Thursday, 30 June 2011

Object: Five pence pieces

Reason's why I think Five pence pieces are good.

- There super tiny, and can fit anywhere!
- They are often found behind settees
- They fit in a Southern comfort botte perfectly.
- It's the first coin in a purse actually worth something. Coppers are NOTHING!
- I've swallowed one before, and it didn't mess me up.
- Five pence sweets!
- My train ticket is £2.05. I always, always need 5p.
- Perfect launching material

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Facts about five pence pieces:

-  First issued on 23 April 1968 in preparation for the 1971 decimalisation of the currency
The 5p coin is minted from an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel
Three different obverses have been used so far: from 1968 to 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin; from 1985 to 1997 the head by Raphael Maklouf; and since 1998 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley. In all cases, the inscription isELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D. followed by the date.
As of 31 March 2010, there were an estimated total 3,774 million 5p coins in circulation
- Mass 3.25 g
- Diameter 18 mm
- Thickness 1.7mm
The original reverse of the coin, designed by Christopher Ironside, is a crowned thistle

Images of five pence piece:

New design for 2010 onwards



Common five pence design



The five pence coin was introduced in Ireland on Decimal Day, February 15, 1971 and reused the design on the shilling coinproduced for the Irish Free State in 1928. Some shilling coins remained in circulation until the early 1990s, with the same nominal value as the five pence coin.



Jersey five pence piece


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Words relating to five pence

- Currency
- Silver
- Sweets
- Saving
- Small
- Paying
-Queen
- Crown
- Cash
- Money
- Cost




Opinions in regard to five pence
On yahoo answers:


"I have a new english five pence piece which has been imprinted incorrectly is this worth anything?"

Answers:
- "It will depend on how many coins like it are in circulation , there could be thousands of them .If you have the only one or you think you have, it may be worth ask this question on some of the coin collectors forums , for a definitive answer"

On yahoo answers:

"How much is five pence in dollars(U.S.)?"

Answers:
Five pence equals eight U.S. cents.

On yahoo answers:

"How many five pence pieces can you fit in a Dimple Haig whisky bottle?"

Answers:
- "Before decimal, a dimple held £40 in sixpences. For the benefit of our younger readers, a sixpennny coin was worth 2 and a half pence. As 5p coins are slightly smaller, I would say about £90, so thats 1800."
- "12,567. my mate works at a bank and he fitted that amount in a whiskey bottle."

Wednesday, 29 June 2011

Object: Typewriter

Facts about typewriters:

- Its a mechanical device
- Its a printing method and form
- It was invented in 1870
- By the 1980's personal computers displaced typewriters
- Several inventors created the item; not just one
- The electric typewriter was invented by Thomas Edison in 1870
-  In the mid 20th century lessons were given on correction standards
- An erasing method could be used when a mistake was made
- In the 1950's - 60's correction fluid became the popular method of correction
-  In 1874 Sholes and Glidden developed the 'QUERTY'  layout for the keys
- The typewriters which survived into the computer era, the keys used computer jargon
- When the typewriter first became available, women were the most common to use it, so many were decroated with flowers.
Ernest Hemingway used to write his books standing up in front of a Royal typewriter suitably placed on a tall bookshelf. This typewriter, still on its bookshelf, is kept in Finca Vigia, Hemingway's Havana house (now a museum) where he lived until 1960, the year before his death
The word "typewriter" is often cited as the longest English word that can be typed using only one row of keys of a QWERTY keyboard. This is untrue, since "rupturewort" (a kind of flowering plant) has 11 letters, while "typewriter" has only 10.

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Opinions / quotes in regard to typewriters:

Marcus Glenn, "Live by the typewriter, die by the typewriter!
"a machine he called the 'Soft Typewriter' was writing our lives, and our books, into existence," - William S. Burroughs
- 'A typewriter is a means of transcribing thought, not expressing it.' - Marshall McLuhan 
- "I had a TV set and a typewriter and that made me think a computer should be laid out like a typewriter with a video screen." - Steve Wozniak 
- " No one uses a ribbon typewriter any more, but your final draft is not the time to try to wring a few more sheets out of your inkjet cartridge." - Lynn Abbey 
- "When a reporter sits down at the typewriter, he's nobody's friend."  - Theodore White 
-  On Yahoo Answers: 
'How do I buy a typewriter? I want to get my first typewriter. Can someone tell me from experience: the difference between electronic and manual typewriters; what model was most dynamic or comfortable for you to use; what is your favourite typewriter; where to buy a typewriter (online and stores); and your experiences with a typewriter? I want to know what to look for."
Answers:
- "You can get nice used typewriters at thrift stores pretty cheaply. The problem is...and why they're at the thrift stores..is that it's increasingly difficult to get typewriter ribbons for them. We liked our little typewriter but finally had to send it off because we couldn't get replacement ribbons anywhere. Obsolete"
- " Lot of used ones available on ebay. Royal was one of the best manual typewriters on the market."
- " if they are still ou there try a brother word processor , can be switched to either a word processor or a manual typewriter"
- " Find one that feels good. A typewriter should be ergonomically correct. Typewriters are not cars. It's tough to go wrong. Either they type, or they don't. If they don't, they're probably not for sale. It's more of using your "consumer's common sense" or CCS."

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Images of Typewriters:

Sholes & Glidden Type Writer, which began production in late 1873 and appeared on the American market in 1874

This Caligraph has a "full" keyboard -- separate keys for lower- and upper-case letters.


The Hammond prints from a type shuttle -- a C-shaped piece of vulcanized rubber. The shuttle can easily be exchanged when you want to use a different typeface. There is no cylindrical platen as on typebar typewriters; the paper is hit against the shuttle by a hammer. 

Other machines typing from a single type element rather than typebars included the gorgeous Crandall (1881)

.. and the practical Blickensderfer.



The most popular model of early Underwoods, the #5, is still to be found everywhere.

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Words relating to typewriters:

- Keys
- Paper
- Mechanical
- Ink
- Old
- Heavy
- Press
- Punching
- QUERTY
- Writing Machine
- Type
- Keyboard
- Printed
- Paper
- Letterpress
- Metal



Thursday, 23 June 2011

Bit of planning

Brainstorm each category - Why I feel it is good.
Find ten I wish to research further
Get out and about getting primary research.
Visit places which relate and could give me some deeper information.


Each week research one of the ten objects/places/activities/opinions
Any activities do..and write about how it makes me feel etc

20 Concepts

20 Concepts:

- Marmite
- Cheese
- Slipper Socks
- Candles
- Time
- Laces
- Feather Duvets!
- de-fluffers
- Celotape
- Butternut squash soup
- Ham and tomoto ketchup sandwiches 
- Dry Shampoo
- Shower Mats
- Wet Wipes

20 Opinions

20 Opinions


- Acoustic music is the best there is.
- Ginger is the new blonde.
- Learning from your parents mistakes is the best parenting advice there is.
- 8 Hours sleep is the best amount to have!
- Rain IS depressing
- Facial fuzz is hot
- Sometimes the simplest idea is the best
- Wet dog is NOT a pleasant smell.
- Never have carpet in a bathroom.
- Don't wear slippers on the stairs, it's an accident waiting to happen.
- The French accent is the best :)
- Hang around bins, and you'll attract dirt.