Jogjakarta, Indonesia

You might think you are in Indonesia, but you are really in the Pokémon Universe. Meet Pikachu. Put him together with Hello Kitty, and you've got the two most famous icons of Japanese pop culture. Can you believe Pikachu is already 25 years old? [2016]

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Pedal on, and take a friend with you. The world awaits. Visit as many countries as you can, meet as many people as you can, have as many experiences as you can. And, oh yes, don't forget to occasionally "phone home." Happy Birthday! [2022]

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Whether you consider it litter or glitter, the red plastic Solo cup has found a secure niche in celebratory culture everywhere. Yet, it comes as a shock when you see something so ordinary and unappreciated glorified in public art. Solo suggests one use, and it was originally applied to its paper predecessors. [2021]

New York New York, USA

Banksy, the world's foremost graffiti artist, still lives in the shadows of the pop-art underworld. Geographically Yours could not pass up a chance to see a curated collection of his art (unauthorized, 'vandalous,' photographic). In 2008, London's CCTV mural appeared and disappeared almost instantaneously. But, apparently, more than my photograph survives. [2022]

Warsaw, Virginia, USA

Could this be the second time in a row for the Grinch to steal Christmas. Last year Covid forced us to celebrate a low-octane holiday. This year clogged ports may prevent Santa from delivering the presents you want. You're a mean one Mr. Grinch. Maybe next year, the enchanted forest will keep you penned up in that tree. [2021]

Warsaw, Virginia, USA

You can find "Tom Rhodes Tree Carving Trail" on Google Maps, but you won't find even a single sign pointing the way when you get to Warsaw. Let's hope it stays that way. Signs will only bulk up the crowds (currently there are none) and tamp down the sense of adventure that comes with discovering a world of cartoon characters haunting a lonesome woods. [2021]

Warsaw, Virginia, USA

Here are just a few of Minnie's friends, each with a tree of their own. But, they are all within shouting distance of each other, though Sponge Bob seems to think his voice needs help from a microphone. Can you name the others? If you love pop culture icons, visit Warsaw yourself and see how many of the scores of characters you recognize. [2021]

Warsaw, Virginia, USA

Minnie Mouse loves being in the spotlight, especially when the stage is an enchanted forest where she has many friends to wish her a happy birthday. And, although, Minnie's birthday is not until November, today is the sixth anniversary of somebody's entry onto the stage of life. [2021]

Moorefield, West Virginia, USA

 

"Supporting every thin line": It started with the "thin blue line" to honor the police. It then morphed into other thin lines: The thin red line honors firefighters; the thin silver line honors corrections officers; the thin yellow line honors emergency dispatchers; and the thin green line honors the military and conservation officials. Neat! [2021]

Unger, West Virginia, USA

They seem to be waiting for Yogi to appear from around the corner. Yogi's sidekick desperately wants to hear that greeting: 'Hey there, Boo-Boo.' Cindy Bear is trying to figure out how to tell Yogi why she doesn't have the pic-a-nick basket ready for a deep dive. And, Mr. Ranger, sir, has a few issues he needs to discuss with Yogi. [2021]

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Finding maps on the landscape can become an elixer. When you find one, it not only makes you happier, it also re-frames the world: "Australia: No Longer Down Under." This map, in various forms, became a part of Australian pop culture in the late 20th century. [1988]

Bangkok, Thailand

What sayeth Mickey with arms wide open? "Happy Birthday" to anyone and everyone who is celebrating a birthday today. It is time to reach out and hug someone. Even Daikin the water drop thinks that would be cool. [2016]

Sturgis, Michigan, USA

E.T. was one of the most popular movies of the late 20th century, and its impact on popular culture has continued. Here, Elliot and E.T. have re-appeared on main street. Can't you just see them circled by the moon as they pedal across the night sky? Did E.T. win the Best Picture Oscar in 1983, however? Of course not. [2018]

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Did Harry Connick, Jr. (see him?) get it right?  "New Orleans lives by the water and fights it, a sand castle set on a sponge nine feet below sea level where people made music from heartache, named their drinks for hurricanes and joked that one day you'd be able to tour the city by gondola." [2018]

Grandy, North Carolina, USA

Maybe you don't want a chair this size or this color, but you might want to buy one that is porch-size and pastel. Adirondack chairs have become one of the fashion trends of the 21st century. Let's see how long the fad lasts. What the rocking chair was to a previous era, the Adirondack chair may be to the present. [2018]

Singapore, Republic of Singapore

They are waving at you, so wave back! Popular culture rolls across the landscape in waves. The Hello Kitty wave began in Japan and crested globally in the 1990s. But, the knock-offs (like these) continued. What makes a frowning cat so appealing? Maybe the wave. [2011]

Twin Falls, Idaho, USA

Futurist Alvin Toffler points out the downside: "Overchoice takes place when the advantages of diversity and individualization are canceled by the complexity of the buyer's decision-making process." Psychologist Henry David Thoreau offers a remedy: "Our life is frittered away by detail. . . simplify, simplify." Yes, psychologist. [2003]

Toledo, Illinois, USA

The low-sun season is here. For humans, it's SAD because it brings on seasonal affective disorder. But for snowmen (and, presumably, ersatz snowmen), the lower the sun on the horizon and the shorter the days, the more they smile. How many different uses can you think of for old tires? [2017]

Riga, Latvia

Every year, about this time, the Library of Congress adds another 25 films to the National Film Registry. It includes the most culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant films of all time. Guess what 1997 film, popular all over the world, was just added to the list. [2003]

Mobile, Alabama, USA

What are you doing to celebrate National Pumpkin Day? Probably having pumpkin spice latte or tea or pancakes or marshmallows or yogurt or cereal or pretzels or ice cream or Little Debbies's. By proclamation of the New York Times, "Pumpkin spice is America." This ersatz gourd saw the evil coming a decade ago. [2005]