Day 114 RCA to RCA cable

RCA to RCA cable – at least I think that’s what it is. The yellow end is for composite video, and the white and red ends for audio. This cable has all three on both ends, which seems a bit odd to me, but then I am not a hardware geek, I’m more of a software geek.

What is composite video? Well, it’s “the format of an analog television (picture only) signal before it is combined with a sound signal and modulated onto an RF carrier.” Feel better now?

It feels like a couple of years ago at least since PBS was advising all those watchers in the US that soon their rabbit ear television sets would no longer pick up the television signal because of the conversion to digital. You could still pick up the signal, but you needed to enhance and augment your bunny ears with a box. Here in Canada, the CRTC granted the CBC an extension until August 2012 to continue broadcasting in analog. After that “everything that can be digital, will be”. Forget where I read that quote, but it was years ago, and it stayed with me.

This cable belongs to that era. We don’t have the old television anymore. I remember the back of it was bigger than the screen size, it weighed a lot, and I was a bit surprised to find that we got at least 15 responses to our ad on Craigslist when we gave it away for free. It went to a young family with kids, to play video games in their basement.

Status: A broken record here, the sea monster owns all these redundant cables. I should start soaking them in water in preparation for their own conversion.

Kill-ratio: 16:2 or 8:1

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Deanne in Objects

Day 113 – Cheese Cutters

Set of Cheese Cutters. Pretty New. Pretty Colours. Pretty Unused. A gift, as was the first set, which has seen some use, or at least there is evidence of use on the other set as the handles are wooden and the veneer is chipping off.

It’s funny, as cutter rhymes with clutter. Gift with lift and rift.

Status: There is something fetching about these colours. Give them one more attempt at being used (within the next 18 days) and otherwise out the door they go.

Kill-ratio: 21:3 or 7:1

Lazy.

For Kate: These are also not truly obsolete, just obsolescing in my drawer, never seeing the light of day. Although I do wonder if the formality of having such specific cutlery for occasional use isn’t on the wane in general?

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Deanne in Dishes

Day 112 – Tongs

Ice Tongs. Silver Plate? A little rusty on the inside.

Missing the matching bucket, which I’m certain they were once married to.

Lloyd Groff Copeman, a very busy man, with almost 700 patents in his lifetime invented the ice cube tray in 1928. The idea came to him while getting some maple syrup. He seems to be somewhat of a forgotten inventor, and has a bigger claim to fame as Linda Ronstadt’s grandfather. Those patent royalties might have come in handy. [Sales from this invention earned Copeman approximately $500,000, equivalent to $10 million today.- Wikipedia]

Status: These were neglected in the drawer until I started shuffling stuff around, seeking out the next Obso gem. Day 112 here folks, the supply is thinning out! Another item for use in Mad Men party. Find matching bucket first – probably on Etsy.

Kill-ratio: 3 takes on 3 different days. Not so lazy.

~ 68:3 or 22:1

Thinking of ice, a shout-out to Mr. F cannot go by, published in December of 1920 only 8 years before Mr. C invented his tray.

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Deanne in Dishes

Day 111 – Sunbeam Toaster

Sunbeam Radiant Control Toaster. Model T-40-1. 1960s

There is a website (surprise!) to help you date your Sunbeam toaster, as apparently there’s been some controversy on eBay about dating. That’s how I know this is from the 1960s, I might have been tempted to say 1950s.

“T-40, T-40-1, VT-40. Model number stamped on bottom. Darkness control is now a sliding lever on front. “Radiant Control” … name plate above the darkness control lever.” Date yours here.

It works. Sort of. If you don’t mind a little buzz. I asked the owner (my partner) if it works and he said “It works – it just needs a little tinkering”. Famous last words.

Status: Another prop for the Mad Men party. Or maybe the Obsolescence Gods will be kind and allow it to be pushed out the door.

Kill-ratio: 28:3 or 9:1 Another lazy day.

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Deanne in Objects

Day 109 – Letterpress Letters

Letterpress Letters. Metal. Seems like some of them are made from zinc plate, judging by colour, not having any metallurgist pals nearby.

There has been a revival of interest in letterpress printing – (apparently partially fueled by brides wanting that look). “The goal before this revival was that you could not tell there was an impression, the type contacted the paper enough to transfer the ink but not leave an impression. However today, when speaking of letterpress, the goal is to have that impression be evident, to distinctly note that is letterpress.” I find this fascinating. We put all this energy into striving towards the cleanest, most pristine and clinical space/look, and then we achieve it, and then we don’t like it because it’s too cold, boring and everything looks the same.

Found a blog about typography, letterpress and history, with a short film about a letterpress studio artist, Justin Knopp – just posted a few days ago. If I had photographed these on Day 09 , I would not have been able to link to this. Aah, the joys of the interwebs.

Even though I quoted her just yesterday (?) it makes sense to re-quote her today.

“People Who Don’t Work With Their Hands Are Parasites” – Jenny Holzer, Truism.

Status: Not mine to decide. I would suggest building an alphabet city and creating a short stop-motion animation of the letterpress city.

Kill-ratio: 3 Takes. ~18:1
Macro lens, wherefore art thou?

p.s. Today is a holiday. I’m going to watch Sherlock Holmes.

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Deanne in Objects

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: