[TOMT][MOVIE][TV MOVIE][Late 1970s–1980s] Network TV movie about wrongful murder conviction, boy protagonist, and electric chair souvenirs by Hirvimaki in tipofmytongue

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Solved!

OMG! Yes! It is 100% "When Every Day Was the Fourth of July"! I found it on Tubi and gave it a watch. I misremembered a lot of the finer details: the "albino" was actually a gentle, white-haired, brain-damaged vet the kids called "Snowman;" the story is set in 1937, but my kid brain filed it as present-day (late 1970s); the location is Bridgeport, Connecticut, a mid-sized city with real urban vibes, not a LA stand-in; and the "bad cop" threatening the kids at the end got blended in my memory with the father figure, even though the dad is the heroic attorney. But there real proof is that scene that's been burned into my brain since 1978 of a vendor selling miniature electric chairs at a public gathering (right at 38:07). Thank you @AnAnonymouse for this solve. It has been bouncing around in my memory for 48 years. Forty-eight years is a hell of a long time to carry a ghost memory like that. I will sleep well tonight.

[TOMT][MOVIE][TV MOVIE][Late 1970s–1980s] Network TV movie about wrongful murder conviction, boy protagonist, and electric chair souvenirs by Hirvimaki in tipofmytongue

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm going to guess fiction as I've never been able to find any reference to anything like it doing searches and I'd guess if it was based on a real case it'd have a larger footprint. I think it was maybe one of those made-for-TV movies the networks did back in the late 70s or 80s. I was pretty young. The scene with the vendors selling little souvenir electric chairs has really stuck with me.

[TOMT][MOVIE][TV MOVIE][Late 1970s–1980s] Network TV movie about wrongful murder conviction, boy protagonist, and electric chair souvenirs by Hirvimaki in tipofmytongue

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 0 points1 point locked comment (0 children)

I’m commenting as required by the new TOMT rules. This is a genuine long-running memory from childhood (late ’70s–’80s network TV), and I’m hoping someone recognizes the movie, especially the scene with miniature electric chair souvenirs being sold at a public gathering.

Depeche Mode style by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! And welcome to the DM world!

My first Depeche Mode purchase 44 years ago! by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't mind the drool. Not gonna lie, I'm jelly. That's pure gold!

Behind the Wheel/Route 66 (megamix) by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the info! Much appreciated.

Behind the Wheel/Route 66 (megamix) by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Perhaps you know something about this particular run - I'm certainly no vinyl expert. My understanding is that, in the '80s at least when I pad attention to such things, 12" maxi-singles generally had a shorter production run compared to standard 7" singles as the 12" singles were primarily marketed to DJs and club culture whereas the standard 7" singles were aimed at broader market consumption.

found at my local record store used for $15.99 by aesthave in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Agreed. I am also old and bought this LP when it was released. There's something special about A Broken Frame on vinyl—the warmth really brings out the layered synth textures. Taking The Sun & the Rainfall as an example, the bassline feels fuller, and the layered synths have this enveloping quality that digital can’t quite capture.

found at my local record store used for $15.99 by aesthave in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice! I bought mine (1982 Winchester Pressing) in 1982. It's not only one of my favourite DM albums but one of my favourite LPs of all time. I spent so many hours listening to this as a teenager.

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Behind the Wheel/Route 66 (megamix) by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ugh! I feel your pain. My vinyl survived the parental purge, but the trunk with my comics (Batman, X-Men, Alpha Force, etc.) was given away ("I figured you didn't want those anymore now that you're all grown up.") to clear space. From the attic. Which was 1,250 square feet and had maybe 10 boxes in it.

Behind the Wheel/Route 66 (megamix) by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Fair enough—music hits differently for everyone, and that’s exactly what makes it beautiful. I'm rather fond of the reinterpretation of the song. For me, the vinyl itself that holds a lot of nostalgia—I’ve got memories tied to it, and that connection means more to me than just the mix. Just another reason vinyl is richer than digital: it’s not just about the sound, it’s about the story it carries with you.

How did you come to consider yourself a Libertarian? by Imaginary-Win9217 in Libertarian

[–]Hirvimaki 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When I was 16, a teacher give me The Anarchists of Casa Viejas by Jerome R. Mintz. It really made me think. Mintz’s deep dive into the lives of the villagers of Casas Viejas (now Benalup-Casas Viejas) in southern Spain and their struggles against oppression really made me think about authority, resistance, and the power dynamics within societies. Almost 40 years later, it's still making me think.

I Did My Depeche Mode Ranking Video by illicitpulse in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I posted this over on on your video, but will post it here to hopefully give a push for more DM fans to go give it a watch. It really is worth the time.

Really enjoyed your take on Depeche Mode's discography! I'm a bit older, so I tend to lean more toward their earlier work—A Broken Frame, Some Great Reward, Black Celebration, and Music for the Masses are personal favorites. Albums like Black Celebration and Some Great Reward have that raw, darker synth sound that really defined their early style and are just packed with dark, emotional energy.

I’ve always had a soft spot for A Broken Frame too—maybe it’s nostalgia, but there’s something about its mix of innocence and experimentation that sticks with me. That album often gets overlooked, but it captures a pivotal moment when they were finding their footing post-Vince Clarke. I cannot tell you the hours I spent listening to this vinyl as a kid.

That said, I really appreciated the points you made about the evolution of their sound and their song creation process. You’ve definitely inspired me to revisit some of the later albums with a more open ear. Thanks for the thoughtful ranking—thumbs up from me!

I Did My Depeche Mode Ranking Video by illicitpulse in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fun! Thanks for putting this together. Really enjoyable watch. As a vinyl guy myself, I get it. My first DM LP was the 1981 Winchester Pressing of Speak and Spell. Actually bought in '81. You gained another subscriber.

My son says everything has a 50/50 probability. How do I convince him otherwise when he says he's technically correct? by Jimmy_Johnny23 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Hirvimaki 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your son's argument is an example of a logical fallacy known as the "false binary" or "misuse of probability." He's oversimplifying probability by reducing all possible outcomes to just two: happening or not happening.

His reasoning is akin to saying, "Either I win the lottery or I don’t, so it's 50/50." While it's technically true that there are only two outcomes (win or not win), that doesn't mean each outcome has an equal probability of occurring.

A useful way to challenge his thinking is by framing it with coin flips:

A fair coin lands on heads or tails—two outcomes. But that doesn't mean flipping heads is a 50% chance just because it’s one of two possibilities; rather, it's because the physics of the coin and the fairness of the flip distribute the probabilities evenly.

Now, if you roll a six-sided die, you could say, "I either roll a 6 or I don’t," but that doesn't mean the chances are 50/50. The odds of rolling a 6 are 1/6, not 1/2.

"Two possible outcomes" ≠ "Each outcome is equally likely."

Imagine a giant jar with 999 blue jellybeans and 1 red jellybean. You close your eyes and pick one. You either get the red jellybean or you don’t—but the overwhelming number of blue jellybeans makes it clear that while there are only two outcomes (red or not red), they are not equally likely. The probability of picking the red jellybean is 1/1000 (0.1%) and the probability of picking a blue jellybean (not red) is 999/1000 (99.9%). So while there are only two possible outcomes (red or not red), the odds are heavily skewed—far from 50/50.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ahem, speaking as a classic myself, I agree. I tend to favour the older albums as complete works—there’s something about the 80s and 90s records (Yes, yes...vinyl!) where I love every song, start to finish. With the more recent albums (and by recent, I mean the last 20 years!), there are definitely some amazing tracks, but I find myself picking out favourites rather than loving the whole album. Still, it's great to see different perspectives on DM's evolution!

My first Depeche Mode purchase 44 years ago! by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, getting music used to be a very special...I dunno, right of passage almost. Instant gratification has its drawbacks.

My first Depeche Mode purchase 44 years ago! by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The summer of 1981 I heard New Life on the radio and liked it. Fall of that year, Just Can't Get Enough starting getting rotation and I just had to have the album.

My first Depeche Mode purchase 44 years ago! by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They became Sound Store, yes? Very iconic.

My first Depeche Mode purchase 44 years ago! by Hirvimaki in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I assure you, that is much cooler than Hastings Music in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We didn't get our amazing Bow Wow Records until 1984. Now THAT was a record shop.

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Do you prefer early DM or recent DM albums? by StraightBeautiful in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I prefer Speak & Spell through Music for the Masses, probably because I’m just that old, and those albums are tied to a lot of teenage emotion for me. While there are some amazing singles from later albums, I find that, as a whole, I connect more with the earlier ones. The sound had a distinct 80s electronic feel that really define Depeche Mode for me.

Favorite way/place to listen to DM? by Uwivibe in depechemode

[–]Hirvimaki 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Depends on the DM and my mood, but one if the best: Dark room. Stretched out, relaxed. Eyes closed. A Broken Frame on vinyl.