Joiner's Musings

Panasonic G6 with 45-175mm zoom On my last holiday trips outside this country I was surprised to see so many people using cell phones to take photos. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, the world of technology is changing and changing very rapidly. I was also equally surprised to see so few people using cameras and most of what I saw were larger DSLRs (I am a mirrorless user myself). Some were even using their iPad which in and of itself is rather amusing to watch. Cell phones have virtually hosed the lower digital camera market and must be a blow to the bottom line of camera companies who saw much of their profit in these small entry level cameras go out the window in recent years. So, along comes the cell phone, the new Kodak Instamatic.  If you are into a phone contract as most people are you might as well take advantage of as many features of the phone as you can and that includes taking photos and immediately posting them for all the world to see. Cell phones have o...

Ingersoll-Waterbury mantel clock  I picked up this Ingersoll-Waterbury two-train mantel clock this week The seller probably did not pay much for it, nor did I. The clock says that it was made in Canada but as is typical of clocks sold in Canada before and during the Second World War the movements were made in the US, assembled and shipped to Canada to be installed in cases that were sold as "made in Canada". This, I presume, was to avoid import tariff's. Other clock companies like Seth Thomas did exactly that. As far as I know from my research, the only clock company that made the movements and built their own cases was Arthur Pequegnat. It is no wonder that Pequegnat clocks command much higher prices today. A similar two train Arthur Pequegnat mantel clock would typically sell for about $450.00CDN. Two train movement, time and strike with coiled gong  Back to the Ingersoll-Waterbury mantel clock. It was built in 1943 (the movement was probably made before 1941...

News Sand  News stands. They are everywhere and seem to be busy all the time. I used to see these in old movies and wondered if they are still around and yes, they are....everywhere in the city. Architecture   Architecture. Look up and you will find many classical buildings. A lost art at a time when the designer really thought about the building and its place in the city. Too bad many of these stately buildings are being razed to make way for ever taller condos.. Parking Manhattan style   Parking. Certainly at a premium and that means finding ingenious ways to stuff as many cars as possible in the least amount of space. Wonder how long it would take to get my car if it was parked at the top. Oculus   The Oculus. At first I thought, what the heck is it? A bird, a statue, a jumble of metal? No, it's a train station and I'll bet it costs a pretty penny to build. Trendy cafe   Cafes. They are everywhere. We wanted to sit down and have a c...

Hotel Bellclaire A market just around the corner on Broadway We stayed at the Hotel Belleclaire near 77th Street and Broadway during our Easter weekend getaway.  It is a cozy boutique style hotel with smallish but comfortable rooms. It is well situated near a subway station and a great jumping off point to just about anywhere in the city.  If you preferred not to venture into the downtown area you could shop to your hearts content in the immediate area as well as take walks in Central Park, just three blocks from where we stayed in this Upper West Side hotel. Main lobby of the Empire State Building  One of my personal favorite stops was the Empire State Building. Waiting time was less than 20 minutes and the trip to the 80, then the 86th floor was no more than a few minutes. A great way to see grand vistas of the city. The rain that day did not dampen our spirits but made for so-so photography. Apparently the new World Trade Center will have an observ...

Alfa Romeo Spyder  My wife and I attended the New York International Auto show in April 2015 during our trip to New York City. It was indeed a thrill. It is the largest auto show I have ever attended and it did not disappoint. The Javits Centre, where it was held, is a huge complex allowing for many manufactures to displays their latest cars. It was impossible to see all the cars that were there so we focused on just a few manufacturers, cars that particularly appealed to me. One minor disappointment. Where was Tesla? The first photo is of an Alfa Romeo Spyder. I love the lines of that car. Simple, purposeful and obviously built for precise handling on a winding road. The photo only hints as it's true beauty. Acura NSX Here is the Acura NSX. The profile looks great but the front and rear of the car are just too busy almost as if the designers had a fight and couldn't agree. I'll bet it handles like a dream. Acura NSX  The NSX front is just too angular with...