Chippewa Falls Museum of Industry and Technology

[cpaharley2008]

I still have the first Macintosh computer from the 80's......

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

Cool! I recently discovered my mom's old Electrolux vacuum in my attic. I remember it from when I was a kid. I haven't tried it out yet to see if it works.

Unlike a vintage milkshake maker or vacuum cleaner, the supercomputers became worthless after only a few years due to technological progress. The Cray 2, the small round machine with clear sides in the first photo cost $25 million new, but in just a few years it was obsolete. These machines were really expensive to run; they used a lot of electricity. So newer machines from Cray and others were so much faster that it was more cost-effective to replace the old one after a few years, expensive as it was to purchase.

I'd bet the vaccum will need a new belt. They degrade after a couple of years.


I hung onto my first cellular 'bag' phone from the 1980s, hoping it would become a collector's item. Alas, too many people had the same idea.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

Cool! I recently discovered my mom's old Electrolux vacuum in my attic. I remember it from when I was a kid. I haven't tried it out yet to see if it works.

Unlike a vintage milkshake maker or vacuum cleaner, the supercomputers became worthless after only a few years due to technological progress. The Cray 2, the small round machine with clear sides in the first photo cost $25 million new, but in just a few years it was obsolete. These machines were really expensive to run; they used a lot of electricity. So newer machines from Cray and others were so much faster that it was more cost-effective to replace the old one after a few years, expensive as it was to purchase.

Ota Pavel was a Czech author who wrote an obscure book dealing with the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia and his efforts to feed himself and his family. His father was an Electrolux vacuum salesman and the book “ How I came to know fish” details his and his father’s exploits. It is funny, sad, revealing and many other things that made me understand my Czech Heritage better than I ever thought I would.
Iowa Dave

[thoer]

The American Computer & Robotics Museum in Bozeman, MT is well worth a visit too if you're in the area.

[steve dunham]

Iowa Dave since you are Czech do you know anyone or any place that sell jaternice
I’ve looked all over Wisconsin for it but most butcher shops never heard of it and think I am making it up especially when I spell the name .

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Iowa Dave since you are Czech do you know anyone or any place that sell jaternice
I’ve looked all over Wisconsin for it but most butcher shops never heard of it and think I am making it up especially when I spell the name .

Jaternice, ( Yee thir nit zee)is available from polasheks locker in Protivin Iowa which is a few miles east of Spillville. They are selling some of their products in Fareway stores. I would call them and see if they can tell you what stores are carrying their products. Dubuque might be a big enough market that if they have a Fareway store there, they might have it. We used to get it from Polenas in Cedar Rapids but they closed after they were flooded in 08. Jelitha (blood and barley) used to be a staple too as I was growing up along with souse, which is called head cheese by many. Let me know if you can’t find it, I’ll do more research. Ruzicka’s locker in Solon might know too.
Iowa Dave

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Jaternice, ( Yee thir nit zee)is available from polasheks locker in Protivin Iowa which is a few miles east of Spillville. They are selling some of their products in Fareway stores. I would call them and see if they can tell you what stores are carrying their products. Dubuque might be a big enough market that if they have a Fareway store there, they might have it. We used to get it from Polenas in Cedar Rapids but they closed after they were flooded in 08. Jelitha (blood and barley) used to be a staple too as I was growing up along with souse, which is called head cheese by many. Let me know if you can’t find it, I’ll do more research. Ruzicka’s locker in Solon might know too.
Iowa Dave

Back in the 50’s my grandmother made blood sausage and head cheese every fall when they butchered hogs . I loved it when I was a kid probably cause I didn’t know any better
The head cheese you get now days doesn’t look or taste anything like my grandma’s

[Mike G]

My mother's parents were Slovak. Does that make us neighbors?

Never heard of the food items you mention, though. Wow. I think people were poor and prepared what they could out of what they had, and their kids developed a taste for it. LOL

[Iowa Dave]

Yup we are neighbors and probably related. My Grandparents were both from Bohemia and born in the later part of the 1800s. My mom taught school in a one room schoolhouse starting in 1937 and first order of business was to teach the new students English. Which, since she spoke Czech was a lot easier than not. When the Germans invaded Czechoslovakia there was considerable animosity where she taught to the degree that the school boards got together and made some schools for German kids and some for the Czechs. Less fighting more learning. If you come to Visit me, we can go to the National Czech and Slovak museum and library in Cedar Rapids. At the library we can see the book. Ok, mean takeoff on an old joke. Then we will have a seven course dinner. Six pack and a Czech dumpling. Rimshot please. Have a great day and always honor your ancestors wherever they were from, you have it better than they did. I think, but not always sure these days.
Iowa Dave

[MyronL]

Man, I always-always have loved blood sausage. But we called it "Kishka."

[Mike G]

I just might have to come and see der book, and see der rapids! Maybe I can bring the Kolach for dessert.

[Iowa Dave]

I have few regrets but one thing I messed up on happened about 25 years ago. I was at a
gun show and a fellow had a souvenir commemorative coin from the 1920s that was from a fraternal convention held in Cedar Rapids. It showed a couple guys pointing at two rabbits and was inscribed See Der Rabbits with a date and then name of the convention. He only wanted a few bucks for it and I passed it up. Shouldn’t have done that. The Kolach festival at St Ludmillas Church draws thousands each June and they sell about a bazillion dozen kolaches. My mom was and my wife is an excellent kolach baker. I’m a cherry, or rhubarb man. My brother is a poppyseed fanatic. Let me know when you’re coming, we will go to Sykoras and get some kolaches and rolliky.
Iowa Dave



G

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by thoer

The American Computer & Robotics Museum in Bozeman, MT is well worth a visit too if you're in the area.

A friend of mine just told me about this. I flew in and out of Bozeman several years ago on a trip to Yellowstone NP. Too bad I didn't know about the museum then.


On my trip back to the Bozeman airport I passed through Livingston, memorialized in Jimmy Buffett's song "Livingston Saturday Night." When I was there I realized that it was indeed Saturday night, and my payday had been the day before. Nothing happened.

[Mike Lewis]

Ever notice how many threads on this forum devolve into discussions about food? Not that I'm complaining-- it's very educational.

I have to say, though: Wisconsin is not for the lactose intolerant. Nosireebub.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I have to say, though: Wisconsin is not for the lactose intolerant. Nosireebub.

Nope, but their cheese, ahhh.. Heavenly. Had a well aged sharp cheddar at a shop somewhere outside of Madison that I still remember fondly. Better than Cheddar England, and I've had it there too.