retro redux

One of the pleasant aspects of my new camera is the retro look. It looks like a real SLR, as existed in the 1970s. Although a quantum leap in terms of functionality, it has the tubular, black, pebbly look of the cameras from yesteryear. Same as a retro headset I bought--a headset only in name, because it is shaped like an old fashioned Bell telephone handset. You can cradle it under your chin, or turn it away from your face as you call across the room to another,  or place your hand over the receiver to mute it. They are sold on Amazon and have become popular. Maybe tablet pcs would do well to be designed to look like books, or like yellow legal pads.  Desktop computers might be made to look like old Zenith televisions with the rabbit ear antennaes. Or perhaps the reference to a nostalgic past might be one less distant. Small cell phones could be fitted into large, walkie talkie type holders, reminiscent of movies from the 80s, where people lugged the then portable phones and heavy batteries in large leatherette cases.

Two popular stars died recently. Both Ernest Borgnine and Andy Griffith were favorites of mine during grade school, the former on McHale's Navy and the latter on The Andy Griffith Show. Both were early morning staples, watched when a sore throat or other ailment kept you home. The Andy Griffith showed seemed to depict a very strange rural culture to me. Small town life seemed a bit scary--nobody around, with odd accents. Aunt B was very puzzling. Who was she? Andy's Aunt, a relative of his presumably dead wife. Or was he married at all. Those details were never explicitly laid out. Aunt B seemed to be preparing food all the time, and hushing people to not make a fuss. Was she supposed to be wise, or simply unaware of real life. Good question for Wikipedia. As for McHale's navy, that seemed to make more sense. Fun loving sailors making fun of their Captain Ledbottom and tossing off depth charges to submarines, and speaking of New Caledonia. Borgnine was a relative youth then, and I would have been surprised to know he was even still alive. Its sad to see him go.