Quote from: Russ on August 24, 2012, 09:52:23 PM

Edison was not a founding father. And by a lot of accounts, he was kind of a jerk too. In addition to trying to discredit Tesla's AC power distribution system by publicly electrocuting animals, he held a virtual monopoly on the motion picture industry during its early days, seeing as how he had patents on all the technology and sued anyone who didn't license it from his company. In fact the whole reason we have Hollywood is a bunch of independent filmmakers started studios out west, as far away from Edison as they could get to produce their movies.

He also didn't really invent a lot of his inventions. He got the credit for a lot of work that his employees did.  If Tesla had possesed Edison's ego, I doubt anyone today would know (or care) who Edison was.

Thats what my Dad( electrical engineer for GE and Westinghouse) told me years ago.

Quote from: Russ on August 24, 2012, 09:52:23 PM

Edison was not a founding father. And by a lot of accounts, he was kind of a jerk too. In addition to trying to discredit Tesla's AC power distribution system by publicly electrocuting animals, he held a virtual monopoly on the motion picture industry during its early days, seeing as how he had patents on all the technology and sued anyone who didn't license it from his company. In fact the whole reason we have Hollywood is a bunch of independent filmmakers started studios out west, as far away from Edison as they could get to produce their movies.

Edison was also a very close friend of Henry Ford, another jerk . You are very correct on every point you just posted.

You know who was a big fan of Henry Ford? Adolf Hitler. Ford's antisemitism was widely known and Hitler's vision for the "people's car" was largely inspired by Ford's assembly line.

Over sumer vacation I read a book that delved deep into the history of Volkswagen. Sure I read it on an iPad, but a book is a book. Learned all kinds of interesting things I didn't know but also a few disturbing facts as well.

Quote from: Russ on August 24, 2012, 09:44:09 PM

Quote from: Ret.Bugtech on August 24, 2012, 09:56:14 AM

Quote from: Russ on August 24, 2012, 09:29:06 AM

I knew the answer, I just didn't want to spoil it for Smelly_Cat.

Russ, I'm curious . How did you know the answer ?  School, internet, reading books etc.  I wonder how many kids know what books are this day and time ?   We will wait for SmellyCat.

Honestly I'm not sure but I have heard the quote attributed to Edison before. Don't let my youth and good looks fool you; I'm fairly "learned" and I've been to college!

Now a quiz for you. Who said this? No Googling.

Quote

Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.

Nick ?

Is that because I like to use semi-colons? I'll admit it; I'm not creative.

Quote from: Ret.Bugtech on August 24, 2012, 10:14:09 PM

Quote from: Russ on August 24, 2012, 09:52:23 PM

Edison was not a founding father. And by a lot of accounts, he was kind of a jerk too. In addition to trying to discredit Tesla's AC power distribution system by publicly electrocuting animals, he held a virtual monopoly on the motion picture industry during its early days, seeing as how he had patents on all the technology and sued anyone who didn't license it from his company. In fact the whole reason we have Hollywood is a bunch of independent filmmakers started studios out west, as far away from Edison as they could get to produce their movies.

Edison was also a very close friend of Henry Ford, another jerk . You are very correct on every point you just posted.

You know who was a big fan of Henry Ford? Adolf Hitler. Ford's antisemitism was widely known and Hitler's vision for the "people's car" was largely inspired by Ford's assembly line.

Over sumer vacation I read a book that delved deep into the history of Volkswagen. Sure I read it on an iPad, but a book is a book. Learned all kinds of interesting things I didn't know but also a few disturbing facts as well.

Russ, Have you read  "Nine Lives Later"  ?

I read something or made it up that a sadistic circus hand fed the   elephant  a lit cigarette> The elephant killed the circus hand.  There was an out cry to kill that blood thirsty elephant.  SO Edison said"  I know!  lets electrocute him to prove how dangerous AC current was.  Just plain meanness to a poor elephant.  Stuff like that makes me a PITA fan.

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” –Sir Winston Churchill

Quote from: Ret.Bugtech on August 24, 2012, 10:14:09 PM

]Edison was also a very close friend of Henry Ford, another jerk . You are very correct on every point you just posted.

Hey David,
What was it like before they invented color?
No, not color movies of photos, I'm talking about colors, you know blue, red, yellow and all their kids...
I've seen the Wizard of Oz and I know what it was like "back in the day".
LOL,
KC

(see if you can burn that in your stove!)

You know, that brings up an interesting story from my past.  I was born in 1960, so I never had a chance to see The Wizard of Oz on the big screen, but it was big deal when it came on TV one time every year.  So, I had seen it start to finish at least a dozen times growning up.  After Joy and I got married, she had the 50th annivesary edition on VHS.  We were watching it with the kids.  When the house landed in Munchkin Land the color came on, I made a comment to the effect of "Hey, they colorized it! Neat!"  Joy looked at me like I had two heads or something.  She explained to me that it was filmed in color.  Really?  I did not know that! . . . Why did not know that?  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks . . . Mom and Dad never had a color TV until years after I left home.  Now stuff like the Yellow Brick Road, the Emerald City and a Horse of a Different Color make a lot more sense!