Things you could order over 50 years ago that you can't order now !

[2LaneCruzer]

I live on the other side of the mountains from ABQ at the edge of the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains in Santa Fe county. A rural area very different from the city at a much higher elevation (with trees and green grass). The city is nice to visit for conveniences, but I would never live there (or any large city).

Beautiful! My brother lived at Corrales (sp?) until he passed; it was nice there , especially during the balloon festival!

 

[ponytug]

What's the rationale for that? Smaller/fewer vents=less likely wind-blown embers will enter? What do you do now for attic ventilation?

Yes, that it. There has been a realization that 1/4" mesh was ok for keeping mice out, but embers just sail through. The current recommendation is 1/16" holes, or double baffles with 1/8" mesh in between. We went the 1/16" route. When we had to replace the roof insulation (which was 1" of fiberboard!!R1), I also took the opportunity to change the attic ventilation entirely by going to a double roof deck with an air gap, enabling 2" diameter vent holes with 1/32" slots at the eaves, and a protected slot at the roof line. The attic stays cool/warm, and has no ventilation issues. I believe that this design is now the current roofing recommendation.

Here is AIG's video of embers and a test building with 1/4" vents.

The risk from crawl space vents is probably worse as embers are often fire blown at ground level.

Watching a similar video from one of the national fire organizations out the fear of embers in me. Here is one from Fire Safe Marin (local county agency);

Fire-Resistant Vents - Fire Safe Marin

Wildfires pose a significant threat to ecosystems, communities, and infrastructure. One overlooked aspect of this threat is the vulnerability of vents to fire.

firesafemarin.org

The recommendation is not to go finer than 1/16", as they are likely to be sealed by careless painters.

Here is the current building code section with respect venting and fire;

Searchable platform for building codes

Explore a searchable database of US construction and building code. Code regulations are consolidated by state and city for easier navigation.

up.codes

All the best,

Peter

 

[ultrarunner]

What's the rationale for that? Smaller/fewer vents=less likely wind-blown embers will enter? What do you do now for attic ventilation?

Forcing closed attic spaces... eve and ridge vents a no no.

Power Vent need a fire shutter and heat sensor to deactivate...

Brand new home build and all had to be sealed even though approved in plan or no final.

 

[tallyho8]

Preparation H with real shark liver oil in it that worked instead of today's version with corn oil.

 

[jyoutz]

You can’t even use your thumb and index finger and say bang…

We must be behind the times where I live. My sons had water gun fights during recess at school during warm weather. The school did nothing to discourage this and even had water gun target practice at school carnival. This was only about 10-12 years ago.

 

[lman]

A lot has happened in 12 years.

 

[JethroB]

50 years ago you could buy a gallon of gas with a quarter...you still can today if the quarter is pre '64'...(at current silver values a quarter is worth about $3.50)
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I had an outstanding order with J.C. Whitney when they filed for BK...lost over $100 which was a chunk of change back then for someone working their way through school...
Before that they were a great place for jeep/Willys parts etc...

I didn’t get the JC Whitney catalog in the 70’s but some other company. White? Very similar and bought stuff for bicycles and my Wiilys Jeep.

 

[JethroB]

Same with TV. Even in the early days of TV, you could find something entertaining, funny, enlightening, interesting or restful. Today, there is not a series worth watching. I haven't seen a good comedy show or comedian in years; they aren't even on TV any more unless you watch a rerun of Roseann or Carol Burnette. Boston Legal and NCIS went the way of the Do Do. Twenty four hours of contrived news and comment doesn't cut it any more.

Ah, Red Skelton, Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan, Colgate Comedy hour; we miss you.

The Big Bang Theory sitcom is the last American network show I liked. Then I gave up on US network TV completely. Netflix and Amazon Prime series mostly now. UK, New Zealand, Australian. No silly car chases, shootouts, blood and guts, or murders solved in 43 minutes.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Anyone remember Edmund Scientific? I ordered all the time. Once ordered a weather balloon. All I could picture as a kid was one day a moving van would show up, men unloading a big wooden crate...instead a week later Mom said a package arrived when I got home from school. It was like a small shoebox! I opened and it looked like a birth control device for King Kong.
So I went outside with Mom's Electrolux vacuum reversing hose onto exhaust and started blowing it up. After an hour or so the balloon was enormous! I finally decided time to tie off the end. Now what to do with it? I had to show it to my friend Don across the road which was a major highway...but I had to go down our 1/4 mile driveway. Luckily not too much wind but incredible thing to carry.
I finally got it up to the entrance on highway and people blowing horns and yelling at me.
Don happened to be in his yard when he looked over. That was about the time a wind gust blew it into a tree limb popping it. It wasn't a typical balloon pop, more of a WHOOSH! yanking it out of my hands.
At least he got to see it. It was worth the $8.95!

 

[ultrarunner]

The Big Bang Theory sitcom is the last American network show I liked. Then I gave up on US network TV completely. Netflix and Amazon Prime series mostly now. UK, New Zealand, Australian. No silly car chases, shootouts, blood and guts, or murders solved in 43 minutes.

TV was always in the background... Dad would unwind after work with the evening news.

These days it can be weeks or even months without the TV on... and now commercials which never bothered me certainly do... the shear volume of commercials...