Things that have gotten better than the olden days

[Aerides]

The weight machines you find in gyms, in some cases for the less than hardcore, have replaced free weights. I still like a mix of both for my workouts.

The history on those "machines" is interesting. On the one hand, they opened up gyms to everyone, no longer requiring a trainer or help to avoid injury. They led to the explosion of gyms in the 80's. Learning is simply getting on the machine, looking at 3 pictures, and off you go. They are also great for rehabbing, or for anyone with injuries or instability that needs extra support. Or if you can't simply start with a 45lb bar (which is a lot of people). Or if you are intimidated walking into a room full of grunting dudes who want to offer you unsolicited advice (which is not just me).

On the other hand, machines are not nearly as effective as free weights. By isolating the muscles the rest of the body isn't involved, so less real strength or growth is developed. Think of a bicep curl, for example. You don't do those in isolation in the world like a machine. Your entire arm, shoulder, back, are also involved, and you're conscious of keeping proper form to get the move right and train the muscle to do the thing. Compare doing squats with a barbell on your back vs. the leg press machine.

But on a machine? None of that, only the bicep engages - less benefit. Sure, you're also far less likely to hurt yourself.

So, the free weights are better for the individual that wants to develop strength, but the machines are better at attracting everyone else that would never pick up a weight otherwise. (They are also very good for gym owners who want to run a shop with entry-level staff).

 

[Car-Guy]

Velcro shoes....I must be missing something as all my shoes are still all lace up. Maybe when I get older I'll look into it. Is it really that good?

Yes they are that good. Been using them since I retired. Dress, work and play. $29.95 at Walmart. Inflation included.

 

[aja8888]

Yes they are that good. Been using them since I retired. Dress, work and play. $29.95 at Walmart. Inflation included.

Nice, maybe my Merrells and Keens are overkill at $120 - $150!

How long will those WM shoes last?

 

[Car-Guy]

6 to 9 mos then they turn into work shoes. That's about the time the DW starts saying "your not going to wear those" whenever we go out somewhere.

 

[aja8888]

6 to 9 mos then they turn into work shoes.

I will definitely take a look at them next trip to WM.

 

[ERD50]

The thread on sweet corn and the gardening thread got me thinking about these -

Sweet Corn has gotten better, the newer hybrids really hold their sweetness. And it seems the first of the 'super-sweet' varieties (“Illini Supersweet”- developed at U of I Champaign), though IIRC, those weren't 'crisp', the kernels were a bit 'mushy'. Seems the ones I get now are both sweet and 'crisp' (if picked before getting too mature)

https://aces.illinois.edu/research/history/supersweet-corn

Also, "winter tomatoes" - while they don't hold a candle to a good ripe home-grown tomato, the winter tomatoes we get now are at least pretty good. I recall from the 80's, you bought a tomato in the winter just to have a bit of (pale) color in your salad. They had close to zero flavor. Now we often get the "Campari" labeled ones, pretty good year-round.

-ERD50

 

[Koolau]

Velcro shoes....I must be missing something as all my shoes are still all lace up. Maybe when I get older I'll look into it. Is it really that good?

Do they make good hiking/trail shoes with velcro closures?

I'm actually finding fewer Velcro shoes. I assume it is because they are no longer fashionable. But, yes, I think they are great. I see no reason that the proper "trail/hiking" shoe that happens to have Velcro closure wouldn't be good but I've never found such a shoe (wasn't looking.)

 

[aja8888]

I'm actually finding fewer Velcro shoes. I assume it is because they are no longer fashionable. But, yes, I think they are great. I see no reason that the proper "trail/hiking" shoe that happens to have Velcro closure wouldn't be good but I've never found such a shoe (wasn't looking.)

I don't believe any of my retired friends (most in their late 70's, early 80's) wear velcro shoes. I would guess they are not popular. I'll have to discuss this with my group of friends some morning when we meet for coffee.

 

[Koolau]

I don't believe any of my retired friends (most in their late 70's, early 80's) wear velcro shoes. I would guess they are not popular. I'll have to discuss this with my group of friends some morning when we meet for coffee.

Yeah, I think the "vibe" is that Velcro shoes are for "old men." Well, guilty as charged.

 

[Jerry1]

I like the bungee cord laces. No tying the laces and can slip them on and the fit snug.

https://www.amazon.com/LACES-Elasti...id=1692286369&sprefix=Shoe+lac,aps,128&sr=8-9

 

[MichaelB]

Yeah, I think the "vibe" is that Velcro shoes are for "old men." Well, guilty as charged.

Not just old men. Toddlers as well.

 

[aja8888]

Not just old men. Toddlers as well.

Yes, how true! They do work well for people that don't know how (toddlers), or can't remember how (fill in the blank), to tie their shoes !

 

[Andre1969]

Cars are definitely a mixed bag these days. In some respects they're better. But, when they decide to go out, they do it with a bang!

For instance, on the mixed bag front...the front swaybar on my 2003 Regal cracked earlier this year. Turns out it rusted in multiple spots, and one of them eventually broke.

I asked the mechanic, why the sway bar on the Regal, which was something like 1 1/4 inches, failed like that, but the one on my '67 Catalina, which is 3/4 inch I think, is holding up just fine?

Turns out, the "modern" sway bar is hollow. So, ya win some, ya lose some.

Of course, the auto makers didn't engineer these things to be around 20 years from now, let alone 50 plus.

 

[pacergal]

Sketchers has some slip on sneakers, DH and I just bought two pairs each, about $100 per pair. They are nice and comfy, soft insoles.

 

[Texas Proud]

I started wearing the velcro sneakers when traveling, after they started making you take off your shoes at the airport.

There was one guy in our circle of friends who was just appalled that I'd be seen wearing such unfashionable footwear. It became a running joke. He couldn't comprehend that I was retired, and just didn't care what anybody thought about the way I dressed.

It's insane how men's sneakers have become such a fashion industry. The best price I can usually find is around $50 - $60. My wife bought a nice pair of woman's sneakers the other day for $20. What gives?

I'm pretty rough on shoes. No matter how much I spend, they don't last long. I have yet to see those slip-ons with the fake (or elastic) laces anywhere near my price range, or I'd go for that instead of the velcro.

Yea, I wanted to buy some velcro New Balance but seeing the reaction of DW and DD... I decided that I wanted to live instead of being buried with velcro shoes...


I do have velcro on my sandals and love it..

 

[scrabbler1]

I wore velcro sneakers in the 1980s in my college years and in the later 1980s and the 1990s during my main working (full-time) years. After wearing shoes all day at the office, it was a relief to wear more comfy and easier to get on/off footwear on evenings and weekends.

But starting in 2001 when I began working part-time and began my 17 years of square dancing, I wore the shoes regularly, at work 1-3 days a week and often at night while dancing. I put the sneakers away and never wore them again. I might still have the pair I wore in 2001 because I hadn't had them too long. Not sure if they would still fit, if I can find them buried in the big closet.

 

[CaptTom]

I've found the name brand velcro sneakers very good for walking. I had to stop buying the cheap Walmart ones because as I said I'm pretty rough on shoes. Between walking a lot, working around the house, shop and boat, and generally treating them like work boots, I found a step up in quality was necessary. The Dr. Shoals I have now were somewhere between $45 and $55 on Amazon, I think. I recently destroyed my last pair and had to pull these out of the closet. I'll buy another pair soon, to keep in the closet for when I wreck these. If it's not too bad, the old pair will get relegated to "back door" shoes for working out in the yard, painting or whatever.

 

[Route246]

Video resolution (consumer grade)
Digital storage and playback of audio and video
Elimination of copper and microwave long lines replaced by fiber optic transmission lines
ECU - controlling and tuning of engines
E-Mail
Wireless networking
Cardiac surgical technologies
Statins
Weather prediction

 

[eytonxav]

T


So, the free weights are better for the individual that wants to develop strength, but the machines are better at attracting everyone else that would never pick up a weight otherwise. (They are also very good for gym owners who want to run a shop with entry-level staff).

Not necessarily true. For example, I started to use a commercial Hoist press machine and saw much better gains in strength and muscle growth vs bench and barbell. They have their place even for intermediate and advanced lifters. We have several state and national body building champions at my gym and they use several of the Hoist commercial machines regularly in conjunction with free weights. That said, not all machines are created equal, as it depends on the mechanical functioning of the machine as to how it isolates and hits various muscles. Hoist commercial units are very good. FreeMotion is also pretty good.

 

[BruinBones]

...The only possibility I can think of is that the period of low flats may correspond to when I dropped the pressure on my tires to 60 PSI from 80. If that explains the improvement, it isn't things getting better but practices getting better.

Yes, I heard on a VeloNews podcast a few years ago that 60 psi is actually better for speed also because of "less rolling resistance." Since then I, too, have lowered my PSI to 60-70 PSI and have had no flats when I used to get them all the time at 100 PSI.

 

[BruinBones]

Not just old men. Toddlers as well.

Except now we have a whole generation of adults - who wore velcro shoes as kids - who can't tie a knot to save their life.

 

[mebden]

Except now we have a whole generation of adults - who wore velcro shoes as kids - who can't tie a knot to save their life.

And this is why I stay with my flip flops no tying of anything

 

[martyp]

New car paint. It can be scratched and pitted but it never needs waxing. Always shiny after a wash.

 

[aja8888]

New car paint. It can be scratched and pitted but it never needs waxing. Always shiny after a wash.

Very true!

New car paint is typically applied in two stages: First is base color (acrylic), second is three + coats of urethane clear with a hardener (catalyst). Very hard top coat!

Much better than the single stage enamels of nitrocellulose lacquers used decades ago.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

Everything.