How far we've come

[dontpanicbobby]

That makes perfect sense luni.
Thanks for checking.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I just went off of figures that were reported to Social Security for that year. In 1952 my father was a newly ordained minister and was assigned to a small congregation in Pasadena, CA. I doubt he cleared more than $30/wk.

I wasn't born yet, but when I was, I grew up in Pasadena and then next door, where I'm back now, in Arcadia. I doubt your dad and I crossed paths, as I attended St Gregory Armenian church in Pasadena.

Small world.

 

[lunatic59]

He was a Presbyterian minister fresh out of Princeton Theological Seminary. When my mother became pregnant with my older brother, they moved back east to be closer to family.

Pasadena wasn't a huge metropolis in the 50's. My parents could have easily run into yours.

 

[MoodyBlues]

He was a Presbyterian minister fresh out of Princeton Theological Seminary. When my mother became pregnant with my older brother, they moved back east to be closer to family.

Pasadena wasn't a huge metropolis in the 50's.

It still really isn't; I think its population is ≈100,000. BUT, they've built up certain areas, like Old Town Pasadena, much of Colorado Blvd (the street the Rose Parade takes), South Lake Ave, and so on. This has resulted in nightmarish traffic in those areas. Traffic normally doesn't bother me, but there's something about the bumper-to-bumper, stop-and-go traffic on Colorado that makes me find alternate routes.

My parents could have easily run into yours.

Indeed. Or my grandparents, who owned and operated a dry cleaning store, and owned residential and commercial rental properties throughout Pasadena.

Wouldn't it be cool if we [somehow] tracked down that your parents took their cleaning to my grandparents' shop, or rented one of their properties?

How long were they there?

 

[lunatic59]

How long were they there?

They went out in '52 and left in '56.

 

[MoodyBlues]

They went out in '52 and left in '56.

Yep, definitely could've run into my family.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Now I know why I was always in a ward when I was a litte kid with an earache. Mom made .25 USD plucking chickens. Dads Merchant Marine Family Insurance payed for the rest.
A loaf of bread cost .5 USD back then.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Now I know why I was always in a ward when I was a litte kid with an earache. Mom made .25 USD plucking chickens. Dads Merchant Marine Family Insurance payed for the rest.
A loaf of bread cost .5 USD back then.

$0.05 for a loaf of bread? Are you sure? I remember a family story in which my grandfather paid $0.03 per loaf--back in the early '20s. You're...you're not...how the hell old are you?!

 

[Deleted User]

And this was state of the art video gaming in 1972

 

[lunatic59]

And this was state of the art video gaming in 1972

View attachment 140602

We had to pay a quarter to play pong in the arcade. Nobody (I knew) had a "gaming console" in their house in '72.

 

[Deleted User]

We had to pay a quarter to play pong in the arcade. Nobody (I knew) had a "gaming console" in their house in '72.

True. First games console we got must have been around 1980, and it was an Acetronic

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1292_Advanced_Programmable_Video_System

Looking at that brings back some very fond memories.

 

[GameTheory]

Anybody had a Neo Geo?

I had just about every console from the Atari up to the PS3, but never got my hands on a Neo Geo. This thing was the Rolls Royce of consoles with a price to match. In 1993 my local electronics store had it for $800 which is about $1400 today and games $150.

At the time it had the best graphics of any console. Today we have smart phones with better graphics.

 

[Deleted User]

Anybody had a Neo Geo?

I had just about every console from the Atari up to the PS3, but never got my hands on a Neo Geo. This thing was the Rolls Royce of consoles with a price to match. In 1993 my local electronics store had it for $800 which is about $1400 today and games $150.

At the time it had the best graphics of any console. Today we have smart phones with better graphics.

We couldn't afford the Neo Geo. I was insanely jealous of the kids who had one.

 

[GameTheory]

We couldn't afford the Neo Geo. I was insanely jealous of the kids who had one.

I think that ridiculous price tag was why it didn't have a long run. I didn't even meet anyone that had one.

I could say I got to play it at the arcade since the console had 1:1 graphics with the arcade system(its selling point). I think Double Dragon was one of the games.

edit:
Maybe also Streets of Rage

 

[Deleted User]

I didn't even meet anyone that had one.

Lol! If I'm perfectly honest, neither did I. There was a rumour of someone in the neighbouring town owning one, but I don't think anyone ever saw it.
The best us peasants could hope for was a ZX Spectrum (aka 'the skateboard')

 

[lunatic59]

I never heard of the Neo Geo. I had to look it up. It debuted in the US in 1990 for $650. In 1990 we had a newborn baby and a fixer-upper house. No way would I have been able to own one.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Sega was less expensive in the 1990's and stated they would update their consoles.
They didnt.
I saw a flip phone with two screens instead of a screen and a dialpad.
I can not find it anymore.
Anybody got a link/pic?

 

[Shotgun84]

I came across this hospital rate card from the 50's (a little before I was born).

View attachment 140098

Not counting the doctor's fee, the hospital charged around $200* to have a baby, provided there were no complications.

*In those days, they kept you for a few nights before discharging the mom.

60 years later ...

View attachment 140100

Sorry if it's too soon to be saying this but I'm pretty sure the price over here hasn't gone up from nothing since the 50's. Damn you independence Sorry really wasn't taking the piss, it just boggles my mind that you've got to pay so much for basic healthcare when an extra $ or 2 out of everyone's weekly wages would cover the lot