What are you old enough to remember?

[Rudynate]

On 4/18/2022 at 10:33 AM, mike carey said:

Never did that, although I did use poste restante a few times travelling in Europe. I do remember going to American Express offices in London and DC to cash an Australian personal cheque. I use the term 'cash' loosely as above a low amount the proceeds had to be taken in another 'are you old enough' thing, travellers' cheques! Don't leave home without them!

I don' t know where I got the idea, I guess maybe the advertising worked, because I always bought AMEX traveler's checks whenever I traveled. It was part of my "getting ready" ritual - going to AMEX and buying traveler's checks a couple days before I left.   I lost 500.00 worth once and they gave me a lot of grief about replacing them so I switched to checks from another company. 

[+ 7829V]

Roaming cell phone charges 

…and getting a new temporary cell phone number when you were traveling out of state. 

[+ WilliamM]

Earl Warren and Richard Nixon shifting the California delegation to Eisenhower at the 1952 Republican National Convention

[Guest]

1 hour ago, WilliamM said:

Earl Warren and Richard Nixon shifting the California delegation to Eisenhower at the 1952 Republican National Convention

I'm still waiting to hear you say you were there at the founding of the Knights of the Round Table, and that you shook the hand of Sir Fartsalot....

Edited April 20, 2022 by Unicorn

[jimbosf]

I can remember gas for 17 cents a gallon, McDonald's burgers for 19 cents and walking to the neighborhood store with $1 to get a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk and enough money left over for penny candy.  lol. 

[former lurker]

On 4/18/2022 at 11:50 AM, Charlie said:

I lived in England during the last year of Watergate, so most of my knowledge came from British newspapers and Time magazine. I was on my way back to America, and was between flights in Keflavik, Iceland, when I saw a group of passengers in the waiting room huddled around a transistor radio listening to something, so I joined them, and it was Ford being sworn in as President. I landed in New York to the first day of the new administration.

In my 20's, I took a group of college debaters on a tour in England and Scotland.  We flew on Icelandic Air, and switched planes in Keflavik.  The layover was sheduled to be 12 hours.  The flight over landed in Iceland on May 1 around 8:00 AM. As it was "May Day” in Iceland, most of the country was on strike and we were not allowed to leave the international floor of the airport (one of the debaters had family friends in Rekyavik who had planned to take us around.

Restricted to the Int'l floor, we hit the bar for drinks.  After 1 drink, they announced last call at 9 AM.  It seems there were Int'l flights only twice a day, 12 hours apart.  We were the only passengers there.  The airport, including bathrooms, had lots of teac.. LIke the airport was built by Dansk.

 

[+ Charlie]

10 hours ago, former lurker said:

In my 20's, I took a group of college debaters on a tour in England and Scotland.  We flew on Icelandic Air, and switched planes in Keflavik.  The layover was sheduled to be 12 hours.  The flight over landed in Iceland on May 1 around 8:00 AM. As it was "May Day” in Iceland, most of the country was on strike and we were not allowed to leave the international floor of the airport (one of the debaters had family friends in Rekyavik who had planned to take us around.

Restricted to the Int'l floor, we hit the bar for drinks.  After 1 drink, they announced last call at 9 AM.  It seems there were Int'l flights only twice a day, 12 hours apart.  We were the only passengers there.  The airport, including bathrooms, had lots of teac.. LIke the airport was built by Dansk.

 

You probably flew Icelandic for the same reason that I did: it was the cheapest way to fly to Europe, because the airline did not belong to IATA, and flew from Keflavik to Luxembourg and back to avoid IATA restrictions on budget fares; therefore, one had to fly from New York or Luxembourg to Keflavik, and technically change planes there. Icelandic also offered things like open dates for return flights, for up to a year. I made several trips to Europe that way, and on a few occasions I did layovers in Reykjavik for a few days. Those things changed when it later became Icelandair and joined IATA.

[+ RJD]

I remember....

...Friday night "must see" TV was Nanny and the Professor, The Partridge Family, and The Brady Bunch.  If I was good, I was allowed to stay up and watch Love, American Style.  

...being allowed to fall asleep on the sofa and awakened just before we landed and walked on the moon (July, 1969).  

...my parents sending me to the corner grocery store with $1 to buy them cigarettes.  I'd return with two packs of smokes and 10-cents change.  

...the first car I remember my dad driving was a 1960 Mercury Comet.  AM radio, no seatbelts, and the "air conditioner" was two small doors underneath the dashboard, one each on the driver and passenger side.  When you opened the doors, the hot air circulating under the hood would blow into the car.   

...my father pulling that car into the neighborhood full-service Esso (before it was Exxon), telling the owner he wanted $1 worth of gas.  We left with over 3 gallons of gas, a clean windshield, oil checked, and a souvenir "Put a Tiger in your Tank" glass.   

[Rudynate]

1 hour ago, Charlie said:

You probably flew Icelandic for the same reason that I did: it was the cheapest way to fly to Europe, because the airline did not belong to IATA, and flew from Keflavik to Luxembourg and back to avoid IATA restrictions on budget fares; therefore, one had to fly from New York or Luxembourg to Keflavik, and technically change planes there. Icelandic also offered things like open dates for return flights, for up to a year. I made several trips to Europe that way, and on a few occasions I did layovers in Reykjavik for a few days. Those things changed when it later became Icelandair and joined IATA.

Arthur Frommer described this strategy in "Europe on Five Dollars a Day."

[former lurker]

1 hour ago, Charlie said:

You probably flew Icelandic for the same reason that I did: it was the cheapest way to fly to Europe, because the airline did not belong to IATA, and flew from Keflavik to Luxembourg and back to avoid IATA restrictions on budget fares; therefore, one had to fly from New York or Luxembourg to Keflavik, and technically change planes there. Icelandic also offered things like open dates for return flights, for up to a year. I made several trips to Europe that way, and on a few occasions I did layovers in Reykjavik for a few days. Those things changed when it later became Icelandair and joined IATA.

Exactly right. Cheapest by far.

[LaffingBear]

Everything that comes to mind relates to childhood safety.  

At six years old, 10 yo brother,,parents went out, no baby sitter.   I could ride my bike anywhere.  Could take public transit from suburbs to Wrigley Field at 10.  I walked half a mile to school starting at first grade.  

They'd pile a ton of kids, unsecured, into an old firetruck and drive them to the local amusement park for birthday parties -youd never do that with today's insurance regs.

 

[Luv2play]

On 4/18/2022 at 1:18 PM, MikeBiDude said:

I was at the London American Express office picking up my mail (who is old enough to remember picking up your mail at an AMEX office?). There were headlines in huge bold print on the front page of the papers announcing Nixon’s resignation.

The only time I picked up mail at the AMEX office was in Paris in 1969. A letter from my mother.That was in early summer. Shortly after, amazing things happened; men landed on the moon, Ted Kennedy drove off a bridge and killed a woman, and Charles Manson went on a killing rampage in LA. 

I would pick up Time magazine on my voyage to follow events. No access to radio or TV as I was a hitchhiker that summer touring Europe.

[Luv2play]

On 4/18/2022 at 3:02 AM, Unicorn said:

I remember I was in summer camp at Camp Beaverbrook at the time:

https://www.facebook.com/Camp-Beaverbrook-Movie-Homepage-and-Trailer-209665937015/?ref=page_internal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Beaverbrook

 

Where did they come up with the name Beaverbrook? It's such an iconic Canadian name created for Sir Max Aitken, a Canadian self made millionaire, who was elevated to the peerage and made Lord Beaverbrook by King George V. 

He became one of the great press barons in England and was Winston Churchill's right hand man in the wartime government, in charge of aircraft production, which saved Britain in the war.

When he died his son refused the title which was rightfully his saying, there was only one Lord Beaverbrook.

[Alex93108]

Since I travel a lot - my memory of travel from years gone by

 

-Since I go to London a lot, I remember when phone numbers in London was 01-XXX XXXX Today its 020- XXXX XXXX, or something else if its a cellphone/mobile

-I also remember "British Rail" - and those orange train tickets.

-I also remember when the Concorde was still around. I was a poor student back then.

-I remember a time before TSA existed in the US. What I used to do in those days is check in at the lounge - or sometimes at the gate. You did not need a ticket to enter the terminal. You could send people off at the gate or receive them at the gate.

-I remember when Frequent Flyer programs were worth something ( more) 

-I remember a time before flat bed seats - Those loungers were quite comfortable, and I slept well on them. Even had someone jerk me off under the blankets once    

- I remember when people used to smoke on airplanes,, at the back of the airplane.

- I remember when people used to argue about who got the movie seat on the plane.

- I remember when people dressed well to get on an airplane.

- I remember when people used flip phone ( a Motorola Startac)  and palm pilots ( later blackberries ) to exist 

- I remember when people sent a TELEX

- I remember when United used to serve a semi decent steak dinner between New York and Chicago ( a 2 hour flight) at dinner time, complete with drinks! . . You got a choice of an Eli Cheesecake or Cookie for dessert - with coffee/tea.

-Oh I remember…..

 

 

Edited April 21, 2022 by jetlow

[Rudynate]

15 hours ago, jetlow said:

 

- I remember when people used to smoke on airplanes,, at the back of the airplane.

 

 

 

It was only a few years before that, that there was no such thing as the smoking section on an aircraft - the whole cabin was the smoking section.  Non-smokers just  had to live with it.  Back then, smoking was much more common - it wasn't the unusual thing it is today - people smoked everywhere - in the waiting room at the doctor's office, in college classrooms and lecture halls, in the hospital, in movie theaters, in the grocery store while shopping, etc.

[MikeBiDude]

7 minutes ago, Rudynate said:

It was only a few years before that, that there was no such thing as the smoking section on an aircraft - the whole cabin was the smoking section.

I used to fly PSA from Los Angeles/San Francisco frequently. I smoked then, you’d just go about halfway through the plane and there were cards above a group of rows stating “smoking section” or something like that.

Also back then, no TSA, I had book of tickets for my SFO/LAX fare, used to step on plane like a bus (if seats available) and flight attendant would collect from my ticket book.

[Rudynate]

24 minutes ago, MikeBiDude said:

I used to fly PSA from Los Angeles/San Francisco frequently. I smoked then, you’d just go about halfway through the plane and there were cards above a group of rows stating “smoking section” or something like that.

Also back then, no TSA, I had book of tickets for my SFO/LAX fare, used to step on plane like a bus (if seats available) and flight attendant would collect from my ticket book.

I have fond memories of PSA. At the time I lived in Denver.  A direct flight from Denver to SF was quite expensive.  You could save a lot by flying to LAX and taking PSA to SF.  We were young boys then - we didn't think much about how much of our valuable time we were wasting by not using a direct flight.

[+ Lucky]

On 4/19/2022 at 7:18 PM, WilliamM said:

Earl Warren and Richard Nixon shifting the California delegation to Eisenhower at the 1952 Republican National Convention

I remember seeing part of the 1952 Rep. convention on TV...black and white, of course.

[+ Charlie]

When I was a college student, one of my professors chain-smoked cigars in class. One time, W.H. Auden was invited to a class; he smoked his own terrible-smelling hand-rolled cigarettes while he spoke. When I started teaching, there was still an ashtray attached to the lectern in case the professor wanted to smoke while lecturing, which some of my colleagues did.

I missed the first walk on the moon--I was down in the "meat rack" on Fire Island having fun that night.

Edited April 21, 2022 by Charlie

[Lchnsf]

We got mail delivery twice a day

My savings account got 15% interest

Woolworths

10¢ bought a small bag of candy

     I knew where to find the ¢’s

Slip and Slide

Cruising Rest Stops

[Alex93108]

Picking up mail at the Amex office? Wow, I didn't realize that was a service. 

If you ask a millennial or younger ( and we do have members who are that age) who hire they would be like American Express has an office?

I'm learning quite a bit, the fact that y'all  are rather old not withstanding! 

 

I'll add another once that I remember and miss.

-Diners Club Charge Card. The statement balance was due in 60 days, as opposed less than 30 for American Express. it was a handy float while I waited for reimbursement.  Citigroup got rid of Diner Club Cards in the United States after 2008, and sold the business to Bank of Montreal. The card still exists, but the 60 day float is gone, and they are not accepting new applications. 

Edited April 21, 2022 by jetlow

[Rudynate]

30 minutes ago, jetlow said:

Picking up mail at the Amex office? Wow, I didn't realize that was a service. 

If you ask a millennial or younger ( and we do have members who are that age) who hire they would be like American Express has an office?

I'm learning quite a bit, the fact that y'all  are rather old not withstanding! 

 

I'll add another once that I remember and miss.

-Diners Club Charge Card. The statement balance was due in 60 days, as opposed less than 30 for American Express. it was a handy float while I waited for reimbursement.  Citigroup got rid of Diner Club Cards in the United States after 2008, and sold the business to Bank of Montreal. The card still exists, but the 60 day float is gone, and they are not accepting new applications. 

You did everything by snail mail, telephone or going to the office.  There was no e-commerce. no zoom, no telehealth, no Internet. 

I started graduate school at a Cal State campus in 1992 and the faculty had just gotten access to the internet - they were all incredibly excited.  Berners-Lee had just invented the world-wide web.  Netscape had just invented the first web browser.  I had been reading William Gibson's novels, so the first time I heard the word "Internet," I knew exactly what it was. I just thought, "Oh my god, they've done it."

[Luv2play]

3 hours ago, Rudynate said:

It was only a few years before that, that there was no such thing as the smoking section on an aircraft - the whole cabin was the smoking section.  Non-smokers just  had to live with it.  Back then, smoking was much more common - it wasn't the unusual thing it is today - people smoked everywhere - in the waiting room at the doctor's office, in college classrooms and lecture halls, in the hospital, in movie theaters, in the grocery store while shopping, etc.

When people could smoke anywhere in the aircraft cabin, they had to wait until the no smoking sign went off after takeoff. Since the heavy smokers had perhaps not had a cig for maybe close to an hour since departing the airport lounge, there would be a mad rush to light up and the plane cabin would be filled with blue smoke. ugh!

What a way to start a flight, choking on second hand smoke. Yes, I was never a smoker. That is one way in which flying has become more pleasant, if only the only way I can think of.

[Rudynate]

45 minutes ago, Luv2play said:

When people could smoke anywhere in the aircraft cabin, they had to wait until the no smoking sign went off after takeoff. Since the heavy smokers had perhaps not had a cig for maybe close to an hour since departing the airport lounge, there would be a mad rush to light up and the plane cabin would be filled with blue smoke. ugh!

What a way to start a flight, choking on second hand smoke. Yes, I was never a smoker. That is one way in which flying has become more pleasant, if only the only way I can think of.

I read not long ago that there is new data that suggests that second-hand smoke exposure is not nearly as hazardous as was once thought.

[jimbosf]

Speaking of snail mail and telephone, I can remember rotary dial phones and party lines.  You could hear some pretty interesting conversations that way.  

I remember flying Eastern, National, Piedmont, TWA...all gone now with mega mergers.  

Try explaining an 8-track to high school students.  lol.  They think you are speaking a foreign language.