tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post1756811617942018972..comments2023-12-29T18:28:48.155-08:00Comments on Chimaera Contemplations: Thoughts on WafergateLauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00682513110485580000noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post-62778965919744992672008-07-17T08:47:00.000-07:002008-07-17T08:47:00.000-07:00Yes, the national anthem. Folk singer Dean Friedm...Yes, the national anthem. Folk singer Dean Friedman has a song called "Ariel" that refers to that:<BR/><I>«<BR/>We sat and we talked into the night<BR/>While channel 2 was signing off the air<BR/>I found the softness of her mouth<BR/>We made love to bombs bursting in air<BR/>»</I><BR/><BR/>I can't remember when we got our first colour TV, but it certainly wasn't until the mid-'70s as well. The first television program I ever saw in colour was an episode of <I>Star Trek</I>, "The Ultimate Computer", in 1968 — I saw it over at a friend's house, and his father made a racist comment about Dr Daystrom.<BR/><BR/>Ah, the NBC peacock. "The following program is brought to you in Living Color, on NBC."Barry Leibahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14205294935881991457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post-62000469250397602312008-07-16T20:35:00.000-07:002008-07-16T20:35:00.000-07:00Didn't the stations (here in the U.S.) play the Na...Didn't the stations (here in the U.S.) play the National Anthem when they went off the air and you got the test pattern? In fact, I think that Billy Joel's song <I>Sleeping with the Television On</I> from Glass Houses starts with the end of the National Anthem and then the beeeep sound.<BR/><BR/>We had a black and white TV until about 1975, and I used to stare at the snow until I could swear I could see colours in it...just shows one small thing that the mind can fool you about. I do miss the NBC peacock...Lauriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00682513110485580000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post-78620544398573383442008-07-15T21:57:00.000-07:002008-07-15T21:57:00.000-07:00He-he... three channels, yes. And remember when T...He-he... three channels, yes. And remember when TV wasn't on all the time? TV channels would "sign off" late at night, and come back on in the morning.<BR/><BR/>See <A HREF="http://staringatemptypages.blogspot.com/2006/07/ah-but-i-was-so-much-older-then-im.html" REL="nofollow">this post</A> for lots more amusement in that regard.<BR/><BR/>Actually, I did live through Watergate (and Irangate and Monicagate and...), and I'm with Andrew on that point: it's become so <I>trite</I> to stick "-gate" on any scandal that it's just annoying. [I'm a few years older than you, though, and found Watergate to be thoroughly fascinating (and I own "All the Presidents' Men" on DVD, so I can get more of it any time I want). Imagine, the press getting the goods on the president, and forcing him to resign in disgrace. Why can't that happen today?.....]Barry Leibahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14205294935881991457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post-53901974689518877082008-07-15T19:32:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:32:00.000-07:00Andrew - Whew! I was worried there for a while. ...Andrew - Whew! I was worried there for a while. You don't like adding the -gate thing because you didn't live through Watergate. It was the ONLY thing on TV for months when I was about 9 (on all three channels (yes, we only got three)), and I hated it. Er... Wait a minute.... :-)<BR/><BR/>I've been on Atheist Nexus since July 6, although I admit I shied away a bit when PZ did his "What is their game?" post.Lauriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00682513110485580000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post-41351362805668133912008-07-15T03:49:00.000-07:002008-07-15T03:49:00.000-07:00Rumours of my death have been greatly exagerrated....Rumours of my death have been greatly exagerrated.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comment the other day, I've been busy moving house, then not having internet at home, plus I've just been a bit unmotivated to blog. <BR/><BR/>Also I've been spending a bit of time on that Atheist Nexus site that you may have heard about.<BR/><BR/>As for the wafer incident (I refuse, on principle, to take part in this awful cultural tradition of using '-gate' as a suffix for controversial events ;-).....) - what a stupid mess.artificialhabitathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16330841622691838367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post-5252204095665830082008-07-14T11:08:00.000-07:002008-07-14T11:08:00.000-07:00You know, it's funny.The Catholics are always prot...You know, it's funny.<BR/><BR/>The Catholics are always protecting their child molesting priests. <BR/><BR/>But when somebody messes with a cracker, they're the victims...or rather, their cracker.<BR/><BR/>We've got some skewed priorities.Ranting Studenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06541805336028897480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post-56052770624682014062008-07-13T20:41:00.000-07:002008-07-13T20:41:00.000-07:00How very "loving" of him to have his followers sen...How very "loving" of him to have his followers send death threats for him. <BR/><BR/>All tools? Every Tom, <I>Dick</I> and Harry of them? :-) I thought they were all sheep. Some with teeth like wolves, it seems.Lauriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00682513110485580000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542645745020472639.post-91271915959423444072008-07-13T20:11:00.000-07:002008-07-13T20:11:00.000-07:001. He is, of course. It's just that he (sorry... ...1. He is, of course. It's just that he (sorry... "He") does it through his followers, see.[1]<BR/><BR/>2. They're consecrated if "they" want them to be. It's all made-up stuff, so, of course, the "authorities" can make up any answers they want, any time they want. And it's all God's will.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and... I agree with you that there's little point in intentionally pissing everyone off. It's PZ's way. It's not mine, and I don't think it serves anyone well.<BR/><BR/>————<BR/>[1] In other words, they're all... tools.Barry Leibahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14205294935881991457noreply@blogger.com