Taking in the Lead Gold Camp Jubilee and the ensuing Fourth of July fireworks display over the Open Cut, I allowed a wave of nostalgia wash over me this past weekend.

Unlike many things, the Jubilee celebration has largely remained the same over the years and for those of us entering middle age, such consistency is comforting and welcome. And in a team that has seen such significant changes over the past couple of decades, it is highly remarkable.

Oh, the event has evolved somewhat over the years, with less emphasis put on the mining aspects of the community and more emphasis put on things such as kids games and activities. But it remains simply a gathering point for community members past and present to meet - albeit briefly - and celebrate.

Of course, not everything we hold dear can survive the inevitability of change. Here are a few that have been lost to the ravages of time.

Eight-tracks and 12-inch singles

For those who aren't audiophiles, the immediate benefits of these technologically challenged music formats is less than apparent.

The 8-track, which enjoyed a decade or so run as the music industry's most dominant format, provided some portability and reasonable sound quality, but its allure largely came in its coincidental rise to power in the heart of K-Tel era. The oft cheesy but always entertaining original mix tapes (generally 8-track, not cassette) were the highlight of pop music when pop music was less than enthralling.

Also lost to time is the 12-inch single. The size of a standard album (remember them), 12-inches were often the grab bag of popular music. Standardized in the disco era and many DJs format of choice, the 12-inchers were also one of the greatest holders of rare tracks known to man.

In the era of Napster and its ensuing PTP counterparts such as LimeWire, it is sometimes forgotten that rare tracks were once only found in the miles of aisles of vinyl of record stores. Now there's a fond memory in itself.

Party lines

It's amusing to recall that period in the early 1990s where party lines were all the rage. And by party lines, I mean the kind that you end up paying $9.95 a minute to call.

Of course, the conversation was certainly more spicy than that found on the original party lines that were common in U.S. households in post World War II era right up through the 1980s, but the latter certainly wins out over the former in a battle of nostalgia.

One of the best features of party lines - phone lines that were shared by a number of households in a given community - was that they enhanced customers sense of community. With that, of course, is all the downsides of community, such as gossip and - for those that have ever lived in a family home with a single bathroom - lack of availability.

Which leads to perhaps the best feature of party lines, which was that they prevented its customers from the urge to stay on the phone incessantly. That, and you couldn't bring them along when you were driving, of course.

Minnesota Vikings' Superbowl appearances

There was a time when the Minnesota Vikings were feared. And I'm not talking about in the judicial system.

The purple and gold's reign as the fearsome Purple People Eaters came and went through my youth, starting when I was a toddler and ending before I entered high school.

Now, their moment in sun is long enough ago that even storied sports programs that once were considered under irrepressible curses such as the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox have managed to overcome such labels, leaving the Vikes with a Cubs-like following with the traditional battle cry "Wait until next year!"

That being said, at least they can't lose the Superbowl if they aren't playing in the Superbowl.

Davey and Goliath

Children's television is significantly better than it was in the fledgling days of Sesame Street and the Electric Co. There are entire cable networks, such as Nickelodeon and The Cartoon Network, dedicated to a number of children shows and animated cartoons. At least one channel, Boomerang, is even dedicated to old school classics such as The Jetsons, Flintstones and the Pink Panther.

But lost to time are the adventures of "Davey and Goliath." The Christian-based parables wrapped in the always entertaining claymation tales of Davey and his always worried hound Goliath were the definition of quirky.

The show spanned the decades, the first of which aired in 1960. The last was made in the mid 1970s, but it continued on for a few more years as a staple of Sunday morning television. Sandwiched in between Sunday morning church services and All-Star wrestling, many a youngster spent those hours before their parents got up and ready for church watching the 15 minute adventures of the always-in-trouble Gumby-esque Davey and his loyal compatriot Goliath.

Analog television

Don't get me wrong. I love watching high definition television. Live sporting events, in particular baseball, are worlds better in high definition.

So are movies broadcast on cable television movie channels. So are standard network programs. Even the infomericals look great.

Which is why I pine for the days of analog television. When all you get is two to three networks of semi-decent programming, it leaves the door open for life's lesser incidentals - you know, family dinners, walks in the park, reading, etc.

And then there is the whole paying more for high definition cable when the networks are being forced to go to high definition.

That book is looking better all the time.