[Leica] decline in LUG membership

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

>snippet< 
>   A local Walmart in Asheville no longer even offers one-hour  developing,
> probably because demand is too low. The main one-hour places in  Asheville 
> now
> -- which often takes two hours --are the drug-store chains  and K-Mart. {Of
> course, Walmart stores in other cities still offer one-hour  service.]
>   Kodak's end of 120 format will affect Rolleiflex and other 2x2 TTL  
> reflex
> cameras,  although there should be enough other brands around for a  few
> years. Its end of 135 -- other than Kodachrome -- will affect all 35mm
> cameras, 
> although here again there should be other brands around for a long  while,
> basically Fuji. Kodak's end of sheet film will affect Speed Graphic,  Crown
> Graffic, Linhof and other classic sheet-film cameras.

>snippet<

I must have been home sick when this news bit of:
>Kodak's end of 120 format will affect Rolleiflex and other 2x2 TTL  reflex
> cameras,  although there should be enough other brands around for a  few
> years. Its end of 135 -- other than Kodachrome -- will affect all 35mm
> cameras, 


...came along. Kind of a bombshell dropped among stuff of Korean repair
shops switching locations and Wallmarts out of the snapshot business. All of
which I was following right along with.
What kind caught my attention and stopped me in my tracks would be the
tidbit about all 35mm Kodak going out except Kodachrome.
Every fiber of my body tells me that 35mm is going to be around a just a
teeny weenie bit longer. While Kodachrome is on the precipice of oblivion...
A grave issue if you can dig it.
So I'm then also relived Brownie film is not going the way of the Dodo bird
as well. 
That would be slightly inconvenient.
As that's what my Hasselblads consume. With relish.
And Kodak getting out of roll film I think be the lead story on the cover of
the New York Times I would thing. In slightly smaller print than WWII IS
OVER!
And the TV's would then automatically turn on to the news.
Along with Ford getting out of the car biz. And
Kellogg getting out of the corn flake biz.  (decided to make Twinkies
instead, out of yuppie oats) And
Mom getting out of the apple pie biz. (again "Mom's Twinkies" not quite
having the ring to it it should have,)
Just basic American cultural institutions....
Of which the sun rising over NYC to sizzle into LA depends.

It's not all over until the fat lady eats her last Twinkie.

Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/