What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate

[Duamuteffe]

In one of the general shaving threads, a comment was made to the effect that a poster was just waiting for a younger member to ask who the Waltons were. This reminded me of an incident a few years back when I was living and working on a horse farm in upstate New York. The farm took on high school students from all over the country, a few at a time, who would attend school nearby and ride/train with us. One of them, a fifteen year old boy, was sent a suit by his parents to attend some sort of formal function. He put it on and then came downstairs to show it off. It came with vest, hat, the works, and had a fairly vintage look for a teenager's suit. I said, "Wow, ____, you look like a Junior G-Man." Without missing a beat, he looks back at me and asks, "Who's Junior G?"

#headslap#

Anyone else have a similar anecdote?

[Walter Sobchak]

Made a comment to an employee of mine a year or so ago about something being from the Reagan Era.

He said, "Where's the Reagan Era?", as if it were a store.

*sigh* The guy's like thirty years old, too. It's not like he's a fresh faced intern or something.

[raisindot]

Every conversation I have with my two teenage kids is like this.

"What's a turntable?"

"I heard they made a movie based on The Godfather video game."

"Rotary phone?"

"How come there's no color in these TV shows?"

"What's a TV antenna?"

"What's a floppy disk?"


Jeff in Boston

[masonjarjar]

In one of the general shaving threads, a comment was made to the effect that a poster was just waiting for a younger member to ask who the Waltons were. This reminded me of an incident a few years back when I was living and working on a horse farm in upstate New York. The farm took on high school students from all over the country, a few at a time, who would attend school nearby and ride/train with us. One of them, a fifteen year old boy, was sent a suit by his parents to attend some sort of formal function. He put it on and then came downstairs to show it off. It came with vest, hat, the works, and had a fairly vintage look for a teenager's suit. I said, "Wow, ____, you look like a Junior G-Man." Without missing a beat, he looks back at me and asks, "Who's Junior G?"

#headslap#

Anyone else have a similar anecdote?

Well, not really, but it made me think of something my friend told me years ago..

Apparently, the metal band GWAR was going to play in Bloomington, IN.. and some of the parents in the area started to organize against it.. but not for the reasons you may think.. (if you are not familiar with Gwar, they play metal and use all kinds of props and costumes and spray stuff on the audience)..

It was actually because they thought something called "G-War" was coming to town. They were concerned about a group of violent "gangstas"

[DunEdinRanger]

I work at a college.

One of our part time staff, (semi-retired) has been there so long that I joke she was the founder's first secretary. I tell this to the freshmen and they get google eyed and immediately say, "WOW! an honor to meet you!". The college was established well over a hundred years ago.

She has a typewriter, mainly for sentimental purposes, but she does use it on occasion. One of the freshmen comes running in, wondering what the noise is. When told, he goes, "A typewriter! I've heard of those things, but never thought I'd see one!"

He almost passed out when I showed him a keypunch card. :lol:

[Haber Dashing]

I work at a college.

One of our part time staff, (semi-retired) has been there so long that I joke she was the founder's first secretary. I tell this to the freshmen and they get google eyed and immediately say, "WOW! an honor to meet you!". The college was established well over a hundred years ago.

She has a typewriter, mainly for sentimental purposes, but she does use it on occasion. One of the freshmen comes running in, wondering what the noise is. When told, he goes, "A typewriter! I've heard of those things, but never thought I'd see one!"

He almost passed out when I showed him a keypunch card. :lol:

Ok....all I can say is wow...what planet is he from

[rummwa]

Years ago my oldest daughter was listening to the radio and she asked me if I had heard the new singer Tina Turner she was singing the theme to Mad Max Thunder Dome.

[DunEdinRanger]

Years ago my oldest daughter was listening to the radio and she asked me if I had heard the new singer Tina Turner she was singing the theme to Mad Max Thunder Dome.


One of the students overheard me talking to another staff member about Pink Floyd. He asked if he could speak privately. I said sure.

He was very embarrassed. He said his mom had been to visit him and saw Pink Floyd posters and noticed he had quite a bit of their music. This kid is very straight laced. Turns out she gave him a serious talking to about drugs and alcohol.

And I just laughed. :lol: Then I had to explain to him the image the Pink Floyd had of being a stoner band., perhaps best exemplified by the words of one student from Virginia Tech who said, "You don't have to be wasted to enjoy the Pink Floyd, but if you are, by all means don't waste the opportunity." (Pun Intentional)

[Grumpy Old Git]

Can get just as bizarre cross-culture. For example, I'm used to the word 'fag' meaning cigarette (http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/fag_3) or a tiresome task (http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/fag_1).

So, when in the NY office a colleague asks about the location of one of our chain-smoking managers and a fellow Brit responded "Yeah, saw him a couple of minutes back, outside with a fag in his mouth" I didn't think anything of it.

However, the look on the faces of some of the US team was a picture...

[taprater]

I'm only 25 but I made the comment "We should have taken that left turn at albuquerque."
One of my friends replied, "Bugs bunny rocks."
And we hear some kid near by ask his mom "Whos bugs bunny?"
<CATACLYSMIC FACEPALM>

[Go West Young Man]

Is this their fault for being young, or our fault for being old?

[13ALPHA]

I'm only 25 but I made the comment "We should have taken that left turn at albuquerque."
One of my friends replied, "Bugs bunny rocks."
And we hear some kid near by ask his mom "Whos bugs bunny?"
<CATACLYSMIC FACEPALM>

He was one of the requirements of being a kid!

[RichGem]

Every conversation I have with my two teenage kids is like this.

"What's a turntable?"

"I heard they made a movie based on The Godfather video game."

"Rotary phone?"

"How come there's no color in these TV shows?"

"What's a TV antenna?"

"What's a floppy disk?"


Jeff in Boston

My 8 yr old nephew has seen only one rotary phone in his life (my mother had it for when the cordless died or the power went out) and he still has literally no idea how to use one.

[DunEdinRanger]

I'm only 25 but I made the comment "We should have taken that left turn at albuquerque."
One of my friends replied, "Bugs bunny rocks."
And we hear some kid near by ask his mom "Whos bugs bunny?"
<CATACLYSMIC FACEPALM>

Kids today have been deprived of some of the best entertainment ever.

Bugs Bunny. Daffy Duck. Boris & Natasha, Rocky & Bullwinkle. Tennessee Tuxedo & Chumley. Klondike Kat and Savoire Fair.:thumbup1:

[Live2Ride]

During last year's school budget crisis, the teachers chose to give up some staff prep days in order to keep our new music (who is worth her weight in gold). She was in the room when this decision was being voted on. I asked her was she thinking, "Wow. You like me. At this moment, you really, really like me." She smiled and nodded. Then I realized, the comment was made before she had been born. I felt so old.

[airplanedoc]

In one of my areas on the factory floor, we had a old computer that was only used to order parts via the old mainframe system. One of my new 18 year old employees came over and asked what was the matter with the monitor on the computer. I glanced over at it, and replied that it looked fine to me. To which he replies "Something is wrong with it, it only has orange and black".

I had to explain it was a old monochrome "tiger tube", It only had one color, sometimes they were also green.

One of the my other pups also could not understand why there was no mouse to use.

[RichGem]

In one of my areas on the factory floor, we had a old computer that was only used to order parts via the old mainframe system. One of my new 18 year old employees came over and asked what was the matter with the monitor on the computer. I glanced over at it, and replied that it looked fine to me. To which he replies "Something is wrong with it, it only has orange and black".

I had to explain it was a old monochrome "tiger tube", It only had one color, sometimes they were also green.

One of the my other pups also could not understand why there was no mouse to use.

I loved those ol' amber monitors. :sad:

[DunEdinRanger]

Years ago, after a presentation on campus networking to the freshmen, conducted by upper classmen, I walked in as the kids were leaving and announced, "Folks, please remember that heavy solar flare activity is expected tonight, so please protect your data by wrapping magnets around your floppies."

One kid goes,"OOOH Thanks! Do you think I can get magnets at the Campus Store?!"

While we were all speechless, his roomie smacked him upside the head and said, "He's kidding, you idiot!" :lol:

[airplanedoc]

Years ago, after a presentation on campus networking to the freshmen, conducted by upper classmen, I walked in as the kids were leaving and announced, "Folks, please remember that heavy solar flare activity is expected tonight, so please protect your data by wrapping magnets around your floppies."

One kid goes,"OOOH Thanks! Do you think I can get magnets at the Campus Store?!"

While we were all speechless, his roomie smacked him upside the head and said, "He's kidding, you idiot!" :lol:

Today, they would say what is a floppy disc?

[taprater]

Today, that would say what is a floppy disc?

Which is how you seperate the wannabies from the true geeks :biggrin:

[soapbox]

I loved those ol' amber monitors. :sad:

They were easier on the eye strain than the green screens, but I have a soft spot for the ancient Zenith green screen CRT (single-RCA video connector) that sat on top of my Apple ][+ and Apple ][e for years, until I got a Mac Plus, (which would beget a whole new set of "huh?" from today's kids).


Today, they would say what is a floppy disc?


Which is how you seperate the wannabies from the true geeks :biggrin:

Or the geeks from the geek demigods who can fit a bootable Linux firewall into 1.4 MB -- and I'm not one of them. At least there won't be many folks who ever programmed a PDP-11 mainframe to play practical jokes on other 1200 bps serial terminals. Hell, there aren't many of us left who've ever seen 5.25" floppy disks, nevermind 8" floppy disks.


// And pass the Geritol.

[RichGem]

They were easier on the eye strain than the green screens, but I have a soft spot for the ancient Zenith green screen CRT (single-RCA video connector) that sat on top of my Apple ][+ and Apple ][e for years, until I got a Mac Plus, (which would beget a whole new set of "huh?" from today's kids).





Or the geeks from the geek demigods who can fit a bootable Linux firewall into 1.4 MB -- and I'm not one of them. At least there won't be many folks who ever programmed a PDP-11 mainframe to play practical jokes on other 1200 bps serial terminals. Hell, there aren't many of us left who've ever seen 5.25" floppy disks, nevermind 8" floppy disks.


// And pass the Geritol.


I've seen in use (but never myself used) punch tape, punch cards, and 8" floppies as well as (non-cassette) high speed tape drives. My use experience starts with saving things on audio cassette deck (oh yeah) and later 5.25" floppies.

However, I have used a slow (paper) terminal. But, it was more for fun in comp sci than anything else.

[taprater]

The test bench I worked on in the navy used laser disc cartrages and had the slot for the tapes in the monitor. While I was in Ca. we had a tape with pong on it we used to when bored at night.

[ajkimmins]

I remember getting punch cards with the phone bill. "Renting" the phone from the phone company. 8 tracks, BETAMAX. 8 inch floppies. WARGAMES!!

[Topgumby]

Some things I've observed from watching my kids.


Finger guns no longer go "bang". They now go "Pew, pew". This might be the biggest legacy George Lucas leaves behind him.
"Timeout" doesn't exist. "Pause" has replaced it.
"Go out and play" doesn't exist. "Playdate" has killed it. In fact, I think we are the only parents in our immediate area that let our kids go out by themselves.

[brentaar]

I'm 24 and I get/understand pretty much all of the comments made. How could people function without understanding some basic facts about the past?

[soapbox]

I'm 24 and I get/understand pretty much all of the comments made. How could people function without understanding some basic facts about the past?

Ask George Santayana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Santayana). And thanks for paying attention to history. :001_smile

[DunEdinRanger]

Which is how you seperate the wannabies from the true geeks :biggrin:

Today, when they call asking for more space, I tell them they now have 100 Mb of free space.

It takes a while to sink in. :lol:

Actually, most of my material in that regard is "borrowed" from the Bastard Operator From Hell http://bofh.ch/

[soapbox]

Today, when they call asking for more space, I tell them they now have 100 Mb of free space.

It takes a while to sink in. :lol:

Actually, most of my material in that regard is "borrowed" from the Bastard Operator From Hell http://bofh.ch/

I thought it was 4 MB of free space? Oh, how times change! :biggrin1:

[RichGem]

I thought it was 4 MB of free space? Oh, how times change! :biggrin1:

Inflation.

[soapbox]

Inflation.

Stupid insanely cheap memory. Why, back in my day, you could run a whole Linux firewall from an 8 MB flash card, and they were expensive. Now they put 4 GB SD cards in Cracker Jack boxes.

"Grampa Jesse, what are Cracker Jack boxes?"

:crying:

[RichGem]

Stupid insanely cheap memory. Why, back in my day, you could run a whole Linux firewall from an 8 MB flash card, and they were expensive. Now they put 4 GB SD cards in Cracker Jack boxes.

"Grampa Jesse, what are Cracker Jack boxes?"

:crying:

"Grandpa Jesse, what's an SD card?" :tongue: :lol:

[Razdict]

When I remember how many 3.5 floppies it took to fit Slackware Linux with every single package and how long it took to download and then I look at my usb drive the size of my thumbnail, I get a puzzled look on my own face.

[Duamuteffe]

We got a Commodore 64 very soon after they first came out, and the other day I was trying to explain to some younger friends about how we'd set it loading whatever game we wanted to play (from a cassette drive) and go and make a sandwich or play a quick game of checkers while we waited for it to load. The games that showed the count of bytes clicking over were the best, because then you knew how much time was left for yours checkers/sandwich.

BOfH is awesome, by the way.

[Newfie]

Years ago my oldest daughter was listening to the radio and she asked me if I had heard the new singer Tina Turner she was singing the theme to Mad Max Thunder Dome.

Along similar lines:

About '95 or so, my daughter's friends always thought it was cool she listened to the same music I did (or vice-versa, whatever). One night a couple of her buddies asked me if I'd heard about those new guys with that "Unledded" CD out. I asked if their names were Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. (He he he) They asked how I knew about them already?

Imagine their surprise when I put Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Stairway to Heaven and Rock & Roll on the turntable and showed them the album jackets.

(Yes, I still have the turntable and yes, I still have the vinyl)

[taprater]

Grant it I didn't start listening to metallica till about 2000 but the first song I heard was Master of puppets and I was hooked. I had a guy wearing a Ride the Lightning shirt ask me who Cliff Burton was...:cursing::a47::cursing: He was seconds from death and never had a clue...:a33::a33::a33:

[blackfoot]

I am only 31. You guys make me feel old. I have had so many of these conversations myself. I mean, it wasn't that long ago that we used rotary phones, right?

[Trigger]

When I first started this job, all reports were written by hand. FTOs would mark it all up with red ink, so you would have to write it all over again, with corrections. I think it was better this way as you had to really make sure they were well written the first time. Now, everything is done on computer. I was talking to someone in the hall the other day when a newbie overheard and stopped to listen. During a break he ask "You actually wrote them, by hand?" How time flys..........

[soapbox]

What this thread makes me feel like: (and I'm not even 40 yet)

[Swampfox]

I am only 31. You guys make me feel old. I have had so many of these conversations myself. I mean, it wasn't that long ago that we used rotary phones, right?

Some still do. I want to, but I haven't found one I am willing to pay for yet.

[blackfoot]

Some still do. I want to, but I haven't found one I am willing to pay for yet.

My parents had one up until a few years ago. It was one of those rental phones and mom and dad's bill was cheaper as long as they kept it. The phone company wanted it back real bad since they were losing money on the deal. :lol: