How Long This Time?

Fun and computer games continue.  Thanks to a buddy, I got back on the internet in December, then went off it again.  I bought a new pc and somehow managed to get it hooked up and, well here I am again.

For how long who knows?

Plus, I now have to figure out how to get to my other three blogs on this site.  I haven't posted on them since May of 2023.

Love It But Hate It.  --RoadDog

The Old Dummy Goes Smart...Well, Maybe

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4

Bob Stroud has been counting through the 1970s in his daily Ten at Ten on Chicago's WDRV, the Drive.  Yesterday, he did 1970 with songs like "Teacher" by Jethro Tull and "The Rapper" by the Jaggerz.  Today, he did 1971 with songs like "Going Mobile" by the Who and "Everythings Coming Our Way" by Santana.  Those were two great college years for me at NIU.  He will continue this the rest of the month going to 1980.  It streams at 10 am and 10 pm.

Drove to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to the Target store and bought a Consumer Cellular Smart Phone.  My friend Kelly is going to help me shed my old dumb ways.  It's going to be a long haul as when it comes to technology, I am severely challenged.

Met Kevin, Kelly, Pam and Laura at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and we had a good time with trivia.

We had no luck with our attempts to set up the phone.

It's Going to be a Long Road to Hoe with That "Smart" Phone.  --RoadDumb

Okay, You Millennials, Okay You Boomers-- Part 1 Are Boomers Wrecking Social Security?

From the November 30, 2019, ListVerse  "10 studies proving everything you believe about Millennials and Boomers Is Wrong" by Anthony Sfarra.

First to clarify: Boomers are those born between the end of World War II and the mid-1960s.  Millennials were born between the early 1980s and either the mid-1990s or early 2000s depending upon who you believe.

These are based on recent studies.  You can get more information by going to the site.

10.  Baby Boomers aren't killing Social Security.

9.  Millennials read just as much as older generations.  (Books)

8.  Baby Boomers have embraced technology too.

7.  Millennials are more religious than you might think.

6.  Boomers aren't ready for retirement.

So, Take That Stereotypes.  --RoadBoomer

DID YOU KNOW:  Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy.

Setting Up the New Computer Went Better Than I Could Have Hoped For

As I sit here typing away with my two little fingers on the new personal computer in front of me, I must admit that yesterday went much better than I believed it would.

Now, however, I just need to learn how to get sound on it and how to turn it off.

But today, all of the eight blogs have been done on the new one.

So Proud, So very Proud.

Maybe I'm Not As technologically Challenged As I Thought.   But, I Probably Am.  --RoadDog

CROSS PURPOSES:  Who delivered the "Cross of Gold" speech at the Democratic National Convention on July 9, 1896?      


William Jennings Bryan

Wish Me Luck As I Attempt to Set Up the New Computer Today

Last Friday, I bought a new personal computer at Wal-Mart, an HP all-in-one Windows 10 for $399 and today I am going to attempt to install it.

I do not expect to succeed, given my continuing record dealing with all this new technology/  I am, as they say, technologically challenged.  Our current pcs are XPs and no longer supported by Windows as I see every time I turn mine on.

I would gave gotten a new pc earlier, but again, I have to learn how to set it  up and use it, something I am not good at in any fashion.

I still use a 2003 flip phone and still hardly know how  to use it.

Well, Wish Me Luck.  --RoadHuh?

About Those Six Things People Don't Have Anymore

OK, here's the scoop on me:

1.  CDs   I listened to the Kinks "Soap Opera" on CD in the '11 Malibu yesterday on the way to the Civil War Round Table meeting (and back).  The next car we buy will probably be a problem as I have to have a CD player.  As a matter of fact, I would like to have a cassette player as well.

2.  VHS Tape-- I have been watching VHS tapes of shows I recorded last week and have now caught up with them.  That's right, I still have a VCR.

3.  File cabinets--  Yep, I have several file cabinets in desks at home.  I still store papers and what have you in them.  I even have a couple spares in the garage.

4.  Wall calendars--  I have three wall calendars up around the house and several in reserve.

5.  Take out menus.  I have some, but not many.  I have never been much of a one for take out.  Why mess up the house when I can mess up there place?

6.  Alarm clocks--  I have them, but since I'm retired, I don't use them much unless I want to make sure I wake up in time to record Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots on an audio cassette on Sunday morning.

And, I would like to add ROAD ATLASES.  We still have several and I prefer to use these when planning a big truck.  I do, however, use GPS for closer in directions.


I Guess I'm Just Technologically Impaired.    --RoadChallenged

Six Things People Don't Have Anymore

From the Chicago History FaceBook page.

They asked people to tell them if they had two or more of these six.  I wonder how I'll do?

1.  CDs

2.  VHS Tapes

3.  File cabinets

4.  Wall calendars

5.  Take out menus

6.  Alarm clocks

How did you do?

--I Wonder, I Wonder?  --RoadDog

WORDS NOT YET IN THE DICTIONARY--  ECNALUBMA:  A rescue vehicle which can onlty be seen in the rearview mirror.

In Case You're Wondering What An "Idge" Phone Is

An "Idge" phone is my name for the smart phones.  They are probably one of the greatest things ever invented, but not with the way some, well, many people are almost constantly hooked up to the things.

Just look around you.

--RoadDog

Cases of Teen "Idge-Itis" (Text Neck) on the Rise

It seems that those folks who make the comic strips have already figured out there is something mighty wrong with "Idge" phones.  Others call them "Smart" phones, but perhaps they are more likely "Idiot" phones (or "Idge" for short) for the people using them becoming so addicted to them you rarely see them off it.

Quick, tell me the last time you did not see a teen girl walking around without one in their hand.  They can't even put them away in a pocket or purse as they need to see what their BFF just texted.

Now, I see an article in the August 3, 2016, Chicago Tribune" "Therapists says teens hunched over cellphones get 'text neck' by Vikki Ortiz Healy.  They say teens are experiencing the same neck and back pain usually attributed to people 30 years older.

They are spending too much time staring down at their "Idge" phones.

Is There Something Wrong Here?  --RoadDog

MORE SUTHEN-ISMS:  If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin'!

Say What?

From the June 2010 AARP Bulletin  "Power of 50" by Betsy Towner.

"Technology, customs and culture come and go with the times.  Along the way, they hatch expressions that become ingrained in our language and outlive their roots.

"Perhaps the next generation can use a little help with understanding these 50 phrases."

I will be putting these at the end of my first posts to this blog for the next month or so.

I must admits, there were some of these that I didn't know or hadn't thought about.

For example:  ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH:  Dealt with railroads and switching tracks.  If you were "asleep at the switch" there could be some really dire consequences.

--RoadDog

Sitting Here Looking At All Sorts of TVs

And, they're not plugged in or anything like that. The last few days have been major TV time for me. Earlier this week, with difficulty, I hooked up the new digital HDTV in the corner of the downstairs bar (and it even works).

Wednesday I spent the day looking at 50-60-inch HDTVs at Wal-Mart, Meijer's, Target and Best Buy in McHenry and finally settled for an E-Series 55-inch Vizio Smart TV at Wal-Mart for $698. Unfortunately, they didn't have any in stock but could get them next week, but that would be too late for Sunday's Bears party at the house.

They had two of them at the Huntley Wal-Mart, about 30 miles away, so yesterday, Liz and I drove over there and bought it. It is now sitting in its box in the basement and in a little while I'll try to get it hooked up.

In the meantime, I have the old 19-inch picture tube set from the corner of the bar, the 25-inch picture tube set and the 25-inch console set sitting right here across from the computer. I am going to turn the area into an old-timey TV watching area to see my old VHS tapes, both ones I recorded and store-bought movies.

Sure Hope I Get That 55-inch Hooked Up. That Smart TV Is Too Smart For Me. --RoadDog

After Much Effort, I Got That New HDTV Hooked Up

With the state of television moving along as it is today (and the fact that I can't get most cable stations on the old analog TVs anymore), I am forced to join the rest of world and go HD digital TV.

Not that I didn't want to, as I love big screen TVs, but the old ones were still working and I hate getting rid of something that still works.

Last month, I bought a 29-inch HDTV for the corner of the Margaritaville bar (it was the largest I could find to fit the spot) and had put off installing it until yesterday as I knew it would be a pain. New technology and I don't get along. Nothing new is easy for me.

Plus, getting the old 19-inch picture tube set down wasn't easy either. It was mighty heavy. After several hours, I was able to get the stations on the new one, but had to detach my VHS recorder/DVD player.

Today, I go out and buy a 55-60-inch HDTV for the basement as we are having a Bears Football party this Sunday afternoon.

So Proud of Myself and Watching TV in Style. --RoadDog

Thirty years Ago Today We Be Stylin' With New Zenith 25-inch Color Console TV

Looking back at my journal for 1983 (I've been keeping it since summer 1978 and really wish I had been keeping it back to high school and college days) and saw that today, December 5, 1983, a Monday, Polk Brothers delivered the new 25-inch color TV console.

Liz had bought it back on November 29th from Polk Brothers (there's a name for you Chicago folk) for $498, a goodly amount of money back then. I paid for it with deejay earnings and also had bought our first VCR (it's remote was attached by a cord).

We had been watching a 19-inch color TV before that so had really "arrived" in the world of technology. We gave the old one to Liz's parents.

Back in 1983, we were in the midst of quite a cold spell (just like we have coming in this year) and I had to keep the set turned off for two hours to warm up as it wasn't delivered until 6:30 PM to let it warm up as it had been in the truck all day. Not easy as I really wanted to watch it.

AND, we still have that TV. Right now it isn't hooked up to anything as I had to replace it with my mother-in-law's 25-inch color TV as the '83 didn't have the hookup for all the new digital stuff our cable company Mediacom now has. That was just a few months ago.

The set still works very well except for an occasional very temperamental volume control which goes off and on full sound at any given time. Either you can't hear it or get blasted out.

Right now, I plan to move it elsewhere in the basement's North Woods area and use it to watch my old VHS tapes, both bought and recorded.

I will be replacing Frances' 25-inch TV with a 55 or 60-inch HD one in time for our Bear party on Dec. 15th.

Hey, The '83 Still Works. Why Get Rid Of It? --RoadDog

The State of Cell Phones: Didn't Get Mine

Are you one of the 9 million or so who have signed up for the new I-whatever phones? Sorry to say, but I didn't. I know a lot of you will be getting rid of the "new" one you bought less than a year ago to get this "new" one. At least new until the next "new" phone comes out several months down the road.

Of course, Liz and I have phones that are just a wee bit dated. I think they might even be Cingular phones and I think we got them back in 2003 (my first one). And, I still don't really know how to use mine for the most part. I have never texted or read a text and wouldn't know how to nor plan to.

We were at Captain's Quarters Saturday for their band and "Pirate Day" get-together. We were at the bar and a guy came up to place an order and saw Liz's cell phone out on the bar. He remarked something about it being a real museum piece and he couldn't believe anyone was still using them. He had to look at it.

Oh Well, Technologically Backward Me. ---RoadDog

Finally Going to Get My First Digital HD TV

I was going to wait until my basement analog, tube TVs broke down (a 1983 25-inch console and 1992 19-inch TV). But, we are forced into it by our cable station going all digital. Plus, I have been wanting to get one of the new big-screens for quite some time (despite claims of my cheapness stemming from not wanting to get new things until the old ones break down).

Later today, I plan on going to Wal-Mart, Meijer's and Target and finding a TV for the corner of the bar. This is a very limited space, so have to be careful with dimensions. I have 18 and 1/2 inches top to bottom to play with and think I might even be able to squeeze a 32-incher into it. This will be replacing the current 19-incher we bought when the basement was finished in early 1993.

Sometime this next month, I plan to buy a 55 to 60-inch big screen for the basement to replace the console.

Hopefully, I will be able to "figger out" how to operate them.

I'll Be Watching the Games and New Season TV In Style. --RoadDog

Iconic Brands That Just Disappeared

From the July 3, 2013, Yahoo! Finance, 24/7 Wall St by Alexander E.M. Hess and Michael B. Sauter.

Ten years ago, SONY Ericsson was one of the hottest cell phone makers and Cingular was one of the most popular wireless carriers and, then Compaq was one of the hottest PC brands. Don't ask me about the first two. I'd heard of them, but you're talking to a guy who has had his cell phone (same one) for about eight years and still doesn't know how to operate it. I think my school in Round Lake got Compaq computers for the first time back in 2000. I didn't know how to operate them either.

These and others have effectively ceased to exist, but were household names back then. Cause of loss, usually significant mismanagement coupled with industry pressure.

Compaq and Cingular were bought. Some others which are gone now: Lehman Brothers, Wachovia, Washington Mutual and Saab.

Gone Now. --RoadDog

JSS: Bobby "Blue"-- A "Thunderin" Summer-- Tech Help Needed-- Goodbye Bill

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  BOBBY "BLUE"--  Listening to Bobby "Blue" Bland's album (well, CD) Blues At Midnight on Malaco Records from 2003.  Like the lead-off tune "Where Do i Go From here."  A perfect example of his sound.  Sorry to find out he died. 


2.  A "THUNDERIN' SUMMER--  Bob Stroud played "Hot Fun in the Summertime" yesterday and Friday in his salutes to the Summer Season now upon us.  Well, so far, it has been thunder and rain for us around here in northeast Illinois.  Starting with the major storm that hit Friday morning, and then rain all Friday night into Saturday morning.

Yesterday, we had a fast storm run through the Cahin of Lakes, scattering boats all over the place trying to get away from the lightning.  Then, a storm just hit and is still raining right now at 9:35 AM.  No yardwork or boat cleaning today.


3.  TECH HELP NEEDED--  Mom got me an IPad, a very handy thing, but one that, for some reason does not like our Wifi spot here at the house.  I can get online pretty much anywhere, but home.  Sometimes it will go on, but mostly not.

And then, there is that 7:34 AM alarm that goes off everyday on the watch that I can't get to stop.  I can change it to a different time, but can't get the alarm to go off.

Technology Does Not Like Me.  --RoadDog


IF CATS PERFORMED "CATS":  Part of the performance would include cast members climbing and shredding the theater curtains (and then acting like they were proud of it).

They Did It To Me Again: TVs

Spent some time yesterday doing something I had been dreading and putting off, and that is messing with the TVs.  And, not my choice!!  I was forced into it by my cable company.  All of our TVs are analog and when the BIG DIGITAL SWITCH took place several years back, we were ok as the cable hookup managed to take care of it.

Now, it's not that I don't like the new HD digital TVs and as a matter of fact was looking forward to getting them, BUT NOT UNTIL THE CURRENT TVS BREAK DOWN!!!!!

Before I left for the south last week, we had noticed that we had lost a few of the channels (Mediacom had warned us several months back that they were switching to all digital and that we would need special boxes to be hooked up).  We ordered them.

We have four main TVs:  The 25-inch console downstairs is 1983 and the bar 19-inch is 1992.  Upstairs, the 32-inch is about 1998 and the 19-inch in my study is about the same year.  The two TVs downstairs were too old to even use the box, requiring you to use the power button on the set.

We did get Liz's mom's 25-inch TV hooked up downstairs and Liz got the 32-inch hooked up while I was gone.

I did really enjoy the new channels we get now and watched a couple episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents last night.  I like those old TV shows.

Looks like there is a 55-60-inch TV in the near future for me.  Guess I'll just have to learn how to live with it.  And, I'll need a new one for the bar but will have to do some measuring as it has only a limited space.

Go On, Twist my Arm and Make me Get Them!!  --RoadDog

Ten of the Worst Jobs for the Future

From April 4, 2013, Yahoo! Finance, Kiplinger.

Jobs they say are on the way out and current number working them.  Go to site for reasons.  I'm just listing.  These are doomed by technology.  Sometimes I hate technology.

1.  Post Office Clerk--  65,000
2.  Switchboard Operator/Call Receptionist--  142,500--  Guess we might as well get used to those pesky menus and waits.
3.  Semiconductor Processor--  21,100--  Hey, isn't that technology?

4.  Sewing Machine Operator--  163,200
5.  Printing Press technician--  50,800
6.  Desktop Publisher--  22,610--  Again, isn't this technology?
7.  Door-to-Door Salesmen-=-  153,800--  Are they still around?

8.  Floral Designer--  66,500--  Flower arranger?
9.  Journalism Reporter--  51,900--  Then who collects the news?
10. Jeweler--  39,000

How About Retired Folks?  --RoadDog

Hey, Comics Talking About Me-- Part 2

From the December 7, 2012, Chicago Tribune.

BLONDIE

FRAME ONE:  Dagwood is talking to a department store Santa Claus in a diner and asks, "Are you having a good year?"

Santa:  "Despite havin' to bust my 'bowlful of jelly' for eight hours a day, I think it'll be okay."


FRAME TWO:  Santa:  "Parents are ordering online, but kids still order on-lap.  So I guess you could say that I'm the Original Laptop!  Ho! Ho!"

FRAME THREE:  Dagwood's back with Blondie and walking by the Santa with children in line and one on lap and says:  "Did you know Santa was the original Laptop?

Blondie is looking puzzled at him.

It's a Technology Thing.  You Wouldn't Understand.  Me Neither.  --RoadDog