Things you just don't get !

[haha]

I'm seldom clear in making my point!! My bad.

What I meant is that people can't say that the US is the 'richest country in the world' when WE (as a country) are $57 Trill in debt.

U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

Wishful thinking and delusion is always with us, until the bottom suddenly falls out. Even with the debt we now have, a rise in interest rates still way short of historic median levels would leave very little of government income to spend on things beyond debt service. At current levels of income and debt, even with all time low interest rates, we are operating on a wing and a prayer.

Ha

 

[haha]

I was a little too quick to jump on you too - sorry about that. I was assuming that you were applying the simple logic of "all debt is bad" to our economy.

Given that a certain level of indebtedness is necessary to keep an economy operating and productive, I'm wondering what level of debt is actually considered healthy. Is there any consensus on this, or is it the kind of thing that economists argue endlessly about, while boring their friends and significant others to death?

Oh - and just to keep in spirit with the rest of the thread, I don't get why so many people feel the need to jam ear-buds into their ears (fed invariably by iPods and iPhones) while out walking jogging, hiking, sitting on buses and trains etc, when they could be more connected to their environment and perhaps even (perish the thought) available for a greeting or even a quick chat to pass the time of day.

Plus being at least somewhat less likely to walk into the pathway of a truck or bus, or suddenly find oneself in the middle of an attack. Worst of all I think are people walking along texting, as they cross streets, crash into other pedestrians, etc.

I love my Ipod and podcasts- but only at home. I won't even sit on a park bench with it.

Ha

 

[JOHNNIE36]

At a service station yesterday I saw a woman pull up to a gas pump, radio blasting rap, gets out and prances into the store whild her male friend gets out to pump the gas. Hat on backwards, pants down below his butt and just jiving. Doesn't give a damn about annoying anyone else. These low lifes really get to me but I have to leave before I open my big mouth. Couple kids in their car are getting a really good education. What is happening to society? I don't get it.

 

[REWahoo]

At a service station yesterday I saw a woman pull up to a gas pump, radio blasting rap, gets out and prances into the store whild her male friend gets out to pump the gas. Hat on backwards, pants down below his butt and just jiving. Doesn't give a damn about annoying anyone else. These low lifes really get to me but I have to leave before I open my big mouth. Couple kids in their car are getting a really good education. What is happening to society? I don't get it.

Ah, that was you giving me the evil eye at the gas station yesterday. I'll turn up the music next time I see you...

 

[rescueme]

What is happening to society? I don't get it.

IMHO, "society" has moved on, the same way it always has for those that are younger (looking at the elders as "old pharts") and the older, looking at the younger as the "lost generation".

I'm reminded of the scene of "Fried Green Tomatos" where the following exchange happened:

"[Evelyn is cut off in a parking lot]
Evelyn Couch: Hey! I was waiting for that spot!
Girl #1: Face it, lady, we're younger and faster!
[Evelyn rear-ends the other car six times]
Girl #1: What are you *doing*?
Girl #2: Are you *crazy*?
Evelyn Couch: Face it, girls, I'm older and I have more insurance."

Luckly, I'm at an age that I may not agree with today's generation, but heck, it dosen't bother me at all. You see, I'm older and certainly have more "insurance" (e.g. FI).

I can't get upset over the situation, since the one's who "offend me" will probably not get the chance to live the life I live (same as I can't live the lifes of my parents and grandparents, with pensions and other advantages that didn't require any planning for old age).

The thing is, I'm happy. IMHO, that's all that counts. The younger generation can make their own road - I've already made mine. It's the same as my parents and grandparents looked upon "my generation".

 

[tinlizzy]

A person (usually in their 20's) who use probably as an answer. I called a new cable company after getting an introductory offer in the mail to bundle my phone, cable and internet and asked if I would get to keep my old phone number if I switched. The answer was probably.

 

[rescueme]

I don't get how someone could be that stupid.

Really? ...

 

[FinanceDude]

You have obviously never been to Sarasota ,Fl . Most of the older guys have girlfriends or wives that look about 25.

I lived in Port Charlotte when I was 25, and my girlfriend was not 55 or 60..........

I guess there was not much "cougaring" back then.......

 

[Major Tom]

Plus being at least somewhat less likely to walk into the pathway of a truck or bus, or suddenly find oneself in the middle of an attack. Worst of all I think are people walking along texting, as they cross streets, crash into other pedestrians, etc.

I love my Ipod and podcasts- but only at home. I won't even sit on a park bench with it.

Ha

The danger is definitely a factor, but the thing that bugs me is the lost opportunity to connect with people in the shared spaces of our communities. People with ear-buds or headphones on rarely engage in any conversation in public spaces.

It even happened in my building yesterday. My next-door neighbor, an intelligent and engaging woman, was walking into her room. She saw me, smiled and said hi. I said hello back and also said "Is it raining out there?" I got no response as she opened her door and walked into her room. It was at that point I realized she was wearing ear-buds. She even does it when she's cooking in our shared kitchen - she'll wear earphones the whole time she's cooking and even though she's standing right next to me, is lost in her own world.

Whatever happened to us making our own entertainment by talking to each other?

 

[TromboneAl]

Really? ...

I can see how someone could be stupid enough to text while driving, and I can see how someone might be stupid enough to film a news story while driving, but to film a news story about the dangers of distracted driving while driving...

 

[W2R]

Plus being at least somewhat less likely to walk into the pathway of a truck or bus, or suddenly find oneself in the middle of an attack. Worst of all I think are people walking along texting, as they cross streets, crash into other pedestrians, etc.

I love my Ipod and podcasts- but only at home. I won't even sit on a park bench with it.

Ha

At my gym, listening to podcasts or music on an iPod while working out is more common than not. People just get bored while doing their routines. It doesn't bother me any more than it would bother me if someone was watching the TVs in front of the treadmills (in other words, not at all).

Still, it seems hilarious to me to see people walking down the street or sitting in a doctor's office with a telephone glued to one ear. It almost seems as though they are terrorized by the thought of being alone.

 

[MichaelB]

At my gym, listening to podcasts or music on an iPod while working out is more common than not. People just get bored while doing their routines. It doesn't bother me any more than it would bother me if someone was watching the TVs in front of the treadmills (in other words, not at all).

I'm thinking of getting an iPod for just that purpose. And perhaps feeding it into the car audio system.

Still, it seems hilarious to me to see people walking down the street or sitting in a doctor's office with a telephone glued to one ear. It almost seems as though they are terrorized by the thought of being alone.

It used to be you could spot the people with problems on the street because they were the ones talking to themselves. Now, with all the hands free devices, you can't tell.

Last night I was out walking. Twice, people walking their dogs while talking or texting on their cell phones were unable to shorten the leash as they approached to keep the dog from jumping on me. If they can't even walk the dog without a problem, imagine driving.

 

[John Galt III]

Even if the restaurant only has 2 beers on tap, the waitress never knows how much they cost. And beer prices are never on the menu.

 

[marko]

Why, with New England's 50 degree winter has nobody on the news mentioned the words "Global Warming"? I'd expect everyone saying "see! told you so".

Or is GW old news now? Personally, I've saved over 40% on my heat bill, so I"m thrilled!

 

[samclem]

Why, with New England's 50 degree winter has nobody on the news mentioned the words "Global Warming"? I'd expect everyone saying "see! told you so".

Or is GW old news now? Personally, I've saved over 40% on my heat bill, so I"m thrilled!

Because people are becoming more knowledgeable and now understand the difference between "weather" and "climate"? Or it might be that they know the earth has warmed about 1.4 degrees F in the last 130 years, a climb (about .7 degree over the course of a lifetime) that is so gradual that no one is going to notice it in the subjective perception of the outdoor temperature?

 

[TromboneAl]

Something I don't get. Web sites that will ask for a credit card number or SSN, but can't handle it if you put in spaces or dashes.

It's trivial for a program to strip out the dashes or spaces. People can enter it more easily and accurately if it's broken up.

Why do they require numbers only?

 

[ERD50]

Something I don't get. Web sites that will ask for a credit card number or SSN, but can't handle it if you put in spaces or dashes.

It's trivial for a program to strip out the dashes or spaces. People can enter it more easily and accurately if it's broken up.

Why do they require numbers only?

Agreed - drives me nuts. And this happens with phone numbers and zip codes also.

Sometimes, you can fill out an entire page of info, then hit submit, and it kicks it out for the phone number format. Most times, it doesn't even tell you what the "correct" format is (do they want hyphens, parenths around the area code, or ?), until you get the error message. It always strikes me that to simply strip out any non-numeric (trivial as you say), so the format would make absolutely no difference, would be so much easier than writing the error message.

Or a zip code entry that doesn't specify 5 or 9 digit format (my autofill will usually give the full 9). If you give it 9 for a 5 digit field, just take the first 5 numbers.

I don't get it, is it really stupid programmers? And no one reviews this stuff?

-ERD50

 

[haha]

Programmers can be a bit rigid, no?

Ha

 

[mh]

Programmers can be a bit rigid, no?

Ha

It's usually more an attitude of "it's good enough". From my personal experience.

 

[Major Tom]

Posters of music legends with the person's name written as a big caption at the bottom. Talk about stating the obvious. When you see a big, iconic image of Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Charlie Parker etc, printing their name at the bottom is superfluous and makes it look a little silly IMO.

 

[W2R]

Posters of music legends with the person's name written as a big caption at the bottom. Talk about stating the obvious. When you see a big, iconic image of Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Charlie Parker etc, printing their name at the bottom is superfluous and makes it look a little silly IMO.

Obviously you have not yet attained the esteemed age at which you would say, "Oh look at that great image of..... um..... er.... you know, that great bluesy rock singer from Port Arthur that was so incredible at the Monterey Pop festival and that we saw live in SF back in the 60's and that sang with the Holding Company... Cheap Thrills, Pearl, feather boas, Southern Comfort....darn, what was her name?.... It is on the tip of my tongue.... Jane? Janet?..."

But I do agree that they could make the name very small, in one corner. Maybe 12 point font, "Janis Joplin, San Francisco, 1968" or something like that.

 

[Major Tom]

Memory aids - now that's a good one W2R

 

[W2R]

Memory aids - now that's a good one W2R

I need all the help that I can get in that department, since I passed age 60 and more. I don't worry about it much but it's nice to have something to jog my memory sometimes.

 

[Major Tom]

I need all the help that I can get in that department, since I passed age 60 and more. I don't worry about it much but it's nice to have something to jog my memory sometimes.

I thought you were making a joke, but I see there is an element of seriousness to what you say.

I've recently started paying more attention to my memory lapses, as both my parents passed away as a result of dementia in the last few years. What I used to think of as a normal scatterbrained moment will now have me wondering if I'm showing the early signs of heading down the same path. I took an online early Alzheimer test and passed with flying colors, so I think my occasional "pre-senior" moments are nothing to worry about.

However, if I ever see a picture of Jimi, Janis or Miles and wonder who they are, I hope that whoever is with me will march me straight to the nearest doctor's office!

 

[REWahoo]

However, if I ever see a picture of Jimi, Janis or Miles and wonder who they are, I hope that whoever is with me will march me straight to the nearest doctor's office!

No need to get too concerned about forgetting a name. Truth is as we age we do tend to suffer from occasional bouts of W2R's aptly named 'memory lapses', and it isn't a sign of Alz or dementia, it's just the way things are...


An elderly couple had been experiencing declining memories, so they decided to take a power memory class where one is taught to remember things by association. A few days after the class, the old man was outside talking with his neighbor about how much the class helped him.

"What was the name of the Instructor?" asked the neighbor.

"Oh, ummmm, let's see," the old man pondered. "You know that flower, you know, the one that smells really nice but has those prickly thorns, what's that flower's name?"

"A rose?" asked the neighbor.

"Yes, that's it," replied the old man. He then turned toward his house and shouted, "Hey, Rose, what's the name of the Instructor we took the memory class from?"