Today In History
Blogging from the Left Coast...
I noticed today is August 1st. It's always been a fun trivia question of mine. It was back in 1981 when MTV launched itself today. It no doubt changed the media industry in terms of pop culture, advertising and more. The question: What was the first video aired on MTV? "Video Killed The Radio Star," by The Buggles (a classic one-hit wonder).
Before MTV, August 1st was famous, or actually infamous, for another event. That whackjob Charles Whitman climbed to the top of the University of Texas tower and shot 16 people. I always felt a bit connected to that story for several reasons. My mother is from Austin and her family recounted that day to us many times. My uncle was in high school not too far away from campus and wanted to drive down to check out the scene. His parents (my grandparents) wouldn't let him.
Whitman was also an Eagle Scout and apparently one of the youngest persons ever to achieve that rank. I, too, am an Eagle Scout reaching that level at the young age of 13; also one of the younger scouts ever to hit that. My first merit badge was Rifle & Shotgun. I think I have have shot a gun twice since then - all at clay pigeons. Too bad that weirdo didn't put his marksman skills to the same test.
I noticed today is August 1st. It's always been a fun trivia question of mine. It was back in 1981 when MTV launched itself today. It no doubt changed the media industry in terms of pop culture, advertising and more. The question: What was the first video aired on MTV? "Video Killed The Radio Star," by The Buggles (a classic one-hit wonder).
Before MTV, August 1st was famous, or actually infamous, for another event. That whackjob Charles Whitman climbed to the top of the University of Texas tower and shot 16 people. I always felt a bit connected to that story for several reasons. My mother is from Austin and her family recounted that day to us many times. My uncle was in high school not too far away from campus and wanted to drive down to check out the scene. His parents (my grandparents) wouldn't let him.
Whitman was also an Eagle Scout and apparently one of the youngest persons ever to achieve that rank. I, too, am an Eagle Scout reaching that level at the young age of 13; also one of the younger scouts ever to hit that. My first merit badge was Rifle & Shotgun. I think I have have shot a gun twice since then - all at clay pigeons. Too bad that weirdo didn't put his marksman skills to the same test.
posted by The High-Tech Texan at
6:23 PM
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