The Wonders of the Internet: Discovering the Winchcombe Meteorite

[Bystander]

That was our "Google it"

Still cannot bring myself to pitch either them or the old N. Geos.; seems a waste of craftsmanship and pride in products/goods/services.

 

[russ_watters]

My parents downsized last year and offered them. No takers.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

So, in the 2000’s, there were still salesman knocking door-to-door selling PC packages. One got my mom on an impulse buy. I think I was around 11. It was unusual that she made the down payment for me that day, because we never had much money and no one ever did anything for me. We had only just afforded a color TV. He probably hit up the impoverished neighborhoods right after income tax time. I recall begging her that day while the salesman was there. Begging, on my knees. She likely made the purchase because I never asked her for much- I cannot recall ever asking for even a single toy. We were very poor, and I always omitted my needs as to not be a burden, but in that moment I didn’t care. I wanted it. I needed information. Best thing she ever did for me- I had been so happy.

There were no real books in my home (and I had burned through the decor/readers digest early on) and the only books that were ever given to me had been an incomplete encyclopedia. I made deals with adults to drop me off at the library to get my fix during summers. My teachers always sent me to the library by myself for a few hours everyday and when I would get bored or frustrated with the material during class- that helped. But the information that the PC churned out was like a drug for me. What I wanted to know was immediately brought to me. I could investigate whatever topic I was on at the time. I did my chores and everyone’s homework as soon as I came in from school so that I could escape to that world.

From my understanding, the PC package had been bought with an installment plan. We were evicted not long after. Go figure.

 

[gmax137]

I can situate myself exactly on the back porch of the tenement on Eddy St overlooking downtown Ithaca

My 90 year young mother tells me she and my father (& my brother) lived on Williams St (down off the end of Eddy) when I was born. My brother told me last time he went by, there was an Indian restaurant in that spot.

 

[Keith_McClary]

Williams St (down off the end of Eddy)

https://www.google.com/maps/place/E...45c96c873d7b4cfc!8m2!3d42.442333!4d-76.487498

 

[Hornbein]

My parents downsized last year and offered them. No takers.

I picked up an encyclopedia from 1930 or so. Somehow the black and white photos looked 3D. I couldn't figure out how it was done. A lost technology.

If I could I would own an encyclopedia. They are far superior for browsing. Wikipedia has a random browsing feature but all I got was the histories of small organizations such as high schools.

 

[Astronuc]

The thing I occasionally love to do is revisit places I have resided using Google Maps. In particular it is so astoundingly detailed that I can situate myself exactly on the back porch of the tenement on Eddy St overlooking downtown Ithaca, for instance, or the see the exact view of the Blue Ridge from our house on Pantops Mountain in Charlottesville. It transports me immediately back!
Of course today I also discovered the obit of yet another friend I hadn't seen in too long...to quote Vonnegut "so it goes".

I do the same. The first house in which my family lived still exists, as does the third, and fifth. The second house I lived in is gone and has been replaced by a parking lot. The fourth house I lived in has been replaced by a larger house. In 1988, when I visited those old places, the fourth house was still intact. It was only in the last couple of decades that the old house was replaced. I wouldn't have known that without the internet.

The sixth house (one story) I lived in was demolished and replaced by a big box house (two story with skylights) about three or four times the size, and the new owner bought the house next door, and demolished it for a side yard.

I'm beginning to see a trend.

As for the internet, it is marvelous in terms of access to information. On the other hand, the internet is cluttered with a lot of nonsense and garbage.

Growing up, my dad had a library, mostly of the humanities. We had a Random House dictionary and the 1963 edition of The Columbia Encyclopedia. I asked my dad recently about the Encyclopedia, since he is downsizing in preparation of selling his house and moving in with my brother, and unfortunately, he got rid of it. He thought it was too old and I had no use for it. Growing up, I found it invaluable because it had a lot of historical and biographical information, and it reflected the knowledge (a perspective) of the time. It was in that book, I discovered the periodic table, chemistry, physics, radiation, sub-atomic particles, . . . as well as articles of American, World and Ancient history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Encyclopedia

We could not afford a set like the Encyclopedia Brittanica. However, one of the neighbors was a teacher, and she had the full set of EB, so I'd visit and spend time reading through it, while other kids from the house would play or watch TV.

 

[gleem]

I never was brought up in an environment that was very intellectually stimulating although education was encouraged perhaps because they both had limited educations themselves. They, however, were avid readers of the newspapers and a few periodicals. The only books we ever had in the house other than my school books were a cheap set of encyclopedias from a grocery store purchased one volume at a time. But still, I eventually discovered libraries which my father would often chauffer me to when walking was not an option. You had to work a little harder to find out about something. Back then books tended to be austere compared to those of today with their glitzy graphics, pictures, and overly highlighted text which does not leave much for the mind to grapple with, leaving me to wonder how students today learn. I am curious if our experience in obtaining information by "hand and foot" so to speak has not made us savvier in the way we use the internet.

 

[hutchphd]

My 90 year young mother tells

https://www.google.com/maps/place/E...45c96c873d7b4cfc!8m2!3d42.442333!4d-76.487498

Wow our "shotgun" apartment was on the top floor next to what used to be Hardees (now Mehak Indian) above the liquor store (now Metake Japanese). 414 Eddy if memory serves.