You Know You Are Old When

[scootr]

I had a used beat up 8 track cassette player in my first apt. I had 2 cassettes; Chuck Berry and Johnny Winters. Played them to death... lol

 

[JethroB]

Anyone remember the 8-track FM radio converter? It plugged into an 8-track player like a tape to add FM.

 

[MoKelly]

Anyone remember the 8-track FM car radio converter? They plugged into an 8-track car player like a tape to add FM to your car.

View attachment 852111

I remember my Mom had one for her car in the 1960s.

We thought we were high tech!!

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

These were unusual at the time. I worked with a lady who had an RCA under dash 45 record player like this AP-1. She was asking $50 for it...in 1975. It worked fine. The turntable was upside down to prevent vibration and skipping. Tone arm was spring loaded and spindle designed to hold record.

 

[Alan46]

These were unusual at the time. I worked with a lady who had an RCA under dash 45 record player like this AP-1. She was asking $50 for it...in 1975. It worked fine. The turntable was upside down to prevent vibration and skipping. Tone arm was spring loaded and spindle designed to hold record.
View attachment 852115

Never heard of such a thing!

In the late 70s I worked for a woman who had a CB radio in her Cadillac!

 

[MossRoad]

I'm not looking to start any political conversation but no one I've spoken to is opposed to LEGAL immigration. Put in your paperwork, wait your turn and don't allow any taxpayer funded handouts. The end.

I found the article interesting as the amount of foreign-born people was far lower than I'd have guessed.

I also found the historical numbers interesting, as there was a huge influx turn of the 1900s until the 50s, then a huge drop, then it went back up again.

When my grandparents came in, they pretty much hopped on a boat and showed up. By the time the 60s were here, our extended family had an empty house that's sole purpose was to house our relatives coming over from the old country until they could get housing of their own. As I recall, they had to have a job and sponsor lined up before they could come over. Far different than when the generation before them came over.

 

[MossRoad]

Had one of these, an amplifier/equalizer, and a Teaberry Tele-T 23 CB on a slide-out mount under the dash.

 

[ultrarunner]

I found the article interesting as the amount of foreign-born people was far lower than I'd have guessed.

I also found the historical numbers interesting, as there was a huge influx turn of the 1900s until the 50s, then a huge drop, then it went back up again.

When my grandparents came in, they pretty much hopped on a boat and showed up. By the time the 60s were here, our extended family had an empty house that's sole purpose was to house our relatives coming over from the old country until they could get housing of their own. As I recall, they had to have a job and sponsor lined up before they could come over. Far different than when the generation before them came over.

I think clean bill of health and a sponsor of means is the key plus preference visa granted to professions in need.

One drop off in the 50's and 60's was possible military service via the draft.

We know several that had visa in hand and did not come in the later 60's and Vietnam was the deciding factor.

 

[deserteagle71]

When my grandparents came in, they pretty much hopped on a boat and showed up. By the time the 60s were here, our extended family had an empty house that's sole purpose was to house our relatives coming over from the old country until they could get housing of their own. As I recall, they had to have a job and sponsor lined up before they could come over. Far different than when the generation before them came over.

I've never researched it so I can't speak as to the requirements to enter the USA through the years. My parents and I arrived in May of 1949. We had to have a job and a sponsor...my Dad had to work on a farm in Virginia for 3 years to pay for our passage across the Atlantic.

 

[Oaktree]

I also found the historical numbers interesting, as there was a huge influx turn of the 1900s until the 50s, then a huge drop, then it went back up again.

When my grandparents came in, they pretty much hopped on a boat and showed up.

My father's parents, and mother's grandparents were part of that influx. AFAIK, they all came here with paperwork, though from the stories my mother used to tell quite a few others of that generation's legal status was a bit shaky. At the time, the economy in my hometown was booming and employers didn't ask many questions.

 

[scootr]

My Mothers parents came over in the 20s through Ellis Island. Many were given Americanized names and all had to learn the pledge of allegiance in english and be able to recite a list of past American presidents as part of the citizenship test. Each one pledged allegiance to the US flag, one nation under God.
Ahhh, the good ole days. None of them made national news beating cops in NYC.

 

[orezok]

My Mothers parents came over in the 20s through Ellis Island. Many were given Americanized names and all had to learn the pledge of allegiance in english and be able to recite a list of past American presidents as part of the citizenship test. Each one pledged allegiance to the US flag, one nation under God.
Ahhh, the good ole days. None of them made national news beating cops in NYC.

I don’t know when they were naturalized, buy “one nation under god” was not added until 1954

My dad and much of his family came over in 1907 or 8. Several of my uncles have similar but different last names and my father does also.

 

[masseyrider]

My first new car, a 1978 Trans Am, had the CB radio option and I ordered it with a 8 track because that's what I already had at home.
Who knew?

 

[deserteagle71]

Several of my uncles have similar but different last names and my father does also.

All too common when officials were trying to change a name from a non-English speaking country into American English. They'd try to phonetically change a name into English and what they came up with was different from person to person. I still have some of my parents' immigration documents and names are spelled differently on different documents.

Myself, I had a heck of a time when I turned 65 and it was time to sign up for Medicare and Social Security. One of the questions asked to prove my identity was my mother's maiden name. But the spelling of what I wrote down (what was on my mother's naturalization certificate) and what Social Security had in their files was very different. Yet the name sounded the same when spoken. Took a bunch of correspondence, including some from the embassy in Austria, to get that cleared up.

 

[ultrarunner]

I asked my neighbor why his name is different from all of his cousins on his fathers side.

When his father arrived from China at SF Angel Island the allocation of persons with the surname Fong had been reached but there was still room for the surname Lum

This is how his family name came to be…

 

[Pixguy]

My first new car, a 1978 Trans Am, had the CB radio option and I ordered it with a 8 track because that's what I already had at home.
Who knew?

What was your CB handle?

 

[ultrarunner]

All too common when officials were trying to change a name from a non-English speaking country into American English. They'd try to phonetically change a name into English and what they came up with was different from person to person. I still have some my parents' immigration documents and names are spelled differently on different documents.

Myself, I had a heck of a time when I turned 65 and it was time to sign up for Medicare and Social Security. One of the questions asked to prove my identity was my mother's maiden name. But the spelling of what I wrote down (what was on my mother's naturalization certificate) and what Social Security had in their files was very different. Yet the name sounded the same when spoken. Took a bunch of correspondence, including some from the embassy in Austria, to get that cleared up.

Is this what I have to look forward to?

Moms spelling appears several different ways made worse by the DMV who gave her a middle initial when she never had a middle name..

For decades 2 jury notices and similar occurred… one with the DMV middle initial and one without.

 

[masseyrider]

Frogger was my handle good buddy.
I used to hop on a lot of y ladies.

 

[deserteagle71]

Is this what I have to look forward to?

Moms spelling appears several different ways made worse by the DMV who gave her a middle initial when she never had a middle name..

For decades 2 jury notices and similar occurred… one with the DMV middle initial and one without.

Yup! So you need to get that all straightened out before you apply for Social Security/Medicare.

 

[WinterDeere]

Great thread! Can't believe I just found it.

Getting old is:

1. Having to pee, while you're peeing.
2. Sitting on the toilet, and having your nuts hit the water.

And on that subject...

You know that you are old (not getting old) when you go to take a whizz and find that your zipper is already down.

I did that in grade school!