THE FOG ON THE LINE

I did some fire prevention training at home today - all part of lockdown employment - and there were some invisible sections that needed illuminating.

It so reminded me of something from childhood and all I could think of was invisible writing but I'm just foggy about what it actually was.

For some reason I have those Witch pens in my head. Were they for invisible writing? Were there other invisible writing pens?

Can anyone de-fog this?

DINKY FAB 1

To compliment my Dinky Thunderbird 2 yesterday, here's another look at some photos I took a while back showing the Dinky Fab 1.

SEVENTIES ORANGE ROCKET LAMP: COR!

 

Remember this rocket lamp?

I saw this pic online.

My Mum and Dad had one on the staircase landing. I thought it would blast-off one day!

I remember the orange plastic was a scratchy coarse material.

Did your folks have one readers?

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE 16/12 SIGNATURE 12" EAGLE TRANSPORTER

Here's a few photos of the special edition Sixteen 12 Collectables 12" Signature Eagle, limited to just 300, and all personally signed by special effects director and Eagle designer, Brian Johnson. Very much one for the completist, as it's more of an exclusive presentation item really. The Eagle Transporter is the upgraded Product Enterprise version with the hand turned aluminium engine bells, and Brian's signature across the top of the Eagle transporter module. This is displayed in the fabric lined presentation display box, which also contains a loose photo of Brian signing the modules. Fairly costly, and possibly not for everyone, but a nice addition to the collection.

I'M FIGHTING THINGS I CANNOT SEE

Back in the mid 80's there were two American female singer songwriters and a British one who just blew me away. Being stuck at home again in Lockdown, I've been remembering them.

Suzanne Vega was a slow burner really; quietish Californian singing, no great wizz-bang; acoustic, melodic and intelligent. It was 1985 and as soon as I heard Marlena on the Wall I wuz hooked. Next came Luka and she lived on the second floor! Superb lyrics and sweet vocals of metropolitan life I imagined big city Twenty somethings had. I think me and the Missus got hold of her first eponymous album on tape and maybe the second, Solitude Standing. Alas, all these tapes have gone years ago and its just the faintest of memories I have now, of Suzanne's wistful talk-song with lines like 'I'm fighting things I cannot see' breezing over us when we were a very young married student couple with a baby girl, completely broke but happy as Lamb Chops on Shari's hands.

Around the same time in Britain a new voice arose called Sade. Sade was a singer-songwriter with a band named after her. Gorgeous, stunning, regal, I was in love with Sade as many people were. Her voice was sublime and soft, like baked camembert. Her debut single Smooth Operator knocked me out and again described a big city life of  higher highs I couldn't imagine. Diamond Life continued the theme and cemented her voice as the sound of the late night metropolis. The missus and I bought the album. Yep, real vinyl. I think we still have it in the stack and I really ought to let Sade's silken breath take me away once again.

Last but by no means least came Traci Chapman in the late Eighties. Undoubtedly a genius, she was that rare thing; sincere, compelling and tapping into the Zeitgeist. When Fast Car came out me and the Missus, both flower teens of the Seventies, thought we were listening to a new Joni Mitchell, a guitar-playing minstrel for a new shaky decade. Fast Car was the opposite of Diamond Life. Broke, desperate youths wanting a way out, a sentiment we recognised , as if shot straight out of the Seventies. 'Any place is better' she sang. Yep, Traci struck a chord and her next single 'Talkin' bout a Revolution' sealed the deal. We were sold. 'Poor people gonna rise up and get their share'. We bought her first and number one LP and played it non-stop Christmas 1989, dancing round a rented house in Nefyn in our beloved Gwynedd. So long ago now, it really does 'sound like a whisper'.

Did you like any of these Eighties female singers readers or maybe some others?

DINKY THUNDERBIRD 2

A few photos of my Dinky Thunderbird 2 before I continue with my 16/12 posts later this afternoon. />

More Old TV Ads

Hi Woodsy

Here is another batch of old TV toy commercials. Some have been included in other videos, but some are new to me.

There is a set of three navy frogmen which dive and surface with the aid of baking powder, and a Lionel ad featuring an Atlas rocket with Mercury space capsule on a railway wagon - or should I say railroad car - which can be launched into space, the capsule descending by parachute.

The is also a cherry-picker, so the astronaut can reach the capsule.

Vintage Classic TV Toy Commercials #4 Great Garloo, Whirlybird, Sub-Hunt, Big Bruiser and More! - YouTube

Paul Adams from New Zealand

PANTOGRAPH: YOU CAN DRAW ANYTHING YOU LIKE!

 

Ah, the Pantograph. I used to see these advertised at the back of comics and often wondered what it would be like to draw 'anything you like'.

Not sure its a toy, I think I did once had a go. The device let you draw things bigger too.

I've not seen one for years so when I saw a bundle on an old auction I saved the image.

Have you had a go readers?