I read something earlier this week that bothered me way more than I thought it would:

Last Saturday (October 4, 2014) was the first Saturday morning in 43 years there were no cartoons on major network television.

Every Saturday since 1971 at least one of the 4 big networks had broadcast a block of animation aimed squarely at the under 13 crowd of the era. Generations have literally come and gone being brought up on a regular weekend diet of sugary breakfast cereal and cartoons. More than 4 decades of television program that was ours.

While I haven't watched any Saturday morning cartoons since the mid 1980's, it feels like a little part of my youth has died. Just like trips to the record store, Adventure River and Malibu Grand Prix.

Sure, kids today have Netflix, Hulu, Cartoon Network, VOD and a plethora of online sources to get their animated fix, but it's not the same. Like so many things, the future is now...but is it really an improvement?

Here's to you Scooby Doo, Bugs Bunny, Richie Rich and He-Man. You gave me a reason to get out of bed on those Saturday mornings so long ago.