# In the dustbin of our cultural history **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 10, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703 "2020-12-10T00:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/825 "2021-03-31T16:10:52Z")
I liked Poker rallies. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/826 "2021-03-31T20:23:52Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > One thing that’s kept me sane the past year is > [Virtual Railfan, Inc. – We bring the trains to you!](https://virtualrailfan.com/) > > Fifty-odd cameras at thirty-odd sites including a couple in the UK > They have a Youtube channel as well. One slogan they used for a short time some months ago was, Staying at home watching trains on our screens – we’ve been ready _years_ for this. There’s a channel on the Pluto app called Slow TV which shows Norwegian trains rolling through the Norwegian countryside. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/827 "2021-03-31T22:49:25Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > One thing that’s kept me sane the past year is > [Virtual Railfan, Inc. – We bring the trains to you!](https://virtualrailfan.com/) > > Fifty-odd cameras at thirty-odd sites including a couple in the UK > They have a Youtube channel as well. One slogan they used for a short time some months ago was, Staying at home watching trains on our screens – we’ve been ready _years_ for this. Me too…even took out a membership for the You Tube. With the cutback to Amtrak trains I watch a little less, but seeing the steam train excursions from Strastburg, PA and the actions in Belem, NM, Ft. Madison, IA and Elkhart, IN (among many others), I can get a pretty good national weather report at any time… ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/828 "2021-03-31T23:03:16Z")
> In the '60s, I used to participate in sports car rallies, The “arrive at checkpoints on time” variety. I miss those! We had an awesome Fast But Not Furious driver, an Ace Navigator, and Ace’s dad (in the back seat with his circular slide rule) yelling things like “Slow to 38mph for the next three tenths of a mile, then back to 52 til the checkpoint!” ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2021, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/829 "2021-04-01T04:07:56Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Did you live? What could I do? They ate me. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2021, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/830 "2021-04-01T09:56:29Z")
> [@digs](#): > > In the '60s, I used to participate in sports car rallies, The “arrive at checkpoints on time” variety. I used to marshal at those. I really wanted to drive but didn’t have a car. It was mostly great fun and a good deal of beer was involved. A favourite memory involves a rather unpopular driver in his MG Sportster overtaking a slower car on a single-track lane by pulling onto what he thought was the grass verge. Unfortunately for him, what he thought was green grass, was actually the scum on top of a ditch. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2021, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/831 "2021-04-01T13:07:54Z")
My club used to have a special rally each year with blind children as navigators. The instructions were in braille, but the driver had a backup set just in case. One year two navigators were unavailable so one of the other drivers and I drove the route together. At one of the checkpoints where we were unknown as we were ready to depart I asked the “blind” navigator if he’d like to drive. He said sure and got out , felt his way around the car to the drivers seat and we took off. Lots of yelling and arm waving in the rear view mirror. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2021, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/832 "2021-04-01T17:07:47Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I used to marshal at those. I really wanted to drive but didn’t have a car. The ones I participated in required a driver and navigator. You couldn’t hook up with someone? Navigating was about as much fun as driving. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/833 "2021-04-01T17:12:23Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > The ones I participated in required a driver and navigator. You couldn’t hook up with someone? Navigating was about as much fun as driving. Oh! I did, but marshalling was a prerequisite to taking part. ---
**Author:** ![maljunulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@maljunulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maljunulo)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2021, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/834 "2021-04-01T20:09:18Z")
I grew up in the 50’s in a small town in northwest Indiana. I dimly remember some houses did not have indoor plumbing. I was also in an old farmhouse of a friend, and they had a pump at the kitchen sink. All very rare, but still around. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/835 "2021-04-03T05:53:39Z")
Local talk radio and wrestling. I remember enjoying talk radio before Rush Limbaugh destroyed it. You’d have local hosts who would discuss local and national events, interview sports stars, entertainers and discuss a wide variety of topics from movies to city council meetings. You would also have a variety of hosts from conservative to liberal to non political. Even if they were very political, they’d often discuss other issues other than politics. Wrestling suffered the same fate in my opinion. Before the WWF and Vince McMahon, you would have local wrestling circuits. I grew up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and we had the Sportatorium and the Von Erich brothers. They would travel around and put on performances in various locations. With McMahon and the WWF/WWE wrestling was ruined. In both instances, as talk radio and wrestling were nationalized, the local shows were killed off. Talk radio is now all Limbaugh clones, far right nut-jobs who just blather on the same talking points and only discuss politics. And wrestling, is now nothing more than big business on the TV screen. There are no more Sportatoriums where I can go see local matches by local talent. I’m not generally one who says the old days were better, but in these two instances, the old days were definitely better. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/836 "2021-04-03T06:31:16Z")
> [@Cumberdale](#): > > And wrestling, is now nothing more than big business on the TV screen. There are no more Sportatoriums where I can go see local matches by local talent. Look harder. Local wrestling with local talent is still around. Nowadays, the smaller independent promotions act like minor leagues, but they supply the younger wrestlers that the WWE needs, so the WWE doesn’t interfere. I know that our local promotion has been shut down by the pandemic, but I also know that our wrestlers are itching to get back to having full shows with 200 to 300 fans in attendance. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/837 "2021-04-03T14:26:14Z")
Yes. When I was hanging out in downtown St. Louis we had at least monthly bouts of local wrestling by the local promotors. Great fun for $10 each. The internet says they’re still going: > **[Sbac | South Broadway Athletic Club | United States](https://www.sbacstl.org/)** > > South Broadway Athletic Club is an event venue that holds boxing, wrestling and social gatherings. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/838 "2021-04-03T19:00:57Z")
> [@Cumberdale](#): > > I remember enjoying talk radio before Rush Limbaugh destroyed it. You’d have local hosts who would discuss local and national events, interview sports stars, entertainers and discuss a wide variety of topics from movies to city council meetings. You would also have a variety of hosts from conservative to liberal to non political. Even if they were very political, they’d often discuss other issues other than politics. We still have one station here in Phoenix Metro that pretty well does that for the afternoon drive but the more liberal/libertarian/brighter member of the pair left more than a year ago for reasons unstated by either him or station. He was replaced by an even bigger, more conservative doofus. For old times sake I’ll turn them on if I happen to driving around when they are on until one or the other says something stupid, then shut it off. Typically this is about thirty seconds. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/839 "2021-04-03T19:32:19Z")
There may be tons of independent promotions, but there are far fewer where they can make a living wrasslin’. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/840 "2021-04-03T22:42:03Z")
I turned on talk radio the other day, and I could feel my IQ slipping …point…by…point… had to quick switch back to NPR til it got back up. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/841 "2021-04-04T01:19:28Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > There may be tons of independent promotions, but there are far fewer where they can make a living wrasslin’. That’s true enough. I’ve worked with our local independent wrestling promotion, and I’m confident in saying that everybody involved has a day job, or is a student at a college or university. Our wrestlers don’t look at wrestling as a way to make a living, but it is something they love to do. And if they get scouted and picked up by the big leagues (i.e. the WWE or its contemporaries), great! If not, well, they’re having fun, they’re comfortable thanks to their day jobs, and they’re getting a few dollars for wrestling to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/842 "2021-04-05T12:27:09Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > If there was a trunk line between your this connection was trivial to make but if not – frequently the case – the LD operator would call the rate-and-route operator who would figure out the trunk line(s) needed and the rate to be charged. The LD operator would then call the inward operator of the first trunk line, who would then call the next inward operator and so on until the local lines of wherever it was was reached where an operator would call [name] and announce, “Please hold for a call from [your name] in [your city].” My ancestor was a shipping manager, back when trains were the way to ship things. He knew all the rail routes in the USA, and consequently knew all the trunk lines in the USA (they are called trunk lines because they run alongside the Trunk Lines). Christmas, when the lines were busy with people making Christmas calls to their relatives, he’d call his brother. Routing would get part way, then the operator would report no free line. Ok, he’d ask to talk to the remote operator, get her to try an alternate route, and work his way across the USA using secondary routes and routing around congestion. It was the phone freaking of the day - customers were billed and intermediates invoiced on the basis of standard routes. ---
**Author:** ![Jaguars](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaguars/32/5879_2.png) [@Jaguars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaguars)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/843 "2021-04-05T21:08:26Z")
Milk trucks delivered in NZ until about the early 2000s I think. They played “Dixie” on an airhorn - I guess that was your final reminder to put out tokens if you wanted some. On one local route the highest note of the jingle was flat and sounded hilariously off the first time you heard it. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703/844 "2021-04-05T23:04:22Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > (they are called trunk lines because they run alongside the Trunk Lines). That may well be the case, but telephone trunk lines were so called for the same reason as rail trunk lines. That is they were the major routes between centres, with branches at each end like the trunk of a tree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-dustbin-of-our-cultural-history/927703.md?page=43)