"Back in the day" Old fart rants.

[Turbroke]

LOL. Workers had a tradition of leaving things inside walls to kind of say "We were here." I've found old whisky bottles, notes, things etched in bricks... Nothing valuable really; just interesting. One 1870's building I worked on had some original plumbing left in it. Solid brass, 1' pipe. Just crazy. I took a few pieces and made guitar slides out of them and gave them to some of my musician buddies. I kept one; it's my favorite slide.

 

[Mike Tonon]

LOL. Workers had a tradition of leaving things inside walls to kind of say "We were here." I've found old whisky bottles, notes, things etched in bricks... Nothing valuable really; just interesting. One 1870's building I worked on had some original plumbing left in it. Solid brass, 1' pipe. Just crazy. I took a few pieces and made guitar slides out of them and gave them to some of my musician buddies. I kept one; it's my favorite slide.

Nice! My parents house was built in 1928 and has some brass water pipes.

Also, when I worked construction, we remodeled part of a shopping plaza built in the 70's or 80's. Found a couple of beer bottles. One was Red Stripe and can't remember the other one, but the bottles were short.

 

[Mike Tonon]

I used to restore/renovate old Victorian and colonial era homes. Some of the materials and building techniques I encountered regularly were astounding. One day we had to reposition an original beam in a home built in New York in 1772. When we worked it loose and slid the bottom out a flood of nearly uncirculated, pre-civil war, silver dollars came pouring out of it like a Vegas slot machine jackpot! There were roughly 1800 of them all together; a lot of money during that time. The overjoyed home owner did some research and discovered that the home was inhabited by a family who's last surviving member died suddenly in July, 1864, and had probably hidden his life's savings in that beam in case the Confederate army made it that far north as many people feared at the time. I loved working on those old houses. There were always surprises of various kinds hidden in them. Traces of times, builders and owners past.

I'm reminded of my neighbor when I was young. He was an old Mainer, who used to add onto his house and shed/garage/carport with things other people were throwing out. But shared with us a story about how supposedly a lot of money was hidden on his property along time ago and no one ever found it.

 

[Turbroke]

Nice! My parents house was built in 1928 and has some brass water pipes.

Also, when I worked construction, we remodeled part of a shopping plaza built in the 70's or 80's. Found a couple of beer bottles. One was Red Stripe and can't remember the other one, but the bottles were short.

Something tells me you are a guitar player too. Am I right? A blues aficionado? "Back in the day, bars and little juke joints had the best live music that could be found almost any evening, anywhere. Today, even living, legends of American music traditions have moved to Europe, and Asia to stay employed, or have slipped into obscurity; living in slums, working as Walmart greeters. We lose more culture every day.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

In the days before air conditioning the non-insulated houses may have been cooler than a tightly sealed modern insulated house without A/C. Probably didn't take much to make a uninsulated wood framed house look better than a sod house any time of the year.

I have dates and initials scratched in concrete around my place. A big double concrete stock tank was poured in 1915, my sidewalk was poured in 1917. Someone had pet turkeys that walked through the wet concrete in the hog lot south of my barn.

Kinda neat seeing the traces of people long ago like that.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

It is neat to see traces of those that were here before, whether 50 years ago, or 500 or 5,000. I've found newspapers inside walls from the 30's. I've also found and lost tools. I found a makita 7.2 drill inside a wall, that was a bonus because I had that make already.

Then do you see some of the stuff people throw out? On the new construction site that I did the siding for people would move in then throw out perfectly good tools, furniture, and electronics. It seems we are in a throw away society. And while I didn't grow up in the '30's, I grew up aware that we didn't have a lot, definately not enough to throw away. If it went bad, we re-purposed, recycled first. If it's good, don't throw out...donate.

I see the next door neighbors friends come over to visit. She's 16-17. Three times I watched while her friends leave and there is a pile of garbage where they were parked. If you want respect, you need to respect those around you too. I will say something to her next time I see her and hope the message gets passed on. Like Turbroke said in another thread, [paraphrased] we need more community spirit and it's up to us to provide it. Nowadays the net is the new community and I'm glad to be a part of it.

All of you that respond to these threads let me know I'm not wasting my time trying to make our world a better place. Everyday that I'm outside working on my stuff I make a point of saying hi to those walking by. Almost everyone responds, tho they may have a confused look on their face. For context, I live in a mid-sized city of ~100,000 on the main coridor between two large cities of over a million each, in a farming and oil-extracting province. My neighborhood consists of single family homes, duplexes [of which my wife and I own 1/2], and 4-plexes. I would say we are in a lower middle class neighborhood.

Enough rambling, time to go work on the race truck....

Richard

 

[Mike Tonon]

Something tells me you are a guitar player too.

No, I had an electric guitar, but couldn't get it. My neighbors jam out in their old barn.

 

[Mike Tonon]

It is neat to see traces of those that were here before, whether 50 years ago, or 500 or 5,000. I've found newspapers inside walls from the 30's. I've also found and lost tools. I found a makita 7.2 drill inside a wall, that was a bonus because I had that make already.

Then do you see some of the stuff people throw out? On the new construction site that I did the siding for people would move in then throw out perfectly good tools, furniture, and electronics. It seems we are in a throw away society. And while I didn't grow up in the '30's, I grew up aware that we didn't have a lot, definately not enough to throw away. If it went bad, we re-purposed, recycled first. If it's good, don't throw out...donate.

I see the next door neighbors friends come over to visit. She's 16-17. Three times I watched while her friends leave and there is a pile of garbage where they were parked. If you want respect, you need to respect those around you too. I will say something to her next time I see her and hope the message gets passed on. Like Turbroke said in another thread, [paraphrased] we need more community spirit and it's up to us to provide it. Nowadays the net is the new community and I'm glad to be a part of it.

All of you that respond to these threads let me know I'm not wasting my time trying to make our world a better place. Everyday that I'm outside working on my stuff I make a point of saying hi to those walking by. Almost everyone responds, tho they may have a confused look on their face. For context, I live in a mid-sized city of ~100,000 on the main coridor between two large cities of over a million each, in a farming and oil-extracting province. My neighborhood consists of single family homes, duplexes [of which my wife and I own 1/2], and 4-plexes. I would say we are in a lower middle class neighborhood.

Enough rambling, time to go work on the race truck....

Richard

Yup, I live in a suburban city, that used to be a rural city. 60,000 people, it was a boom town... then the GM bearings plant closed and the town burnt out. People used to be friendlier, now a lot people just keep to themselves. I live in a similar neighborhood as you, looking at certain properties, you'd think you were in an upper-middleclass neighborhood, other houses look like lower-middleclass and most in between. Mostly smaller single family houses and some large houses and some 2 and 3 family houses and some brick apartments and condos and small businesses. Some of the houses are on 1/4 acre others are on 2 acres and even a few lots that are something like 5-10 acres. New and old houses, colonial, ranch, cape, Greek revival, Victorian and maybe some others. I like it. I would rather live here than in a neighborhood where all development were the same and even in an upper-middleclass neighborhood.

Yea, it's like modern society has created a dumbed down, submissive people. I was done with that before I started, hahaha. Not bragging, but I know how to fix and maintain things and it seems like most people are almost clueless, unless they have a 4 year college degree relating to it. I try to explain to people how the curriculum in schooling (a POTENTIAL .. OUTLET for education, not education itself) is aimed at making a dumbed down, submissive populace that doesn't question much and learns little and tries to intimidate and coerce people into doing so. I made the choice a long time ago, that I wasn't playing their game, because I know where it leads and it isn't just and I try to undo its damage done on other people. And I hope it PISSES OFF the '"powers" that be'! Con-artists!

 

[Turbroke]

Yea, it's like modern society has created a dumbed down, submissive people. I was done with that before I started, hahaha. Not bragging, but I know how to fix and maintain things and it seems like most people are almost clueless, unless they have a 4 year college degree relating to it. I try to explain to people how the curriculum in schooling (a POTENTIAL .. OUTLET for education, not education itself) is aimed at making a dumbed down, submissive populace that doesn't question much and learns little and tries to intimidate and coerce people into doing so. I made the choice a long time ago, that I wasn't playing their game, because I know where it leads and it isn't just and I try to undo its damage done on other people. And I hope it PISSES OFF the '"powers" that be'! Con-artists!

KUDOS!!! (You too always FLooReD) I hope it pisses them off too. (It does) It is not a "crazy conspiracy theory" that the "system" has implemented, on every level, a plan to make the population as dependent on that system as possible. Community, self reliance/self sufficiency and common sense are being systematically eliminated in the name of profit and societal control. (for more profit) Just step back and look around. I go very far out of my way to do everything in the way that will most deprive the "overlords of the economy" of what they want. I've been doing it since the 80's, and advise anyone who will listen to do the same. It's how we win. Foster family, community, self-reliance, frugality and help anybody who is trying to achieve those goals any way you can. Be an example. People actually notice and want it as soon as they figure it out. It's the best way to say I don't need or want you, and no; you may not have my hard earned money, my support or my belief. I'm not "pining for simpler times;" I'm trying to restore the honor, dignity and independence we once had. That is not outdated or obsolete. It's been stolen from us.

BTW: Public education is not education; it's social conditioning that starts in kindergarten, (earlier now. "Head start") and continues through college. The main purpose of education today is to instill this message: "Sit down, shut up, get in line, think what we tell you to think, and above all...Don't question authority." Ask any public school teacher what the primary goal of public education is, and they will tell you "to produce good citizens who will have the skills to function in society and the workplace," then see who actually dictates exactly what that ideal is. (Hint* The Overlords of the Economy) Just follow the money. Education is what happens if you pursue and practice real knowledge. That does not happen in any school.

 

[Mark_88]

BTW: Public education is not education; it's social conditioning that starts in kindergarten, (earlier now. "Head start") and continues through college. The main purpose of education today is to instill this message: "Sit down, shut up, get in line, think what we tell you to think, and above all...Don't question authority." Ask any public school teacher what the primary goal of public education is, and they will tell you "to produce good citizens who will have the skills to function in society and the workplace," then see who actually dictates exactly what that ideal is. (Hint* The Overlords of the Economy) Just follow the money. Education is what happens if you pursue and practice real knowledge. That does not happen in any school.

I have attended colleges and upgrading a few times since I left school...but one of the most important lessons I learned was similar to what you said about public education...that they were teaching people to have skills that were relevant to the market as opposed to teaching people to learn.

This isn't such a bad thing when we have so many sheep that need to be shepherded...it is sad, but not necessarily bad...

My father, in particular, taught his children to think as opposed to follow...and he was a former military leader (of sorts) and trained men under the duress of war to think but mainly to FOLLOW orders...and not HOT DOG their way through the war...because it would or could get them and their mates killed...

We don't have the pressures of war in society that is peaceful...yet...riots and other events like natural disasters can easily take the place of a battlefield with similar outcomes...killed by friendly fire comes to mind...and we need to have those survival skills and smarts to apply them under pressure.

There is often a fine line between something working out well due to actions and things going farther south than they normally would under their own steam.

No school can teach that because it is seat of the pants flying...off the cuff thinking...and we need to have that instilled by family...sometimes friends...but mostly innate...have we bred common sense out of the human genre?

 

[Turbroke]

I have attended colleges and upgrading a few times since I left school...but one of the most important lessons I learned was similar to what you said about public education...that they were teaching people to have skills that were relevant to the market as opposed to teaching people to learn.

This isn't such a bad thing when we have so many sheep that need to be shepherded...it is sad, but not necessarily bad...

My father, in particular, taught his children to think as opposed to follow...and he was a former military leader (of sorts) and trained men under the duress of war to think but mainly to FOLLOW orders...and not HOT DOG their way through the war...because it would or could get them and their mates killed...

We don't have the pressures of war in society that is peaceful...yet...riots and other events like natural disasters can easily take the place of a battlefield with similar outcomes...killed by friendly fire comes to mind...and we need to have those survival skills and smarts to apply them under pressure.

There is often a fine line between something working out well due to actions and things going farther south than they normally would under their own steam.

No school can teach that because it is seat of the pants flying...off the cuff thinking...and we need to have that instilled by family...sometimes friends...but mostly innate...have we bred common sense out of the human genre?

I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said mark88. I am guilty of overestimating society at large, and often forget how... well, "incapable" a vast majority are. Yes, "it is sad, but not bad" that we must first and foremost create "functional" citizens. I suppose the question I was addressing in my "When did logic die" post was like you said: "Have we bred common sense out of the human genre?" Unfortunately, it was rare "back in the day," but far more so today. Yes. We are breeding common sense out of the human genre. My fear level rises though when I ask: Why would we do that? My sense of logic suggests to me a variety of very sinister answers to that question. We are living in truly terrifying times. I just keep doing what I do, and fix up my Ranger so I can remain distracted from it enough to be a "functional citizen." What is permitted to happen in America and the world today just blows my mind.

 

[hoosier1104]

Todays society scares the shyt out of me.

I had a bunch of other stuff typed in but it was WAAAAAAAAAAAAY off topic.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Whats happening to our society is like the death of a frog in boiling water; no one notices because it happens so slowly. Take all the safety Nazis controlling how we do our job. It used yo be that you would work at the same job for years, and those with more experience would teach the greenhorns. Now we have safety Nazis coming on site and making the job more difficult than it needs to be. The big corporations don't mind because they pass the cost on to the consumer, bit the small business can't afford to do that so ends up selling to the big Corp or quitting. We do need safety but we need people that have done the job to oversee, not suits or those Nazis.

Sent from my XT1032

 

[hoosier1104]

Whats happening to our society is like the death of a frog in boiling water; no one notices because it happens so slowly. Take all the safety Nazis controlling how we do our job. It used yo be that you would work at the same job for years, and those with more experience would teach the greenhorns. Now we have safety Nazis coming on site and making the job more difficult than it needs to be. The big corporations don't mind because they pass the cost on to the consumer, bit the small business can't afford to do that so ends up selling to the big Corp or quitting. We do need safety but we need people that have done the job to oversee, not suits or those Nazis.

Sent from my XT1032

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Whats happening to our society is like the death of a frog in boiling water; no one notices because it happens so slowly. Take all the safety Nazis controlling how we do our job. It used yo be that you would work at the same job for years, and those with more experience would teach the greenhorns. Now we have safety Nazis coming on site and making the job more difficult than it needs to be. The big corporations don't mind because they pass the cost on to the consumer, bit the small business can't afford to do that so ends up selling to the big Corp or quitting. We do need safety but we need people that have done the job to oversee, not suits or those Nazis.

Sent from my XT1032

Throw em' all overboard.. startin with attorneys