I’m talking about the new Face Book format; we all woke up last week and after I was done checking for anything new on LiP first. Then I know we all went to open Face Book next and were shocked to find it was not the same Face Book we’ve come to know and love. Oh, the wailing and gnashing of teeth, the total uproar that ensued on Face Book. I’d not seen or heard that much protest since the US Congress passed Obama-Care.
So I posted “My Brother Dan pointed out that people are not very open-mined about new things, unless they’re exactly like the old ones.
The above I knew was true just by living life. I’ll never forget my Fathers uproar when he went down to the Oldsmobile Dealership in Boston to buy his new Jet Star Rocket “88” (Hey, I didn’t name the car) and found that during the two years he owned his old one General Motors decided that power windows would be a standard option vise the hand cranked he’d had his whole driving life.
I was on leave from the Navy and was home while this was going on. He bought the car, but did we all hear about those new fangled windows. Why did they change those windows?
My Dad and I drove into Boston in this damnable new Olds with POWER WINDOWS. When we hit the first toll booth, I remembered him in the past digging in his pocket with his right hand looking for change (there’s that word again) then cranking the window with his left hand and holding the wheel with his knee. When he hit the button and the window slid down with electric ease, I saw him grin, and he turned to me and said; “Their not so bad!” So change isn’t so bad after all.
Later that week I went out with my old buddies, the guys I’d grown up with, when I came back to the house around 9pm my Dad commented that I sure was home early, and asked why? I complained that all my friends had changed while I was gone the last few years. My Father smiled, and said; “Son, they are just as you left them, it’s you who has changed. You just came back from a year in Europe and they never left the block where they grew up. Again change rears its ugly head, but it was me this time!
Change is part of our life, not always to be embraced but at least given a chance. I’ve found that I started to become somewhat of a curmudgeon about change, and last week I fired off an e-Mail to our friend Bob Martin grousing about Lip 5.0. Why change it? I regretted it the next day after giving LiP 5.0 a chance, and looking it over and found it to be a nice change. I’d eat my hat, but I have too many of them, but I did get a laugh because a few days later Face Book came out with their changes. Now I’m suspicious, because I think FB is trying to keep up with LiP!
I am going to take a stand about a small section of change, and that is music. I now play all my music on mp3 USB’s. I’ve done, Vinyl, 8-track’s, then Cassettes and CD’s and now USB, I’m declaring to the world, I’m done, there will be no more changes in my life over music. By the way, the same goes with movies! DVD’s is where I am on this format, and this is where I’m drawing that line in the sand, and I won’t change my mind!
No web-sites were harmed during the writing of this article. But many 8-Tracks were throw out my car window during the early 70’s do to unwinding in my machine.
Paul,
I am a not big on change either and at first was not really big on Bob’s changes here, but after snooping around a bit it is once again familiar. Probably the reason I don’t like change is because I am lazy to be forced to learn new things, unless of course they can benefit me.
Neal;
I think you just summed up 90% of us. I don’t like change just for changes sake, as we both put up with in the Military anytime we had a new Commanding Officer show up.
Paul,
tha the way off life mate old thinks go and new things come and yes most off us like the old ways there was a time mate u would go and walk where u like and go where u like shot and fish and all but to day there is allways some one telling no u canot do that no more and i did love the old lip and it as take me a little to get to know the new one but now i like it the way it is that is more and i can say about some thinks that happen mate. i love love to sit down and talk to my dad who is very soon to be 94 he was in ww2 and seen things and did things we just dream off to day mate like geting a train for free just to get home to see my mom for the night and u know what happens to them that do that to day lol god bless to ur famliy mate and keep up the good work……peter martin tassie
Peter;
My Father was US Navy during WWII, part of the greatest generation. He was the reason four of his five son’s joined the Navy I’m the only one who stayed for the full ride until retirement. But think about what changes our Dad’s saw in their lifetime? From the opening of the Panama Canal, to early airplanes to landing on the moon. If they dealt with change like that, I believe we can too..
Hi Paul – Having worked in management for the larger part of my working life I have observed that there are two types of people on this earth. The two types of people are those who embrace change and those who oppose change.
Those who embrace change go through life much happier and make good personal progress and the others well I really feel sorry for them as they have nothing to look forward to as time and tide waits for no man.
Regards.
Jim.
Jim;
It was the same in the Military and as a Merchant Seaman, the constant was that change would be coming, that was as likely as “Hurry up and wait.” I found that if you don’t accept it, you’ll just be running your head against a wall, for no good reason. You might not like it, but you’ve got to give it a try before you complain about it.
I think all this change in technology will be the ultimate downfall of the world as we know it. Children don’t excercise any longer spending much of their time on computers and online. Robots have taken over work once done by people and it is all going to continue to get worse. Glad I’m old enough to have broken a sweat in my life. I still use the most basic Nokia phone ever made and love it. I will probably embrace things that require you to think over technological change. I will never use Facebook as I find it a universal time waster. The Philippines is in a way a happy reprieve as most people are too poor to use technology and therefore make due with old fashion ways of doing things. One of the many things I like about it. I do have to fess up that I did just buy a Laser Range Finder for my golf game. LOL
On a side note Bob, for some reason my cursor does not blink. For example when I finish typing a sentence but for example then realize I have a typo earlier in the text, I move the mouse to that typo spot and left click but the cursor line doesn’t follow. I have to just click the mouse where I need to correct the typo but I don’t know if that is correct until I actually type a letter. Am I making sense LOL
That was one snazzy boom box you had there!
Tony;
And it also ate it’s share of 8-tracks!
Paul;
The change in technology go over my heas like a scud rocket. But things like Face Book, I’ve come to enjoy, as my far flung family can reach me and fill me in on what going on in their lives. I got a smile over you buying a Laser Range Finder, I guess not all technology is bad?
One real good change was the raplacment of what ever was where Texas Joe’s now stands. With out change and the fact that you let us know about the place I would never have had the good meal I had the other day. Thanks for your information and the entertaining stories you have here. Loren from Colorado and Olongapo.
Loren;
Had you gave me a shout I’d have joined you there, I am always going to eat at Joe’s, I also like Paul (the Owner), and Gil (The GM) buth are great guys. I’m pleased that you enjoyed it!
Let me know when you are going to be there next time and we will try to wedge it into our doing nothing schedule and meet you there. My wife and I are looking forward to meeting you guys. loren
Loren;
I live 12 minutes away from Joe’s, so it’s better if you let me know when your going or when you want to go. E-mail at [email protected] and let me know. I’ll give you my cell number then.
Hi Paul,
Hey, If it aint broke, don’t fix it. But I can change as well as the next guy. For example, just last week I changed the oil in the Studebaker.
Hudson;
And here they would ask if you want the filter changed also!
I haven’t come across a technology that doesn’t change. It’s inevitable!
I had a lot of FB friends complaining about the change. So, I decided to post a picture on my FB wall that said: “I’m appalled that the free service that I am in no way obligated to use keeps making changes that mildly inconvenience me.” I don’t think they liked it very much! 😉
Not sure if you saw the f8 2011 Live Conference a few days ago but, Facebook is being totally revamped. Massive renovation is on it’s way!
Hi Miss August;
Thank you, you get my point, it’s gonna’ happen so we deal with it!
When things we are all acoustomed to change, especially an abrupt change, it may not always be so easily accepted at first. Things we could do almost without thinking about it now take some time to think and learn how to do it a new way.
I think things change on the internet every day, somewhere.
When I think back on things I have worked with most of my life, you would hardly recognize many of those things today.
Paul, before you had 8 Track tapes, did you have the 4 track ? They were a lot more reliable until it all changed to 8 Track. Similar to you, my open reel tape recorders and the tapes are gone, my 4 and 8 track stuff is gone, my Tube amplifiers are gone and now my casette tape decks have even a thicker layer of dust on them as I record most things now on a CD recording deck. The Vinyl and the turntables to play them on are still with me as there are some things I just will not part with.
I guess there is change for the better and change for change sake depending on how you wish to experience it.
The new LIP 5.0 ? Yes, I kind of mumbled things to myself when I saw the changes then after thinking about it for a few minutes, for me it is the articles, comments and other information presented on this website that keep me comming back so as long as that is here I’ll go along with the changes.
Hi Bob;
My big brother Bill was into the 7 inch reel to reel, I never got involved with the 4 track as it was not out very long. I’ve not owned a turntable in 25 years, but remember I was out to sea most of the time and when things like changed; I’d already lost the old stuff I had. Since I really didn’t live anyplace for long, I’d sell it or give it away every time I’d go to sea. I was the same way with the changes on Lip, and the next day I was fine after thinking about all the work that Bob had to do. I mean it’s his site he can paint it any color he wants!
I got one of those usb turntables. I use it to convert my vinyl to cd. works out pretty good, but you still heat some of the cracks and pops from the vinyl.
I use dedicated CD recorders for putting my vinyl records onto CD. It’s like a cassette deck only instead of tape it uses recordable CD. This has worked out well for me. I bought one of those USB turntables on sale for a price I could not resist just to try it out but the process was too time consuming for me.
Yes, what you hear on the record is what you are going to hear on your digitized recording of that record. A good cleaning or washing of the vinyl record before you record it onto digital media can help remove some of the surface noise and along with it some of the clicks and pops. It won’t remove the scratches though LOL.
Hudson and Bob;
Years ago I recorded all my vinyl to cassette, I used silicone spray to take out the pop’s and crackles.
Thanks for the tip, I will give it a try 😉
You’re welcome!
Hudson;
I have no idear what a USB turntable is, remember where I live! (lol)
DVD’s…they’re already out of date Buddy…Blu-Ray is the thing now…though this time, the world is slow to accept it for some reason…but accept it they inevitably will. And I suspect you will too…when you can’t get DVD’s any more…next year or the year after. 🙂
It’s electric starters on cars I don’t like. I prefer the hand-crank handle!
Jim;
Blu-Ray is not doing well in the Philippines, I’ll be watching my old, soon to be retired DVD’s for quite sometime, here in the land of they are cheap to buy. I’ll wager the Blu-Ray will go away faster than the DVD’s.
Hi paul i know what you mean about when you were home on leave i did a similar thing ,and said just about the same the services sure change you and your thinking most of my freinds couldnt relate to me as they were on a different level drugs ,booze and just partying so i stayed in the army told my folks i didnt think i could handle the outside and the attitude of not giving a hoot about anyone else took me the best part of two years to finnaly adapt to being a civilian again .
chris
Chris;
After 22 years it was an adjustment becoming a civilian again, but I was applying for a job, and the employer asked why he’d want to hire me, I smiled and told him that, I’d never phoned in sick once in my working life. I got the job.
Paul,
Ok there mate I’m all for change, but I can’t figure out this mp3 thing and it won’t hook up to my cassette player. 🙂 And now dvd’s are outdated?…holy crap I finally bought a dvd player last year and it’s no good? Well at least my old portable t.v. in the garage with the tubes almost kinda still works, so it’s a keeper. Change is good provided technical manuals with detailed instructions and a full systems briefing is provided. Oh and concur with the old school friends thing, went back after “A” school, encountered the same, left home and never looked back…gotta love the navy. 🙂 John D.
John D.
Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. They can tell me that DVD’s are out dated but no one told the vender in front of the police station in Olongapo, he’s still selling, I’m still buying. I agree, the Navy was very good to me!
Chris;
I have two sons’ who are career Army and they both love it, it’s a great life for anybody with the proper attitude. During that same leave I spoke of I asked my friends to come into Boston with me to check out the night life, and none wanted to leave the “block”. I was bored to tears and went back to my ship 5 days early.
Senior;
A very thought provoking article and so true for with human behavior.
Most people here in the State live in a bubble. They never venture out of it and if they do it’s not for long. They run back the US, their State, City and Neighborhoods like scared children grabing for their security blanket. Their minds are closed to the wonders and excitment that this big blue marble holds for them. They a scared to death of change, vulnerability, failure, and the possibility that their might be something better out there than what the US can offer.
I come across this quit often here in Jacksonville, Fl. where I work. They all know that I moving to the Piliippines when I retire. They keep asking me why I would want to leave the States for a 3rd world country? I try to explain the beauty of the Philippines on various other places overseas. They just look at me with those deer in the headlight looks or they just walk away scatching their heads.
Some get nasty and say some unkoser things especially a few who did a 5 day liberty call in the Subic Bay bars. (How educational was that!).
So Senior your right people do resist change. So I’ll let them stay in thier bubbles and hold on to that blanket. In the mean time I will prepare for my adventure and live life to the fullest in the Philippines sucking down SMB and bulls%$#ing with new friends.
By the way I’m warming up to LIP 5.0 Facebook still Bites. LOL
Bruce;
You could tell them to pack their Numnum Blanket and give the world a try. It’s not that scary out here. But I know the people you’re talking about, they couldn’t find the Philippines (or most places) on a map let alone go there. You should be the one walking away scratching your head and thinking how small their life is. I’m fine with FaceBook now, I just push buttons and see what happens when I do. LiP and I get along fine now.
Senior;
I just smile and just think to myself what a small world they live in.
Any way 19 more months and I’ll be downing SMB’s whit You in Subic.
First stop Texas Joe’s.
Bruce;
Aye aye Shipmate!
Paul,
The only change i don’t want to see is your personality. Always get a chuckle and learn something at the same time. Because if you did that would be a travesty. Things would just not be the same around LIP. So in your case change would not be good. Totally agree with you and Bruce. Those are some really short-sighted and ignorant people who have no clue whats out there in the world. Thats the kind of people we don’t want in the Philippines! Have a good one and be safe. By the way did you get any affects from Typhoon Nesat?
Papa Duck;
I’ve had an ex-wife, the might of the US Navy and countless girlfriends try to change me, and they all failed. I are who I are! Besides I was never out to have other people laugh (Although I’m happy when they do) I enjoy finding the funny in the stuff that would cause anger in some people. I was on one navy supply ship, and our armament was a pair of twin 40’s on the bow. With stops so we couldn’t shoot our own ship. (Remember we’re sailors) I asked the Captain what we would do if we were attacked from the stern. “Seaman Thompson, leave the bridge!” was his answer.
Paul get ready for some more change. DVDs are on their death bed. Even Netflix is getting away from them. Streaming video is the new wave and I have to tell you that change isn’t bad. I abhor change as I like my comfort zones. I am sitting in an old chair, feet up on the old ottoman and my wife always says lets replace that chair-not happening. I wear shoes I have had for ten years-they are comfortable-new ones only when I have to. Fashion comes, fashion goes, and I am still a blue jean, t-shirt, sweater/sweatshirt ball cap kind of dresser. New cereal comes and new cereal goes but I still love my Grape Nuts (with honey). My wife keeps buying new droids as they keep changing. My step son keeps buying new apple 4s and now 5s as they keep changing. Me my phone still flips open and rings. The family bought me a Garmin GPS for me to help on my job-don’t use it. I hate that obnoxious voice telling me what to do-too much like I am taking the wife on the job you know what I mean? The city map works just fine thank you. The changes to Facebook frustrated me until I learned my way around-still wish they would not have changed though as I spent to many minutes learning my way around the block. These changes to LIP? Well I don’t like them but I have been coming to this site for quite a few years and its not the first time Bob has changed it around and most likely not the last. I think he gets bored to be honest. I also hear that every time he changes his underwear he changes LIP. (Teasing Bob (-: )
Just remember that change got us Obama. Keep the change and I will keep my sanity. Ron
Ron;
It sounds unlikely that we could change your mind. (lol)
Lol you got Obama because the US dug themselves in a hole so deep that they hoped a miracle man would come and save them. That won’t happen.
Boss;
Obama being elected was just the wrong man at the right time, kinda like the pied piper. But it sure makes Jimmy Carter look better.
Obama isn’t a bad President. Bush was worse than Carter and Obama combined. Yet we will see what comes out in the wash after he’s completed his term. First I’d like to say hi to all of you ex-Navy guys. I was stationed on the USS Midway. Pulled many a shore patrol on Magsaysay drive. I am moving there with my wife and son in February or March. I’ll be living in Aklan (about an hour from Boracay) initially, and then I’ll decide where we will stay more permanently. Love reading these stories and comments about what’s going on in the Philippines. Keep ’em coming. After I arrive, I’ll keep all of you posted on my own experiences. Thanks.
Clem;
Hi shipmate, The best to you and your family on your upcoming move. All the best to you. I also thank you for that very funny line, as it cracked me up. “Obama isn’t a bad President” That was so good!
Lord, grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Didn’t our current Commander-in-Chief run on Hope & Change?
Just sayin…….
Mike;
Hope & Change? That worked out well for the Bankers.
I said I wasn’t gonna change and now I am stuck with 600 movies on Beta.
Hey, are they for sale? (lol)
I am glad I adopted disc brakes and full suspension on the MTB.
Blu rays are heaven on a 40″ plus HDTV and a rockin audiophile system.
I will grant that the defunct in the states mostly SACD (super audio CD) is better than the audio only music Blurays that have been released.
And I am not happy that the Ft Hood Mountain Bike course last mile or so of trail has been land grabbed for a new archery range.
NCO-CWO good
CWO-retired good
KFCs double down YES
Stadium style seating YES
The cubs finally winning the world series…naw I dont thiNk thaT Will ever happen.
Overall change is goood.
Pete,
Ft. Hood? Holy basooks, I practically grew up on that base being an Army brat, thats why I joined the Navy :-). Use to know that base as well as the range area like the back of hand. Talk about change, now that place has changed. Went down there 4 weeks ago to bury my father and had to go to a gazillion places…thought i knew the place well, but got frigging lost half a dozen times. Yea that place changed, but in my humble, not for the better.
John;
My condolences to you, over your Dad’s passing.
It seems you joined the Navy for the same reason my two sons joined the Army.
Paul,
Thanks so much, my dad’s passing was extremely hard as i had just lost my mother 50 days earlier. But reading the post here has provided some comic relief from the grieving process. And yes your correct Paul, guess growing up around one branch of service will make you join another one. Myself, my uncle and grandfather all joined the Navy, as we all grew up around Army bases so I guess we needed to see the world. And boy did we see the world and then some :-). Again, thanks so much and raise a SMG for me and my dad!!
John;
The SMB is in the air! My brothers and I were never exposed to Navy bases as my Dad was in during WWII, and came home after the war (Hence Me on Earth). But my sons were exposed, They both asked me how I would feel if they joined the Army? My one word answer was; “PROUD!” I lost both of my folks within a year of each other, while sailing as a Merchant Seaman in the mid 90’s They were my rock for my entire life, and I still miss them today. It will never get easy, but it will get better!
Pete;
Cubs taking a World Series, now that would be fantastic!
At Fort Hood are the targets people on bikes?
I’m staying with DVD’s until they pry them from my dead cold fingers.
I enjoy a change in technology over older versions if it is easier to use than the older format, no problem there.
Lucky Microsoft don’t make cars otherwise you have to learn how to drive again with every new model.
What I do find funny is watching my 2 and a half year old daughter trying to use old technology with little success. Seeing her try to scroll her fingers on a manual non touch screen Nokia is hilarious.
On the new look LiP site, it is much improved over the last version. Crisp, clean and easily to navigate. .
Boss;
I got a big laugh out of your comment about Microsoft and cars, for that is the truth. My granddaughter can’t figure out how I get anything done on my old computer, she only likes lap-top’s. I’ll just continue to plug along.
Paul;
The world is constantly changing, its futile to resist it, change for the better is good but change for the worse is another story.
However, i feel the older one gets the more reluctant to change we get.
In my youth i couldn’t wait to get a motor with electric windows, talk about posing, lol.
Chas;
As a kid I lit my smokes with a match, I then got a car with an electric cigarette Lighter, I’m driving along and used it for the first time, then threw it out the window like it was a match, Sometimes change can cost you! (I stopped littering right after that)
Paul;
Ha ha, first car i had with a ciggie lighter, the damn thing didn’t work, lol.
I did get free aircon though, downed a back door electric window and it wouldn’t go back up, lol.
Ha ha! I did the same thing. I went back to look for it but couldn’t find it. When I got home, I took the one out of my Dad’s car and put it in mine. The next day he was perplexed, and couldn’t figure out “what the hell happened to my cigarette lighter!”
I snuck it back into his car before he went to work the next morning, but by then I’m pretty sure he figured out it was either me or my brother messing with him and he never said another word about it.
Shortly thereafter, I bought a Zippo, and damn if I didn’t throw it out the window. I made a quick u-turn, spilled most of my beer, and found my new Zippo. It was a little scuffed up, but it still worked. I used that Zippo for 30 years, until I finally quit smoking, but it still sits in my “junk drawer”, and still has the scuff marks on it.
Billy Mac;
Throwing a Zippo out a car window and then a junk drawer after 30 years of faithful service? Sacrilege in my eyes, as I have a collection of over 100 Zippo’s in a display case on my wall. But I’m glad to know I’m not the only guy that threw a car lighter out the window. (lol)
Yeah, I know! I oughta be ashamed of myself. The only thing I miss about smoking is that first taste of the cigarette after you light it with your trusty Zippo.
I still use it to light charcoal though!
Billy Mac;
If its still used to fire up manly Bar-B-Q’s, than all is correct in the world!
Chas;
My friend Reggie borrowed my 1951 Mercury Convertible, electric top and windows which he kept playing with to show off to his girlfriend at the Drive In Movies. Battery went dead, he boosted another one and set it in, my car was a 6 volt system, he put in a 12 volt battery and burned out the secondary wiring harness. The car was never right after that. We stayed friends BTW, and I enjoyed the 1947 Harley Davidson he traded to me for the car.
You stayed friends? Are you crazy? LOL
Bob;
I got the car replaced by him giving me he’s 47 Harley, I got the better deal! Crazy like a fox!
OK, now you’re talking, my friend! 😉
Bob;
As we all know, Harley trumps Mercury everytime!
I owned a ’71 Olds 98 with the rocket engine. 455cu “rocket” engine. 4 bbl carb. That car ran like a top. Climate control, 6 or 8 way power seats, power windows. When the windows closed you were met with silence. It was so quiet. No motor vibration…nothing! Many times I tried to start the car while it was still running. Loved that car, but my wife back then sold it when I was on a Med cruise. I missed that car.
Clem;
You are so right about the Olds 98, I had a 1969, and as you said they were great. Like you, I miss that one, and my ex wrecked mine.