Monday Musings...

This weekend has seen us with OUR share of rain, hasn't it?
We're not flooded out, however, and that's a good thing.
It's just been a medium steady type of rain, if you can assign a "level" to it.
Our Hoosierland weather for today has us with temps rising to the upper 60s and yes, a chance of rain throughout the day (mostly in the afternoon). Watch out for early morning fog, which has some rural schools on 2-hour delays.
Now that we have that out of the way, let's get that morning drink and take a look at what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the rain gauge is out "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
March 14 -
---Today is NATIONAL POTATO CHIP DAY

(Got a feeling that Chris has THIS one taken care of, as do I, much to the chagrin of our arterial systems)
---It's also NATIONAL PI DAY

(well, today IS 3.14 - plus, this is the ONLY case where "pi are square" - the rest are ROUND, got it?)
---And, it's NATIONAL LEARN ABOUT BUTTERFLIES DAY

(I hear the monarch population IS making a comeback)
---It's NATIONAL NAPPING DAY

(oh, I have GOT to take advantage of this one)
---And, it's NATIONAL CHILDREN'S CRAFT DAY

(hey, children can be QUITE "crafty" at times)
*** Next up, and taking another "swipe" at technology, we seem to have a story of this type EVERY year, so the subject must be getting some serious traction.

It has to do with something called VINYL RECORDS. Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/New-generation-gets-into-groove-of-vinyl-12018906
Imagine that, a "new" generation discovering this.
This past weekend in Fort Wayne was the "record and CD show", and if you sneezed, you missed it.
It didn't get the "attention" it should have...wonder why?
It was held at the Classic Cafe on Sunday.

Still, there is much to be said for vinyl records. I still have a LOT of mine and a good turntable to spin them on.
Even have more than a few of the old 45s.
You can still buy a turntable at stores such as Target or Best Buy.
Personally, I think no home stereo is complete without some hardware to play various types of media.
You need a good tuner, a turntable, CD player, and yes, maybe even a dual cassette player (for high-speed dubbing - the tried and true "mix tapes". The hard part is trying to find blank cassettes.
Thank God we still have a cassette Walkman.
This "vinyl" show has been running for 30 years in the city, too.
They were also selling other collectibles and comic books.
Makes you wish you kept a
*** Next up, we've lost another iconic musician - Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. He was 71. Here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Emerson

I considered him one of the BEST keyboardists of that era...right up there with Rick Wakeman.
Odd thing, I got the MEET them at a Circuit City store that my partner (Arnie) and I were at during the grand opening up in Montgomeryville, PA back in the early 90s.

They signed a CD (I bought) of their "Pictures at an Exhibition" for another friend of mine who was blown away with all THREE autographs.
It was a promo signing for the "Return of the Manticore" 4-CD set (compilation).
I have some photos (someplace), but I'll borrow one from a Mr. Greg DoDonato, who was also there at the time. When I find my pics, I'll ty and make a copy of the photos, so bear with me. I'm sure Chris Martin will have some thoughts on this passing by Friday.
*** Next up, our weekend started off Innocent enough.
Grocery shopping went well UNTIL we reached the checkout.
It seems that the scanners for the credit-debit cards at Kroger will (now) ONLY take cards with the "security chip" in them.
Our bank debit card does not have one, so we had to use a standard credit card (not my first choice).

I prefer to write a damn check and call it done. NO chip required.
Well, when we get home, Wifey and I are both kinda steamed over not being advised AHEAD of time to this change, so she calls the ban,k and we're told that we can't JUST get a new card (unless it's reported stolen or lost), and we'll have to wait until OCTOBER to get our "chipped" debit/ATM card.
I said to Wifey "Tell the person we JUST lost the card...in the garbage disposal..." (a total but impulsive fabrication).
Well, I suppose we'll just wait, and hope the card doesn't get lost in the post...in October.
Funny thing - as of September LAST year, there was a bit of a flap BY the banks to stores.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/29/business/chip-cards-will-require-users-to-dip-rather-than-swipe.html?_r=0
This says non-chipped cards SHOULD STILL WORK...(until they expire) wonder who changed THAT? Better let Kroger know.

Haven't found any TWO alike yet.

A case where the technology outpaced the ability of the banks to keep the hell up and adequately supply their customers with the correct technology to work in concert with these new scanners.
And, BTW, every store seems to have a slightly DIFFERENT type of scanner...so you might get caught up in this tech-crap-shoot whenever you go and purchase something.
Some require a swipe (vertical or horizontal, while others require an insertion of the card (to read the chip).
The ONLY good thing, is that YOU retain possession OF the damn card...big frigging whoop-dee-doo when it doesn't work with the store tech.
*** Next, and onto this whole "Daylight SAVING Time" thing...

WE are no saving ANY daylight...all "we" are doing is f$cking with out clocks (and personal circadian rhythms).
Now, aside from the fact that these new DIGITAL watches have to be "re-programmed" an hour ahead, wasn't it much easier to pull the stem of the old analog watches and advance the hands instead?
Just TRY to get a "have to wind them" watches, or even a "kinetic" watch (the type where you shake your wrist and they wind themselves) these days. You're gonna pay a LOT of moolah to get one of those.

Good enough for James bond...

And God forbid you need a watch REPAIRMAN these days. They're all dying the hell off.
Also, in many cases with these digital watches, you need someone who can get the damn back off the watch to replace the battery ($7 at Glenbrook Mall - per watch for that number).
I know I've taken to getting the batteries through eBay, and then swapping them out myself (mostly for Wifey).
Some of the battery watches can be "turned off" by pulling the stem out (used to set the time). That saves battery life. On the totally digital ones, there are usually very small screws that hold the back-plate on, and many times, the screws are blocked by the damn watch band.
I suppose we're meant to just TOSS THEM AWAY?
That's unheard of for my generation. We didn't toss away OUR watches (and we learned to not wind them too tight, either). Much the same can be said for decent leather shoes, but that's another post for another day. In other words, another part of society that is becoming disposable.
*** Next, our Sunday went very well (considering whee we live), and we decided to have our corned beef yesterday, instead of this Thursday (St Patty's Day).
Found a nice brisket for about $12...large enough for the two of us (and leftovers).
And I chose to deviate from the "usual" and roast it in the oven (with baby carrots) and some Au Gratin potatoes.
Well, I never said I was IRISH...did I?
The brisket came out melting in your mouth, and I'm sure it would pass muster at ANY Irish household AS WELL AS any JEWISH one...LOL.
 Had a nice Guinness blonde to wash it down (Wifey had Smithwick's).
Being able to cook is one of those "hidden blessings" in life..
My mother must be smiling down on me for that...thanks, Mom.
*** Next up, our adventures with tech didn't end there, because yesterday morning, when ALL the clocks were changed ahead to DST, the CABLE BOX was still an hour behind (or on CENTRAL times...your choice).

Same type as ours.(on ebay of all places)

Why didn't it change ahead like it's done every other year?
So, we called the cable company and had them "reset" the box (ping it).
You'd think that with something like the time change, they'd be on top of this. Wonder if it was ":just us"?
Every other year, the cable box changed time ON IT'S OWN...the company took care of that WITHOUT any customer intervention.
Guess someone at Frontier "overslept"?
That would seem too logical.
*** Last back to the patio...I am trying not to become a person who despises technology...and I'm trying REAL hard along those lines.

I mean there has been an almost incalculable amount of technology that preceded my birth and much more in the 63 years after that. Much of this has been a boon to mankind and our society.
One can look to just the Industrial Revolution to find that out.

Yet, as society progresses, the speed and level of sophistication OF the technologies we're possessing is outstripping our ability to either keep up with it, or (most importantly) properly UTILIZE it.
And there lies the rub...
The printing press, movable type, telegraph, radio, an eventually, television, radar (microwave ovens), electricity, indoor plumbing (and the toilet) are all innovations that have indeed HELPED mankind to no small end.
But, with the advent of electronics and all that they have been incorporated into these days, such technology has left we mere mortals "in the dust", as it were.

Like a dog chasing it's own tail.

With every new electronic device comes with it the plethora of problems, and since many of them were not even foreseen, the EXPERTS are overwhelmed attempting to undo the damage that this tech can do to us all, when abused and misused by the wrong people.

A "lost" generation?

I still say that we and everyone else creating and/or using all this "must have" stuff that fuels the latest craze or fad, need to ensure that all this cannot be turned around to undo all the progress we have made as a species.
If this sounds like it borders on the philosophical, it truly does, because a new way of thinking is at hand, and we'd need not be caught with our guard (or pants) down, right?

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.