Prairie

TV Gets Colour

Childhood - why was it that watching TV at someone else's house was more 

fun than your own ?  My cousins lived only three minutes (if I ran really fast) 

from my house. But at eight years old and in the middle of watching 

"Alice In Wonderland"  I dare not risk missing one single frame of that cartoon 

movie.To think I use to watch TV cartoons in black and white !!

 

Between 1946 and 1950, the research staff at RCA laboratories 

were working away like busy little bumble bees, on an electronic, 

monochrome, compatible color television set. December 17th, 1953 

saw the official launch of that first color television in America.  

Good Golly Miss Molly !! TV culture certainly has evolved, going 

from innocent entertainment and the nightly, family bonding 

session - to sex, violence and yes, the depressing six o'clock news.

Believe it or not - there were no news broadcasts when television first

began and at the first, broadcasting was only a few hours each day.

I remember watching in the afternoon from noon to four p.m.

Today it's 500 channels and not a thing to watch.

 

Suddenly, every home in America in the 1950's had this set of metal TV

 trays tucked away somewhere in the corner of the living room or the 

hallway closet. Picture this for family night: little Suzy and Johnny, 

along with Mum, Dad and Grandma, all watching "The Ed Sullivan Show" 

and eating Jiffy Pop Popcorn on TV trays. My generation grew up watching 

programs such as: I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith and George and Gracie.  

What did I happen to switch on whilst channel surfing the other night ??  

A program about a 40 year old woman in California, who goes to her cosmetic 

surgeon and has her entire vagina reconstructed to look like it was 18 again.  

Did I watch it ?!  You bet I did !  I had no idea such a thing was possible.

It was fascinating and repulsive all at the same time. tsk, tsk.  

That very first color television set cost a small fortune back

in the 1950's.  Not many people could afford the $1175 (£812)

to see that NBC bird in all his glory. I remember the announcer

would say: "The following program is brought to you in living

color on NBC" and it really irritated me because I had to stare

at that dull peacock while the more privileged were looking at 

his colorful plumage.

 In 1961, Disney's Wonderful World of Color, was a turning

point, persuading consumers to go out and purchase color sets.

 

"Colour" crossed the pond to England in 1966.  Those that

had a black and white set were able to purchase a color

receiver costing around £250 or $362.

 

Gosh how I miss these kooky shows !!

Do you see any of your favourites on this poster ?

 

People find it hard to believe when I tell them that I was without a 

TV for almost two years.  It was actually a good thing.  I read more 

books, taught my self to knit, made lots of homemade bagels and  

listened to Public Radio twenty four seven. Yawn. 

 

You can buy this apple television on Amazon.

At the moment - they are sold out.

 

I love "The Andy Griffith Show!"

It was a great documentary - not unlike where where I grew up.

Barney - gotta love him.

The Story of Daniel Lambert

This is the town of Stamford, and that gorgeous young woman in the photo 

is my youngest daughter, Christina.  We called into the "The George" - a

grand old hotel - for tea and scones during her visit to the U.K. last March.  

Do you see that beam high above the road ?  It's been said that in ye olde days,

law-breakers were hung from this beam and carcasses left there to rot as a 

warning to any hooligans, upon their entering Stamford city limits. I've never 

been able to verify this but you can bet,  I was on my best behaviour during my

visit - no littering,  jaywalking or loitering.  And to insure I wouldn't end up as 

bird kibble, I kissed a little bit of Mayor derriere and washed his car, weeded his 

flower garden and walked his poodle.

This spherical, young fella is Daniel Lambert - who lived from 1770 and died 

in 1809.  I bought this postcard at The George.  Daniel,  had a bit of celebrity 

status back in the day and would frequent the pubs in Stamford, challenging

persons to a foot race - the stipulation being that they give him a small head start.  

Now there were many narrow passages connecting the main streets of  Stamford, 

and Daniel, once ahead of his competitors, would use these alleys - his size made 

it impossible for anyone to get past him and so he always won. He sounds like a 

mischievous guy - just my type.

His amazing physical statistics were as follows:

Height - 5 ft 11 in  (180 cm)

Waist - 9 ft 4 in ( 284 cm)

Calf - 3 ft 1 in (94 cm)

Weight - 739 pounds (52 stone)

I've looked at this portrait postcard many times, studying his face and eyes 

and I'm convinced that everything said about him, that he was kindly and 

compassionate, was true.  As a child, Daniel was of ordinary weight. 

He claims he didn't drink, and ate normal portions but continued to gain size.  

Daniel took over his Father's job as Keeper of a small prison and it's recorded 

that he took very good care of the prisoners and gained their respect for his 

benevolence.  After the prison shut down and he lost his yearly salary of £21 ($31)

Daniel traveled to London and put himself on display for money, like a circus 

oddity.  He hated having to do this and felt it demoralizing.  At the end of the day 

though, it afforded him to have specialized clothes made and an extra large 

carriage constructed for traveling. 

In 1809, when Daniel was thirty nine years old - he came to Stamford to attend 

the horse races and it was there, that he died suddenly during the night. In order 

to remove his body from the room, a window had to be taken out and an entire 

wall demolished. It took twenty men to lower Daniel into his grave. He rests in 

St. Martins Churchyard, in Stamford.

And so it is - the history of Daniel Lambert.