Would vinyl even be invented today?

Only if vinyl was invented by Steve Jobs.

"BTW, which part of the record is more perfect, the beginning or the end? They are not the ame so cannot be equally perfect. IT's a fair question then. :^)"

It depends on the record. Sometimes they put the good songs in the beginning, and sometimes at the end.

Who or what is Rube Goldberg? Sounds like a kid I went to Hebrew school with.

Rube Goldberg is a fellow who popularized the art of making something happen by way of the most outrageous means. Google him

That was a weird explanation of old Rube...but I like it. I also think the turntable thing is "weird science"...recently read about a French dude in the 1840s or so who "recorded" a voice on paper using some sort of dust and a megaphone device that was for a "visual" representation of sound for deaf people (!). There was no audio playback for this thing, but a restoration lab recently was able to "play" the dust pattern and actually heard the guy singing. Man...this was in an article from the New Yorker (I think) about using laser/digital tech to see what old, unplayable wax cylinders contain because you can't use a needle on them as they will be destroyed, or they're already cracked to shit...all cool stuff. Love LPs...my old faves are so damn interesting and engaging. How often do you stick an LP on to hear a little bit and wind up listening to the whole damn thing?