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thucythucy

(9,143 posts)

131. I generally don't weigh in on the inter-generational thing

Fri May 6, 2016, 08:45 PM

May 2016

but I must admit sometimes "the new normal" has me perplexed and bothered.

For instance, today I was walking (yes walking) to the supermarket. I passed a relatively young man on his front lawn hanging with his little boy. Nice scene. Then the guy reaches for something behind a tree. It was a gasoline powered leaf blower. He yanks the cord, the thing sputters and starts--HUGE noise, fumes, etc. The kid, who was only a few feet away from this, starts crying. The guy, seeing this, screams "DADDY HAS TO CLEAN THE SIDEWALK!" About fifteen or twenty feet of sidewalk, maybe a foot or so wide, and he needs a gasoline powered leaf blower to push some dust and debris off to one side.

I wanted to say to the guy, "Couldn't you just as easily use a broom?" but didn't want to get anywhere near all that noise (besides which, I'm kind of shy). But I felt sorry for the little kid. He'll probably be hearing impaired by the time he's ten. Not to mention, he's growing up in a world where a leaf blower is seen as a reasonable substitute for a broom.

Ah well, end of rant. Now all you kids, get off my lawn!!!

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Best rant on PC I have seen for awhile...long, but worth it. [View all] dixiegrrrrl May 2016 OP

But they voted for Nixon KatyMan May 2016 #1

"those little lantern holder black guys" Egnever May 2016 #10

Fascinating mountain grammy May 2016 #15

Snopes: Unproven pinboy3niner May 2016 #68

Thanks. One question I had about the story was spooky3 May 2016 #69

The story may reflect a temporary or local expedient... malthaussen May 2016 #82

The story represents how human beings generally lived for millennia cheapdate May 2016 #158

No. It wasn't an ideal world, but we did our own work and walked JDPriestly May 2016 #14

It was nice to be reminded of at least a simpler, slower time. The pace today is too hectic! Dustlawyer May 2016 #33

I baby sat for 25 cents an hour...late 1950's. dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #93

We bought our kids clothes they could wear while they Hortensis May 2016 #36

I am a Goodwill type store junkie, and have found some incredible bargains. dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #56

I appaud both for doing their part - better than most. ffr May 2016 #114

No. The generation the woman is talking about... bvar22 May 2016 #31

Your last point is well taken and so true. Boomerproud May 2016 #40

Who is "they"? that voted ????? dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #38

yup shanti May 2016 #46

Not this "old person" whathehell May 2016 #99

Lynchings were never "common". Certainly not in the grandmother's lifetime. SylviaD May 2016 #111

Even the under 30 year olds voted for Nixon in 1972. braddy May 2016 #146

hmmmm... that must be a very old lady indeed. Warren Stupidity May 2016 #2

Yep, long before the "tattooed, multiple pierced smartass" people came along. arcane1 May 2016 #5

I was using a push mower in 1980 chowder66 May 2016 #12

Used a push mower 60s, 70's & 80's, wish i still had it, well made tool! Dont call me Shirley May 2016 #121

: ) Push mowers unite!!!! Thanks for that! eom chowder66 May 2016 #163

Yes. I lived "back then." Depended on your economic status JDPriestly May 2016 #16

I had 2 kids late 60's......cloth diapers for them both. dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #35

All 5 of my brothers and sisters were raised on cloth diapers 1954-1966. Dont call me Shirley May 2016 #120

My grandmother cloth diapered her 8 kids from 1946-1960 laundry_queen May 2016 #144

We used cloth diapers from 1985 - 1994. phylny May 2016 #184

Well I am old enough to remember all of those things. zeemike May 2016 #37

Oh that one has been in circulation for years nadinbrzezinski May 2016 #55

Her back then, was her back then. Fla Dem May 2016 #66

"We only had one TV my whole life at home for a family of 6." dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #88

And how long were those three channels on air for? mwooldri May 2016 #130

To the best of my recollection, in our area of the Pac. NW dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #136

Different years... mwooldri May 2016 #150

Slow me, I finally figured out what you were asking, I think. dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #161

one t.v. in the 80's DLCWIdem May 2016 #156

Let's be honest, here: Act_of_Reparation May 2016 #97

The story is NOT about insulting millenials! It's about how we used to live the green walk! My Dont call me Shirley May 2016 #122

No, and no. Act_of_Reparation May 2016 #132

You're the one doing the blame shifting. The real cause of environmental degradation is the Dont call me Shirley May 2016 #135

The point could have been made thucythucy May 2016 #133

My son was born in 1970 and never had anything except cloth diapers. I rode a city sinkingfeeling May 2016 #67

You make a good point but we used ink cartridges spooky3 May 2016 #70

Just because things were invented in a year does not mean they came into general use then. flor-de-jasmim May 2016 #72

Guess I must be a very old lady MadCrow May 2016 #91

Our household was like that in the 1970s cyberswede May 2016 #92

Pampers not in general use until late 60's at the earliest. No Vested Interest May 2016 #101

How factual it was, wasn't really the point. passiveporcupine May 2016 #118

Think about it. Warren Stupidity May 2016 #123

2016 DLCWIdem May 2016 #152

This has gone around the internet for years abelenkpe May 2016 #3

I don't think it is bashing. It is just remembering. JDPriestly May 2016 #17

My mom used to bring home computer paper abelenkpe May 2016 #47

Considering the bashing that Boomers get - if this makes us "even" in the LiberalElite May 2016 #29

Boomers don't deserve bashing either abelenkpe May 2016 #44

but we do get bashed - including on DU - LiberalElite May 2016 #52

Arguably, the Greatest Generation "ruined" America... malthaussen May 2016 #84

I agree with you, and I cannot stand phylny May 2016 #185

+10 Duppers May 2016 #61

I beg to differ... malthaussen May 2016 #85

We have generation wars????????? dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #95

what do you have against recycling? Enrique May 2016 #62

Yep, look how fucking GREEN everyone was back in the good ol' days during segregation! snooper2 May 2016 #75

Reminds me of Pittsburgh in the late '50s and early '60s. malthaussen May 2016 #86

I have a feeling..... A HERETIC I AM May 2016 #4

That is possible tymorial May 2016 #9

Forward this to LoverOfLiberty May 2016 #23

Which means it was directed towards us Gen Xers Tommy_Carcetti May 2016 #28

Good gravity no abelenkpe May 2016 #48

The longer this makes the rounds... Beartracks May 2016 #53

Long-term series authors have a similar problem... malthaussen May 2016 #87

Exactly. n/t Beartracks May 2016 #149

I doubt this happened but I appreciate the message tymorial May 2016 #6

Sounds like someone's lawn needs a getting off of. Tommy_Carcetti May 2016 #7

Proper grammer, please, young man: we do not end a sentence with a preposition. FailureToCommunicate May 2016 #20

Stuff it, old man! Tommy_Carcetti May 2016 #26

Do NOT end a sentence where the preposition is at! Beartracks May 2016 #54

LOL! spooky3 May 2016 #71

This goes back to at least 2011 oberliner May 2016 #8

Back then brettdale May 2016 #11

Also true. JDPriestly May 2016 #18

None of which has anything to do with the environment... robbob May 2016 #109

As an official "old person," Blue_In_AK May 2016 #13

i was digging it until "tatooed, multiple piercing smartass" retrowire May 2016 #19

Very interesting. zentrum May 2016 #21

mixed bag Locrian May 2016 #22

Yep. As Bill Maher would say (paraphrasing) Boomerproud May 2016 #34

same as it ever was.... Locrian May 2016 #39

Zactly! Duppers May 2016 #63

Rivers on fire? malthaussen May 2016 #89

I used to work next to the one in Cleveland that caught on fire. Fuddnik May 2016 #176

My hair got set on fire by a propane torch. malthaussen May 2016 #189

Oh the epic onions they had on their belts.... AngryAmish May 2016 #24

This is the first time I've seen this tom_kelly May 2016 #25

I just saw another bad green story on the news Mnpaul May 2016 #27

Yikes! truedelphi May 2016 #129

They did that to save the trees. kentauros May 2016 #137

I agree that this is typical internet bullshit. SheilaT May 2016 #30

I never had a key to the Houston home I grew up in, and many of us left the keys in our cars and our braddy May 2016 #32

And then they ruined the economy Lordquinton May 2016 #41

And they destroyed our ecosystem. Dont call me Shirley May 2016 #124

Reusing is not recycling. It is better than recycling. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz May 2016 #42

This is not a rant on PC. It has nothing to do with "PC." It's simply glurge meant to divide people. Brickbat May 2016 #43

What if we could think about it and keep the best of all times/places? raging moderate May 2016 #45

What cheers me up is all the groups I see on the internet who resurrecting the best of the past. dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #58

so many stupid stereotypes in one post. La Lioness Priyanka May 2016 #49

This is gibberish blackspade May 2016 #50

I seem to remember hearing about trucks driving down the roads Cassiopeia May 2016 #51

My buddies and I actually did chase the mosquito-spray truck on our bikes. Mister Ed May 2016 #57

Hell, we didn't even have mosquitos back in my day. Fuddnik May 2016 #177

I remember getting doused with Roundup Mnpaul May 2016 #64

it was in "Plutopia" about Hanford up in WA: evidently it tasted fun MisterP May 2016 #65

Free plastic bags are illegal in my community and our WalMart ran out of the 10 cent paper bags... hunter May 2016 #59

Don't worry. BlueStater May 2016 #60

Many of us boomers are vehemently anti-war pacifists! Dont call me Shirley May 2016 #127

What does this have to do with PC? alarimer May 2016 #73

I hate people who use pc as though we are supposed to welcom La Lioness Priyanka May 2016 #80

Good question. cheapdate May 2016 #157

Business decided to make $$$ benld74 May 2016 #74

Not only a load of shit. But you are posting bigoted shit as well. ieoeja May 2016 #76

The kind of crap people's fathers forward to everyone on their email list. Codeine May 2016 #77

Surprised this has so many recs. DU demographics must trend older than I thought (nt) TacoD May 2016 #78

We oldies have a lot of time on our hands to post comments. nt No Vested Interest May 2016 #102

That's no excuse, anyway. Hissyspit May 2016 #126

I used Bics, myself. malthaussen May 2016 #79

ABSO-FUCKIN-LUTELY!!!!! BrainDrain May 2016 #81

That's my parents generation from 75 years ago. Kokonoe May 2016 #83

Can you get the Facebook link to his? Thanks. DinahMoeHum May 2016 #90

Sorry...did not keep the link.........n/t dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #96

It's been around for awhile. You can probably No Vested Interest May 2016 #103

Christ, this ageist bullshit again? Act_of_Reparation May 2016 #94

More of a half truth, imo, and nothing to do with "PC" Bradical79 May 2016 #98

I agree. There is some truth to it, and the greedy assholes always ruin everything Fast Walker 52 May 2016 #100

Then uppity gays showed up and ruined this exquisite utopia Politicub May 2016 #104

A mixed bag. My car got about 12 mpg, and rusted through in about five years. JustABozoOnThisBus May 2016 #105

I grew up mostly rural, never quite enough money, dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #107

Mom not only saved paper bags elljay May 2016 #106

"The fable of the burning river, 45 years later" Since we have been conditioned to hate the past braddy May 2016 #108

I am not aware of being conditioned to hate the past. n/t dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #110

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens Tierra_y_Libertad May 2016 #112

That gave me a huge smile. dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #113

I'm old enough to know passiveporcupine May 2016 #115

yeah, I was wondering, as I read all the negative reactions, dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #117

I'm maybe 1/4 way back to that lifestyle houston16revival May 2016 #116

I lived ALL those "green things" on the list. And still try to do many of them and more! Too bad Dont call me Shirley May 2016 #119

Why does this crap have so many recs? Hissyspit May 2016 #125

Because this place is usually extra cranky around 5 pm Warren DeMontague May 2016 #154

Ageist much? oberliner May 2016 #181

Fuck, I remember Watergate, and every week someone here tells me to get off their proverbial lawn. Warren DeMontague May 2016 #182

Also found on Facebook: Scootaloo May 2016 #128

Wasn't that the plot of the latest Kirk Cameron movie? LeftyMom May 2016 #140

LOL Hissyspit May 2016 #162

!!!!! Heidi May 2016 #188

I generally don't weigh in on the inter-generational thing thucythucy May 2016 #131

ahhh...leaf blowers....our 80 year old neighbor uses one on her deck, the sound really carries. dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #142

I ALWAYS thank people thucythucy May 2016 #151

My two biggest complaints for leaf blowers are kentauros May 2016 #173

The glaring fault in all this is that all the new things the old person laments were invented by old craigmatic May 2016 #134

I'm sure this has been done before, but I just -had- to take it apart :) kentauros May 2016 #138

Your post is too long to respond to all of it, but any coke bottles thrown out of a car were very braddy May 2016 #145

Berate an old woman? kentauros May 2016 #147

Not too long to read, just too much to respond to, for instance you ignored my post anyway. braddy May 2016 #148

I ignored it because I already addressed the topic sufficiently. kentauros May 2016 #164

LOl, you ignored my response to your post. braddy May 2016 #165

I asked you to read my post again. kentauros May 2016 #166

Well, I won't waste time playing games and exchanges about nothing, that only waste time. braddy May 2016 #167

Fine with me. kentauros May 2016 #168

LOL, sure, it was me who was non responsive. braddy May 2016 #169

No, you brought up an irrelevant complaint about toilets kentauros May 2016 #170

We still have legal lead pipes, that wasn't the issue in Flint, and I don't know why changing braddy May 2016 #171

They figure into it due to what was presented in the OP. kentauros May 2016 #172

What happened in Flint was caused by not properly treating the water, as far as technology, when braddy May 2016 #174

**sigh** kentauros May 2016 #175

Wow. That was...something. a la izquierda May 2016 #139

"Shut up and bag my groceries" usually works just as well. TheManInTheMac May 2016 #141

Could you give me the name of your manager works too Jeffersons Ghost May 2016 #143

Yep n/t SickOfTheOnePct May 2016 #160

yes, but you also used a gas mower to cut your own lawn Warren DeMontague May 2016 #153

2 things dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #178

It was a joke. Hey, you know your audience. This place will eat that sort of thing up. Warren DeMontague May 2016 #179

People do tend to underestimate me.... dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #180

Bravo! cheapdate May 2016 #155

I guess my only thought is SickOfTheOnePct May 2016 #159

The only thing realistic about this story is the part about the old person holding up the line Warren DeMontague May 2016 #183

Towanda Zorra May 2016 #186

Ahh.........good time, good times. dixiegrrrrl May 2016 #187