Photo Hunters: Technology
November 27, 2009 by Mrs. Mecomber
Filed under Photo Hunters
Technology is the theme this week. What shall I choose?! I could easily post dozens of photos! I’ll try to whittle it down. 
This is our electric service panel. I think more than any other discovery, the discovery and development of electricity has changed our world.
Most electricity is generated through the burning of “fossil fuels” in power plants. But could this kind of electricity generation (in the photo below) become the new standard? There are a few windmill farms near us, in Fenner, NY. Windmill farms are very controversial. They seem to create very little energy for the space they take up, and many of the “farms” are run by foreign investors who reap enormous profits and get U.S. tax money. So while I think windmills are great for small, community use, I don’t see how they are very viable on a vast, corporate level.
I took a look back in time, at technological marvels before and as electricity began to change our world.
Laundry technology of the early 1800s. From the Erie Canal Town Museum on Canastota.
Warfare technology of the 1700s. From Fort Stanwix in Rome.
Coffee grinder of the 1800s, from Erie Canal Village in Rome.
Butter churning technology of the late 1800s, from the Erie Canal Village in Rome.
Beer brewing technology, from the FX Matt Brewery in Utica. You could fit a few small cars, stacked on top of each other, into one of those huge vats.
Communication technology, from the 1960s-1980s. When I worked in radio in the late 80s, my studio looked a lot like this. The music and ads were mostly on 8-track tapes. This was before CDs! From the Children’s Museum in Utica.
Telephone technology, way back in the 1940s-50s. My, how things have changed! From the Children’s Museum in Utica.
We have come a tremendously long way with technology in the past 100 years, haven’t we?
How did your Photo Hunt go today? Leave a link in the comments.
ian on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:31 pm
necessity is indeed the mother of invention! glad to enjoy an early post this week =] hope you had a great thanksgiving =]
Mrs. Mecomber on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 6:40 pm
Hi Ian! You’re an early bird.
That’s a perfect quote for this week, isn’t it? I had a very nice and quiet Thanksgiving. I hope your weekend is wonderful!
YTSL on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 9:44 pm
In sum: technology, especially electricity, is great… but we really had better think of alternative fuels for it. Otherwise… :S
jams O'Donnell on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 5:30 am
Very true electricity has changed our lives in so many ways. For us in Britain there are moves now to create huge offshore wind farms. Still we a re far behind other European countries, like Denmark which get a significant amount of their power from windmills now
Irene on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 6:43 am
We surely cannot live without technology. Have a great weekend!
Mar on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 4:34 pm
Ahhh, great shots for the theme, we’ve come a long way and I am happy to belong to the present generation
Happy PH, mine is here
Carver on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 5:11 pm
Great choices for the theme. Happy weekend.
chubskulit on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 5:20 pm
The last one is very interesting, I have never seen one like that!
My technology share
CherryPie on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 5:27 pm
That really is a wonderful selection of technology.
Carver on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 5:33 pm
I thought I’d pop back to answer your question about where tobacco went when it left Durham, I’m not sure exactly how to answer except that American Tobacco which is the one that was in Durham was in part merged with other companies and they already had their plants other places. I think Winston Salem, NC still has a fairly large tobacco plant but in general tobacco is no longer the big business in NC that it once was.
Barbara H. on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 5:39 pm
What a great array of different kinds of technologies! I’m glad we live in the age we do.
Alice Audrey on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 6:03 pm
Good points. Electricity really does pervade modern life and differentiate it from all of human history before it.
Marta on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 6:06 pm
Nice retrospective on technology. Windmills are controversial. The ones I posted about are owned by a local energy company – although it is public so it probably has a diverse group of investors. The damage to migrating birds are what I worry about. When we visited the farm last year, it was encouraging to see them replanting many native plants.
Kim on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 7:18 pm
Wow you have a good size of electric panel, and the windmill hmm that doesn’t sound good about the US tax money. You are very right we are gone way long about our technology…by the way I like all your pictures…the one machine that does do the laundry I can’t think of myself doing that hehehe!! That is so tiring isn’t it?? ^_^
Mine is here PhotoHunt~ATM
Bull Rhino on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 7:49 pm
You sure covered the gamut on this one. Good job. Thanks for dropping by my site.
gengen on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 8:05 pm
That is cool and interesting.
Willa @ PixelMinded on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 8:15 pm
It’s amazing how technology change our life forever!!
Sparkle on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 8:30 pm
Fascinating! In my world, the biggest technological advance has been the electronic litter box. And Photoshop CS4.
Susanne on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 10:43 pm
Funny how everything is modern and advanced at one time and yet technology keeps moving them ahead. Great pics.
Sniffie and the Florida Furkids on Sat, 28th Nov 2009 10:59 pm
We wouldn’t be visiting your blog without technology!!
Sniffie and the Florida Furkids
girasoli on Sun, 29th Nov 2009 12:55 am
Great collection of technology photos! Love the coffee grinder. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my photohunt post.
Mirage on Sun, 29th Nov 2009 6:31 am
Amazing display of technology…and from all over the world! Thanks for sharing!
Sheila on Sun, 29th Nov 2009 8:01 am
Thank you for showing my ad on cmf ads, and also for commenting on my blog.
This post is so interesting – the development of technology over such a relatively short time is amazing when you think about it.
Isolated Existence. on Sun, 29th Nov 2009 8:10 am
Great post! I can’t imagine having to wash clothes in that washing machine! It would take me days
Jerry on Sun, 29th Nov 2009 8:16 am
There is no doubt that electricity has had a profound impact on our existence.
Great shots this week!
kelly on Sun, 29th Nov 2009 9:41 am
I didn’t play this week but wanted to check in with a few of my favorites! Technology sure has come a long way hasn’t it? It just amazes me sometimes. I love your old timey technology shots!
maya on Tue, 1st Dec 2009 5:45 pm
When I look at how far technology has come in the last 100 years, I can’t help but wonder what the future holds for us!