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The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2011 : Issue 40
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
ADMINISTRIVIA: Supporting the Digest [ Charlie Summers <listmaster@lofcom. ]
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Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:54:52 -0500
From: Charlie Summers <listmaster@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: ADMINISTRIVIA: Supporting the Digest and Other
OTR Services
Folks;
I am "hijacking" this issue of the Internet OTR Digest; I promise the next
issue will contain the usual dose of Old-Time Radio-talk, but this is going
to be one of those blissfully-rare admin issues requesting support for the
OTR services provided here at the [removed] I realize this posting
usually goes out in October, but clearly I'[removed] little late. I'd love
to tell you I'll get back on-schedule this October, but it's doubtful, even
with my recent determination to get myself more organized and efficient.
This drive comes from a depressing event a month or two ago; I told this
story on my blog at [removed] but it bears repeating here.
Many months ago on the anniversary of Norman Corwin's 100th birthday, KCET
re-ran a program from 1969 of Mr. Corwin directing his classic, The Plot to
Overthrow Christmas (an event, I should mention, that I was able to witness
in person some years ago at the Friends of Old-Time Radio Convention, where
Mr. Corwin kindly signed that photograph I've reproduced on the blog). I
asked on the Digest if anyone had recorded the program, and if so requested a
copy. Herb Harrison, a long-time subscriber and someone with whom I had
occasionally corresponded, was kind enough to email me and tell me he would
send a VHS video tape, which he did.
That package sat unopened on my desk for a few months before I finally
found the time to record it into one of the computers and create a DVD. I
slowly, over the following months, added some discs to that stack on the
shelf, and finally got around to sending those disks to Mr. Harrison early
this year, with my belated but heartfelt thanks.
Unfortunately, the package was returned to me with a note that Herbert
George Harrison passed away in the first week of December, 2010.
Since then, I've been trying desperately to catch up on all the things
I've needed to send to folks. I'm not going to pretend I'm anywhere near
caught up, but I am slowly getting [removed] there's anything I've promised
to send to _you_ that you haven't received, drop me a note at
charlie@[removed] and remind me. I really want to get myself more organized.
Anyway, back to this woefully-late request-mail; links I mention
throughout the article will be repeated at the bottom of the issue hopefully
in AOL-friendly versions.
Before I do anything else, I want to thank the folks who support the OTR
Digest and other lists, web services, etc., whether by financial support,
moral support, or simply posting questions and answers; it's because of all
of you that this little area of the Internet exists in the first place.
With the state of the economy the past few years financial support has
been dramatically lower than usual. And trust me, I can [removed]
have been unpleasant for everyone, including me. I'm certain you've noticed
the Digest has been a whole lot less consistently delivered; this is
primarily due to my not being able to devote as much time as usual to it,
although I am making an effort to become more consistant here, too.
But whatever you do, do NOT forget that no contribution is EVER required
to receive the Digest, read the blog, download the podcast, or any other
old-time radio-related service. If you can contribute, be it time or money,
great, but if you can't, PLEASE don't sweat it - as long as I'm in charge,
all the services here will be free for the taking. Yeah, I know I say this
every time, but I want to make sure no one ever thinks they _must_ pay for
the stuff around here.
On the other hand, if you're one of the lucky ones less-affected by the
lousy economy, financial support is always appreciated (and generally needed)
to pay for the bandwidth requirements of the Digest and the
unfortunately-infrequent "podcast" of Old-Time Radio shows on the Nostalgic
Rumblings blog at [removed] - you can get to older postings
just by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking the "Next"
link. Once you find a show you want to hear, you can use the on-line player
right on the webpage, or download the posted MP3 file to your computer and
player, or even automatically receive all the programs as they are posted by
subscribing to the podcast! And I'm always looking for suggestions on what
programming you'd like to hear (the cool thing about the podcast is the
ability to post shows while they're being discussed on the Digest, like the
episode of Rogue's Gallery some months back). And if the word "podcast"
sounds too technical, don't [removed]'s an embedded Flash player on the
blog as I mentioned, so if you have a reasonably-current web browser you can
listen to the shows with no more than a single click of the mouse! (Think of
it as Internet Radio-on-Demand!) There's other stuff at the blog, [removed]
post pretty much anything that strikes my fancy, like the audio I posted
yesterday of the very first Bob Edwards Show with the late David Broder as
guest. But only Old-Time Radio makes it into the podcast.
Don't forget the Forums at [removed] where you can chat
on the Web about specific OTR programs, no email required. And remember, I'm
always open to suggestions for additional services to support the Old-Time
Radio hobby - just drop me a note!
Anyway, if you are financially able and interested in supporting the lists
and web services with voluntary "subscription" fees ($35/year is the
suggested "subscription," with more _or_ less also gratefully accepted),
please consider visiting [removed] to learn
how. Subscription payments are accepted by check or by credit card via
PayPal. There's a small "subscribers-only" area on the web server, which has
little more right now than a form for requesting missed Digest issues.
If you prefer not to make a voluntary subscription, but would still like
to help, consider visiting the [removed] Store at
[removed] - there are a number of Fundraiser Discs there
containing samplings of OTR shows on MP3 along with video you can watch on
your computer or burn for playing in your DVD player (unfortunately, there
haven't been any new ones for quite some time, something else I'd like to
remedy in the coming months), DVDs with classic entertainment arranged as an,
"Evening at the Bijou" complete with cartoon, serial chapter, and feature
film, "full-series" MP3 discs put together with a bit more care than many of
the other discs for sale out on the Net, a few audio CDs of programming I
needed to restore and generate for various reasons (always high-quality), and
even a precious few VHS tapes and "new" (never opened, acquired by me in the
late 1970's) OTR records (kids, ask your grandparents what "records" are).
I've also added some silly yet useful electronic devices,
directly-imported by yours truly, although again nothing has been added
[removed] don't know if I'll continue to import electronics, but anything
available from the [removed] shop will have some use to the OTR
collector and listener, you bet'cha!
Not in the market for MP3s, DVDs, or electronic doo-dads? Next time you're
thinking about purchasing a book, DVD, or CD online, consider the
mini-bookstore at [removed] There
are a few OTR-related suggestions there, but pretty much any book/CD/DVD in
print can be ordered from Barnes and Nobel, and if you purchase by
clicking-through from that webpage, B&N pays a small commission to us on each
book purchased. Ok, it's _really_ tiny, running under $20 per year, but every
little bit helps.
If you don't buy books, but still want to help, make sure you tell your
friends about the Internet OTR Digest - I am constantly amazed at the number
of people who do not know this list exists. We've been around since 1994, and
there are still collectors and fans not a part of our friendly little group.
Don't assume everyone knows about it; make sure you mention it to everyone
you know who enjoys Old-Time Radio! If you have a website, consider sticking
a link to the sign-up page on your site; see
[removed] for how you can add
button or text links that will pop-up a new window and not remove your
visitor from your site!
And, finally, you can support the list by participating! Ask a
[removed] answer one. Have a memory of Old-Time Radio when it was new? Or
too young to remember it the first time around yet love to listen to it now?
Post it to the Digest, and let the rest of us enjoy!
So there you have it; hopefully something for anyone interested in
supporting the OTR Digest, Kinescope, and other mailing lists on the server,
along with The Nostalgia Pages, Forums, Nostalgic Rumblings, and other
web-based services. If you know of any other way the [removed] can
help the Old-Time Radio collector and listener, please drop me a line - I'm
always open to adding new services!
Apologies for the long-winded intrusion; we now return to our
previously-scheduled digests, already in progress.
Charlie Summers
Links Mentioned:
<A HREF="[removed]">To Contribute</A>
<A HREF="[removed]">The Nostalgic Rumblings Blog with
Podcast</A>
<A HREF="[removed]">The [removed] Shop</A>
<A HREF="[removed]">The [removed] Forums</A>
<A HREF="[removed]">Barnes and
Nobel</A>
<A HREF="[removed]">The Bob Edwards Show/Bob Edwards
Weekend Discussion Forum</A>
<A HREF="[removed]">How to Link to
the OTR Digest Subscription Page</A>
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End of [removed] Digest V2011 Issue #40
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