I remember leafing through Radio Shack catalogs back in the 1970s. It was the equivalent of logging on to a web site and clicking through links to see what was offered. One of their problems then was that they were an accessory supermarket -- fuses, adapters, cords, you name it - while their own brand (Tandy, e.g.) were never quite known for being high quality items. If you bought a Tandy/Radio Shack stereo, it was usually because you didn't have the money to go to a better store to get a Harmon Kardon. The model they tried to work was people coming in for a battery (remember their Battery of the Month Club?) and then trying to steer the customer towards a stereo. It never worked. I remember buying batteries in a Radio Shack during the 1980s and laughing when a salesman asked if I wanted a VCR. I explained that the leap from batteries to VCR just struck me as funny. I always wondered if they might have succeeded if they'd embraced their role as an accessory supermarket rather than trying to be taken seriously as an outlet for stereos and the like. I'll never forget this moment from "The Simpsons":
Homer: We'll search out every place a sick twisted solitary misfit might run to.
"Whoa," both because of this martial artist/thrasher and because of John's working Plutarch in to this post. YOU, SIR, ARE MAGNIFICENT! (This applies to both John and the guy in the video.)
If people haven't seen this clip of Rogers testifying in front of the US Senate in 1969 in an effort to save some funding for PBS, please do yourself a massive favor and watch. It's one of the most breathtaking things I've ever seen. He just melts the Sen. John Pastore's gruff facade. BTW, Pastore would later say that Roger's testimony had given him goose bumps.
John, I've also gotten that sense as well. I went to school with one of his kids and that was more awareness of his personal life as I think most people around here (Pittsburgh) had of him.
A couple of other things -- my mother used to give tours at WQED, where he did his show. She told me a story of giving a tour that included a young child.
Fred Rogers appeared near the tour. The child broke free from the group, ran to Rogers and hugged him, excitedly saying, "Mr. Rogers, I love you!" He said he loved her as well.
I can barely type that without tears welling up in my eyes.
One other thing: I looked up some information about a memorial service held for Rogers after his death. Teresa Heinz Kerry said the following: "He never condescended, just invited us into his conversation. He spoke to us as the people we were, not as the people others wished we were."
Homer: We'll search out every place a sick twisted solitary misfit might run to.
Lisa: I'll start with Radio Shack.
"Whoa," both because of this martial artist/thrasher and because of John's working Plutarch in to this post. YOU, SIR, ARE MAGNIFICENT! (This applies to both John and the guy in the video.)
A couple of other things -- my mother used to give tours at WQED, where he did his show. She told me a story of giving a tour that included a young child.
Fred Rogers appeared near the tour. The child broke free from the group, ran to Rogers and hugged him, excitedly saying, "Mr. Rogers, I love you!" He said he loved her as well.
I can barely type that without tears welling up in my eyes.
One other thing: I looked up some information about a memorial service held for Rogers after his death. Teresa Heinz Kerry said the following: "He never condescended, just invited us into his conversation. He spoke to us as the people we were, not as the people others wished we were."
We should all strive to be the same way.