2525: A Space Blog Oddity · 4:40pm May 8th, 2021
Well, I said once I was more sound and alive I'd write up a blog post trying to explain all this... nonsense. So I mean, I'm not actually sure if I will be providing legit answers to any actual questions, but I'll at least talk about why I did the things I did which mostly just boil down to because I can.
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So one of my favorite things to imagine with the now retired princesses is they just sit around and do super mundane stuff. I know we had that one episode where they go on adventures and junk for a holiday, but still, just sitting around part of an afternoon playing bingo and calling out elderly ponies for cheating just feels right for two semi retired demi-gods. I actually wanted to explore that idea more, which is why there was originally a lot of detail and work put into the majority of the first chapter, but then... well, I kinda lost it and went bonkers and now we got this mess. I'll probably try to explore it in future works, but more as side gags than actual focal points of the story.
(By dstears. Look, Admiral, I'm doing the thing!)
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Ah, so reel to reel machines. Ever seen one? Most of you probably have not, so here you go.
(From an ebay post)
I have a few of these machines, even the retired one from my high school since they were gonna just throw it away. I've also collected lots of radio station recordings that some of my former newspaper customers used to do, mostly from the 50's and 60's. There's some neat stuff, including commercials, that one of these days I need to do the proper thing and get them digitalized.
Anyway, off track (hah!), this was to be mostly about what Luna and Twilight talk about, mainly the film size. In doing the research, I actually learned something myself that I didn't know. I knew there were several sizes of tapes, but I didn't know there were exclusively commercial grade ones (you could still buy them though, just more expensive). Basically, each size had a drawback and a perk. You sacraficed audio quality for length of recording time, so the smaller tapes such as 15/16 inch and 1 7/8 inch were used for longer broadcasts, logging radio sessions, that kind of stuff, but in gaining the longer recording times you lost quality, and I guess 15/16 inch was notorious for degrading quickly unless stored properly.
If you're like me and listen to Sirrus radio, Radio Classics (channel 148), most of those radio shows were recorded on the higher speeds like 10 1/2 inch or whatever, as individual shows. It just seemed to depend on the studio, the popularity of said program, and really what they had on hand. I've not been able to find real concrete evidence online, but I'm sure someone (cough couch Admiral) will find something I overlooked and point out where I'm totally wrong here. There seems to be several variation styles, and I've been lead to believe that some of the more advanced (technically speaking) players were able to adjust for both film size and speed. Again, I've only dabbled with the more mundane ones, and I'd need to go dig them out to see what exactly I have.
So, for the story, I just used the basic sizes for ease. Damned if I do, damned if I don't.
(By amynewblue. Also note that the late cassette tapes ran at 1 7/8 inch speed)
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So, a small bit, when Twilight calls the beeps and such "Daw Dit", that is old slang for Morse Code. I couldn't come up with a funny pun of the name (I swear to fuck if any of you say "Mares Code" I will find you at a con so help me-) so I started looking for appropriate alternative names, and well, I liked that one. It sounded cute. Like ponies.
(By snakeonmoon)
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So, believe it or not, I went into this story not with The Brave Little Toaster in mind. No, in fact, I even specifically make note that the vacuum in this story is a 50's Hoover, because in the original book the vacuum was a hoover, but the movie made the vacuum out to be a Kirby, even naming it as such. I have... more vacuums than I should actually admit, but the one from this story is actually based on one of my personal vacuums. It, like most things I own, actually has a story.
I picked this vacuum cleaner out of the trash in the town I live when I was like, 14 I think. The house being between the town's elementary and high school. Apparently, from what I was told, the house was lived in by the custodian of the areas schools (at the time they were much smaller), and it was the vacuum he used for cleaning the buildings! When I got it, it was so covered in floor wax, it took my grandmother and me almost an entire day to scrape it off. Eventually the vacuum was retired in favor of a newer one, and the old custodian took it home. Then, he eventually retired, and after his death the kids were just throwing everything out, including, tada! The Hoover.
This thing is awesome, and man, let me tell you, it's so heavy it has actual suspension on it. It sucks like a Russian whore, and if you're not careful it will actually pull loose carpet up. Don't get me wrong, I love my Kirby's (please don't question how many I have), but this old Hoover is my tried and true heavy cleaner. I actually have another story for another of my vacuums, but since it wasn't used for this fic I'll save it for another one (I actually have a story worked out for it. It involves popcorn.)
(By nemo2D)
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The first sign that I was off the rails was when I decided to insert the computer from Courage the Cowardly Dog. Actually, no, the first sign was when I decided to make the computer based off an old Windows 3.1 opperating system, hence the name Three Point One. It's horrible. I'm horrible. Anyway, then I had the idea of the computer calling Hoover a twit, and it made me have a nostalgia trip until I could remember where that was from. Man...
Takes me back, good ol' Cartoon Network days. That's one of those things that's stuck with me for most of my life (whenever I need a hammer, I still say "that's it, I'm gettin' me mallet").
(By mrscroup)
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So, now we start getting to the odd stuff. The first item they encounter is actually a throwback to one of my very first writing projects I did in the 5th grade. We had to write a story, so I wrote a horror story simply called Tucker (which got two follow up sequels) about a murderous 1948 Tucker, based upon one of my 1:18th scale models that I had, and still have. Amazingly, I still have the written stories (by typewriter because of course). The only thing I did was change the color, because apparently there is a huge following of keeping track of where the few actual cars are. So, why did I choose number 1042? Because it apparently had a... interesting past. From the Wiki:
Tucker #1042 was sold at the Tucker auction without an engine. Rumors exist that it was used in a "Bash a Tucker" fundraiser in the 1950s or may have been hauled off from its storage location by a disgruntled renter. Its location was unknown until 1960 when it was reportedly found abandoned and destroyed along the banks of the Mississippi River in Memphis. A Memphis policeman took possession of the remains, but they were later stolen from his property. Most of the Tuckermatic transmission was found and is currently located at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
I mean, come on, that's just cruel, and I think if I was kicked the living snot out of and tossed into the Mississippi, I'd be a bit pissed off too.
(By rocket-lawnchair, a buddy of mine. Also no one's done a pony image with a Tucker, so I went with the next best thing, Herbie.)
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The cell phone is my current phone, a Samsung Galaxy Note 5. The reason I got that phone when it was new was because it was the exact same phone my boss had for his personal phone and the work cell phone, so I was already familiar with it. That's... the actual, only reason for why I got it. Yeah, I know it's "old", but my back up is my old Casio Boulder, a flip phone. It still works for a 13 year old cell phone.
(By shinodage which in hind sight, they probably don't want to be reminded of this relic.)
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Now, when I said earlier that this story intentionally did not start out as a joke/reference to the Brave Little Toaster, I realized after I wrote the scene with the water race wanting a Sunbeam Toaster that I actually should do one, so why not the trusty Radio? Honestly, my favorite character of the entire series. Uh... not sure what else to say here...
Oh! References! If you caught any of the ones the radio made, then bravo! I also don't know why I had it flirt with Candy but for some reason it made me giggle. Like, I actually giggled. Did I mention that I was like, super sick when I wrote the story?
(By radiogaga.art. Poor thing, being nomed like that.)
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The microwave is just a generic 70's or 80's big ass, fake wood paneled, monstrosity. I've had a few of those over the years, but when scrap prices would go up I'd junk one and move to the next. I've got one left, and it's so big it literally has a setting for just TURKEY. Like... a whole turkey... can you imagine just nuking an entire turkey for Thanksgiving? Jesus Christ, man...
(By staremastershy. Anyone else remember the Progress fic? Poor Abby...)
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Ah, Big Red. If you haven't figured it out by now, I like old stuff. And when it comes to bikes, there's nothing like a Schwinn. I myself own a 1971 Schwinn Spitfire that I got when I was 12, traded another bike for it. It's my pride and joy, honestly, and when I remember to do my daily bike rides I use it, riding 10 miles (technically 9.9 miles sue me) of both paved and dirt road. A single speed bike is probably the best choice if you're looking for exercise, forces you to work hard, then cool down.
(Just LOOK at that sexy mother fucker. God I love this bike.)
Anyway, this bike has a specific role. I left some hints, but in case you didn't notice...
(From Wiki)
That's right, it's the bike from Pee Wee Herman. Man, growing up, between his bike, and the bikes the kids had in The Sandlot... I wanted, no, I needed a Schwinn, and when I finally got mine I was in heaven. Sure all the other kids had those small bikes with the foot thingies, but fuck that noise. I clipped a Pokémon Card on the wheel and rode around like a mother fuckin' boss.
The bike's flashy entrance in the fic is spoofing the bike's reveal in Pee Wee's Big Adventure.
(By dori-to)
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Okay okay, the toilet was really when I was out of it. I think I'd started mixing my pepto with... I don't even know what, so lets just get this out of the way. It was a Bob's Burger's reference, as well as Cortana from Halo. Yeah... that's right, I made toilet humor out of a Halo A.I. I'm not even gonna dignify this one with an image...
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Okay, so the train. Yes, I live in Michigan, near Owasso, which is the home of the big old 1225. There's a small train museum there, and before they'd opened my father and I had stumbled upon the place. The owner took us on a private tour, mostly of old cars and engines that hadn't been restored yet. He took us into one of the big barns where the 1225 was, and people were taking images of it. Turns out, I accidently witnessed some of the time when they were scanning it for the Polar Express movie.
It's still not as big as the engine at Henry Ford, but it's still quite impressive. Once in a while I get to see it go down the tracks by my house, usually when it's on its way for a trip or whatever they do with it anymore (traveling tours I guess?) Yeah, tours. Neat stuff.
(By rublegun. I know that's an electric and the 1225 is coal but I still really like this image. Aesthetics, man, get with it.)
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Honestly that's all I can think about or remember. Any questions, feel free to ask and I'll write something probably! Hope you all enjoyed the story, as well as some of this nonsense backstory to the story.
I kinda just want a sequel where they just go look at more talking old items and just see the ponies reactions to various stuff.
Very interesting! I am glad you blogged this. I, too, like the old stuff from the era when you could actually fix things and it didn't cost more than buying a brand new one.
Did somepony say Tucker?
Tin Goose prototype:
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/d5ivovo-3be30c76-95ed-450f-83bf-649481703a4e.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_600,q_75,strp/tin_goose_by_swiftysgarage_d5ivovo-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjAwIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kNWl2b3ZvLTNiZTMwYzc2LTk1ZWQtNDUwZi04M2JmLTY0OTQ4MTcwM2E0ZS5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9OTAwIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmltYWdlLm9wZXJhdGlvbnMiXX0.0oK944S968AQP6TFbbA90tOOQLyMhfZKDJRkjZKS8sI
1001:
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/d8nws4x-b9208f82-d2c2-431f-aa4b-c78242f2bfd0.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_683,q_75,strp/1001_by_swiftysgarage_d8nws4x-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjgzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kOG53czR4LWI5MjA4ZjgyLWQyYzItNDMxZi1hYTRiLWM3ODI0MmYyYmZkMC5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.9dj0F7g-Te0mNpj-Xtb8mAQ2kQcLDnN-L5XkcuQ4IP4
1008:
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/da6psgt-2e50e4a5-b636-4210-acb4-f2698fcd544f.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_683,q_75,strp/1008_by_swiftysgarage_da6psgt-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjgzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kYTZwc2d0LTJlNTBlNGE1LWI2MzYtNDIxMC1hY2I0LWYyNjk4ZmNkNTQ0Zi5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.6glDPR97PZ4HPD2aHTvJwvj-1gq1FehuphD9IllOCyY
1022:
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/d8npd48-733bdb74-6f28-4566-bf1b-2461c7799df9.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_683,q_75,strp/1022_by_swiftysgarage_d8npd48-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjgzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kOG5wZDQ4LTczM2JkYjc0LTZmMjgtNDU2Ni1iZjFiLTI0NjFjNzc5OWRmOS5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.EtUw-ELuW43Lj34ZU57rWVmN4ml5vaLNzDzOUhk9LyA
1026:
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/d8nx0o6-e24f1c88-ffd7-41c0-9c82-7c17e570548d.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_683,q_75,strp/1026_by_swiftysgarage_d8nx0o6-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjgzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kOG54MG82LWUyNGYxYzg4LWZmZDctNDFjMC05YzgyLTdjMTdlNTcwNTQ4ZC5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.NXVayaN-Uk6q_rKCkP2IjDhlwfU-s7U_cu4nUOl91aI
And the replica from Sin City:
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/db5gzbb-8be06b2b-9fa4-4821-a32e-824dcac5a83b.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_683,q_75,strp/rusty_tucker__well__sorta__by_swiftysgarage_db5gzbb-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjgzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kYjVnemJiLThiZTA2YjJiLTlmYTQtNDgyMS1hMzJlLTgyNGRjYWM1YTgzYi5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.C0fUImmi5YLWkykOIRsA2QaC3hzGysQDio3GLNpWk7o
...I've also had the good fortune to have shot multiple Herbies as well.
One of Swigart's examples (they also have the Tin Goose seen above):
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/d5i515y-a5b3f572-5543-477a-bc0a-01cbdc79a0d2.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_600,q_75,strp/herbie_by_swiftysgarage_d5i515y-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjAwIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kNWk1MTV5LWE1YjNmNTcyLTU1NDMtNDc3YS1iYzBhLTAxY2JkYzc5YTBkMi5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9OTAwIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmltYWdlLm9wZXJhdGlvbnMiXX0.-cokZoKYtIyIXn61mTiDua37EpYcr-H0ssgtrf3-oxc
These next two stopped by the Hershey AACA Museum (that also has #1001, #1022, & #1026 seen above):
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/d9yhgcz-8f51eaab-a5c7-45b2-9dcd-77074666551d.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_683,q_75,strp/yes__this_is_a_real_herbie_used_in_the_first_movie_by_swiftysgarage_d9yhgcz-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjgzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kOXloZ2N6LThmNTFlYWFiLWE1YzctNDViMi05ZGNkLTc3MDc0NjY2NTUxZC5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.hrEhkHG76PsfCVMxQ9hrEGs7SMCRXYRh65jhpwiSImA
This one's the stunt Herbie that goes over the tires at Riverside when 'drunk' (it was then repainted yellow & green to be the junked Beetle that shows up in Herbie Rides Again):
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7c867467-fa6f-457a-a5f1-ae7cf0a3184d/d9xw1js-ef71aa67-16da-4fee-8ffc-18a0e0e44c3b.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_683,q_75,strp/stunt_herbie_by_swiftysgarage_d9xw1js-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjgzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2M4Njc0NjctZmE2Zi00NTdhLWE1ZjEtYWU3Y2YwYTMxODRkXC9kOXh3MWpzLWVmNzFhYTY3LTE2ZGEtNGZlZS04ZmZjLTE4YTBlMGU0NGMzYi5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.gyL1k4gmhyKd1yHc7-fcziW764iOHobzAMgJkUytF8k
Closest I've come to listening to old radio shows is Qwerpline. Which is a parody radio show with some pretty good dialog... It feels like a super dysfunctional small town radio station... which is what it pretends to be.
OLD STUIUIUUFFF
THAT IS ALL