Mickey Yarber, aka The Retro Rambler

The Magically Delicious History of Lucky Charms Cereal

Lucky Charms cereal has been a favorite of kids everywhere since it first hit store shelves in 1964. But even though the brand is almost sixty years old, most people don’t know much about it

Mouse Trap: Building the Game Was Half the Fun

Mickey Yarber

It may be time to revise the old maxim, “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.” The mousetrap in the board game of the same name may have

When Candy Went Big League: Remembering the Reggie! Bar

Mickey Yarber

During the 1977 world series, Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in game six, accomplishing something that had only been done previously by Babe Ruth. The feat earned him the title of “Mr. October” –

A Tribute to Nerds Cereal

Mickey Yarber

You know me and food. We have a love/hate relationship. I love it when it’s around, but I hate it when it’s gone. Just like Nerds cereal. Loved it from the moment I saw it…and

Risk Was the Board Game That Conquered the World One Roll at a Time

Mickey Yarber

Lay out the board, parcel out the territories, build up the armies, and commence global conquest. Even people who “don’t play strategy games” know Risk. Simple enough for a young mind to grasp, yet elaborate

Sorry!: The Board Game Where Payback Is the Point

Mickey Yarber

Woe to the unlucky Sorry! player, and the torrent of conflicting advice he hears from the little animated angel and devil that perch on either shoulder. Angel: “Show some sportsmanship! Prove you know the fine

Monopoly: The Game That Turned Kids Into Tiny Tycoons

Mickey Yarber

A board game that hinges on buying and selling imaginary real estate might not, at first glance, seem like such a shoo-in for the All-Star Toy team. Kids like to pretend, sure…they imagine they’re superheroes,

Food & Drink

Country Music Stars Who Failed in the Food Business

Mickey Yarber

Having what it takes to become a star in the world of country music doesn’t necessarily mean you have what it takes to succeed in the food and restaurant world. Here are the tales of

A Brief History of Battleship

Mickey Yarber

In this “classic naval combat game,” the open seas were cluttered with ships of war, five on each side. But unlike real war, these nautical enemies decided to play fair, standing perfectly still and taking

Penny Racers: The Most Fun You Could Have For a Penny

Mickey Yarber

Matchbox and Hot Wheels were great for driving fast or for zipping along tracks and play sets, but for the spin-crazy, wheelie-happy, stunt driving kid, only a genuine Penny Racer would do.

Do You Remember Sizzler Restaurant?

Mickey Yarber

There are plenty of steak and shrimp lovers out there, but it’s not an indulgence they can always afford at most restaurants. For those on a budget, Sizzler steakhouses have long offered a cost-effective alternative,

A Look Back at 1992

Mickey Yarber

1992 was a remarkable year for pop culture and political change. Let’s take a look back and all of the things that made the year memorable. Important Dates in 1992 On January 7, AT&T introduced

10 Discontinued Fast Food Items We Still Want Back

Mickey Yarber

Fast food is as American as McDonald’s fried Apple Pies. The fast-food business constantly innovating, finding ways to turn chicken fingers into Chicken Fries and Chicken Rings. Yet for every smashing success like the McRib,

Captain Planet: The Animated Battle for a Cleaner, Greener World

Mickey Yarber

Striking a blow for ecology, fighting “polluting perpetrators” wherever they were found, Captain Planet and the Planeteers brought the environmental movement to the cartoon world. The series came from an original idea by media mogul Ted Turner,

Unforgettable Fashion: Buster Brown Shoes

Mickey Yarber

“I’m Buster Brown, and I live in a shoe. That’s my dog, Tige, and he lives there, too. Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!” Charlie and Snoopy, Our Gang and Pete, Buster and Tige…No childhood relationship

Unforgettable Fashion: Jelly Shoes

Mickey Yarber

In everything from digital watches to computers, the 80’s were filled with the hope of all the wonders science could concoct. Jelly shoes ranked high on the mad-scientist laboratory list, joining the ranks of rubber