The Birth, Life, and Death.... of Radio Shack.

[David L]

That was back in the day when you could buy a young painted slider turtle at Woolworth's for a quarter with a painted shell and oftentimes a decal on the shell. They later quit selling them in pet stores when under 4" in size because they could carry salmonella. These days a couple of states still prohibit their sale regardless of size.

I'm glad their shell is no longer painted (which is not why they're called "painted turtles" or "painted sliders") because the paint would deform the shell....in the 50's it was also lead-based, a double dose of "bad."

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A little off subject but replying to your painted turtles. When moved out to the country here we have encountered a few armadillos. In talking to neighbors/town folk who grew up here they said the town use to have armadilla races. They would paint up their armadillos like race cars, many with their ranch names. After the race they would release them and they told us that when other armadillos would enter their property they knew who's armadilla it was by the painting. Too funny, they don't race them anymore. Some use to and still eat them we were told, lol, no joke...

 

[weigle2]

I had a Gilbert Erector Set when I was 8, used to assemble cranes, booms, etc. to lift play loads, etc. The furnished 120VAC motor drove a slide-gear transmission via wormgear, it would chew your finger off if you got it in the uncovered gearbox. Hard to believe I still have all my fingers.

Gilbert also made chemistry sets, my folks didn't get me one of those, probably a good thing. I've heard many stories of ruined rugs and carpets, burnt floors and stained clothing!

Every weekend I used to frequent warehouse sales between 1974 and 1985 in the Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, San Jose, Mountain View) that sold surplus parts from the local companies (National Semiconductor, Fairchild, Maxtor, Seagate, Shugart Associates, Western Digital, HP, Apple, IBM and too many others to mention or even recall)...it was a wonderland of mysterious, amazing and cheap components, pallets and boxes were filled with discrete components and PC parts.

Yes....good times.

The Gilbert Erector Set, along with Kenner Bridge and Panel or Girder and Panel sets were tons of fun. I went through many of these in my youth. Along with numerous chemistry sets. From chemistry sets I graduated at about 11 years old to ordering chemicals and glassware from Fisher Scientific. The semi trailer delivery driver had a really difficult time finding the address for delivery, because it was a house. Needless to say, I only received one order, because they only were supposed to sell to a commercial business. Many of the chemicals were really dangerous.

 

[David L]

The Gilbert Erector Set, along with Kenner Bridge and Panel or Girder and Panel sets were tons of fun. I went through many of these in my youth. Along with numerous chemistry sets. From chemistry sets I graduated at about 11 years old to ordering chemicals and glassware from Fisher Scientific. The semi trailer delivery driver had a really difficult time finding the address for delivery, because it was a house. Needless to say, I only received one order, because they only were supposed to sell to a commercial business. Many of the chemicals were really dangerous.

Crazy, I was LAN Manager for Fisher at one of their locations, years back...