Got this from JP… I grew up on the tail end of this era, and we didn’t have fat kids OR adults; just sayin…
In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.” That’s right, they didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But they didn’t have the green thing back her day. In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks. But she’s right. They didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they washed the baby’s diapers because they didn’t have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts – wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right, they didn’t have the green thing back in her day. Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house – not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a screen the size of the state of Wyoming . In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she’s right, they didn’t have the green thing back then. They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But they didn’t have the green thing back then. Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint. But they didn’t have the green thing back then!!!
I was gonna post a long winded diatribe about Chuckie Shumer’s BS comments about fleas, but you know, it’s really NOT worth the effort- He’s tone deaf to reality and any kind of constituency other than the far left wing! He only cares about those that line his pockets, NOT the Amercian people (especially not those that believe in 2A) in my opinion…
Having spent most of the week back amongst my old community for the reunion and centennial of Naval Aviation, I’m truly humbled and proud of the kids (yes KIDS) flying and maintaining those airplanes… We flew the hell out of them, and these kids manage to keep em flying today. Next year the P-3 Orion will have been in service for FIFTY years… Not to bad for a failed airliner that had a propensity for crashing… The only older airplanes are the B-52 and C-130, and I don’t think and of the original C-130s are still flying.
On a shooting note- Caught up with an old friend and his wife at the social last night, she remembered me being a shooter and was asking what gun she should by for self protection. I asked her why, and her hubby (they FINALLY got a shotgun for home defense about 5 years ago) said they BOTH are no longer comfortable going around without being able to defend themselves. Another old friend was there, so I waved him over and he is going to open his safe and take them both to the range and let them try all (and he has a bunch) of his pistols to find something they each like. He’s now an NRA instructor, so I know he’ll do right by them.
I think it is pretty sad statement on our society today that folks like this, who never owned guns and ‘tolerated’ my “obsession” are now looking at arming themselves… And for those going to the Lucky Gunner shoot, check your emails… Just sayin… 🙂
Years ago, while running a cash register on the 3rd shift, this guy started giving me a hard time about the plastic bags we used. I thanked him and informed him that he was welcome to hug the tree out in the parking lot on his way out.
Thanks for the post.
Roger that re: P-3s. During my careerI was lucky enough to fly in one of the oldest (BuNo 148888 in it’s third incarnation) and the last UpdateIII off the line.
And yes, it probably is a lot harder to maintain ’em than it used to be.
In regards to plastic bags: I save a good number of mine as reuse them as trash bags for the small wastebaskets in our apartment.
I use the paper bags as recycle containers, too.
I’ll start using paper when I’m not the sole person carrying groceries from the car to our 4th-floor apartment. (I do love our elevator, though.)
Since I do not forsee the hippies helping me, they can kiss my ass!
I love MiniMedic- she gets straight to the point. 😀
I don’t like plastic bags, but only because they wallow around in the trunk and have to be repacked before carrying them in.
Paper nor plastic are what they used to be though. A gallon of milk in either one almost guarantees a milkshake before you get in the back door. >.<
Re: the Green Thing: yeah, sometimes we forget what it was like even 40 or 50 years ago, much less 100 years. This is why, whenever I see one of those polls asking which previous era you’d like to live in, I never answer, because I’m happy with all the modern conveniences I have now. Now if they could show us what folks will have 100 years from now and offer that, I’d sign up for it in a heartbeat.
Back then, it wasn’t ‘green’. It was ‘poor’, and ‘frugal’, and ‘common sense’. We reused stuff because it made sense and saved money. It was good husbandry of the world around us.
That requires thought. Today, requiring thought is asking too much of people.
Matt- Good point 🙂
Rick- Long time no hear from you! I think my oldest P-3 was 148883, as a Alpha version. These kids are fantastic at keeping em up, there are NO new spare parts anymore, so they are making do with refabbed reused spares.
MM- Concur- I do the same.
Snigs- True on all counts!
Bob- Excellent point! They don’t talk about the hardships of those earlier times either…
Carteach0- Dead on! Thought is contra-indicated today; just do what I tell you… sigh…
Liked flying on Electras. In their day, they could out climb any pure jet. Very comforting in places in Alaska.
My grandmother had a saying:
Use it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or do without!
Reminds me of growing up. I spent half my time on Dad’s farm in KY and the other half in the city with Mom.
I’d go from fresh milk, canned fruits and vegetables and a lot of walking and doing it by hand to a taxi, McDonalds and some Atari. 🙂
I’m happy I got that experience.