I can't speak for other regions, but the reason school starts in Kentucky so much earlier than when I was a kid is because there are way more breaks now, like a week of "fall break," more teacher in-service training, and testing days that don't count as instructional days. Temps used to be a factor, but schools in the South are now all built to have A/C. But that A/C ain't cheap. And school consolidation also means that kids are spending way more time on school buses, sometimes an hour each way, and they are not air conditioned.
Collecting DVDs is a fine idea until they quit making the players. I don't think DVD players will hold up as well as cast iron antiques (although probably better than VHS players). I'm still upset that new Macs don't have a disc drive, what with all the family pictures I spent hours burning to disc.
1975? Make that three generations. Although I must admit that when the song was first released, it was usually heard with a very short intro for the radio edit. Hearing the album version was a treat.
But that A/C ain't cheap. And school consolidation also means that kids are spending way more time on school buses, sometimes an hour each way, and they are not air conditioned.