This Day in Rock History - Dec. 5th
- Details
- Category: Music
Rock Birthdays today:
1932: Little Richard
1938: J.J. Cale
1943: Mike Smith (Dave Clark Five)
1946: Andy Kim
1947: Jim Messina
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Welcome to Boomtown America. The only place on the web designed by and for Baby Boomers and ALL our passions and interests.
Our music mix is unique. It was created by radio professionals who went beyond a 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s “oldies” mentality. We have created nothing less than a mix of ROCK & ROLL’S GREATEST HITS – everything from the dawn of rock right up through today!
Our Challenge to You: Listen when you’re working or relaxing. Take a couple of days to experience the incredible depth and variety of music we offer. If you like what you hear (and we know that you will), PLAY IT FORWARD!
Invite 2 of your friends or family members to give it a listen in the same way. Spread the word. The Baby Boomers have a home on the Internet – Boomtown America!
Rock Birthdays today:
1932: Little Richard
1938: J.J. Cale
1943: Mike Smith (Dave Clark Five)
1946: Andy Kim
1947: Jim Messina
You know the situation. You’re calmly surfing the web on your PC or laptop when all of a sudden a big pop-up window appears and a loud voice comes over your speakers warning you that your computer is dangerously infected with a virus or malware. There is just one problem…
Real anti-virus/anti-malware programs do not operate like this. They do not take over your computer with loud voices or screens you cannot close.
Your computer IS in danger – but from the source of the pop-up.
If you get one of these pop-up warnings, here are some steps to remember:
1.) Do NOT click anywhere on the pop-up window
2.) Do NOT take any action the pop-up window is urging you to take (like call a toll-free number)
3.) If possible, immediately closer your web browser.
4.) If that’s not possible, reboot your computer immediately
5.) If all that fails, get your computer to an authorized repair center as soon as possible.
The Hudsucker Proxy notwithstanding, the modern hula hoop was really invented by two guys named “Spud” Mellin and Richard Kerr. They got the idea from “exercise 
hoops” that were being successfully marketed in Australia. Only Kerr and Mellin designed their plastic hoop as a children’s toy.
Back in 1948, the two Californians had started a company they called Wham-O to market a power slingshot they invented. A few years after that, they bought an idea from Fred Morrison for a flying disc. Fred had been inspired by construction workers who were tossing pie tins during their lunch hour. The pies (and the tins) came from the Frisbee Pie Company (but that’s a story for another day).
By 1958, sales of the slingshot were flat and the Frisbee just wasn’t taking off (no pun intended). So the boys took their hoop and joined it with the word “hula” (important as Hawaii was in the news often as it embarked on a campaign to become an official state of the union).
Within the first four months the Hula Hoop was on the market, sales had exploded! Twenty-five million hoops were sold in that short time frame. In two years, 100,000,000 had been sold and Wham-O was on its way to becoming a permanent part of American pop culture.
By 1967, sales of the hoops had fallen off. What did Wham-O do? They put 6 small ball bearings inside and faster than you could say “wham-o,” the Shoop Shoop Hula Hoop reignited the fad all over again.
Since then, the hoops have remained a consistent part of our pop culture scene, being used by kids, exercising adults, dancers at rock concerts, circus performers and more!
As we age, most people know that our sight and our hearing deteriorate. What most don’t know is that our other 3 senses (smell, taste and touch) can also diminish.
Here’s some practical tips for keeping your senses sharp.
Sight: Exercise (helps blood flow to your eyes) and a good amount of sleep
Hearing: Wear ear plugs around loud noises (lawnmower, power tools, etc.), watch your weight (lower blood pressure helps keep the cells in your ears healthy)
Smell: Exercise, avoid strong aromas and even spending time smell familiar aromas can help maintain your sense of smell
Taste: Maintain good dietary health (blood sugar, etc.) and experience more complex and intense flavors when eating
Touch: Exercise and practice touching and being touched (hugs, pet the dog or cat, schedule a massage, etc.)
Or How “the Most Brutal, Ugly, Degenerate, Vicious Form of Expression” Beat Frank Sinatra
Nearly 60 years ago, Frank Sinatra announced the launch of his own record label, Reprise Records. In fact, it was his position as CEO of Reprise that earned him his enduring nickname as “Chairman of the Board.” Now Ol’ Blue Eyes was no fan of rock music back in the day. He told a French magazine: “My only deep sorrow is the unrelenting insistence of recording and motion picture companies upon purveying the most brutal, ugly, degenerate, vicious form of expression it has been my displeasure to hear—naturally I refer to the bulk of rock ‘n’ roll.”
Not content to stop there, Frank added, “It fosters almost totally negative and destructive reactions in young people. It smells phony and false. It is sung, played and written for the most part by cretinous goons and by means of its almost imbecilic reiterations and sly, lewd—in plain fact dirty—lyrics, and as I said before, it manages to be the martial music of every sideburned delinquent on the face of the earth.”
by Allen B. Ury
There are two kinds of TV series. I'm not talking about "drama" vs. "comedy." Or "prestige" vs. "popular." Or even "good" vs. "crap." I'm talking about "Teflon" vs. "sticky."
Teflon series are those you watch -- and may even enjoy -- but their impact slides away like eggs off a greased skillet. Some Teflon series are highly rated. Some Teflon series even win prestigious awards. But in the end, Teflon series tend to fade into obscurity like some exotic avian species, what minor fossils they leave behind to be carefully picked over, studied and debated by small cadres of dedicated media historians, but otherwise forgotten by later generations.
And then there are "sticky" series. Sticky -- in the modern marketing vernacular -- refers to ideas or concepts that not only tap into the current cultural zeitgeist, but have true staying power. Many "sticky" TV series are low-rated. Some last only a few seasons. They may even be critical pariahs. But, even in cancellation, they refuse to go away. They become part of us. Part of our cultural DNA. And thus part of our shared memories. (As well as topics for endless Internet click-bait articles.)
The Baby Boomer era for popular culture -- roughly 1950-1975 -- was rife with both Teflon and sticky TV series. This was the era that critics called both "TV's Golden Age" and "a vast wasteland." It produced series that, at the time, won critical plaudits but which today are all but forgotten. (This is particularly true of 1950s era dramatic anthology series like Playhouse 90 and Studio One, prestige programs that were broadcast live and thus never syndicated.) It also produced shows that were critically reviled yet are still held warmly in the hearts of aging Boomers (e.g. My Favorite Martian, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Brady Bunch, Hogan's Heroes, etc.)
Here’s my list of the Top 10 TV Shows for Baby Boomers. Presented in chronological order, the list represents what I believe are the "stickiest" shows from this 25-year period. Like all lists, it's woefully incomplete and probably not reflective of everyone's tastes. But I suspect you'll find several of your favorites in this collection. And some wonderful memories as well.
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