? "Molly Brown" wrote
So you'd really rather have a 19" B & W TV instead of a flat screen HD with a 47" screen? My family lives better with more air conditioning, computers, bigger and better refrigerators.
Here are some examples of some things that he
But since we can more easily afford appliances, we can more easily afford that bag of potatoes. The $5 doctor visit is now $150+ though.
I'm 62. We got a half a buck (wish I would have saved those silver Liberty halves), admission was fifteen cents, popcorn and drinks were a dime, candy bars were a nickel.
Today's dollars would be about $17 for the same things.
Steve
That Dart with the slant six was a damn good car. My buddy had one. It wasn't the hot rod of the day, but it had wheels, and the heater and radio worked. Life was good. We didn't have to ride the bus. Wish I had one today.
Steve
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in news:F-SdnQQNyM4mgYXQnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:
The ole Philco still is running well at my mom's house.
Perhaps he doesn't need this stuff to have a good life. My 19 inch TV died and I bought the 20 inch. I don't like the large ones where you can see the pores on the peoples' faces.
The guys would walk up to the house and open the garage door. Drag out your trash can at the street. Come back and return the can and close the door.
I remember the doctor making house calls.
On Dec 26, 8:57=A0pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
So you'd really rather have a 19" B & W TV instead of a flat screen HD with a 47" screen? My family lives better with more air conditioning, computers, bigger and better refrigerators.
The point that I was trying to make was that his evidence supporting his postulate that things are better now is faulty for the exact same reason that you stated of appliances being =93more, bigger, better=94 In other words he is comparing apples with oranges. We did not have computers or color TVs then but we also didn=92t have to call the repair person or mechanic almost every day when those so called =93better=94 appliances and cars crammed with more and more idiotic=93 amenities=94 or =93water and energy saver=94 features break down. Did you include the cost of what you pay to the service technician or the parts supplier or store for renewing every two years that cheap made in China garbage when you said =93But since we can more easily afford appliances, we can more easily afford that bag of potatoes. The $5 doctor visit is now $150+ though=94? I think not. When I said I wish I could buy the same appliance I used then I wasn=92t referring to a TV set, computer or microwave oven but a range, dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer or the early self defrosting refrigerators which were substantially durable than what we have now. I can even make a point about color TVs, computers and text messaging cell phones which have killed social skills, conceptual thinking and the English language if you like. The last genius we had was Einstein with E=3DMC2. I dare you to name one Shakespeare, Beethoven or Da Vinci since then. You don=92t even see anymore polymaths like our founding fathers anymore. What we have are bored so called =93professionals=94 who only want to go home and play SimCity or Call of Duty. Why do you think that is?
In 1973, I bought a used 1967 Renault 10 from a guy I worked with. It had 4 cylinder 1108cc water cooled rear engine, 4 wheel disk brakes, independent suspension, rack and pinion steering and a curb weight of 1,730lbs. I wound up rebuilding the engine and transmission while I owned it and had a lot of fun with it. I could pull the engine by hand and carry it to a workbench and it was really easy to service. It had the skinny 15 inch wheels like The VW Beetle but only three lug nuts per wheel. With the tiny engine and four speed manual transaxel, the little car got really good gas mileage. If I was in a tight parking spot, I could grab the front bumper and drag the car around so I could pull out. I would love to have one today, it was a simple inexpensive mode of transportation. Mine was dark blue. :-)
Right. And if one were not scrupulously honest, one could do it for $0.01...if you flipped a penny just right it would register as a nickel.
Probably the two things the Government has its fingers the furthest into. Coincidence? I think not.
Until it became too interesting, they used to cut healthcare inflation into three pieces: the underlying inflation (CPI), the case mix inflation (sicker people as you noted, more people) and the excess. Most of what many people were calling excess (anything above CPI) was taken up by the case mix inflation. Still a bunch of excess inflation, but not nearly the same headline.
Ah technology. They really have figured out how to make things cheaper. Those TVs were all handwired and had lots of large components and little plastic. Look at all the woodworking!
No doubt that the oven was built tougher too.
But that is the way it is, they figure out how to minimize materials and costs and the price falls due to competition. It's rather dramatic. When you first make a new product you want it to work (and it is overbuilt), later you want to beat/match your competitors on pricing. There is always a premium on new.
Now for things where the amount of US labor has remained relatively constant, it's a different story. Bread, eggs and coffee shop coffee being often cited.
Jeff
You say that now! I still have one, a 70 Dart with the slant six. When I get that magic combo of time and money it may go back on the road. Could use a sway bar as the suspension is a little primitive, and no AC of course, but one hell of an air vent. Did the upgrade to disk brakes...
I have a friend who blew up his slant six, threw a rod and I know it had good oil and was running well. Not sure how that could happen, but he may have been flying.
Jeff
I had one and no problems starting when wet, and never replaced a starter. Karma. But no amount of karma kept the entire back end from rusting out.
--Vic
You'd probably burn up $10 worth of gas looking for a pay phone in my neck of the woods. But can you imagine telling someone they could pay $30 a month for a phone they could carry around with them- and talk coast to coast for as long as you wanted for whatever the average hourly pay was in those days? [$3-4?]
About the time all those things were a nickel, I got my first job. $.60 an hour planting trees. I bet that job pays $8.00 now.
*These* are the good *new* days.Jim
-snip-
I had to retire my '66 in 1985. The drive train had another 100k in it-- but the body had pretty much turned into O2. [even the Fe part was gone.]
Jim
I recall changing tubes in the old TVs frequently while the newer ones go for many years with no repair. I typically drive my cars over 150,000 miles and change spark plugs one time at 100k. Maintenance on newer cars is a bit more complex, but it is needed far less. I remember cleaning spark plugs every 5000 miles and replacing them at 10,000 miles, along with point and maybe wires. And resetting the timing along the way and adjusting points after a few thousand miles. No thanks, I'll keep my newer cars that are cheaper to operate than any of my older cars.
My other appliances are just as good as they were in the past. You can buy a decent basic gas or electric range for about $400 to $500. You can also get better quality for $4000 if that is your desire.
Did you include the cost
The last time I had an appliance serviced was about 20 years ago. Maybe you need to buy better brands. I did just replace my dryer that was 29 years old and a few years ago, we opted for a new gas range rather than fix the 25 year old one.
I'm not so sure. Other than your perception, do you have evidence? Seems to me that appliances did go through a stage about 5 to 10 years ago where they were less reliable, but they seem to have rebounded. That is my perception, not something I can prove.
While I agree with you there, it has nothing to do with reliability and quality of a refrigerator. Many do say that TV has destroyed the human species. That would be a different thread though.
1940s - Pepsi Cola - 12 oz - .05 cents + 2 cent bottle deposit Coca Cola - 6 oz. - same price and deposit as above Pepsi jingle. "Pepsi-Cola hits the spot. Twelve full ounces, that's a lot. Twice as much for a nickel, too, Pepsi-Cola is the drink for you." Times were tough back then so we kids always bought the Pepsi. Today, it's Coke.
Agree with most of what you said. But I don't think appliances like washers, dryers, fridges are as good. On a cost basis they might be, but from reading reviews the quality/longevity isn't there. I felt compelled to buy a warranty on the washer I bought after reading the reviews, and it wasn't cheap. Likewise the fridge I bought - again not cheap - broke a compressor suspension spring after 2 years and has banged ever since. The jury is out since both washer and fridge are still running, so maybe the reviews only highlight the unlucky. I've noticed that with many products. The squeaky wheels make noise.
--Vic
Sorry, my 1973 Plymouth Satellite has factory electronic ignition.
Delcotronic EI was an option on Pontiac and Corvettes in 1963. Ford fitted Lucas EI on some European models around the same time. Delco/Remy tested the first EI in 1948. Mopar introduced its first EI in 1972
God promulgated no law against fornication; that is a later construct by the Church. You can read the entire book of Leviticus and find nary a nooky no-no.
In fact, sex was one of the three methods of entering a marriage (the other two were by contract and by carrying away).
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