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Gadget(ChatGPT) says I should go for history. So, yuk a hey. Just some bull shit off the cuff history.

7 Funny Things That Happened in the 1970s

“Sandwiched between 1960s idealism and 1980s excess, the ’70s were a time when serious concerns about the economy, environment, politics, and shifting social values coexisted with an unabashed pursuit of fun and self-expression. That mix is what makes the era so endlessly fascinating — and, at times, uniquely amusing. “

The Streaking Sensation

For a few surreal years in the 1970s, America was in the throes of what TIME magazine called an “epidermis epidemic.” Though public nudity wasn’t new — the ancient Greeks famously competed nude in the Olympics, for goodness’ sake — streaking, or running naked through a public place, became a bona fide trend early in the decade. 

Gerald Ford Falling Down

It’s not uncommon for politicians — including, and maybe especially, presidents — to be the subject of endless jokes. That certainly proved true for Gerald Ford, who became president of the United States in 1974 following Richard Nixon’s resignation. As a former University of Michigan football star, Ford was actually quite athletic, but a series of stumbles during his presidency led to a lasting clumsy image.

Trucker Talk Takes Off

Long before social media, people across the U.S. chatted with each other on CB radios. Citizens band radios had been around since the 1940s and were used by niche hobbyists throughout the 1960s. But during the 1970s, they became a full-blown cultural phenomenon, in part due to the 1973 oil crisis. Gas prices soared, and with nationwide fuel shortages, the U.S. government imposed a speed limit of 55 miles per hour in 1974. Truck drivers formed CB communities, sharing gas station prices and availability, organizing protests, and warning each other about police speed traps. 

Elvis and Nixon Team Up

It was one of the most unexpected meetings the White House has seen: On December 21, 1970, Elvis Presley walked into the Oval Office to meet with President Richard Nixon. The King of Rock ’n’ Roll had arrived at the White House unannounced earlier that morning to deliver a handwritten six-page letter; in it, he outlined his concerns about the country’s drug culture and offered to “be of any service that I can to help the country out.” By midday, Presley — in a purple velvet suit, an oversize-collared shirt, and a massive embellished belt buckle — was sitting across from the president. Together, they chatted about America’s drug problems, communism, and the Beatles. 

Farrah Fawcett Hair Mania

Few hairstyles have reached the cultural saturation of Farrah Fawcett’s signature feathered locks. When Charlie’s Angels debuted in the fall of 1976, Fawcett was not yet a household name; though she’d appeared in other TV shows and films, she was still mostly known from shampoo commercials. It seems fitting, then, that shortly after Charlie’s Angels hit the air, Fawcett quickly became famous for her tresses: soft, feathered waves layered and teased voluminously away from her sun-kissed face. The hairstyle was unlike anything else that was popular at the time — think of 1976 Olympic gold-medalist figure skater Dorothy Hamill’s short, brunette bob — and it was instantly iconic.

The Pet Rock Phenomenon

Few ’70s fads were as simple — and as successful — as the Pet Rock. Dreamed up by California advertising copywriter Gary Dahl, the Pet Rock was exactly what it sounded like: a small, smooth stone nestled in a cardboard “pet carrier” box that came complete with breathing holes and an instruction manual with tongue-in-cheek rock-training tips. It may have started as a joke between Dahl and his friends about hassle-free pets, but it turned into a bona fide phenomenon.

Disco Everywhere

By the late 1970s, disco had fully infiltrated American culture. What started in underground clubs exploded into the mainstream in unexpected places. The 1977 sensation Saturday Night Fever brought platform shoes, bell-bottom pants, and polyester jumpsuits to the big screen, while fast-food titan McDonald’s ran a Big Mac ad set to disco sights and sounds. 

Okay, I am far from sure I enjoyed this particular walk down memory lane. Or let me rephrase that a little differently and say some of those memories just made me stick my finger down my throat and gag.

Just for shits and giggles.

The Snickers candy bar was named after a horse.

While names like Hershey’s and 3 Musketeers (which originally included three bars) are fairly straightforward, some candy bar monikers are more elusive. Case in point: What, exactly, is a Snickers? Well, it’s actually a “who” — and not a human “who” at that. The candy bar was named after one of the Mars family’s favorite horses. Franklin Mars founded Mars, Incorporated (originally known as Mar-O-Bar Co.) in 1911, introducing Snickers in 1930; when it came time to name his product, he did what any pet lover would do and immortalized his equine friend as only a candy magnate could. (By some accounts, the horse passed away shortly before the product’s launch.)

I think I read that Wendy’s was named after the owners daughter. So, I think this is pretty cool. least they didn’t name the candy bar after their pet rock.

Okay, because I am pretty much just being lazy today and giving you cut-and-pastes from my emails that I did absolutely no research on, just one more.

Was Lady Godiva Real?

Okay, this is one that I really think you should read for yourself, just because it really is interesting. What I will say is that Lady Godiva really was a person and that Lady Godiva and her husband were well known for their charitable contributions. Now, is there any historical record of her riding naked through the streets? None that I could find when I read the story.

BUT, there is another mythical character who is also mentioned in this story. Lol. And this person is still referred to today: Peeping Tom.

Later versions of the legend introduced another character who has endured to this day, and whose name has become a common expression in the English language: Peeping Tom. Tom, according to folklore, was a tailor who, unlike his fellow townsfolk, couldn’t resist looking at the beautiful Lady Godiva as she rode by his window. For this violation, he was allegedly struck blind instantly — a divine punishment for disrespecting Godiva’s noble sacrifice. 

AND, don’t forget this lady made it into modern pop culture with the song about her.

“Lady Godiva” is a popular song originally recorded and released in early 1966 as a single by Paul Jones. British pop duo Peter and Gordon subsequently recorded it. Though it only made it to No. 16 in the UK, it became one of the duo’s greatest successes in the United States, rising to No.

I freely admit, I absolutely put no effort into today’s post. I am brain-fried from security work on MWPV and also my rants about Data Centers and AI. I just felt it was time to step back and do something fun. Also, now you can see some of the other crap I like to check out besides tech and science. What the hell. There is so much shit going on, so much to absorb and try to understand. Just bullshit for fun once in a while is what we all need.