And begun it has –
‘a fireworks display off Auckland’s Sky Tower started at midnight (1100 GMT).’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-16372774

Great NYE Morn, Ruth
What a nice piece you’ve written. Thanks.
Lady and guy in front of me at the grocery store yesterday were buying black eyed peas and greens. I hadn’t heard the explaination of the Why before, so thanks for that too.

Me? I’ll be putting signs up on LA’s freeways for the rest of the year. Here are some from yesterday and the day before:

http://freewayblogger.blogspot.com/2011/12/berkeley.html

Happy New Year Y’all…

Thanks, it’s a tradition that probably has all sorts of stories as to why it is one, but that was what I learned.

Thank you for doing your work. It’s an affective way to remind people Corporations Are Not People.

Good work.

Good morning Ruth, demi, and FWB, Happy New Year’s eve to one and all.
Ruth, thank you for the post and the topic.

Here’s a little tid bit of speculated history regarding the black eyed pea:
Another suggested origin of the tradition dates back to the Civil War, when Union troops, especially in areas targeted by General William Tecumseh Sherman, typically stripped the countryside of all stored food, crops, and livestock, and destroyed whatever they could not carry away. At that time, Northerners considered “field peas” and field corn suitable only for animal fodder, and did not steal or destroy these humble foods.
You eat what the army leaves behind.

Good Morning Ruth,

A very happy and healthy new year to all the people I converse with here. I am resolving to expand my local face-to-face human community a bit more this year. I have always trusted my judgment about the people I become involved with and I have not disappointed myself in the least, participating with all of you pups. Learning and growing and self-examination encouraged by just about everyone. Despite the world madness, a real stimulus here for hope, concern and positive action.

Peace and Resolve.

Thanks Demi, and Ruth. It really is a lot of fun, what I do.

Thanks, it’s got to be better in 2012, right?

I’m thinking, thinking….

Good morning and my best to you all for the year 2012. Supposed to be a dynamite year so I’ll simply let go and….?

Absolutely better in 2012, I really want to get past 2011 asap.

Interesting. Some folks still don’t think they’re fit for human consumption.

Thanks. You’re a valued member here.

Occupy the place of your choice?

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to get out and become more active in the political scene like I was in my younger years.
I really admire nonquixote and Freewayblogger for the work they have been doing to make Wisconsin and America a better place.

I love the quotes along with your blog photos. Very nice work all around.

Hi ya, nonquixote. Have you made any friends while you’re out poking at windmills? I just thought chances would be higher to find someone you’d like to share a cup of coffee (in person) with working with like-minded folks.

Maybe I’m alone in thinking that just because the number changes from 2011 to 2012, that things will be better. The only change that is going to occur is what we ourselves change inside.
I can’t really say that 2011 was a worse year than the previous year.
Each day is an opportunity for choices.

Thanks for your work, and so happy to see you posting here again!

At the moment, I am doing just that!

Anyway, politics this month will really get under way, and locally, at least, I probably will become further involved than I have been to date.

Natural disasters were pretty bad;
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43727793/ns/today-today_news/t/already-costliest-year-natural-disasters/#.Tv8S9jX2bpA

Demi, Good Morning

I’ve met a wide cross-section of people, that’s for sure. Our governor doesn’t yet realize the trouble he is in for with a whole state full of borderline ocd personalities on his tail. ;^) Once set to the task there is very little divergence with a core group, here.

I am training myself to put names and faces into my memory and to improve my recall of who’s who at any potential future meeting with folks. I have improved my recall of pertinent answers to questions people want to know, to support their political decisions among their families and the co-workers they care about and wish to influence.

demi,
You have such a positive outlook and it is to be admired.
When you commented the other day about the moniker I chose, it was really a nice thing to say. Actually, we are in a lake community and a lot of Chicago folks own 2nd homes or lots here. I guess I am explaining more to you since I was short with the answer the last time.
(p.s I can only afford one home at a time)

Probably? That’s a considerable commitment. /s

Good New Year’s Eve morning, friends!

I cleaned my house yesterday, just because it was needed, but also with a thought to starting off 2012 with a tidy home.

Growing up, we always had pork spareribs (the meaty kind, not the back ribs) and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day. We cooked the spareribs ON the sauerkraut in the oven, with some sliced onion, so the meat juices flavored the kraut as it cooked, and basted the ribs with the juices too. Then serve the kraut over mashed potatoes, no gravy. It may sound weird but if you like sauerkraut it is very tasty. My ancestry is German but I don’t know if this is a German tradition. Supposed to be “good luck” in some vague way. Since I’m invited to a New Year’s Day open house where there will be lots of food, I’m cooking the spareribs and kraut tonight.

Okay. And, I was going to say, we’d have to go issue by issue to determine what was better or worse than at other times.
I knew someone would start the list. Right on, Hostess With The Mostest.
(Now, break out the good coffee cups. :))

Sounds like good luck to have you show up with a dish like that, for your fellow guests.

At least I threw out the old worn out ones.

….simply let go and LAUGH?

See? All I have to do is see your name, and cinnamon sugar apples with blossoms and fairy dust comes to my mind.

What are you planning to do, Starbuck? Occupy, or something else?

msmolly,
That sounds delicious and something I would like to make. We use the Bavarian Kraut on occasions because it is a little sweeter. Now you got me thinking of the menu for tomorrow.
Have a Happy New Year and a great time at the open house.

I’d hesitate to show up with it anywhere. I’m not sure a lot of people would eat it. I just fix enough for myself for dinner tonight and maybe leftovers in a couple of days.

demi, you are not only thoughtful, but funny too. Your husband is a lucky man!

In the low country of Georgia and Carolina the New Year’s dish of field peas and rice is called Hoppin’ John. It is a custom my mother Joan observes religiously and like her other religious impulses presses even on the unwilling. Early January one year my mother suffered a freaky accident that left her incapacitated with a badly broken ankle. The immediate response of my religiously skeptical husband was to dub her Hoppin’ Joan.

I’m not much of a resolver but I think I’ll resolve to still be alive when it becomes 2013. My friend who lives on Shikoku is in town and it’s my privilege to spend today and this evening with him and many other dear friends and 2012 can’t be a total loss when starting it off like that. 2011 for me started off much like 2009 and 2010 but has ended on a much more positive note. Although I don;t have any reason to be optimistic about our chances of winding up with some real leadership in this country and not just another corporate toady, I choose to believe it’s possible that the occupy movement will convince politicians that their own political survival is more important to them than keeping the money spigot turned on.

Good morning and thanks Ruth and all the pups in the lake.

No, you dint. Didn’t you put them on the kitchen sill to start rooting plants for spring?
Since the sweet peas I planted a couple of weeks ago are doing so well, I put in some more. Their sweet little pea blossoms brighten up that area.
To the side of the front porch, where I get sun all day long.

Thank you, and happy NY to you too. It is very good and very easy. There’s actually a recipe in my Joy of Cooking (ca. 1963, a wedding gift). But it doesn’t really require a recipe. I don’t use Bavarian kraut, but you could, of course. I love sauerkraut, nibble on it right out of the can when I’m preparing the dish.

Bet they’d enjoy trying it. Sauerkraut on potatoes sounds a bit like vinegar, which is what I like.

Hi Molly – Pork and sauerkraut was my Pennsylvania Dutch mother-in-law’s New Years dinner.

LMAO! Sorry about your mom’s broken ankle but “Hoppin’ Joan” is funny in that context.

Sounds wonderful molly, All the Best to You. There are a couple open house things, one with (secular) acoustic music. Thanks for the suggestion.

I usually have ham and black eyed peas, which was the tradition I grew up with.

When I saw the reference to blackeye peas, I thought of Hoppin’ John too, blackeye peas and rice. An old friend used to make it for us occasionally. He is from Texas, but said it was his ex-wife’s dish. He used to open a can of salmon and mix it in, which sounds awful but is actually quite tasty. I’m sure the salmon was NOT part of the traditional Hoppin’ John.

Good morning, everyone. Demi, you’re right, the mere change of a number won’t necessarily change anything. But looking back at the last ten years of collective madness starting with the latter months 2001 to the end of 2011, I have hopes that the next ten years will be an improvement. At least, an increased awareness has occurred in the last months of 2011, which I hope bodes well for the future.

Your neighborhood sounds very, very familiar to me AC2. Same seasonal neighbors and serious stretches of water.

Thanks, have heard about Hoppin’ John, but have yet to have the real thing.

Thanks, Peggy, we need that.

{{{{Margaret}}}
You have had a good ending to the year with the job.
I was worried about what was happening to you after serving this country so admirably for so long.
It just took time for the right employer to realize what an asset you would be for the company. Happy New Year!!!

Maybe…but this is an open house and the hosts provide the food. I am taking some Walker’s shortbread cookies my daughter gave me, just as a little gift to the hosts. I would have bought something small to take, but I’m going to try to lose a few pounds after the holiday so I didn’t want the cookies around to tempt me.

My parents and most of my relatives were from Northeast Ohio, and I’m sure the dish is regional. Although it’s in that cookbook so it must be pretty well known.

2012 is a 5 Universal year. It’s the year of change. Using standard Numerology calculations, 2012 is a 7 for the US which is the number of the hermit, underground activities and such. Given the move towards more surveillance already underway along with NDAA, I don’t have a good feeling about things, which is reflected in the way I feel and my dreams upon awakening.

The unusual aspects of the Numerology calculations is that, before 2000, the derivation of theses numbers involved more complex numbers which had to be reduced. But before doing that, those numbers are analyzed. For a 7, for instance, you frequently found the 16 first, whose symbol translates to “Lightning Strikes from the Tower”. Now they are simple (or so called fadic) numbers. The appearance of simplification in quite obvious in the current environment. The 1%ers. The 99%ers, etc. No finesse. WYSIWYG.

But hey! I am more wrong than right.

There’s my girl! Peggy, it sounds like a wonderful day and evening.
Glad you’ve got plans. Me? I’ve got spare ribs which I will probably do with rice. And, a few movies I rented yesterday. Just me and my lucky husband. Ha!

I’m biting my tongue to keep from saying it couldn’t get worse, because it always could.

I just did a version a couple of days ago, the Polish Czech type, complete with Piereogies.

Cute story. Thanks. Are you new to commenting? Maybe I wasn’t paying good enough attention. But, welcome, welcome.
We PUAC’ers love stories. Stories, used to be just the oral tradition, tell us who we are.

Dear Freewayblogger–

I’ve followed your efforts for several years . . . and just to give you positive feedback–YOU ARE INSPIRATIONAL! I have yet to hang my first sign–but because of your continued efforts, I DO intend to do so. Thanks!

I found it actually does.

Well thanks but it should be pointed out that I didn’t serve that long, (about five years, three months), and that was twenty years ago. I’m glad I got a job too and at the risk of sounding like a company person, I’m glad I found a job with benefits and a boss who believes in treating his employees well. True, I’d like to be making more money but I’m not unhappy and this job is probably better than the majority I’ve had. I’ll hit him for more money at my anniversary date and we’ll go from there.

Just me and my lucky husband. Ha!

Nothing wrong with that and I think he’s incredibly lucky! :)

g’morning Ruth & Pups. I’m not much for new years resolutions, but i know this year will bring changes that i am embracing. For one, me being at the lake at such an early hour! My work shift will be changing from 2nd to 3rd, which at our company is friday thru sunday 5:00am to 5:30 pm, always leaving me with a four-day weekend. Yay! More time for gardening in the summer.

The bad part is that i’ll probably become a very rare presence at LLN, where i usually hang out.

Another change i hope for is that 2011 contains the last of my many eye surgeries. With those behind me, i will feel comfortable traveling again, and hope to make it to NYC to visit my youngest daughter this spring.

I have never known anyone (to my knowledge, at least) that was into numerology. A few pups get into astrology, I think, including KarenM and Masoninblue.

Your description sounds very complicated. I’m not sure I understand it — sorta like walking into a conversation about astrology between two people who practice it.

Shave, shower and signing off for the morning. Again all the best in the coming year, pups.

Thanks again Ruth, for hosting this morning.

I know, I know (I’m usually inclined to be pessimistic). But the folks at FDL will just have to keep on keepin’ on, fighting the craziness in any way we can. FDL is the best community, and folks here are all striving, in big and small ways, to make things better.

You’re too kind. I was just riffing on what AppleCanyon had said.
We’re all lucky we have each other. But, then, we just didn’t wake up one morning with a bunch of FDL friends on our front porch. We were smart enough to find this place, stick with it and allow ourselves to be attracted to the nice, thoughtful, intelligent and curious folks here.

Thanks. This was 15+ years ago and, other than setting off the occasional alarm at the airport because of the steel rod in her ankle, has been doing a great deal more than hopping.

*waves madly to NDFG* Happy your eye surgery will be over soon. I don’t remember the details, but I hope this is finally successful.

It will be fun having you here. You’ll have to hang out at the Lakeside Diner with Southern Dragon and all of the morning pups!

A job with benefits and a boss that respects his employees is a very positive thing in our world today. It is more rare than common as it was in yesteryear. Most bosses today are only interested in how much they can exploit their employees JMHO.

I have been here since the beginning and through various name changes because of the changes in formats and required no. of letters. Originally JML then JLML and so forth.

Demi, I thought tonight was the big anniversary dinner. Am I mixed up?

Hi newdealfarmgrrrlll.
You will miss your late night friends, but, as you say, you can join the early morning crowd, and we’ve got a pretty cool deal going at The Diner. You’re going to like it. I guarentee it.

Please take a picture, too.

Nice to have the extra daytime, and an end to eye problems, too.

Well, that was supposed to be last night, but we decided to stay in. Oh, yeah, we’re going out tonight. Like 4:30 maybe, so we’ll miss any craziness that might happen out there. Maybe we’ll do the spare ribs tomorrow.
Is my mind going? Going south.

I’m remembering now, a little bit. JML. Yes.

Gotta go to the pharmacy to pick up drugs for my wife since they are closed after 12 p.m. today and do not open up again until Tuesday.
I am going to miss the good conversation here :-(
Happy New Year everyone!!!

I’m looking forward to the end of 2012 when the doom criers will once again crawl back into their collective woodworks. The Mesoamerican (current) long count period ends in 2012 and this has got the idiots once again stockpiling food and ammunition, (like that would help during the end of the world), and “warning” us that the end is near. Please allow me a moment to debunk that.

1) The end of one long count only means the beginning of a new one according to the Mayans.
2) They also believed that the creation date was on August 11, 3114 BCE on the Gregorian calender and that’s just as ridiculous as any other young Earth creationist myths and for roughly the same reasons.
3) If the Maya were truly foretelling the end of (their) civilization, they would have been more likely to have ended the long count at 1511, the first year the Spanish arrived.

We have enough problems going forward without superstitious people making shit up.

If your husband is willing, why don’t you try the spareribs and sauerkraut dish over mashed potatoes? Supposed to bring good luck. You can pop open a bottle of champagne to go with it. (Ummm…yuck, that doesn’t sound like a good combination.)

Have a great one, AppleCanyon. We’ll see you in the new year.

Agreed, msmolly, I am only tossing out tidbits. The overall picture I expected back in 1999 when I realized how simple and direct the numbers were to become, I looked for feedback from events to either falsify or support what I might expect. So far, it hasn’t been falsified.

But that’s another story! The Karl Popper folks among us will fave a field day with what I just said!

So far as Occupy, well, we just have to wait and see. Many ways to accomplish that.

Most bosses today are only interested in how much they can exploit their employees JMHO.

Truly and I’m hep how rare that is, especially these days. I got lucky finding this gig it’s just too mad my predecessor had to have a stroke for me to get it.

Good for you, and see you tomorrow, likely.

Why don’t you do a diary explaining the basics in simple terms (if that is possible)? I’d bet there would be interested folks.

Happy New Year AppleCanyon2!

Correct.

“Count” me out. Numerology and Astrology may be fun to toy around with but then you invariably get the true believers who become increasingly rabid and vehement insisting that it’s all true and blah, blah, blah, ignoring the fact that in the thousands of years that those pseudosciences have been around, there hasn’t been one shred of empirical evidence to support them.

And eating fields peas is never going to make me prosperous, but I’ll do it anyway tomorrow. Agree, getting rabid about what you believe is all too big a danger in any system.

Big, big, big Bingo, Margaret.
*
You didn’t by any chance read yesterday’s Lakeside Diner did you?
Your name came up, so if you didn’t see it, I’ll go snag it for ya.

I agree. I’m not superstitious at all, and wouldn’t believe in either numerology or astrology (or in any religion, for that matter). Don’t mean to offend those who do, it’s just not how I roll. But I’m always interested in learning about something I don’t know much about.

We’re sitting here talking about your suggestion. I’ve never thought I enjoyed saurkraut, but I do like pickles and I do like coleslaw. Hmmm, do I feel daring? Do I feel lucky?

C’mon, give it a try. The meat cooked on top of the kraut mellows it a LOT so it isn’t the sharp vinegary taste you probably associate with it. And the mashed potatoes mellow it some more. I eat it on New Years because it was a family tradition, and there’s no reason on earth I couldn’t eat it all year around. I just don’t think of it.

Exactly how I feel, it’s always worth knowing what’s involved in something. I love to find new traditions, like the one about doing something on New Year’s meaning you’ll be doing it the rest of the year. Love to know how that one came about, and I am suspicious that it was some one who loves to party.

Good morning all. Way late to this shindig.

Funny, but I was out in the kitchen building a pot of coffee and thought the same thing.

The Mayan Long Count ( as well as their math in general)has much in common with Numerology. One has to see the forest for the trees, so to speak about both systems. It’s an interstitial forest, at that!

It might could happen. I’ve changed some stuff this year. Stopped going to church. Didn’t even go on Christmas Eve.
I could write a book and call it How I Gave Up On Organaized Religion and Found Saurkraut!

Not that you probably need it, but I can send you the recipe from my cookbook if you like. Or if you Google you might find one. It’s just useful for cooking time and temp and such.

Wiggling my fingers in your direction. Always good to see you, oldnslow. You light up my life.

ROTFLMAO!!!

Yep. I don’t wanna appear intolerant or anything but it’s true belief that gets me every time. Not just the people who believe or kinda sorta feel like there is something to it but the true believers who always end up accusing me of being mindless or prey to “group think” when I point out that they are wrong. Having fun with Astrology can liven up a quiet evening and counting days, weeks and years can hone otherwise dormant arithmetic skills but it’s when they insist that it’s all true and that I’m a fool for refusing to believe it that I have to draw a line. There are many examples of this sort of thing like birthers, Randians, 9/11 implosion advocates, Ron Paul fans, religious zealots, etc…. It’s all about degrees in my mind. There is a pretty broad line between personal belief and the compulsion to recruit others into that structure.

Yes, please. When you have a minute. I probably won’t do your recipe tomorrow, as the spare ribs I bought are already cooked. But, hell yes. I’ll try it. Sometimes I complain about me always making the same old same old. So…why not? I appreciate your efforts to widen my range of tolerable food.

I haven’t seen the Lakeside Diner all week now that you mention it. I’ll got look. Thanks.

That’s the ‘nslow’ part. Morning.

(standing on my chair waving. facing west of course)

…and it’s all possible at FDL!

Funny, funny title.

Good morning Ruth. What a lively spot you’ve got this morning.

Morning to you. Tell the lovely CBL hi!

Big Happy New Year hug to you!

It’s a very few minutes to the New Year celebration in Tokyo, on msnbc.

Oh gosh! I don’t know that’s a reputation I want but it’s probably the one I deserve. *sigh*

Thanks, glad you could make it. Party! for the day.

Happy 2012 Ruth and Firepups!

karen

I, iz just going to bitch about peas, all year long. :<)

Just looked us on on my rusty trusty wall map. West and a little bit north. Where I live is about parallel with Oklahoma City.

OK, I will email it later this morning. It wouldn’t work with already-cooked ribs at all, because you need the meat juices.

Right now, I gotta get out of here. Quick breakfast at a local eatery, drop the birthday gift jumper in the mail to my granddaughter before the PO closes, and a swing by the Farmer’s Market for eggs. I hope my “egg lady” is there this morning, cuz I’m completely OUT.

Sincerely wishing Happy New Year to all of my lake friends. I’ll probably see some of you around later today, but if not, have a good one and I’ll chat at ya in 2012!!

Oh, I’m quite sure it was meant as a compliment. And, then some folks said they were writing you in for president.
People here Love you, Peg.

I was all said with a great deal of respect and affection. Especially the part about writting you in as Pres next November. (I wasn’t the only one by the way)

on edit;
shit, what demi said

I do not recruit anyone to my observations. And that is what they are: observations, not predictions. Trends, perhaps, but no more than that.

I’ve studied the Mayan system as well as Numerology for a number of years, primarily because of it’s structure, which, if you look carefully, is a binary system of sorts. They avoided the use of fractions completely. Yet they calculated the earth’s year to a degree of preciseness that was only bettered in the late part of the 20th century. And while, as you stated earlier, it doesn’t mean in their terms, the end of the world, nonetheless, they made a huge mistake with Cortez, which allowed him to conquer that world far easier, because the believed him to be the Plumed Serpent which was to have returned exactly on the date Cortez landed, wearing bright feather in his helmet. He got a god’s welcome.

Talk about miscalculation (pun intended!).

Are you new to FDL? If so, welcome and Happy New Year. Hope you come back often.

That’s what I figured. And, again thanks for your efforts.
You have a busy day planned, so have at it. Enjoy your breakfast and kudos to you for being the Nice Gramma.
Until, later….(((Molly)).

Oh, I know the context. I guess I’ve sorta made myself into an empirical evidence wolverine around here tho. :)

Okay, as long as you eat the olives.

(private joke)

Sorry. I wasn’t suggesting that you do that. I tried to be clear but it’s early and Neko and I have been having adventures with a mousie. :)

Happy New Year Molly.

The kind of serpent that has a deadly bite, yes, Cortez was.

Yes, and thank you. Happy New Year to everyone here. Ruth made me get up early to stop by.

Just, Ha, darling.
empirical evidence wolverine
And, that could be the title of Your book. *g*

Happy New Year, msmolly.

And, I’m glad she did. You’re friends? Neighbors?

Yeah, smallpox, influenza, measles….. and we haven’t yet addressed the slaughter and exploitation!

The title of My book is “I’m From Earth”.

Friends indeed.

Yes. And encourage him to come by.

Yes, I knew you weren’t suggesting that, Margaret, and why I said what I did was to avert anyone from assuming that I am a “True Believer”.

Patterns are all around us an I am intrigued by the possibility of learning as much as I can about them. Spending time with the Mayan math and the way they set up their astrology if that is the right word, opened me up to a very different way about thinking. So that is what I offer to others.

If you recall, I am also an engineer, having spent a major part of that career with Tektronix.

Another lucky person.

Just the sort of thing the gods do, when we make them up and set them loose.

What kind of engineer?

President Peggy? Well I for one would actually listen to scientists and not just mouth those words to get votes. And, oh yeah, no more wars unless invaded, legal recreational drugs, no more policy decisions made in Israel, and a keynesian economic policy.

Yes, but so were the Morlocks.
(I know that’s a weird reply, but you knew that already.)

Electronics. I left that to start a photography business, only to be hauled back some 20 years later to do some contract work, which I do as of yet, mostly now at Intel.

We will write you in.

Ya know, the empirical evidence also tells us unequivocally that things aren’t always what they appear and that we can’t explain or even perceive all phenomena. So I’m a huge believer in keeping an open mind but I hafta draw the line when people assert and aver that something is true beyond all doubt and debate when clearly it is not. (again, not suggesting that you are doing so here)

And there you have the reasons for our support. Actual firm handed, no nonsense, no-you-can’t-bullshit-me leadership. What a concept.

This chair is getting hard. Must move my butt.
I’m going to do a demi reclaimation project on myself today. Want to look all glam for later. It’s a date!
I hope everyone has a great day and a safe celebration tonight.
Ta!

I’m gonna motivate my hiney. Happy New Year and love to all. And for all of those who plan to write me in: Thanks. I’m sure I’d never actually get elected but it’s a wonderful thought to have a leader who isn’t part of the ruling caste. Not only would a President Peggy listen to scientists, she would act on their information in a way that actually addresses what they are telling her that is beneficial and sustainable. It’s not really rocket science. The equation comes down to money versus doing the right thing and I’ve always viewed money as a necessary evil, not to be cherished and hoarded.

I’ve been to the Tektronix websight. It was impossible to tell what type of engineering you might do. I have been in manufacturing for 33 years and spent 5 glorious years of that as a manufacturing engineer. We supplied multi-system multi-function electro-mechanical assemblies to Applied Materials. Fascinating stuff.

Happy New Year, Margaret and demi.

Have a great time, we know you’ll look fabulous.

Didn’t work out so well for the Mayans.

You had us at “I’m gonna motivate my hiney”.

Maybe but since I was born 800,741 years earlier, I have seniority. ;)

I was back at the time of transition from vacuum tubes to solid state. I graduated knowing a helluva lot about an already obsolete system!

Unbelievably bad!

Thanks for the good start to a beautiful day, Ruth.
Nice job from everyone else too.

;) indeed.

We can put them in with the buggy whips and confederate money.

I know the feeling. Was brought up as a machinist in the old school. Before wide spread use of CNCs. When I pull off some what was once routine thing on a manual machine now my coworkers freak out.

Thank you for playing. Everyone.

Actually, vacuum tubes have not completely gone away. There are some uses for which there is no substitute as of yet. I recently saw a job posting that required that kind of knowledge. I sent off my resume but it was woefully inadequate for really explaining my background, which, for other positions, I wished to minimize!

Catch-22 all over again!

Thank you for hosting. Happy New Year Ruth.

The last big project for Tektronix involved an electron microscope in which I saw the introduction of chemical milling, probably also moot these days.

Still really cool stuff for nerdy types like us though.

**Mwah**

Happy New Year all. Off to start my day.

As well as I.

Ruth, you are a dear person for having hosting all these sessions. I wish you and everyone here as well, the best for 2012.

It’s all good, we have a crew here worth getting something together for, and a Happy New Year to all.

Happy New Year Ruth. I can’t be there, but here’s a big {{{HUG}}}.
Thanks for the invite.

Big (((hug))) back atcha, glad you stopped in.

Sorry I missed your PUAC have had some things to do today. Happy New year to all. Stay safe and see everyone in the New Year. *g*

It seems that almost every time I get to a thread, I’m in EPU land. Anyway, Happy New Year to all.

Happy New Year everybody!

Happy New Year. Thanks for coming by.