36 Things That Are Obsolete... Or Soon Will Be-- Part 1: Shopping Malls, Cash and Payphones

From MSN by Gael  F. Cooper.

1.  Shopping malls

2.  Cash

3.  Payphones

4.  Calculators

5.  Paper maps

6.  Print catalogs

7.  Business cards

8.  Parking meters

9.  House keys

10.  Manual-transmission cars

11.  College textbooks

12.  Chalkboards

--RoadBoard

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

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.

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

What to Horde Now: Disappearing Products and Me-- Part 2

I have been accused of hording things and have to admit that is partially true.  However, most of what I horde are things "they" take away from me that I like.  I have several hundred blank cassettes stockpiled as well as the decks and boomboxes to play them on.  I especially like any of the dual recorders where you can record on the same machine. 

I even have a CD to DVD recorder, a cassette tape, LP, and single to DVD recorder and VHS to DVD one for future use, although by the time I get around to it, DVD technology will be obsolete also.

As far as motion picture film, I am a big fan of VHS, but have a growing collection of DVDs (although I've never used one at home).  Yesterday, I took a Super Bowl Shuffle and "The Great Outdoors" to Donovan's Reef where we had a good time watching them.

We had a lot of Bear fans and it was really great seeing those guys from the 1985 team again and in their prime.

However, most of the things on the list are no great loss to me.

I Hate It When "They" Take Something Away From Me.  --RoadDog

What to Horde Now: Disappearing Products and Me

From December 17, 2012, Yahoo! Finance by Vanessa Wong.

1.  Incandescent Light Bulbs-- unless they can meet new standards in 2013, they're gone by next year.  I'm already stocking up on them.

2.  Old iPhone Charger--  Imagine Apple having planned obsolescence!  No problem here, I don't have an iPhone and wouldn't know how to use one if I did.

3.  Stamp Collections--  I never got into it, but I do keep a few stamps from each year with my journals.

4.  Motion Picture Film--  Fuji is dropping production.  Filmmakers are going to digital technology.  No problem here as my kids never saw a movie in class back in the 70s as I couldn't quite get the hang of threading the film.

5.  Issue of Newsweek Magazine--  First printed in 1933.  The last print issue on the newstands now.  I saw one yesterday.  I subscribed to the magazine on several different occasions and was about to get a new subscription a couple months ago with the great deal they were offering.  Glad I didn't.

I like my news in hand, not on some screen.  I did have a subscription to US News and World Report when they printed their last issue.  I could get their digital edition, but, like I said, I don't do news that way, well, except in gathering news for these darn blogs.

It's Not Me.  They're Taking All My Stuff Away.  --RoadDog

Obsolete Technology

Yesterday, that $5 Wal-Mart CD Bargain Bin grabbed me again.  Bought four CDs.  Hey, buy 'em before they're gone.

BLACK SABBATH--  Their first album, before I even knew who Ozzie was.  Great album, though.  Somewhere back in the albums, I have the original vinyl album, but, since it was a college album, pretty-well scratched.  Listened to it already.  It was good then, still good now. I was a big fan.

THE BEST OF BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS--  I have another Bill Haley Greatest Hits CD, but this one has some different ones, including that great Big Joe Turner dirty song "Shake, Rattle and Roll."  But, you'd have to listen to Big's version.

FLASHBACK WITH THE ASSOCIATION--  I have a vinyl album from my high school days, but, also scratched badly.  I especially like their "Time for Livin'" and  "Six Man Band."  They could put a little rock into their schmaltz.

THE BEST OF BILLY SQUIER--  Hey, "In the Dark," "My Kinda Lover" and "The Stroke."

Got to Stay Away from Those Wal-Mart $5 Bargain Bins.  --RoadDog


FUNNY HEADLINE: Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

Broom Hilda and the State of the Cell Phone Nation

In today's comic strip, Broom Hilda is walking down the street with a cell phone glued to her ear. Another five people also are walking and talking on their cell phones. They are walking by an open phone booth (not one of the old completely glass enclosed ones like the Blues Brothers used). It had a sign attached to it which read, "Listed with the National Historic Register."

Funny, but all too true. You just don't see phone booths which at one time were all over the place. Cell phones have put them out of business.

I have to admit, I am NOT a real big cell phone person. I don't much care for them. They have their uses and definitely come in handy, especially if you get separated at a function, or need to meet up with someone. HOWEVER, some folks I know have one growing out of their ear and I don't think many things look as ridiculous as a person with one of those blue tooth things.

It does seem that some people get full of self-importance when using them. Then, just about every kid you see has one these days. I know the parental excuse, "I want to always know where my kid is." But, I grew up without one as did everyone my age, and SOMEHOW, we still survived.

I held out against getting one until this past January. I still didn't really want one, but was more or less pressured into it. I still haven't mastered much on it, but am slowly learning.

That is also my big problem with all the new technology these days. I hate learning new stuff. An even bigger problem is that once you learn it, something new comes out and then you have to go back and learn it all over again. Things are just changing too fast, but that could just be old age talking.

Cell Phones. Good or Bad, I'm Not Too Sure. --RoadDog