http://www.rivendellbicycles.com
For me, this was the start towards searching out all that really made sense to me, technology and advancement is fine but when it goes awry it really is a sad thing to behold. Those of you on the forum know what I speak of, just look at the state of (and I use the term VERY looslely) modern shaving. Electric, rechargable, rotary, 2 blades, 3 blades, 4 blade... do I hear 5, ah yes to the gent in the back..... How many toxic Ni-cad batteries in long since useless rechargable shavers are now in our wastedumps leaching chemicals into the soil... how many plastic shaving handles (which still might have been usable had you been able to replace the blade alone) are going in the dump? I just picked up a couple of razors, one datestamped 1932 in perfect condition, I installed a $0.40 blade and it'll shave me for a week! Ok, I need not preach to you... this is exactly why you are here, isn't it?
When the mention of Old Taylor of Bond street and other such merchants find my ear I think of other fine British products that I still purchase and use today. Simple things, like a real leather bicycle saddle... the most comfortable seat you can find if you're willing to break it in. Modern seats come in a vast array of petrochemical materials, not one which truely molds itself to your very personal hind end, nor will it last 20 to 30 years and safely decompose at the end of it's lifecycle!
http://www.brookssaddles.com/
And for real saddlebags there's also:
http://www.carradice.co.uk/
I also got tired of the New Improved and Enriched factory baked bread... I now purchase whole grains and grind them myself, toss only natural ingredients into my Bosch universal mixer and make 6 one and a half pound loaves of bread per batch in less that 2 hrs including cleanup! Not only that, but my bread includes *all* the nutirents of the wheatgerm, you know.... that pesky little bit in the kernal that the "modern flour mills remove because if they didn't, it would go rancid while deteriorating in storage". Of course, you are most welcome to purchase it seperately, for an additional sum. Ah... I hear you say "What, an electric mixer?, and yes I said I had nothing against modern technology when it makes sense. Check with your nearest Bosch Univeral mixer dealer and you'll find that these beasts will last a lifetime in hard use.... The Kitchenaid machines are not in the same league...
Digital cameras.... I have a bittersweet love affair with these devices, they eliminate all the chemical waste from the old silver based processes but they on the otherhand give rise to the replacable ink cartridge in my inkjet printer. I'm surprised that our disposable razor manufacturers didn't get in on the act! Still... there are ways around this dilemma as well.... refill and reuse is possible. There are printer manufacturers who try to make it as difficult as they can and I avoid those with a passion, the unit I have not only uses individual color cartridges but makes them of a see through plastic so that even lowly little I can see when it's time to refill it. They even thought of me when it comes to the print head, I can actually remove mine for cleaning should it ever become plugged up. Yes, it can be done... modern design and materials with a view of the future. My other pieve with digital imaging is the planned obsolesence with the various models. Today a manufacturer plans on something like a 6 to 18 month lifespan of a model. Something around 12 months is probably the average.... Still, I find them usefull, I stayed away until the 4 megapixel units became reasonably priced... I bought mine maybe a 2 years ago now, and it still is perfectly usuable. I plan to keep it for a long time although the electronics inside being so miniscule with surface mount components means it has a limited lifespan just because of it's size. Electrolytic capacitors for one seem to only last so long as the do involve compounds that can dry out.
Well, I could go on and on, things like Olfa style knives with the snap off blades, conveniant yes but but I've had a pocket knife I use at work for cutting paper/cardboard and non-metalic strapping for 18 years and it's got another 18 years left if I don't loose it. All I need to do is sharpen it once in a while......
So... yeah, I'm a retro grouch....... Maybe you are too?
Time to go put the Corey vac pot with permanent glass rod filter on the stove... I need a cup of java... made from freshly roasted beans I got today, from my Coffee roasting retro grouch friend. Did I mention that if your coffee beans are older than 2 weeks after roasting, they are horribly stale.... and if you're buying gound coffee... I hope it's not more than 20 minutes since it was ground, cuz if it is... it's stale!
Regards
Christian
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