Into The WAy-Back Machine and The Good Old Days

[ICU 812]

The "Good" Old Days


Imagine yourself in one of Charles Dickens' Victorian era novels. Then decide which of the characters you would like to be and those you would not ever want to be. There can be quite a gap.

OK, now we will assume that we are one of the fortunate, upper class characters . . .they still use the equivalent of an outhouse with a chamber pot under the bed or in a nightstand. They still bathe rarely and do so with lye soap. Ever try to read a book by the light of one candle? It is like using as small flashlight. Wax candles were expensive, even for the well to do. Heating was from wood or coal in a fire place and so on . . .

Now fast forward 100 years to 1950.

Even the "good Old Days" of our (my) youth were a little grim when compared to what we take for granted in 2022. There were only three TV channels, if you even had a TV. But viewing was Free! All broadcasts were in black and white, most were live in real time. Reception on an outside areal was often problematic Contacting someone by phone in another town involved an operator. Calling out of state could require the operator to call you back in 20 min (or longer) when the connection was finally made etc. Recorded music was on vinyl record disks. Each 45 RPM single played for less than four minutes. Stereo sound was nonexistent. Monaural “High Fidelity” (Hi-Fi) was cutting edge, and expensive.

As your grandson transitions into his teen years, tell him what it was like to shave with brushed on soap and a Gillet "safety" razor, or what the nearly as harsh solutions were that came next. I am pretty sure that coiled "razor-wire" began as a shaving product! Or was it the other way around?



Now, lets move on thirty or forty more years to the 1980s and 1990s:

Explain to your grandkids what it was like to have all your music on Eight Track cassettes, tape cartridges or later on, CDs. When choosing a streaming video on Netflix or whatever else, tell them about Video Cassette Recorders without stereo or surround sound.

I am glad to be alive today and wish I had another 70+plus years of good health to see what comes next!

[ben dover]

I still have a push button phone, it's not connected but I keep it as a conversation starter.

[offshoredrilling]

Originally Posted by ben dover

I still have a push button phone, it's not connected but I keep it as a conversation starter.

I have a dial phone I still use

[Zollner]

I still have and use both a push button phone and a dial phone. They were built to last forever.

[ICU 812]

Phones: Still have a "land line!"

And phone service overall is now amaizing. With the hhandset in my pocket, I can speak to someone on the fsr dide of the esrth. This is only as recent as thirty years ago and only commonly available since maybe Y2K.

Hurricane Ian notwithstanding, weather forecasts are much better than when I was a kid.

As late as 1985, astronomers had not yet detected the existence of planets outside our solar system. Now thay have cataloged several hundred. The History Channel's "Ancient Aleans" show goes on and on about extraterrestrials, but where are they really? I think they have been here already and are avoiding us.

The one thing we don't yet have and really need is practical Fusion Power. That one technological achievement could save the planet and himanity from extinction.

[Holedriller]

I am temporarily working in the middle of no where, very isolated and only see a few people during working hours. At night I see no one and would enjoy some noise. While preparing for my trip I tried buying a simple am/fm radio to listen to some of the regional stations. You cant buy one anywhere. Everything is tied to your cell phone, even for music. Sometimes I miss the old days. I am nearing the 65 mark and get tired of listening to myself.

[ICU 812]

Amazon:

Cheap one
https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Shor...%2C105&sr=8-10

Better one
https://www.amazon.com/H501-Worldban...s%2C105&sr=8-8