Speaking of phoning people....
Bruce Atchison - author
I just spoke to Ian in Fort Worth, Texas on the electric talking telephone.
I used the black one that was invented by Edison Bell in 1822. It was
lovely and a half to hear his voice for the first time. We'd previously
e-mailed each other and sent news group messages. With luck and little bits
of paper called money, I hope to hear from him again.
Sponcerely,
Bruce Atchison - owner of a black telephone.
nemo
"Bruce Atchison - author" <batc...@mcsnet.ca> wrote in message
news:0a3Jm.3826$Sw5...@newsfe16.iad...
of water?
Iyyy am the proud owner of a replica of a bony fido Trimphone! �34 from John
Lewis. Except for the dial having a circle of push-buttons, it's highly
realistic and looks very stylish. Shows how far ahead of its time it was..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Trimphone.jpg
I think the push-buttons were made in Prestatyn!
MartinS
Vile, ugly, flimsy things.
--
Martin S.
Judith
wrote:
Flimsy, eh? I liked the old telephones with a bit of heft to them. We
still have our phone from the 60's, I think, which is black and made of
a granite-like substance. We use it as an extra phone, in the basement,
and it will someday come in handy for hurling at someone who might break
into the house. A lethal weapon.
Judiff
Working is soul-crushing. I can't believe adults live like this.
-Bladezz, The Guild
MartinS
> MartinS <m...@my.place> wrote:
>> "nemo" <ne...@naughtylass.wet> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> I just spoke to Ian in Fort Worth, Texas on the electric talking
>> >> telephone. I used the black one that was invented by Edison Bell
>> >> in 1822. It was lovely and a half to hear his voice for the first
>> >> time. We'd previously e-mailed each other and sent news group
>> >> messages. With luck and little bits of paper called money, I hope
>> >> to hear from him again.
>> >>
>> >> Sponcerely,
>> >>
>> >> Bruce Atchison - owner of a black telephone.
>> > Is that the one where you have to fill up the microphone with a
>> > little drop of water?
>> >
>> > Iyyy am the proud owner of a replica of a bony fido Trimphone! �34
>> > from John Lewis. Except for the dial having a circle of
>> > push-buttons, it's highly realistic and looks very stylish. Shows
>> > how far ahead of its time it was..
>> >
>> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Trimphone.jpg
>>
>> Vile, ugly, flimsy things.
>
> Flimsy, eh? I liked the old telephones with a bit of heft to them.
> We still have our phone from the 60's, I think, which is black and
> made of a granite-like substance. We use it as an extra phone, in the
> basement, and it will someday come in handy for hurling at someone who
> might break into the house. A lethal weapon.
remember it was one of the first "modern" phones. The handset was very
lightweight for those days, and didn't give any impression of "heft".
The base may have been heavier to keep it in place while dialling.
I know the ones of which you speak. Even older, and just as lethal as a
weapon, were the wooden boxes with a mouthpiece protruding from the
front and a separate earpiece hanging on a hook on the side. Hence the
expressions "off-hook" and "hang up".
I find it interesting that in modern life, and on modern TV shows, about
the only time you hear an old-fashioned brrrring it's an electronic
simulation from a cell phone - because it's distinctive!
--
Martin S.
Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman)
> In article <vPiOm.24605$We2....@newsfe09.iad>,
>
>>> Iyyy am the proud owner of a replica of a bony fido Trimphone! £34
>
Wasn't Tritium the companion of Arthur Dent?
We didn't have that. We had the princess phone
http://www.loti.com/then_now/pink_princess_phone.htm
Which we had seen at a display at one of those house of the future
exhibits at the state fair or something and several years later we were
excited to actually use one. Had a funny undersized dial, but otherwise
worked well enough. Heavy, so if you bought one for your wife she could
throw it at you when she got mad.
MartinS
Not like these two ounce cell phones.
--
Martin S.
Bruce Atchison - author
I should add that I have a telephone shaped like a rabbit. The
manufacturers placed the microphone in a most hilarious place on it.
Talking into that end of the bunny gives one an odd feeling.
Also, Ian isn't able to get online at the moment. His ISP decided his
ancient DOS PC was too old for modern peoples to use so they deleted the
phone number that he connected up to. He's trying to learn the new
jet-propelled Windows PC but it's quite the learning curve. Actually, it's
more like a learning cliff.
From the land where the prairie dogs can't find trees,
Bruce Atchison -- amazing talking telephone user.
MartinS
It's no wonder they are always howling.
[Call of the West, my favourite Goon Show episode.]
--
Martin S.
Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman)
princess coming into contact with your nut could do real harm to a grown
boy.
MartinS
Even more if it came into contact with your nuts.
--
Martin S.
Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman)
Bruce Atchison - author
You have good taste in Goon Shows. I've never tasted one myself but there's
got to be a first time.
I too love Call Of The West, especially the part when Bluebottle's mum comes
storming in and drags him home. Spike must have had fun lampooning and
Pune-lamming his old dad's passion for westerns. Now if you'll excuse me,
I'll order some cardboard cut-out trees. Those blasted prairie dogs just
won't stop.
Sincerely,
Bruce Atchison - ear plug collecter extrordinaire.
Roger the Saurus
"Judith" <JU...@withouta.net> wrote in message
news:JUJU-AB733E.0...@free.teranews.com...
We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was murder
trying to dial someone
--
Roger the Saurus
(remove bollix to reply)
Mudge
> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was murder
> trying to dial someone
We used to dream of having empty cans, let alone a chunk of string !!!
--
The Canadian Curmudgeon (in Calgary)
Fix the biosphere - eliminate people
Ophelia
> On 2009-11-25 10:35:56 -0700, "Roger the Saurus" said:
>
>> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was
>> murder trying to dial someone
>
> We used to dream of having empty cans, let alone a chunk of string !!!
Your string came in chunks??
MartinS
> "Judith" <JU...@withouta.net> wrote...
>> MartinS> <m...@my.place> wrote:
>>> "nemo" <ne...@naughtylass.wet> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Iyyy am the proud owner of a replica of a bony fido Trimphone! �34
>>> > from John Lewis. Except for the dial having a circle of
>>> > push-buttons, it's highly realistic and looks very stylish. Shows
>>> > how far ahead of its time it was..
>>> >
>>> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Trimphone.jpg
>>>
>>> Vile, ugly, flimsy things.
>>
>> Flimsy, eh? I liked the old telephones with a bit of heft to them.
>> We still have our phone from the 60's, I think, which is black and
>> made of a granite-like substance. We use it as an extra phone, in
>> the basement, and it will someday come in handy for hurling at
>> someone who might break into the house. A lethal weapon.
>
> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was
> murder trying to dial someone
Especially if the string went slack.
--
Martin S.
MartinS
> "Roger the Saurus" said:
>
>> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was murder
>> trying to dial someone
>
> We used to dream of having empty cans, let alone a chunk of string !!!
How long is a chunk of string?
--
Martin S.
Herr VonSchlapper Eccles
No Howe Long is a Chinaman's name.
--
So long and thanks for all the fish.
Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman)
Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman)
Bill Taylor
Yannow. Back in dem days, we useta have proper decent size
cell phones. like de anti-burglar phone in Judiff's basement.
It's not gen'rally realised, but DEY were CELL-PHONES too!
Damn straight! Proper big cells, dey were, wiff proper DNA 'n'all!
Yer could see the DNA, coz bleedin' yards of da tightly coiled
stuff useta come outer de innards of it! Mate. Dunno what
use it woulda been, mind you, coz often it would tangle itself
up and get kinks which I'm sure woulda defeated da sharpest
replicator dey coulda put inside.
EvENTcherly, of course, all da DNA leaked out completely,
so day switched us over ter these tiny cells, not much more
dan viruses, really, wiv no coiled-up DNA in dem at all!
Ah --- fings ain't wot dey useter be...(!)...
-- Baldy Bill
Ophelia
"Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman)" <lao...@spam.cox.net> wrote in message
news:AXjPm.50009$W77....@newsfe11.iad...
Oh well, that will be orlright then!
'ere! you better not be stringing me along.....
MartinS
>>> Mudge <Nos...@never.ever> wrote:
>>>> "Roger the Saurus" said:
>>>>
>>>>> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was
>>>>> murder trying to dial someone We used to dream of having empty
>>>>> cans, let alone a chunk of string !!!
>>> How long is a chunk of string?
>>>
>>
>> No Howe Long is a Chinaman's name.
>>
> Hao long? That means good dragon.
How Fat is a Chinaman.
--
Martin S.
Judith
<9e6dd5d3-636d-43e9...@m33g2000pri.googlegroups.com>,
Bill Taylor <w.ta...@math.canterbury.ac.nz> wrote:
Hmmm. The world should probably be grateful you went into math instead
of biology or electronics.
Judith
Mudge
> Mudge wrote:
>> "Roger the Saurus" said:
>>
>>> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was murder
>>> trying to dial someone
>>
>> We used to dream of having empty cans, let alone a chunk of string !!!
>
> How long is a chunk of string?
From the beginning to the end, of course
Roger the Saurus
"Mudge" <Nos...@never.ever> wrote in message
news:2009112510380975249-Nospam@neverever...
> On 2009-11-25 10:35:56 -0700, "Roger the Saurus" said:
>
>> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was murder
>> trying to dial someone
>
> We used to dream of having empty cans, let alone a chunk of string !!!
We had to share our string with a family that lived across the road. It was
called a party line but I don't think I was ever invited to the party.
MartinS
>> >Mudge <Nos...@never.ever> wrote:
>> >> "Roger the Saurus" said:
>> >>
>> >>> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was
>> >>> murder trying to dial someone
>> >>
>> >> We used to dream of having empty cans, let alone a chunk of string
>> >> !!!
>> >
>> >How long is a chunk of string?
>>
>> No Howe Long is a Chinaman's name.
>
> So is Won Hung Lo.
And Hoo Flung Dung.
--
Martin S.
Bill Taylor
> > How long is a chunk of string?
>
> From the beginning to the end, of course
Egg-shelly, it's usually just not QUITE that long.
If you look carefully, the ends are usually frayed a little bit,
so the string isn't quite as long as from end to end.
-- Bill the Stringmonger.
MartinS
Like my temper... ;-)
--
Martin S.
Judith
<34ff9403-ac3e-4bb4...@y32g2000prd.googlegroups.com>,
Bill Taylor <w.ta...@math.canterbury.ac.nz> wrote:
As a mathematician (you, not me), is that your string theory?
Judiff
Silence, Singiz, or I'll spread curry powder up your loincloth.
-Bloodnok
chorl...@gmail.com
> In article <9CCEAEBE9Eccles...@69.16.186.8>,> > m...@my.place (MartinS) wrote in <Q7gPm.32258$cd7.20...@newsfe04.iad>:
>
> > >Mudge <Nos...@never.ever> wrote:
> > >> "Roger the Saurus" said:
>
> > >>> We had to make do with two tin cans on a piece of string. It was murder
> > >>> trying to dial someone
>
> > >> We used to dream of having empty cans, let alone a chunk of string !!!
>
> > >How long is a chunk of string?
>
> > No Howe Long is a Chinaman's name.
>
> So is Won Hung Lo.
>
> Judiff
>
> Working is soul-crushing. I can't believe adults live like this.
> -Bladezz, The Guild
Ahctuyoualley old bean Howie Long is a sportscaster in the Land of
Herns (Hernia)
David
Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman)
There is a diner down the street with a black and white sign which reads
"Big Heng." I assume the joke is that A) in China the surname is first,
and B) heng whould be pronounced more like "hung." The true name of the
proprietor is, therefore, Hung Big. Sound appetizing? I should go in
some time if only to interview the waitress who may or may not know if
he is.
Roger the Saurus
news:3UlSm.74378$W77....@newsfe11.iad...
Why not just ask for meatballs and see what they are like?
Pope Pie (Sy Lehrman)
Now you are referring to what is known in the West as rocky mountain
oysters. Yes, you can buy them is some super markets.
Nemo
"MartinS" <m...@my.place> wrote in message
news:vPiOm.24605$We2....@newsfe09.iad...
> "nemo" <ne...@naughtylass.wet> wrote:
>> "Bruce Atchison - author" <batc...@mcsnet.ca> wrote in message
>> news:0a3Jm.3826$Sw5...@newsfe16.iad...
>>> Gadies and Lentlemen;
>>>
>>> I just spoke to Ian in Fort Worth, Texas on the electric talking
>>> telephone. I used the black one that was invented by Edison Bell in
>>> 1822. It was lovely and a half to hear his voice for the first time.
>>> We'd previously e-mailed each other and sent news group messages.
>>> With luck and little bits of paper called money, I hope to hear from
>>> him again.
>>>
>>> Sponcerely,
>>>
>>> Bruce Atchison - owner of a black telephone.
>> Is that the one where you have to fill up the microphone with a little
>> drop of water?
>>
>> from John Lewis. Except for the dial having a circle of push-buttons,
>> it's highly realistic and looks very stylish. Shows how far ahead of
>> its time it was..
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Trimphone.jpg
>
> Vile, ugly, flimsy things.
>
They had to be like that. You couldn't get the
Polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, you know.
"Don't you mean Bakelite?"
"That's right! I can never think of the name."
Nemo
"Paul Martin" <p...@nowster.org.uk> wrote in message
news:slrnhgkv...@nowster.eternal-september.org...
> In article <vPiOm.24605$We2....@newsfe09.iad>,
> MartinS wrote:
>
>>> Iyyy am the proud owner of a replica of a bony fido Trimphone! £34
>
> --
In a fragile glass tube no less!
Nemo
> Paul Martin wrote:
>> In article <vPiOm.24605$We2....@newsfe09.iad>,
>> MartinS wrote:
>>
>>>> Iyyy am the proud owner of a replica of a bony fido Trimphone! £34
>> ...
>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Trimphone.jpg
>>
>>> Vile, ugly, flimsy things.
>>
>> Also radioactive. The dial light was based on tritium.
>>
Narr. That was Mrs. Doctor Who. Lucky sod!
>
> We didn't have that. We had the princess phone
> http://www.loti.com/then_now/pink_princess_phone.htm
>
> Which we had seen at a display at one of those house of the future
> exhibits at the state fair or something and several years later we were
> excited to actually use one. Had a funny undersized dial, but otherwise
> worked well enough. Heavy, so if you bought one for your wife she could
> throw it at you when she got mad.