50 Years Ago Today: You could buy an RCA 20′ Lowboy console color TV for $359.00 at Highland Appliance. By the 1966-67 season, all three major US networks had converted their prime time schedules to color and a majority of sets sold in ’69 were color. Interestingly, ABC and CBS didn’t convert their daytime broadcasts until later. Wonder what $359 would cost in todays dollars? Roughly $2440.00.
We are getting to the age where more and more of our friends are becoming “bionic”. Conversations among us baby boomers inevitably include organ recitals about what hurts and what we’re doing about it. The FDA’s Scott Gottlieb wrote that “2018 was a record year of approvals of novel medical devices for our agency; supported by new policies, processes and programs we’ve implemented over recent years to help efficiently promote safe and effective innovation in medical device development.” The debate about quantity vs quality is something those of us who have said goodbye to aging parents wrestle with. Many have bodies that are outlasting their cognitive capabilities. With an Alzheimers vaccine inching closer to reality, are our lifespans still increasing? Isaac Azimov wrote about what the world would be like if we counted our time on this mortal coil in decades instead of years. How long will we live in 2069? Here’s some speculation.
Quick Takes:
Need a Power Nap? “A nap on every corner.” You know about AirBnB. Did you know you there’s a business model for nappers just like it? Since its 2015 founding, Recharge.co says it’s had 50,000 bookings with an average stay of two hours. It’s also scored $10 million in funding. (Via Morning Brew)
Facebook is giving some power back to its users — but very slowly. (The Verge)
A new comedy about a “badly behaved” Hollywood film mogul, inspired by Harvey Weinstein, “might upset people” but “something does everyday”, says actor John Malkovich, who stars in the play. (BBC2)
Keith Richards on the Rolling Stones’ studio plans and why they still tour. The “oldest working guy in show biz”… Wait, that’s gotta be Tony Bennett 🙂
This man is responsible for over 1/3 of the edits to Wikipedia. #Influencer? You bet. (Via CBS News)
Once nearly eradicated, measles has made a comeback in the “anti vaxx” age.
We used to think that cable TV was cutting edge. Now it’s “old school”. Here are HBO plans to compete in a streaming world. (Vanity Fair)
Overdoing it on Screen Time? The latest iPhone gives me a weekly report on how much time I’m spending looking at its screen. For those of you addicted to your devices, here are some sunglasses that filter them out.
With Samsung talking about 8k TVs, we asked Quora “How much resolution is enough?
Shop talk: “Resilience” is the key to sustainable success in any business. Here’s Fred Jacobs’ take on how it is Radio’s competitive edge.
Today in History:
1959, Walt Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” released.
1961, Bob Dylan met his idol Woody Guthrie when Guthrie was on weekend release from hospital where he was being treated for Huntington’s Chorea. Dylan told him; ‘I was a Woody Guthrie jukebox’. Guthrie gave Dylan a card which said: ‘I ain’t dead yet’.
1964, “Dr Strangelove“, directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Peter Sellers and George C. Scott, premieres.
1976, Bombs set off in London’s West End by the IRA; 1 person is injured.
1979, Emerson, Lake & Palmer disband after 10 years together.
Happy Birthday to: W C Fields, 1880 (d. 1946); John Raitt, 1917 (d. 2005); James Jamerson (Funk Brothers), 1938 (d. 1983); Katharine Ross (Actress), 1940; Tom Selleck, 1945; David Byron (Uriah Heep), 1947 (d. 1985); Louie Perez (Los Lobos), 1953; Oprah Winfrey, 1954
Much More Music:
Apropos for today. Manfred Mann’s tome about Quinn The Eskimo. Manfred was the keyboard player for whom the original band was named. Their hits also included “Do Wah Diddy Diddy“, “Pretty Flamingo“. Mann reinvented himself as Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in the 1970s. Their biggest success was “Blinded by the Light“, with lyrics that still confuse us all. (Video)
Having trouble getting rolling this morning? Perhaps this novelty tune can help. “Rip Van Winkle” was released by the Devotions in 1961. It didn’t become major hit until two years later. No telling who influenced who, but it is one of the tunes that features a speeded up voice, ala David Seville and the Chipmunks and Sheb Wolley. Extra credit if you remembered Sheb’s one hit, “Purple People Eater”. (Video)
As noted above, Emerson, Lake & Palmer disband after 10 years together on this date 49 years ago. When Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer threw in together, they were considered one of the “Supergroups” of the 1970s. The band had nine RIAA-certified gold record albums and an estimated 48 million records sold worldwide. Let’s take it “From The Beginning”. (Video)
Today’s Quote Worth Re-Quoting: “A kiss that is never tasted, is forever and ever wasted.” ~Billie Holiday
In the run-up to the Super Bowl, some of the commercials are starting to leak out. We leave you with a brilliant bit of pop culture fun. Sarah Jessica Parker And Jeff Bridges return is their iconic characters, Carrie Bradshaw (Sex in the City) meets The Dude (The Big Lebowski) in an ad for Stella Artois. Stella is supporting Water.org and Matt Damon convinced the two to sign on.
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