[R[NA]ant] The world is changing and I aint. [/R[/NA]t]

I'm 53. 40's not the end of the world. You can't even see it from there.

The other day my wife and I were having a discussion about how there is not a single societal trend going on in the USA that we agree with or even understand. Tats. Piercings. Gender confusion. Man buns. Facebook. The Kardashians. The housewives of (...). The list goes on and on.

A couple beers later we just decided that we're a couple grumpy old f***s.

Cheers, and Happy Birthday!
 
I'm 53. 40's not the end of the world. You can't even see it from there.

The other day my wife and I were having a discussion about how there is not a single societal trend going on in the USA that we agree with or even understand. Tats. Piercings. Gender confusion. Man buns. Facebook. The Kardashians. The housewives of (...). The list goes on and on.

A couple beers later we just decided that we're a couple grumpy old f***s.

Cheers, and Happy Birthday!
Well, craft beers are kinda new. And we just a craft distillery nearby and I think I'll like that.

But mostly I agree with you. I was at the beach yesterday and even the weight trend amongst the beach crowd is trending in a direction I don't agree with. The few bikinis I saw were definitely on the wrong women.
 
If we are old man ranting here....I want in.

Here in Norway, the morons decided to shut down FM radio, though like 7 of 10 automobiles only have FM. So millions of perfectly good FM radios are suddenly junk. Plus you either spend a fortune at the dealer getting upgraded, or else buy a Mickey Mouse adapter, with wires hanging around, etc. to convert.
There is a weird thing with the DAB+ broadcast... I've heard several songs where there must be cancellation, like LED Zep "whole Lotta Love" where lead guitar is totally buried. It's just crap.

But THAT isn't the rant.

So my wife bought me a replacement clock radio, as mine is FM, so a DAB clock radi, for Xmas.

So I check it out. Has lots of alarm settings (weekday, weekend, one time, etc.) but you have to hit power (so radio is playing) another knob, then turn the other knob to choose alarm, go through ALL settings (if it is just to set the alarm for the next morning you have to know the date, to set it for next day if before midnight).

You can't see what time the alarm is currently set to without going through the whole thing with two knobs, and menu driven where if your timing is off the same action to see/set alarm now toggles between DAB and FM, or preset station setting, to set it..

Plus I need my glasses to read it..and the menu is complex to get to.

So if, as often happens, my wife goes to bed before me, when I go in and want to check what time the alarm is set to, or change it, I have to turn the radio on, which she is often very happy about. It had to be on to set/check alarm time.

Then too, we noticed that the LCD display is BRIGHT. I am not kidding that it lights up the whole room. Now if you look directly at it it seems low level lit, but move a little to the side and it is totally lit up the whole 2x3" LCD display, and this is what lights up the room. Looking into the poorly written instructions, I had a glimmer of hope reading that there were three light display settings. Unfortunately, it was already on the second setting (first is even brighter....I could read in bed from it, really the second setting too if I squint) but the lowest setting...pure genius. It is totally black. No clock to read, no nothing, black hole.

This was a hitachi, I've looked just briefly around at DAB alarm clocks and see that many have LCD so pretty sure they would have the same problem. Also don't they get that one wants to check the alarm time setting sometimes? By pushing a dedicated button? Or even, God forbid, set a new time without blaring John Philips Souza marches at 120 db?

Have these engineers made a clock radio and never van tried it out in a dark room? Have they ever seen a clock radio? They have competition with smart phones now, and it isn't looking good for them. And they are not cheap.

This is just one thing, but I see this kind of thing all the time now..
 
I'm 53. 40's not the end of the world. You can't even see it from there.

The other day my wife and I were having a discussion about how there is not a single societal trend going on in the USA that we agree with or even understand. Tats. Piercings. Gender confusion. Man buns. Facebook. The Kardashians. The housewives of (...). The list goes on and on.

A couple beers later we just decided that we're a couple grumpy old f***s.

Cheers, and Happy Birthday!


Just because you don't agree or understand these trends doesn't make you grumpy old f***s. Because if it did, I'D be an old grumpy fart too.
 
If we are old man ranting here....I want in.

Here in Norway, the morons decided to shut down FM radio, though like 7 of 10 automobiles only have FM. So millions of perfectly good FM radios are suddenly junk. Plus you either spend a fortune at the dealer getting upgraded, or else buy a Mickey Mouse adapter, with wires hanging around, etc. to convert.
There is a weird thing with the DAB+ broadcast... I've heard several songs where there must be cancellation, like LED Zep "whole Lotta Love" where lead guitar is totally buried. It's just crap.

But THAT isn't the rant.

So my wife bought me a replacement clock radio, as mine is FM, so a DAB clock radi, for Xmas.

So I check it out. Has lots of alarm settings (weekday, weekend, one time, etc.) but you have to hit power (so radio is playing) another knob, then turn the other knob to choose alarm, go through ALL settings (if it is just to set the alarm for the next morning you have to know the date, to set it for next day if before midnight).

You can't see what time the alarm is currently set to without going through the whole thing with two knobs, and menu driven where if your timing is off the same action to see/set alarm now toggles between DAB and FM, or preset station setting, to set it..

Plus I need my glasses to read it..and the menu is complex to get to.

So if, as often happens, my wife goes to bed before me, when I go in and want to check what time the alarm is set to, or change it, I have to turn the radio on, which she is often very happy about. It had to be on to set/check alarm time.

Then too, we noticed that the LCD display is BRIGHT. I am not kidding that it lights up the whole room. Now if you look directly at it it seems low level lit, but move a little to the side and it is totally lit up the whole 2x3" LCD display, and this is what lights up the room. Looking into the poorly written instructions, I had a glimmer of hope reading that there were three light display settings. Unfortunately, it was already on the second setting (first is even brighter....I could read in bed from it, really the second setting too if I squint) but the lowest setting...pure genius. It is totally black. No clock to read, no nothing, black hole.

This was a hitachi, I've looked just briefly around at DAB alarm clocks and see that many have LCD so pretty sure they would have the same problem. Also don't they get that one wants to check the alarm time setting sometimes? By pushing a dedicated button? Or even, God forbid, set a new time without blaring John Philips Souza marches at 120 db?

Have these engineers made a clock radio and never van tried it out in a dark room? Have they ever seen a clock radio? They have competition with smart phones now, and it isn't looking good for them. And they are not cheap.

This is just one thing, but I see this kind of thing all the time now..
I feel your pain. I've got what's likely a 30-year-old Realistic Chronomatic 252 clock radio (Radio Shack's house brand) that's simple and straightforward. I can easily set the alarm in the dark by feel. I sincerely hope this Malaysian-made beauty outlasts me.

Here's one on evilBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-REA...930832?hash=item2efc645a90:g:GYYAAOSw4GVYN2id
 
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My clock radio replaced an old beater that broke. New one: Snooze button is right next to the alarm off button and has a couple of small Braille-type bumps on top of it to differentiate. Way too easy to accidentally touch the alarm off button instead of snooze. Display brightness is high, higher, and highest.
 
I'm good with tats and piercings, but I don't get why people talk into the edge of their phone, or on talk on speakerphone in public. Then again, my parents probably wondered why my generation wore baseball caps backwards, probably same kind of deal.
 
I did some flying for Bill from Dawsonville back in '98.
My first flying job was out of his field. Saw him a few times. Mostly flew everything himself. Not real approachable from what I understand. Never tried.

Ernie, on the other hand, was a super nice guy.

I flew an SR22 from Atlanta to LA just to try In-N-Out and it was ****ing terrible. Total waste of a flight.

Ok, maybe it was a ferry flight, but still...
 
Yeah Bill a little standoffish, maybe shy, I dunno. Met Ernie, he'll talk, nice people. Bill bought a Brasilia for the #13 race team back in '98 so I flew that a bit for him. I let him takeoff, fly, and land it one time, good pilot. Has some nice toys, most with much HP and fast.

I forget his mechanics name, nice guy. He flew Bill back home after races due to the carbon monoxide from racin' for hours.
 
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Good Lord, 40? You whining about that? Glasses? You are gonna find some serious issues in your future. No sympathy, here, sorry. Learn to adjust.

(kidding, of course)
 
There has been a KFC across the street from the central market for at least 12 years.

The space were the Burger King is was, in fact, a KFC. And it's across from the Lotteria, which is the other KFC (Korean Fried Chicken.)

And by the way I can't stand the Ben Than market. I've been avoiding D1 lately. Tomorrow I'm going to Vung Tau for some beach R&R.

They used to run these old Russian hydrofoils from downtown HCMC to Vung Tau which turned a two and a half hour drive in to a 40 minute boat ride, but now there is a new highway that cuts the drive down to about an hour plus the boats have been sinking so the government shut them down.

I drank too much last night. I need coffee. **** I don't remember where I left the motorbike.
 
Gillian-Nigellea.jpg
 
I'm trying to think of a way to unnecessarily hijack this thread just for fun. because I'm bored. and looking for an excuse not to do work. so let's see........."where's everybody flying this weekend?'....nah, someone did that already....."french toast anyone?"...nah, someone learn't there lesson there......"AoA"......meh............"boobs".....eh I'll leave that to mscard............shoot, I need some help here fellas.........

You forgot "monkey". What is monkey doing this weekend???
 
Hey....

What happened to backpage.com? I just noticed that the 'adult services' categories (not that I would peruse them of course) are now censored in the United States! WTF? Well nothing actually got censored, I see they just moved the ads in other categories.

Holy cow Batman, the backpages for Manila and Bangkok are most def eye opening!

Again, I'm not saying I would look, but if I did, it would probably be eye opening. Yeah. It's time for a beer right now.
 
Hey....

What happened to backpage.com? I just noticed that the 'adult services' categories (not that I would peruse them of course) are now censored in the United States! WTF? Well nothing actually got censored, I see they just moved the ads in other categories.

Holy cow Batman, the backpages for Manila and Bangkok are most def eye opening!

Again, I'm not saying I would look, but if I did, it would probably be eye opening. Yeah. It's time for a beer right now.

U.S. Version probably wanted nothing to do with being a conduit for human trafficking, legally.
 
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin’
And the first one now will later be last
Rage, rage for these times are a-changin'.....

(with apologies to Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas)

 
I have a friend starting a seaplane instructing business out of Lake Norman. He also does aerobatic and tailwheel. You could go on a binge and get all 3.

What is he using for the seaplane? When does he expect to be operational? Can you pass along contact info?
 
What is he using for the seaplane? When does he expect to be operational? Can you pass along contact info?
Champ with an 0-235. I would guess in a month or two. Has to paint the floats and get them pressure tested and mounted. Business is Piedmont Puddle Jumpers 336-244-9592. Tell him John Kruckeberg gave you his info.
 
I avoided the apple craze for a long long time. I finally caved after my last android kept freaking out on me. Now Apple is all I will buy. I don't approve of their business practices, or the shills who camp out for the latest product. They simply work, and work for a long time so I will keep buying them.

In-out burger.... Made my first trip to a state that had one last year. Was all excited to try it, dealt with the crowd and guess what...... IT TASTE LIKE FREAKING WENDY'S BURGERS!!

I don't get the whole craft beer thing. You are paying double, sometimes triple, for a drink that in my mind taste bitter or chalky. I will stick to Yuengling.

Craft beer actually has taste, as do those who knowingly imbibe in it. Craft beer TASTES like beer when it is brewed by someone with a bit of knowledge and skill. It's not hard to brew great beer. It's almost harder to brew bad beer. What seems to be the most difficult, however, is practicing a little restraint while putting together a recipe. Craft brewers who are putting out beers for all the wrong reasons (like notoriety or hopes of big money) generally try to reinvent beer by putting comically silly things in their brews. An old tricycle seat, a monkey paw and a dash of stoopid does not make a great beer. Attention to detail, quality ingredients, good sanitation and healthy yeast makes great beer. It's funny to me that in America, where being unique and seeking out the best of the best that we can afford (and then overspending to have the biggest pile of debt possible all in the name of image) that people will name Price as the biggest object to drinking craft beer. Drink craft beer or drink crap beer. Your choice. (Life's too short to drink bad beer.)
 
Craft beer actually has taste, as do those who knowingly imbibe in it. Craft beer TASTES like beer when it is brewed by someone with a bit of knowledge and skill. It's not hard to brew great beer. It's almost harder to brew bad beer. What seems to be the most difficult, however, is practicing a little restraint while putting together a recipe. Craft brewers who are putting out beers for all the wrong reasons (like notoriety or hopes of big money) generally try to reinvent beer by putting comically silly things in their brews. An old tricycle seat, a monkey paw and a dash of stoopid does not make a great beer. Attention to detail, quality ingredients, good sanitation and healthy yeast makes great beer. It's funny to me that in America, where being unique and seeking out the best of the best that we can afford (and then overspending to have the biggest pile of debt possible all in the name of image) that people will name Price as the biggest object to drinking craft beer. Drink craft beer or drink crap beer. Your choice. (Life's too short to drink bad beer.)

Preach it brotha
 
Good Lord, 40? You whining about that? Glasses? You are gonna find some serious issues in your future. No sympathy, here, sorry. Learn to adjust.

(kidding, of course)

:) you are going to fit in so well here!
Your tiger is gorgeous by the way
 
Craft beer actually has taste, as do those who knowingly imbibe in it. Craft beer TASTES like beer when it is brewed by someone with a bit of knowledge and skill. It's not hard to brew great beer. It's almost harder to brew bad beer. What seems to be the most difficult, however, is practicing a little restraint while putting together a recipe. Craft brewers who are putting out beers for all the wrong reasons (like notoriety or hopes of big money) generally try to reinvent beer by putting comically silly things in their brews. An old tricycle seat, a monkey paw and a dash of stoopid does not make a great beer. Attention to detail, quality ingredients, good sanitation and healthy yeast makes great beer. It's funny to me that in America, where being unique and seeking out the best of the best that we can afford (and then overspending to have the biggest pile of debt possible all in the name of image) that people will name Price as the biggest object to drinking craft beer. Drink craft beer or drink crap beer. Your choice. (Life's too short to drink bad beer.)

I'm going to be the contrarian. I don't like most craft beers - the craft beers that people that like craft beers rave about. Most tend to be too heavy and syrupy for my taste. I rarely drink beer when I'm in the states but when I do it's normally a light colored German pilzner. Over here I drink Tiger beer, which is a light but reasonably strong (5%) rice brewed beer. For some reason I can drink that stuff and not get fat.
 
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