By the time I was growing up, the International Day of Worker Solidarity celebrated on the 1st of May became just another day in a long weekend of partying, spring outings, camping trips and fun. May Day usually started with the demonstration, the biggest one of course in Moscow, attended by the Politburo of the CPSU with the General Secretary himself, broadcast for hours on all three TV channels. Each self-respecting city had a smaller version with the local Party bosses in charge. During my years in technical school I’ve participated in one or two demonstrations. We were issued some uniforms and signs and walked with the crowds through the central streets of my city. Although the event was mandatory, we were happy to oblige, sixteen-year-olds don’t need much to entertain themselves in a crowd. So the smiles you see in the clip below are genuine, however, I highly doubt they have much to do with the world proletariat and their solidarity. “Workers of the world, unite!”

Happy May Day!

The text on the poster is “May 1st 1920″ and on the bottom ” Through the debris of capitalism to the world brotherhood of workers”.

Now take a short trip thirty-some years and several thousand miles away.

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The following photos were taken in 1945 in Josephsville, MO. Narrated by some old guy.

In my day we didn’t have the Easter Egg Hunt, we had to hunt for eggs every day, because we were hungry, that’s why.

In my day there was no entertainment, we had to quilt all day long and listen to Eunice’s old jokes every day; that damn Eunice, I get a heartburn just thinking about her.

In my day kids didn’t sit around and watch TV, they had to haul firewood long distance uphill both ways, and only rich people could afford wheels.

In my day we didn’t go fishing for fun and we didn’t have us no fancy boats; we had to go catch us some dinner.

In my day we had to churn our own butter, and churn and churn and churn; damn kids get off my lawn!

In my day we only got to keep the back side of a cow, we had to sell the front half to the government.

In my day we couldn’t afford the rubber tires, you were lucky to get round wheels on your tractor. Have you ever tried tractoring with square wheels? I thought so!

In my day you’d already get yourself a whipping if you sat around and read all this stuff for this long. Damn whippersnappers!

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Hall of Famer Enos “Country” Slaughter played for Kansas City Athletics in 1955-1956.

There is a video about this car, not sure why people don’t allow embedding.

More photos.

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A new video clip by a popular duo Potap and Nastya Kamenskih is made in the style of the Soviet VIA – Vocal-Instrumental Ensembles – which dominated the music scene of the 1970’s and 80’s.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC7sE-lhVLg

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