Speaking of Beeeps

[Bill O'Neill]

bill.smith@comcast.net wrote:
> There seem to be CAP alum everywhere, and half of them seem to be practicing law.
And the other half is retaining them. <cymbal>
>  I was there 79-84, arriving when they got rid of the jocks and went to automation that was tended by the news dept., which, after changing reels,  invariably forgot to turn on the ancient RCA cart machine that fired off Jerry Bishop's liners when it detected a right channel tone at the start of a song with  musical intro of serven seconds or longer on an unvoiced reel  
<fade in harp sfx under>  ...and it was Bill Smith, evening newsman, 
when this college kid got his first regular jock shift, 6-mid.  I was 
honored to change the temperature cards in the window between master and 
the "front booth." There were two sets of little cards with "0" to "9" 
each. You'd check the temperature from the window in the "jock lounge" 
and then order the corresponding two digits and lean them up against the 
news booth glass.  It was always enjoyable to make it 83 during a 
blizzard just for the reax.  Certain newsmen, especially with oddly 
curly hair, (not Smither), didn't take kindly to such, not wanting to be 
made sport of.  And that was the time when we would recite temperatures 
in both Fahrenheit and Celcius.

Smith would occasion to tape a piece of old copy to the window near or 
after his "eleven" with markings designating the official invitation to 
entertain a post-shift cold, refreshing beverage at the high class 
establishment on the building's street level. With some of the "bands" 
performing in the establishment (covering cover bands covering covers) 
one could "feel" the music rising through the studio floor such that 
minus 9 dB impact during a stop set was not unusual. Nothing like a 
listener (or 3) witnessing the closing out of a sizzling Manilow 
toe-tapper only to be serenaded by a $175 a week kid with the lottery 
numbers awkwardly battling it out over the rhythmic stylings of Freebird 
and the essence of the occasional breaking glass.  Oh, and don't forget 
the mating cat noises from the alley outside of the 75 pound studio 
window. 

Speaking of which, who may remember "The WCAP Alley Beater?"  That was a 
respectable piece of wood that served as something to hold open the 
window to the fire escape as well as a fine defensive tool.  One never 
knew what to expect in the back alley especially prior to when the 
ubiquitous urban renewal arrived to the back alley, the homeless were 
dispatched forthwith, and a gate was installed.
> I just wonder if the Grace Kelly Memorial Flashing Lights, installed per order of Ike Cohen after the ABC net bulletin on her death went unaired, are still on the newsroom window  opposite the sales manager's office...
I recall it was a light bar with four standard light bulb sockets. Three 
of the lights were spray painted, red, blue, and green (flash, bulletin, 
advisory) I forget what the white bulb was for.  I do know that when 
Reagan was shot all four lit up.  Grace Kelly would have been proud.  
<harp sfx....>  KCG492 clear.

Bill O'Neill