"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
I remember 13 channels, and only 7 of them had stations. And I was in the L.A. area. We also had 28 (PBS) and 50something with the Reverend Gene Scott and maybe sometimes a Godzilla movie. And along about '77 some porno channel where if you tuned it just right you could catch glimpses.
We had a few UHF stations, barely readable, out of Canada. But we could listen to their soundtracks on commercial FM radio. Quite odd. But we had a local station, several Canuck stations, and a couple out of Seattle (those required careful antenna adjustments for a good signal).
And we were so close to Canada that the local TV station was actually purchased to avoid obnoxious Canadian regulations by broadcasting from the USA. Although I must note that the first nude scene I ever saw on TV was on a Canadian station; the CBC had odd standards.
I laughed through all of these (thanks, I really did need a laugh, even on a Sunday morning), but the best was when I followed the link on "When Stores Meet" to the "When Fast Food Restaurants Meet" which was even funnier. I need to visit YouTube more.
I wasn't familiar with Buc-ee's. Sounds like it's similar to the WaWa stores I used to see in Virginia - gigantic convenience stores selling gas, food, clothes, toys, and on and on.
I'll bet WaWa's doesn't sell tie dye t-shirts with Buc-ee, the adorable, fun beaver on the front.
Buc-ee's was the first store to increase employee wages past $10.00 per hour, a few years ago. I don't remember the exact amount, but at one point it started at over $13.
Back when it was 13 channels (why no channel 1?), we had 2 each of the networks, one from NYC one from Albany, it was kind of cool. 4 different football games a Sunday. Back when I watched football.
I remember the dial with 13 channels. I, too, wondered why there was no channel 1, and what was that mysterious "U" channel? I don't believe we were in reach of a UHF station when I was a kid, or, at least, I had never heard of such a thing.
Did they make you hold the antenna a certain way so they could get good reception from one of the more remote stations?
Duh, of course they did. Then we got cable, the same 12 channels but clear, and 64, the local weird channel with stuff from NYC and NJ public access and local folks. Then we got Channel Z, which turned into HBO.
When I was a kid, we could get ABC (ch.7), NBC (ch.2), and CBS (ch.10) with a big antenna about 40-50 feet in the air. But, the ABC station was in a different direction from the other two, so we had to have an antenna rotor, to turn the antenna. We felt lucky to get even that much!
I remember that "real people " ad. I thought yeah, right, especially when they all gathered around in admiration of that ugly little pos.
ReplyDeleteThen again, they look like they're all from Brooklyn and never owned a car in their lives.
I remember 13 channels, and only 7 of them had stations. And I was in the L.A. area. We also had 28 (PBS) and 50something with the Reverend Gene Scott and maybe sometimes a Godzilla movie. And along about '77 some porno channel where if you tuned it just right you could catch glimpses.
ReplyDeleteI attribute that upbringing to my present state.
ReplyDeleteWe had a few UHF stations, barely readable, out of Canada. But we could listen to their soundtracks on commercial FM radio. Quite odd. But we had a local station, several Canuck stations, and a couple out of Seattle (those required careful antenna adjustments for a good signal).
ReplyDeleteAnd we were so close to Canada that the local TV station was actually purchased to avoid obnoxious Canadian regulations by broadcasting from the USA. Although I must note that the first nude scene I ever saw on TV was on a Canadian station; the CBC had odd standards.
And, for the record, I’ve always wondered about paper versus rock.
ReplyDeleteI laughed through all of these (thanks, I really did need a laugh, even on a Sunday morning), but the best was when I followed the link on "When Stores Meet" to the "When Fast Food Restaurants Meet" which was even funnier. I need to visit YouTube more.
ReplyDeleteRebecca: Yeah, that guy's got this stuff down.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't familiar with Buc-ee's. Sounds like it's similar to the WaWa stores I used to see in Virginia - gigantic convenience stores selling gas, food, clothes, toys, and on and on.
I'll bet WaWa's doesn't sell tie dye t-shirts with Buc-ee, the adorable, fun beaver on the front.
DeleteBuc-ee's was the first store to increase employee wages past $10.00 per hour, a few years ago. I don't remember the exact amount, but at one point it started at over $13.
Your blog is funny. Will be stopping by again
ReplyDeleteVoter Mom: Welcome! Drop by anytime.
ReplyDeleteBack when it was 13 channels (why no channel 1?), we had 2 each of the networks, one from NYC one from Albany, it was kind of cool. 4 different football games a Sunday.
ReplyDeleteBack when I watched football.
Being the youngest, I was the remote.
I remember the dial with 13 channels. I, too, wondered why there was no channel 1, and what was that mysterious "U" channel? I don't believe we were in reach of a UHF station when I was a kid, or, at least, I had never heard of such a thing.
ReplyDeleteDid they make you hold the antenna a certain way so they could get good reception from one of the more remote stations?
No triskaidekaphobia? Guess everyone was preoccupied with polio, mumps, and chicken pox.
DeleteDuh, of course they did.
ReplyDeleteThen we got cable, the same 12 channels but clear, and 64, the local weird channel with stuff from NYC and NJ public access and local folks.
Then we got Channel Z, which turned into HBO.
When I was a kid, we could get ABC (ch.7), NBC (ch.2), and CBS (ch.10) with a big antenna about 40-50 feet in the air. But, the ABC station was in a different direction from the other two, so we had to have an antenna rotor, to turn the antenna. We felt lucky to get even that much!
ReplyDelete