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1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290797] Fri, 29 May 2015 13:10 Go to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
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Gimbels advertised

"Texas Instruments 8 digit electric calculator is a pocketful of versatility that does your "math" anywhere.

"Take along this 12-ounce calculator when shopping or traveling...it'll perform chain or mixed calculations rapidly, accurately. Plugs into outlet at home or office for preparing tax forms other computations. Just touch numbers and functions as you would write them. Adds, subtracts, multiplies, or divides by a constant, includes credit balance. Full floating decimal and easy to read 8 digit readout. Complete with battery recharger for portable use. Fits into briefcase or purse. It's back by Texas Instruments one year unconditional warranty. write, phone WA 2-9xxx anytime. Street, Suburbs."


Note that it says "electric" calculator. (The "street" refers to the main store, main floor.)

Note that it offers the option of "writing" as well as a telephone order.

Note the old WAlnut exchange designation.

The calculator pictured had a case and recharger. The keypad did not have SQR or M, so it was a basic model.

In 1973 I think I was earning about $3/hour. In school, we were not allowed to use calculators because many students could not afford them. $100 was serious money back then. We had to make do with slide rules. I think the sci/eng majors still rushed out and got the $150 sophisticated TI unit as for them it was worth it.

In later years, I found it interesting that pocket calculators, once so expensive, were sold for a few bucks next to the bubblegum in the checkout lane.


Also advertised was an Underwood portable typewriter, with case, for $38.99.. (That, I want.)
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290811 is a reply to message #290797] Fri, 29 May 2015 16:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Peter Flass is currently offline  Peter Flass
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<hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com> wrote:
> Gimbels advertised
>
> "Texas Instruments 8 digit electric calculator is a pocketful of
> versatility that does your "math" anywhere.
>
> "Take along this 12-ounce calculator when shopping or traveling...it'll
> perform chain or mixed calculations rapidly, accurately. Plugs into
> outlet at home or office for preparing tax forms other computations.
> Just touch numbers and functions as you would write them. Adds,
> subtracts, multiplies, or divides by a constant, includes credit balance.
> Full floating decimal and easy to read 8 digit readout. Complete with
> battery recharger for portable use. Fits into briefcase or purse. It's
> back by Texas Instruments one year unconditional warranty. write, phone
> WA 2-9xxx anytime. Street, Suburbs."
>
>
> Note that it says "electric" calculator. (The "street" refers to the
> main store, main floor.)
>
> Note that it offers the option of "writing" as well as a telephone order.
>
> Note the old WAlnut exchange designation.
>
> The calculator pictured had a case and recharger. The keypad did not
> have SQR or M, so it was a basic model.

I'm surprised they didn't think they had to explain "floating decimal".

>
> In 1973 I think I was earning about $3/hour. In school, we were not
> allowed to use calculators because many students could not afford them.
> $100 was serious money back then. We had to make do with slide rules. I
> think the sci/eng majors still rushed out and got the $150 sophisticated
> TI unit as for them it was worth it.
>
> In later years, I found it interesting that pocket calculators, once so
> expensive, were sold for a few bucks next to the bubblegum in the checkout lane.
>
>
> Also advertised was an Underwood portable typewriter, with case, for
> $38.99. (That, I want.)


--
Pete
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290812 is a reply to message #290811] Fri, 29 May 2015 17:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
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On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 4:07:43 PM UTC-4, Peter Flass wrote:

> I'm surprised they didn't think they had to explain "floating decimal".

The ad text was awkwardly written. I tried copying it as it appeared in the newspaper.

I don't know if the department store itself wrote the text, or they just copied it from the TI brochure. Maybe a little of both.

Gimbels, which had stores in several cities, was a nice department store. Very good toy, boy scout, book, and art departments. (I don't know if they were store run or leased). Moderately priced stuff. Though they had a long history, they folded in the 1980s, not sure why.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290820 is a reply to message #290812] Fri, 29 May 2015 20:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michael Black is currently offline  Michael Black
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On Fri, 29 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:

> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 4:07:43 PM UTC-4, Peter Flass wrote:
>
>> I'm surprised they didn't think they had to explain "floating decimal".
>
> The ad text was awkwardly written. I tried copying it as it appeared in
> the newspaper.
>
> I don't know if the department store itself wrote the text, or they just
> copied it from the TI brochure. Maybe a little of both.
>
> Gimbels, which had stores in several cities, was a nice department
> store. Very good toy, boy scout, book, and art departments. (I don't
> know if they were store run or leased). Moderately priced stuff.
> Though they had a long history, they folded in the 1980s, not sure why.
>
>
That really dates things.

I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
off some highway here.

I certainly bought my chemistry sets (and microscope set) at a downtown
department store, in the hobby section, which was adjacent to the toy
department, but separate to some extent.

I barely go into department stores now, because they are now mostly
clothes, bedding and appliances. Even the Sears here has cut back a lot
on the tool deparment. The downtown department store that remains doesn't
even have a toy department, or at least at Christmas when I did poke in,
it wasn't where it used to be.

Michael
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290821 is a reply to message #290797] Fri, 29 May 2015 21:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michael Black is currently offline  Michael Black
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On Fri, 29 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:

> Gimbels advertised
>
> "Texas Instruments 8 digit electric calculator is a pocketful of versatility that does your "math" anywhere.
>
> "Take along this 12-ounce calculator when shopping or traveling...it'll perform chain or mixed calculations rapidly, accurately. Plugs into outlet at home or office for preparing tax forms other computations. Just touch numbers and functions as you would write them. Adds, subtracts, multiplies, or divides by a constant, includes credit balance. Full floating decimal and easy to read 8 digit readout. Complete with battery recharger for portable use. Fits into briefcase or purse. It's back by Texas Instruments one year unconditional warranty. write, phone WA 2-9xxx anytime. Street, Suburbs."
>
>
> Note that it says "electric" calculator. (The "street" refers to the main store, main floor.)
>
> Note that it offers the option of "writing" as well as a telephone order.
>
> Note the old WAlnut exchange designation.
>
> The calculator pictured had a case and recharger. The keypad did not have SQR or M, so it was a basic model.
>
> In 1973 I think I was earning about $3/hour. In school, we were not
> allowed to use calculators because many students could not afford them.
> $100 was serious money back then. We had to make do with slide rules.
> I think the sci/eng majors still rushed out and got the $150
> sophisticated TI unit as for them it was worth it.
>
But the price really dropped fast. When did the HP-35 come out? Was it
'72 or '73? I knew someone who got one early, some group buy at RCA where
he worked. It was the first pocket calculator I saw, though I certainly
remember desk calculator kits already in Electronics Illustrated and
Popular Electronics.

But in the fall of 74 or 75, I had a four function calculator for ten
dollars, 'surplus" already. I did get it at one of the local electronic
stores that also carried surplus.

And I remember when the TI-50 (I think it was) hit about fifty dollars, I
think it was 1975. I remember sending some circuits to Electronic
magazine, hoping to get into their Designer's Notebook that carried small
circuits and paid fifty dollars. No luck.

ANd then in 1976 or 77, I did get my first scientific calculator, the
TI-30, intended for that school market, but carrying more functions than
the HP-35.

But then that was around the time I got my TI LED watch, also about fifty
dollars.

I bought an Intersil digital voltmeter development board for about fifty
dollars in 1978, and that was here in Canada.


> In later years, I found it interesting that pocket calculators, once so
> expensive, were sold for a few bucks next to the bubblegum in the
> checkout lane.
>
>
> Also advertised was an Underwood portable typewriter, with case, for $38.99. (That, I want.)
>
>
In 75 or 76 I got a somewhat electric portable typewriter, but I can't
remember even the price range. It was "somewhat electric" because the
carriage return was manual, but everything else was electric. Likely
saved some money.

I used that a lot until 1984, when I got my third computer, which was good
enough to actually write with, emough memory and display and a floppy
drive.

But I don't think much about that typewriter. I had no desire to keep it
once I could print from a computer. Yet I have all of the computers I've
bought up until they became generic commodity devices, the computers
memorable, the typewriter not, even though by now a typewriter is
something from the past.

Michael
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290822 is a reply to message #290820] Fri, 29 May 2015 21:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: JimP

On Fri, 29 May 2015 20:49:39 -0400, Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca>
wrote:
> On Fri, 29 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>
>> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 4:07:43 PM UTC-4, Peter Flass wrote:
>>
>>> I'm surprised they didn't think they had to explain "floating decimal".
>>
>> The ad text was awkwardly written. I tried copying it as it appeared in
>> the newspaper.
>>
>> I don't know if the department store itself wrote the text, or they just
>> copied it from the TI brochure. Maybe a little of both.
>>
>> Gimbels, which had stores in several cities, was a nice department
>> store. Very good toy, boy scout, book, and art departments. (I don't
>> know if they were store run or leased). Moderately priced stuff.
>> Though they had a long history, they folded in the 1980s, not sure why.
>>
>>
> That really dates things.
>
> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
> off some highway here.

There were department stores that carried some Scouting items like
uniforms
--
JimP.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290841 is a reply to message #290822] Sat, 30 May 2015 00:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michael Black is currently offline  Michael Black
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Registered: February 2012
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On Fri, 29 May 2015, JimP wrote:

> On Fri, 29 May 2015 20:49:39 -0400, Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca>
> wrote:
>> On Fri, 29 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>>
>>> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 4:07:43 PM UTC-4, Peter Flass wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm surprised they didn't think they had to explain "floating decimal".
>>>
>>> The ad text was awkwardly written. I tried copying it as it appeared in
>>> the newspaper.
>>>
>>> I don't know if the department store itself wrote the text, or they just
>>> copied it from the TI brochure. Maybe a little of both.
>>>
>>> Gimbels, which had stores in several cities, was a nice department
>>> store. Very good toy, boy scout, book, and art departments. (I don't
>>> know if they were store run or leased). Moderately priced stuff.
>>> Though they had a long history, they folded in the 1980s, not sure why.
>>>
>>>
>> That really dates things.
>>
>> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
>> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
>> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
>> off some highway here.
>
> There were department stores that carried some Scouting items like
> uniforms

As Hancock mentioned.

And that reminded me of the local situation. But it's something I hadn't
thought of in decades, so right now I'm not even sure if I actually did
see a Scouting department in a downtown department store, or I'm imagining
it.

Michael
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290849 is a reply to message #290841] Sat, 30 May 2015 07:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Peter Flass is currently offline  Peter Flass
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Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
> On Fri, 29 May 2015, JimP wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 29 May 2015 20:49:39 -0400, Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca>
>> wrote:
>>> On Fri, 29 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 4:07:43 PM UTC-4, Peter Flass wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > I'm surprised they didn't think they had to explain "floating decimal".
>>>>
>>>> The ad text was awkwardly written. I tried copying it as it appeared in
>>>> the newspaper.
>>>>
>>>> I don't know if the department store itself wrote the text, or they just
>>>> copied it from the TI brochure. Maybe a little of both.
>>>>
>>>> Gimbels, which had stores in several cities, was a nice department
>>>> store. Very good toy, boy scout, book, and art departments. (I don't
>>>> know if they were store run or leased). Moderately priced stuff.
>>>> Though they had a long history, they folded in the 1980s, not sure why.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> That really dates things.
>>>
>>> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
>>> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
>>> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
>>> off some highway here.
>>
>> There were department stores that carried some Scouting items like
>> uniforms
>
> As Hancock mentioned.
>
> And that reminded me of the local situation. But it's something I hadn't
> thought of in decades, so right now I'm not even sure if I actually did
> see a Scouting department in a downtown department store, or I'm imagining it.
>

I seem to recall that too.

--
Pete
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290852 is a reply to message #290820] Sat, 30 May 2015 14:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Alfred Falk is currently offline  Alfred Falk
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Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote in
news:alpine.LNX.2.02.1505292045180.2136@darkstar.example.org:

> On Fri, 29 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>
>> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 4:07:43 PM UTC-4, Peter Flass wrote:
>>
>>> I'm surprised they didn't think they had to explain "floating
>>> decimal".
>>
>> The ad text was awkwardly written. I tried copying it as it appeared
>> in the newspaper.
>>
>> I don't know if the department store itself wrote the text, or they
>> just copied it from the TI brochure. Maybe a little of both.
>>
>> Gimbels, which had stores in several cities, was a nice department
>> store. Very good toy, boy scout, book, and art departments. (I don't
>> know if they were store run or leased). Moderately priced stuff.
>> Though they had a long history, they folded in the 1980s, not sure
>> why.
>>
>>
> That really dates things.
>
> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
> off some highway here.

It was real. In the early 60's Boy Scouts Canada had "Scout shops" in
department stores. They even had their own catalogue. I bought my Scout
supplies at the one in Winnipeg. I don't remember if it was in The Bay or
Eaton's, and I don't know if the same chain had all the Scout shops across
Canada or if contracts were awarded separately in each city.

> I certainly bought my chemistry sets (and microscope set) at a downtown
> department store, in the hobby section, which was adjacent to the toy
> department, but separate to some extent.
>
> I barely go into department stores now, because they are now mostly
> clothes, bedding and appliances. Even the Sears here has cut back a
> lot on the tool deparment. The downtown department store that remains
> doesn't even have a toy department, or at least at Christmas when I did
> poke in, it wasn't where it used to be.
>
> Michael
>
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290858 is a reply to message #290852] Sat, 30 May 2015 19:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michael Black is currently offline  Michael Black
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On Sat, 30 May 2015, Alfred Falk wrote:

> Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote in
> news:alpine.LNX.2.02.1505292045180.2136@darkstar.example.org:
>
>> On Fri, 29 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>>
>>> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 4:07:43 PM UTC-4, Peter Flass wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm surprised they didn't think they had to explain "floating
>>>> decimal".
>>>
>>> The ad text was awkwardly written. I tried copying it as it appeared
>>> in the newspaper.
>>>
>>> I don't know if the department store itself wrote the text, or they
>>> just copied it from the TI brochure. Maybe a little of both.
>>>
>>> Gimbels, which had stores in several cities, was a nice department
>>> store. Very good toy, boy scout, book, and art departments. (I don't
>>> know if they were store run or leased). Moderately priced stuff.
>>> Though they had a long history, they folded in the 1980s, not sure
>>> why.
>>>
>>>
>> That really dates things.
>>
>> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
>> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
>> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
>> off some highway here.
>
> It was real. In the early 60's Boy Scouts Canada had "Scout shops" in
> department stores. They even had their own catalogue. I bought my Scout
> supplies at the one in Winnipeg. I don't remember if it was in The Bay or
> Eaton's, and I don't know if the same chain had all the Scout shops across
> Canada or if contracts were awarded separately in each city.
>
Thanks.

I probably did get my Cub uniform around 1967 then at one of those
department stores. That makes sense, I wasn't a Cub for that long (I
joined because the kid across the street joined, lost interest when he
moved away), but the Scout HQ probably was a later trip, when I was more
involved than just after joining up.

I do remember we had a show about Scouting on CFCF tv here in Montreal, I
guess it was 15 minutes relatively early on Sunday mornings.

FOr a much longer time, the CBS station in Burlington Vermont had a show
or segment of a show for 4-Hers. Not a surprise since it's rural, but both
shows reflect a time when tv was different


Michael
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290860 is a reply to message #290858] Sat, 30 May 2015 20:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
osmium is currently offline  osmium
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Senior Member
"Michael Black" wrote:

> I probably did get my Cub uniform around 1967 then at one of those
> department stores. That makes sense, I wasn't a Cub for that long (I
> joined because the kid across the street joined, lost interest when he
> moved away), but the Scout HQ probably was a later trip, when I was more
> involved than just after joining up.
>
> I do remember we had a show about Scouting on CFCF tv here in Montreal, I
> guess it was 15 minutes relatively early on Sunday mornings.
>
> FOr a much longer time, the CBS station in Burlington Vermont had a show
> or segment of a show for 4-Hers. Not a surprise since it's rural, but both
> shows reflect a time when tv was different

We used to have a Sunday morning show devoted to aviation. ISTR the 747 was
projected to cost $23e6, a shocking amount. But it was usually about private
aviation, Beechcrafts and Cessnas and so on, Their time slot for tomorrow
is for a show about how to lose 15 pounds in 21 days.

I will have to admit that is an amazing loss; but I think that program runs
several times a week.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290865 is a reply to message #290822] Sat, 30 May 2015 20:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lawrence is currently offline  lawrence
Messages: 105
Registered: July 2012
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Senior Member
JimP <solosam90@gmail.com> writes:
> There were department stores that carried some Scouting items like
> uniforms

When I was a cub, the local place to get scouting "everything"
(uniforms, patches, books, camp gear) was a local department store,
"Dickers".

News of their bankruptcy came to me some years back, and I was
saddened. For a hundred years, every young man got his first suit at
Dickers. School clothes (jeans, flannel shirts) we got at the feed
store, but every Easter, my mother would drag my brother and I downtown
for new Church clothes.

NK1G
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290867 is a reply to message #290860] Sat, 30 May 2015 21:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Stephen Sprunk is currently offline  Stephen Sprunk
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On 30-May-15 19:00, Osmium wrote:
> Their time slot for tomorrow is for a show about how to lose 15
> pounds in 21 days.
>
> I will have to admit that is an amazing loss; but I think that
> program runs several times a week.

Is it? I know some women who've done the Weight Watchers thing, and the
ones that followed the (very simple) rules reported losing an average of
at least a pound a day.

The challenge isn't so much losing weight; it's changing your lifestyle
so that you don't put it right back on.

S

--
Stephen Sprunk "God does not play dice." --Albert Einstein
CCIE #3723 "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the
K5SSS dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290871 is a reply to message #290860] Sat, 30 May 2015 23:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: JimP

On Sat, 30 May 2015 19:00:26 -0500, "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net>
wrote:
> "Michael Black" wrote:
>
>> I probably did get my Cub uniform around 1967 then at one of those
>> department stores. That makes sense, I wasn't a Cub for that long (I
>> joined because the kid across the street joined, lost interest when he
>> moved away), but the Scout HQ probably was a later trip, when I was more
>> involved than just after joining up.
>>
>> I do remember we had a show about Scouting on CFCF tv here in Montreal, I
>> guess it was 15 minutes relatively early on Sunday mornings.
>>
>> FOr a much longer time, the CBS station in Burlington Vermont had a show
>> or segment of a show for 4-Hers. Not a surprise since it's rural, but both
>> shows reflect a time when tv was different
>
> We used to have a Sunday morning show devoted to aviation. ISTR the 747 was
> projected to cost $23e6, a shocking amount. But it was usually about private
> aviation, Beechcrafts and Cessnas and so on, Their time slot for tomorrow
> is for a show about how to lose 15 pounds in 21 days.
>
> I will have to admit that is an amazing loss; but I think that program runs
> several times a week.
>

In the early 1950s, when my mother got a tv set, there was the sign on
Saturday morning with a quick weather forecast. Then 30 minutes of
some dance shows, then the farm report. Then several hours of
cartoons. Cartoons were over for the day when Sky King, or Rin Tin
Tin with a kid the Army post's mascot, or The Roy Rogers and Dale
Evans Show. Or Soul Train if you watched one of the other networks. I
remember Broderick Crawford on Highway Patrol, but I think that was on
the weekday afternoons instead of Saturday morning.
--
JimP.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290872 is a reply to message #290867] Sat, 30 May 2015 23:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
osmium is currently offline  osmium
Messages: 749
Registered: April 2013
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Senior Member
"Stephen Sprunk" wrote:

> On 30-May-15 19:00, Osmium wrote:
>> Their time slot for tomorrow is for a show about how to lose 15
>> pounds in 21 days.
>>
>> I will have to admit that is an amazing loss; but I think that
>> program runs several times a week.
>
> Is it? I know some women who've done the Weight Watchers thing, and the
> ones that followed the (very simple) rules reported losing an average of
> at least a pound a day.
>
> The challenge isn't so much losing weight; it's changing your lifestyle
> so that you don't put it right back on.

(15/21)*3500 is a deficit of 2400 Cal per day. That is more than my total
daily consumption. A common main meal for me is a frozen diet meal, often
about 300 Cal.and a salad Would eating eight such meals, or their
equivalent seem likely? Lunch is often egg whites, and two buttered toast.
No breakfast. Yes, I eat snacks, at one time I tracked those too

I know the return on exercise and it is NOT the way to lose weight. My
weight loss is measured in grams, not fractions of a pound!
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290873 is a reply to message #290820] Sat, 30 May 2015 23:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
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On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 8:47:57 PM UTC-4, Michael Black wrote:

> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
> off some highway here.

Department stores, even suburban branches, once had many more 'departments' than they have now. The big downtown stores offered all sorts of services and products.

Some departments were leased. That is, they were actually operated by a private party under the department store name and 'umbrella', customers were able to use the store charge. That practice may continue.


Scouting was once bigger than it is today. (Though a local scout troop just hosted a car wash which I took advantage of, and they did a great job). Years ago, they would have a national jamboree with a huge number of kids. Railroads would run special trains to get everybody to the site. Western Union even set up a special booth so kids could communicate with home, and get money wired to them if need be.

When I was a kid they used to do a lot camping trips, I don't know if they still do.

The scouting department had a lot of camping gear, uniforms, and publications. There were various books on how to earn a merit badge. There was a magazine, Boys Life, which I think is still published.

From time to time the local newspaper publicizes some kid becoming an Eagle Scout.



> I certainly bought my chemistry sets (and microscope set) at a downtown
> department store, in the hobby section, which was adjacent to the toy
> department, but separate to some extent.

They once had good hobby sections, another thing that is gone.

One time as a kid I got lost and they took me the telephone switchboard room to wait for my mother. I remember the women were super nice and I thought the blinking lights were really neat. (Maybe that influenced my interest in telephony). FWIW, even a suburban branch store required several telephone operators to handle the traffic. Of course, back then, department stores were truly full service. If you wanted a particular item, or a garment in a certain size and they were out, the clerk would immediately call other stores to see if they had it elsewhere.

> I barely go into department stores now, because they are now mostly
> clothes, bedding and appliances. Even the Sears here has cut back a lot
> on the tool deparment. The downtown department store that remains doesn't
> even have a toy department, or at least at Christmas when I did poke in,
> it wasn't where it used to be.

The downtown department stores used to have major toy departments and made a very big deal about Christmas--even rides inside for kids. One would sponsor the city's Thanksgiving Day parade.

The flip side is that I knew several people who worked for department stores and they didn't think they were good places to work.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290874 is a reply to message #290873] Sat, 30 May 2015 23:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michael Black is currently offline  Michael Black
Messages: 2799
Registered: February 2012
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Senior Member
On Sat, 30 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:

> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 8:47:57 PM UTC-4, Michael Black wrote:
>
>> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
>> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
>> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
>> off some highway here.
>
> Department stores, even suburban branches, once had many more
> 'departments' than they have now. The big downtown stores offered all
> sorts of services and products.
>
I was thinking about that after your post. I used to routinely buy things
at the downtown department stores, now besides most of them gone, they
have become much less versatile.

If I need clothes, appliancs or bedding, that's fine. But the book
departments are gone (you're right, I'd forgotten, but I can remember some
good visits to that before Christmas as a kid, and that was on top of the
visits to the standalone bookstores), the electronics department gone,
they used to have food but that seems missing (not a lot, but "gourmet"
type things). The sports department was there, a good place to get
camping equipment.

Some of this has been shuffled off to specialty stores, but those always
existed. The department store departments seemed good, now they are gone.

I got a gift card at Christmas for the remaining downtown department
store, and I haven't spent it yet. About the best I can think of is buy a
lot of socks, wait till a good sale. There are things I could buy, but
when I keep thinking about what, they aren't things available at that
store.


> Some departments were leased. That is, they were actually operated by a
> private party under the department store name and 'umbrella', customers
> were able to use the store charge. That practice may continue.
>
I don't know how common that was here. I gather that's how Stan Veit
started his computer store in New York City, as a department in a
department store.

But 20 or 30 years ago, the department store that was higher class moved
completely to this format, so much so that I've not gone in in a long
time, and think of it more as a bunch of boutiques than department store.

Too bad too, it used to be the place to get good European chocolate.

>
> Scouting was once bigger than it is today. (Though a local scout troop
> just hosted a car wash which I took advantage of, and they did a great
> job). Years ago, they would have a national jamboree with a huge number
> of kids. Railroads would run special trains to get everybody to the
> site. Western Union even set up a special booth so kids could
> communicate with home, and get money wired to them if need be.
>
But has that changed? I don't know. The Jamborees are still there,
there's still a Scout camp near here. I bumped into a woman who must have
been a scoutmaster a week ago, loaded with equipment the troop was going
camping that week. I said "Isn't it a bit early?", because it was cool
(and got cold the next day, but really it otherwise wasn't too early.

One of the Scout troops here has a book sale in August, and when I left it
last year, I was mobbed by Girl Guides offering their cookies for sale.

But I don't know if it's gotten less popular the ever "kids today have
lots of other things to do" or if somehow it's just faded into the
background. When was the last time you heard about a Boy Scout helping an
old lady across the street?

> When I was a kid they used to do a lot camping trips, I don't know if
> they still do.
>
> The scouting department had a lot of camping gear, uniforms, and
> publications. There were various books on how to earn a merit badge.
> There was a magazine, Boys Life, which I think is still published.
>
I thought I saw some issues last year, but it was under a different name.
But I can't remember if that was the US magazine, I thought there was some
reference to Boys Life, or it was the Canadian magazine.

> From time to time the local newspaper publicizes some kid becoming an
> Eagle Scout.
>
>
>
>> I certainly bought my chemistry sets (and microscope set) at a downtown
>> department store, in the hobby section, which was adjacent to the toy
>> department, but separate to some extent.
>
> They once had good hobby sections, another thing that is gone.
>
And that wsa besides the standalone hobby shops. There used to be a
bunch in the downtown area, now one has to go to the surburbs to find one.

Michael
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290875 is a reply to message #290873] Sun, 31 May 2015 00:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Joe Pfeiffer is currently offline  Joe Pfeiffer
Messages: 764
Registered: January 2012
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Senior Member
hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com writes:

> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 8:47:57 PM UTC-4, Michael Black wrote:
>
>> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
>> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
>> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
>> off some highway here.
>
> Department stores, even suburban branches, once had many more
> 'departments' than they have now. The big downtown stores offered all
> sorts of services and products.
>
> Some departments were leased. That is, they were actually operated by
> a private party under the department store name and 'umbrella',
> customers were able to use the store charge. That practice may
> continue.
>
> Scouting was once bigger than it is today. (Though a local scout troop
> just hosted a car wash which I took advantage of, and they did a great
> job). Years ago, they would have a national jamboree with a huge
> number of kids. Railroads would run special trains to get everybody
> to the site. Western Union even set up a special booth so kids could
> communicate with home, and get money wired to them if need be.

A lot of that it differences in the ease of transportation and
communication. Why should there be a special train when it's a whole
lot cheaper for the kids to just fly there? (my kids never did
scouting, but my son did go the Space Camp in Huntsville. We flew him.
Why should Western Union (if it still existed) have a special booth when
the kids all have cell phones?

> When I was a kid they used to do a lot camping trips, I don't know if
> they still do.
>
> The scouting department had a lot of camping gear, uniforms, and
> publications. There were various books on how to earn a merit badge.
> There was a magazine, Boys Life, which I think is still published.
>
> From time to time the local newspaper publicizes some kid becoming an
> Eagle Scout.

I don't really know how big scouting is now compared to when I was a
kid -- but it's definitely still there. A friend of mine is a regional
mucky-muck and there's a *lot* happening. My rocket club (yep, I'm a
rocket geek too!) does an annual launch supporting the local scouts, and
we get over a hundred kids.

>> I certainly bought my chemistry sets (and microscope set) at a downtown
>> department store, in the hobby section, which was adjacent to the toy
>> department, but separate to some extent.
>
> They once had good hobby sections, another thing that is gone.

The whole notion of hobby sections and hobby stores is gone. There are
*zero* hobby shops in the 100K+ person town I live in. I suspect if a
drug store had a Perfect (that was the brand) glassware display today
the owner would be arrested for selling drug paraphernalia.

> One time as a kid I got lost and they took me the telephone
> switchboard room to wait for my mother. I remember the women were
> super nice and I thought the blinking lights were really neat. (Maybe
> that influenced my interest in telephony). FWIW, even a suburban
> branch store required several telephone operators to handle the
> traffic. Of course, back then, department stores were truly full
> service. If you wanted a particular item, or a garment in a certain
> size and they were out, the clerk would immediately call other stores
> to see if they had it elsewhere.

My experience is that that still exists, though it isn't calling other
stores (in fairness, there aren't any a reasonable distance from here),
it's ordering from a central location.

Wandering off a bit, auto parts stores are great. 99% of anything my
local Carquest doesn't have in stock is in Albuquerque (next day), and
the rest is in Phoenix (two days). The real cool thing about that store
is I'm a regular enough customer that when I buy something they ring it
up as being from a local repair shop, which is frequently a better than
50% discount.

>> I barely go into department stores now, because they are now mostly
>> clothes, bedding and appliances. Even the Sears here has cut back a lot
>> on the tool deparment. The downtown department store that remains doesn't
>> even have a toy department, or at least at Christmas when I did poke in,
>> it wasn't where it used to be.
>
> The downtown department stores used to have major toy departments and
> made a very big deal about Christmas--even rides inside for kids. One
> would sponsor the city's Thanksgiving Day parade.
>
> The flip side is that I knew several people who worked for department
> stores and they didn't think they were good places to work.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290880 is a reply to message #290797] Sun, 31 May 2015 05:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ahem A Rivet's Shot is currently offline  Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
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Senior Member
On Sat, 30 May 2015 22:46:01 -0500
Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> wrote:

> It's likely a UK show. Easy enough there to lose 15 pounds in 21 days.
> Pretty much impossible on this side of the pond, unless it involves
> severe dehydration.

Why should it be easier to loase 15lbs in 21 days in the UK than in
the US ? Last I checked both sides used the same 454g pounds.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290881 is a reply to message #290867] Sun, 31 May 2015 05:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Morten Reistad is currently offline  Morten Reistad
Messages: 2108
Registered: December 2011
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Senior Member
In article <mkdmqh$fqs$1@dont-email.me>,
Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> wrote:
> On 30-May-15 19:00, Osmium wrote:
>> Their time slot for tomorrow is for a show about how to lose 15
>> pounds in 21 days.
>>
>> I will have to admit that is an amazing loss; but I think that
>> program runs several times a week.
>
> Is it? I know some women who've done the Weight Watchers thing, and the
> ones that followed the (very simple) rules reported losing an average of
> at least a pound a day.

That is normal when you go from a sugar/wheat intensive diet to a
more healthy one. You will lose around 4 kgs very fast, and then
there is a little break while the body adjusts the hydration (sugar
and wheat binds water), and then you will lose about a kilogram a week
until you are at a BMI of around 22-23.

> The challenge isn't so much losing weight; it's changing your lifestyle
> so that you don't put it right back on.

This requires a permanent change in diet and exercise. It is not
hard to do as long as you realise this.

-- mrr
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290887 is a reply to message #290872] Sun, 31 May 2015 07:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Peter Flass is currently offline  Peter Flass
Messages: 8375
Registered: December 2011
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Senior Member
"Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> wrote:
> "Stephen Sprunk" wrote:
>
>> On 30-May-15 19:00, Osmium wrote:
>>> Their time slot for tomorrow is for a show about how to lose 15
>>> pounds in 21 days.
>>>
>>> I will have to admit that is an amazing loss; but I think that
>>> program runs several times a week.
>>
>> Is it? I know some women who've done the Weight Watchers thing, and the
>> ones that followed the (very simple) rules reported losing an average of
>> at least a pound a day.
>>
>> The challenge isn't so much losing weight; it's changing your lifestyle
>> so that you don't put it right back on.
>
> (15/21)*3500 is a deficit of 2400 Cal per day. That is more than my total
> daily consumption. A common main meal for me is a frozen diet meal, often
> about 300 Cal.and a salad Would eating eight such meals, or their
> equivalent seem likely? Lunch is often egg whites, and two buttered toast.
> No breakfast. Yes, I eat snacks, at one time I tracked those too
>
> I know the return on exercise and it is NOT the way to lose weight. My
> weight loss is measured in grams, not fractions of a pound!

Most of the quick weight-loss plans involve losing water, so once you go
off the plan it goes right back on.

--
Pete
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290888 is a reply to message #290874] Sun, 31 May 2015 07:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Peter Flass is currently offline  Peter Flass
Messages: 8375
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Senior Member
Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
> On Sat, 30 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>
>> On Friday, May 29, 2015 at 8:47:57 PM UTC-4, Michael Black wrote:
>>
>>> I have a vague memory of a Scouting department in one of the downtown
>>> department stores here, but it's vague enough that I'm not sure it was
>>> real. I do remember getting things at Scouting Headquarters which was
>>> off some highway here.
>>
>> Department stores, even suburban branches, once had many more >
>> 'departments' than they have now. The big downtown stores offered all >
>> sorts of services and products.
>>
> I was thinking about that after your post. I used to routinely buy
> things at the downtown department stores, now besides most of them gone,
> they have become much less versatile.
>
> If I need clothes, appliancs or bedding, that's fine. But the book
> departments are gone (you're right, I'd forgotten, but I can remember
> some good visits to that before Christmas as a kid, and that was on top
> of the visits to the standalone bookstores), the electronics department
> gone, they used to have food but that seems missing (not a lot, but
> "gourmet" type things). The sports department was there, a good place to
> get camping equipment.
>
> Some of this has been shuffled off to specialty stores, but those always
> existed. The department store departments seemed good, now they are gone.
>
> I got a gift card at Christmas for the remaining downtown department
> store, and I haven't spent it yet. About the best I can think of is buy
> a lot of socks, wait till a good sale. There are things I could buy, but
> when I keep thinking about what, they aren't things available at that store.
>
>
>> Some departments were leased. That is, they were actually operated by a
>>> private party under the department store name and 'umbrella',
>>> customers > were able to use the store charge. That practice may continue.
>>
> I don't know how common that was here. I gather that's how Stan Veit
> started his computer store in New York City, as a department in a department store.
>
> But 20 or 30 years ago, the department store that was higher class moved
> completely to this format, so much so that I've not gone in in a long
> time, and think of it more as a bunch of boutiques than department store.
>
> Too bad too, it used to be the place to get good European chocolate.
>
>>
>> Scouting was once bigger than it is today. (Though a local scout troop >
>> just hosted a car wash which I took advantage of, and they did a great >
>> job). Years ago, they would have a national jamboree with a huge number
>>> of kids. Railroads would run special trains to get everybody to the >
>>> site. Western Union even set up a special booth so kids could >
>>> communicate with home, and get money wired to them if need be.
>>
> But has that changed? I don't know. The Jamborees are still there,
> there's still a Scout camp near here. I bumped into a woman who must
> have been a scoutmaster a week ago, loaded with equipment the troop was
> going camping that week. I said "Isn't it a bit early?", because it was
> cool (and got cold the next day, but really it otherwise wasn't too early.
>
> One of the Scout troops here has a book sale in August, and when I left
> it last year, I was mobbed by Girl Guides offering their cookies for sale.
>
> But I don't know if it's gotten less popular the ever "kids today have
> lots of other things to do" or if somehow it's just faded into the
> background. When was the last time you heard about a Boy Scout helping
> an old lady across the street?
>
>> When I was a kid they used to do a lot camping trips, I don't know if > they still do.
>>
>> The scouting department had a lot of camping gear, uniforms, and >
>> publications. There were various books on how to earn a merit badge. >
>> There was a magazine, Boys Life, which I think is still published.
>>
> I thought I saw some issues last year, but it was under a different name.
> But I can't remember if that was the US magazine, I thought there was
> some reference to Boys Life, or it was the Canadian magazine.
>
>> From time to time the local newspaper publicizes some kid becoming an
>> Eagle Scout.
>>
>>
>>
>>> I certainly bought my chemistry sets (and microscope set) at a downtown
>>> department store, in the hobby section, which was adjacent to the toy
>>> department, but separate to some extent.
>>
>> They once had good hobby sections, another thing that is gone.
>>
> And that wsa besides the standalone hobby shops. There used to be a
> bunch in the downtown area, now one has to go to the surburbs to find one.
>

I never thought much of the suburban branches of department stores. They
pared down the offerings so much, maybe if you needed a pair of pants or
shoes they were OK, but all the good stuff - books, toys, specialty items -
was still downtown.


--
Pete
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290899 is a reply to message #290797] Sun, 31 May 2015 13:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ahem A Rivet's Shot is currently offline  Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
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Senior Member
On Sun, 31 May 2015 08:54:29 -0500
Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> wrote:

> On 5/31/2015 4:50 AM, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>> On Sat, 30 May 2015 22:46:01 -0500
>> Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> It's likely a UK show. Easy enough there to lose 15 pounds in 21 days.
>>> Pretty much impossible on this side of the pond, unless it involves
>>> severe dehydration.
>>
>> Why should it be easier to loase 15lbs in 21 days in the UK
>> than in the US ? Last I checked both sides used the same 454g pounds.
>>
>
> But they're not 100 pence in the US.

Argh! There's no cents in that.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290900 is a reply to message #290872] Sun, 31 May 2015 13:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Stephen Sprunk is currently offline  Stephen Sprunk
Messages: 2166
Registered: March 2013
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Senior Member
On 30-May-15 22:13, Osmium wrote:
> "Stephen Sprunk" wrote:
>> On 30-May-15 19:00, Osmium wrote:
>>> Their time slot for tomorrow is for a show about how to lose 15
>>> pounds in 21 days.
>>>
>>> I will have to admit that is an amazing loss; but I think that
>>> program runs several times a week.
>>
>> Is it? I know some women who've done the Weight Watchers thing,
>> and the ones that followed the (very simple) rules reported losing
>> an average of at least a pound a day.
>>
>> The challenge isn't so much losing weight; it's changing your
>> lifestyle so that you don't put it right back on.
>
> (15/21)*3500 is a deficit of 2400 Cal per day. That is more than my
> total daily consumption.

It means those people needed to eat 2400 fewer Cal/day, but they likely
wouldn't have been in WW in the first place if they were consuming only
the recommended daily amount. That's the point of the program, after
all: teaching people better eating habits.

> I know the return on exercise and it is NOT the way to lose weight.
> My weight loss is measured in grams, not fractions of a pound!

The machines at my gym tell me the estimated number of calories I've
burned, and it's indeed dishearteningly low. Still, it's better than
spending that time sitting on the couch--probably eating junk food.

One of the problems with commuting in cars and sitting at desks is that
we don't burn anywhere near as much energy as folks with more active
lifestyles. That, in turn, means we need to reduce consumption to well
below the recommended numbers--or find other ways to burn off an
equivalent amount of energy, e.g. sports, gyms, etc.

OTOH, competitive athletes burn a _lot_ of energy, to the point many
struggle to keep their weight _up_ despite constantly gorging on
high-calorie foods. The higher density of muscle vs fat means they do
weigh more than it appears, but they still weigh much less than someone
who sits on their ass all day and eats only half the calories, so there
is obviously _some_ benefit to exercise.

S

--
Stephen Sprunk "God does not play dice." --Albert Einstein
CCIE #3723 "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the
K5SSS dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290901 is a reply to message #290874] Sun, 31 May 2015 14:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Stephen Sprunk is currently offline  Stephen Sprunk
Messages: 2166
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Senior Member
On 30-May-15 22:40, Michael Black wrote:
> On Sat, 30 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>> Department stores, even suburban branches, once had many more
>> 'departments' than they have now. The big downtown stores offered
>> all sorts of services and products.
>
> ...
> Some of this has been shuffled off to specialty stores, but those
> always existed. The department store departments seemed good, now
> they are gone.

I suppose the stores analyzed the return on expenses for the various
departments and got rid of the lowest performers, though it's rather
difficult to calculate the value of having a variety of things in one
place. That lives on in places like WalMart, though.

To an extent, the collection of specialty stores in a mall has replaced
the concept of a single store with varied departments, and the bank card
replacing the store card has made it equally functional.

>> Scouting was once bigger than it is today. (Though a local scout
>> troop just hosted a car wash which I took advantage of, and they
>> did a great job). Years ago, they would have a national jamboree
>> with a huge number of kids. Railroads would run special trains to
>> get everybody to the site. Western Union even set up a special
>> booth so kids could communicate with home, and get money wired to
>> them if need be.
>>
> But has that changed? I don't know. The Jamborees are still there,
> there's still a Scout camp near here. I bumped into a woman who
> must have been a scoutmaster a week ago, loaded with equipment the
> troop was going camping that week. I said "Isn't it a bit early?",
> because it was cool (and got cold the next day, but really it
> otherwise wasn't too early.
>
> One of the Scout troops here has a book sale in August, and when I
> left it last year, I was mobbed by Girl Guides offering their cookies
> for sale.

The local Girl Scouts have stopped going door to door, sadly; one has to
find them at grocery stores and such, and if you don't happen to go
shopping that week, you miss out on cookies for the entire year.

I remember doing the door-to-door thing as a kid (not for scouting,
though), and it did teach me a lot; I don't think kids will get the same
value out of sitting in front of a store, but I suppose all the
organizers care about these days is raising funds.

> But I don't know if it's gotten less popular the ever "kids today
> have lots of other things to do" or if somehow it's just faded into
> the background. When was the last time you heard about a Boy Scout
> helping an old lady across the street?

I think it's that there are so many other hobbies, Scouting isn't as
noticeable as before. But it's still definitely there; a friend of mine
is constantly talking about his kids scouting experiences, and it seems
like they have at least camping trip or other event per month.

One possible reason that it's fading is that it requires extensive
parental involvement, both in time and money, which many parents simply
don't have today due to social and economic changes. It's also closely
associated with organized religion (many troops meet in churches), and
that is also losing ground. Oh, and there was that spate of child
molestation cases a while back--another link to organized religion.

S

--
Stephen Sprunk "God does not play dice." --Albert Einstein
CCIE #3723 "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the
K5SSS dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290906 is a reply to message #290901] Sun, 31 May 2015 15:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Morten Reistad is currently offline  Morten Reistad
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In article <mkfim7$2b1$1@dont-email.me>,
Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> wrote:
> On 30-May-15 22:40, Michael Black wrote:
>> On Sat, 30 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>>> Department stores, even suburban branches, once had many more
>>> 'departments' than they have now. The big downtown stores offered
>>> all sorts of services and products.
>>
>> ...
>> Some of this has been shuffled off to specialty stores, but those
>> always existed. The department store departments seemed good, now
>> they are gone.
>
> I suppose the stores analyzed the return on expenses for the various
> departments and got rid of the lowest performers, though it's rather
> difficult to calculate the value of having a variety of things in one
> place. That lives on in places like WalMart, though.

This calculation has had some new development lately, as the
chain stores have been pushing the same consumer goods in a race
to the bottom, price-wise. There are also lots of malls to choose
from in the affluent areas where the chains have to make the bulk
of their profits. But how to attract people to a mall that offers
the very same products as the next one?

Then the "magnet store". This is a specialist store that people
go out of the way to visit. I.e. they come to YOUR mall because of
this store, and this store only. Then they do the rest of their
purchasing while they are in the mall anyway.

These can be small and inconspicous, and generally seem to have
very little bargaining power for rents, so they tend to get
screwed over. However, about a decade and a half ago they were
"discovered" by the mall owners.

The seller of that european chocolate was one of them, they
attracted you. Others are post offices, specialist food stores,
specialist sports and ativities stores. Banks used to be part
of this, but after the 2007-9 crisis they shed all specialities
they could use to attract the hordes.

Any mall needs at least 10 of these to make a profit. This would
increase visits by 30-50%; and revenues (top-line) similarly, with
profits following. This is out of the normal 100-150 stores in
a reasonably sized mall.

> To an extent, the collection of specialty stores in a mall has replaced
> the concept of a single store with varied departments, and the bank card
> replacing the store card has made it equally functional.

The mall owner does not have nearly as much control over the stores,
though. This is generally a good thing. They can set the rent,
though. And they do use this to get the "magnet stores" in the
door. They don't have to give them the premium space, though; just
not totally in the boondongles furthest away from the parking.

>>> Scouting was once bigger than it is today. (Though a local scout
>>> troop just hosted a car wash which I took advantage of, and they
>>> did a great job). Years ago, they would have a national jamboree
>>> with a huge number of kids. Railroads would run special trains to
>>> get everybody to the site. Western Union even set up a special
>>> booth so kids could communicate with home, and get money wired to
>>> them if need be.
>>>
>> But has that changed? I don't know. The Jamborees are still there,
>> there's still a Scout camp near here. I bumped into a woman who
>> must have been a scoutmaster a week ago, loaded with equipment the
>> troop was going camping that week. I said "Isn't it a bit early?",
>> because it was cool (and got cold the next day, but really it
>> otherwise wasn't too early.
>>
>> One of the Scout troops here has a book sale in August, and when I
>> left it last year, I was mobbed by Girl Guides offering their cookies
>> for sale.
>
> The local Girl Scouts have stopped going door to door, sadly; one has to
> find them at grocery stores and such, and if you don't happen to go
> shopping that week, you miss out on cookies for the entire year.
>
> I remember doing the door-to-door thing as a kid (not for scouting,
> though), and it did teach me a lot; I don't think kids will get the same
> value out of sitting in front of a store, but I suppose all the
> organizers care about these days is raising funds.

This was when you COULD send kids from door to door.

>> But I don't know if it's gotten less popular the ever "kids today
>> have lots of other things to do" or if somehow it's just faded into
>> the background. When was the last time you heard about a Boy Scout
>> helping an old lady across the street?
>
> I think it's that there are so many other hobbies, Scouting isn't as
> noticeable as before. But it's still definitely there; a friend of mine
> is constantly talking about his kids scouting experiences, and it seems
> like they have at least camping trip or other event per month.
>
> One possible reason that it's fading is that it requires extensive
> parental involvement, both in time and money, which many parents simply
> don't have today due to social and economic changes. It's also closely
> associated with organized religion (many troops meet in churches), and
> that is also losing ground. Oh, and there was that spate of child
> molestation cases a while back--another link to organized religion.

There is a story that I have verified from winter activities in
the upper parts of one of Norway's central vallyes. Over the mountain
came a troop of UK special forces, on their first ski trip in uniform.
They were clearly suffering, and shivered while they put up their
tent. It did NOT help on morale that they had company down the slope
of 10+ boy scouts led by some gentleman of around 70 years of age.
They were SINGING while they put up the tent and made a bonfire and
generally had a good time.

And then my friends broke camp the next morning to go out on the
ice, making a big hole, and they hauling dive equipment out to go
wreck diving in the lake.

The combination of this totally broke the morale of this troop.

-- mrr
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290915 is a reply to message #290871] Sun, 31 May 2015 17:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
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On Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 11:05:13 PM UTC-4, JimP wrote:

> I
> remember Broderick Crawford on Highway Patrol, but I think that was on
> the weekday afternoons instead of Saturday morning.

Highway Patrol may be viewed on ThisTV network early in the morning Tue-Sat.. Check local listings. Airs alongside Sea Hunt, another neat old show.

Neat show. Worth recording.

At the end, Crawford would say "next week our story will be a very interesting one. In the meantime, leave your blood at the Red Cross, not on the highway".


In terms of police procedure, however, the show is very dated (if cops indeed actually acted as they did). Suspects were often put in the car not handcuffed. Of course back then there was no Miranda rights. Cars had radios, but not individuals, and often a cop on foot would miss something critical. Guns were freely used. Road blocks were used in every episode, and today the traffic tie-ups that would cause would not be tolerated (though in H/P, the rural roads had little traffic).


I heard (unconfirmed) that making the show was difficult. Originally they had the cooperation and support of the Calif H/P, but that was later lost. Crawford was allegedly a heavy drinker, causing problems.

I believe Gene Roddenberry, under a screen name, authored several scripts for H/P.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290924 is a reply to message #290874] Sun, 31 May 2015 18:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
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On Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 11:38:48 PM UTC-4, Michael Black wrote:

> Some of this has been shuffled off to specialty stores, but those always
> existed. The department store departments seemed good, now they are gone.

Years ago, the specialty stores were much smaller, just a plain store front, not a 'big box' like so many today. For instance, a sporting goods store sold mostly equipmnet--baseball gloves, bats, balls, footballs, and jockstraps. People only wore sweatsuit for workouts. Then sports clothing, such as warm up suits, became a fashion statement. Sneakers were once simple, then they became a fashion statement, too. Today's big box sports stores sell some equipment, but they're mostly various kinds of fashion sportswear. (Ironically, Converse sneaks, which once was all they had, now is a fashion statement, too, available in colors.)

Likewise with consumer electronics. Very serious audio buffs would visit a small specialty store for high end stereos. Today we have big box stores selling all sorts of stuff.

Some specialty stores were hard to find, maybe only a few in a city (like magic supplies).

There used to be a lot of camera stores, but at one time owning an SLR was in vogue among the baby boomers and it was a popular hobby. Today, an i-thingy takes good pictures and most people already have one as their phone. Also, developing and printing services and supplies are no longer needed. Even a Luddite like me prefers digital photography over film and chemicals.

(Kodak once offered a huge variety of b&w printing papers for all sorts of different applications. Further, each paper type came in various contrast grades and surfaces. The entire business has been discontinued. I have a catalog which I'm keeping because the sample photos are awesome.)
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290925 is a reply to message #290875] Sun, 31 May 2015 19:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
Messages: 6746
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On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 12:09:16 AM UTC-4, Joe Pfeiffer wrote:

> A lot of that it differences in the ease of transportation and
> communication. Why should there be a special train when it's a whole
> lot cheaper for the kids to just fly there? (my kids never did
> scouting, but my son did go the Space Camp in Huntsville. We flew him.
> Why should Western Union (if it still existed) have a special booth when
> the kids all have cell phones?

Well obviously, flying and cell phones rule the day. (But kids still
would need a way from the airport to the campgrounds).

I don't want to say a number since I don't have a figure, but I believe the 1950s national events attracted many thousands of kids. These were really huge. I don't think they have such things today.

> I don't really know how big scouting is now compared to when I was a
> kid -- but it's definitely still there. A friend of mine is a regional
> mucky-muck and there's a *lot* happening. My rocket club (yep, I'm a
> rocket geek too!) does an annual launch supporting the local scouts, and
> we get over a hundred kids.

It is obviously still there, but I think it's smaller than in years past.


> The whole notion of hobby sections and hobby stores is gone. There are
> *zero* hobby shops in the 100K+ person town I live in. I suspect if a
> drug store had a Perfect (that was the brand) glassware display today
> the owner would be arrested for selling drug paraphernalia.

FWIW, I got gas in a station in a dumpy part of town. In the headhouse store, there were some glass objects that I thought were oddly highly priced. Then some kids came in, checking out the objects carefully and buying some.. I then realized what they were for. I don't know if that is illegal, but they were offered for sale openly.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290926 is a reply to message #290901] Sun, 31 May 2015 19:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
Messages: 6746
Registered: December 2011
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Senior Member
On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 2:09:21 PM UTC-4, Stephen Sprunk wrote:

> I suppose the stores analyzed the return on expenses for the various
> departments and got rid of the lowest performers, though it's rather
> difficult to calculate the value of having a variety of things in one
> place. That lives on in places like WalMart, though.

In old days, generating traffic was a major consideration, so a section earning only modest profits would be retained. However, a true money loser would be eliminated.

I think the full service department store got hit hard by discounters. Most consumers cared more for low price than ambience. Also, many department stores were regional, and didn't have the buying power of say a Target or Walmart.

Sears and Penney's had large buying power and name recognition, but they had other problems.


> To an extent, the collection of specialty stores in a mall has replaced
> the concept of a single store with varied departments, and the bank card
> replacing the store card has made it equally functional.

Yes.

Originally, the suburban department stores were free-standing.


> The local Girl Scouts have stopped going door to door, sadly; one has to
> find them at grocery stores and such, and if you don't happen to go
> shopping that week, you miss out on cookies for the entire year.

I think door-to-door has ceased due to (1) people aren't home as much adn (2) safety issues.

(FWIW, when I was a kid and sold door to door, I never had any safety concerns. However, when I once took around a petition to protest a zoning change that would allow a bar, many people were hostile.)


> I think it's that there are so many other hobbies, Scouting isn't as
> noticeable as before. But it's still definitely there; a friend of mine
> is constantly talking about his kids scouting experiences, and it seems
> like they have at least camping trip or other event per month.

There are a lot more organized activities for kids these days. Soccer is everywhere, but there's also other sports, too, and it's all very big.

I wonder if camping stuff just isn't as popular with today's suburban kids and parents. As a scout camper, one truly had to rough it; that might not be so popular today.


> One possible reason that it's fading is that it requires extensive
> parental involvement, both in time and money, which many parents simply
> don't have today due to social and economic changes. It's also closely
> associated with organized religion (many troops meet in churches), and
> that is also losing ground. Oh, and there was that spate of child
> molestation cases a while back--another link to organized religion.

All true.

Also, the Boy Scouts get flack, from some quarters, on the gay issue.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290927 is a reply to message #290925] Sun, 31 May 2015 19:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Stephen Sprunk is currently offline  Stephen Sprunk
Messages: 2166
Registered: March 2013
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Senior Member
On 31-May-15 18:05, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
> On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 12:09:16 AM UTC-4, Joe Pfeiffer wrote:
>> A lot of that it differences in the ease of transportation and
>> communication. Why should there be a special train when it's a
>> whole lot cheaper for the kids to just fly there? (my kids never
>> did scouting, but my son did go the Space Camp in Huntsville. We
>> flew him. Why should Western Union (if it still existed) have a
>> special booth when the kids all have cell phones?
>
> Well obviously, flying and cell phones rule the day. (But kids
> still would need a way from the airport to the campgrounds).

For large organized events, you typically have charter buses from the
airport to the event site.

> I don't want to say a number since I don't have a figure, but I
> believe the 1950s national events attracted many thousands of kids.
> These were really huge. I don't think they have such things today.

They still do.

> FWIW, I got gas in a station in a dumpy part of town. In the
> headhouse store, there were some glass objects that I thought were
> oddly highly priced. Then some kids came in, checking out the
> objects carefully and buying some. I then realized what they were
> for. I don't know if that is illegal, but they were offered for sale
> openly.

Head shops still exist, but they have to be very careful to market their
wares for "tobacco" users, and anyone (usually an undercover cop) asking
about marijuana is told to leave. That's not the kind of thing that a
big corporation wants to be involved in, because one slip by one stupid
employee and they lose millions--and get their name splashed all over
the national media.

S

--
Stephen Sprunk "God does not play dice." --Albert Einstein
CCIE #3723 "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the
K5SSS dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290928 is a reply to message #290915] Sun, 31 May 2015 19:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: JimP

On Sun, 31 May 2015 14:34:51 -0700 (PDT), hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
> On Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 11:05:13 PM UTC-4, JimP wrote:
>
>> I
>> remember Broderick Crawford on Highway Patrol, but I think that was on
>> the weekday afternoons instead of Saturday morning.
>
> Highway Patrol may be viewed on ThisTV network early in the morning Tue-Sat. Check local listings. Airs alongside Sea Hunt, another neat old show.

There was lots of stock footage of them driving up and down the
highway, used in every show.

My relatives, and I have heard other people use it, have said as we
see a highway patrol car zooming along with lights and siren going,
'Get'em Broderick !'.
--
JimP.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290934 is a reply to message #290928] Sun, 31 May 2015 22:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michael Black is currently offline  Michael Black
Messages: 2799
Registered: February 2012
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Senior Member
On Sun, 31 May 2015, JimP wrote:

> On Sun, 31 May 2015 14:34:51 -0700 (PDT), hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>> On Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 11:05:13 PM UTC-4, JimP wrote:
>>
>>> I
>>> remember Broderick Crawford on Highway Patrol, but I think that was on
>>> the weekday afternoons instead of Saturday morning.
>>
>> Highway Patrol may be viewed on ThisTV network early in the morning Tue-Sat. Check local listings. Airs alongside Sea Hunt, another neat old show.
>
> There was lots of stock footage of them driving up and down the
> highway, used in every show.
>
> My relatives, and I have heard other people use it, have said as we
> see a highway patrol car zooming along with lights and siren going,
> 'Get'em Broderick !'.

In the amateur radio magazines, I remember more than once reading
something that said "act like Broderick Crawford", in reference to holding
a microphone or talking on the radio.

Michael
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290940 is a reply to message #290928] Sun, 31 May 2015 22:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
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On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 7:22:47 PM UTC-4, JimP wrote:

> There was lots of stock footage of them driving up and down the
> highway, used in every show.

I'll have to watch it more carefully, but except for a few scenes, it seems most of the show and roadway scenes are filmed unique for that episode. For example, they'll show a specific farmhouse, and cars entering or leaving it (easy way to fill up time.)

I would've thought outdoor shooting would cost more, due to lack of controls on the overall area, permits, etc. But maybe back then they were in rural areas and didn't have the bureaucracy that Hollywood producers face today..

The interior sets were rather sparse, and different every week. The HQ radio was very simple looking. Most action took place outside.

Sometimes they filmed in a small town. I liked seeing the old streetscapes, which over 60 years, probably have been eradicated*. (But then, in watching the 1960s Dragnet, I can see old street scenes of LA in the background.)

A few times they did use a helicopter.

Broderick Crawford did a great movie, seen regularly on TCM, where he became a populist governor, but greedy with power.


* I have an old photo of a trolley passing a pawn shop in St. Louis 60 years ago. The neighborhood is run down. On google streetview, the intersection hasn't changed much. The building housing the pawn shop has been altered, but the pawn shop itself is still there under the same name. Sadly, the business districts of many small towns from 50-60 years ago have greatly deteriorated, where there was once thriving stores and pedestrian traffic are now vacant lots, boarded up buildings. Some things like supermarkets are now social service areas.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290941 is a reply to message #290934] Sun, 31 May 2015 23:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hancock4 is currently offline  hancock4
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On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 10:25:44 PM UTC-4, Michael Black wrote:

> In the amateur radio magazines, I remember more than once reading
> something that said "act like Broderick Crawford", in reference to holding
> a microphone or talking on the radio.

He always said 10-4 at the end of a conversation, and asked for a 10-20 for a location. I think these were CB codes; don't know if he used any others, don't know if real cops used them.
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290942 is a reply to message #290940] Sun, 31 May 2015 23:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Joe Pfeiffer is currently offline  Joe Pfeiffer
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hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com writes:
>
> Broderick Crawford did a great movie, seen regularly on TCM, where he
> became a populist governor, but greedy with power.

All The King's Men?
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290946 is a reply to message #290941] Mon, 01 June 2015 03:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Stan Barr is currently offline  Stan Barr
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On Sun, 31 May 2015 20:02:07 -0700 (PDT), hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
<hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com> wrote:
> On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 10:25:44 PM UTC-4, Michael Black wrote:
>
>> In the amateur radio magazines, I remember more than once reading
>> something that said "act like Broderick Crawford", in reference to holding
>> a microphone or talking on the radio.
>
> He always said 10-4 at the end of a conversation, and asked for a 10-20
for a location. I think these were CB codes; don't know if he used any others,
don't know if real cops used them.
>

The 10- codes were originally police codes dating from the late '30s.
CBers adopted them later. You can probably find a full list online
if you're *that* interested :-)

--
Stan Barr plan.b@bluesomatic.org
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290951 is a reply to message #290915] Mon, 01 June 2015 05:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GreyMaus[1] is currently offline  GreyMaus[1]
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On 2015-05-31, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com <hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com> wrote:
> On Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 11:05:13 PM UTC-4, JimP wrote:
>
>> I
> I heard (unconfirmed) that making the show was difficult. Originally they had the cooperation and support of the Calif H/P, but that was later lost. Crawford was allegedly a heavy drinker, causing problems.

He looked it, but a good actor, even if chosen for unsuited roles.
(Was it him in Jake and the Fat Man?.. in which you could see him checking
some sort of teleprompt)

>
> I believe Gene Roddenberry, under a screen name, authored several scripts for H/P.
>
>


--
greymaus
.
.
....
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290952 is a reply to message #290951] Mon, 01 June 2015 06:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Harry Vaderchi is currently offline  Harry Vaderchi
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Senior Member
On Mon, 01 Jun 2015 10:55:03 +0100, greymausg <maus@mail.com> wrote:

> On 2015-05-31, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com <hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com> wrote:
>> On Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 11:05:13 PM UTC-4, JimP wrote:
>>
>>> I
>> I heard (unconfirmed) that making the show was difficult. Originally
>> they had the cooperation and support of the Calif H/P, but that was
>> later lost. Crawford was allegedly a heavy drinker, causing problems.
>
> He looked it, but a good actor, even if chosen for unsuited roles.
> (Was it him in Jake and the Fat Man?.. in which you could see him
> checking
> some sort of teleprompt)
>
>>
>> I believe Gene Roddenberry, under a screen name, authored several
>> scripts for H/P.

At least it's not T J Hooker.
>
>


--
Bah, and indeed, Humbug
Re: 1973--TI 8 digit electric calculator--$99.95 [message #290953 is a reply to message #290901] Mon, 01 June 2015 07:09 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Peter Flass is currently offline  Peter Flass
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Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> wrote:
> On 30-May-15 22:40, Michael Black wrote:
>> On Sat, 30 May 2015, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>>> Department stores, even suburban branches, once had many more
>>> 'departments' than they have now. The big downtown stores offered
>>> all sorts of services and products.
>>
>> ...
>> Some of this has been shuffled off to specialty stores, but those
>> always existed. The department store departments seemed good, now
>> they are gone.
>
> I suppose the stores analyzed the return on expenses for the various
> departments and got rid of the lowest performers, though it's rather
> difficult to calculate the value of having a variety of things in one
> place. That lives on in places like WalMart, though.

Unfortunately, though, Walmart seems (to me at least) to be just a
collection of junk piled higledy-pigledy Department stores have
merchandise neatly organized in some sort of rational order. Additionally,
department stores have staff to help you shop and show you where things
are. It's not easy to get any help in walmart.

--
Pete
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