Reports are coming in that folks are snapping up remaining stocks of incandescent bulbs before the end of the year. January 1st marks the start of the Federal phaseout of traditional light bulbs in the United States. While many are unaware of the upcoming ban, 13% of U.S. residents are reportedly stocking up on the 130 year old symbol of American ingenuity and invention.
Home Depot has reported higher than normal sales in these last few weeks as they blow out their back stocks. I'll admit, I picked up a couple dozen bulbs myself. Yes, I too have joined the Incandescent Underground. I have mostly replaced the lights around my apartment with CFL and LED lights, but there are a couple of old lamps that just don't look right with new style bulbs. There's also a fixture in a dark and cold corner of the apartment (where I tend to write Retro Thing posts, coincidentally) where I actually rely on the little bit of extra heat kicked off by the bulb.
There are those who are turning this into a political issue, unhappy that the government is regulating what they can and cannot stick into their sockets. The Republican House has blocked the funds that were originally allotted for enforcing the January 1st ban (make of that what you will), and enterprising bulb sellers have come up with all kinds of strategies to keep you filled with filament fired light. One outfit has gone so far as to relabel their incandescent bulbs as mini-heaters. Yup - that's how we'll save the planet... why address a problem head-on when we can just relabel it?
I'm sure that the news will feature those outliers who will only defy the darkness with old fashioned bulbs, and we will certainly hear many stories of folks who have their garages packed to the ceiling with old fashioned bulbs. Maybe we'll see an inflated future market for light bulbs the same way as we've seen for high flush toilets (Hard to believe, but yes... I recently read about an older high flush toilet changing hands [ewww] for $600 on Ebay).
Here's another question that no one seems to be addressing. A lightbulb floating over someone's head has ong been the symbol of a bright idea. What'll it be now? A CFL? An LED? I'm going to look pretty weird walking around with a diode floating over my head.
This peaceful full color Parisian street scene was shot on July 19, 1914 - only a few days before the outbreak of WWI.
December 26, 2011
December 01, 2011
The Sweet Sounds Of The Classic PEZ MP3 Player
In 2005, MP3 players were still an up and coming thing. 512 Megs didn't seem like a ridiculously small storage space, the iPod wasn't yet the only game in town, and we'd come along far enough to have collectioble MP3 players too. One of the first articles I wrote here on Retro Thing was about an unusual MP3 player - one that fit into a Game Boy Color.... but even that one doesn't approach the kitsch value of the the PEZ MP3 player.
News of this nostalgic MP3 player seemed to hit every gadget "blog" (also a new-ish idea at the time) back then. It wasn't an official product of the candy company - rather it was the dream of online entrepreneur Patrick Misterovich, who licensed the iconic design from PEZ. The player is the same size as a genuine PEZ dispenser, and the plastic boy head on top a duplicate of one of the first collectible PEZ dispensers back in 1955.
When you flip open the head, instead of being greeted by that familiar chalky candy, instead there's a power switch. One side of the player features simple navigation controls (forget any playlists here people - this is just a very basic player), as well as the mini USB player for loading up the built in memory. The headphone jack is in the dispenser's nape, and it's all powered by a single AAA battery.
The player was a limited edition of 1200 (though there are conflicting reports, there may be more out there), with the promise of more designs to come. As it turned out, the plastic faced boy model was the only style to ever hit the market (which seems odd - all you'd have to do for future models is change heads, right?), so this model became a hot collectible. Even when it was new, the player was on the expensive side at $100 for 512 megs of non-expandable memory. Nevertheless, it apparently made Patrick Misterovich an internet millionaire, at least according to one report. These days, your only hope of finding a player is on Ebay where they are quite scarce, and can command over a hundred bucks.
Sadly with all that MP3 player technology crammed into the dispenser, there is no room left over for any candy. I wish they'd left room for at least one of the candy bricks,,. just for emergency purposes, you understand.
related:
the first mp3 player
mp3 player in the shape of a cassette
Elaborate mp3 system for Game Boy that never got very far
November 02, 2011
Steampunk Robot On A Budget
The worldwide retailer Crate & Barrel got its start here in Chicago in the 60's. For many people it was their introduction to reasonably priced furniture and imported design sensibility & materials. The barrel has burst all over the world, even spawning a youth-oriented store called CB2... though they've mostly lost the "reasonably priced" aspect of the store's origin.
There are notable exceptions, like this scrap metal robot. He's a handsomly assembled melange of brassy castoffs and cute details, such as dainty metallic cuffs and a big gauge in his tummy. The robot is normally a thrifty $20, but right now is on sale for a nifty $14.95 - a price that clearly doees not compute. Heck... the scrap metal value may be more than that these days. You can find cheapo robo at your local CB2 or via their website.
One note. The website makes mention each being "unique". I thought that meant there were different robot styles, but they're referring to the natural differences in the finish of the metals they're using, as well as different markings on the gauges. So you completists don't need to be compelled to buy more than one.
Oh, and for you cynics out there... no, this post isn't buzz marketing for either store. The only benefit we get out of this post is knowing that our brother robots can find homes with Retro Thing readers.
link:
October 27, 2011
October 13, 2011
Explore The 1985 Argos Catalogue
Argos is a British catalogue retailer with over 800 outlets. Instead of wandering endless aisles of merchandise, shoppers select from a catalogue and pick up their merchandise from the counter a few minutes later.
Anthony Voz took the time to scan the entire Spring & Summer 1985 edition, and it makes for wonderful browsing. There's lots of wood grain and an amusing selection of video games, computers, dodgy stereo systems and weirdly named portable tape players.
I've highlighted a few hi-tech devices, but there's also exercise equipment endorsed by a young Arnold Schwarzenegger, a two page spread of curling irons, lots of ghastly leather luggage and some of the most hideous wall clocks ever created.
Explore the Vintage British Argos 1985 Catalogue [via someone on Twitter, just can't remember who]
October 10, 2011
Music From A Dry Cleaner
Tens of thousands of dry cleaning shops once dotted main streets across America. Of course, things were somewhat different then -- people usually dressed to go out, and clothing was comparatively expensive and often needed professional care.
These days, people are more likely to wear wrinkle resistant shirts and jeans 24/7. We're also more environmentally aware and realize that traditional dry cleaning methods aren't exactly earth friendly. The result is that thousands of local dry cleaners have closed, and many of the remaining ma and pa shops are just barely hanging on.
Composer and sound designer Diego Stocco's curiosity got the better of him while walking past one of these little shops -- Aviva Cleaners in Burbank.
"Almost everyday, on my way to a local bakery, I walk in front of a dry cleaners," Diego recalls. "When they have the front door open, I hear a lot of interesting sounds coming from their work equipment."
"Eventually, the different mechanical and steam sounds sparked something in my mind, so one day I asked the owners if I could record a piece of music by using their machines as musical instruments," he says.
"I used a puff iron, press and dry cleaning machines, a washer, clothes hangers, and a bucket full of soap. The bass and lead sounds were created from the buzzing tones coming from the conduits and engines. There are no additional sounds from any traditional or electronic instruments."
The result is fun to watch, featuring a wide array of vintage cleaning equipment used in a decidedly unconventional manner.
Music from a Dry Cleaner [Behance]
August 18, 2011
Because History Needed More Robots
It's a fact: History would be a lot more interesting if it had more robots, aliens and monsters. Alas, they didn't turn up at history-making events like the signing of the Declaration of Independence or presidential inaugurations.
But what if they did? Enter Pittsburgh artist Matthew Buchholz. Armed with historical images, vintage cityscapes and Photoshop, he reimagines historical events with sci-fi twists. There's Metallo the Mechanical Man in a portrait of presidents and the signing of the Declaration, the defeat of General Frankenstein at Bunker Hill, Vilnar the Destroyer's inauguration and the day aliens "took to the skies in their Floating Saucer Crafts and employed their Destructo-Ray," thus starting The Great Chicago Fire in 1871.
Admittedly, some of the Photoshop jobs are more seamless than others. But many are laugh-out-loud funny and would surely make great conversation pieces. They're available for $20 at Alternate Histories on Etsy, where "the past comes monstrously to life."
[via Thrillist]
July 19, 2011
Reproducing the Trimphone
The British General Post Office released the Trimphone as a luxury handset in 1964. This was back in the day when telephones were mysterious, hulking beasts that had to be installed by mysterious, hulking unionized workers.
Instead of a paint-peeling bell, the Trimphone used an electronic warbler that gradually increased the volume as the phone rang. The luminous dial in early models was lit by a tube of tritium gas which gave off a ghostly (and mildly radioactive) glow. The original rotary dial version was replaced by a slightly taller model with a keypad in the late 1970s.
A gazillon years later, Wild & Wolf has introduced a reasonably priced £35 reproduction. It includes push button dialing arranged to look somewhat like a rotary dial, along with a frighteningly futuristic redial button and a ringer volume switch. It also comes in an array of shades that would have been utterly shocking in the early 1960s -- purple, turquoise, orange, and even a shade of green that would earn Kermit the frog's instant approval.
I'd love one, but the idea of having a phone permanently tethered to the wall is a bit too quaint even for my tastes. Besides, I'm not sure my addled brain could handle having to memorize everyone's phone number.
June 28, 2011
Duck Phone - For Making Those Fowl Phone Calls
Kids of the 80's may remember a sitcom called Silver Spoons. It starred a young Rocky Schroeder (this came before his current spate of badass roles as "Rick" Schroeder, of course...). In the series, his father is a multimillionaire toy inventor, and their mansion is a kid's dream; littered with arcade games, a ride-on train, and all manner of kitsch.
Dad wasn't serious about anything, so even in his study he had a bunch of crazy gadgets, including a duck decoy phone like this one. After the US phone system was deregulated in the 80's, it freed up anyone to manufacture a phone. The resulting explosion in the novelty phone market yielded weird gems like this phone that's just ducky.
The duck is made of real wood, concealing a pretty conventional 80's cheapie plastic phone inside. In the TV series, the phone doesn't ring - it quacks. This particular phone is a lot less ambitious, ringing with a typical electronic chirp. This is a long time before ringtones, folks. It's cute and novel, though the manufacturers did make an odd aesthetic choice. When the phone rings, the ducks eyes light up with a piercing red. Isn't it strange enough to have a duck phone? Does it also have to look like Cujo?
related:
Very 1980's Fiero phone
Toy ranch phone - no extra charge for roaming
Sony comic book themed phone
June 20, 2011
May 02, 2011
Reimagining A Vintage French Telephone
The Sagemcom Sixty pays homage to the classic French Socotel S63 telephone.The €89.90 unit features a DECT cordless handset with 10 hour battery life and a range of up to 300 m. It incorporates a decidedly modern white-on-black dot matrix screen with 13 LED dial buttons that flash in sequence to mimic the motion of the old rotary dial.
Times have changed since the S63's heyday in the 1970s, and the Sixty offers 10 ringtones including a reproduction of the original "ring-ring" that once brought so many of us running. There's also a 24 minute digital answering machine and a 150 number phonebook built in, along with call blocking and hands-free capability. Now if only they'd release a GSM mobile version. ;)
Sagemcom Sixty [thanks Johannes Roussel & Joe Soap!]
March 17, 2011
Ebay: A Forty Year-Old Box Of Cereal
When we find out how much our old baseball cards or comic books are worth today, some of us like to get mad at our moms for throwing out our precious collections when we went away to college. I could see having pangs at the throught of mom taking your carefully curated treasures out to the rubbish heap, but don't be mad at her for throwing out the cereal box that looks like it's going to fetch a couple of hundred bucks in the next few days.
This Ebay auction offers an intact cereal box with a record featuring the stylings of the Jackson 5. That's right - you're bidding on a box of petrified cereal from 1972. I have this record somewhere, and as I recall it's the full song.
Super Sugar Crisp cereal has gone through a couple of name changes over the years - specifically to eliminate the word "sugar" from the brand. Funny that they don't want to remind parents that the cereal is caked in sugar, but it's okay to have a mascot who's clearly high off his fuzzy ass all the time. I actually remember cereal boxes coming with records laminated onto the back like this one. I still have one from Alpha-Bits cereal that tells the spooky tale of Sleepy Hollow. You'd impatiently wolf down the cereal, and carefully cut off the back panel that had a thin vinyl record glued on to the back.
The fidelity of isn't great, but it isn't bad either. The record uses flexi-disc technology, those thin sheets included with magazines that played on your record player.
It's over $150 with two days to go, but I expect it'll get several times that once the hammer falls. There are several points of interest in this auction that will attract collectors of Michael Jackson, unusual records, and even cereal box fans. I'm fully expecting a bidding frenzy in the last seconds, probably by jangle-nerved collectors on a sugar high after consuming too much kiddie cereal.
Super Sugar Crisp Auction
Collection of cereal box records
evolution of Sugar Bear
related:
Cardboard records
Flexi-Sheets - those weird paper thin records
Breakfast With Nintendo: It's Not A Cereal, It's A System
February 18, 2011
MedGeneral MicroCeptor II Is Not A FuzzBuster
Even after having done my homework, I can't say I entirely understand what the MicroCeptor II is, except to say that there was at least one model before it. The burled walnut decal, and the controls for "width", "amp", "rate" all made me think that it was some sort of miniature radar detector. Then I found this:
"Pain is the body's warning system. It is a way of letting an individual know that something is wrong. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) ... relieves pain by sending small electrical impulses through electrodes placed on the skin to underlying nerve fibers. TENS is believed to work by two different mechanisms. First, electrical stimulation of the nerve fibers can block a pain signal from being carried to the brain... Secondly, the body has its own mechanism for suppressing pain. It does this by releasing natural chemicals called endorphins in the brain which act as analgesics. TENS may activate this mechanism."
So now I'm scared to even touch the thing. I found a guy selling the whole setup (in not exactly "new" condition... someone collects this stuff?) which included a conductive gel and some electrodes. So it's a little spooky. The funny thing about the manufacturer's description is the line that the device "is believed to work". So the guys who market this device are out to lunch on whether it actually does something, eh? Pain management techniques are important, but is this devce a little on the snake oil side? I understand this sort of therapy in a doctor's office, but a little portable electric shocker?
I wonder who'd want this device today? Perhaps a smart hacker wanting to rig up the finest joy buzzer ever...
related:
Somnus 5 Sleep System mystery
Wonder Sauna Hot Pants
Casio Biorhythm calculator
January 21, 2011
Since When Does McDonald's Have A Goony Looking Knight Character?
They don't, but it sure does look like a character from the the McDonaldland cast of characters, doesn't it? McDonaldland was the magical home to milkshake volcanoes and apple pie trees, and Ronald McDonald and his product tie-in pals would have adventures. This all-over "magical place" concept from 1971 earned Mickey D's a lawsuit from Sid & Marty Krofft (but that's a story for another time), but not before Burger King could create their own cholesterol carting cast of characters a few years later.
The Burger King Kingdom feature a ring-twirling magical monarch, the skeptical Duke of Doubt who didn't believe in magic, and Sir Shakes-A-Lot… immortalized here in drinking glass form. He was a knight made up of stacks of Burger King paper cups, and he consumed so many shakes it rendered him permanently cold. The Kingdom concept was phased out by the late 80's, but you've probably noticed that the Burger King character is back in an ironic web 2.0 version since 2003, now as a disturbing glossy-masked character. I hope they don't create a creepy Sir Shakes-A-Lot too, unless he's portrayed by Sir Mix-A-Lot, of course.
December 29, 2010
An Awesome Alien Lamp
I'm not sure if UFOs qualify as retro, but Jason Dietz has crafted a pretty nifty UFO floor lamp that incorporates an Edison incandescent bulb. He writes, "It stands 6 feet tall, with a 24 inch flying saucer on top. The giant plasma ray holds approximately 5 gallons of water. It uses a series of different lights that include CFLs and halogens. The bulb in the flying saucer is an Edison flame bulb, it has quite an awesome effect.
The landing thrusters on the bottom of the ship produce a flaming light affect. It produces bubbles from the bottom of the plasma ray upward so it gives the affect of a tractor beam pulling things up into the ship. It produces a mesmerizing ambient glow in any room. There is a human being pulled up into the ship from the giant plasma ray. look carefully to see him in the giant plasma tube. It looks like it came straight out of a 1950s UFO sci fi movie. For more information email jason.dietz<<at>>yahoo[.]com. Can be made to order."
Classic Retro Thing |
