Over The Hill Gang , Old Farts with Young Cars

[hotrodsally]

Happy Sunday All.

Best wishes to anyone with teams playing today or next weekend!

I finally made made a little headway with BR to Wardrobe conversion - I got some help dismantling a couple of large pieces for Sauder Home office furniture. If I wasn't on a (self imposed) deadline for the make-over, I put up an add on CL and see if there there were any local buyers, but I'm to the point where I just want it out of here, so more likely, I'll call a local charity for pickup. Hopefully by this time next week the room will be cleared, repainted and recarpeted. Wish me luck!

Hope everyone has an enjoyable week!

[SSBUSDRVR]

Good evening gang. Long day. Going to zzzzz early and hopefully catch up before getting further behind tomm.

[69supersport396]

Interesting read Lightning.

My fun starts this coming Saturday.

[moserbe]

Originally Posted by Ladybugsmom

Still hangin at my BFF's... looking forward to the Seahawks game today, it's gonna be an exciting one!

That was a good game!

[RubyCamaro]

Good evening crew. I had some nice Camaro therapy today. Now I know what has been wrong with me................................................ ..Camaro DT's

[Ladybugsmom]

Originally Posted by moserbe

That was a good game!

It was a GREAT game!!! The amazing Seahawks defense held both RGIII and Alfred Morris to less than 100 yards each!!

[dianeokie]

Originally Posted by Lil'BlueCoupe

Im gonna need a little more info on that get together, I live out by Athens and find myself heading to Atlanta on the weekends sometimes, would like to check it out.

Caffeine & Octane is the first Sunday every month, but it's EARLY! Starts at 8, but you should be there by 7 to get a parking space. I think when all was said and done, we had 15-16 cars there, maybe more. It was really cold. They have a website that you can probably google to get the specifics, but it's over off Windward Parkway and 400 in the Alpharetta area, just north of 400 a bit. I'll post a picture an awesome vintage Vette............

Good night all my old fart friends. Jay, I just can't believe all of that will happen, but probably most of it.

[Ladybugsmom]

[69supersport396]

Originally Posted by Ladybugsmom

Yes it is.

[With envy]

Originally Posted by lightning

A friend of mine sent this to me via email the other day. I don't know who wrote it. I don't know if he or she is right - but I think they may have some good insights. Comments welcome.

I'll take a stab at it Jay. (You probably expected that though, didn't you?)

1. The Post Office

A lot of people may disagree with me on this; but I think this is one entity that needs to go. Where in the private sector could a company lose billions of dollars every quarter, and still remain in business? The price of postage stamps has been rendered completely irrelevant- the difference comes out of our taxes. The other thing that bugs me is the culture that exists within the postal service. Employees seem entitled to a job for life, regardless of behavior or financial realities. People don't get laid off, they get moved from one place to another. And I know that there are good people that work for the post office, but I have seen way to many of the bad eggs that give them a bad rep. I have seen carriers intentionally throw and drop parcels because they are in a huff. When taking packages to the local post office dock for my company, I have watched helplessly while the attendant I handed the box of our customers books too, turns around and throws it overhand at a wall 20 feet away. The box slams into the wall and drops into the bin below. All I can do is look at them like they are out of their minds.
I can't say anything to them because there are laws against "harassing" federal employees. (There are laws against choking them too- which is usually my first thought.)
It was a good thing that has run it's course. It needs to go and let the private sector replace it with an accountable alternative.


2. The Check

Haven't used these for years.



3. The Newspaper

Another thing that seems to have worked to hasten it's own demise. A victim of it's own political version of inbreeding. Newspapers long ago lost sight of the objective of reporting facts, and replaced it with attempting to be an instrument of social change. Genetic diversity fell by the wayside as the intellectual gene pool became populated by reporters, writers, and editors all of the same mindset. A large enough section of the population was intelligent enough to sense an agenda hovering behind the stories they were reading, and chose more and more not to subscribe to it. The internet and electronic media only hastened the effect. Now people are turning off the big TV news networks, and the newsmakers, operating in denial, still don't get it.



4. The Book

I have a front row seat to this show. As a publisher, I am currently caught between a market that is shrinking exponentially by the day, and a CEO that seems to have no clue about basic business as well as a complete unwillingness to make the necessary changes that would mean the difference between survival and oblivion.
I go to my office every day, sit at my desk, and wait for the end.



5. The Land Line Telephone

We have one. We never answer it. It's just an avenue for telemarketers and my Canadian in-laws who for some reason can't seem to grasp the concept that we exclusively use our cel phones. I insisted on keeping it for emergency reasons (911 and all). But last years ice storm took out both land line and cellular service at the same time. If one of the many candles or lanterns we were using for light, caught our house on fire, we would have been screwed. Smoke signals would have been about our only option.



6. Music

I don't know about this one. I think it's just one of those things that will always be around; it's just always in a constant state of change. I thought MTV would be the death of music. For a time I was right. But now MTV is dead. (It just doesn't seem to know it yet.)


7. Television

Won't really miss it that much. Now if I could just get my kid away from the damn computer.



8. The "Things" That You Own

Three words: Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)
Look it up.
Then back up all your stuff on hard copies.



9. Privacy

Orwell was right. He was just a few years off: Big Brother is watching you.

[lightning]

Originally Posted by With envy

I'll take a stab at it Jay. (You probably expected that though, didn't you?)

1. The Post Office

A lot of people may disagree with me on this; but I think this is one entity that needs to go. Where in the private sector could a company lose billions of dollars every quarter, and still remain in business? The price of postage stamps has been rendered completely irrelevant- the difference comes out of our taxes. The other thing that bugs me is the culture that exists within the postal service. Employees seem entitled to a job for life, regardless of behavior or financial realities. People don't get laid off, they get moved from one place to another. And I know that there are good people that work for the post office, but I have seen way to many of the bad eggs that give them a bad rep. I have seen carriers intentionally throw and drop parcels because they are in a huff. When taking packages to the local post office dock for my company, I have watched helplessly while the attendant I handed the box of our customers books too, turns around and throws it overhand at a wall 20 feet away. The box slams into the wall and drops into the bin below. All I can do is look at them like they are out of their minds.
I can't say anything to them because there are laws against "harassing" federal employees. (There are laws against choking them too- which is usually my first thought.)
It was a good thing that has run it's course. It needs to go and let the private sector replace it with an accountable alternative.


2. The Check

Haven't used these for years.



3. The Newspaper

Another thing that seems to have worked to hasten it's own demise. A victim of it's own political version of inbreeding. Newspapers long ago lost sight of the objective of reporting facts, and replaced it with attempting to be an instrument of social change. Genetic diversity fell by the wayside as the intellectual gene pool became populated by reporters, writers, and editors all of the same mindset. A large enough section of the population was intelligent enough to sense an agenda hovering behind the stories they were reading, and chose more and more not to subscribe to it. The internet and electronic media only hastened the effect. Now people are turning off the big TV news networks, and the newsmakers, operating in denial, still don't get it.



4. The Book

I have a front row seat to this show. As a publisher, I am currently caught between a market that is shrinking exponentially by the day, and a CEO that seems to have no clue about basic business as well as a complete unwillingness to make the necessary changes that would mean the difference between survival and oblivion.
I go to my office every day, sit at my desk, and wait for the end.



5. The Land Line Telephone

We have one. We never answer it. It's just an avenue for telemarketers and my Canadian in-laws who for some reason can't seem to grasp the concept that we exclusively use our cel phones. I insisted on keeping it for emergency reasons (911 and all). But last years ice storm took out both land line and cellular service at the same time. If one of the many candles or lanterns we were using for light, caught our house on fire, we would have been screwed. Smoke signals would have been about our only option.



6. Music

I don't know about this one. I think it's just one of those things that will always be around; it's just always in a constant state of change. I thought MTV would be the death of music. For a time I was right. But now MTV is dead. (It just doesn't seem to know it yet.)


7. Television

Won't really miss it that much. Now if I could just get my kid away from the damn computer.



8. The "Things" That You Own

Three words: Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)
Look it up.
Then back up all your stuff on hard copies.



9. Privacy

Orwell was right. He was just a few years off: Big Brother is watching you.

Gary, I'm tired tonight. Gonna hit the sack. I'll add my two cents tomorrow.

[RubyCamaro]

Good morning. Another cold morning in Tennessee. It is supposed to be unseasonably warm & rainy midweek through the weekend. They did not say so but this is usually a recipe for severe storms this time of the year. Not good news. Back to work time. MUST HAVE COFFEE. I get to resume my dance/exercize class this week. They found a new location & it is back to the 5:30 tims so I can make it again. I have really missed it. HAGD all.

[Ladybugsmom]

I'm up way before my alarm goes off..... Probably a good thing because I left a TON of unfinished work on Friday and really should go in early...

[dcarlos55]

My $.02

1. The Post Office

I'm biased here since my wife is a rural carrier. I hear all kinds of horror stories from her. Carriers that just dump bulk mail in a dumpster as a favor to you since they figure you're just going to trash it anyway. "Parcel bowling" where the carrier just throws packages at your front door. Unions that are pretty much in the business of keeping worthless people employed... The post office has outlived it's usefullness and it is time for it to go the way of the pony express. But keep in mind that the USPS is a government entity. Since when has wasting billions of dollars stopped the government?


2. The Check

I still write a couple of checks a year.


3. The Newspaper

I gave up on printed media a long time ago. Reporters in their hurry to get the "SCOOP" have no issues with reporting conjecture in the absense of facts. I have very little respect anymore for the media in general.


4. The Book

I have a front row seat to this show. As a publisher, I am currently caught between a market that is shrinking exponentially by the day, and a CEO that seems to have no clue about basic business as well as a complete unwillingness to make the necessary changes that would mean the difference between survival and oblivion.
I go to my office every day, sit at my desk, and wait for the end.

As an avid reader I still want a printed book. I buy 4 or 5 a month and I have a rather large library as I never get rid of a book. As long as you keep printing books I will continue to buy them. I do expect that sooner or later books printed on paper will go away. I hope I'm not around when that day comes.



5. The Land Line Telephone

I still have a landline. I do actually use it. Mostly because my work phone is forwarded to my cell and I don't want it tied up for any length of time.


6. Music

Guilty as charged. I use the usb in the camaro almost exclusively and I guess because I'm old, I like older music. I haven't bought any new music in a long time.

7. Television

I never seem to have time to sit down and watch TV anyway so I guess I won't miss it much.


8. The "Things" That You Own

The cloud is coming. Get on the bandwagon or get run over by it. Your choice. I've been making a pretty good living for a long time in the computer world but I'm about tired of trying to keep up with the latest and greatest which changes every other day. Anything you learn today will be obsolete tomorrow. My brain is completely clogged up with old programming languages that are long gone.


9. Privacy

Privacy is an illusion we delude ourselves with because we don't want to admit that we don't have any.