Last week we broke the sad news that co-anglers no longer have a place to call home since Major League Fishing decided to eliminate co-anglers all across their tournament circuits.

Today, I want to talk about a couple of co-anglers I drew out in both the BFL’s and the Toyota Series. Like anything else, you can get a good one or a bad one depending on the co-angler you draw.

I can honestly say that most of the co-anglers I drew over time were great people. Not always good anglers, but 90 percent were really good folks who I have become friends with.

Then there are co-anglers I wish had never gotten into my boat! Let’s focus on those. The first one that comes to mind was a gentleman who was paired up with me years ago on Sam Rayburn.

While I try not to judge people (until I see them) this was one angler who was not the picture of health and was not looking to be on the front cover of GQ magazine.

This guy weighed 350 pounds plus, if he weighed an ounce. He had all kinds of health issues and notified me that he had major lower back issues while we waited for take-off on Day 1 of the tournament. He told me he needed surgery and was just putting it off.

One hour into the tournament I needed to make a long run up the lake to a group of fish I had found in practice. The problem was that the wind was blowing out of the north at 20 miles per hour. If you know Sam Rayburn, that means a rough ride!

As I headed across the lake in three-foot rollers, my co-angler, through high-pitched moaning and groaning, decided he could not make that kind of run. I then shut down the boat and told him he had two choices, either suck it up and make the run or I could drop him off back at the boat ramp and he could go home.

Before you think I’m being a little insensitive, the problem with this situation is that there’s a tournament rule that states an angler cannot handicap another angler in the boat. He was penalizing me by not allowing me to run the lake like I needed to in order to compete.

After a short phone call to the tournament director, the decision was made for me to drop him off at the ramp. While I really hated this, because I never had to kick anyone out of my boat before, it was obvious that he was in no kind of physical shape to be fishing bass tournaments.

My next bad co-angler was a gentleman who I was paired with on Day 2 of the National Championship on Red River. The Red River has been very good to me over the years, and I was actually in position to win this event, sitting in the top 5 after Day 1.

The co-angler I drew was from Tennessee and had at least 15 cups of coffee before he got into my boat that morning. This guy was so wound up and excited to fish on Day 2 but had never done that well in tournaments before.

He literally walked so much on the back deck of my boat that I thought he was going to wear a hole in my carpet. It only got worse after we left the dock that morning. My first stop was on the main river in a spot where I had caught at least a three-pounder three days in a row.

Let me back up and explain a rule that existed in this event. The rule stated that at no time may a co-angler make a cast in front of the boat or past the pro/boater during the tournament without permission from the pro/boater.

So now that you know the rule, the rest of this will make total sense to you. As I fished my first spot and caught the three-pounder, my co-angler decided he would throw past the front of the boat into the exact spot!

As I was putting the fish in my live well, I noticed him set the hook and pull a four-pound bass off the spot I was fishing. The only way he could fish this spot was to throw past the front of the boat, which was a rules violation.

Being the nice guy that I am, while fuming, I reminded him of the rule and requested he not do that again. He apologized profusely and said he wouldn’t do it again. So, I forgave and forgot and moved on to my next spot just off the main river.

When we arrived, after making three casts, I caught another quality bass on a spinnerbait going down the backside of a rock jetty. While I was boating this fish, my co-angler decided to make a cast past the front of the boat — AGAIN! He caught another bass that was a keeper.

Trying to be nice, I once more reminded him of the rule. The problem was that he was working off a caffeine high and was totally out of control with his actions and his emotions.

Then it all came to a head about 15 minutes later when I hooked another good fish on a Texas rigged worm and as I was fighting this bass, I noticed him throw a bait past my head and in front of the boat! At this point, I’m done with this idiot who obviously could care less about the rules, so I took things into my own hands…literally!

While fighting my fish, I simply reached up, grabbed his fishing line, and bit it in half, which cost him his favorite crankbait! He exploded and could not believe that I actually did that. I looked at him while putting my fish in the live well and in a very calm voice I told him that he had two choices.

“You can keep throwing in front of the boat if you want, but understand this, I will not sign your weigh slip at the weigh-in which means you’ll be disqualified from the tournament. Or you can quit casting past the front of the boat the rest of the day. Your choice, Slick!”

Let’s just say the last four hours of this event were extremely quiet, and he did not speak five words the rest of the day. I guess some guys are just slow learners and have no regards for the rules. But I was more disappointed when I didn’t get a Christmas card from him.

Despite these two bad apples, I have overwhelmingly enjoyed the vast majority of my co-anglers. The old BFL format will be missed now that it’s a team trail and will leave a void in the sport especially for the weekend warrior.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Some of us are exhausted because we are doing chores for a dead duck.

Stay with me. This is a spiritual problem, although a shovel might have helped initially.

Arron Chambers, in Remember Who You Are, retells a story from Richard Hoeffer’s Will Daylight Come? about a boy named Johnny who received his first slingshot while visiting his grandparents.

Johnny practiced in the woods without hitting anything. Trees were safe. Squirrels relaxed. The entire woodland community lowered its threat level. Then he returned to the backyard, spotted Grandma’s pet duck, and took an impulsive shot.

For the first time all day, his aim was perfect.

The duck died.

Johnny panicked and hid the evidence in the woodpile. Unfortunately, his sister Sally had witnessed everything. Sally said nothing. That should have worried him.

After lunch, Grandma asked Sally to help wash dishes. Sally announced that Johnny wanted to help instead. Then she whispered three words:

“Remember the duck.”

Johnny washed.

Later, Grandpa offered to take the children fishing, but Grandma needed Sally’s help with supper. Sally graciously volunteered Johnny.

“Remember the duck.”

Sally went fishing. Johnny stayed in the kitchen, discovering that one dead duck could generate a remarkable amount of housework. For several days, Sally enjoyed the benefits of having a brother with a secret. Johnny did his chores and hers.

Finally, he confessed.

Grandma hugged him. She explained that she had seen the whole thing from the window. She loved him and had already forgiven him. She had been wondering how long he would let Sally make a slave of him.

What’s your duck?

An ugly sentence you cannot unsay? A betrayal? A failure your mind replays at two in the morning with the dedication of a cable channel showing the same movie all weekend?

You have confessed it to God. You have asked forgiveness. Perhaps you have begun the difficult work of making things right. Then comes the whisper.

“Remember the duck.”

So you keep paying. You cannot accept a compliment. You distrust joy. You volunteer for everything because somewhere inside you believe exhaustion might qualify as restitution. Surely, if you wash enough dishes, God will finally love you again.

But grace interrupts that bargain.

God’s forgiveness comes to us through Jesus Christ, who knows the whole story and still calls us to come home.

Confession matters. Repentance matters. Repairing the harm we have done matters. But none of those things requires a lifetime sentence in the prison of self-contempt.

There is a difference between taking responsibility and letting shame take possession. The cross tells us that sin is serious. It also tells us how far God’s love will go to rescue sinners.

Perhaps today you need to bring your secret out of the woodpile. Tell God the truth. Seek the help you need. Take the next faithful step.

And when that old whisper returns, remember this:

Grandma had a window.

God has seen the whole thing.

You can quit hiding and come home.

There is grace enough for you—and you might even get to go fishing.

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On October 28, 1886, one of America’s most recognizable landmarks was officially unveiled in New York Harbor. Now, 140 years later, the Statue of Liberty remains an internationally recognized symbol of freedom, democracy and the relationship between the United States and France.

President Grover Cleveland formally dedicated the monument during a ceremony attended by American and French dignitaries. The event marked the completion of a project that had taken years of planning, fundraising, construction and international cooperation.

Originally named “Liberty Enlightening the World,” the statue was a gift from the people of France to the United States, commemorating the friendship established between the two nations during the American Revolution.

The idea for the monument originated with French political thinker and abolitionist Édouard de Laboulaye in 1865. French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was selected to design the statue, while engineer Gustave Eiffel helped develop its internal supporting framework.

Construction began in France in 1875, with the statue completed in 1884. The monument was then disassembled and shipped across the Atlantic Ocean in 1885 before being reconstructed on Bedloe’s Island, now known as Liberty Island.

The statue itself stands approximately 151 feet tall. Including its pedestal, the monument rises more than 305 feet above the ground.

Its exterior consists of copper sheets supported by an internal framework. Although originally copper-colored, the statue gradually developed its familiar green appearance through the natural oxidation of the metal.

The October 28 dedication became a major public celebration despite unfavorable weather conditions.

According to the National Park Service, approximately one million people participated in festivities throughout New York City. A maritime parade featuring roughly 300 vessels traveled through the harbor despite fog and rain that significantly reduced visibility.

The celebration also included New York City’s first ticker-tape parade, establishing a tradition that would later become associated with major sporting victories, national celebrations and visits by prominent public figures.

During the dedication ceremony, Bartholdi unveiled the statue by releasing a French flag covering its face. President Cleveland formally accepted the monument on behalf of the American people.

The ceremony also reflected the social limitations of the period. The New York State Woman Suffrage Association chartered a boat to observe the festivities from the water after women attending without male companions were unable to obtain tickets to the official dedication.

Although the monument was initially intended to celebrate international friendship and liberty, its meaning expanded as millions of immigrants arrived in the United States.

Ellis Island opened as a federal immigration station in 1892, and the nearby Statue of Liberty became a familiar sight for people entering New York Harbor.

The monument’s connection to immigration was further strengthened in 1903 when a plaque featuring Emma Lazarus’ poem “The New Colossus” was installed inside its pedestal.

Over time, the statue became one of the country’s most recognizable cultural images, appearing in photographs, films, television programs, advertisements and countless artistic representations.

Its torch, crown and distinctive silhouette have made it an enduring visual symbol of New York City and the United States.

The monument also experienced several important anniversaries and preservation milestones.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge designated the Statue of Liberty a national monument. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt participated in ceremonies marking its 50th anniversary.

A major restoration project was completed in 1986, allowing the monument to celebrate its centennial with renewed structural and historical significance.

The statue was also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, acknowledging its international cultural importance.

Today, the Statue of Liberty and neighboring Ellis Island remain destinations for visitors interested in American history, immigration and the development of the nation.

October 28 serves as the anniversary of the monument’s formal dedication and a reminder of the international collaboration responsible for its creation.

From its beginnings as a French gift to its place in American popular culture, the Statue of Liberty has remained a defining landmark for 140 years, representing ideals that continue to shape discussions about freedom, opportunity and national identity.

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On April 3, 1783, in the same week that New Yorkers learned of the Treaty of Paris which officially ended the American Revolutionary War, proud parents William and Sarah welcomed a new boy into the world. William was a prosperous merchant who envisioned his son eventually joining the family business. As the boy grew older, however, he became less interested in his schoolwork and more interested in tales of adventure. He was the type of student who got lost in his own imagination when he was supposed to be studying. He longed for an adventure of his own. In 1798, an outbreak of yellow fever provided the boy with an unexpected adventure. To escape the epidemic, his parents sent him and his siblings to Tarrytown, New York, a small rural port town about 25 miles north of Manhattan along the Hudson River. The city boy fell in love with the countryside, especially a nearby Dutch settlement known as Slapershaven. The boy, Geoffrey Crayon, later described the settlement: “Not far from this village, perhaps about two miles, there is a little valley or rather lap of land among high hills, which is one of the quietest places in the whole world. A small brook glides through it, with just murmur enough to lull one to repose; and the occasional whistle of a quail or tapping of a woodpecker is almost the only sound that ever breaks in upon the uniform tranquility.” To Geoffrey, it was paradise.

When the threat of yellow fever subsided, the children returned to Manhattan and resumed their studies. Geoffrey continued to daydream at the expense of his education. More interested in the arts than in business, he dreamed of becoming a writer. In 1802, he began publishing articles about the local social and theater scene in the New York Morning Chronicle, a newspaper edited by his brother. In 1806, he took and barely passed the bar exam, but his passion remained writing. In 1807, he helped create a moderately successful satirical magazine in which he referred to New York City as Gotham more than 130 years before the name became associated with Batman. The War of 1812 was disastrous for many New York merchants, including Geoffrey’s family. In 1815, he traveled to England in an unsuccessful attempt to save the family’s trading company. Rather than returning home, Geoffrey remained in England to pursue his writing career. Although he failed to save the family business, his writing career thrived. His books were well received.

In 1819, Geoffrey began publishing essays and short stories in a collection called The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His thoughts often returned to the little Dutch settlement he had visited as a boy. Slapershaven had made a lasting impression on him, and he used the peaceful community as the setting for one of his most famous stories. Geoffrey eventually returned to the United States and settled near the place that had captured his imagination as a boy. He remained there for the rest of his life. His tale became wildly popular and has never been out of print. It has been adapted for television, films, and other media. So popular was the story that the old Dutch community, originally known as Slapershaven, Dutch for Sleepers’ Harbor, eventually became known by the name in Geoffrey’s book. Geoffrey Crayon was not the name given to him by his parents, it was the pen name of Washington Irving, the author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Happy Halloween!

Sources:

1. Washington Irving, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., 1820.
2. Chicago Tribune, November 30, 1859, p.1.
3. Washington Irving, Salmagundi, New York : R.F.Fenno, 1900, https://archive.org/details/salmagundi00irviiala/page/13/mode/2up.
4. Tarrytown Daily News, December 11, 1996, p.1.

© 2026 Brad Dison. All rights reserved. Remember This? is distributed for licensed publication only.

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Louisiana voters will consider 10 proposed amendments to the state constitution in the Nov. 3, 2026, election, addressing issues ranging from property taxes and gubernatorial term limits to the right to bail and property expropriation.

The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), a nonpartisan educational and research organization, has released its Guide to the Fall 2026 Constitutional Amendments to help voters better understand the proposals before heading to the polls.

For five decades, PAR has provided detailed analysis of proposed constitutional amendments, outlining what each measure would change and presenting arguments from both supporters and opponents.

The guide does not endorse or oppose any of the amendments. Instead, it provides voters with information to help them make their own decisions.

The 10 amendments appearing on the November ballot were approved by lawmakers during the 2025 and 2026 regular legislative sessions. Each proposal received the required two-thirds vote in both the Louisiana House and Senate to advance to voters. A simple majority of votes cast on each amendment is required for its adoption.

The proposed changes address property taxes, the right to bail, gubernatorial term limits, retirement debt, water utility lines and property expropriation rules.

Seven of the 10 proposals would modify Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution, which governs state finances and taxation.

Since Louisiana voters ratified the current constitution in 1974, they have considered 330 proposed amendments, approving 221 of them. The 10 proposals on this fall’s ballot will bring the total number considered to 340.

PAR notes that a constitution is intended to establish the fundamental principles of government, including its structure, powers and citizens’ rights, while statutory laws generally address the details of government operations.

Louisiana’s constitution, however, has continued to expand as lawmakers propose additional provisions, including measures that could otherwise be addressed through state law.

The PAR Guide to the Fall 2026 Constitutional Amendments examines all 10 proposals in the order they will appear on the ballot, providing voters with an opportunity to review the potential changes before Election Day.

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BATON ROUGE, La. – With deer season underway across Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is reminding hunters to review updated bag limits, season dates, and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) regulations before heading into the field.

Louisiana is divided into 10 deer hunting areas, each with its own season dates and harvest limits. Hunters are encouraged to review the regulations specific to the area where they plan to hunt.

One of the primary regulation changes for the 2026-27 hunting season affects Deer Area 1, where hunters may now harvest no more than two antlered deer and no more than five antlerless deer.

The statewide season limit of six deer remains unchanged, although some deer areas have lower bag limits.

To accommodate the varying limits across Louisiana’s deer areas, hunters will receive six deer tags with their licenses. These include one antlered tag, two either-sex tags, and three antlerless tags.

Either-sex tags may be used for antlered or antlerless deer, provided the harvest remains within the limits established for the specific deer area.

Hunters can review season dates, deer area maps, and harvest regulations in the 2026-27 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations.

LDWF is also reminding hunters to familiarize themselves with regulations governing Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zones.

For the current hunting season, baiting and supplemental feeding are permitted within CWD Management Zones through March 31.

However, whether baiting remains permitted in future seasons will depend on sampling results within each management zone.

Each zone must meet a CWD sampling goal of 145 deer while maintaining an apparent CWD prevalence below 2.5%.

If a management zone fails to meet its sampling goal or its apparent CWD prevalence exceeds 2.5%, baiting will be prohibited in that zone during the following hunting season.

LDWF emphasizes that every deer submitted for testing counts toward the sampling goal, making hunter participation an important factor in determining future baiting regulations.

Hunters harvesting deer within CWD Management Zones must also follow restrictions on transporting carcasses and carcass parts outside the designated zones.

Deer carcasses and carcass parts generally cannot be removed from a CWD Management Zone, with certain exceptions.

Permitted items include cut and wrapped or boned-out meat; quarters or other meat portions without any part of the spinal column or head attached; antlers; cleaned skull plates with antlers; cleaned skulls without tissue; capes; tanned hides; finished taxidermy mounts; and cleaned teeth.

Any permitted deer parts transported outside a management zone must be accompanied by a possession tag containing the hunter’s name, address, LDWF license number, parish of harvest, harvest date, and sex of the deer.

Hunters wishing to transport an uncleaned deer head to a Louisiana taxidermist may obtain a waiver from LDWF.

LDWF has also announced changes to CWD sample collection locations following adjustments to management zone boundaries.

Because CWD Management Zones are smaller this season, some previously designated sample drop-off coolers are no longer located within management zones.

Hunters are encouraged to verify current drop-off locations before submitting deer for testing.

Additional sample collection coolers are being installed at Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge in Avoyelles Parish and D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge in Ouachita and Union parishes.

LDWF continues to encourage hunters to participate in CWD testing to help meet sampling goals and support ongoing disease management efforts.

Hunters can find CWD Management Zone maps, sampling locations, transportation restrictions, and additional regulations on the LDWF Chronic Wasting Disease webpage.

Complete hunting season dates, deer area maps, and regulations are available through the LDWF website.

For additional information regarding deer hunting regulations, hunters may contact LDWF Deer Program Manager Brad Kennon at rkennon@wlf.la.gov.

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With so many changes taking place with tournament organizations all across the country, the day of the co-angler has vanished. The days of getting in the boat with a touring pro and learning how to become a better angler are pretty much over.

Many of you are probably wondering, “What’s a co-angler?” A co-angler is usually someone who is in the early stages of learning how to bass fish or does not have the money or the time to dedicate to fishing against other anglers who want to fish the pro side. The co-angler entry fees are usually half of what the pros pay.

Most co-anglers just wanted to be able to get in the boat with what is known as a boater/pro and just go fishing. It was pretty much a cheap guided fishing trip as the boater/pro had total control over the boat and the trolling motor all day.

The co-angler, fishing from the back deck, was there mainly to monitor the boater/pro and make sure nothing was done during the tournament that might be considered dishonest.

In the Major League Fishing BFL and the Toyota Series format, co-anglers competed against other co-anglers and the pros competed against the other pros. It was basically two separate tournaments with two separate divisions.

It’s a sad state of affairs that MLF (Major League Fishing) has decided to eliminate co-anglers from the format they have stood by for over 30 years. They have totally blown up the BFL circuit, which was designed for the working man, by turning it into another team trail (like we needed another team trail).

They have also just announced the end of co-anglers with the Toyota Series which takes away the ability to monitor the pros who will now be fishing solo, opening more opportunities for cheating. They claim they will have cameras or Go Pros in each boat to help monitor each angler all day, but we’ll see how that works out.

And there’s another factor to consider: the cost. For 2027, MLF has increased the Toyota Series pro entry fee from $1,700 to $2,000 per event. That’s a $300 increase per tournament, adding even more financial pressure for anglers trying to compete at that level.

For me, this co-angler issue hits close to home because I started my tournament fishing career as a co-angler back in 2003, competing on the FLW Tour. I’m certainly not alone. Many of today’s top professional anglers started out as co-anglers, including Bryan Thrift, Andy Montgomery and Randall Tharp.

Over time, they switched over to the pro side as they gained more confidence, experience and desire to compete with the best anglers in America.

I came up through that system, and I know firsthand the value of having the opportunity to compete, sharpen my skills, and prepare for the next step.

Back in the early 2000’s, the old FLW BFL’s and the Toyota Series were great training grounds for developing up-and-coming anglers. Now that’s no longer an option for anglers who are looking to learn and improve their skills before moving up to the pro level.

So, what does this mean for the future of tournament bass fishing? While it’s too early to tell, I think it’s obvious that a valuable pathway into the sport has been eliminated, one that allowed co-anglers to learn and get better, while also being affordable for the “working man.”

Now, a lot of co-anglers will be forced to jump over to the pro side or just find a team circuit to fish with a buddy. Either way, MLF (Major League Fishing) is bringing the co-angler era to an end, and the future of tournament bass fishing looks very different than it did just a few years ago.

That’s a tough pill to swallow for those of us who remember what these opportunities meant — and for the anglers who may never get the same chance we had.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Beep. Beep. Beep.

Please pick the beep you like best. You will be hearing it again shortly.

A beep is a short, high-pitched sound intended as a signal, summons, or warning. It also replaces words unsuitable for a family digital publication. For example: “Oh, BEEP! I dropped the hot casserole after taking it out of the microwave when it BEEPED.”

Beep is an example of onomatopoeia. That is a large word describing a small noise that is slowly driving me crazy.

The microwave beeps when the food is ready. Mine continues beeping until I open the door or push stop. Apparently, it fears I will forget the sumptuous frozen dinner it has prepared. Nothing says fine dining like a plastic tray and an appliance demanding that you come get it.

The oven beeps when it reaches the selected temperature. It beeps when the cooking time is nearly over. It beeps when the cooking time is over. Then it beeps until I acknowledge its contribution to the meal. I have known preachers who needed less affirmation.

The house alarm beeps when I turn it on, when I turn it off, and when the power fails. When the power returns, it beeps to tell me the power failed. I know. I was here. The lights went out.

Every button beeps. Then the system beeps to announce that I have thirty seconds to leave the house. Suddenly, I am a contestant on a game show, gathering my keys and trying to escape before the horn announces that I have lost.

Seeking peace, I retreat to the BEEPING car.

My Toyota has a mystery beep. Sometimes I turn off the engine, open the door, and receive a beep of disapproval. I don’t know what I have done. Perhaps I have disappointed it. Perhaps it is saying goodbye. Perhaps somewhere in Japan an engineer is laughing.

The car beeps when I get too close to something, when something gets too close to me, and when I change lanes without signaling. It has become a backseat driver with factory authorization.

It beeps when the gas runs low. At the station, the pump beeps when it accepts my card and again when I select the fuel. I suspect the car and pump are talking about me.

This morning, the car beeped as I got out. The office alarm chimed as I entered. A chime is a beep that attended finishing school. Then my computer beeped about something Microsoft wanted.

Oh, BEEP.

Eventually, we stop listening. We have to. Every machine believes its announcement deserves our immediate attention.

But I wonder whether that habit follows us into our relationships.

Someone starts telling a story we have heard before. A lonely person calls at an inconvenient time. A worried friend needs more reassurance than we think necessary. We hear the first few words and mentally reach for the mute button.

I can confess to occasionally wanting people to come equipped with one.

Jesus heard a great deal of noise, too. Crowds pressed around him. People demanded answers, healing, attention. Yet when blind Bartimaeus cried out and others told him to be quiet, Jesus stopped and called for him.

The crowd heard an interruption. Jesus heard a man.

That gives me something to confess. I can become so occupied with doing the Lord’s work that I resent someone the Lord loves for interrupting it.

Christian love takes shape in these ordinary moments: listening to the story, answering the call, asking one more question—and staying long enough to hear the answer. The person before me bears God’s image and is someone for whom Christ died. That deserves my attention.

Lord, help me recognize the difference between a noise I can ignore and a neighbor I am called to love. Give me the patience to stop, the grace to listen, and a heart willing to be interrupted.

The microwave can wait.

Somebody may need to be heard.

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On October 21, 2015, flying cars were supposed to fill the skies, teenagers were supposed to ride hoverboards, and nobody was supposed to worry about tying their shoes.

At least, that’s what Hollywood told us.

The date became famous thanks to the 1989 movie Back to the Future Part II, when Marty McFly and Doc Brown traveled from 1985 to October 21, 2015, in a time-traveling DeLorean. The movie imagined a future filled with extraordinary technology, strange fashion choices and inventions that seemed almost impossible at the time.

Now, on October 21, 2026, we’re 11 years beyond the future Hollywood imagined. And while some predictions were surprisingly accurate, others missed the mark completely.

For starters, where are the flying cars?

In the movie, ordinary automobiles had been converted into flying machines, allowing drivers to soar above traffic instead of sitting in it. Anyone who has spent time waiting at a railroad crossing or sitting behind a slow-moving vehicle on a two-lane Louisiana highway can probably appreciate that particular invention. Unfortunately, flying cars haven’t become an everyday transportation option.

Then there were hoverboards.

Marty famously escaped a group of bullies on a floating skateboard that glided above the pavement without wheels. The real world eventually introduced devices marketed as hoverboards, but most were simply two-wheeled, self-balancing scooters. Engineers have demonstrated actual hovering prototypes, though nothing approaching the convenient transportation imagined in the movie.

Self-lacing shoes were another memorable prediction.

Nike eventually developed shoes with automatic lacing technology, proving that at least one of Hollywood’s stranger ideas could become reality. But the movie also predicted several technologies that now seem completely ordinary.

Video calling was a major feature of the fictional 2015. Today, people routinely use FaceTime, Zoom and other video communication services to talk with family, attend meetings and conduct business. Large, flat-screen televisions appeared throughout the movie, along with voice-controlled technology and fingerprint identification systems. All three have become familiar parts of modern life.

Perhaps the funniest prediction involved fax machines.

The filmmakers imagined a future where fax machines were everywhere, even delivering personal messages inside people’s homes. Instead, smartphones, email and internet messaging largely replaced the technology. And speaking of smartphones, the movie somehow overlooked what would become one of the most influential inventions of modern life.

Marty’s futuristic world had flying vehicles, holographic advertisements and automated clothing, but nobody was walking around staring at a tiny computer in their hand. The filmmakers also imagined a 2015 filled with unusual clothing, including jackets that automatically adjusted their size and dried themselves. That particular invention might still be useful during a humid Louisiana summer.

The movie’s predictions were never intended to be a serious scientific forecast. They were an entertaining interpretation of what life might look like three decades into the future. Yet the comparison raises an interesting question.

In 1989, the idea of carrying a device capable of instantly accessing nearly all the world’s information, taking photographs, navigating highways and communicating with someone across the planet might have sounded just as ridiculous as a flying DeLorean. Today, that device is probably sitting in your pocket.

So, as October 21 rolls around again, it’s worth remembering that the future rarely looks exactly the way we imagine. We may not have flying cars or real hoverboards parked in our garages, but we have technology that would have seemed extraordinary just a few decades ago. And somehow, despite all that progress, we still haven’t figured out how to avoid getting stuck behind a tractor on a country road.

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For nearly a century and a half, Quaker Oats has been a breakfast staple. I remember being excited to eat oatmeal because we would eventually work our way down to the prize inside the cylindrical cardboard container, which was usually a plastic cup or tumbler. It was a clever bit of advertising.  In the 1960s, the Quaker Oats Company was looking to expand into the candy market. Quaker habitually spent millions of dollars advertising its products in newspapers, magazines, and television commercials, but the advertising team knew they had to come up with a unique way to showcase their new product line in addition to their normal advertising campaigns. It had to be big, but what? Numerous ideas were discussed and discarded. They eventually settled on an idea they kept coming back to. They decided to fund the production of a film in which their candy would be the focus. The name of the candy line would even be in the title of the film.

But there was one huge problem. The ad men had set into motion an advertising campaign before they had a product. As newspapers announced the upcoming film and candy line, the research and development team struggled to create a candy that they thought had the perfect combination of texture and taste to beat its rivals. Once they settled on the recipe, the company had to build the machinery to produce the candy in large quantities. It was a race to the finish. Quaker wanted its candy to be on grocery store shelves when the film came out to maximize sales, but it was not to be. When the film debuted on June 30, 1971, Quaker had only a fraction of the candy it had hoped to produce, and what little was available went to specialty shops rather than grocery stores.

Quaker spent an estimated $3 million on the film, and it was a moderate box office success. Quaker expected the film to eventually fade into oblivion, but it is now revered as a classic. It has spawned two feature films, an animated version, stage musicals, theatrical adaptations, and theme park rides. It has become a profitable franchise.  However, the candy the film was made to showcase fared far worse. Quaker Oats president Robert D. Stuart, Jr. announced that the “costs of introducing the [candy] line have had an adverse effect on Quaker’s profits.” The candy sold well, but not well enough. In December 1972, Quaker sold the candy line it had spent millions of dollars to create. A series of companies bought and sold the candy line because, like Quaker, they were unable to make it profitable, or at least profitable enough. Last month, the candy line’s current owner, Ferrero, announced that it was reviving the recently acquired candy line in a limited edition. Ferrero announced, “we’re inviting the young at heart to experience the imagination and unexpected delights that have made the brand so beloved, reimagined through a collection of delicious new treats. And who knows? You might be the next Golden Ticket winner.”  The film the Quaker Oats Company funded to advertise its failed candy line, the Willy Wonka candy line, was called Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

Sources:

1.     The Los Angeles Times, April 18, 1971, p.610.

2.     The Cleveland Press, July 21, 1971, p.61.

3.     The Journal Times (Racine, Wisconsin), December 29, 1972, p.20.

4.     “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” IMDb.com, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_willy%20wonka.

5.     “The Wait is Over: A New Chapter of the Wonderful World of Wonka Arrives,” September 22, 2026, Ferrero, https://www.ferrero.com/us/en/news-stories/news/a-new-chapter-of-the-wonderful-world-of-wonka-arrives.

© 2026 Brad Dison. All rights reserved. Remember This? is distributed for licensed publication only.

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