Silicon Investor - BuSab

[TimF] Did California Just Kill the Gig Economy? The gig economy was never meant to be ...

TimF — 9/11/2019 2:37:34 PM

Did California Just Kill the Gig Economy?
The gig economy was never meant to be a traditional sector, so treating it as such belittles what it actually is.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Brittany Hunter

fee.org

[Alan Smithee] Time to get out of California? foxnews.com California’s uncanny “earthquake pa...

Alan Smithee — 7/9/2019 10:37:49 AM

Time to get out of California?

foxnews.com

California’s uncanny “earthquake pause” is over. It should have already had several “big ones” by now. All that pressure has to go somewhere. Now geologists are nervously eyeing eight nearby volcanoes. And why has Yellowstone supervolcano been acting so weird?

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has warned Southern California to expect more big earthquakes to come. Some, they say, may even be more powerful than those experienced in the past few days.

[Pogeu Mahone] You are correct

Pogeu Mahone — 7/7/2019 6:36:08 PM

[Carolyn] That kind of sticks in my mind as well.

Carolyn — 6/17/2019 12:39:34 PM

[Joe Btfsplk] Not really positive, but believe I recall tales of bad behavior, maybe running ...

Joe Btfsplk — 6/17/2019 11:48:50 AM

Not really positive, but believe I recall tales of bad behavior, maybe running a swindle. Could be wrong.

[Carolyn] Whatever happened to Tastes Like Chicken? Didn't he have a column on SI years ag...

Carolyn — 6/16/2019 4:51:35 PM

Whatever happened to Tastes Like Chicken? Didn't he have a column on SI years ago for a very brief time?

[Joe Btfsplk] Millennial dads have pathetic DIY skills I have a (ex) SIL who can do almost a...

Joe Btfsplk — 6/7/2019 7:07:02 PM

Millennial dads have pathetic DIY skills

I have a (ex) SIL who can do almost anything and do it well. Stuff breaks, it gets fixed. Don't like the house, remodel. Want fine old iron, buy a 60's car and restore it.

His son, my grandson, has no interest. I've tied to sell the idea that he can acquire skills that he'll be happy to have later in life. Talking to a brick wall.

Maybe I'm just a doddering old fool. Hmmmmn, will have to check back in thirty years.

[Alan Smithee] Millennial dads have pathetic DIY skills compared to baby boomers Are dads’ ess...

Alan Smithee — 6/7/2019 3:59:24 PM

Millennial dads have pathetic DIY skills compared to baby boomers

Are dads’ essential DIY skills in decline? According to new research, millennial dads are less capable than their own dads when it comes to everyday DIY fixes, preferring to rely on professional help instead.

A new poll of 1,000 millennial dads and 1,000 baby boomer dads found that when a DIY task needs to be done at home, more than half of millennials prefer to call a professional.

And when it comes to emergency “handiness” scenarios, millennial dads fall short in almost every category.

Millennial dads are less likely than their boomer counterparts to be able to change a car tire on the side of the road, unblock a toilet or sink, reset a tripped circuit breaker or even open a stuck pickle jar with their hands. The new survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Alarm.com, found that modern dads’ toolkits have declined too.

Many millennial dads reported not owning a cordless drill (46%), a stepladder (49%), a set of screwdrivers (38%) or even a hammer (32 percent) — an item owned by 93% of boomer dads.

Why the decline in DIY?

Both generations pointed to modern technology becoming harder to fix as the top reason.

“The technology in the average home has evolved,” says Anne Ferguson, VP of marketing at Alarm.com.

“Hi-tech upgrades like smart home technology require professional support, especially safety and security upgrades. Even the handiest dads see the value of partnering with a professional service provider on an important project like a smart home security system.”

The definition of what it means to be a “handy” dad has also changed, said 79% percent of millennials. Seventy-four percent of boomers agreed with them.

For example, while boomer dads have the edge when it comes to traditional DIY, 62% of boomer dads concede that millennial dads are better at tech-related tasks.

Millennial dads are also more likely than their own fathers to prioritize family time over DIY.

Sixty-one percent would rather hang out with their children than spend that time on DIY, while 49% of millennial dads say they’ve done better than their own dad at spending quality time with their kids.

“Just as dads’ roles have evolved, so has the definition of handiness,” says Ferguson.

“Today’s time-pressed dads are quick to master new tools like apps and mobile technology for their families’ benefit. They’re also more likely to outsource time-consuming home maintenance to professionals who have the tools and training to get the job done right — a handy trade-off that enables today’s dads to spend more time with the people they love.”

[SmoothSail] Best therapy for you?

SmoothSail — 3/27/2019 1:43:50 AM

[Alan Smithee] I paid a visit to my counselor today. [graphic]

Alan Smithee — 3/26/2019 11:47:00 PM

I paid a visit to my counselor today.

[Carolyn] LOL! Love it. Post it to Kumar.

Carolyn — 3/25/2019 2:31:57 PM

[SmoothSail] facebook.com Best Indian announcer ever.

SmoothSail — 3/25/2019 2:17:59 PM

[SmoothSail] What happens in LA after all the rain. [graphic][graphic][graphic]

SmoothSail — 3/18/2019 11:55:07 PM

What happens in LA after all the rain.

[SmoothSail] Interesting.

SmoothSail — 3/15/2019 9:36:19 AM

[Stan] Didn't know until this week that pi day is the day Hawking died and Einstein was...

Stan — 3/15/2019 8:30:39 AM

Didn't know until this week that pi day is the day Hawking died and Einstein was born.

[SmoothSail] Where are all the nerds to remind us that It’s pi day?

SmoothSail — 3/14/2019 11:18:46 PM

[Alan Smithee] I get periodic mailings from Neptune Society, which I promptly transfer to the c...

Alan Smithee — 3/6/2019 2:27:57 PM

I get periodic mailings from Neptune Society, which I promptly transfer to the circular file.

I suppose I should look into a prepaid funeral plan for myself ("to save my family from the burden of that cost")

I represent a Certified Public Guardian who has a lot of clients who are on Medicaid. During the Medicaid spend-down, prepaid funeral plans are one of the allowable expenditures that are authorized.

[Joe Btfsplk] “Free Lunch and Informational Seminar on the Benefits of Preplanning Your Crema...

Joe Btfsplk — 3/6/2019 1:35:29 PM

“Free Lunch and Informational Seminar on the Benefits of Preplanning Your Cremation.”

When living in N Idaho, an hour and some away from Spokane, I foolishly responded to a Neptune Society (cremation) ad and gave my address and phone. When they sent a rep to see just me I smelled the rat and cut the rep short. Now, back in WA I'm again lined up with my forty year old People's Memorial membership who offer the same for about 20% of Neptune's cost.

When I joined PMA they were the only way to avoid exorbitant disposal costs. Now, competition has numerous funeral homes advertising inexpensive cremations and funerals.

And Neptune hammers away with TV ads snaring the unwary.

Incidentally, the 1962 THE AMERICAN WAY OF DEATH was what prompted me to join PMA at an early age. It was long after I learned the author was a former Communist.

[SmoothSail] Well, thank goodness I’m not going to be turning 70 anytime soon.

SmoothSail — 3/5/2019 8:29:46 PM

[Alan Smithee] ‘Old’ the Phone, Another Scammer Is Calling As soon as I turned 70, offer...

Alan Smithee — 3/5/2019 7:38:05 PM

‘Old’ the Phone, Another Scammer Is Calling As soon as I turned 70, offers rolled in for wheelchairs, cruises and cremation plans.

133 Comments
By
Stephen Miller

March 4, 2019 6:09 p.m. ET

Photo: The Wall Street Journal

In T. S. Eliot’s “Little Gidding” there is a sarcastic line: “Let me disclose the gifts reserved for old age.” The “gifts” Eliot mentions include “the cold friction of expiring sense” and “the rending pain of re-enactment / Of all that you have done, and been.” Eliot died before the advent of modern computer technology, so he did not experience another “gift” of old age: constant phone calls from mostly illegitimate businesses trying to sell you something.

After I turned 70 several years ago, these folks began calling me approximately eight times a day. I usually don’t pick up, but recently the caller ID has begun showing the name of a person or a well-known company. The other day I yelled to my wife: “Do you know someone named Daniel Lewis?” These are dishonest gimmicks meant to trick me into answering.

These callers—let’s call them scammers—mess up my day in two ways. First, when the phone rings I’m jarred out of whatever I’m thinking or doing—and, foolishly, rush to look at the caller ID. Then a few hours later I check for a voicemail and my day is disrupted a second time. If there is one, I listen to it. Why? Because a real person might have called while I was out, genuinely trying to get a hold of me and not just my wallet.

Roughly half the time the scammer leaves a message. Most are pitches for a medical device—braces for back pain, a wheelchair, a medical alert system. The soothing voice—always female—will often lie: “I am glad we met to discuss this.” Or: “You have already paid for this, so just press 1 on your phone.”

This is the dark side of capitalism—people trying to make money by taking advantage of someone old enough to suffer from cognitive decline. I’ve never fallen for one, but these con artists are still in business, so I can only assume that some people believe their schemes.

Phone calls from scammers are not the only gifts of old age. Every day I get brochures from cruise lines and fliers from retirement communities. At least twice a week I get offers from banks for reverse mortgages or from real estate agents to buy our house. All these are legitimate, I think, but they’re often annoying because they come in plain unmarked envelopes that are hand-addressed, so I think it’s a personal letter. Sometimes they are odd sales pitches too.

Last week I got an unusual flier. It said: “Free Lunch and Informational Seminar on the Benefits of Preplanning Your Cremation.” The lunch was at a local Italian restaurant. The thought of eating pasta and discussing cremation did not appeal to me. I also wondered why I need to preplan, as opposed to plan, my cremation.

I didn’t go. but I was curious about one of the topics that would be addressed at the lunch: “Travel & Relocation Protection Plan.” Does this mean that I can ensure that my ashes are scattered in a place that I am especially fond of? I was daydreaming about where I would like my ashes to end up when the phone rang again. I checked the caller ID. It said it was from a town in Texas that I had never heard of. I didn’t pick up.

Mr. Miller’s latest book is “Walking New York: Reflections of American Writers From Walt Whitman to Teju Cole.”

[SmoothSail] Can you even imagine the logistics involved in getting all the equipment, luggag...

SmoothSail — 2/28/2019 4:12:43 AM

Can you even imagine the logistics involved in getting all the equipment, luggage, aides, press, limos, etc. long video but interesting.

[X]

President Trump departs from Hanoi en route back to Washington, DC. https://t.co/JL6qpRryyU
— Circa (@Circa) February 28, 2019

[/X]

[SmoothSail] [graphic]

SmoothSail — 2/28/2019 3:27:44 AM

[Neeka] They're having the same problem along Lake Erie. They're calling it "Ice Tsunami...

Neeka — 2/25/2019 11:20:03 AM

They're having the same problem along Lake Erie. They're calling it "Ice Tsunami."

According to AOC it's the calm before the storm.

[Joe Btfsplk] Annual precipitation in Nome is very light. Ferocious zephyrs tear ice particles...

Joe Btfsplk — 2/24/2019 5:41:18 PM

Annual precipitation in Nome is very light. Ferocious zephyrs tear ice particles off the frozen sea in winter and it piles up. Highways once used pieces of lath with a strip of reflective tape to guide drivers or snow machine operators during frequent white-outs. Drifts downwind from one of those laths might be eight feet high.

So a California architect was hired to design a regional high school there. He looked at the precip figures and gave it a flat roof. It was whipped up one summer and came down that winter.

[Stan] The feeling of being buried alive must have produced a lot of cases of claustrop...

Stan — 2/24/2019 1:15:28 PM

The feeling of being buried alive must have produced a lot of cases of claustrophobia.

[Neeka] My FIL was from ND. He'd tell stories of being able to stand on the snow and be ...

Neeka — 2/24/2019 12:05:01 PM

My FIL was from ND. He'd tell stories of being able to stand on the snow and be looking over the roof of the house. Trains would be completely covered.

Hell hole!

[Stan] Speaking of really deep snow: [graphic]

Stan — 2/23/2019 6:53:07 PM

Speaking of really deep snow:

[Stan] I'd be hundreds of miles away from the spring run-off when it comes. Wow.

Stan — 2/20/2019 11:53:09 PM

[SmoothSail] This is the road coming into Tahoe [graphic]

SmoothSail — 2/20/2019 11:33:31 PM

This is the road coming into Tahoe

[SmoothSail] If he can get there, good luck finding a parking place.

SmoothSail — 2/20/2019 11:21:16 PM

[Alan Smithee] Yikes!!! Talked to a guy last night who has a lift ticket at Heavenly a week ou...

Alan Smithee — 2/20/2019 9:20:45 PM

Yikes!!!

Talked to a guy last night who has a lift ticket at Heavenly a week out.

My comment to him was, “ good luck using it.”

[SmoothSail] Chair 14 at Mammoth, which has 524” of snow. [graphic]

SmoothSail — 2/20/2019 7:39:18 PM

Chair 14 at Mammoth, which has 524” of snow.

[Alan Smithee] Thank you. I really enjoyed visiting Ta Prohm. Very interesting trip.

Alan Smithee — 2/19/2019 12:15:33 PM

[PuddleGlum] Here's a belated "Welcome home!" Hope you had a wonderful time! You were at Ta...

PuddleGlum — 2/19/2019 11:08:21 AM

Here's a belated "Welcome home!" Hope you had a wonderful time! You were at Ta Prohm the same day as an old high school classmate of mine.

[Carolyn] Good! And what a trip you are on!

Carolyn — 2/12/2019 9:52:46 PM

[Alan Smithee] No pain. It hurt like hell when it first happened. I got real shockey. Angkor ...

Alan Smithee — 2/12/2019 8:41:56 PM

No pain. It hurt like hell when it first happened. I got real shockey.

Angkor Bayon:

[Carolyn] Pain?

Carolyn — 2/12/2019 7:28:59 PM

[Alan Smithee] Still swollen, but I’m walking ok.

Alan Smithee — 2/12/2019 6:26:36 PM

[SmoothSail] Is your ankle better or worse? Hoping you’re okay.

SmoothSail — 2/11/2019 12:05:37 PM

[Carolyn] Ouch! What a damper. I hope you feel better in the morning.

Carolyn — 2/11/2019 8:03:58 AM

[Alan Smithee] Thank you. Yes, some turned out quite well. I have more to upload Just took ...

Alan Smithee — 2/10/2019 10:17:29 PM

Thank you. Yes, some turned out quite well.

I have more to upload

Just took a fall in the market. I didn’t notice a step down and managed to sprain my ankle. I had 6 Cambodian ladies fussing over me, giving me smelling salts, rubbing salve on the ankle, getting me water. Back at the hotel with ice on the ankle. No more walking for me today.

[Carolyn] There are some very beautiful pictures there.

Carolyn — 2/10/2019 8:44:18 PM

[Alan Smithee] That would have been a hike from Vietnam. Unless you flew. Siem Reap is a grea...

Alan Smithee — 2/10/2019 8:13:39 PM

That would have been a hike from Vietnam. Unless you flew.

Siem Reap is a great city. Not overpoweringly large and much cleaner than other areas of Cambodia I’ve been in.

[Alan Smithee] Just uploaded a batch from Angkor Wat, Angkor Bayon and Angkor Ta Prom. smithe...

Alan Smithee — 2/10/2019 8:11:03 PM

Just uploaded a batch from Angkor Wat, Angkor Bayon and Angkor Ta Prom.

smithee.smugmug.com

[PuddleGlum] Ta Prohm/Angkor Wat... that was on my agenda last November until I realized that...

PuddleGlum — 2/10/2019 7:56:25 PM

Ta Prohm/Angkor Wat... that was on my agenda last November until I realized that I was already stretched way too thin for a 4-week trip.

[SmoothSail] Photos?

SmoothSail — 2/10/2019 1:26:22 PM

[Alan Smithee] Ta Promh temple today. This was the location where they shot Laura Croft, Tomb ...

Alan Smithee — 2/10/2019 7:29:41 AM

Ta Promh temple today. This was the location where they shot Laura Croft, Tomb Raider.

[SmoothSail] I would wait until this latest storm gets through. They’re having a lot of probl...

SmoothSail — 2/9/2019 7:36:05 PM

I would wait until this latest storm gets through. They’re having a lot of problems with too much snow right now. Lots of accidents and threats of avalanches alongside the roads. There’ll be plenty of snow to last through the spring.

[PuddleGlum] My wife keeps urging me to take her snowmobiling at Tahoe. It looks like there'...

PuddleGlum — 2/9/2019 6:50:40 PM

My wife keeps urging me to take her snowmobiling at Tahoe. It looks like there's enough snow for the snowmobiles, but at this point I think getting there is the real issue.

[robert a belfer] Looks like white privilege to me. )

robert a belfer — 2/9/2019 12:55:19 PM