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We don’t really notice how fast time goes by. But this time, we are taking you on a trip to the past that shows how our households have changed beyond recognition since the '70s.

And trust me, in most cases, it’s for the better. Take a chip pan, for example—these crazy fire agents that produced the best chips on the planet your mom can probably still taste in her mouth would keep homes on the brink of tragedy, and yet people adored them.

Thanks to the Memorial Device Twitter page that shared this illuminating guide, we now have the full list of the 40 greatest '70s household dangers all posted in order. Both nostalgic and utterly terrifying, they make you wonder whether people back then had less of a sense of health and safety. Or if it’s us who live in an overly protective mindset. Anyhow, I prefer the latter one.

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Andrew Gibb
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mum set the kitchen on fire using one of these- we first saw the flames through the serving hatch into the dining room. Luckily the local Fire Chief and his son, a fireman lived next door to us.

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Nannychachi
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Making the opening smaller results in a quicker draw on the coals which gives a quicker hot fire.

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Bored Panda reached out to the authors behind the Memorial Device Twitter page who shared this viral thread which listed 40 dangerous things that were casually used in ’70s households. Introducing themselves as “a band from Airdrie,” a town in Scotland, the creators said that their account was inspired “100% by the book ‘This is Memorial Device’ by the genius Scottish author, David Keenan.” They added that “You will have to read the book to really understand the account.”

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Here's the bizarre video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQcGIZioqQE&t=4s&ab_channel=FunFinder

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Robert T
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My grandma had a manual mangle (wringer). Before the advent of washing machines with a decent spin cycle, my mum had a spinner, which was basically a small washing machine drum mounted vertically and it did a better spin to get more water out.

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When asked how they came up with an idea to create the guide to all the miscellaneous stuff from the past, the creators said that it’s just one of many countdown lists on the “Memorial Device” account. “But it’s the one that most people seem to identify with,” they said and added that it may be because it’s “Proper working-class history.”

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Donkey boi
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I nicked the red bulbs out of our and used then in my bedroom light fitting. The whole street thought my parents had started a brothel.

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DC
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used one of these in 2014, 2015 in Berlin, because I couldn't afford a decent place to be ... so I lived in the basement of a guy who was too old (>90) to take out the trashy and broken furniture.

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We also asked if they can imagine anyone living with some of these crazy household objects these days, the authors said that they in fact experienced “the bathroom ceiling heater in Whitby last week. Switched it on—nothing happened. Came back later and it was glowing hotter than the sun. And it was fitted above the bath.”

The band added that they’re “Big fans of the coal effect fire and the immersion heater, along with the working-class shower,” and found “drawing the fire as total madness.” “As is buying a full-size crossbow from the Kays catalogue on HP,” the Memorial Device concluded.

#10

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Laura Jones
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they gave out fantastic heat but the gas bottles when full were so heavy and it gradually went up in price to a ridiculous level

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#15

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Natalia A
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People are so overly cautious. Unless you put your fingers in there (and you'd have to be stupid to do that), what would go wrong?!

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Redfox
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had these. Whacked myself in the nose so hard I thought my nose had gone to the other side of my head. I obviously did not learn co-ordination nor skill.

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#22

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DC
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That wasn't really frowned upon until the nineties. All my friends' parents, mine, and basically every adult we knew smoked in his house, his car, everywhere. Children's rooms ... not that often, but sometimes, too.

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#25

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Rain WhiteBuffalo
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG I miss these shoes. I want a pair right now!! I remember having a pair in every color they offered (tan, white, navy and black). I loved these!!!

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#34

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Dhukath
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Worst when your foot can off and the whole thing sprang up and smacked you under the chin!

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WilvanderHeijden
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only in dysfunctional families would these be used a lethal weapon. The rest of the world used them to throw them at dartboards.

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#39

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Natalia A
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We do this in Cyprus for new year's. You clean the coin, wrap it in foil and drop it in the cake batter. Everyone knows it's there so they're careful:)

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Vicky Z
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Greece too! I thought the dangerous part was that we used to put it like this inside which is disgusting but now we wrap it as you said!!! How fast can you eat to swallow it by accident come on that's ridiculous!!! And anyway most of the time you find it during the cutting of the piece!

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Ellie Rosser
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Solution-chew your food properly and take smaller bites. See, good manners DO save lives.

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Catherine Green
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Simmilar to putting a baby in the Mardi Gras cake. Im always worried someone will choke

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Blue of the yams
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We Norwegians have this, but with an almond in the Christmas morning porridge.

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MelFunction
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom always worried about the coins being choking hazards, so she would remind us about a hundred times while we were eating it. I don't think she really understood exactly how much we wanted that money. There was no chance that any of us were going to choke.

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Lynn Morello
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had to find all the 6 pences before we were allowed to eat the Christmas Puddings.

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Rosemary Moreland
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We weren’t that stupid! We wanted to spend the money ,not swallow it! Mum even saved them and thrippenny bits after we changed to decimal money. She traded them back every Christmas so we could enjoy watching Dad pretend to choke on one and still could spend the equivalent in the New Year.

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Collette Moisan
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We I was growing up and mom made a birthday cake, she always put money in them. We knew they were there so we looked for the coins. I also did this a few times for my kids. Of course I washed the coins first, not sure if mom did though.

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JJM
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember. Nearly choked to death when I got the sixpence.

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Marianne Nielsen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Denmark we use an almond in a sort og Ricepudding called Ris'a'lamande at christmas

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Redfox
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, my grandmother again...I damned near broke a tooth when I was the 'lucky' one to have found it. Thank goodness in the late '70's Australia declared it was a health hazard due to germs. HA! (Most people shoved it in the pudding serve not whilst cooking...no wonder I ended up on the loo for hours that Christmas night.)

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#40

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M O'Connell
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Leaving a battery on an unregulated charger is something a moron would do. 1970s or otherwise.

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