Flip Phones

As I have worked on the Curmudgeon Societé Generale crowd to understand and adopt new technology - and I have to be honest here as this may sound heretical - I often suggest they just get a flip phone.

You, dear readers, are no doubt aghast. "Those relics!?" you may cry. I agree - nothing makes a person look more out of touch than hauling their flip phone out while everyone around them is doing all manner of magic with their smart phones.

Ah, but there is method to my madness. Flip phones are indeed simple devices - like, essentially, phones. Uncomplicated, intuitive: flip open - phone on, flip closed - phone off.

I'm letting these folks "get their feet wet." They can say things like "call me on my cell phone" and return important calls in real time and all manner of impressive things without fussing with a pocket-sized computer that is ALSO a phone.

Some start to realize they want to do more things with their device - messaging is usually first - and the graduation to a smart phone is way smoother than taking the plunge right off. Others are fine with just packing a cell phone and don't need the added complications a smart phone entails (despite what most of us consider essential requirements of life).

They simply want a phone in their pocket - not necessarily a computer. You can pity them, but you can't blame them.

Comment? Just Say No

An alert reader noted that commenting back to Repor central here is not as straightforward as it should be.

Looking at my Blogspot control page, I can see the dilemma. The little bar that says "no comment" ACTUALLY means "please comment" in Blogspotspeak. Don't hit the little pencil - that would make too much sense.

Confused? I sure am. I'm going to chat up Blogspot central and sort this out. Especially since it might be mostly my fault in programming, and as the Curmudgeon Societé Generale technology guy, this could be pretty embarrassing.

So until further notice, where you see "no comment", comment away. That little pencil thing does appear to be useless, but study continues on this topic.

Despite what my predecessor, a grumbler of some note, constructed, I shall endeavor to resolve this conundrum, dear readers.

Thanks for the feedback, and keep those comments coming!

Pavers

There is some sort of demented driveway design thinking going on around here. For nothing other than perfectly bizarre reasoning, people are putting pavers on the last 10 feet of their driveways.

Presumably, this is so snow plows can catch on them, weeds can grow between them and other stuff they missed with their old driveway.

It is hard to wrap one's head around such self-involvement: let's invest (1) in a new driveway addition that will (2) heave more than our existing driveway, (3) grow weeds so that we have to spray deadly pesticides, and (4) does absolutely nothing new.

This is my neighborhood. Time to bolt

Diesels

As the technology ghuru of the curmudgeon Societé Generale, I get asked all manner of questions. A relevant one recently was "Why aren't all engines Diesel?" Lower fuel costs, simpler engine, etc.

Good question! I actually happen to have family relations involved with Herr Diesel's work, although Uncle Hammy left Germany for the US to escape "the chews." Uncle Hammy must have had more than one screw loose since he relocated to Queens, NYC in his efforts to escape "the chews."

But I digress - yes diesel engines are more efficient, but the cost is they weigh a ton, and few auto builders think the average car buyer will bear the added cost. Plus they lack the "zip" consumers expect in their cars. hence, no retail market.

But keep those cards and letters coming!

Mids

OK, OK, remember those carefree, happy days in college in the fall? Those rhapsodian days running through the leaves, sniffing the fall air whilst trying to hook-up with coeds and "stuff" at the University? Swinging those wear-once-a-lifetime scarves?

Word from the Curmudgeon Societé Generale is that this is still going on. Hot she still connects with hot he (never one of us) and behind-the-scenes hoopla apparently ensues.

Hold on - an update here - apparently I'm referring to some sort of "mid-term election" that just occurred.

Same thing. Even the scarves.

Same result: sex for the non-us.