What's something modern you won't miss when it becomes obsolete?

[Gregg Axley]

Cars with over 250 horsepower. Sure you need large engines in huge cars, but in smaller cars, why would anyone need to go that fast? It obviously is illegal.

I'm not sure they are illegal YET, but they are still a whole lot of fun.
[video=youtube;rHJhvfk7SYY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHJhvfk7SYY[/video]
10.9 1/4 mile at 142mph AND street legal? I call that a good time.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The West Coast truly is another planet. When I was out there I was astonished at how fast people drove -- having come from a place where twisty two-lane roads were (and still are) the norm. And yet, it drove me nuts how slow people *walked.* I'd be going along the sidewalk at what I considered a normal pace, and I'd have to shoulder my way past all these shuffling, shambling baby-steppers who drove 90 mph to get into town and then seemed to be slogging their way thru a pot of molasses once they got there.

 

[LuvMyMan]

The West Coast truly is another planet. When I was out there I was astonished at how fast people drove -- having come from a place where twisty two-lane roads were (and still are) the norm. And yet, it drove me nuts how slow people *walked.* I'd be going along the sidewalk at what I considered a normal pace, and I'd have to shoulder my way past all these shuffling, shambling baby-steppers who drove 90 mph to get into town and then seemed to be slogging their way thru a pot of molasses once they got there.

Sadly, I think it may be due to most of the average individuals are what is commonly called, "stoned". They did not realize how fast they were driving, and then when out of the vehicle, they are walking like "Cheech and Chong" !

 

[Zombie_61]

The West Coast truly is another planet. When I was out there I was astonished at how fast people drove -- having come from a place where twisty two-lane roads were (and still are) the norm. And yet, it drove me nuts how slow people *walked.* I'd be going along the sidewalk at what I considered a normal pace, and I'd have to shoulder my way past all these shuffling, shambling baby-steppers who drove 90 mph to get into town and then seemed to be slogging their way thru a pot of molasses once they got there.

California, more so than any other U.S. state I believe, is still firmly entrenched in it's "car culture" status that began not long after Henry Ford's Model T made it's debut. As such, walking is anathema to us, so we do it reluctantly and only when there are no other options.

Okay, that's not entirely true, but it seems to be at times. I've known people who would drive two blocks to the corner store for a gallon of milk rather than walk regardless of ever increasing gas prices. And, judging by the lack of sufficient public transportation here, it seems state and local governments have fostered that car culture through the decades. Most of California's residents aren't going to get very far if they don't have a car at their disposal, especially those who live in rural areas (yes, believe it or not, we do have them here), so our ties to our cars are as much through necessity as they are through desire.

Sadly, that doesn't necessarily mean Californians are better drivers than anyone else. I think driving is a rather simple task, but the concept seems to elude some people. My best friend for more than 40 years, who is also a native Californian, is such a horrible driver that I'd question the wisdom of handing him the keys to my truck if my life depended on it. Also, in my observation, there is a percentage of drivers who appear to believe driving laws are nothing more than suggestions that can be discarded or ignored whenever they please. And then there are the nitwits who have watched the Fast and Furious movies far too many times and operate under the false opinion that they can drive as well as trained stunt drivers; they're usually easy to spot because they're driving a "tuner" car that sounds like a swarm of bees in a coffee can that's been amplified through a football stadium's sound system, and can't stay in one lane longer than three seconds.

As for the shambling masses, that drives some of us Californians nuts as well. 99% of the time I'm convinced I'm the only person in southern California who wants to complete my various errands and return home in a timely manner, and if it weren't illegal and socially unacceptable I'd shove these shuffling knuckle-draggers out of the way like a bowling ball going through the pins at the end of the alley. I'm also convinced that many parents use shopping malls and large stores like Costco and WalMart as babysitting services--as soon as they enter one of these facilities they turn their children loose, then shuffle along blocking the aisles and grazing at the "free sample" stands because they're in no hurry whatsoever to return to the confines of their homes where they'll be forced to deal with their unmanageable brats themselves.

Not that I have an opinion on the matter...

Sadly, I think it may be due to most of the average individuals are what is commonly called, "stoned". They did not realize how fast they were driving, and then when out of the vehicle, they are walking like "Cheech and Chong" !

Despite what the news media would have you believe about Californians, that's painting with a rather broad brush. The segment of society who "indulges" here is really very small; you're far more likely to find someone who abuses legal substances like coffee or alcohol than someone with one of those phony-baloney medical marijuana cards.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Despite what the news media would have you believe about Californians, that's painting with a rather broad brush. The segment of society who "indulges" here is really very small; you're far more likely to find someone who abuses legal substances like coffee or alcohol than someone with one of those phony-baloney medical marijuana cards.

I believe you find it more up James's way.

:laser::hippie:

 

[Veronica T]

And then there are the nitwits who have watched the Fast and Furious movies far too many times and operate under the false opinion that they can drive as well as trained stunt drivers; they're usually easy to spot because they're driving a "tuner" car that sounds like a swarm of bees in a coffee can that's been amplified through a football stadium's sound system, and can't stay in one lane longer than three seconds.

What seems to separate those drivers from earlier generations such as Andy Hardy and his jalopy with the 'Don't laff, lady. Your daughter may be in this car!' and 'Twenty-three skidoo!' hand-painted on the sides and a raccoon tail is that Andy was a teenager and tuner people are adults.

One of my earliest insights into the world of grownups and how they might not be so smart was as a young girl learning that white Ford Broncos were on backorder from the factory in the days following the O J Simpson chase.

 

[Matt Crunk]

Multiplex theatres.
The Designated Hitter rule.
Tap water sold in plastic bottles.
Talk radio.
"Upscale," both the word and the concept.
Capri pants on men.
Textured soy protein.
"Helicopter parents."
Wikipedia.
People who quote Wikipedia to win debates on internet fora.
People who say "internet fora."
Introspective singer-songwriters.
Grassroots movements created by marketing consultants.
Marketing consultants.
Pop-top soup cans.
Those new nickels where Jefferson is looking straight at you.
People who call their living room the "Great Room."
Celebrity chefs.
Monopoly played with a credit card.
People who go to gallery openings just to slurp up free wine and cheese and then think they're supporting the creative economy.
Pretentious indie documentaries.
Sideline interviews.
High-fructose corn syrup.
Modern takes on the Classics.
Digital 3D movies.
Middle-aged men with ponytails.
Businesses with cutesy names.
Arty black-and-white photos of depressed teenage girls.
The word "edgy."
Chin-strap beards.
Smarmy commercials for erectile-dysfunction products.
"All Natural" junk food.
Fad websites.
Exploitation books based on fad websites.
Spray-on tans.
People who go to ballgames only to get blind stinking drunk and always end up sitting behind me.
"Pay Per Bag" at the city dump.
Ken Burns.
People who sneak their own snacks into the movies and think they're "sticking it to the Man."
Power windows.
Singers who stretch every word in the National Anthem out to six syllables, and then forget the lyrics halfway thru.
Helvetica.
Standup comedians who know only one joke.
"Comfort Socks" that are not comfortable.
People who think the Sherwin-Williams paint logo is environmentally insensitive.
Men who brag about the size of their TV screens.
Styrofoam packing peanuts.
Smirking irony.

I just clicked on the first page of this thread by mistake and saw for the first time, LizzieMaine's above list. I still can't stop laughing. So funny and so right on the mark for the most part. Helvetica has to be the best.

 

[Fastuni]

"One weird trick" and "[Insert Profession] hate this mom" online advertisement. Marketing stooping to a new and irritating low.

(Ok - online ads are blocked at my PC, but when not on mine, I see them everywhere and goodness are they annoying...)

For those who are curious what expects you when you click on them:
http://www.slate.com/articles/busin..._internet_what_happens_when_you_click_on.html

 

[Zombie_61]

I believe you find it more up James's way.

Well, Berkeley does have a reputation to uphold.

Speaking of which, a couple of decades ago a very good friend visited Berkeley while on a vacation with friends. He said they saw an older guy walking down the street who was dressed so stereotypically as a 1960s-era hippie that he was convinced the city council was paying him to do so. lol

What seems to separate those drivers from earlier generations such as Andy Hardy and his jalopy with the 'Don't laff, lady. Your daughter may be in this car!' and 'Twenty-three skidoo!' hand-painted on the sides and a raccoon tail is that Andy was a teenager and tuner people are adults.

They might be considered adults by someone's arbitrary chronological measure, but it's obvious they still have some maturing to do.

 

[LuvMyMan]

California, more so than any other U.S. state I believe, is still firmly entrenched in it's "car culture" status that began not long after Henry Ford's Model T made it's debut. As such, walking is anathema to us, so we do it reluctantly and only when there are no other options.

Okay, that's not entirely true, but it seems to be at times. I've known people who would drive two blocks to the corner store for a gallon of milk rather than walk regardless of ever increasing gas prices. And, judging by the lack of sufficient public transportation here, it seems state and local governments have fostered that car culture through the decades. Most of California's residents aren't going to get very far if they don't have a car at their disposal, especially those who live in rural areas (yes, believe it or not, we do have them here), so our ties to our cars are as much through necessity as they are through desire.

Sadly, that doesn't necessarily mean Californians are better drivers than anyone else. I think driving is a rather simple task, but the concept seems to elude some people. My best friend for more than 40 years, who is also a native Californian, is such a horrible driver that I'd question the wisdom of handing him the keys to my truck if my life depended on it. Also, in my observation, there is a percentage of drivers who appear to believe driving laws are nothing more than suggestions that can be discarded or ignored whenever they please. And then there are the nitwits who have watched the Fast and Furious movies far too many times and operate under the false opinion that they can drive as well as trained stunt drivers; they're usually easy to spot because they're driving a "tuner" car that sounds like a swarm of bees in a coffee can that's been amplified through a football stadium's sound system, and can't stay in one lane longer than three seconds.

As for the shambling masses, that drives some of us Californians nuts as well. 99% of the time I'm convinced I'm the only person in southern California who wants to complete my various errands and return home in a timely manner, and if it weren't illegal and socially unacceptable I'd shove these shuffling knuckle-draggers out of the way like a bowling ball going through the pins at the end of the alley. I'm also convinced that many parents use shopping malls and large stores like Costco and WalMart as babysitting services--as soon as they enter one of these facilities they turn their children loose, then shuffle along blocking the aisles and grazing at the "free sample" stands because they're in no hurry whatsoever to return to the confines of their homes where they'll be forced to deal with their unmanageable brats themselves.

Not that I have an opinion on the matter...

Despite what the news media would have you believe about Californians, that's painting with a rather broad brush. The segment of society who "indulges" here is really very small; you're far more likely to find someone who abuses legal substances like coffee or alcohol than someone with one of those phony-baloney medical marijuana cards.

A long sort of a side note, (maybe close to a foot note, growing along some how.....), My Husband lived in California on and off for about 33 years.....witnesses fields that were once nothing but orange groves turn into housing tracts which later were destroyed to become shopping malls..to be torn down to become freeways.....and through it all, has concluded that it is safer to live back here in his "home State" of Michigan. He also recalls, a walk down any main street in Hollywood showcased so many shops and stores that catered to the "bong and leather culture"......oh yes....and as to the Berkeley (graduated from Law School, Boalt Hall) the experience could have been made into a movie...."got bong,...with no clothes"...(his observations regarding the Norm for fellow students and faculty)..... On the topic of driving....Kamikaze should be the large printed heading for all publications issued by the DMV in explanation of the form and mode of most driving technique in California.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

A long sort of a side note, (maybe close to a foot note, growing along some how.....), My Husband lived in California on and off for about 33 years.....witnesses fields that were once nothing but orange groves turn into housing tracts which later were destroyed to become shopping malls..to be torn down to become freeways.....and through it all, has concluded that it is safer to live back here in his "home State" of Michigan. He also recalls, a walk down any main street in Hollywood showcased so many shops and stores that catered to the "bong and leather culture"......oh yes....and as to the Berkeley (graduated from Law School, Boalt Hall) the experience could have been made into a movie...."got bong,...with no clothes"...(his observations regarding the Norm for fellow students and faculty)..... On the topic of driving....Kamikaze should be the large printed heading for all publications issued by the DMV in explanation of the form and mode of most driving technique in California.

Has Daniel ever considered writing his memoirs? If anything, to pass down to the family. I think it would be fascinating reading. It seems that he's lived quite an interesting life full of rich life experiences.

 

[Zombie_61]

A long sort of a side note, (maybe close to a foot note, growing along some how.....), My Husband lived in California on and off for about 33 years.....witnesses fields that were once nothing but orange groves turn into housing tracts which later were destroyed to become shopping malls..to be torn down to become freeways...

The land our house sits on was once orange and avocado groves; the house was built in 1951. I've lived here in California since 1961 and I've seen a lot of changes during that time, but nothing quite so drastic as what you've described.

...He also recalls, a walk down any main street in Hollywood showcased so many shops and stores that catered to the "bong and leather culture"...

I've learned that the idealized concept most people have of Hollywood in their minds is very different from the reality. My wife and I have taken out-of-state relatives to Hollywood (at their request) so that they could do some sightseeing, and prior to their arrival almost all of them had visions of perfectly manicured gold-lined streets filled with beautiful actresses and handsome actors greeting you warmly as you strolled down the star-encrusted sidewalks. Then we drove them down litter-strewn Hollywood Boulevard and watched their reactions as those visions shattered and were replaced by the freak show of streetwalkers, vagrants, amateur musicians, unlicensed street performers in low-budget off-the-shelf Spiderman and Marilyn-Monroe-if-she-was-a-scrawny-heroin-addict costumes, and, of course, the bong-and-leather shops you mentioned. ound: The Chamber of Commerce has long since made a sincere effort to clean the place up--the streets are cleaner; the streetwalkers, vagrants, and amateur musicians have been relocated (for the most part); and the costumed street performers are limited to the sidewalk in front of TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly known as Grauman's Chinese Theatre). The bong-and-leather shops are still there, but many of them now provide piercings and tattoos as well. It's not quite as "dramatic" as it was 35 years ago, but it's still quite the scene...especially for the uninitiated.

...On the topic of driving...Kamikaze should be the large printed heading for all publications issued by the DMV in explanation of the form and mode of most driving technique in California.

Speaking from personal experience, I can say most large metropolitan areas have their own unique form of "Kamikaze" driving. For example, they're rather relaxed and well-behaved in San Diego, but in San Francisco you have to emulate the cab drivers' manic style of driving if you want to get anywhere in a timely manner. In Phoenix and the surrounding cities you're taking your life into your own hands (I think they're somehow under the impression that automobiles are like bumper cars), but driving in Flagstaff is far more casual; you just have to be on constant lookout for the drunk rednecks and college students. In the suburbs just outside of Chicago almost no one drives even one mile-per-hour over the posted speed limit(s), and they're also rather well-behaved. And I found driving in Miami and Atlanta to be unremarkable, probably because they drive the same way we do in Los Angeles.

That said, I have to admit Los Angeles is really a mixed bag where "drive defensively" can often take on a whole new meaning--you really have to be prepared for anything.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It's interesting to look back at what the popular-culture image of Hollywood was in the years just before the war: far from being a place of immaculate fashion and snappy tailoring that latter-day enthusiasts like to imagine it was, it was in fact considered the home of the baggy pants and the untucked sport shirt, the sneaker-wearing man in the cheap, pushed-back hat and sunglasses, and the camera-snapping wide-eyed tourist. Fred Allen described it best: "Hollywood is a place where people from Iowa go to mistake each other for celebrities."

The prototypical Hollywoodian, c. 1939, wasn't Cary Grant (who was living with Randolph Scott at the time, and lounging around poolside in shorts). It was Bing Crosby, in his disreputable slacks and Hawaiian shirts.

 

[jamespowers]

It was Bing Crosby, in his disreputable slacks and Hawaiian shirts.

You forgot with his wife drunk most of the day and him far distant from his children. Yes, my cousin went to school with his children. :doh: The stories he could tell you...... Instead of being jealous of the boys, he felt sorry or them.

 

[jamespowers]

I believe you find it more up James's way.

:laser::hippie:

Don’t get me started. Over in The World’s Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum, anything can happen at any time and usually does. :doh: You get accosted on every corner by some damned crazed bum or by some hippie who you know just wants dope money. It is downright crazy. I just love when morons come here and want to go over there because they have absolutely no concept of what an open sewer it is.
Z thinks LA is bad but I would walk around Hollywood any day over an adventure in The Tenderloin. :eeek:
They abuse the heck out of the legal dope card too. Even some nut up the block from me had one of those when the fire department showed up to put out his dope garage fire. It seems the cold 220 power he was stealing from the power pole to grow his dope plants went boom on his illegal hippie farm.
:laser::hippie:

 

[jamespowers]

Well, Berkeley does have a reputation to uphold.

Speaking of which, a couple of decades ago a very good friend visited Berkeley while on a vacation with friends. He said they saw an older guy walking down the street who was dressed so stereotypically as a 1960s-era hippie that he was convinced the city council was paying him to do so. lol

It ain’t no stereotype here dude. I don’t despise them because I don’t know them. Familiarity breeds contempt. :laser: :hippie:

 

[jamespowers]

A long sort of a side note, (maybe close to a foot note, growing along some how.....), My Husband lived in California on and off for about 33 years.....witnesses fields that were once nothing but orange groves turn into housing tracts which later were destroyed to become shopping malls..to be torn down to become freeways.....and through it all, has concluded that it is safer to live back here in his "home State" of Michigan. He also recalls, a walk down any main street in Hollywood showcased so many shops and stores that catered to the "bong and leather culture"......oh yes....and as to the Berkeley (graduated from Law School, Boalt Hall) the experience could have been made into a movie...."got bong,...with no clothes"...(his observations regarding the Norm for fellow students and faculty)..... On the topic of driving....Kamikaze should be the large printed heading for all publications issued by the DMV in explanation of the form and mode of most driving technique in California.

He must have been out here from the 50s into the 70s. A lot changed----especially the people. What you find if you look deeper though is the people that were here before then got tired of the way things were going and left long ago. Ask around here and you find that most of the people you encounter here were not actually born here. They came here to help massively screw it up in that time period I mentioned.
Before that, California was like every other state---outside of Hollywood. There were areas but now we have been infested and it isn’t looking good. It is like the rest of the states deport their dregs to us. :doh: Please keep them there! We have enough dregs and hippies as it is!:doh:

 

[Zombie_61]

Z thinks LA is bad but I would walk around Hollywood any day over an adventure in The Tenderloin. :eeek:

I haven't been to San Francisco in quite some time but, based on previous experiences, I think I'd have to agree. Hollywood Blvd. has it's fair share of, shall we say, "interesting" people, but they're mostly harmless...except for trying to get whatever spare change you might have out of your pockets and into theirs.

Speaking of previous experiences, several years ago I took a quick weekend trip to San Francisco with the friend I mentioned above. Long story short, as the sun was setting and night was fast approaching we were walking to the bus station (to catch the bus that would take us to the airport) when we encountered a guy shambling down the street in the opposite direction. He had a blanket wrapped around his head, shoulders, and arms, and was casually waving his arms as though he was using the blanket as wings and they were his only means of propulsion. As we drew nearer he clearly and obviously aligned his path so that he would walk between my friend and I, so we separated to give him the space to do so. Unsure of his intentions I prepared myself for...well, anything...and as he passed between us he leaned casually towards me, turned his head in my direction, looked me straight in the eyes, and in a perfectly clear and sober voice said, "Go home," without breaking his stride or his pace. :suspicious: In that brief moment I noticed he was far too "manicured" to have been living on the streets--his clothes were rumpled but clean, he had no offensive odor, and his mustache and beard were neatly groomed. Naturally, my friend and I discussed this encounter as we continued towards the bus station, and we could only conclude he was a police officer on some kind of undercover assignment and that was his way of quickly advising us to leave the area without blowing his cover. [huh]

 

[Matt Crunk]

I haven't been to San Francisco in quite some time but, based on previous experiences, I think I'd have to agree. Hollywood Blvd. has it's fair share of, shall we say, "interesting" people, but they're mostly harmless...except for trying to get whatever spare change you might have out of your pockets and into theirs.[huh]

Heard something funny the other day. A guy was explaining the difference between Hollywood and West Hollywood. He said in Hollywood you need at least a Mercedes to get bl**n. In West Hollywood all you need is a d**k.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Car batteries that last only two years before you open up the caps and see a chunk of a plate floating around in the soup. "Heavy Duty" my foot.