Earlier this week, Kim went over to the Minneapolis Public Library for a tour and got some information about the Museum Adventure Passes they have available. In addition, she found out that they have, online, a huge collection of WWII propaganda posters.

Kim gave me the link and I spent a few hours that day going through all the posters. I am obsessed with these posters and find them absolutely hysterical. I’m even more obsessed with North Korean Propaganda posters (scroll to the bottom) but those are difficult and expensive to obtain reproductions.

After hours of research, narrowing down the choices, and printing out my favorites to select one, I came across this poster created for the Office of Defense Transportation which reads “Millions of troops are on the move … : is your trip necessary?”

I chose this poster to adorn my wall at work for a number of reasons. One, it doesn’t paint any race or foreign country in a negative light (some refer to the Japanese as “Japs”), it doesn’t show anyone dying and it doesn’t show any guns blazing. I am especially fond of any of the more cartoonish posters that include death and shit blowing up (because they’re hysterically done) but I didn’t think it would go so well on my wall at work. The poster linked above, however, is not only hysterical but it’s 100% clean.

Now, at first glance most people wouldn’t understand why this poster is funny. In fact, it looks kind of boring. But when you look closely you notice a few things:

• The troops, even though they are going off to war (in which 418,500 Americans died) are for the most part smiling, as if they are going on vacation.
• One of the troops (near the bottom right) is wearing what appears to be Willsonite sunglasses as if Normandy was going to be a gorgeous day in the sun.
• Is YOUR trip necessary? How about guilt trips? Are those necessary?

Anyway, I ordered a 24×36 print ($50 + $15 S&H) and according to the e-mail I got the next day, it should arrive in about two weeks. I’m pretty excited. A $65 poster is going to go up in a $5 IKEA frame and hang on my wall at work — how nice ;)

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While I was looking I came across a few posters that were just too fucking classic not to share:

The first two are funny for obvious reasons and the third is hysterical simply because China is now helping US financially while we fight a war, not the other way around.

On Saturday we had a bunch of friends over for our annual BBQ. Last year I had the event while Kim was visiting family in Ohio and this year Kim wanted in on the fun.

We made brats, chicken, pasta salad, deviled eggs, trifle, etc, etc, etc. Friends brought everything from watermelon to some crazy good desert made with a ton of shit that my drunken brain can’t remember.

I spent the gorgeous early part of the day cooking brats and drinking beer while others schooled me in bean bags (Chris got four-in-the-hole twice and Aaron did once — his first time playing).

(taken by: Aaron Landry)

The party started at around noon and the last people left somewhere around 9/9:30. I don’t fully remember when everyone left but I know I passed out at around 10.

Josh, Kim, and I were back up at 6:30 and I started the long day of taking Josh back to Northfield, cleaning the house, and cooking some leftovers to clean the fridge out to add some more room for regular food. I was still clearing through the leftovers last night!

All in all, a great day with great friends. Thanks everyone for coming out :)

See all the pictures here (taken by Aaron), here (taken by Tim and some by me heh), and here (mobile).