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OT - The Best of Times, What Year?????

B

Bill VA

Well-known Member
I mentioned "best of times" in another post and thought I'd start one.

I try to tell myself, Wife and family that the "best of times" is right here and now. If I up and died today - but had a minute to consider life, I'd say - today was a great day.

However - sometimes I reflect back. Many times I've said - just because it's new, doesn't make it better; music comes to mind.

For me and the area I grew up in and presently live - in a lot of ways, the best of times to this casual observer was 1976.

Why 1976?

It seemed like as a country (speaking of my native USA), a lot was going on. Sure their were trials throughout, coming off the Vietnam War, Nixon, fuel embargoes/gas lines, etc.

It seems what I remember MOST - was how proud everyone was with our 200th anniversary - 1976, the Bicentennial Year. Several farms around had signs proclaiming Bicentennial Farms.

I think about major manufacturing was still here, intact and in full force, i.e. IH, Deere - companies like IBM, GE, Ford and General Motors (I think) were going strong. A few Toyota cars and trucks, Datsun (remember that brand) cars and trucks. China - no where to be found, no exporting jobs there or importing goods. Come to think of it - no Walmarts around here. Sears mail order catalog was still a big deal. Traditional families, full Churches from my vantage point, it was a good time.

To be on topic so some extent, I have to think in 1976, IH, Ford, MF, Deere and other tractor/implement manufacturers were REALLY slugging it out - to the benefit of the farmer. All it takes is a look at the ads in a few Progressive Farmer magazines to see it.

So - I point to 1976 as water mark for one of the "best of times".....

If you could't pick today, what was the best of times year for you - and why?

Bill
 
(quoted from post at 16:15:50 08/11/16) I mentioned "best of times" in another post and thought I'd start one.

I try to tell myself, Wife and family that the "best of times" is right here and now. If I up and died today - but had a minute to consider life, I'd say - today was a great day.

However - sometimes I reflect back. Many times I've said - just because it's new, doesn't make it better; music comes to mind.

For me and the area I grew up in and presently live - in a lot of ways, the best of times to this casual observer was 1976.

Why 1976?

It seemed like as a country (speaking of my native USA), a lot was going on. Sure their were trials throughout, coming off the Vietnam War, Nixon, fuel embargoes/gas lines, etc.

It seems what I remember MOST - was how proud everyone was with our 200th anniversary - 1976, the Bicentennial Year. Several farms around had signs proclaiming Bicentennial Farms.

I think about major manufacturing was still here, intact and in full force, i.e. IH, Deere - companies like IBM, GE, Ford and General Motors (I think) were going strong. A few Toyota cars and trucks, Datsun (remember that brand) cars and trucks. China - no where to be found, no exporting jobs there or importing goods. Come to think of it - no Walmarts around here. Sears mail order catalog was still a big deal. Traditional families, full Churches from my vantage point, it was a good time.

To be on topic so some extent, I have to think in 1976, IH, Ford, MF, Deere and other tractor/implement manufacturers were REALLY slugging it out - to the benefit of the farmer. All it takes is a look at the ads in a few Progressive Farmer magazines to see it.

So - I point to 1976 as water mark for one of the "best of times".....

If you could't pick today, what was the best of times year for you - and why?

Bill
Click to expand...
Not sure about the United States "best of times" but at the global level I am sure the fall of the Berlin Wall was 'best of Times" for a lot of Germans. But that is not the US or north america to be sure. Since the US has moire than enough food, money and power its always a good day there.
 
1976 eh? Did you forget about that peanut farmer from Georgia? The collapse of major industries? Sky high interest rates?
 
In 1976 things were not that bad - yet. Prime interest rate was between 6% and 7.5% for most of the year. In May 1977 it was still 6.5% - then it starts going up and never stops.

Peanut face doesn't take office until January 1977.

We still have an embassy in Iran.


Gas is 59 cents a gallon - down from an average of 65 cents a gallon in 1973.

Draft dodgers still have to stay in Canada.
 
Don't forget about Tricky Dick who opened the door to China and let them come in. He, in conjunction with IHC, thought that they were going to sell a lot of big tractors in China - a land of small farm plots not big enough to turn a big tractor around on!
 
1976, best of times...
The music was great!
I was 16 and had a drivers license. Cross the river into the next state to buy barley pop.
Girls were everywhere and easy......That is about all I can remember.
 
(quoted from post at 22:15:50 08/11/16) I mentioned "best of times" in another post and thought I'd start one.

I try to tell myself, Wife and family that the "best of times" is right here and now. If I up and died today - but had a minute to consider life, I'd say - today was a great day.

However - sometimes I reflect back. Many times I've said - just because it's new, doesn't make it better; music comes to mind.

For me and the area I grew up in and presently live - in a lot of ways, the best of times to this casual observer was 1976.

Why 1976?

It seemed like as a country (speaking of my native USA), a lot was going on. Sure their were trials throughout, coming off the Vietnam War, Nixon, fuel embargoes/gas lines, etc.

It seems what I remember MOST - was how proud everyone was with our 200th anniversary - 1976, the Bicentennial Year. Several farms around had signs proclaiming Bicentennial Farms.

I think about major manufacturing was still here, intact and in full force, i.e. IH, Deere - companies like IBM, GE, Ford and General Motors (I think) were going strong. A few Toyota cars and trucks, Datsun (remember that brand) cars and trucks. China - no where to be found, no exporting jobs there or importing goods. Come to think of it - no Walmarts around here. Sears mail order catalog was still a big deal. Traditional families, full Churches from my vantage point, it was a good time.

To be on topic so some extent, I have to think in 1976, IH, Ford, MF, Deere and other tractor/implement manufacturers were REALLY slugging it out - to the benefit of the farmer. All it takes is a look at the ads in a few Progressive Farmer magazines to see it.

So - I point to 1976 as water mark for one of the "best of times".....

If you could't pick today, what was the best of times year for you - and why?

Bill
Click to expand...

Not to mention The Big Red Machine repeats as World Series champs, although that was 9 years before my time.
 
Nixon resigned in Aug or 74. I remember it well only because I was in Basic Training at the time. We were cut off from all media access. The only news we got was what they gave us. They did tell us that we had a new commander in chief and why. That was the only news we were given until about a week before we graduated when they allowed us access to news papers.

Best of times? 76? No, not to me. Because of the Viet Nam war we had lost some of our pride as a nation. As a service member we were encouraged not to wear our uniforms off base. Heck of a lot of civilians made it very plain that they didn't like us much. I'd have to say back in the early 60's was the best of times. Before Johnson signed the welfare reform act. Back when people worked and helped each other out. I remember neighbors in NJ getting together on a weekend to help paint a house. Dad helped at least a half dozen I remember and they in turn helped when dad painted out house. By the early 70's that was disappearing in the suburbs. There was a family who had taken in their dad. He was old. But he canvased the neighborhood mowing lawns and do yard work to contribute to the families income. Thing is they didn't need it, he just didn't want to freeload. I'm thinking back before drugs and protest became normal.

Rick
 
1976 was the best year of my life. I was born. Every year after that has pretty much gone down hill however.
 
1976, not so good in my book. Drought here in E SD, 8 bu. per acre wheat, 15 bu. oats, cut 80 acres of corn to put 4 doors of silage in the silo. Had to buy hay for the milk cows from Wyoming and pay trucking. Was my 8th year farming and had bought this farm in 72. Took a long time to get over 76. To top it all off my youngest daughter was born in Jan. 76....a Down's Syndrome baby. Love her as much as the other 2 kids, God just gave her to us as he knew we would provide a good home for her. Today life is great, NO debt and world events don't affect our day to day living.
 
the best yrs foramerica in my opinion was 1969 ,,. we landed on the moon , the best fastest nicest new cars were able to be had simply by getting a summer job and everyone was hiring and paying good money that went a long ways to buy quality American products ,although we had a corn blight ,that yr ,kaui grew enuf immune corn seed for the following yr , common sense reigned , and everyone had good sense , everyone you knew was Christian and had strong family values ,even the hippis at wood stock .the music was great in those days too ,a 15 yr old could drive the farm pikup to the hardware store for baling twine and pass the sheriff and he returned your wave and let you go on with your work ,,as for me personally ..I would love to relive from 1974 thru 1994,.the yr I met my sweetheart I would marry,and she gave me 4 beautiful children in that time period and the last yr of happiness as a family together, before she asked for a divorce ,,.women , go figure ,..
 
Guess I'd have to say 1968 got my drivers license,bought my first car a Triumph TR3,still in high school having a blast,started dealing in British cars,very few real responsibilities life was fun and good.I guess I'm pretty good to go now, financially can do pretty much what I want,have better health than most I know my age a lot more responsibilities though,but I can enjoy my
old tractors and equipment I love to farm with a little,do some hunting,enjoy my Rat Terriers,go to auctions etc.
 
I was born in the last week of 1960 , and I have never known bad times . I was born to a loving family , not a rich one , but a stable one. I have had the chance to work hard and prosper, and was fortunate enough to have a beautiful girl fall in love with me . Every day has been a good day , and some are just fantastic ! The hardest things we have had to deal with has been the passing of our parents, never easy , but you have to let go. Tomorrow is another day, and we have to take life as it comes , and be kind of person you would like to meet, upbeat and full of life . Not stuck in the past , dwelling on life's short falls. Have a good day, work hard , love hard , eat well , and rest. Bruce
 
Guess I would say 1996. Just out of collage and got a great job that I have been at 20 years today. Was still living at home and buying tractors that were in pieces to repair. A lot of good years after that too,bad ones too. Married 2 kids ,divorced, remarried with a 2 month old now,all is good!
 
Hard to say, but looking back, 1976 was pretty good for me. Out of college a couple of years, married for 3, bought our first house, hired in at GM (didn't stay past 5 yrs, though), wife was a head nurse at a hospital only 3 yrs out of college, together we were pulling in over $30,000/yr. Went out to a $$$ fancy restaurant every week for dinner, 2 new cars in the driveway, had money in the bank and saving a little each week.

On a larger scale, it seems there was less regulation and government getting into our business back then (1976). Didn't have all the lawsuits about every little thing, school districts didn't have their stupid zero tolerance policies, teachers could discipline kids, cops didn't pull you over with their guns drawn (they felt safer and so did we), common sense was still "common".


On the flip side, we had to get up every day for work, retirement was over 40 yrs away (didn't think about THAT back then), had no kids yet (they've been a blessing). I'm sure we stressed and worried about stuff just like we do today. I'm thinking that the "best of times" applies differently to WHO you're talking to and about WHAT.
 
No question..............1945 to 1975 was the best of times for this country. (Sorry, except for those caught in Viet war) We were rebuilding the world after WWII, jobs everywhere, most people did not lock their homes, and middle class was thriving. The public's attitude/values was service not what's in it for ME. The majority ruled not my rights.
My kids and grandkids don't have it near as good as my wife and I had it.
 
The best of times for the US was from about 1870 till about 1929 no income tax. Still on the gold standard no real inflation. Times were basically good.
 
Don't have a personal "best of times" have had lots of ups and downs. Always stash as much away as you can when it's up times, cause there sure the heck are going to be down times. During bad times remind yourself that it won't always be like that, things will change, it'll get better.....or worse, but it'll change.

But 1976, oh my gosh what memories! I'd get 85 cents a day for school lunch that I would skip and save the money. My memory is a little fuzzy but if I remember correct with 1.25-1.50$ I could buy a gallon of gas, a quart of motor oil (and boy did I need it, the old ford burned almost as much oil as it did gas), and a quart of beer (Old Milwaukee) to boot! Jethro Tull concert only 3.50$ and free parking. Farmers paid two dollars an hour for haying, hay all day long and at dusk head over to the swimming hole to cool off. Yeah, good times for sure. JD
 
1976 --Well I was just starting junior high 7th grade. I don't remember any problems buying gas ? We had just moved out of town to the country on 13 acres. You really could not find a used small utility tractor for sale. Large tractors were in demand too. The compact tractor invasion had not started yet. Dad bought a new AC5040 (yuck). I don't remember a lot more about back then ? Been good years and bad since. Really been in bad times since 2008 it seems. Many things have not picked back up. Used to be you could buy and resell just about anything and make a little spending money. Sure seems lately like stuff is high priced or at least asking prices and not selling or even getting offers ?
 
Lessee here...1976...hmmmmmmmmm...

I was enjoying my second tour of duty in Japan, I'd been married a couple of years by then, just made E5 and was REALLY enjoying the extra pay.

Yeah, not a bad year at all.

I'd have to give some serious thought to what was "the best of times" for me to date, but that'd likely make the cut for Top Ten.
 
(quoted from post at 16:15:50 08/11/16) I mentioned "best of times" in another post and thought I'd start one.

I try to tell myself, Wife and family that the "best of times" is right here and now. If I up and died today - but had a minute to consider life, I'd say - today was a great day.

However - sometimes I reflect back. Many times I've said - just because it's new, doesn't make it better; music comes to mind.

For me and the area I grew up in and presently live - in a lot of ways, the best of times to this casual observer was 1976.

Why 1976?

It seemed like as a country (speaking of my native USA), a lot was going on. Sure their were trials throughout, coming off the Vietnam War, Nixon, fuel embargoes/gas lines, etc.

It seems what I remember MOST - was how proud everyone was with our 200th anniversary - 1976, the Bicentennial Year. Several farms around had signs proclaiming Bicentennial Farms.

I think about major manufacturing was still here, intact and in full force, i.e. IH, Deere - companies like IBM, GE, Ford and General Motors (I think) were going strong. A few Toyota cars and trucks, Datsun (remember that brand) cars and trucks. China - no where to be found, no exporting jobs there or importing goods. Come to think of it - no Walmarts around here. Sears mail order catalog was still a big deal. Traditional families, full Churches from my vantage point, it was a good time.

To be on topic so some extent, I have to think in 1976, IH, Ford, MF, Deere and other tractor/implement manufacturers were REALLY slugging it out - to the benefit of the farmer. All it takes is a look at the ads in a few Progressive Farmer magazines to see it.

So - I point to 1976 as water mark for one of the "best of times".....

If you could't pick today, what was the best of times year for you - and why?

Bill
Click to expand...

Last half of '76 for me....left the farm in BFE South Dakota and headed to college. Man, that was like vacation for me with no cows to milk...bought a brand new Honda CB400F, bar hopping every night, chasing women, losing my virginity, all while getting a 4.0 and paving my way to numerous scholarships and an internship that lasted throughout college....yes it was a good year!
 

I have to say that the best of times was the sixties. I was not that worldly aware yet, and it was tough for those going to 'nam or those left home, but I have the very strong impression that the sixties were very good economically. There were many young families buying lots of homes and durable goods, and US manufacturing was still going strong.
 
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