[BC] 1950s' transistor radios pointed to more tech changes

[SteveOrdinetz]

Dave Dunsmoor wrote:

>     I took the wires from a cut off extension cord, and peeled back all but
>one strand, plugged it in and scratched the two wire strands together to see
>if it would spark.... From down the hall came dad's voice "what's going on
>down there"? And of course, the obligatory "nothing".

Heh.  Just before the power went out during the great northeast 
blackout in 1965 (?) I was working on some project in my basement 
laboratory.  Suddenly, the lights began to flicker & dim, my mother 
yelled the same thing down the stairs.  My reply was the same as 
yours, but I immediatley unplugged whatever it was I was working 
on.  Lights came back on.  Plugged it back in, lights flickered, 
dimmed & went out, this time for keeps.  To this day, I'm sure she 
still thinks it was me that caused it.