We called them beanie flips and with practice using those little brown stones from the alleyway gravel we could sometimes knock a sparrow off the phone lines. We used cut up inner tubes. I made a sling like David killed Goliath with and the first time I flung a stone it hit a neighbors car so I put that sling in another neighbors trash can and found something else to do. My buddies thought it was pretty neat though.
Small independent burger/hot dog joints, usually close to the local high school, were all the boppers and cool cats hung out(in the little town of Buda, Tx it was 'Flo's Dog House'). If it was close to a college, then it would be an expresso/coffee joint for the beatniks and older cool cats(remember the song 'Sugar Shack?') Jason
The soda fountain at Backus' drug store with the remote jukebox thingies at each booth playing "I tawt I taw a puddy tat" for a nickel. Speaking of which. What happened to those quirky novelty songs that used to sweep the nation? Purple People Eater, Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Please Mr. Custer I Don't Wanna Go, The Monster Mash, Does Your Chewing Gum Loose It's Flavor On The Bed Post Overnight. Ah, I get it now, not enough room on a iPod for those long titles.
Clear Channel is what happened. They bought up the radio stations and removed the talent, reads DJ's, that had a connection to the music. Then they hired some guy to sit in an office and program those 100's of stations so they all play the same songs over an over again. Long live the left side of the dial and stations like WXPN in Philly that still have real DJ's that have a connection to the music and to the people that listen. Do yourself a favor and turn that dial from Jack FM to the left side of the dial and look for real radio in your city... Support Local Bands too.. </soapbox>
I had a home made crystal radio, when I was seven! My dad, who was a high rigger, put my antenna waaay up in an oak tree in our yard. Listened to it every night. Dave
If you can remember Saturday morning cartoons when the "Wonder Twins" activiated the Wonder Twin Powers
I'll audit this thread at some point, to see if I have anything useful or fun to add. Having just read the first page or two of posts: I'm busted, definitely older than dirt! perhaps: Reading roadside BurmaShave ads on the way to Grandpa's house
And listening to Weekend Monitor with Fibber McGee, Amos n' Andy and etc. Sweltering in the back seat with all the windows up except the two wing windows and seeing the occasional car go by with a swamp cooler hanging from the window begging dad to get one of those not know who nasty they could be.