News of the Week: Bunker Hill, Semicolons, and the Exciting World of the Dull Men’s Club

The Battle of Bunker Hill: 250th Anniversary

The official reenactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill took place a mile from my apartment last weekend. Which is odd because I live about 35 miles from Bunker Hill.

The actual Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts is too crowded these days, so they decided to have the two-day reenactment where I live, where there’s more open land and water. Here are some highlights.

Uploaded to YouTube by CBS Boston

Semicolons: Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

I hope you’re sitting down. There’s a decline in semicolon usage!

According to a British study, literature in 1781 contained a semicolon every 90 words. Today it’s down to one every 390 words.

I say thumbs down. Oh, it’s perfectly good punctuation and I think it should stick around, but it’s also the only punctuation I have to stop and think about before I use it.

Are You a Boring Guy? Have I Got a Club for You

I’m not typically a big joiner, but this is one group I might check out. It’s The Dull Men’s Club, an international organization of men so dull they’ll “bore the ears off you.” It’s a place where the small, mundane things are celebrated, and exclamation points and emojis won’t be tolerated. It’s almost 30 years old.

I’d probably fit right in. I mean, how exciting can I be if I’m writing about semicolons?

In all fairness, the men don’t really seem “dull.” They’re just normal and care about the simple, everyday things.

Headline of the Week

“Paramount Sued by Paul Harvey Estate for Alleged Unlawful Use of Late Broadcaster’s Voice in Landman“

(Harvey appeared on the October 1983 and September 2003 covers of the Post.)

RIP Bobby Sherman, Lou Christie, Fred Smith, Jack Betts, Terry Louise Fisher, Mick Ralphs, Lynn Hamilton, and Gailard Sartain

Bobby Sherman was a popular singing idol and actor in the 1960s and ’70s. He had several top ten hits and was a regular on Here Come the Brides. He later became an EMT and deputy sheriff in Los Angeles. He died Tuesday at the age of 81.

Lou Christie had a number one song in 1966 with “Lightnin’ Strikes.” He died last week at the age of 82.

Uploaded to YouTube by Lou Christie

Fred Smith was the founder and CEO of FedEx. He died Saturday at the age of 80.

Jack Betts was a very familiar face on TV shows like Perry Mason, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, One Life to Live, and Checkmate, and in films like Spider-Man, Gods and Monsters, and several Spaghetti Westerns. He died last week at the age of 96.

Terry Louise Fisher co-created L.A. Law and was a writer/producer on Cagney & Lacey. She died earlier this month at the age of 79.

Mick Ralphs was the guitarist for Bad Company and wrote the songs “Ready For Love” and “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad.” He was also the guitarist for Mott the Hoople (“All the Young Dudes”). He died Monday at the age of 81.

Lynn Hamilton was a regular on The Waltons, Generations, and Sanford and Son and appeared in such films as Lady Sings the Blues, The Vanishing, and Legal Eagles. She died last week at the age of 95.

Gailard Sartain was a regular on Hee Haw and appeared in such films as The Buddy Holly Story, Mississippi Burning, Ali, Roadie, and several of the Ernest movies. He died last week at the age of 81.

This Week in History

Jean-Paul Sartre Born (June 21, 1905)

For some reason I always think that the philosopher is a figure from the time of Shakespeare or maybe a contemporary of Arthur Conan Doyle. But he actually died in 1980.

Jack Paar Becomes Host of The Tonight Show (June 24, 1957)

He took over from Steve Allen, and left just two-and-a-half years later. And when I say “left,” I mean he walked off in the middle of a show to protest NBC’s censoring of a joke he wanted to tell the week before. Sidekick Hugh Downs had to take over the rest of the show. (Paar returned three weeks later when NBC let him tell the joke.)

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: “Yacht Club” by George Hughes (June 23, 1962)

There are probably a few dull men in yacht clubs.

National Iced Tea Month/National Iced Coffee Month

On the day I’m typing these words, it’s supposed to hit 100 where I am. That would be insane for August, so it’s certainly insane for June. And some people call this “nice weather.”

It’s the type of weather where there’s no air, you don’t want to turn on your oven, and you don’t want to do anything but sit on your couch in front of a fan and eat Popsicles.

Or drink iced tea and iced coffee. June is National Iced Tea Month, and while National Iced Coffee Month isn’t until July, I thought I’d combine the two this week. Please don’t call the Beverage Police on me.

Here’s a recipe for The Very Best Iced Tea, and here’s one for Southern Sweet Tea from The Kitchn. It’s Not Complicated has a recipe for Pineapple Iced Tea, and since I mentioned Bunker Hill above, here’s a recipe for Boston Iced Tea from Allrecipes (it has cranberry juice).

The Pioneer Woman has a recipe for Perfect Iced Coffee, while Overtime Cook has The Best Slushy Iced Coffee. There’s chocolate pudding mix in it.

I think I got through this week’s column without using a semicolon.

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

Wimbledon (June 30)

It’s officially called the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, but if you do call it Wimbledon, don’t call it Wimbleton. ESPN will have live coverage and Tennis Channel will have matches and highlights every night.

Dog Days of Summer Begin (July 3)

It runs until August 11.