This is an advertisement film for Robotron typewriters. Made in East Germany. The look and feel of these ads is like something out of James Bond.
Spring and JVC’s Photo Advice
posted Apr 7, 2025 by Tom Fasano
Shot of the snow on the mountains from the back parking lot of a grocery store.
Sandy inserting herself into the ceramic display
More of the show
Local side yard art I discovered on my daily walk
What’s left of the foundation of a former aviation museum
Beautiful African Iris along sidewalk
Tale of the Tape
posted Feb 28, 2025 by Tom Fasano
So, yes, here is the tape rolled across my driveway. And, Yes, my yard needs some cleaning up after a few rare winter storms in my neck of the woods.
The poem unspooled from the Phomeme thermal printer like an EKG readout of a dying dream, line after heat-sensitive line, until the machine itself whispered the inevitable: a spectral blue strip, the color of an old lover’s veins. That was the ending, foretold by the medium itself — an apocalyptic omen baked into the banal mechanics of a cash register’s entrails.
And then my wife (Sandy) and I did what any two prophets of the mundane would do: we took that serpentine scripture, my holy writ of impulse and thermal imprints, and unfurled it in a madcap relay, watching it slither across the driveway like a tape measure of fleeting genius. It was a ticker-tape parade for two, a celebration of nothing and everything, as the wind attempted to edit my masterpiece, scattering syllables like the last words of the dying.
I used a plastic bucket to catch it as it emerged from my Phomeme thermal printer.
LA County Type-In
posted Feb 21, 2025 by Tom Fasano
I’m in the process or securing the use of the Claremont, CA, Helen Renwick Library to hold a type-in this May. For those who’ve done this sort of thing, organized them, etc., I have a few questions.
The library wants a $60 fee as well as proof of 1,000,000 liability insurance, which can be purchased for one day.
Are these fees usual for such an event? Would I be better off finding another site?
The facilities there are excellent. But I’ve never organized a type-in before (actually I’ve never attended one) and want to get some input from the Typosphere before I pull the trigger on the deal.
Surviving My America
posted Jan 25, 2025 by Tom Fasano
I typed this post on a Montgomery Ward Signature 440T typewriter, similar to the one owned by the Unabomber
Bob Dylan’s Typewritten Draft Sells for $500,000
posted Jan 22, 2025 by Tom Fasano
Bob Dylan’s Draft of Lyrics, Once Tossed in Trash, Sells for $500,000. Typed and hand corrected, these analog artifacts offer an insight into the creative process that digital means cannot. The article says Dylan tossed the lyrics in the trash. Apparently, he must’ve kept a copy.
Every Star Trek Movie Ranked
posted Jan 21, 2025 by Tom Fasano
Every Star Trek Movie, Ranked. I would rank “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” (1991) as Number 1. Just me.
Boston’s Last Typewriter Store Closing
posted Jan 19, 2025 by Tom Fasano
BOSTON – Cambridge Typewriter Co., the last remaining typewriter store in the Boston area, is set to close its doors in March 2025 after more than 50 years in business. The closure comes at a time when typewriters are experiencing an unexpected revival in popularity.
Tom Furrier, the store’s owner, has announced his retirement after 45 years of repairing, selling, and maintaining typewriters. The shop, located in Arlington, Massachusetts, has been a fixture in the community since 1968.
Despite the store’s impending closure, the typewriter industry has seen a resurgence in recent years. Sales of manual typewriters have increased, particularly among younger generations who are discovering these vintage machines for the first time.
Industry experts attribute this renewed interest to several factors:
1. Nostalgia for analog technology in an increasingly digital world
2. The appeal of a distraction-free writing environment
3. The tactile experience of using a mechanical device
4. The aesthetic value of typewriters as decorative items
However, the closure of Cambridge Typewriter Co. highlights a growing challenge in the industry: the scarcity of skilled technicians capable of repairing and maintaining these machines. As stores like Furrier’s close, typewriter enthusiasts may find it increasingly difficult to service their machines.
The store’s closure marks the end of an era for the Boston area, leaving typewriter aficionados to seek alternatives for purchasing and maintaining their beloved machines.
Despite this setback, the typewriter’s enduring appeal suggests that these classic writing instruments may continue to find new admirers in the digital age.