It Was 20 Years Ago Today

Friday, March 23, 2007.  Twenty years ago today, "The Bold and the Beautiful" premiered on CBS.  It's a soap opera that's still on the air today.  I talk about soaps in the 1980s and my brief excursions as a soap watcher, one of which was my introduction to a famous British soap, twenty years ago.

Today's episode music is from "Oh Manyo," by Father Rock.  Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.

Thursday, March 22, 2007.  Twenty years ago this week, TV preacher Jim Bakker left his PTL ministry in disgrace amid allegations of both sexual and financial misconduct.  I talk about how Bakker and his then wife, Tammy Faye (pictured at the left) in some ways epitomized the culture of excess that permeated the 1980s.  I also share some personal thoughts about TV preachers.

Today's episode music is from "Celestial Voices," by Commander Yo.  Theme music is composed and performed by Marc Rose.

Another "lost episode," this one written and recorded for December 28, 2006.  Twenty years ago, author John D. MacDonald (pictured at the right) died.  He wrote hundreds of novels and short stories in just about every genre, but was best known for a series of mystery-thrillers featuring beach bum/detective Travis McGee.  I talk about MacDonald and his career, as well as offer a confession about when I really started reading the Travis McGee books.

Today's episode music is "8 Track SupaStar," by KCentric.  Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007.  Twenty years ago today was a Friday the 13th; it was also the heyday of the movie series bearing that title.  I share some information about the history of Friday the 13th in folklore and superstition, and then talk about why I really don't like slasher flicks.

Today's episode music is from "Weapons of Mass SIDuction," by DJ Topshelf.  Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.

Monday, March 12, 2007.  Twenty years ago today, "Les Miserables" opened on Broadway.  I talk about the history of the production and how it has become a staple of the musical theater scene, and follow that up with some assorted thoughts on musicals, show tunes, and a somewhat strange fan of a particular musical.

Today's episode music is "Overpopulation," by Flopsy Music.  Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.

Friday, March 2, 2007.  Twenty years ago today, Apple Computer introduced their newest computer, the Mac II.  I talk about that particular machine, compare the relative expense of top-of-the-line home computers then and now, and muse about the way technology has gotten progressively more powerful, yet less expensive.

Today's music is "Press YES To Start Demo," by Aaron Derington.  Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.

There's also a promo for Yog-Sothoth.com, a gaming website devoted to Call of Cthulhu.  They also do a delightful podcast, Yog Radio.

If you're a podcaster and would like to swap promos, please email me!

Thursday, March 1. 2007.  [Almost caught up now!]

Twenty years ago today, Western Airlines and Delta Airlines announced they would merge, effective in a month.  It was the latest example of change that had become the norm for the airline industry in the nine years since deregulation.  I talk about the merger and the state of the airline industry during this time.

Episode music:  "See You In Seattle," by the Scottish Guitar Quartet.

Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.

Monday, February 26, 2007.  [Still playing catch-up, just a little.]

For the 50th (!!) episode of "It Was 20 Years Ago Today," we return to a subject we've visited before, and will again -- the Iran-Contra scandal.  On this day, the Tower Commission submitted a report on its investigations into the scandal.  It would be the first of many, which shared a common trait of often being difficult for the average person to follow.

George Santayana (1863-1952) was the person who said, "Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Today's episode music is from "Cyndi 2nd Draft," by Jeff Shields.  Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.

Sunday, February 25, 2007.  [Yes, we're running a couple days late, but I thought these episodes were worth posting anyway.]

Twenty years ago today, police in Peru got an archaeologist out of bed to protect a tomb from grave robbers.  That tomb, of an ancient warrior priest called the Lord of Sipan, is still being explored and its artifacts (such as the ornament pictured to the right) recovered to this day.

I also talk a little about how I developed an interest in archaeology and the ancient cultures of Central and South America.

Today's episode music is from "Forgotten Man," by David Henderson.  Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.

Friday, February 23, 2007.  Twenty years ago today, the light from a supernova in the Greater Magellanic Cloud galaxy reached the Earth, after a journey of 168,000 years.  I talk about that celestial phenomenon, and a little about why I find astronomy a particularly fascinating science.

The picture is an image of the gas cloud from Supernova 1987A, taken with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Today's episode music is "InnaFabledCity," by Jeff Shields.  Theme music composed and performed by Marc Rose.