WE’RE OFF TO HEAR THE WIZARD
To those of you who may think the fourth word of the above title is a misprint, I hasten to tell you that we’re not off to SEE the Wizard of Oz , but to HEAR the Wizard of Menlo Park (as Thomas Alva Edison was known) speaking the first words he recorded:
Many of us have seen photos of the famous inventor when he was old. Here he is at age 31:
https://www.onthisday.com/photos/thomas-edisons-phonograph
Note that in the “Photo Info” several paragraphs below the photo, the location is given as Menlo Park, California. I believe it should be Menlo Park, New Jersey. There is a Menlo Park, CA, which, surprisingly, was founded before the New Jersey town, which was named after the California town, which happens to be the headquarters of Facebook, which is located at 1 HACKER WAY, Menlo Park, CA. Just for the record….would I kid you?
Seriously, why am I publishing this post on this day?
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/December/Edison-Successfully-Tests-Phonograph.html
Would you care for a demonstration?
I leave you with this famous Edison quote: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” So stock up on deodorant and don’t give up, or you’ll be foiled again.
The Observation Post 
obbverse 12:21 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
He must’ve sweated himself into a lather. Dripping with inspiration?
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mistermuse 1:27 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Here’s another Edison quote which suggests that he sweated himself into what one might gather was rather a lather: “I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
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Garfield Hug 12:31 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Thanks for a good share Mistermuse! Happy weekend to you.
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mistermuse 1:28 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Thank you, G H, and same to you (and Garfield).
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obbverse 1:29 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
I rather like the lather wordplay,A Mused…
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calmkate 2:37 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
farcebook in hacker way …. now I’ve heard it all!
Thanks for expanding my education 🙂
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mistermuse 10:34 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
I had the same reaction to 1 HACKER WAY, but upon reflection, I think that the head of Facebook had a sense of humor and chose that address deliberately.
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calmkate 5:39 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink
yes you may be right 🙂
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Ashley 9:25 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
What a great picture of the young man. Love the suit!
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mistermuse 10:37 am on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
I agree, Ashley. How different Edison looked as a young man. On the other hand, I look the same as I did 50 years ago (I wish).
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tubularsock 1:33 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
mistermuse, what an interesting bit of information. Tubularsock immediately went to the kitchen drawer and pulled the tin foil out of it’s box and screamed at it. Nothing.
So then Tubularsock walked backwards to the drawer and repeated the experiment. Nothing.
But from this experience Tubularsock had not failed because on the third attempt Tubularsock fabricated a great Tin Foil Hat!
Now when Tubularsock stands on the street corner and yells it all seems to fit.
Great post.
Cheers.
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mistermuse 4:51 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Well done….and, this time of year, you probably even didn’t need any deodorant.
BTW, if I thought he’d wear it, I’d suggest that you send that tin foil hat to Trump so we wouldn’t have to see his stupid hair.
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Rivergirl 2:52 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Isn’t there a new movie about the war between Edison and Tesla? Fascinating part of technology’s history…
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mistermuse 4:56 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
I’ve read about the “war” between Edison and Tesla, but not about the new movie. Sounds like it would be very interesting….maybe even electric (sorry, I couldn’t resist).
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Eliza 3:41 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
I haven’t seen you around in ages!
Love, light and glitter
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mistermuse 5:02 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Actually, I published more than my usual number of posts last month, but this month, I’ll probably be back to once a week or so. In any case, always glad to have you stop by. Take care.
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Eliza 5:05 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink
I wasn’t around much the past month… only checked periodically… I’ll have to go back and check them out
Love, light and glitter
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Rosaliene Bacchus 6:43 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Interesting post. What we take for granted today is built upon Edison’s pioneering ingenuity.
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mistermuse 6:54 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Absolutely. Any one of his inventions would’ve been a major achievement. He had many.
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Elizabeth 6:48 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
Made me remember a great visit we made a couple of years ago to Alexander Graham Bell’s home in Nova Scotia. The museum there shows he was nearly as prolific and varied in his endeavors as Edison.
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mistermuse 6:57 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink |
I also was fortunate enough to have been to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum years ago. I’ve never been to a better museum.
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Elizabeth 7:32 pm on December 8, 2019 Permalink
It was an amazing place. We just happened to drop in and then stayed for so long we even ate lunch there.
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masercot 1:49 pm on December 8, 2019 Permalink |
Edison, Tesla and Bell were smart enough to take advantage of the new technology of electronics…
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magickmermaid 2:11 pm on December 9, 2019 Permalink |
“I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” I repeat this quote often! 🙂
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Ultra 5:39 pm on December 9, 2019 Permalink |
Great minds will always fascinate and bewilder the average person. These 10,000 ways will always arouse admiration that so much work needs to be done to make this one invention succeed.
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mistermuse 6:54 pm on December 9, 2019 Permalink |
True. On the other hand, Edison didn’t like jazz, which only goes to show that genius in one field doesn’t necessarily convey an appreciation of genius (or of A genius) in another field (his Edison Records produced hundreds of recordings during the “Jazz Age” after WW I, none of which were jazz).
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mesabele 4:45 am on December 11, 2019 Permalink |
Maravilla.
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mistermuse 12:11 pm on December 11, 2019 Permalink |
Gracias.
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mesabele 7:21 pm on December 12, 2019 Permalink
https://desasosiegos.home.blog/
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Silver Screenings 6:57 pm on December 22, 2019 Permalink |
I always forget what a remarkable achievement that was, recorded sound, because I take it too much for granted.
Also, that Thomas Edison was quite a dish when he was young, no?
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mistermuse 12:47 am on December 23, 2019 Permalink |
Just like me at that age, SS — just like me (ha ha).
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