Danny's Doting(s)

When the fastest ocean liner the world has ever known is about to be decapitated and sunk something needs to be done! Think about it: The entire goal of an ocean liner was to cross the Atlantic (or to a lesser degree, the Pacific) in the shortest time possible. Luxury was a secondary matter. Notice how so many stories of ocean liner travel involved business magnates, politicians, or famous actors or authors. Ocean liners were the only vehicle of international businessmen. As there was no wireless communication at first, they could not conduct or manage important business while at sea, so getting them to and from land masses as fast as possible was of critical importance. Those businessmen built nations and industries. Besides that, being at the mercy of the sea was no picnic. The sooner it was over the better. That went for wealthy businessmen and poor immigrants looking for a better life abroad alike. Greater and greater vessels of higher and higher endurance and speed were built by a...

 I had a passion for audio equipment when I was a kid. It started for me, I guess, with my sister's Sears stereo. I decided I wanted one when she moved out and I couldn't use hers anymore. Dad let me choose mine, and I did. It was from Sears like my sisters. It was a cool looking little cube, about thirteen inches a side, consisting of an integrated amp/tuner/cassette deck, with a Matrix stereo enhancer feature. We bought the optional BSR turntable to go with it, and the matching rolling wooden stand rounded out the package handsomely, if I did say so myself. It housed the main unit on top at one end, and the turntable at the other, and the speakers sat below with album storage space between them. The main system was $189.00, I think, plus the turntable and stand, for around $329.00, total. Well, the cassette deck quit working in very short order, so we took it back, but kept the optional turntable and the stand. I had my covetous young eye on the  Realistic  SA-500 amp a...