I have many examples to prove that “Older was Better” but I am not going to talk about computers, cameras, I pods, cell phones, fax machines, printers nor stereo systems because I don’t have a chance to prove this point. But I guess I can on a few topics. Take a look at some latest technology with electric meters and paraphernalia. You need to have a metal box with 2 or 4 slots for the meters. This is fitted with a special pipe and PVC weather heads, through which special coded wires are run that will be connected to the main line on the pole. After your meter, you must run another line to heavy duty power circuit breaker which are to be used once only in an emergency. (The kids also have fun disconnecting you and running away. Finally from the circuit breaker you can come out with the feeder line to your premises. The cost of the meter box is $1,600 and the breaker $200. Then electrician fees will be 5 to 8 hundred dollars. Lamentably the life span of these special supposedly safe features is only about 4 years. When it corrodes and is useless you must pay all over again.
On the other hand, twenty five years ago the electric company which was government run, ran one thick line from the pole to the wall of your house and directly connected these rectangular meters. Up to this point it was free. From the meter your electrician took over to connect the meter to a fuse box and then the wiring of the house. And here is the point. The old system with no special boxes and weather heads etc. could last 25 years or more or outlived the life span of the house itself. Nothing fancy but good, safe, inexpensive and reliable.
Here is another one. Twenty five years ago we could get several channels of Cable Television with one huge dish and it kept good reception even during a thunderstorm or an approaching hurricane. Today we have so many excellent channels but one thunderstorm and at times only a shower and you lose reception of that particular channel you are enjoying. Not a criticism of the company’s excellent service, but of today’s technology compared to yesterday.
And one final example with our modern radios. Why is it that today we can only tune in to a local station, one national station, and perhaps Chetumal if it is in the air? With the radios of yester years and mostly on A.M. frequency we could tune in to Havana Cuba, Grand Cayman, several Honduras and El Salvador Stations, and, listen to this…Harlingen Texas Radio Station. All you needed was to run a wire up a tall bamboo pole (your antenna) and you could be connected half way around the world.
The point is proven, right? There were many things of old that were stronger twenty five years ago, including people, I guess.
– by Angel Nuñez, Columnist
