Marvel and a video game for the Commodore 64.

Though the goofy Count hasn't been heard of since his show ended, I hope he'll perhaps make a return someday. Maybe he's still rolling around Transylvania, stealing artichoke hearts and making a grand old fool of himself.

And now, enjoy a full episode of Count Duckula!

Count Duckula -- Return of the Curse of the Secret of the Mummy's Tomb [S2:E17]

More Than Just A Game.

For those of you that have used practically any version of the Microsoft Windows operating system since 1990 (Version 3.0), you're most certainly familiar with the game Solitaire. We've all known it as a simple card game -- shuffle through the deck, create chains and complete the four foundation piles. But... there's something you don't know about Solitaire.

It was never intended for entertainment or fun.

Windows 3.0 included Solitaire as a tool for easing computer users into the new computing paradigm. On through the late 1980's, many computers functioned via command line operating systems, like MS-DOS for example. There were no windows or screens to click, nor a mouse to point at what you wanted to do on the screen. The user would type a command and enter it into the computer, which would then run whatever task or program that was asked of it. It looked much like the image below. I'm fondly reminded of playing the DOS version of Battle Chess. Man, I loved that game!

Old school computing at its finest.

If you don't remember using a command line operating system, then you're young.

As a way of introducing computer operators to the new functionality of a graphical user interface, Solitaire was included as a means of acclimation. That's right folks, there was a time when computers didn't use a mouse. For you youngsters out there, that must seem ridiculous... but it's totally true. Solitaire, which relies solely upon the computer mouse to be played, did just that -- it taught computer users how to use a mouse. With Solitaire as a simple disguise, you would learn how to click, drag and drop, and so forth. It was all quite ingenious really. And to think, that was a meager twenty-five years ago. Operating a computer mouse is instinctive at this point; we all know how to use one!

Just for laughs, here's a game play video of Battle Chess on DOS. Those sure were the days!

A Brief History of the Garbage Pail Kids.

A few days ago, I mentioned the most nefarious trading cards series of the 1980's -- the Garbage Pail Kids. I can't tell you enough how much I loved these blasted things in my youth. As fellow children of the '80s, some of you may already be familiar with the GPK (as they're abbreviated) cards. This article will be a fun refresher for you. Perhaps you're a Millennial just getting into '80s nostalgia and want to learn more. Congratulations -- welcome to one of the nuttiest hobbies that sprung from the Decade of Excess!

The Garbage Pail Kids got their start in 1985. Aimed squarely at the insanely popular Cabbage Patch Kids craze, they were a grotesque and absurd parody. Each trading card featured some zany kid with an odd name. Often times, the kid was weird looking or performing an outrageous activity. Other cards featured kids in various states of death or decay. Even still, many more cards featured a kid with some disgusting bodily function. The horror was endless... and very funny. The GPK concept was the idea of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Art Spiegelman, whom had previously developed the Wacky Packages brand. Spiegelman is also noted for writing Maus, which uses animal depictions to intricately detail life for Jews in Nazi Germany. Along with artist Mark Newgarden, Len Brown (co-creator of Mars Attacks!) and illustrator John Pound, the first series of GPK cards were massively successful. Fifteen series were produced between 1985 and 1988, before they were discontinued.

In their initial run, Garbage Pail Kids cards were largely the subject of criticism from parenting groups and those with the supposed moral majority. The tawdry, gross-out humor featured on the cards got them banned from many schools. Many parents objected to GPK's use of dark comedy as an affront to God! Obviously, these parents were wrong. I mean, look at me... I turned out just fine!

Topps, the company which owns the GPK brand, began releasing a new series of cards in 2003. They have been in production since then, with a new 2015 set just seeing release. By any measure, the Garbage Pail Kids brand is a qualified success. Also be on the lookout for the very special Garbage Pail Kids 30th Anniversary Series, dropping this summer!

The next time you're digging through your parents' basement or attic, check and see if you had some of the cards from your youth. Marvel at their hilarious illustrations and low class jokes -- you won't regret the feeling of '80s-related goodness that'll rush back into you.

The Tiananmen Square Protests - 26 Years Later.

Today, June 4, marks the twenty-sixth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 in Beijing, China.

1989 - Tanks from the People's Liberation Army roll into Tiananmen Square, preparing to silence the protesters. One anonymous man (now known colloquially as Tank Man) stood in defiance, at great risk to his own life and limb. His fate is not known. This historic photo was taken by Jeff Widener of the Associated Press.

Hundreds of pro-democracy student protesters were murdered by their own government, perhaps even thousands -- information about the event is not totally clear. The Chinese Government does not officially recognize the incident, nor do they allow any public recognition of it. The cloud of misinformation is still in full force. Even though the Chinese Government ignores this terrible massacre, many hundreds of thousands of citizens hold vigils annually to remember that terrible day.

Just some of the many tens of thousands of attendees to 2014's Tiananmen Square vigil in Hong Kong's Victoria Park.

In the time since then, China has grown to become one of the world's leading powers, both militarily and economically. Some of the political reforms sought by the Tiananmen protesters have been implemented in the decades since. The current Communist regime, led by Xi Jinping, has taken an aggressive approach to removing corrupt elements from the government. Though, the Communist Party is still the sole political group allowed in China. Independent political parties are not permitted, nor are they tolerated. Whereas students fought for personal liberty in 1989, the youth of modern China face harsh censorship and control in today's digital world. China has instituted increased internet regulation since 2012, limiting much of what the Chinese people can view online. Lu Wei, China's chief internet regulator, was quoted recently as saying that the people needed to be educated in how to be "good netizens".

The Tiananmen Square Massacre serves as a stark reminder to the residents of Earth. The good people of this planet must not suffer tyranny quietly. Oppression by any government against its People can not go unchallenged. Though the American people (and those of many other nations) enjoy more freedom than most, I believe we can all relate to the Tiananmen protesters. On this day, we remember.

The Future of the Toy Industry.

I am in the business of providing toys and collectibles to people of all ages, both young and old. From Transformers to Nintendo, Hot Wheels to Monopoly -- I sell all kinds of things to all sorts of people. I take pride in what I do. After walking away from a career in banking to work for myself, I can say over four years later that it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Not only has my mental health improved since I began my own business, but also my physical health. I am my own boss. I set my own work hours. I make the decisions that directly affect the success of my business. Starting my business, The Cybertron Armory, has brought nothing but happiness to me.

In short -- I love my job.

Transformers featured in the 1985 Sears Holiday Wish Book Catalog.

As a retailer of toys both old and new, I stay abreast of the trends that take place in the toy market. I walk the aisles of department stores looking to see what kids are buying these days. As I like to say -- today's kid is tomorrow's collector. LEGO is consistently popular. Barbie has taken a back seat to Monster High. Hot Wheels and other die-cast vehicles don't interest nearly as many kids as they once did. Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are two of the great success stories in the toy industry. G.I. Joe has gone AWOL from the toy aisle. Board games and puzzles are relegated to a tiny corner shelf.

The toy industry has become more concentrated as the years have gone by. When I was a kid, there were dozens of various toy lines dedicated just to action figures, let alone droves of others for creative play, drawing, roleplay, games and the like. Thundercats, Visionaries, Rock Lords, Jem, Star Wars, Dino Riders, Polly Pocket and the Inhumanoids are just a few of the hundreds of series developed by manufacturers throughout the '80s and '90s. There was vast diversity among toys as recently as twenty years ago.

D'Compose, Metlar and Tendril were the major villains in the Inhumanoids toy series. These figures were gigantic, as well as a little scary.

Today, that has all changed. There are only a few major players in the toy industry -- chiefly Hasbro, Mattel and LEGO. Where there once stood a multitude of toy brands, there are now only a handful. For example, while walking through the action figure aisles of the toy department in my local Target, here are the brands I could spot, as well as their respective owners:

• WWE - Mattel
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Playmates
• Power Rangers - Bandai
• Transformers - Hasbro
• Star Wars - Hasbro
• Marvel Comics - Hasbro
• DC Comics - Mattel
• Imaginext - Mattel

That's right -- only eight major action figure toy series by my count. Twenty five years ago, there would have been a couple dozen hanging on the shelves. As the decades have progressed, only the most successful toy lines have withstood the test of time. The market for kids to desire these types of toys has become smaller and more dense, with less variety to choose from.

Star Wars is one of the cornerstones of the toy industry, but even its market share has shrunk. These days, it is marketed more towards adult collectors.

What do I believe has caused this to happen? Modern technology, of course. With the birth of the internet in the '90s, kids started finding new ways to play. What once began as a means to check your email, research book reports and talk in chat rooms has become the prime method for entertainment -- both for the young and old alike. Young boys and girls aren't as interested in dolls, board games and action figures as they once were. In the age of high-powered video game consoles, smart phones, tablets and the internet, traditional toys simply don't hold up like they once did. Why play with a Captain America doll when you can play as Captain America on your Playstation 4?

Amiibos from Nintendo are a clear example of how toys and video games

have begun to merge into one entity.

This change in how children play is interesting to watch from my position. Children simply aren't entertained as easily as they once were. What does that hold for the future? Will traditional toys become a thing of the past in my lifetime? Are the children of today the last to enjoy toys that require the sole use of their imagination?

Toys are in a clear state of transition to the digital landscape.

In terms of the business side of things, I will always have a customer base. Adult collectors will continue to buy up the toys of their youth, trying to reclaim a lost sense of comfort. Yet, as I get older, so too will the collector. Future retailers may not have a customer base to sell toys and collectibles to because kids simply won't play with them anymore. It's a bleak situation, but one must accept reality -- the toys we see today may not be around in the future. For now, I enjoy the work that I do. I help people have fun and feel happy. That's a powerful motivation to continue in my line of work. Knowing that each and every toy I mail out to a customer is going to be cherished, to make someone jubilant... that's very satisfying for me.

If you are looking for a toy or collectible from your youth, contact me. If I don't already have it, I can help you find it. Or, visit my store on eBay. Either way -- take advantage of the time frame we live in. Be thankful that you can still buy an Optimus Prime or a Barbie. Future generations may not be so lucky.

We live in an age where Barbie has been surpassed by Monster High.