[ARSCLIST] on record: presidential debates 1908 style

[Ron Cowen <rcowen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just wrote a neat piece for Science News magazine online on the coming 
of age of the phonograph and the first sound bites recorded by candidates 
running for the White House, exactly 100 years ago in 1908. William 
Jennings Bryan and William Howard Taft recorded their voices on Edison wax 
cylinders that were sold for 35 cents apiece, and for the first time the 
voice of a candidate for president was brought into the home using the 
phonograph, which had just become more portable and affordable. My story 
is at 
http://sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/36947/title/The_first_sound_bites 
and includes a prescient audio of Bryan talking about the rights of 
depositors in case of a bank failure.  Also some great images from my 
personal collection, including a rare French cartoon of Bryan and Taft 
mannequins standing before cylinder phonographs. to access audio, click on 
gallery of images and go to extreme right 
Sincerely,
Ron Cowen