Seen in Print

[webenda]

1978 was the peak year for 8-track sales in the United States, with sales declining rapidly from then on.

Could this patent have anything to do with the decline?

[E7]

Abominable comes to mind. If you didn't care about changing tracks in the middle of a song (KA-LICK) or long gaps of silence, it served it's purpose. I came to pretty much despise all tape (even reel to reel) because of poor tape quality. I had a 10 1/2 inch Pioneer reel to reel and sold it because I couldn't get decent tape.The thing that never caught on that I liked was the mini CD. 74 minutes recording time in a plastic case with a metal access door. Similar format to the old 1.44 floppy, about 1/4 it's size. Perfect for the car. You didn't have to be concerned about touching it's surface like a regular cd. The new MP3 files are NOT my favorite thing, but they are the magic word: CHEAP!

[E7]

Did Bill Lear patent the 8-track tape invention?

Wayne, a good answer/question for a game of trivial pursuit, and when it comes to push to shove, one for the so "what file". I have a nice looking Sony recorder and a pile of cartridges somewhere. GM included a sample tape when you ordered an 8 track player as an option. (My bad!) I think I still have the thing!

[webenda]

Page from kids coloring book.

[up148]

A little more on Bill Lear. By the time I got into the aircraft parts business in 1975, his and most early inventions were all pretty antiquated. Like computers, navigation and control systems for aircraft went through many improvements/upgrades in a very short time, leaving earlier "technical wonders" to become museum pieces.

Lear developed one of the first radio based direction finders for aircraft, known as the Lear-O-Scope. He invented the Learmatic Navigator, an early autopilot navigation system. Further efforts on autopilot systems for the military led to an award from President Harry Truman.

[E7]

He was also selling stuff to the telephone industry under the name: Lear-Siegler, and for a while they (LS) owned Smith & Wesson. Bang!

[webenda]

The paths we take in life.
"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives."
-- Henry David Thoreau

The Narrow Gate
Matthew 7:13-14

[webenda]

The engineer can't see the signal before the tunnel because of the curve. This would have been good on real steam engines.

The above is from Lionel's patent [Jan 22, 1991]
Lionel's patent mentions, "In the Future Locomotives Can See, Jan-Feb. 1987, Marklin News Item."
https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/det ... icle/26001

[webenda]

[webenda]

Sony... I wonder if that lens will fit my Panasonic camera?

[sleepmac]

Wayne, good one!

Sony... I wonder if that lens will fit my Panasonic camera?

Dan Weinhold

[webenda]

I drive by B&W Auto Sales and Cycles at least four times a week. I have always been intrigued by their fine selection of Rebuildable Wrecks but they are too far off of the highway to get a good look. So, today I drove into their lot to get a closer look.

[webenda]

This one has been listed for 664 days.

https://www.carsforsale.com/used-car-de ... s/79641266

[webenda]

[webenda]