20 TV Shows That Are Still Popular

There are tons of TV shows out there to watch. Nothing beats the classic ones from the 1970s-1990s. They still hold up to this day. Thomas West, a writer for the MSN.com page YardBarker, has compiled a list of 20 TV shows that are still popular

Ironically, I actually watch quite a few of these shows. Such as The Golden Girls, I Love Lucy, The Carol Burnett Show, Scooby Doo, Where Are You?, Murder, She Wrote

1. The West Wing

-This political drama gives a good side to government. It shows that there are people who work in government offices who really do have the best interests of the people as their top consideration. This show is a great reminder of alternative options to handling situations

2. The Nanny

-It's a pretty hilarious sitcom. There was humor all around, from Fran Drescher's character to the kids, and there was romance between Fran Fine and her boss Mr. Sheffield. Then, of course, was the long running rivalry between C.C. and Niles. Overall, the show had a good heart as well

3. Maude

-Bea Arthur is mostly known for playing outspoken, sarcastic Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls. Prior to this, she starred on the 1970s television show Maude, as an outspoken feminist. She played a fiery feminist not afraid to speak her mind about the issues of the day, including abortion. And who doesn't love Bea Arthur?

4. All in the Family

-This 1970s-era television show dealt with all of the issues in the world at that time, such as gay rights, feminism, abortion, etc. There was an almost constant battle of the wits between Archie Bunker and his  daughter and son in law. The issues they debate about are still hot topics to this day and it makes the show feel relevant

5. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

-For many who grew up in the 1990s, Will Smith will always be The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. There is a strong sense of culture clash, as Will's character came from the working class area of Philadelphia and suddenly finds himself in the affluent area of Bel-Air, California. His humor is constantly present, making the show funny and also an overall good show to watch. It even spawned a new spin off called Bel-Air

6. Seinfeld

-There is not really much of a premise or plot to the show. It's a show about nothing. Somehow, it's found popularity with people. It's still popular thanks to streaming services. The characters still resonate with people, despite going off of the air nearly thirty years ago

7. Star Trek

-This is one of the most influential sci-fi shows around. It still holds up well to this day. The costumes and special effects seem incredibly outdated, especially in a world that now uses CGI and AI to do special effects. But, it's the outdated costumes and special effects that people love most. The show provided something that was joyful, exciting about the extents that it would go to regarding progressive points of view. It's from a time where things were far simpler. It's still popular to this day and finding new fans almost constantly

8. Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

-There have been few animated characters who have had a long, successful career. One of them is Scooby Doo. He is one of the most successful animated characters, inspiring spin off TV shows, television movies, such as Zombie Island, Alien Invaders, etc. Airing in the late 1960s, the show featured a cowardly Great Dane and five kids solving mysteries the old fashioned way, with clues and investigations. It's a reminder of the days when Saturday morning cartoons were a tradition with kids while others love the simply fun of an old fashioned mystery

9. Gunsmoke

-One of the many Western television programs on TV, they were quite popular in the 1950s. While many of the shows have been long since forgotten, Gunsmoke is not one of them. This show ran twenty seasons, from the 1950s to the 1970s. Today, it might seen as old fashioned, but it still holds up well. Many love the show for the great performances of James Arness, Milburn Stone and Amanda Blake

10. The Jeffersons

-This show was a revolution in TV. Staying on the air from 1975-1985, it showed an upwardly moving black couple and their family. It showed this family in a positive way in an era where black actors and actresses often got stuck in typecast roles. The show appealed to many because of the heartfelt and humorous relationship between Louise "Weezy" Jefferson and her husband George, played by Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley. To this day, this show is still popular and is also gaining new fans

11. The Carol Burnett Show

-This show is still popular thanks to streaming services. When it aired on TV, it was sure to be a night of laughs and music. The lady for whom the show is named, Carol Burnett, starred in sketches along with comedic actors Harvey Korman and Tim Conway. Many of the sketches are still remembered to this day, like the spoof of Gone with the Wind. In the case of the show, it was Went with the Wind. And there were so many guest stars, both actors, actresses and musicians, that everyone loved to see who was going to turn up in a sketch, from Julie Andrews to Jim Nabors to Maggie Smith to The Jackson 5 and more. Each episode of the show would end with the current guest star signing their autograph in a book for Carol. This show even inspired a spin off called Mama's Family, starring Vicki Lawrence as the titular Mama. Carol Burnett would appear from time to time playing Eunice

12. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

-Despite being something straight out of the 1970s, and a second wave of feminism following, the show is still popular. It was revolutionary at the time because it featured an unmarried, independent w

13. Designing Women

-Similar to The Golden Girls, this program, created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, focused on a group of four women who run a design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. This show dealt with touchy topics, such as HIV / AIDS. It was on TV during the 1980s and 1990s and is still a beloved TV show to this day

14. Cheers

-Everyone knows the iconic theme to this show centered around a Boston bar. This show was the very definition of workplace sitcom. It centered on Sam Malone, a bartender running a Boston bar and the various people who enter and leave the bar. Despite being on in the 1980s, it seems dated by today's standards. It's still popular for those looking for a good laugh. And some can even quote the show, like people quoting Norm by saying "It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear"

15. M*A*S*H

-This TV show was based on a book of the same name. It told the story of a medical unit in Korea during the Korean War. It found the right balance between drama and comedy, creating tear-inducing laughing and heartbreaking grief. It's easy to see why this show still holds up today

16. Murder, She Wrote

-This show takes place in the Maine town of Cabot Cove. It centers on a murder mystery writer named Jessica Fletcher who always manages to find herself at the center of a juicy mystery. Angela Lansbury plays this role perfectly. There's just something about this show that people love. Whether it's the cozy, timeless feel of it or that it's good old fashioned detective work, this show never gets old

17. The Twilight Zone

-Rod Serling and his show The Twilight Zone, have remained one of the most thought-inducing programs out there. Each episode had a moral to learn. So it was as much educational as it was entertaining. Rod Serling had the ability to take anxieties people felt and turn them into stories that were terrifying to watch for the time. When you watch it, it takes you back to 1950s era America and the concerns plaguing the world at that time and their relation to current events

18. Kolchak: The Night Stalker

-This was a short lived television series. It had just 20 episodes. Despite its short run, it did make an impact on some people. It was said to have even inspired The X-Files. Darren McGavin played the title character and the stories were quite scary for the time period. While it doesn't rely on special effects, it relies on an eerie atmosphere, which is the reason it's still entertaining to watch

19. I Love Lucy

-Two of the most remembered episodes of this program were "Lucy Gets a Job" and Lucy Does a Commercial." There's no doubt Lucille Ball was the genius of comedy in the 1950s. She was thrown into superstardom with her program I Love Lucy. Despite airing in the 1950s, something about the show just makes it loveable. Her comedy style was hilarious, joyful and a refreshing change. Lucille Ball is a master of physical comedy as well as sarcastic remarks and facial expressions. It's no wonder the show is still highly popular, thanks to streaming services allowing people to re-discover this show and new fans to discover the show

20. The Golden Girls

-No one can deny the comedic genius of Bea Arthur (Dorothy), Estelle Getty (Sophia), Rue McClanahan (Blanche) and Betty White (Rose). Despite going on the air in 1992, the show was funny, heartfelt, with great actors and actresses, and politically relevant for the time period. They often discussed issues that were just as relevant then as they are now, from same-sex marriage to care and concerns for the elderly and the problems with aging. They tackle these issues with comedy, and cheesecake, of course

15 Metal Bands That Your Parents Did Not Want You Listening To

Some people consider metal music just loud noise. Some consider it a harbinger of bad activity to come. The strongly religious believers think metal is the music of the Devil. It all depends on how you look at it. Ella Brown, a writer for MSN.com page Back in Time Today, has compiled a list of metal bands parents wanted their kids not to listen to

1. Black Sabbath

-Just the name is eerie enough. Considered to be the godfathers of British heavy metal, these guys are also known as the founding fathers of heavy metal. They played into every parent's worst fear. Occult imagery, dark, ominous music with its tritone sound, often nicknamed "The Devil's Interval." Any parent who discovered their child was listening to Black Sabbath feared they were messing around with the dark arts

-Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, with his wild onstage personality, didn't help matters much. He looked like a madman released from an asylum to front a metal band. The band even took their name from a Boris Karloff film, suggesting even further connections to devil worship. Conservative parents worried about songs like "War Pigs" or N.I.B", which they thought meant Nativity in Black. Songs like this they thought corrupted innocent youth

2. Judas Priest

-Another Midlands, England metal band, Judas Priest created the studded leather look, twin lead guitar and devastating vocals from Rob Halford that helped define heavy metal. Parents were scared by Halford's seemingly intimidating stage persona and songs deemed rebellious, such as "Breaking the Law" or "Living After Midnight"

-This panic centering on morality reached an all time high in 1990. Two teens made a suicide pact after claims that the band inserted subliminal messages into their songs. The case was thrown out, but their reputation was already damaged. Conservative groups issued warnings about the band's supposedly devilish influences, despite the fact that the songs centered on fairly mild themes of rebellion and freedom

3. Iron Maiden

-Nothing frightens conservative parents more than Iron Maiden's mascot Eddie. He's a snarling, skeletal concoction created by artist Derek Riggs. Each of Iron Maiden's albums feature this snarling creature in some adventure. This legendary British metal band became the center point of all parents fears, despite the fact that their lyrics were often inspired by literature, history and mythology

-Their albums, like The Number of the Beast, were burned at the stake at church-related events. And all of this actually backfired because even their manager, Rod Smallwood, laughs as he says it was great for the band because that meant people actually bought the album. Parents thought it was about devil worship and it was really about a nightmare. The band's complex stage setup showed Eddie as a giant monster. This scared the living daylights out of parents who believed that imagery like that could corrupt their children. Elsewhere, teenagers could not get enough of the music by the band

4. Motley Crue

-Not surprisingly, these guys definitely were a cause for concern. They were known for raunchy lyrics about drug use, strippers and living the fast life. They had teased hair, wore makeup and wore revealing clothing. A parents worst nightmare. MTV embraced their music, with videos for their songs, such as "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Looks That Kill". Parents felt uncomfortable with their seemingly unburdened lifestyle and barely hidden drug references in their songs

-The band members were frequently arrested, overdosing or causing fatal car accidents. This only strengthened their already dangerous reputation. Teens found them appealing-the ultimate symbol of freedom

5. Venom

-Legendary British heavy metal band Venom took metal to nightmarish new heights. They had a raw, unpolished sound and straight, in your face, devilish imagery. Their albums often featured pentagrams and other demonic imagery that seemed almost designed to scare parents and religious communities

-Their song titles left little to the imagination. The band members openly embraced their reputation as the bogeyman of metal, despite the fact that the band members didn't actually worship the Unholy One. Parents were firmly convinced Venom were actually worshipping the devil and were corrupting the youth of the world with their music. The band was noisy, chaotic in their music, with low production only adding to their dark charm. They appealed to teens who were looking for the next thing to shock their parents

6. W.A.S.P.

-One of the great 80s metal bands, this band was fronted by a vocalist named Blackie Lawless. Their stage shows shocked all. Bits of raw meat were thrown, drinking blood from skulls, semi-naked models being tortured, this all came together to form the ultimate nightmare for parents. One of their songs was targeted by the Parents Music Resource Council (PMRC) for having dirty lyrics. It earned a spot on their "Filthy Fifteen" list. This council deemed that albums with explicit lyrics get the famous black and white "Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics" label. This made them even more famous

-The band created metal excess when vocalist Blackie Lawless had a codpiece with a chainsaw hanging from it. Their acts were purely theatrical, but many parents firmly believed that the band was a threat to the morality of the kids

7. Slayer

-The dark side and Slayer seem like a match made in metal heaven. They have lightning fast music with lyrics about serial killers, warfare and the occult. This made them the ultimate forbidden fruit to teens looking for a new sound. Their albums, such as Reign in Blood, or songs like "Angel of Death" (about Nazi doctor Josef Mengele) crossed lines that even other metal bands refused to cross. Their logo, which features a pentagram and eagle symbol, became the symbol of fear for some parents

-Parents and even religious groups became convinced that Slayer were members of a satanic cult. The band members never denied this. They knew their terrifying reputation was only part of the reason they appealed to fans who were looking for the most extreme metal music that was out there

8. Ozzy Osbourne

-Known as "The Prince of Darkness", Ozzy Osbourne embarked on a rather successful solo career after leaving Black Sabbath. His solo career turned out successful songs like "Mama, I'm Coming Home", "Desire", "Mr. Crowley" and more. Unfortunately, his solo career also attracted controversy. Urinating on the Alamo while drunk and accidentally biting the head off of a bat gave him a reputation as a madman of rock

-He came under fire for the song "Suicide Solution" because it ended in a lawsuit. Claims were that it encouraged a teenager to commit suicide. The case was dismissed when the courts discovered the song was not about urging people to commit suicide, but rather a warning against alcoholism. Unfortunately, the damage was complete. Parents were worried about the classical-inspired solos by guitarist Randy Rhoads. His solos partnered with Ozzy's lyrics made the music accessible to all audiences. This worried parents that the music could corrupt impressionable young minds. This resulted in widespread panic in parents all over North America

9. Mercyful Fate

-King Diamond is their iconic vocalist. With his insane vocal range and unique black and white face paint including black crosses or inverted crosses, became the symbol of the supposed devilish connections with metal music. The Danish metal band horrified parents with albums like Melissa and Don't Break the Oath. The reason being explicit occult themes and imagery. Their stage setups often featured inverted crosses and bones, creating a complex and theatrical experience that would also be deeply disturbing

-Many parents didn't understand the high level of sophistication the band's music involved. There were complex arrangements, King Diamond's beautiful but also devastating vocal range. Many teens saw Mercyful Fate as strongly appealing because of their forbidden nature

10. Megadeth

-One of the "Big 4", a series of thrash metal bands who came out around the same time as each other, Megadeth was created by former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine after he'd been fired from Metallica. He combined the technical precision he'd learned with Metallica with politically powered lyrics to make a music that scared parents. Their mascot is a skull with metal caps over the eyes, ears and mouth. Nicknamed Vic Rattlehead, he symbolizes "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" in the most visual way possible

-"Peace Sells" questions mainstream values and authority. The band's name is a deliberate misspelling of the term megadeath. This term means one million deaths by a nuclear explosion. It seemed almost tailor made to cause maximum fear. The aggressive sound and sneering vocalist represented every parent's worst fear about metal. Elsewhere, teenagers loved the highly technical sound and politically charged lyrics

11. Anthrax

-Just the name alone has parents worried. The band took their name from a bioweapon that was all over the news in the wake of 9/11. The New York-based thrash metal band set off alarms with parents who worried about the influence of metal on young minds. Some metal bands embraced darkness, while these New Yorkers included pop culture and humor into their music. Their songs reference Stephen King novels and comic books, making them easily accessible to younger listeners, worrying parents even more

-When they worked with hip hop group Public Enemy on "Bring the Noise", it caused even more concern amongst parents because metal and hip hop were considered problematic genres. The combination of urban East Coast attitude and the speed and aggression of Anthrax's music made a combination of music dangerous to parents all across North America

12. Twisted Sister

-This band is every parent's worst nightmare. Grown men in garish makeup and drag. Twisted Sister intimidated parents with wild vocalist Dee Snider and his mane of blonde hair and onstage presence. He became the villain in the eyes of many parents. Their best known song "We're Not Gonna Take It" became the soundtrack for rebellious teens. The video for the song came under fire, as it showed a rock music loving teen humiliating his father, seemingly making a direct assault on authority

-Dee Snider famously appeared before Congress to testify against music censorship. He stated thoughtful, intelligent arguments that surprised the Senate committee conducting the session. He was highly intelligent and defensive of metal, which only frustrated parents more. It undermined their argument that metal musicians were brainless degenerates who corrupted the young minds of the world with their songs and messages of defying authority

13. Celtic Frost

-The Swiss metal legends frightened parents with their music. The band is considered, by some, to be avant-garde, because of their experimental approach to music. Their albums, which include Morbid Tales and To Mega Therion, featured complex, but disturbing work by artist H.R. Giger, who is famous for creating the Alien movie monster. The band's heavy use of symphonic instruments made the dark themes their music centered around even more unsettling and dramatic. Vocalist Tom G. Warrior and his iconic "UGH!" grunt became the symbol of everything incomprehensible about extreme metal. The band is more than willing to incorporate female vocals, classic inspirations and experimental sounds. Combined, it makes for a truly original sound that parents could not place into a category, making them seemingly more dangerous

14. KISS

-Some of the more conservative parents thought the name stood for something else, most commonly Knights in Satan's Service. Despite being popular in the 1970s, they introduced controversy in the 1980s. Their makeup, mostly bassist Gene Simmons, who was known as the Demon, spit blood, breathed fire. This had parents convinced that Kiss was satanic, despite the lyrics mostly being party-based

-The rumor that their name stood for Knights in Satan's Service spread like wildfire through concerned parents groups and churches, despite the fact there is no information proving it. Their marketing genius extended to as many markets as possible, bringing their supposedly demonic influence to children. Parents were strongly worried about the open sexuality and Gene's constantly wagging tongue, seeing it as a way of corrupting young people

15. Metallica

-The speed and aggression Metallica put into their music scared the living daylights out of parents. Their early albums, like Kill 'Em All or Ride the Lightning, which featured an electric chair surrounded by lightning, depicted violent imagery that seemed almost tailor made to incite the maximum amount of parental concern. The band wrote songs about warfare, addiction and death, striking fear into parents. This nihilistic and dangerous attitude scared parents. The band wrote a song as a tribute to their fallen band member Cliff Burton. The song "To Live is To Die" struck a chord of fear because it was misinterpreted as being a promoter of suicide when it was really the band's way of mourning the loss of their friend and fellow band mate

-The band's fan base, known as the Metal Militia, had a cult-like devotion to the band that terrified parents. The strong intensity of the connection between the fans and the music suggested unhealthy obsessions to parents. Some of the parents couldn't comprehend the actually healthy, stress-reducing release valve that Metallica's aggressive, speedy sound provided for teens who were navigating those challenging years known as adolescence

19 Brutal Realities Soldiers Faced in Vietnam

A war no one should have fought, the Vietnam War killed many and left just as many coming home damaged, suffering from PTSD, or "Vietnam Syndrome." What's truly sad is that when these soldiers returned home, they were called foul names like "baby killer" and treated with disdain rather than respect. According to MSN.com page Back in Time Today, and writer Samuel Cole, here are 19 brutal realities soldiers had to face in Vietnam

1. Constant humidity that rotted out everything

-Because of the high humidity in the Vietnamese jungle, everything rotted. Soldier's bodies never fully dried off because of the humidity. It was usually running at 90% humidity most of the time, and that type of weather is the perfect breeding ground for fungal infections that attacked the groin, underarms and feet. Despite constant cleaning, weapons rusted overnight. The clothing on the soldier's backs become rotted out and leather boots virtually disintegrated just weeks into wearing them. Food spoiled very quickly and ammunition had to be wiped down almost constantly. The moisture even leaked into the technology and other items being used. Radios failed, maps disintegrated, troop morale went very low as they fought nature in addition to the enemy forces

2. Leeches dropping down like rain

-These parasitic bloodsuckers made life in Vietnam even worse. When out on jungle patrols, soldiers had to worry about leeches dropping from trees. Daily jungle patrols was like ringing a dinner bell for these parasites. They would attach themselves to exposed skin without warning, especially in watery areas. When soldier's removed them improperly, infections set in through the open wounds because their heads could remain in the skin. Veterans of this war recall using salt packets from their rations or burning cigarettes to force them to detach

3. Traps around every corner

-On any patrol, soldiers never knew what they were going to encounter around the next corner. They didn't know if the Viet Cong had booby trapped the trail with two claymore mines attached by a trip wire to trees. Or if there was dangerous wildlife waiting for them. The Viet Cong created deadly traps for the patrolling soldiers. Punji stakes, which are sharpened sticks of bamboo set in a pit, was covered with a light covering that would give if someone stepped on it. These stakes were covered in fecal matter, which guaranteed a slow, agonizing death from infection. Trip wires triggered to ignite explosives were another reality, while trip wires or bent trees would activate a nail studded board to swing out into patrols at face or chest level, impaling the victim and subjecting them to a slow, agonizing death

4. Venomous snakes!

-The Southeast of Asia is known for having venomous snakes. The jungles of Vietnam alone had 140 species of snakes, dozens of them being terribly deadly. Such as the bamboo pit viper, whose nickname is the "three step snake", because the victim would only make it three steps before dying from the potent venom. King cobras were another one. They can reach up to 18 feet in length, with enough venom to kill elephants. Soldiers had to sleep with almost one eye open, keeping their boots on and checking their sleeping bags on a regular basis. While medics did carry antivenin, in remote areas, these snake bites proved fatal before any sort of evacuation was possible. Many units reported casualties from snake bites and other wildlife encounters than from contact with the Viet Cong during certain missions

5. Relentless mosquitoes

-Mosquitoes are said to be the deadliest creature on the planet. They carry more diseases than one can imagine or even want to imagine. Hot, humid, tropical environments like Vietnam are considered the dream home of mosquitoes. Soldiers stationed in Vietnam had to battle these disease-riddled parasites. Between the constant buzzing and relentless itching, these soldiers were fighting an additional battle. These insects carried diseases like Japanese encephalitis, malaria, dengue fever. At least 40,000 troops were affected by malaria, despite the preventative methods used to eliminate the mosquitoes. Soldiers bathed themselves in military-issued insect killer containing high concentrations of DEET. While this irritated skin, it proved to be little protection. Mosquito nets became precious luxuries, but using them on patrol was near impossible. For many soldiers, it was psychological torture, having to lie awake, listening to the constant buzz of mosquitoes waiting to strike a victim

6. Monsoon rains that never ended

-Because Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, that region is subject to monsoons each year. Those storms would transform battlefields into watery nightmares. Heavy rains could turn jungle paths into rivers and fill foxholes with mud, turning them into ponds. Operations slowed down tremendously due to helicopters not being able to fly in low visibility. Soldiers developed immersion foot, also known as trench foot, from their constantly wet boots. This caused painful skin infections that led to amputation if left untreated. The psychological damage was also a reality. The constant beating of rain on helmets and jungle canopies drove some men to their limit during patrols

7. Invisible enemies using guerilla warfare tactics

-Viet Cong fighters were almost like ninjas. They seemingly disappeared after attacking, leaving the US troops to wonder if they were fighting phantoms. Viet Cong used underground tunnels to appear and disappear at will. These tunnels also held caches of weapons, ammo, hospitals, sleeping quarters and more. They could virtually live underground in these tunnels, which stretched for miles, without stepping foot above ground. Troops who would patrol these tunnels would be referred to as "tunnel rats." This job in itself was terrifying; it was psychological torture at its best. The soldier doing the patrol didn't know what was around the next corner. If it was an armed Viet Cong, a highly poisonous Chinese cobra, a trip wire set up to trigger explosives. The thought of fighting an enemy who could appear / disappear at will caused high anxiety among soldiers

8. Immense heat draining strength

-During the day, temperatures soared to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity. Carrying heavy amounts of gear made it worse. The soldiers were often carrying around 70+ pounds of gear, meaning they were subject to heat exhaustion and heatstroke during daytime patrols. This often required a medical evacuation. Discipline with rations also became a reality. Soldiers had to learn how to ration their water, despite their bodies requiring more. Some patrols carried three gallons per man to just avoid dehydration, which was an impossible task in itself to carry. The heat made simple tasks into nearly impossible goals. The heat alone caused men to lose 10-15 pounds in their first weeks because their bodies were struggling to adapt to this brutal environment while also staying battle ready

9. The Devastating Psychological Toll on Soldiers

-The hot, steamy jungle created the perfect storm of psychological damage. There was the constant threat of an ambush, booby traps were lurking within the shadows, dangerous wildlife waiting to strike. This all combined kept the soldiers in a highly tense state of hypervigilance and it drained the mental reserves they had. Sleep deprivation was a very real thing and made these symptoms far worse. Many man developed what is known as the "thousand yard stare"- blank, unfocused gazes indicating severely deep psychological trauma, even after extended combat tours. Unlike the wars before that had clear front lines, there were no clear front lines with Vietnam. There were no safe zones where soldiers could relax and decompress. There was the constantly present thought that danger lurked everywhere, it could come from any direction. It created and bred anxiety disorders that many veterans, years later and to this day, still fight

10. Insects everywhere!

-In addition to disease-riddled mosquitoes, the Vietnamese jungles were crawling with insect life along with other wild life. Fire ants swarmed the tents, crawling over soldiers and inflicting painful bites that resulted in welts and allergic reactions. Giant venomous centipedes hid in the darkness of boots and equipment. Large spiders, some with leg spans going past 6'', would fall from trees on to unsuspecting troops. Termites and beetles wreaked havoc on the wooden rifle stocks and other equipment. The most irritating insect of all were tiny biting midges that could penetrate the mosquito netting. They would bite soldiers, leaving them with itchy welts that quickly became infected in the hot and steamy conditions

11. Contaminated water

-It was a battle in itself just to find clean drinking water. The waters in the Vietnamese jungle were rife with bacteria, parasites and chemical contaminants. If ingested, intestinal distress soon came calling. Soldiers had to choose between dysentery and dehydration. They soon received water purification tablets that rendered this dangerous water safe. Despite giving the water a chemical taste that many could not stomach, it led some men to drink the tainted water out of desperation. This resulted in painful waves of diarrhea that left troops in a weakened state during the most critical operations. When supplies ran low,, especially during extended patrols, soldiers got creative. They would filter water through t-shirts to remove visible parasites before drinking the water. It was a crude, but effective way before adding the water purification tablets

12. Flesh-Eating Bacteria and Infections

-Any sort of minor scrape or cut became a life threatening situation in the hot and steamy environment that was Vietnam. Jungle ulcers-painful infections that expanded and ate away at flesh-became a reality. These would develop from the smallest cuts. Without immediate medical attention, these could go down as far as bone and cause sepsis, or blood poisoning. Antibiotics became a dream come true for those who suffered from jungle ulcers. They were essential on patrols. Medics were fighting a battle themselves against the many tropical diseases that seemed to lurk out there, diseases that had no American versions they were familiar with. The mixture of constant moisture, heat, various microorganisms and parasites signaled that even properly treated wounds often festered. Many soldiers carried extra socks not for comfort but for foot infections, infections that could make a man unable to walk within days

13. Dense Vegetation Limiting Visibility and Hiding Enemies

-Despite being the middle of the day, the dense jungle canopy made patrols think it was nightfall. Visibility was strongly limited to only a few feet ahead. Triple-canopy forests blocked out sunlight completely, forcing some soldiers to resort to using flashlights, even if it was the middle of the day. They had to move slow through this dense jungle, using machetes to clear away dense brush. This would slow troop movements and announce to the enemy that there were patrols out there. It would literally announce the movements and location of soldiers. The limited visibility combined with the darkness from the canopy created a perfect breeding ground for ambushes and made it nearly impossible to spot any booby traps before they were triggered. Calling in for air support was all but useless when troops could not see any sort of landmark or even the sky for when the chopper would show up. Many soldiers eventually would develop claustrophobia from the constant feeling of being closed in by the suffocating vegetation

14. Becoming Disoriented from Jungle Noises

-The various noises of the jungle would challenge the sanity of even the toughest soldier. Nights brought on noises that bordered on deafening, such as insects and frogs, which would hide the sound of approaching enemy troops. US soldiers struggled to tell the difference between natural jungle noises and human movement. Monkeys screeched in the jungle canopy overhead, mimicking human screams. This caused false alarms and frayed nerves. The constant noise made communicating with others nearly impossible. Hand signals replaced verbal commands on patrols. Some veterans state that the sudden, unusual silence when wildlife detected a threat was the most terrifying noise of all-it signaled that enemy troops were in the vicinity

15. Inadequate equipment for jungle warfare

-US troops were ill equipped for fighting soldiers who were well trained in the art of jungle warfare. Early in the war, US troops received equipment better suited for European battlefields, not rainy, swampy Southeast Asian jungles. Standard-issue boots fell apart within weeks in the wet conditions, heavy cotton uniforms took days to dry when soaking wet. The M16 rifles issued to soldiers jammed constantly in the muddy conditions, leading to fatal results in firefights. Soldiers often took AK-47s from fallen Viet Cong, which proved reliable to them. Radio equipment struggled to work in the high humidity while the dense vegetation limited the range. Many soldiers and units got creative and improvised a solution. They would wrap equipment in plastic, modified uniform items and developed unofficial gear rules that contradicted what the official military guidelines instructed. But these improvised rules worked and kept soldiers alive

16. Mud, mud everywhere!

-The mud in Vietnamese jungles was of the variety that it was sticky clay. It stuck to everything it touched. Monsoon season made it worse, allowing this mud to reach thigh-high heights on jungle pathways, making each step more exhausting than the last. These exhausting steps burned precious energy and calories. Vehicles constantly got stuck, forcing troops to abandon the medical transport and move forward with their own two feet. The suction the mud created could quite literally pull boots off of soldiers' feet. In addition to the physical challenge of the mud, the constant presence of this clay mud bred psychological fatigue. Men gave up the hope of ever feeling clean or dry. Veterans of this war state the mud as one of their most unpleasant memories

17. Limited opportunities for medical evacuation

-When injuries were inflicted in deep jungle, medical evacuations were literally life or death situations, a race against time. Helicopter evacuations required a cleared landing zone by cutting down trees. A process that could take hours while the injured slowly succumbed to their injuries. Many areas had extraction points where the injured had to be carried to just to get evacuated out. These extraction points often had soldiers walking through hostile territory. The threat of hostile territory combined with the physical toll of carrying stretchers through the jungle bred exhaustion in even the toughest soldier. During bad weather, medevac helicopters couldn't fly at all. This forced field medics to perform emergency medical care with limited supplies. Many veterans remember the haunting sound of wounded comrades calling for medics in areas deemed too dangerous for an immediate rescue

18. Physical demands exhausting troops

-Soldiers going out on patrols often had to carry 70 pounds or more of gear. Toss in the challenging terrain to this and it often left soldiers physically exhausted. It was a mission in itself to climb mountains in jungle terrain while also remaining on high alert for enemy movement. Typical infantry supplies included a weapon, ammunition, grenades, mines, food rations, tools for digging trenches, poncho, canteen for water, first aid kit and equipment for communicating. During some operations, some men lost up to 30% of their body weight. The demands for energy were so high that the military increased rations to 3,600 daily calories, which proved to still be insufficient for the requirements of the soldiers. Many veterans recall the constant exhaustion as their most vivid memory

19. Being isolated from the outside world

-Being on operations deep in the Vietnamese jungle, soldiers often went weeks or months without contact from home. Mail delivery was unreliable. Letters would often arrive either not at all or after long delays. The psychological impact of not having contact from home proved to be completely devastating to the soldiers. Many of the men missed the births of their children, deaths of family members, important life events. This created a feeling of being disconnected from everyday life. The only news from America came through via Armed Forces Radio or heavily censored newspapers. These formats offered a limited view on the growing anti-war protests. Many of the men felt they were fighting in a different world. They felt completely cut off from the world they were trying to defend

Musicians We've Lost in 2024

We're in 2024 and thankfully, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be behind us. That pandemic took a toll on everyone. And with 2024, we also experienced deaths in the music world

There are too many to list, so if you would like to see them all, the link above will allow that

Tony Clarkin

-DOD: 1/7/2024

-He's a founding member of the band Magnum, where he played guitar. He died just days before the release of the band's 23rd studio album Here Comes the Rain. The band had plans of touring, but had to cancel upon learning news that Clarkin had a rare spinal condition. At the time of his death, he was only 77

James Kottak

-DOD: 1/9/2024

-He was the drummer for the German band Scorpions. He was only 61 at the time he passed. He drummed in several bands over the course of his life, including Montrose, Asia, Warrant, Kingdom Come. His career with Scorpions started on their 1999 album Eye II Eye and ran all the way through to 2015's Return to Forever. His alcoholism led to his dismissal from the band

Mojo Nixon

-DOD: 2/7/2024

-This kooky character is known for his goofy songs, that seemingly make no sense to some and bring others to tears from laughing so hard that it hurts. He was 66 at the time of his death. His biggest success came in the 1980s. Nixon was on the Outlaw Country Cruise when he appeared to have a "cardiac event" occurring. He was known for kooky songs like "Debbie Gibson is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child", "Elvis is Everywhere", "I Hate Banks" and even has a Christmas album

Bobby Tench

-DOD: 2/19/2024

-He was 79 at the time of his death. This ex-Jeff Beck Group member started out in a band called The Gass, but his ticket to fame came when Jeff Beck came calling. He asked Tench to replace Rod Stewart in The Jeff Beck Group. Tench appeared on at least two albums-Rough and Ready and 1972's The Jeff Beck Group. Playing with this band provided multiple opportunities for Tench, allowing him to play with some of the titans of the rock world, including Humble Pie, Ginger Baker, Van Morrison and more

Jim Beard

-DOD: 3/2/2024

-A pianist, keyboard player and composer who not only played with Steely Dan, but jazz legends Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin and Pat Metheny, this iconic musician died at age 63 from an unknown illness. He had been part of Steely Dan since 2008. He even recorded six solo albums, the most recent being 2013's Show of Hands

Brit Turner

-DOD: 3/3/2024

-This Blackberry Smoke drummer was only 57 years old at the time of his passing. Fall of 2022 seen him getting diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of cancer that affects the brain and is fast-acting and aggressive. He underwent surgery to remove the cancer in November, just months after a massive heart attack at his home during the summer. He founded the band Blackberry Smoke in 2000, in Atlanta, Georgia

Dickey Betts

-DOD: 4/18/2024

-This Allman Brothers Band guitarist had just recently passed. One of the band's best known songs, "Ramblin' Man", was a #1 hit in 1973 and written by Betts. He left the group for good in 2000 following a legal issue with the band

All in the Family (1971)

This show was way ahead of its time. It featured one of America's biggest, but most loved bigots, Archie Bunker. He was say anything that came into his mind, but people still loved him. It featured topics that, today, are considered not that big of a deal, but back then were said in soft, whispered tones, like women's rights, gay rights and more

Summary

-Archie Bunker is a working class man dealing with constant differences of opinion with his family over the many current issues of the day

Cast

-Caroll O'Connor: Archie Bunker

-Jean Stapleton: Edith Bunker

-Rob Reiner: Michael "Meathead" Stivic

-Sally Struthers: Gloria Stivic

-Mike Evans: Lionel Jefferson

-Isabel Sanford: Louis Jefferson

-Sherman Hemsley: George Jefferson

-Allan Melvin: Barney Hefner

-Betty Garrett: Irene Lorenzo

-Vincent Gardenia: Frank Lorenzo

Did You Know?

-Living in Italy at the time, Carroll O'Connor accepted the role of Archie Bunker only if producers paid for the flight back to Italy if the show was not done

-Compared to Archie Bunker, Carroll O'Connor's views were liberal

-The first toilet flush to be heard on national television was heard on this show

-There was an ongoing gag throughout the show about Edith's singing. In reality, Jean Stapleton was a highly trained and accomplished professional singer who worked in musical theater

-The easy-chairs Archie and Edith sat in are now on display at the Smithsonian Museum

-When Rob Reiner, who played Mike, realized he was losing his hair so quickly when the show aired, he started wearing a hairpiece through the first season

-Archie Bunker was always seen wearing his wedding ring on his middle finger

-Penny Marshall was considered for the role of Gloria Stivic because, at the time, she was married to Rob Reiner

-Initially, the show caused quite a stir because of the topics that Archie commented on. The ratings were so low that it was being threatened with cancellation. Then, seemingly overnight, the show started building a fan base during the 1971 re-run season. It was announced in August 1971 that the 1971-1972 season would be renewed

-According to one of the show's producers, Norman Lear, the nicknames and phrases heard on the show, including "Meat Head", "dingbat", "stifle" were inspired by words used by his own father when he was growing up

-Since Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal are good friends, that explains why Billy Crystal was chosen to play Mike's best friend on the "New Year's Wedding" episode

-Norman Lear had chosen Jean Stapleton to play Edith after seeing her perform in the Broadway Musical Damn Yankees, a reprisal of her role in the 1958 film of the same name

-Two of the actors considered for the role of Mike Stivic were Harrison Ford and Richard Dreyfuss. Ford found Archie's bigotry too offensive and it's unclear why Dreyfuss didn't accept the role. Also, Penny Marshall was considered for the role of Gloria while Mickey Rooney was initially considered for the role of Archie

-On the way to the studios for pre-production, Rob Reiner picked up Mike Evans, who was hitch hiking, and asked him what he did for work. Evans stated he was an aspiring actor who had no experience. Rob arranged an audition for him to play Lionel Jefferson. According to John Rich, who directed this show among others, Evans didn't have the best talent in the audition, but still saw something in him and felt he would be a great choice for the role of Lionel Jefferson

-Despite the argumentative nature of Archie and Mike, Carroll O'Connor and Rob Reiner had become close friends over the years of making the show. Also, Reiner considered O'Connor both a surrogate father and acting mentor

-The exterior shots of the Bunker's house was filmed in the Glendale borough of Queens, New York

-Inspired by his father calling him Meat Head, Norman Lear gave that nickname to Mike Stivic and Archie would call him that

-This show inspired 7 spin off series. It includes: 1972's Maude, which, in turn, inspired 1974's Good Times. 1975's The Jeffersons inspired 1981's Checking In. 1979's Archie Bunker's Place, 1994's 704 Hauser and 1984's Gloria.

-Actor Gavin McLeod read for the role of Archie, but was doing so reluctantly. He was strongly against bigotry of all sorts and he felt that matters such as those were highly inappropriate in a comedy format. He also knew that producer Norman Lear had his mind set on Carroll O' Connor

-The unique accent that Archie speaks with was inspired by the various accents heard by Carroll O'Connor while growing up in Queens, New York and working the New York stages

-In reality, Carroll O'Connor was hugely different than Archie Bunker. He was highly educated, very liberal, intelligent and very giving with time and money. O'Connor stated he took this role to challenge himself to explore the mindset of this type of person

-Norman Lear said the only reason he wrote the show was to say that, at the end of the day, no matter what differences existed, in the end, people can still get along and come together

-Norman Lear stated he based Archie and Edith on his own parents

-This is the only sitcom in television history to address prejudice against Catholics

-The episode known as the "Draft Dodger" episode came on about the time the government disbanded mandatory service laws, stating that men must serve a mandatory term in the military

-Bill Cosby was one of the show's biggest critics. Along with Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint, who worked on The Cosby Show, they both stated the show made racism a laughing matter and encouraged acceptance of bigotry by both blacks and whites

-The first openly gay character to appear on a television show was on this program, the episode "Judging Books by Covers". It was Mike's friend Steve. Despite the fact the word "gay" was never used, characters used nicknames to refer to it. Archie often said "queer" or "fairy" while Edith often said "pansy" or "flower".