On 2000-01-04 [EMAIL PROTECTED] said:
Pippi wrote:
>Oh, do shut up with that. did they have to put up with this
>nonsense in 1900 when they celebrated the start of the 20th
century too?
Actually they did it right (atleast here) back then. So they waited
to 1901 before they celebrated. Do you only assume that what you
Snip---
Actually, most people who celebrated such things, at least in North America
actually did celebrate the beginning of the new century in 1900, instead of
the correct 1901, and there were many people who pointed out all the
historical, mathematical, obvious, reasons why 1900 was not the beginning of
a new century. If you don't believe it, check out any surviving copies of
magazines and newspapers that were publishing in 1899, 1900, and 1901.
Although it was on a much smaller scale for many obvious reasons, there was
also lots of commercial hype and advertising about new century stuff in
1900. One of my favorite examples is a fantastic and beautiful-sounding
music box made by the Swiss company, Paillard in 1900. You powered it by
winding a crank, and the box played 25-inch-diameter perforrated disks with
star wheels that used the perforrations to determine which tooth on which of
the four combs to pluck to give the right note. This thing has a wonderous
and melodious sound. You can see and hear one in a mechanical musical
instrument museum in Wiscassett, Maine, called The Musical Wonder House.
What did Paillard call this box that they began making and selling in time
to hit retail shelves in 1900? Why, they called it the Paillard New
Century!
Paillard is also famous for the phonograph machine that played flat disks
instead of cylinders, the Paillard cameras, and their products also later
included Hermes typewriters, and the entire Thorens line of hi-fi stereo
gear, including what are still the best modern phonograph record turntables
and some of the best tone arms on the market.
As for what we would call this decade, at the beginning of the 20th century,
people referred to a year in the first decade as "Ought Five," or "Ought
Seven," and wrote it often as, 00, 05, 07, etc. As for what we should call
the decade, I have heard, the O-O's, the zeros, the oughts, the naughts.
But my favorite one is, The Noughties, or the Naughties.
Whatever you call it, have a good one, and keep those old survivors working
right along and being useful!
Reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Brent Reynolds, Atlanta, GA USA
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