Good morning

Cindy Crawford?

Morning, Dave. Hope you have great day. I took a long ride though the National Forrest this AM. A lot in bloom and really pretty.

No contest - Cindy Crawford.

... although a cat on my lap is nice.

Concierto de Aranjuez on my restored '76 quadro' radiogram!

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

Hello, my friend! I know it only plays good music.

So true.

Naturally! Nothing like it for playing the old vinyl. The clicks and hisses just add to the ambience. Must dig out some more.

I miss remote control though, having to get up every 20-30 minutes to flip the disc is a drag.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

Aww, poor baby!

The dark ages.

Many of the old ones are becoming worth a little money.

I hate it when I can't find the remote.

quote:

having to get up every 20-30 minutes to flip the disc is a drag.

But that's half the fun of records; keeps you from falling asleep.

I doubt this one's worth much but it is almost mint.

It was purchased locally in 1976 (I have the books) but was given to my father for wrecking in NSW about 6 years ago. Even he thought it was too good for that so when we were up there two years ago he offered it to me.

I won't go into the drama of getting it into a medium-small vehicle for the 1000 mile trip home! 'Specially with two dogs and a spouse who wasn't too keen on the idea.

I was still able to get a new drive belt and cartridge for it - without them it really would have been scrap. Finding the material to make new rubber motor mounts was difficult, they'd flattened out and hardened. You need something that absorbs vibration but is strong enough to hold the motor at the right height. Answer - the foam rubber used in flying model aeroplanes to protect the electronics from engine vibration! New speaker cloth and a good clean and there she is!

It's Japanese made and top of the range for its time so I'm very pleased with it, and that's all that matters.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

quote:

But that's half the fun of records; keeps you from falling asleep.

What d'ya think I'm trying to do, Dave?

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

Dave, yes, maybe you are right! When did remote become such an important part of our lives anyway?

GG, you were really lucky to find one that would fit, I think. These new darned units are coded and you can't get one out of the junk yard and just install it. You have to have the code.

That's the advantage of the old electro-mechanical stuff. With a little ingenuity it can be repaired by alsmost anybody. Now digital is a different matter........

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

Has the remote control been a boon or a bane to our way of life?

I don't object to them per se, but I do prefer to buy appliances that can also be controlled "manually" from their own front panels.

If I lose the remote for my old hi-fi it's not a disaster, but if I lose the one for the DVD; end of story!

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

What we need is a remote that will fetch the remote.

There’s something comforting in knowing that with today’s technology one can change the volume on their CD player from the safety of their toilet. It's gets boring just sitting there and reading.

GG, yes, I have had that happen. I am always misplacing the darned things or the batteries go bad!

Of course, operating a jet is easier than learning all the functions on a remote these days.

It’s spooky to think about all the “must-have” remotes one has. Go around the house and count them all. Don’t forget the garage door openers and the car door openers (I haven’t heard of a remote controlled can opener - has one major drawback). There are remote controls for sprinklers, alarm systems, fireplaces, air conditioners, drapes, blinds, and fans. A wireless keyboard can be considered a remote control. Perhaps wireless phones would be also. If so, then a cell phone is fairly remote. And, a cell phone (any phone) can act as a remote control. If any remote controlled toys such as cars, planes, trains, boats, or helicopters – they would have to be included. Now, if they could just make a remote control for teenagers (at a minimum something with a mute-button) – that would definitely be a “must-have”.

Can't beat my victrola for pops and hisses! And the exercise you get is great! Crank, crank, crank ... Flip, flip, flip! Adjusting the volume is fun too - open the doors wide for loud, close them for soft (it's an old upright model)!


(not *exactly* the one I have, but close!)

It sure has a lot more character than my CD player. My friends have one almost like it. As you say, adjusting the volume is fun. The first time I saw it playing I was checking it out and noticed the doors opened a little and out of curiosity opened the doors to see what was inside, what a surprise

Bj,a pretty piece of furniture to say the least! I remember when the first record players came out and everyone threw the Victrolas away or hauled them to the attic! My Dad bought me a 45, 78, 33 portable record player for my 13t birthday. I thought it was the greatest thing ever!

... and something else to consider while you’re inventorying all those remotes. All of you that have some smart bombs stashed away in the attic – yes, I’m afraid those have to be included. But, you’ll need not count the non-smart types.

(Not to get off the subject too much) Now, one would think that the non-smart bombs would be called dumb bombs. But, once again, to avoid insulting anyone or putting a negative spin on anything as positive as a bomb, some clever person come up with “gravity bomb” (I’m not making this up). Now a gravity bomb is about as redundant a phrase as gravity skydiver.

That's a picture of a Victrola? I thought it was a Model-T.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave:
I am sitting here spinning some really great classical records (right now Petrouchka/Gossens/Everest SDBR 3033) and hope that everyone's morning is just as great as mine. The sun is shining, its about 70; what could be better.

Sadly, no means of playing records any more - just CDs.
Listening to 'O soave fanciulla', 'Ebben ne andro lontana' and Sibelius 5 today. Sunny, 6 Celsius.
My hi-fi stuff - mainly Quad - does not have a remote - you have to go a bit downmarket for that!

Lol, Mike! I could ship you a few hundred remotes, if you like! Of course, none of them work anymore or I don't know what they go to.....
But, great music is great music , no matter what you play it on!
Btw, there is an eleven year old at Church that can play, perfectly, any classic you mention, perfectly, on the piano. He plays for us after Church if we ask. He is an amazing little boy!

Did you know that RCA is an abbreviation for Radio Corporation of America? Here’s their site: http://home.rca.com/EN-US/Rcahome.html
I couldn’t find any “radios”, but happy to report they still sell remotes.

And, here’s RCA records: http://www.rcarecords.com/
but, no “records”, other than record hits and Gold/Diamond Records (there’s two ways to pronounce “record” - noun, verb). Obviously an artist would rather have a Gold Record than a Gold CD, assuming they have the wall space.

On Monday I need to dialup AT&T and order a new telegraph. Mine must be broken, as I haven’t gotten a telegram this entire year. I do want to thank whoever sent me the strip-a-gram – that was definitely wireless. The singing telegram I could have done without, as well as the gorilla-gram.

AT&T Wireless almost sounds like an oxymoron.

And, it’s about time people stop “dialing” phone numbers. With voice recognition, one needs not even “touch” or “push” anymore (Am I the only one that feels strange talking to a computer? Am I the only one that thinks that it’s a more meaningful discussion than one with some humans? – At least they’re polite and don’t get their feelings hurt.).

And #2, why not take everyone that still has a dial phone outside and shoot them? It would be better than all of the rest of us having to listen to the recorded instructions on what to do if we’re calling from a touchless/pushless phone – which none of us are.

My brother has several old gramophones of that era including a 'tabletop' version of the Victrola sort of thing. Also one of those ones with the giant brass horn like you see with the dog looking into.

None of my records was made earlier than the sixties however; I like the 'popular' classics but they've gotta be in stereo. Remote control isn't a must but electrical operation most certainly is!

My turn to say g'night - G'night!

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

G'NIGHT!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Gardengnome:
Also one of those ones with the giant brass horn like you see with the dog looking into.

>> Click here - RCA <<

It's probably tempting fate to say this but I've never had a remote fail. The one for my 20yr old Pioneer hifi still works perfectly and is on only its second or third set of batteries.

On the other hand, the one for a late-model Panasonic VCR needs a frequent slap against your hand to make the batteries connect before it will deign to operate. The battery door falls off (probably as a result of such handling) and I curse its designer daily.

The DVD one is covered in arcane symbols and runes and I'm scared to press anything but Play and Stop in case I inadvertantly summon up Beelzebub into my lounge-room, or open the neighbours garage door - which would summon up the next-door neighbour, and I'd prefer Beelzebub!

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

I just remembered the name of that gramaphone that used to have the picture of the dog looking into the horn - it was HMV, His Master's Voice.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

quote:

Originally posted by Gardengnome:
I just remembered the name of that gramaphone that used to have the picture of the dog looking into the horn - it was HMV, His Master's Voice.

That seems to ring a bell. I think “Victor” was in there somewhere.

quote:

Originally posted by Gardengnome:
I just remembered the name of that gramaphone that used to have the picture of the dog looking into the horn - it was HMV, His Master's Voice.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

The dog (his name was Nipper) was HMVs trademark used on all their electrical goods up into the 1960s, as well as being originally used on their 'gramaphones' [sic].

Never could understand 33 and a third. A 45 - yes (good caliber). Even a 78 (75 or 80 would have been easier to remember). But 33 “and a third”? Would anyone have noticed had they just said they were 33 (picture a techie with a watch counting revolutions for a minute)? If they thought someone would count, then why not just make them 33’s and forget the third? Does a third revolution a minute really make much difference (a little less than one percent of the total)? Maybe “they” were just trying to impress us? If so, then they should have made them 33 and a tenth. 45 is the difference of 33 from 78 – but there’s still that pesky “and a third”. This couldn’t have been random, and there must be a rational reason for it (I just can’t warm up to another Google today – my Ad-aware is tired – is there not a site “out there” that doesn’t add cookies?).

I wonder if there were different regions for styli?

OK, "gramophone". Y'all know what I mean.

I never knew it was a real dog, but I bet he wasn't fooled for long with the quality of reproduction of the time.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

Goodnight, GG! I will laugh at the quote below! It sounds very familiar!
"The DVD one is covered in arcane symbols and runes and I'm scared to press anything but Play and Stop in case I inadvertantly summon up Beelzebub into my lounge-room, or open the neighbours garage door - which would summon up the next-door neighbour, and I'd prefer Beelzebub!"

Ever notice that Beelzebub sounds like such a “user friendly” synonym? It conjures up visions of, “How about we take Old Grandpa Beelzebub out to IHOP?” It’s probably just me.

This might interest someone – “Old Nick” and “Old Scratch” are also aliases. Kind of a bum rap for “Old St. Nick”, and don’t have any idea what to make of “Old Scratch”, of than “the itch you can’t scratch”

Ok, on the same subject, how many of you watched the original American Bandstands? GG, did they have that in AU? Mike, in the UK?

One more quick thought on Beelzebub - his friends might call him Beelzebubba.

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
Ok, on the same subject, how many of you watched the original American Bandstands? GG, did they have that in AU? Mike, in the UK?

Who can forget Chubby Checker?

Yes, Mrs. M. we did have a programme called Bandstand. They did feeble cover renditions of the hits of the time; all very prim and proper. Hosted by a man in a white sports coat and heavy black framed glasses called Brian Henderson.

Beelzebub said to say "Hi".

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

Soupy Sales was VERY, VERY popular!

In Baltimore, Md USA we had "The Buddy Dean Show"; it was better the "Bandstand", at least I thought so.

I was brought up on a heavy diet of Wagner, Beethoven, Smetana and Lizst, so even quite young I regarded Rock & Roll as rather trivial.

I enjoyed the music of the late sixties but it wasn't till I heard Deep Purple's "Machine Head" in the early seventies that I started to really sit up and take notice.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

From the early seventies to about '85 we had a programme called Countdown whcih was probably the spiritual successor of Bandstand.

Being on a government owned network (Aust. Broadcasting Commission) it was able to take liberties that commercial stations dared not, and it copped a fair share of controversy (which just added to the spice).

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

I never cared much for classical music until I took a music appreciation course in my senior year of high school. I thought that it would be a quick and easy good grade. Well, I made a big mistake; our instructor, Mr. Anderson, was hard teacher. But, to this day, I prefer the classics to most anything else. Oh, there's some rock from the 60s, and 70s that I like, but not too much of it. Maybe CCR, Iron Butterfly, some Doors; but not too much else. I would have to say that Mr. Anderson fully succeeded in his job, at least with me.

I am a little surprised. I think I expected all of you to say no! The early bandstand, I think came on around 1952. I was fasinated with the dancing. I had had a large dose of ballet and ballroom by then and the classics. It seemed pretty daring to me! How times have changed!

Television hadn't even reached down-under in 1952. They didn't get it until 1956 - and no colour till 1975!

As a new medium in those days I think it would automatically gravitate towards the new, daring and, dare I say it, funky (oooooh... I hate that word!), if only to underline its difference.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
Ok, on the same subject, how many of you watched the original American Bandstands? GG, did they have that in AU? Mike, in the UK?

Er, no, I don't think so, Shirl. What was it/were they? Radio / TV programme?

quote:

Originally posted by Gardengnome:
From the early seventies to about '85 we had a programme called Countdown whcih was probably the spiritual successor of Bandstand.
GG
"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

'Countdown' here was a quiz show, involving numbers!

Our Countdown was a weekly Rock/Pop programme with live acts and vids. Always ended by counting down the top ten even though one week in '75 it was "Convoy" (and yes, I've got that record somewhere).

Instead of the original C. W. McCall however, on this occasion it was covered by a fourth-rate local CW singer - and it was bloody awful!!!

The show was better in the seventies, prob'ly 'cos the music was better. In the eighties it was all flashy video and hair lacquer (for the boys especially).

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

Dave; My school didn't cover music appreciation ,or anything remotely arty. They seemed intent on turning out lawyers and doctors (boy, did they miss with me!), and if you couldn't follow Latin then forget it.

I grew up listening to the music but not knowing much about it - adding my own imagery as I went. In later years I discovered that the more I learned about the classics the less I listened - especially opera. The only exception has been Wagner, especially Tannhauser and the Dutchman.

That's probably why I took to Metal, it has that same full-on over-the-top power while the lyrics are also faintly ridiculous.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

Talk about “daring” on TV. Don’t forget The Ed Sullivan Show and what they did with Elvis Presley. I doubt any of you youngsters will remember this, but in the really old days (really old), Shakespeare was considered by some (may still be) as to be a bad influence on children (that was of course when they had a Shakespeare-13 rating). And, it created quite the scandal when Abe Lincoln was shot in a theater - a known place of sin and corruption.

Always funny to look back at the standards for daring/morality and think how silly they were. Some day “they” will look back at today and think how silly we were.


Give Beelzebubba my best.

We got our first TV in 1947. I remember that it cost $900.00. A small amount now, but quite hefty in those days. It had a large wooden cabinet and a tiny screen. It was only on for 3 hours a day!

We had one in 1957 before leaving England. I remember episodes of Robin Hood (starring Richard Greene) and two men dressed in sportscoats singing "Catch a falling star" while little stars floated down the screen.

Earliest song I remember before that damned "Volare" on the ship.

'night all.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

The big “thrill” was watching “Bonanza”. Imagine - COLOR TV! “What will they think of next?” “Well, they’ll never land on the moon – that’s for sure, by cracky.”

Of course, I can remember, like it was only yesterday, Al Jolson’s historical motion picture The Jazz Singer.

We have all lived in magnificent times, considering the amount of inventions and changes that happened in the 200 years prior to the 1940s and those thereafter. Of course there were some great inventions and changes prior, but nothing tanamount to our experiences.

“Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.” - Winston Churchill

Q: Best invention of the 20th Century.
A: Post-it Notes.

... even though they were an accident. When the adhesive was first discovered, it wasn’t strong enough. It took some Guy singing in a church’s choir to find an application for them – go figure. That’s what I call “divine inspiration”, or “Perspiration” if there was no Air Conditioner (you just can’t ignore something like that).

IMO, some of the best inventions in my lifetime were inside plumbing and homes with electric, including the basics that came with it. And last but not least, permnant press clothes! Before that invention, I recall ironing for many hours!

Toilet paper has to be right up there, and maybe the greatest invention of the 19th Century. Appears that British Perforated Paper Company was responsible for creating the first paper for wiping after “going”. Not the “handy” roll type of today, but in separate squares.

Of course, toilet brushes are right up there.

So say the British! (British survey)

And to read the all time 100 greatest: ( I just noticed, also British!)


http://www.scenta.co.uk/100greatest/100greatest.cfm

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
And to read the all time 100 greatest:
http://www.scenta.co.uk/100greatest/100greatest.cfm

Nice reading, but there's no mention of Post-It Notes and Toilet Paper, so I doubt the accuracy.

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
So say the British!

The British are getting popular, I see. That should please R2 and Mike.

"IMO, some of the best inventions in my lifetime were inside plumbing and homes with electric".

I wouldn't want to be considered pedantic (perish the thought!) but I think we may be confusing 'discoveries', 'inventions' and 'applications' here.

The Wright brothers didn't 'invent' the aeroplane, for example. They applied various discoveries in aeronautics with existing technology such as the internal combustion engine. They claimed to have invented wing-warping as an aeronautical control feature however.

Most 'inventions' are merely applications of existing ideas and technology in a new way. Even the wheel evolved from the roller.

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

I'd still like to know what toilet paper evolved from.

GG, applications, inventions...I sure hate outside privies!
The Wright Bros. were relatives of mine.

“Motion pictures”. Strange how we like to incorporate old terms for new technologies. Even “movie” seems a little odd.

Calling a car a horseless carriage is as weird as calling a buggy an engineless car. “Automobile” means “self-propelled motor vehicle”, but only applies to cars.

Then there’s the Pan Am “Clipper Ships”. They spent a few minutes being ships, but had very limited space for deck chairs and shuffleboard and were a lot faster than the original Clipper Ships. Even today, the “pilots” on commercial flights look like they are wearing Navy uniforms (but the pilots never get pass the rank of “Captain”, at least that’s what the “crew” calls them while they are “stowing” the luggage in the overhead compartment).

And, “aboard” and “all aboard” (not only applies to planes but to trains – not sure about busses) have their origin in ships – I believe it was from “side of ship” which was made of wood, but that may be one of my many residual myths.

Considering that boats/ships (not a seaman so I don’t know the difference) were the first form of mass rapid transportation, all this navy talk would probably explain the term space “ship”.

From the Captain’s log:
Fire photon “torpedoes”!
Aye, aye, Captain!

Engage “docking” procedures”!
Aye, aye, Captain!

“Fire” a warning “shot” across their “bow”!
Aye, aye Captain!

“Ensign”, Contact Star “Fleet” Command!
Aye, aye Captain!


The dry in dry-dock is VERY accurate, although redundant.

Here is an interesting site on airplane invention.
http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/air_main.shtml

> What did people use before toilet paper was invented? <<

*Newsprint, paper catalogue pages in early US
*Hayballs, Scraper/gompf stick kept in container by the privy in the Middle Ages
*Discarded sheep's wool in the Viking Age, England
*Frayed end of an old anchor cable was used by sailing crews from Spain and Portugal *Medieval Europe- Straw, hay, grass, gompf stick
*Corn cobs, Sears Roebuck catalog, mussel shell, newspaper, leaves, sand- United States
*Water and your left hand, India
*Pages from a book, British Lords
*Coconut shells in early Hawaii
*Lace was used by French Royalty
*Public Restrooms in Ancient Rome- A sponge soaked in salt water, on the end of a stick
*The Wealthy in Ancient Rome-Wool and Rosewater
*French Royalty-lace, hemp
*Hemp & wool were used by the elite citizens of the world
*Defecating in the river was very common internationally
*Bidet, France
*Snow and Tundra Moss were used by early Eskimos

When and where was toilet paper first invented? <<

*China…AD 1391 - The Bureau of Imperial Supplies began producing 720,000 sheets of toilet paper a year, each sheet measuring two feet by three feet. For use by the Emperors.

I know what you mean Mrs. M.!

We had an ouside dunny for two or three years - in the Winter it was the cold, in the Summer, the smell.

Oh, and the flies........

GG

GG, only a person who had enjoyed the convenience would know that!

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
> What did people use before toilet paper was invented? <<

*Newsprint, paper catalogue pages in early US
*Hayballs, Scraper/gompf stick kept in container by the privy in the Middle Ages
*Discarded sheep's wool in the Viking Age, England
*Frayed end of an old anchor cable was used by sailing crews from Spain and Portugal *Medieval Europe- Straw, hay, grass, gompf stick
*Corn cobs, Sears Roebuck catalog, mussel shell, newspaper, leaves, sand- United States
*Water and your left hand, India
*Pages from a book, British Lords
*Coconut shells in early Hawaii
*Lace was used by French Royalty
*Public Restrooms in Ancient Rome- A sponge soaked in salt water, on the end of a stick
*The Wealthy in Ancient Rome-Wool and Rosewater
*French Royalty-lace, hemp
*Hemp & wool were used by the elite citizens of the world
*Defecating in the river was very common internationally
*Bidet, France
*Snow and Tundra Moss were used by early Eskimos

IRRESISTIBLE (but I knew that)!

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
Here is an interesting site on airplane invention.
http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/air_main.shtml

VERY interesting. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
The Wright Bros. were relatives of mine.

Which brother?

quote:

Originally posted by Gardengnome:
I wouldn't want to be considered pedantic

Two types of posts on this here forum – those seeking advice (non-pedantic) and all the other ones. Guess which category the “regulars” are in?

And >> here's what jolly people use <<!

quote:

*Snow and Tundra Moss were used by early Eskimos

Moss sounds OK, but SNOW?!?

My grandma had an outhouse until she moved out of her house in the '80's. So I had the "privy-ledge" of that experience. Don't necessarily care to experience it again! Didn't do near as much reading back in those days, especially on COLD days/nights!

quote:

Moss sounds OK, but SNOW?!?

For diarrhea!

Avoid yellow, and now brown, snow.

quote:

Didn't do near as much reading back in those days, especially on COLD days/nights!

Well, not exactly so, Jabber. If you gotta go..and sit a while...weather has little influence!

Oh, the joy of being out in the woods and signing (bold lettering and larger fonts are directly proportionate to urgency) one’s name in the snow when nature calls. But, for the older guys, I’m afraid they must settle for only initialing.

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
If you gotta go..and sit a while...weather has little influence!

Not true. In the cold, weather becomes wether in a hurry.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick:

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
So say the British!

The British are getting popular, I see. That should please R2 and Mike.

Fnarr, fnarr!
My top inventions are the Teasmade and WD40

quote:

My grandma had an outhouse until she moved out of her house in the '80's. So I had the "privy-ledge" of that experience. Don't necessarily care to experience it again! Didn't do near as much reading back in those days,

That’s the main problem with reading at the library – not enough toilets. Even Barnes and Noble (R2, that’s a book store) hasn’t figure that out yet. B & N serves coffee to get you moving, but it doesn’t have enough stalls to complete the movement process.

quote:

My top inventions are the Teasmade and WD40 Wink

I must say, WD40 should be on their list but what is Teasmade?

Just a guess here, but, I think it might be like a coffee pot only for tea.

I'd hope to see the Gerber multitool in there somewhere too.

G'night all;

GG

"Heavy Metal or no metal at all!"

quote:

Originally posted by Serenity:
I must say, WD40 should be on their list but what is Teasmade?

(Google must be a dying art)
http://www.allwords.com/word-Teasmade.html

My home repair toolbox consists of WD40, duct (no ducks, please) tape, and Super Glue. I have been known to replace a light bulb – but that’s my limit.

quote:

Picture of Gardengnome

posted Mar 17, 7:44 AM
I'd hope to see the Gerber multitool in there somewhere too.

GG, oh yes, you know I agree with that! Good for any emergency of which I seem to have many! I never leave home without it in my purse! Unless, I am going on an aircraft.

What's a Gerber multitool? It's not someething one would use on babies, is it?