Sunday, April 02, 2006
You're There With A Crosley
Greetings, cybernauts. I've said it a few times in several places how when we had the "gas crisis" in the 1970's (which turned out to be a "shortglut" - announced as a [artificial] shortage to jack up prices, but when people were being a little more frugal there wasn't enough gasoline being sold so the price went back down) Detroit worked to create more fuel-efficient automobilies, so we had some cars in the 1980's that could get like 45 miles per gallon, 
but in the period since then Hummers and SUVs came into vogue so average gas mileage in today's autos has gone back down. Here we see proof that SIXTY YEARS AGO we knew how to build engines that could get better than 30 miles to the gallon, up to 50 according to one consumer, and that's in a vehicle that had a metal auto body rather than today's lighter plastic. Granted, it was about the size of a VW Beetle or a Cooper Mini, and even the station wagons were small. See the Crosley Auto Club page for more info on the cars.
Funny, what ever happened to Crosley auto manufacturing if they were so good? Not the same story as Tucker or DeLorean, which also were independant waves of the future, but their founders had personal issues that interfered with the businesses. Crosley came to a close because they were ahead of their time. According to the founder's Wikipedia entry, "during the pre-war period, Crosley produced 5,757 cars. However, the onset of war ended all automobile production in the United States in 1942", then after WWII the car "sold for $850 and got between 30 and 45 miles per US gallon. Unfortunately for Crosley, good gas mileage ceased to be an inducement after gas rationing ended. Plus, Americans were infatuated with big cars. Crosley sold about 75,000 cars before closing down the operation in 1952." History repeats itself, again we're infatuated with the modern version of the Packard, substituting truck size for chrome and steel, but keeping the high weight and low gas mileage. And now I want one of these old cars... someday, maybe, after driving a gasoline-powered vehicle becomes a luxury in my life rather than a necessity without viable alternatives, such as hydrogen cell or full electric. (Do not call a gas-electric hybrid a 'viable alternative' until it takes no gasoline at all at freeway speeds, 'k? My commute is 50 miles each way.)
I swear this will be the last picture of icicle liiiiiights! I post, or during the month of April (it'll be hard for me...) anyway, because as said I could start a Flickr group about the subject but won't. I prefer ghost images of business names and advertising on the sides of old buildings, for the record. This lazy light perpetrator is 2 miles from my house, just off a major thoroughfare. As always, click and ye shall see big.
but in the period since then Hummers and SUVs came into vogue so average gas mileage in today's autos has gone back down. Here we see proof that SIXTY YEARS AGO we knew how to build engines that could get better than 30 miles to the gallon, up to 50 according to one consumer, and that's in a vehicle that had a metal auto body rather than today's lighter plastic. Granted, it was about the size of a VW Beetle or a Cooper Mini, and even the station wagons were small. See the Crosley Auto Club page for more info on the cars. Funny, what ever happened to Crosley auto manufacturing if they were so good? Not the same story as Tucker or DeLorean, which also were independant waves of the future, but their founders had personal issues that interfered with the businesses. Crosley came to a close because they were ahead of their time. According to the founder's Wikipedia entry, "during the pre-war period, Crosley produced 5,757 cars. However, the onset of war ended all automobile production in the United States in 1942", then after WWII the car "sold for $850 and got between 30 and 45 miles per US gallon. Unfortunately for Crosley, good gas mileage ceased to be an inducement after gas rationing ended. Plus, Americans were infatuated with big cars. Crosley sold about 75,000 cars before closing down the operation in 1952." History repeats itself, again we're infatuated with the modern version of the Packard, substituting truck size for chrome and steel, but keeping the high weight and low gas mileage. And now I want one of these old cars... someday, maybe, after driving a gasoline-powered vehicle becomes a luxury in my life rather than a necessity without viable alternatives, such as hydrogen cell or full electric. (Do not call a gas-electric hybrid a 'viable alternative' until it takes no gasoline at all at freeway speeds, 'k? My commute is 50 miles each way.)
I swear this will be the last picture of icicle liiiiiights! I post, or during the month of April (it'll be hard for me...) anyway, because as said I could start a Flickr group about the subject but won't. I prefer ghost images of business names and advertising on the sides of old buildings, for the record. This lazy light perpetrator is 2 miles from my house, just off a major thoroughfare. As always, click and ye shall see big.
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after seeing that pic in the previous entry I was a little worried about you. I am relieved to see you are alive and kicking. please do not try things like that at home, especially when you are alone!
No, I don't have worms! Skippy does! And I am bright enough not to eat my toys.
Update on that story: there was a 7 year old who went to the hospital because of the Magnetix... he didn't eat it, he inhaled at least one magnet and required surgery to remove it from his lungs. Point given for originality but still, ten point deduction for being an idiot. Can't blame the parent for this one unless they knew their kid was a 'tard.
And I was informed this morning that Rose Arts is not taking the toy off the shelf because it is marked as being for older kids and that should be sufficient, in their opinion. (They are offering replacements if the magnets are loose, though.) No word yet what the Consumer Product Safety Commission thinks.
Update on that story: there was a 7 year old who went to the hospital because of the Magnetix... he didn't eat it, he inhaled at least one magnet and required surgery to remove it from his lungs. Point given for originality but still, ten point deduction for being an idiot. Can't blame the parent for this one unless they knew their kid was a 'tard.
And I was informed this morning that Rose Arts is not taking the toy off the shelf because it is marked as being for older kids and that should be sufficient, in their opinion. (They are offering replacements if the magnets are loose, though.) No word yet what the Consumer Product Safety Commission thinks.
Rose Art should add a new warning to the label:
Do Not Inhale the Magnets.
I would love to have a Crosely. Neat looking little car. I like those PT Cruisers and Mini Coopers. I have no idea if those cars are safe, but they certainly
are cute.
At least the owner of that Icicle House is patriotic.
Wave that flag!!
Do Not Inhale the Magnets.
I would love to have a Crosely. Neat looking little car. I like those PT Cruisers and Mini Coopers. I have no idea if those cars are safe, but they certainly
are cute.
At least the owner of that Icicle House is patriotic.
Wave that flag!!
Yeah, that should be in an upcoming package release. Also: "do not take internally". In 2007 we will also see something about how this should not be administered rectally.
1942 Crosley: Well, all I'm going to say is that seat belts were optional in some cars (the Tucker was the first to make it standard, the big names picked up on it later) so aftermarket kits under the name Saf-T-Belt were eventually available (and I have a scan of an ad for them from a 1950's car magazine). These cars did have the first disc brakes however.
And a real patriot brings his flag in at night or installs a light for night use, per accepted flag procedure. He does neither.
1942 Crosley: Well, all I'm going to say is that seat belts were optional in some cars (the Tucker was the first to make it standard, the big names picked up on it later) so aftermarket kits under the name Saf-T-Belt were eventually available (and I have a scan of an ad for them from a 1950's car magazine). These cars did have the first disc brakes however.
And a real patriot brings his flag in at night or installs a light for night use, per accepted flag procedure. He does neither.
Would it bug you if someone put up a Christmas wreath in December and left it on their front door for the following year?
I thought so.
I thought so.
My neice has done that. The wreath is now brown and the bow is bright red. When asked, she says it's an "Easter wreath." :)
Crosley was a Cincinnati entrepreneur, and back in the 20's thropugh 40's built all sorts of appliances, even cars. Crosley also founded the radio station WLW, and had the baseball stadium (which closed in the early 70's) named after him: Crosley Fields. I saw some of the cars in the Cincinnati History museum last year. Cool that you would dig up this ad.
P.S. Through the course of my job I had some contact with employees from VW - I had been to their museum in Wolfsburg a few months ago. They had all these great cars with mileage to dream of. I asked why they don't/can't build these anymore. The answer was there are too many safety regulations. Still, somebody really should try.
I saw a gas station today with icicle lights all around.
It looked pretty bad.
The icicle lights were on and it was daytime.
It looked pretty bad.
The icicle lights were on and it was daytime.
For the record: I don't have much of a problem with a business using icicle lights. Several quick-stop java joints and teriyaki houses have them, and they look good. Not that much different than any other light signage to attract attention, and safer than strobes.
I have no problem with lights used indoors -- in fact, I knew a guy who had no overhead light in his attic bedroom so the only way he lit his room was with several strings of Christmas lights. I have four strings up right this moment, down from five (that one I put on the tree four months ago - poinsettia lights from Big!Lots).
But for a homeowner to leave his house lights, especially icicles, up after January 15... expect to be razzed. A lot.
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I have no problem with lights used indoors -- in fact, I knew a guy who had no overhead light in his attic bedroom so the only way he lit his room was with several strings of Christmas lights. I have four strings up right this moment, down from five (that one I put on the tree four months ago - poinsettia lights from Big!Lots).
But for a homeowner to leave his house lights, especially icicles, up after January 15... expect to be razzed. A lot.
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