The Rabbit Ears Test (8 of 12)_ "Flipper"

Today, we go way back, for our subject as "Flipper" first aired on NBC on Sept. 19, 1964. It was one of American tv shows I saw as a child while living in Turkey from 1977-79 on the TRT. It still seems ironic and amazing today that if you have satellite television you can watch Mexican wrestling matches (Lucha Libre), the new version of "Doctor Who" or an old Gary Cooper movie like "Pride of the Yankees" at any given juncture as there are over 300 channels on any given satellite provider.

But, in those days in Turkey, it was just the TRT and it consisted of one channel which aired at night during the week and during the day on weekends.

In Turkey, "Flipper" aired on Saturday mornings, and it was very popular, especially with children. Interesting enough, the TRT also aired a French documentary series by the late underwater filmmaker Jacques Cousteau (1910-1997) on Saturday afternoons.

The actual dolphin Flipper on the show was a bottlenose dolphin who belonged to a widowed father Porter Ricks, played by the late Brian Kelly (1931-2005), and his young boys Sandy, played by Luke Halping, now 64, and Bud, played by Tommy Norden, now 59.

Flipper was played at various times by at least five mostly female dolphins over the show's three-season run, including Mitzi, Little Bit, Suzy and Kathy. The dolphins were trained by Ric O'Berry, who later became a marine animal activist.

Ironically, in more recent years, "Flipper" generated some controversy when O'Berry stated that Kathy had committed suicide by drowning herself.

"Flipper" became a 1995 tv series and a 1996 feature film with Paul Hogan and Elijah Wood (both were also named "Flipper").

The original show's catchy theme song was written by Henry Vars and By Dunham.

Today, we ask, how many episodes were made of the original "Flipper"?

Is the answer:

A) 82

B) 86

C) 88

D) 90

Casualties of Modern Technology_ The Clothes Line (4 of 12)

While recently driving through West Virginia, I noticed that many residents of a small town near the state capital of Charleston (I think it was Cabin Creek, WVa., also the hometown of NBA legend Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers) were actually still using clothes lines. This is not something you see very often here in America. But, some environmentalists are encouraging a comeback for the clothes line since it doesn't consume any energy, unlike dryers.

Wikipedia describes a clothes line, not to be confused with the same term in the fashion industry, as 'any type of rope, cord, or twine stretched above the level of a ground. In earlier times, and still perhaps in cities like Venice, Istanbul and Cairo, one may well see clothes lines hovering over balconies as well.

There ia actually a company in Maine called The Clothesline Shop (clotheslineshop.com) which specializing in selling clothes line accesories, including pegs and pins to hold the clothes together.

Another advantage of the clothes line is that it allows clothing to be dried without chemicals. But, the process of using a clothes line is time-consuming and it comes with the risk of vandalism and theft, not to be mention Mother Nature. Yes, we imagine that rain and wind can totally screw the process up!