Why June 19th is notable.

Jim Davis rolled out his Garfield comic strip this day in 1978.

The first movie censorship board was formed on June 19, 1911. Wonder what was cut in a silent movie?

Moe Howard, as in Larry, Curly and Moe was born this day in 1897.

This is the day in 1953 that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed.

And in 1369 Duke Philip the Stout marries Margaretha van Male. This worth a closer look. I'll keep you posted.

More fun than that a toaster in a bath. See ya.

Thursday viewing, not at all like yesterday.

TCM continues with some intriguing WW II era tales tonight. They have been doing that lately. Many of the movies are fictitious but based around that time. Totally watchable.

Good old History Television delivers with War Planes: Airplane to Air Force, "The history of the war plane and its many roles from France in 1914 to the Middle East in 2003" It's at 8. Right after they have the second part War Planes: Air Force to Air Power.

If you're fast you can catch the end of the Blue Max on AMC. Started at 5 and stars George Peppard. Ho boy. At 8:30 they have Geronimo: An American Legend 1993 version.

If you thought you knew your axe then you're in for a surprise. The History Channel has Modern Marvels: Axes at 8pm. It's modern, not mega.

I'm good for now.

Hump day. Better gas mileage already.

For those of you into this stuff, TCM has a bunch of Sophia Loren movies on tonight.

And for those of you who dig this stuff, Space has Zombiemania on at 6pm. Zombie history and such. Very important.

Wow, it's niche history tonight. History Television has Mob Stories: King of the Bootleggers at 9pm. At midnight they have the continuation of the Rome series with Rome: The Stolen Eagle and at 2am How London Was Built: Railways. OK, so now you know.

Over at the History Channel its monster night with back to back Monster Quests on starting at 8pm with Vampire Beast and then the Ohio Grassman at 9. Wonder if they are bad enough to be mega monsters?

I'm off to get into my next rant. Joe's History Barn, growing every day.

Charles Nelson Pogue where are you?

Now that gas is more expensive than steak our attention is turning towards ways of stretching our fuel dollars. Gadgets abound from little fans that "spin" the air going into your engine to devices that inject water into your gasoline. "Hypermilers", drivers who tweak their cars and driving habits to squeeze the most out of their tanks probably produce the only genuine "tricks", making gains in the 10-15% range.

Messing around with gas mileage doo-dads isn't new. In 1935, Charles Nelson Pogue built a device called the Winnipeg. He was from Winnipeg after all. It was a modified carburetor that was claimed to be capable of getting 200 miles out of a single gallon of gasoline. Now this is gas sold at God knows what price in 1935.

Without a real long technical harangue, Pogue's idea vaporized the gas before delivering it to the cylinder. The heat to do this came from the exhaust or radiator. There is some history on these so called vapour carburetors, with lots of spooky oil companies buying up the patents. Trouble is most attempts to make one of these gizmos has usually failed, even when qualified engineers get at shot at it.

It's back to turning the engine off going down hill I guess.

Tuesdays crop. 10% smarter than Monday's.

TCM has an interesting theme tonight with a series of movies based on the end and aftermath of WWII in the Pacific theatre. At 6:45 you can catch Bad Day at Black Rock, The Teahouse of the August Moon (Marlon Brando in this weird comedy) at 8:45.

More serious fare can be found at 8 on History Television with Digging for the Truth: Pirates: Terror in the Mediterranean. At 9 it gets even more serious with Finding the Fallen: Beaumont Hamel 1916: Wounded "A team of archaeologists, forensic experts, and historians travel to the front lines of the Battle of the Somme." And, if this intrigues you, at 2am you can catch How London Was Built: Palaces wherein you can find out all about Hampton Court, Buckingham Palace, Alexandra Palace and the Natural History Museum. Bet there's no particle board.

The History Channel has a few goodies too. Ancient Discoveries: Ancient Super Ballistics at 9, and at 10, History Channel's penchant for anything"mega" continues with Mega Disasters: Dam Break, and if that doesn't fill your mega cup, stick around for more Mega Disasters with Hypercane. Oh my.

That's whats on and it isn't my fault. See you tomorrow.

Monday- I have been away, so . . .

History Television has Dogfights: Night Fighters at 8pm. Carrier based dogfights of the Second World War. At 9 they have Kingdom of Heaven, a so-so historical epic from the time of the crusades.

The History Channel has Surviving History: 01- Surviving History at 11. Boy, thats a confusing name. According to the good folks from HC it's "Master craftsmen from The Scarefactory in Columbus, Ohio survey the past to experience the most inventive devices and technologies ever created"

That, gentle readers, is the crop, such as it is, for tonight. Definitely low cal.

Waldorf salad please.

Ho boy. TCM has a boatload of Charlie Chan movies on tonight.

Digging for the Truth: Mummies of the Clouds at 8pm on History Television. At 9 it's Secrets of the Snake Goddess (good God) "Scientists re-evaluate the Minoan civilization, commonly considered the cradle of European culture. " Late, late, late at 2am they have Battlefield Detectives: Civil War: Shiloh

The History Channel is back to delivering history type shows tonight with Ancient Discoveries: Ancient Computer? at 9pm and then 2 back to back Mega Disasters: Volcanic Winter and Mega Tsunami starting at 10.

A so-so night for a Tuesday.