3 February 1955 "Robots, Retro Dye, Cakes, Cards, and Crazy Neighbor"

Not much news here in 1955, but here are some interesting things, none-the-less:

Here is an advertisment showing a new personal movie camera format. Looks like widescreen to me.

Hubby was telling me he saw a book about robotic technology today (2009) and that the view of robots in japan are of friendlier and often heroic figures. Yet, in U.S. sci-fi etc they often are viewed as attackers/outsiders or turning against their creators. It is a funny and interesting view of our two cultures. I wonder if it is because our own young country has always had a class system in flux we? We have not had thousands of years of servant/master situations to allow us to build up an idea of a friendly and happy servant. Afterall our own country was based on upheaval and turning against those who once helped us, so perhaps we expect it of our machines? And our ideas of Freedom are often tied up with uprising and power struggle. I mean we founded our contry by leaving behind a country that told us what to do. We then were aided by a people who we helped somewhat then turned on them. We brought in people to be our slaves and they had to gain their freedom through war. So, it follows I suppose, that we just assume or friendly robot servants and soldiers will rise up against us, I mean we did it, right?

I thought this was in interesting view of robots from the UK. This is from a 1953 magazine showing yoy how to build this friendly turtle robot that apparently entertains your child. Good thing it isn't an American Robot Turtle, or it might turn on poor little sally there.

Robby the robot from Forbidden Planet, one of my favorite scifi movies, though it does not come out until 1956.

It seems even aliens are out to get us, as seen in the 1950 movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still" Also quite good and meant to be one of the early classics of the genre. Although in this case (and perhaps in the case of the robots) we do have to realize the horror of WWII. Outsiders coming onto your soil to destroy you was not that far fetched. The artwork from the Science Fiction world is all quite interesting and rather telling. It certainly, in a more representational way, shows the country and the worlds fears in Post War times. The 'High Art' was doing similiar things in its very abstraction. The denial and upheaval of old ways. A distrust of what had been. But, I digress...

Today I recieved these little darlings in the mail (thanks ebay). This will coincide with my sewing/dress making. I want to get some good sturdy white cotton for dresses and dye the fabric. I can't imagaine a more vintage finished product. They will definitely be Authenitc colors. I was excited, too, by the colors, my favorites Blue and Browns. I will post before and after results of the fabric and of course the eventual dresses made from them. Perhaps I will use some of the left over fabric for curtain ties or pillow accents in one of the room redecorating. If it works out, I will hunt out more of these. It is wonderful how ebay is really a sort of time-machine department store. And think of all the lovely things that would have ended up in landfills can now grace the shelves of such crazy people as myself! Don't you love the graphics? In 1955 money the .20 cent box would have cost $1.57. That is cheaper than the RIT I can still buy at my local grocery store. Again, cheap clothes at Old Navy have made making clothes not as cheap, but in so doing have made generations of people skill-less and helped China to continue to be horrors to their own people. But, I won't get into politics, not now anyway.

Here is another 'new' treat I just received from a friend. It was sitting idle on her shelf, but I can tell you this little book will get a good going over by me! I think I am going to attempt to bake every one of the cakes in this book (it is like a little 40 page pamphlet). This will be the first one and this Sundays cake. Doesn't it look scrumptious!

I found this wonderful old anniversary card that I just adore and had to share with you. When I first looked at it I thought how appropriate to my year! I love that her 'crazy new dish' she tries out is some odd vegetable medly. I know I definitely might sometimes seem like that sad little woman with the yellow dress, though it is less complaining and more "Guess what I did today? I ironed all your shirts!" Of course the novelty has not yet worn off. My hats have certainly never cost $50.00 ( or actually $392.00), but the sweet sentiment at the end definitely tugged at my housewife heart strings.

One last thing I found of interest today in one of my old cookbooks was this entry. It was bittersweet. I am not sure what it is like where any of you live, but around here, neighbors do not drop by and welcome the newcomer. This concept, in fact, seems so foreign to me it might as well be a recipe for prune whip to take on the next Lunar Landing.

However, we have a new house going up on some land sold one house over from us. We have been watching its progress for the past months and when I saw this it hit me. WHY NOT? What is stopping me from throwing together a cake or a casserole and 'popping by'?

I can see it now: There I am tottering up the bumby unfinished drive in my heels. My full skirt swinging with the effort of my casserole dish. My hat, gloves and fur trimmed coat, bright as a new penny. Hair done and lipsticked. What would I look? Who can know? Do any of you think I should give it a try? It could be high summer before it is liveable and anyone has moved in so I could even invite them to a barbque. If you had just built a new house in a neighborhood and this nutcase carrying a casserole in heels and full skirt showed up, would you talk to her? Would you even answer the door, or hide behind the sofa wondering if you had moved into a bad episode of the Twilight Zone?