The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Yes, indeed. "Tinfoil hat".

That term "tinfoil hat" is now used by people
who like to discredit the ideas of other people.

"Tinfoil Hat" has become the sniggering
remark (usually followed by subdued laughter),
used to undermine ideas thought up by the target of the discrediting.

---------------------------------

That being said, I think it's only fair to
point out that while Tesla did indeed more
or less fall in love with one of the pigeons
he fed, let us not forget that Edison himself
also claimed on several occasions that he
believed that he could invent a machine which
would allow a living person to speak with the
dead!

Tinfoil Hat? Hmmm...

Here's the deal folks:

Creative minds tend to think up all SORTS of
ideas. Creative minds make piles and piles of
ideas to sort through, in order to sift out
a few ideas that actually work, and are of
some application and practicality in our world.

So, yes, by all means...within some of these vast piles of ideas that are dreamed up by
minds that work best when dreaming up wild
ideas...there will be...ummm...a few
"tinfoil hat" ones in there.

Now, I always say that what separates a so-called "sane" person from a so-called "insane" person, is one's ability to distinguish between the far-out ideas, and the
ones that can actually be harnessed and used.

My two-cent's worth on this whole broad spectrum of thought is this:

I would much rather hang out and learn from
someone who has such a fertile mind that they
constantly spew out ideas by the thousands.
I would much rather see a few "tinfoil hat"
ideas within the huge piles of ideas put forth
by such a person, than to deal with narrow-minded individuals who can't come up
with even the simplest idea about what's for
breakfast tomorrow morning.

I am happy to recognize that both Edison and
Tesla were the type of people who did spew
out endless streams of ideas. Ok, so there
are a few ideas in there that might not be
mainstream or even scientific.

But, hey now...ask yourself this:

"How many different ideas did I come up with
today, and how many of them could actually be
used to make something brand new, never seen
before?"

"tinfoil hat".....(use with caution)

Well, thanks for twisting my remark out of context. I said that believing a pigeon has special spiritual powers ranks down there with tinfoil hats, and of course you turn it into a slam of everything Tesla did. Seems like you should exercise some of the caution you prescribe for others.

Suggestion: perhaps we should end this thread before it goes down the drain?

Chuck said it best, Both men are deserving. Not saying much more.

Not twisting anything out of context at all.

Like the railroad crossing sign says:

"Stop"
"Look"
"Listen"

And, as far as threads going down the drain,
why is it that when ever someone speaks freely
and honestly, that it always causes such a
ruckuss?

I said those things to give people something to think about. Good thing I am catching
some flack for it because, as the old
World War 2 bomber pilots always said:

"When you are flying through heavy flack, that
means you are very close to directly over the
target"

So, I guess that means that I have conveyed
my thoughts effectively.

Come on guys, chill out.

Both Edison and Tesla were great guys who had
great ideas and they both contributed to
our great technology that we use today and
take pretty much for granted.

Chuck

Two words.

Pure Genius.


I love Edison, but when it comes to Nikola Tesla, Edison lost out due to his own ego and stubbornness.

Intellectually, Tesla was light years ahead of Edison.

I put Tesla in the same category as Albert Einstein.


Tony K.