So, What Else is On? Click. Click.

​            I guess that the young people of today think that there have always been scads of television channels.  They may find it hard to believe when I tell them that I remember when there was only one channel.  That's right.  One channel.  For me it was channel 6.  That was the only television station in town.  We didn't have remote controls in those days, but we didn't need them.  There was no alternative.  If channel 6 didn't have it, you didn't see it.

          It is certainly a lot more complicated now than it was back in 1952 BC (before cable) when I saw my first television picture.  The screen was 10 inches in diameter and the program was "Amos and Andy."

          I still remember everything about the show--even the commercial (Blatz Beer.)  That was the beginning.  As I grew up,  I watched the television screen grow larger.  I watched as it    burst into color.  I watched as it acquired satellites and sprouted
many new channels.  I watched and watched and watched.

          Now I'm a veteran viewer.  I'm one of millions of channel-grazers who prowl the airways.  For us, the La-Z-Boy is home base as we hold steady aim on the TV with our remote controls.  Up and down, through the channels we go. 

          Our attention span has been shortened to a sound bite.  Three seconds here, ten seconds there, we sample everything while surfing ever onward.

          Click on...here's a congressman holding spellbound a House full of empty seats   Click  a team of archaeologists is unearthing a ceramic mug Click   Frankie and Annette are on the beach  Click  a genuine faux pearl necklace is selling at the unbelievable price of   Click   Gilligan and the Skipper are covered with flour while   Click   there's a yellow blob on the radar just west of Terre Haute   Click   ET is phoning home   Click   a lady is making apple turnovers in a sandwich maker   Click   Clyde Lee is standing by from   Click   Lucy and Ethel are scheming behind Ricky's back   Click   the Bible says to repent and call us at 1-800   Click    a CNN reporter is standing in front of   Click   guys with tattoos are screaming and banging on guitars   Click   Doris Day is feuding with Rock Hudson   Click   a young couple is installing drywall    Click   Little Jimmy Dickens is singing "Take a Tater and Wait"   Click   John McLaughlin is yelling at someone who    Click    one wrestler is tossing another out of the ring    Click   the yellow blob has moved farther east   Click   Rob and Laura are sending Richie to bed    Click  the faux pearl necklace has just sold out.

 
With apologies to Robert Frost:

          What show is this?  Heck, I don't know,

            It's right here on my cable, though.

            What it's about is not too clear,

            But I'll watch it for a second or so.

            This show looks really good but  - beep!

            I have channels I must sweep,

            As on and on the pictures leap,

            'Til C-SPAN puts me fast asleep.