Purchases From The Mechanical Music Extravaganza In Wayne, NJ In October 2014

On October 12, 2014, I attended the AMAZING Mechanical Music Extravaganza in Wayne, New Jersey.  This was my second time attending this convention and, like last time, was very much worth the two hour drive to get there.  This is the place to be if you want to procure an early machine for cylinders or 78s or stroll down the aisles as if it was a museum.  The admission fee was $6.  I certainly recommend the convention and I will be attending the next event in 2015.

This video is dark.  I did not realize until after the fact.  Plus, I already lost a bunch of records and all four needle packets that I purchased ... story of my life.  due to these facts, this video is a mess.  When I find all that stuff, I might rerecord a video.







My car is getting stuffed here ... and this was just the beginning!


Here is my haul minus some records and all four needle packets:


Here is the website for the event - dates are already announced for 2015!: http://www.antique-sound.com

On This Day, 200 Years Ago, Hiram Cronk Was Discharged From The United States Army

On November 16, 1814, Hiram Silas Cronk, the teenager who would become the Last Living Survivor Of The War Of 1812, was discharged from, or mustered out of, the United States Army.  He had enlisted in the Army on August 4 of that year at the age of 14.  Hiram served in the defense of Sacketts Harbor with his father and two brothers.

The above information was found in book titled Annual Reports Of The Department Of The Interior For The Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1904: Miscellaneous Reports Part I.  Hiram was still alive when this book was produced ... he passed away one year later at the age of 105.

Here is a link which features a copy of the 1904 text specifically for Hiram S. Cronk: http://books.google.com/books?id=RqA0AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=Hiram+Cronk+November+16,+1814&source=bl&ots=cnfCyXTUjy&sig=CZiwKS4W-EvyE34bZgl-KCuogmk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TXVpVMhi0cexBP23gMAC&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Hiram%20Cronk%20November%2016%2C%201814&f=false

The War Of 1812 Bicentennial continues ...

Visiting Five World War I Monuments/Memorials On Veterans Day 2014

Today I visited five World War I Monuments/Memorials in honor of Veterans Day ... the first Veterans Day during the World War I Centennial.  The cities were Oaklyn, Collingswood, Lindenwold, Monroe Township and Gloucester Township.  The plaque for the one in Lindenwold was removed because the building is, by all appearances, vacant.  I imagine the group that moved took the plaque with them.  I got lost trying to find the memorial in Gloucester Township.  I was driving aimlessly and when I was at a red light, I looked to my right and there was the memorial in Monroe Township.  Totally unplanned, totally unscripted, very unexpected ... I went with the opportunity.  I definitely took the good with the bad today.  A driver in Gloucester Township gave me a beep of support at 4:41 in the video.

The 25th Anniversary Of The Fall Of The Berlin Wall With A Relic To Commemorate The Day

Meine Damen und Herren ... hallo.  Das ist Michael.  Es ist neunte November 2014 und heute ist der fünfundzwanzigste jahrestag von dem sturz der Berliner Mauer.  Hier ist ein stuck von der Mauer.

For the English speakers:
Ladies and Gentlemen ... hello.  This is Michael.  It is the ninth of November 2014 and today is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Here is a piece of the Wall.



Here I am with a piece of the Wall on November 9, 2014 ... 25 years after that very Wall fell:


I took this photo way back in 2008 when I had acquired the relic:

237th Anniversary Of The Siege Of Fort Mifflin Revolutionary War Reenactment Held In Philadelphia, PA On November 8, 2014

The Siege Of Fort Mifflin was once again held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania earlier today.  Of course, the Siege Reenactment took place at the namesake Fort and actual location of the Battle.  This blog entry covers day one of the two day Siege Weekend (November 8, 2014).

Here are three videos (Part 1: The Battle Reenactment, Part 2: The Encampment and Part 3: The Final March And The Lowering Of The Flag) ...





Photographs of the day ...



























You can see all of this and more on day two of the Siege Of Fort Mifflin 237th Anniversary Weekend on Sunday, November 9, 2014.  Details can be found here - http://www.fortmifflin.us

Authentic Railroad Sounds By Tops Music Enterprises 78 RPM Record

I finally get a chance to demonstrate the His Master's Voice Model 102E Portable Gramophone that I picked up at the Mechanical Music Extravaganza in Wayne, NJ in April.  This 78 record is from the Tops Music Enterprises Tops For Tots line.  It is titled Authentic Railroad Sounds (catalog number 1020), and still includes the original record sleeve.  I bought this 78 at the Surround Sound Record Convention in Allentown, PA in September.  I used a loud needle for each side of the record.  It sounds great - very loud and very prominent.  This is an amazing Gramophone.  I am happy to finally be able to post a video with this machine.  Records from this era are almost all under copyright status and I avoid posting records that will lead to copyright strikes.

In addition, I have some train items on each side of the Gramophone: a Plasticville U.S.A. Cape Cod House that I just bought on Saturday, November 1, at the Train Show in Burlington, NJ, a Gilbert American Flyer HO Electric Train Set and a box of Atlas Rail Joiners.  The Gilbert Set has been in my family since the 1960s, and was placed around the Christmas tree in those days.  It has a $15.00 Lit Brothers price tag on the box.

Gothika Purple Tempest Contact Lenses Stacked With Prescription Contact Lenses

In this video, I discuss my experiences with these lenses. They are a-okay for extended wearing and stacking with prescription lenses. I paid $50.00 for these.



Here I am with the lenses: