Vintage Things That Have Disappeared In Your Lifetime?

[Inkstainedwretch]

The mawkish "prayer of St. Francis" just before a tv station's sign-off. It's one thing I really don't miss about the era.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I always enjoyed the other end of the schedule, those corny "sermonettes" that always came on after the test pattern and before Jack LaLanne. There were always the same kind of deal -- some clumsy local minister or priest or rabbi standing at a plywood pulpit in front of a fake stained-glass window, reading a five-minute bromide off a Teleprompter -- but they were *nice.* There was no damning-to-hellfire, no pleading for pelf, no Bible-thumping, no use of religion as a club to beat anyone remotely different, and no politicial proselytism. A very soothing, strictly-mainline way to start the day.

 

[Fading Fast]

Freedom means the world is free to always be on - got it, and will fight to defend it. But I did enjoy he calm, the "day is over, go to bed" feel of TV stations going off the air at night. It made the break (just noticed that "break" and "brake" are anagrams - neat) between the day and night distinct.

For awhile, I lived in a long-stay hotel and, in the lobby, they played CNN 24 hours. I get up very early for work and would go down to the gym at 2 or 3am and it was jarring to hear the news - usually commentators breathless telling me about this or that or two or three talking heads fighting over the current "big thing" of the moment.

That was no way to start your day.

 

[St.Ignatz]

Shows the power of competition - no email / texting / scanning / etc., no two-cent reduction. That said, I was still amazed. I effectively just lost money on my small sleeve of forever stamps. The Post Office beat me on that purchase and kudos to it, I took the risk and lost - all's fair...

The price went down due to a temporary increase granted to help pay for the P.O. having to prepay for long term (75 years) of employee retirement benefits required by congress expiring . This time temporary actually was temporary.

Tom D.

 

[Fading Fast]

The price went down due to a temporary increase granted to help pay for the P.O. having to prepay for long term (75 years) of employee retirement benefits required by congress expiring . This time temporary actually was temporary.

Tom D.

I stand corrected. And good point - amazing that a "temporary" increase actually was. Big picture though, no email, etc., as competition and I'd bet physical mail prices would be higher as they definitely responded to declines in physical mail by slowing the rate of increases versus when they had more of a monopoly.

 

[St.Ignatz]

I stand corrected. And good point - amazing that a "temporary" increase actually was. Big picture though, no email, etc., as competition and I'd bet physical mail prices would be higher as they definitely responded to declines in physical mail by slowing the rate of increases versus when they had more of a monopoly.

Interesting that many of my on line purchases show shipping with ups but then get transferred to usps for final leg. I speculate that the forever stamps are more cost effective for the po than printing and handling 2 centers. I know they are a lot less confusing. Have a safe holiday brother and lets keep in mind its meaning.

Tom D.

 

[Fading Fast]

Interesting that many of my on line purchases show shipping with ups but then get transferred to usps for final leg. I speculate that the forever stamps are more cost effective for the po than printing and handling 2 centers. I know they are a lot less confusing. Have a safe holiday brother and lets keep in mind its meaning.

Tom D.

I've noticed the same thing and actually have wondered if UPS could survive without the PO there to handle the "last mile." That said, I've read that Amazon is building out capabilities to take the PO out of the last mile. Still, my guess is that will only be in medium to high density populated areas. End of day, rural deliver will be subsidized or not done. Driving out 40 miles to deliver a book will never be profitable.

Thank you for the kind wishes - same to you.

 

[Siggmund]

Well, I haven't read this whole thread - all 239 pages - so some of the things I have thought of have surely been mentioned already but here goes: Zero bars; old UK currency - pounds, shillings and pence; injectable razors; going to the gate with departing family or friends; free TV (analog); a $30 monthly phone bill; really fun choking hazards and other dangerous toys (think lawn darts or the 1960's Nichols six-shooter that had little plastic bullets that actually fired). I grew up in an era when even crummy things were made of metal instead of plastic. A crummy lawn chair, for example would last 5 - 10 years instead of one or two.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

A crummy lawn chair, for example would last 5 - 10 years instead of one or two.

Try one or two weeks.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

The Zero bar is still made, now produced by Hershey. Originally it was made by the Hollywood Candy company, of Hollywood, MO. Hollywood also made the Payday and Butternut bars. Hershey continues to make Payday, but not Butternut. I really miss the Butternut bar. Its chocolate coating had a very distinctive flavor. I presume Hershey continues only the non-milk chocolate Hollywood brands since Hershey has its own distinctive milk chocolate recipe.

 

[LizzieMaine]

My monthly phone bill is still $28. Of course, it's still a *phone bill,* and not a magic-gizmo-that-does-everything-but-mop-your-floor bill.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

Kitchen match dispensers.
I was just out lighting my barbecue and it caused me to remember the kitchen match dispensers that used to hang on the wall of nearly every kitchen, next to the stove. People used the matches to light their stoves, whether wood-burning or gas, with the big wooden matches, hence the "kitchen" designation. It was an open-topped tin box with an open trough at the bottom. You opened a box of matches about an inch and slid it down into the dispenser. Some of the matches would roll out into the trough and you took them from there until the box was empty. I probably haven't thought of them for 50 years.

 

[plain old dave]

Television stations that signed off for the evening.

 

[vitanola]

Kitchen match dispensers.
I was just out lighting my barbecue and it caused me to remember the kitchen match dispensers that used to hang on the wall of nearly every kitchen, next to the stove. People used the matches to light their stoves, whether wood-burning or gas, with the big wooden matches, hence the "kitchen" designation. It was an open-topped tin box with an open trough at the bottom. You opened a box of matches about an inch and slid it down into the dispenser. Some of the matches would roll out into the trough and you took them from there until the box was empty. I probably haven't thought of them for 50 years.

How ever do you light your oven?

 

[LizzieMaine]

I've got my grandmother's kitchen match dispenser hanging on my kitchen wall, even though I've got an electric stove. The matches come in handy -- among other things they're just the right thickness for pushing into stripped-out screw holes from door hinges.

 

[Fading Fast]

I've got my grandmother's kitchen match dispenser hanging on my kitchen wall, even though I've got an electric stove. The matches come in handy -- among other things they're just the right thickness for pushing into stripped-out screw holes from door hinges.

I know that electric stoves have been around a long time and that you seem to like yours, but I can't really wrap my mind around LizzieMaine having an electric stove. An open pit fire, yes; only an open hearth to cook with, sure - but an electric stove doesn't fit (my image - which of course is completely silly).

 

[LizzieMaine]

I grew up with a kerosene stove, which I wish I still had.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Kitchen match dispensers.
I was just out lighting my barbecue and it caused me to remember the kitchen match dispensers that used to hang on the wall of nearly every kitchen, next to the stove. People used the matches to light their stoves, whether wood-burning or gas, with the big wooden matches, hence the "kitchen" designation. It was an open-topped tin box with an open trough at the bottom. You opened a box of matches about an inch and slid it down into the dispenser. Some of the matches would roll out into the trough and you took them from there until the box was empty. I probably haven't thought of them for 50 years.

My house still has one next to the fireplace.

 

[Fading Fast]

I grew up with a kerosene stove, which I wish I still had.

Now, that makes sense for you.

 

[kaiser]

I've got my grandmother's kitchen match dispenser hanging on my kitchen wall, even though I've got an electric stove. The matches come in handy -- among other things they're just the right thickness for pushing into stripped-out screw holes from door hinges.

I used a broken off match stick yesterday to do just what you describe, it was not a door hinge, it was something else, but the broken off match really did the job !