# Memories Are Made Of This



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Count all the items that you remember, not the ones you were told about! (Ratings at the bottom.)

1. Blackjack chewing gum.
2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water. 
3. Candy cigarettes.
4. Soda pop machines that dispensed bottles.
5. Coffee shops with table side jukeboxes.
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers.
7. Party lines.
8. Newsreels before the movie.
9. Head light dimmer switches on the floor.
10. Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.
11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix (Olive-6933) 
12. Peashooters.
13. Howdy Doody.
14. 45 RPM records.
15. Ignition switches on the dashboard.
16. Hi fi's.
17. Metal ice trays with lever. 
18. Mimeograph paper.
19. Blue flashbulbs.
20. Packards.
21. Roller skate keys.
22. Cork popguns.
23. Drive-ins.
24. Studebakers.
25. Wash tub wringers.
If you remembered 0-5 = You're still young
If you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older
If you remembered 11-15 = Don't tell your age,
If you remembered 16-25 = You're older than dirt!

Cheers











[ March 21, 2004, 06:12 PM: Message edited by: SINC ]


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Proud to say I fit into the Older Than Dirt category, with a score of 21.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Oh good DG.

Another one of us surfaces!

Cheers


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

26. 640 K RAM


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

24 of 25. I knew of/experienced all but Blackjack chewing gum. Is this Canadian???


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

I guess I'm "New" Old Dirt. I just squeaked in at 16.

Yeah, what is Blackjack chewing gum? I've never heard of it either.


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Oh you young whippersnapper you! I'm (only) 44 but the above list brings back a lot of memories. Some distant, some less so.

Look here for a bit of info on the gum.

I have a bunch of my family's aluminum lever-action metal ice-trays and I'll never get rid of them. Nothing beats the thrill of taking one out of the freezer and having it stick to your fingertips.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

Thanks for the link. It was licorice flavored, which I detest, which is why I stayed clear of it even if it was available in my neighborhood in New York City.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

DG, I don't recall the label as looking like the one in your link.

To my mind, it was a pale blue package with a black oval with the words Black Jack in the oval.

Cheers


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## Moscool (Jun 8, 2003)

Squeaked at 16, but I grew up in France, so the equipment was different. I would have added for example:

Butcher's vans doing the rounds (with a little rotating vent on top)
Glaziers selling windows in the courtyards
Wood metro carriages
Street cleaners using twig brooms
Only one channel on TV
Punchcard computers
Mange-disques (portable 45rpm players)
Manual type-writers
Concierges who let you in after hours only after ringing the bell
Solex mopeds
Corn paper cigarettes
All kitchen appliances made of metal (mincers, etc.)
The 2 CV as the most standard car
Dashboard shifting
Buses with a ticket booth (inside)
Chopper bicycles

and many more... (BTW I am only 43 but my memory is not too bad)

[ March 19, 2004, 02:24 PM: Message edited by: Moscool ]


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Sinc! I got them all! Must go and wash now. All those old dusty memories.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Sigh, me too LGB.

Cheers


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

The ones I remember having around as a kid (out of order):

*3. Candy cigarettes.* 
*6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers.* <- I think they only switched to plastic in my home town a year or two ago
*14. 45 RPM records.* <- grew up with 40s, 50s, 60s music.
*9. Head light dimmer switches on the floor.* <- pretty sure my parents still have a car with that switch
*17. Metal ice trays with lever. * <- last one we had broke when I was 12
*25. Wash tub wringers.* <- we used it when the power was out
*24. Studebakers.* never had one personally, but our next door neighbour had three, and managed to salvage enough parts to beautifully restore 2.
*19. Blue flashbulbs.* <- I think my grandfather might still even have a few lying around.


Ones that I have specific memories attached to:

*4. Soda pop machines that dispensed bottles.
5. Coffee shops with table side jukeboxes.* 

There is/was a Dairy Queen on the highway on Vancouver Island that still had both of these last time we were there. There was another place that still had a glass bottle coke dispenser, but I can't remember where it was.

------

So that's 8-10 for me, and I'm only 22. Going on 35.


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

All except Black Jack gum?
We had Black Cat gum.

24 out of 25...Guess I'm older than dirt.

Anyone remember the bread man delivering bread in a horse
drawn wagon?, The horse used to lean over our chain link
fence to eat the grass.

We even had a junk man that came around in a horse drawn wagon.

This was in the Bloor and Bathurst area in the 1960's before
the subway came that far and we had streetcars on Bloor st.

D


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## sharkman (Nov 26, 2002)

19 here. Just call me dusty.









I remember my mother putting my father's white shirts into a tub of water with "blueing" in it before putting them through the electric wringer.  Ever hear of "blueing"?


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## Tait Kahray (Jan 22, 2004)

I'm in for 23 out 25 - my father discouraged gum in general as an American plot and there's nobody in my family I can even imagine soldering. My grandfather actually had an old Packard but to me it wasn't as cool as the neighbour's Hudson Hornet.

I also got a memory rush on most of the others, and offer these:
- the ice man (yes, horse-drawn)
- Dick & Jane
- Dinky Toys
- Davey Crocket raccoon hat
- Steam engine train


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

I don't remember newsreels before a movie, but I remember standing for the national anthem before seeing Star Wars in 1977.  

I got 12 of 25, however I never really watched Howdy Doody but I knew who it was.


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Hey, what happened to all those young whippersnappers? 
They must be laughing too hard at all us old farts to respond.


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

> Hey, what happened to all those young whippersnappers?
> They must be laughing too hard at all us old farts to respond.


Maybe they are chewing on their retro wax lips and teeth.

D


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

*Ever hear of "blueing"*

Hear of it? I still use it.  
Can't find it here in Vancouver though, I get it from an Aunt who lives in the US.

As to those young whippersnappers, that'd be me gents.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

MannyP, I was selected to go on Howdy Doody to sit in the Peanut Gallery, but guess who got the mumps???? I did get to go on Junior Froliks, another kids show in NYC and actually won a puppy -- a little black cocker spaniel.


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## Chealion (Jan 16, 2001)

Grand total of 1. I guess I never did much. Silly 18 year old.


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## jmac (Feb 16, 2003)

16 for me.
Blackjack gum? I remember that! I'm not old, am I? Sorry, what was the question?


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Thanks a lot Chealion, now I really feel old. Which one was it by the way?


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

Chealion, I have a pair of jeans that I wore to Woodstock that is older than you.........along with some love beads and a "Peace" button that outdates you. Luckily, you do not have to face the draft and going off to Vietnam as I did on my 18th birthday. Paix, mon ami.


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Jello 1-2-3, Earth Shoes, Hot Wheels _when they first hit the market_...


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## Bolor (Sep 14, 2003)

I missed the first two. It's nice to know there people who are dirtier than me


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

You know, I love you guys!

Nice to see even the younger set dropped by to take a look at this thread.

I salute you all. Thanks for the participation!

Cheers


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Oh my 24 of 25 tho my dad rarely soldered and some of them are pretty dim - roller skate keys are the only missing item tho I clearly remember the very fearsome ringer washer. The wax bottles tasted awful - a penny went a long way then.


















Hmm guess that would be me buried.

Some that might be missing are coal furnaces, Orange Lodges, clinkers for sidewalk deicing, cranking a car to start it, getting the strap in school.

Chealion you never knew what you missed ( and are in the most part better off for it


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

How about Spaghetti Westerns. No, not some gross sandwich.

Macdoc, didn't your parents let you out of the house? Roller skates (and keys) were a right of passage for every North American kid. Buffy Saint Marie had a hit song in the late 60's or early 70's about roller skates and keys (at least I think it was Buffy)

OOOPS!, not Buffy, it was Melanie. Remember Melanie?

"You got a brand new pair o' roller skates, I got a brand new key". Dust off those old 45's folks and crank up the turntable.

[ March 20, 2004, 07:58 AM: Message edited by: Rob ]


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Spaghetti Westerns were the 60s.
5¢ Coke was the 50s

Yes there was a roller rink at Crystal Beach but I have no recall of a key. Just rent the skates and go out and have fun.

No mention of 78s - 45's were late 50s

No mention of mono record players










No mention of crystal radios either - a sneaky way to listen to rock 'n roll late at night.
This was my fav










WKBW Buffaaallllo New Yawk!

I was out of the house more than I was in, colour TV was only for rich people and there was lots to do between living near Lake Erie and being in the midst of a baby boom generation. I'd be gone for most of the day and later would bicycle 20-30 miles in any given direction just for fun.

What a change with "indoor kids" these days.....me too especially with this winter.


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Forget roller rinks, we're talking mean streets. These were the cheapo all metal skates that clamped on to your regular shoes. The "key" was to tighten the clamping jaws. Your mother would freak if you wore them in the house.

Thanks for reminding me about crystal radios. I had one as a kid too. Endless fun with "Amazing" technology.


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## Brainstrained (Jan 15, 2002)

Scored a 23. Now I know for sure if I had hair it would be grey.

I remember getting my fingers caught in a ringer washer. My mom had just gotten it to replace her washboard and I hadn't yet learned to keep my fingers away from moving parts!

Who remembers push-button transmissions?


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

We had a skateboard in the family in the 60's,
However it was banned in Toronto just shortly after my older
brother bought it. (I was hoping to inherit it as a hand me down)

I tried to find an image of it on the Internet, But couldn't seem
to find it, It was the kind of skateboard that had the cheap
roller skate type narrow wheels.

The only noteworthy site I could find was the Surf writer web page 

D


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)




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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Ah yes, push-button transmissions.

First came out in Chrysler products beginning in 1956. They were located on the dashboard, to the left of the steering column in their own little housing. By 1963 they also had a slide lever that when pushed downwards, automatically put the vehicle in "park".

Another notable push button vehicle was the 1958 Edsel. These buttons were located in the centre hub of the steering wheel.

Crystal radios! Man oh man I listened to many hours at night when my parents thought I was asleep. Are they still available today I wonder?

Green glass 6 ounce Coca-Cola bottles that sold in an upright cooler for .07 cents. 

Texaco "Fire Chief" cardboard hats for kids when the family car was filled up. And other gas stations of old like White Rose and BP (British Petroleum).

And who can forget Orange Crush in the dark brown bottles?









Cheers


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Speaking of pop, I miss The Pop Shoppe. Black Cherry was my favourite. 

Which also reminds me of "Clear the track here comes Shack"


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Finger biter 









Couple of more.
A real root cellar dug by hand for storing potatoes, carrots etc.

Wood wall telephones ( just barely for me ) I think at home even. 









I remember my grandparents had no running water just a pump at the sink.

The Rocket Radio is still available Sinc - the fascination lasted about a day for my kids then back to the Mac


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Wooden Wall Telephones, AT HOME!
I think Macdoc wins the Methusala award.

l had to use a rotary dial telephone about two years ago. I couldn't believe how difficult it was even though I'd used one for half my life. It's not like riding a bike.


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## minnes (Aug 15, 2001)

before it closed about 10 years ago , the Hamilton Bus Station had a resteraunt with the small table top coin op juke boxes. Then they refurbished the old TH&B station and moved over there to make a unified bus and train station. I dont remember when the TH&B railway went out of business, but it was long before I was born.


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## Brainstrained (Jan 15, 2002)

Skinners in Lockport near Selkirk, MB, still has tabletop jukeboxes. At least they did the last time I was there two years ago.

I remember the car hops at the A&W in Lockport carrying stacks of trays to and from cars when I was a kid. It was a regular stop for an order of fries and a frosty mug of root beer.

I also remember horse-drawn milk delivery, yikes! And when a 16-oz. bottle of Coke was considered "BIG."


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I do believe this machine predates the one you posted MacDoc!








Cheers


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

Scored 21. I don't ever recall owning a pair of clamp on roller scates, but why do I have faint memories of clamp on *ice* scates? Was there such a thing?

I remember actually using a soldering iron in highschool shop class. Made a sheetmetal box and a wastepaper basket as I recall.

In the mid seventies I worked for a mining company and we drove an International Harvester pickup truck with a column mounted manual shifter (I think a four speed), the ignition in the dash, high beam switch on the floor, but then most of the cars had this switch on the floor at this time.

Any one remember the old style razor blades? My grandfather had this really cool machine to resharpen these blades. You'd clamp the blade in, and slide it back and forth over several different leather strops to hone it. Quite the gizmo.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Hey cut it out  - the phone seemed about twice as high up the wall as I was so it was a real early memory and my dad built his own house - dollars were scarce in the early fifties so new phones were not a priority. A new non coal furnace was.  

Since I remember seeing those around the house for "casual" washing when cranking up the wringer was too much effort. The one shown would have been early 50s late 40s - there were much older wringer washers - 1870s or so I think - hand cranked.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

And of course, this went with the washboard!








Cheers


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

That's memories too. 
Anyone know how the "soap that floats" got started?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

We grew up listening to one of these








Cheers


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Ivory Soap:

The concept of soap that floats was encountered by accident. Harley Procter named the soap ‘Ivory’ from a biblical verse (Psalm 45) church: “All thy garments smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces whereby they have made me glad.” In 1878, the formula for the “White Soap” was created. Several months later the accident occurred. Without thinking one of the workmen left to go to lunch and the machinery was still running. Since the machinery was left in operation, air would work its way into the mixture. The workman decided not to discard the mixture after discussing with his supervisor. Instead he poured mixture into frames and the soap hardened. Interestingly enough it was cut, packaged, and shipped.

Amazingly, Procter & Gamble began to receive letters from buyers of this accidental soap. They wanted more of the soap that floats! Even though this interesting formula was one of their best products, they were perplexed as to how this happened. The mysterious formula for the floating soap was resolved when the lunchtime accident was revealed.

Cheers


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

I think it would be appropriate to bring back the Four Yorkshireman sketch about now. Ah, the childhood memories.

The Four Yorkshiremen


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

And every home cooked on one of these








Cheers


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## Chris (Feb 8, 2001)

Strictly speaking, I only remember experiencing 16 of the items, although I am told I watched Howdy Doody, and I do recall the other items as being not too far in the past.

Old farts unite! We have nothing to lose but our...er...um...memories! That's right!


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

I had a toy that looked very much like this in the 70's.


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

I had one (or three) of those water-rockets too in the mid-Sixties but it didn't look like that one. I remember getting soaked with water every time one launched!  

Did anyone else have one of those plastic submarines that was powered by some kind of (supposedly) fizzy pills that you would insert in the lower hull? Never worked for me - just sank to the bottom of the bathtub.

It was great to see that rocket radio on a previous page of this thread - I had completely forgotten about it until I saw the picture! I had one when I was wee; I remember how much I cherished that thing. It was the centre of my universe for quite a while.

Another cherished memory is everything _Major Matt Mason_...


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Quote:
Any one remember the old style razor blades? My grandfather had this really cool machine to resharpen these blades. You'd clamp the blade in, and slide it back and forth over several different leather strops to hone it. Quite the gizmo.

You mean like this kps?









It is called a Rolls Razor.

I still have the very one my father carried with him overseas during WWII. 

I also have my grandfather's straight razors.

They ARE sharp, but they give a shave that is reminiscent of pulling out a whisker, one at a time compared to todays triple headed safety razors.

Cheers


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## Brainstrained (Jan 15, 2002)

My older brother had one of those plastic submarines. I was so envious, until it kept on sinking to the bottom of the bathtub.


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

SINC: My grandparents had a stove like that—which still sits in their house (which my dad inherited after their passing). He had planned on getting rid of it since he didn't figure it was worth keeping, but I asked that he hold on to it until I have room for it in our future cottage. He was quite puzzled as to why I would want it, to which I replied it was for the nostalgia. There were a lot of childhood memories at Xmas gathering around that stove with family.

It looked something like this:


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

That is exactly the way I remember those stoves Manny.

Right down to the hot water reservoir on the right hand side.

I remember carrying 2.5 gallon buckets of water from the well to fill it.

Cheers


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Baking soda fun. I had hours of fun with one of these.


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

Sinc, the image is not showing up in your post, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was it.

Now, what about the "clamp on" ice scates...was there such a thing?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

kps, I found one that exactly matches mine. Hope the image shows up. The last one still does on my eMac.








Cheers


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## MrVermin (Jul 26, 2002)

Ron said:


> Speaking of pop, I miss The Pop Shoppe. Black Cherry was my favourite.
> 
> Which also reminds me of "Clear the track here comes Shack"


I remember the Pop Shop outlet at Yonge and Steeles, and you're right... Black Cherry was the best









Then there was the RED BARN burger shack at Yonge and Finch.

Hockey card packs that came with gum....

On TV, there was the "Chuck the all night Security Guard" show on the new channel 47, as well City TV was on channel 57. Buffalo 29, had the Saturday afternoon "Creature Feature", and Commander Tom (Father of David Boreanaz/Angel) was on channel 7, while CFTO channel 9 had Claribell the Clown and Starlost.

I still have a Wired Jerrold Cable Converter with a slidebar channel selector...









Let us not forget:

Penelope Pitstop
Tom Slick
Joe 90
Captain Scarlet
Stingray
Thunderbirds
Underdog
Snidely Whiplash

I could go on...









MrVermin

oh, by the way, I got 16 on the list

[ March 21, 2004, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: MrVermin ]


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## MrVermin (Jul 26, 2002)

Did I forget to mention "The Trouble with Tracey"


MrVermin


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

I thought I was the only one in Canada who remembers _The Trouble with Tracey_...


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## godot (Jan 17, 2004)

> Now, what about the "clamp on" ice scates...was there such a thing?


The only clamp on ice skates I remember had double blades - I think the blades may have even been called runners.

Surprised no one has mentioned ice boxes (precursor of refrigerators). Ice was delivered - yes, in a horse drawn wagon. It was my job to empty the water from the pan underneath. If I forgot and it overflowed on the floor a penny was deducted from my weekly allowance which meant I received 4¢ instead of a nickel.


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## BigDL (Apr 16, 2003)

I remember blocks of Ice being delivered door to door. Coal Trucks delivering coal to homes by the ton. 

How about fish being sold from the trunk of a car or a station wagon Fresh Mackerel 3 for a dollar. How about the poor kids that had to eat lobster sandwiches and would want to trade them for Baloney sandwiches at school.

Canada Dry White Cream Soda or Red Cream Soda for that matter, I preferred the white cream soda. Canada Dry Tahiti Treat you don’t hardly see that anymore.

Half ton trucks with not only the high beam switch on the floor but also the starter button to the right next to the gas peddle. My Grandfather had a GMC half ton like this. 

Does anyone remember a TV show on CBC I think about tractor trailer drivers driving from Toronto to Buffalo called Cannon Ball?


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

what about NuGrape soda pop?
i can still find it at the mom and pop Italian sandwich shop that i have been going to for over 20 years
"Bitondo's" on Clinton St., if anyone is interested, right across the street from the original "San Francesco's" and around the corner from "California
i still prefer "Bitondo's"

where they get it from, i have no idea


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

> Canada Dry White Cream Soda


We had "Wishing Well" white cream soda,
Speaking of T.V. shows...I remember watching
"My mother the car", "Ed the talking horse"
and the first "Batman and Robin" all in B&W in the 1960's.

I still have a few pop bottles around the house that I have
collected over the years including "Lake of Bays Beverages" and
"Orange Quench" (I dug up the Orange Quench bottle out at a
friends farm in the 70's, It's dated 1937, Can't find another one
like it anywhere on the Internet)

Memories...

D


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Since this thread seems to have found a following by members, I have renamed it to more accurately reflect the content.

Henceforth it shall be known as:

"Memories Are Made Of This"

Hope you all enjoy the memories, and keep adding to them.

Cheers


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

Macspectrum, now you're talking about my old stomping grounds been to all three and then take the sandwiches to the Monarch for some draft. Bitondo's made great pizza too, I remember the old fella there with the missing arm. Great place, great neighbourhood. Now, I live close to Vesuvios, and get my pizza fix there and California's is all over the place.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

kps,
i live west of Vesuvio's and just got my fix last night with one of their 'zzas...

Bitondo's is still the best for sandwiches and panzerotti
Also "Pizza Gigi" is fantastic pizza

yes, the pizza at Bitondo's is very good too
and they still only have one location
the original "one armed" owner sold it, but the still make the sandwiches to fresh to order and their panzerotti are the best i have ever had
now for Greek food, "Astoria" on Danforth near Chester - have been going there for over 25 years....
their tzatziki is out of this world, but be warned, it's for garlic lovers only


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## MrVermin (Jul 26, 2002)

Ahhh food...

Golden Star, a burger joint/greasy spoon on Yonge north of Steeles.. Now being run by the the original owner's son, but I remember the original owner... He worked the grill till a few years ago, I remember him singing as he cooked the burgers..









By the way, does anyone from the GTA remember the horse stables that used to be at the corner of Leslie and John?

Or how about a city before the Allen Road/Expressway.... Or The day they topped the CN Tower...









MrVermin


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

Speaking of food, My friends and I used to go to Swiss Chalet
after school at Yonge and St. Clair,
We'd get our daily dose of French Fries from the cook at the
back door/Dock for 10¢. (For 25¢ you got your fries with a cup of gravy).

Other fav haunts while I was growing up include:

Harveys - I remember my first burger cost 45¢ in the late 60's
Frans - Gotta love those Club house sandwiches


Places I never got to get inside of and wished I had:

The Brown Derby (At Yonge and Dundas)
The Victory Burlesque, Bump'n Grind Revue (Spadina ave)
The Blue Orchid Burlesque (Now Lee's Palace)
The Paddock (Bathurst and Queen st)
The Holiday Tavern (Bathurst and Queen st)
The Ports of Call (Yonge and Summerhill)
Studio 54 (In New York)
Maxis Kansas City (In New York)
CBGB's (In New York)

D


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Any ehMaclanders remember the primordial ooze?









My grandfathers spankin' new "53 Buick with a *radio* and a semi-automatic transmission (never did figure that one out)

Frisky Frolics with Mighty Mouse, Popeye and Bluto.

The original Wrigley's chewing gum, DubbleBubble and, when nothing else was available, roofing tar.

Christmas '55 and my genuine Gene Autry six-shooters.

Cap guns, Daisy air rifles and real firecrackers.

Fresh glazed doughnuts - $.25/dozen.

The rookie Frank Mahovilich.....


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

LGB, do you remember the Daisy air rifle "Red Ryder" repeater?









Cheers


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

How about those Caramilk commercials with John Byner? _Caramel! You old smoothie!_


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Wait a minute - was it Oh Henry, not Caramilk?


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## MrVermin (Jul 26, 2002)

Remember some episodes of Mighty Mouse were done as Operatics??









and here's is an oldie...

They're three sad souls
Oh me oh my
no brains, no heart, he's much to shy
....









MrVermin


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Remember Sen-Sen?








Cheers


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Sinc - I found some Sen-Sen in a local health food store a month ago. Bought it ($1.95) - ate it - it is as bad now as it was in 1957.

Mighty Mouse swoops into the screen, stops in mid-air sporting a cape and superhero tights, clenches his fists - swells his chest and biceps - and belts out "Here I come to save the Day"...chorus...that means that Mighty Mouse is on his way....

My cousin had a Red Ryder Repeater - it was used up in a month.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

> They're three sad souls
> Oh me oh my
> no brains, no heart, he's much to shy


animated shorts; Wizard of Oz 

How about Clutch Cargo

[ March 21, 2004, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: MACSPECTRUM ]


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## MrVermin (Jul 26, 2002)

Clutch Cargo....

Let's talk about Fireball XL5, Emergency, The Beachcombers, Adam 12, Bonanza, The Munsters....

Gawd...

MrVermin


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

The Thunderbirds


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## godot (Jan 17, 2004)

I was caught off guard when I clicked the Topper link - was expecting to see a picture of Hopalong Cassidy's horse.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

And who could forget the adventures of Lash Larue, "King of the Bullwhip"?








Cheers


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## Bolor (Sep 14, 2003)

And then there was Verner's Ginger Ale. It had a very distinctive and very gingery taste.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

The eternal Pez


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Topper


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

The best comic strip of all time (IMHO).


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Comic strips of that period were great and while I enjoyed Pogo, I also liked both Alley Oop










and Lil Abner too.










Cheers


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Get your Li'l Abner fix here Li'l Abner

Bolor,

Vernors is still available, but it's not aged in oak barrels any more. Now it comes in cans and plastic bottles just like all the other dreck.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

What a cool thread!  

I have been away for awhile...but I've just gone over the whole thing..and what a flood of distant memories it has brought back! Boy Howdy!!  

I have a few to add...

Does anyone remember 12 cent comic books? I stopped buying Marvel Comics when they went to 15 cents. By that time, I had already collected the following...

Spiderman #1 through 75 or so.

Fantastic Four #1 through 110 or thereabouts.

X-Men #1 through 75+

Thor (Amazing Tales) from his origin till the early seventies.

Giant Man/Ant Man and all of his other iterations (Henry Pym) from day one until the early seventies.

The Avengers from day one until they sort of fell apart.

I even collected Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos from the early Jack Kirby days until it got stale.

I was a huge fan of Jack Kirby and a slightly lesser fan of Johnny Romita, et al. (I didn't like Steve Ditko or Gene Cohan).

But I learned to draw by copying the work of these giants. And, as a result of this...at one point in my life...I earned my daily bread as a commercial artist. For almost ten years.  

I sold the whole collection in 1982 for thousands of dollars. Fantastic Four number ONE was worth almost 1200 bucks at that time (it was in mint shape).

Marvel Comics were...and ARE..a big part of my current existence.

They were very much the second banana at the time. DC was the Big Gun. The King Kahuna.(Marvel only had about ten per cent of the market in those days...about what Apple has right now).

But Marvel was, despite all of that..... to me, something really special. Something REALLY different

At the time, I was one of a very few who saw this. Several of my long time friends are also Marvel fanatics from wayyy back. We actually had a small club we called "Fans of the Marvel World" at my junior high. We were very much in the minority, at the time.

Nowadays..Marvel stuff from that period is considered to be groundbreaking and pivotal in our modern culture.

Today..movies are being made from our favorite Marvel comic books, and Marvel is now the Big Gun.

Nobody is even talking about DC Comics, these days. Or their one dimensional characters.  

Gee..go figure.


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

......and Little Lulu


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

*Marvel Comics were...and ARE..a big part of my current existence.
* 
Welllllll that certainly explains a number of things about hero worship and world views  










•••

why that reminds me

* "I'll gladly pay you on Tuesday for a hamburger today"* I'm sure many recall that famous phrase....seems somehow.......appropriate.


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## Moscool (Jun 8, 2003)

You can't mention boys' toys like thunderbirds without covering my two faves:

Scalextric: http://www.scalextric.co.uk/pages/hist.aspx

and

Märklin (HO of course): http://www.maerklin.de/museum/


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

I had a lot of comic books, some #1 issues...then later, I tossed all of them...if I kept them I could have been wealthier today. I also wish I kept my '68 Charger and '74 Dart Sport.
















Any one remember the Checker car company, they made the large taxi cab based on a '50s Chev.


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

Comic's...The comic's that I remember and miss the most were
the underground comic's from the 1960' and 70's like all the Zap comic's.
Course who can forget Fritz the cat by Robert Crumb.

I still have the original signed by Robert Crumb "Fritz the no
good" and "The people bomb" comic books from the 70's.

My brother had a huge collection of Zap comic's, But one day
he came home and his wife had decided to throw them all
away, I would have cried if they were mine...They were worth a fortune.

D


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## Bolor (Sep 14, 2003)

Rob, I wasn't sure of the availability of Verner's since we never could get it up here. I remember getting at my Grandmother's house when I was quite young and loved the taste enough to remember the name!  
There are a lot of old girl friends that I can't rember their names, so that must say something


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## arminarm (Jan 12, 2002)

As a lad in Windsor, the trip across to Detroit to the Vernor's plant on Woodward Ave was a special joy.

Only Vernor's deserves the label "Ale"  

You can get it easily in the GTA.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Aw yes, real music:

Top Singles of 1953
Doggie In The Window (Patti Page)
Ebb Tide (Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra)
Eh Cumpari (Julius LaRosa)
Have You Heard (Joni James)
I'm Walking Behind You (Eddie Fisher)
Kaw Liga/Your Cheatin' Heart (Hank Williams & His Drifting Cowboys)
No Other Love (Perry Como)
Pretend (Nat "King" Cole)
P.S. I Love You (The Hilltoppers)
Rags To Riches (Tony Bennett)
Song From 'Moulin Rouge' (Percy Faith)
St. George & The Dragonet (Stan Freberg)
That's Amore (Dean Martin)
Vaya Con Dios (Les Paul & Mary Ford)
You, You, You (The Ames Brothers) 

Cheers


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Vernors needs to come with a warning label. If you drink it too fast the "fizz" goes up your nose are you are guaranteed to spew.
What more fun can a kid have, and it tastes good too.

Macello, I never went to the Vernors store myself, but my parents and grandparents always told me that the Vernors store in Detroit was a huge attraction. They would take the ferry across in those day to get a Vernors float. 

It's still the best ginger ale out there.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

We had fun with these on school stairs!









Cheers


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

The Slinky was cool. Do they still make them? Many years ago I saw a plastic knockoff of a Slinky, blasphemy!

How about Mecano sets.

Everyone remember Pet Rocks? Was that the 70's? 
Yup, Pet Rocks

[ March 23, 2004, 11:59 PM: Message edited by: Rob ]


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Aw yes Rob, Meccano.

I had a set like this:









Cheers


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Man am I jealous Sinc. That's one monster Meccano set.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Looks are deceiving Rob, the set made a crane all right, but only about 8 inches high by 12 inches long.

But it WAS fun to build and use. I seem to recall getting heck from my Mom for using her "special" string she had saved at the time. She was not happy it wound up on the spool of my crane. Pun intended.

Cheers


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Remember this high-tech toy?


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Great stuff. I think there was a 10-year stretch way back when, during which I always had some around. I loved the smell, and the way it would shatter if you rolled it into a ball, and hit it with a hammer - seriously.


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

And who can forget the Super Ball



D


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

I recall that Super Balls were the cause of more injuries for children than anything else - except perhaps the homemade slingshot.


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Ah yes, Super Ball!

I remember when I was in grade 4 or something, and we were playing with a superball during recess. One teacher, who thought he was a real hot-shot, said "watch this". He took the ball, intending to bounce it _higher than those stupid kids ever saw!_ and absolutely slammed it to the tarmac. The ball split clean in two and the pieces went _further than we horrified kids ever saw!_ We just hated what the teacher did, while relishing his public embarassment immensely.


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Ah, yes. The Embarassed Teacher. Now that was an amusement rarely equaled!


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

and who could forget the *slinky* ?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

MACSPECTRUM, we didn't forget the Slinky.

See previous page.

Cheers


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Anybody use a slide rule? The first affordable calculators came out when I was in high school so I just missed it.


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Rob - I was going to mention slide rules but thought there would be too few memories stimulated. Yes, I've used them quite a bit. Marvellous thing. Slip, slide calculate...during math and physics exam time, some even took them to bed so they were warm when you needed them.


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

> I recall that Super Balls were the cause of more injuries for children than anything else


Actually I had always thought that Klackers were the most dangerous,
Especially the ones made out of the hard plastic that shattered and flew appart.

I miss the noise of those things...Klack klacka klacka klacka...
Of course before that we had Conkers, Which was simply a
chestnut threaded on to a string and you tried to shatter your
opponents conker in a ritualistic game of hit and miss.

D


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

I grew up in a fairly unsophisticated neighbourhood. We simply threw the chestnuts at each other. Those with still whole prickly casings were the most effective ammo.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

I used a sliderule in high school math and physics. I still have it somewhere....


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

They went to the moon on slide rules.  
The Blackbird was conceived and built with slide rules.

Now collectors items......... like a Mac Plus or a sextant


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

All I remember is that only the guys with a plastic pen holder in their shirt pocket used one in our school.

It looked like this:









Cheers


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## Moscool (Jun 8, 2003)

Yup, conkers a big thing around here. Check out this wild competition:

http://www.swan-wittersham.co.uk/pictures/conkers_2002/conkers_2002.htm

Klakers were called tac-tac in France and we used to wear the carboard insert of a toilet paper roll to protect our wrist. (Yes, it has been a while since my wrist fitted a loo roll...)


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Anyone who mastered the slide rule has certainly earned my respect. It's one of those ingenious devices that became sadly irrelevant in the digital age.

Hey, what's wrong with pocket protectors anyway!


Anyone seen a candy striped barber pole lately?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

"The Barber Shop", (that's the name of the shop where I get my hair cut) has a candy striped barber pole.

Since I go there every three weeks, I will take along my trusty digital and snap a shot for you.

Lemme see, I'm due for a buzz next week. Stand by.

Cheers


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Sinc, does your barber still have the leather razor strap?


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

> Sinc, does your barber still have the leather razor strap?


that device has moved from the barber shop to the S & M shop


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

> Sinc, does your barber still have the leather razor strap?


Indeed he does Rob, but better than that, I too have one.

I inherited my grandfather's three straight razors, so I also have the strap. I treat myself to a straight razor shave about one Sunday per month.

If you have ever used one, you will know why I choose Sundays. It gives me the time to be "vewy vewy careful: as Elmer Fudd used to say.

The real trick is learning how to shave upwards on your throat!

Cheers


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

For the record, I am referring to one of these;








Cheers


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

You'd probably get arrested for trying to take THAT on a plane









I'll take my Mach III thank you.  

How about slight variations on this theme.

* What is the oldest thing still around from your childhood and still popular??

What is now gone that you miss *

The older you are the tougher that might be for "still popular"


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

I don't know how popular it is today, but "Etch-a-Sketch" is still around.


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

> What is the oldest thing still around from your childhood and still popular??


Yo-Yo



> What is now gone that you miss


Wind up Tin Toys 

I really miss the wind up tin toy boat I had as a child,
My parents bought it at Honest Ed's in Toronto in the 1960's.

D


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## canuck1975 (Dec 7, 2003)

I miss the old corded, punch-box controls for the TV set. I really do. They were so easy to use!


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Man canuck1975, I had forgotten about those boxes. I had one when I lived in Wallaceburg, Ontario.

If memory serves me correct it was brown plastic, and I think it got a whopping 30 channels. 

Cheers


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

> I miss the old corded, punch-box controls for the TV set. I really do. They were so easy to use!


I remember holding down two buttons next to each other trying 
to get that elusive hidden channel, Or trying to unstick a stuck button.

I'm glad they are gone...Long live wireless.

D


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## MrVermin (Jul 26, 2002)

> If memory serves me correct it was brown plastic, and I think it got a whopping 30 channels.


I must admit... I still have one of those in a box in my basement. They were made by Jerrold, it was one of their first converters...







The wire is all freyed due to my cat used to chew on it..









They had the push-down buttons, and a slider on the left side with three positions on it. You ended up with three levels of channels to choose from. 

Anyone remember the Lawn Darts????







(billy, stand over there and I'll throw it to you....







)
or how about 3/4" top load VCR units...  

MrVermin


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Remember these?









I had a friend who had one and we played with the thing for hours. We used to build things with our Meccano sets and then power it up with the steam engine.

Cheers


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Anyone remember the "serials" that used to play in the movie theatres on Saturday afternoons?

The only one I can remember was called "Blackhawk". I refer to the 10 minute or so action mini movie that ended in a cliffhanger with the hero or someone in grave peril. Next week it picked up where it left off and the hero always triumphed.

They used to give us small cards about the size of business cards with the number of installments printed on the card. Each time you showed up to watch an episode, they punched your card. If you had all 10 holes punched, you got a free pass to the next Saturday matinee.

I can remember some episodes being better than the feature movie.

Cheers


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## Bolor (Sep 14, 2003)

Has anyone mentioned the table-top hockey game; the one with the wiredslappers and wooden vertical sticks for men? I thinkk you pulled a single lever to activate the "men". and waggled the goalie to try and stop the "steelie"


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

Your timing is terrible. I turned 40 a few days ago and scored...well...it was well over 20.

What a fantastic list. I often think about some of these things and occasionally come across some nice reminder of gentler times.

Thanks for putting this together.


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## Aurora (Sep 25, 2001)

I remember the thrill it was to make a long distance call and listening to the operators greeting each other as they connected me from city to city.


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## MrVermin (Jul 26, 2002)

I remember seeing a midnight showing of Star Wars on opening day at the University Theatre. Then there was the Willow Theatre on Yonge St. I used to see two movies for $1 on a Saturday...









MrVermin


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

> ... the table-top hockey game...


Quite so, Bolor. Ours had cast metal players and sticks and the "puck" was lethal when the defensemen connected for a slapshot. You can purchase a kit to build your own from Lee Valley Tools. I hope to build one next autumn.



> ... "serials" that used to play in the movie theatres on Saturday afternoons?


Randall Scott shootemups, Sinc. 10 cents.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

> Randall Scott shootemups, Sinc. 10 cents.


Ahem, wouldn't that be RANDOLPH Scott LGB?

Cheers


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Sinc - you are quite correct. You remember him, eh?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

LGB, he was one of my favourites, especially in westerns.









Cheers


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Bolor, this is the hockey game I had back in the fifties.

It sounds to me like the same one you referred to in your post.

Right?










Cheers


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## Bolor (Sep 14, 2003)

Sinc ,that's it! Right down to the curved plywood top. Now that brings back a flood of memories. Thanks Sinc.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

Sinc & Bolor,
i have 2 of those games
one is as shown, a mixture of wood and plastic and the other is even older, wood only
part of my "antiques" collection


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

hockey game doityourself


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I would comment on your post LGB, but I don't have time.

You see, I'm off to Lee Valley Tools this morning!

Cheers


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## Bolor (Sep 14, 2003)

LGB, when I saw the picture in your linf, my first comment was "for heaven sakes". Looks authentic


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

This guy was always fun at the theatre:










Cheers


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

But this guy was MUCH more fun to watch.









http://www.bouska.com/fritzthecat/indexus.htm

ahh the 60s


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

I thought I already mentioned Fritz the Cat 

Guess I should have posted a pict.

Dave


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Sorry Dave, I missed it. Didn't mean to steal your thunder. No harm done though as we both agree on the cat's role in history!

Cheers


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## LGBaker (Apr 15, 2002)

Sinc declared:


> You see, I'm off to Lee Valley Tools this morning!


Well? What did you buy? I am glad that the Lee Valley Tool store nearest to Cranbrook is in Calgary. Seldom do I enjoy shopping as much as when I visit the LVT store.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

LGB, your post reminded me they just opened a brand new LVT store about 10 kilometers from my house and I wanted to se it for myself.

It is a wonderful place full of interesting products. For the record, (and $14.50), I bought myself a LED-LENSER FLASH-FIRE, the touch of the future with a lifetime light chip of 100,000 operating hours.

In plain english it is a pocket light that converts to a lamp by adding a light stick. No more accusing me of being in the dark!

It looks like this:


Cheers


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

SINC wrote:


> Sorry Dave, I missed it. Didn't mean to steal your thunder.


No...No... You posted fine...You posted "Felix the cat",
It's MacDoc that posted "Fritz the cat" 

It's just silly...Really...


Dave


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

If you were a "Duster" fan, it had to include these three giants of the western movies of the 40's and 50's, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers:


























Cheers


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Remember when a bicycle was an art form?

I still recall the one that our resident "rich kid" owned that was just like this one:











Cheers


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

And these were our laptops well into the 1980's:










We sure have come a long way from then.

Cheers


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Was anyone else a fan of the original Ultraman series too?


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

The days when TV was enjoyable and really funny gave us the likes of Archie Bunker, but I always enjoyed this gang of misfits










Barney Miller.

Cheers


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

To resurrect this thread... I must have had a dozen of these over the years.


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## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

That was too cool Doug! It's almost as good as the real thing.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

When I was cleaning the garage today, I cam across my old 45 rpm record collection. It reminded me of the machines that played them. I had one like this:










Cheers


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

In the late sixties and very early seventies, I used to buy 45's.

I always had trouble finding a usable center insert to make them play on me mum's RCA stereo record player. I bought about three dozen of those plastic springy-thingys....

But I always seemed to lose them.   

I hadn't even thought about this until I went to work and live in Cuba.

Cubans are just now getting the new technology of 45RPM records, apparently. They ALL wanted me to bring back center inserts for them when I returned from one of my twice yearly visits to Canada.

So they could play these "new fangled small records" in their half century old record players.









I brought about three dozen small center inserts for 45RPM records back with me on my last tour of duty.

They went in about two days.

It frightens me to think what the Cubans will do when they are finally presented with CD's and digital MP3 music.

Thirteen million very smart...and VERY well educated people...will suddenly be demanding the very latest equipment, once Fidel dies.

Quite a fertile market for some enterprising types, I suspect.

To say the very LEAST!


----------



## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

Let's Rock around the Clock to those golden oldies, brought to you by our very own DJ, Sinc. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

This may be going to far back for many of you, but remember what fun we had reading 










when driving down the road with our parents?

Slogans like:

Violets are blue
Roses are pink 
On graves
Of those 
Who drive and drink 
Burma-Shave

or this:

The whale
Put Jonah 
Down the hatch 
But coughed him up 
Because he scratched
Burma-Shave

Cheers


----------



## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

Remember this stuff? Would you admit to using it?


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Brylcreem, a little dab'll do ya
Brylcreem, you'll look so debonair
Brycreem, the gals'll all pursue ya
Simply rub a little in your hair.

That folks was there them song which I remember like yesterday.

And yes, we all used it in our teens. How the hell else do you hold a duck tail in place in the fifties?

Cheers


----------



## Rob (Sep 14, 2002)

I went to high school in the 70's, so Brylcreem was for "Greasers" and "Sliders" (the anti-cool)

My girlfriends' father had a carton of new tubes he was trying to give away at a yard sale this past weekend. No takers. 

Do they even make this stuff anymore?


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Methinks a visit to this website is in order.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

We had one exactly like this in the canteen at my first job.










I still remember having to get pennies and nickels for change as a glass bottle of coke in those days (1962) cost 7 cents.

Cheers


----------

