Comments on: The Four Leading Electric Novelties of 1897 http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 23 May 2013 21:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Wayne Dyer http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1592147 Wayne Dyer Tue, 27 Nov 2012 05:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1592147 The necktie light was the prototype for the Make Electronic Merit Badge The necktie light was the prototype for the Make Electronic Merit Badge

]]> By: Wreckrob8 http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591356 Wreckrob8 Mon, 26 Nov 2012 06:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591356 Perfectly Pooterish! Perfectly Pooterish!

]]> By: nixiebunny http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591334 nixiebunny Mon, 26 Nov 2012 05:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591334 Whereas today, one can purchase a necktie light for under a dollar.  Whereas today, one can purchase a necktie light for under a dollar. 

]]> By: pjcamp http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591318 pjcamp Mon, 26 Nov 2012 04:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591318 Wow! A necktie light. I might even wear a necktie (if I owned one first) if I had one of those. But I have to wonder: why do dollars need motors? Wow! A necktie light. I might even wear a necktie (if I owned one first) if I had one of those. But I have to wonder: why do dollars need motors?

]]> By: sean http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591194 sean Sun, 25 Nov 2012 23:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591194 Sirs: I would be most appreciative of your consideration of my request to disencumber myself of the "Electric Novelty Necktie Light" which I purchased but Tuesday a fortnight ago from your commercial enterprise, as advertised in "Godfinch's Weekly Journal of Pertinent and Timely News, Recipes, and Humorous Anecdotes". The effect achieved by this item was not what I had reason to anticipate nor indeed hoped for; rather than lend an appearance of sophistication and stylish accoutrementery so favored by the gentler sex, I found myself to be the object of derisive laughter, scorn, and even opprobrium. As this garish illuminatory device cost me fully one and one half weeks' wages, I find myself having no recourse but to call upon your conciliatory nature to allow me to return it forthwith by post and receive in return the amount I so heedlessly paid (less your handling costs, of course). Please respond at your earliest convenience, as the harridan I engaged in matrimony continues to admonish me for this costly acquirement, and her remonstrations are increasingly difficult to abide. Thanking you for your kindly consideration in advance, I remain, your humble servant, F. Willingham Frothley. Sirs: I would be most appreciative of your consideration of my request to disencumber myself of the “Electric Novelty Necktie Light” which I purchased but Tuesday a fortnight ago from your commercial enterprise, as advertised in “Godfinch’s Weekly Journal of Pertinent and Timely News, Recipes, and Humorous Anecdotes”. The effect achieved by this item was not what I had reason to anticipate nor indeed hoped for; rather than lend an appearance of sophistication and stylish accoutrementery so favored by the gentler sex, I found myself to be the object of derisive laughter, scorn, and even opprobrium. As this garish illuminatory device cost me fully one and one half weeks’ wages, I find myself having no recourse but to call upon your conciliatory nature to allow me to return it forthwith by post and receive in return the amount I so heedlessly paid (less your handling costs, of course). Please respond at your earliest convenience, as the harridan I engaged in matrimony continues to admonish me for this costly acquirement, and her remonstrations are increasingly difficult to abide.
Thanking you for your kindly consideration in advance, I remain, your humble servant, F. Willingham Frothley.

]]> By: BillStewart2012 http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591171 BillStewart2012 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591171 A necktie light?  Yes, that's a very expensive novelty, though I've had fun with microcontroller-driven LED blinky things. A bike light that can let you ride safely at night?  That's really useful, especially since you're probably using that bike to ride to work. The electric motor?  Depends on how strong and well-built it is; it could be anything from a toy to a useful tool for a maker. A necktie light?  Yes, that’s a very expensive novelty, though I’ve had fun with microcontroller-driven LED blinky things.

A bike light that can let you ride safely at night?  That’s really useful, especially since you’re probably using that bike to ride to work.

The electric motor?  Depends on how strong and well-built it is; it could be anything from a toy to a useful tool for a maker.

]]> By: knappa http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591166 knappa Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591166 Looks electric to me; it has a battery and everything.. Of course, hauling along what I presume is a 2 lbs or more lead acid battery for a little lighted tie clip doesn't sounds all that great either. Looks electric to me; it has a battery and everything.. Of course, hauling along what I presume is a 2 lbs or more lead acid battery for a little lighted tie clip doesn’t sounds all that great either.

]]> By: danimagoo http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591142 danimagoo Sun, 25 Nov 2012 20:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591142 A day's wage today if you work at Walmart is about $70. Go check out a Sharper Image catalog and see how many novelty electronics cost somewhere around that. Not much has changed. A day’s wage today if you work at Walmart is about $70. Go check out a Sharper Image catalog and see how many novelty electronics cost somewhere around that. Not much has changed.

]]> By: James Penrose http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591092 James Penrose Sun, 25 Nov 2012 19:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591092 Bloody expensive novelties at a time when a dollar was many a person's daily wage. Bloody expensive novelties at a time when a dollar was many a person’s daily wage.

]]> By: chellberty http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591068 chellberty Sun, 25 Nov 2012 17:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591068 Ehem you are correctly mistaken dollar "motor" Ehem you are correctly mistaken dollar “motor”

]]> By: Wreckrob8 http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591058 Wreckrob8 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 17:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591058 Amazing how prescient they were that the gas necktie light just wouldn't catch on. Amazing how prescient they were that the gas necktie light just wouldn’t catch on.

]]> By: IamInnocent http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591052 IamInnocent Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591052 It is not all to have innovation: the populace needs to be educated to the novelties. Unfortunately the battery lamps were actually used for committing battery; people made light of the necktie so ornated; the dollar motor didn't move the economy as expected. On the bright side, the bicycle light was voted to be the best in all of USA by voters of the Ohio state. It is not all to have innovation: the populace needs to be educated to the novelties. Unfortunately the battery lamps were actually used for committing battery; people made light of the necktie so ornated; the dollar motor didn’t move the economy as expected. On the bright side, the bicycle light was voted to be the best in all of USA by voters of the Ohio state.

]]> By: carlogesualdodivenosa http://boingboing.net/2012/11/25/the-four-leading-electric-nove.html#comment-1591045 carlogesualdodivenosa Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=196000#comment-1591045 Marketed as "Electric Novelties", yet none of them vibrate.  Or so we are led to believe. Marketed as “Electric Novelties”, yet none of them vibrate.  Or so we are led to believe.

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