Have a good one Rich...I'm heading that way too....!
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Old Pharts Club
- Thread starter The Cromwell
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GM Parable
A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (General Motors) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race.
On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile .
The Americans, very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action.
Their conclusion was that the Japanese had 8 people paddling and 1 person steering, while the American team had 7 people steering and 2 people paddling.
Feeling a deeper study was in order, American management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion.
They advised, of course, that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were paddling.
Not sure of how to utilize that information, but wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese, the paddling team's management structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 2 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 2 people paddling the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the "Rowing Team Quality First Program," with many meetings, dinners, and free pens for the paddlers. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices, and bonuses. The pension program was trimmed to 'equal the competition' and some of the resultant savings were channeled into morale boosting programs and teamwork posters.
The next year the Japanese won by two miles.
Humiliated, the American management laid off one paddler, halted development of a new canoe , sold all the paddles, and cancelled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses.
The next year, try as he might, the lone designated paddler was unable to even finish the race (having no paddles), so he was laid off for unacceptable performance, all canoe equipment was sold and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to India.
Sadly, the End.
Here's some reality to think about:
GM has spent the last thirty years moving all its factories out of the US, claiming they can't make money paying American wages.
TOYOTA has spent the last thirty years building more than a dozen new manufacturing plants inside the US.
The last quarter's results:
TOYOTA made 4 billion in profits while GM racked up 9 billion in losses.
GM management are still scratching their heads, and collecting bonuses... IF THIS WEREN'T SO TRUE IT MIGHT BE FUNNY.
OK, so two days in a row that no one is posting on this thread. Does that mean it is officially dead now?
AHA! So there is at least one more Old Phart still alive and kicking.
Well, same crap as usual here in the white mud (er... snow). Was a whole 8 degrees this morning and the high got all the way up to 20, but with a wind averaging about 20 mph, that made the chill factor -12 to +4F. Not a fun day to be doing those livestock chores...
Glad to see ya, Jimi. Now we know three of us still exist.
JuicyLucy
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Glad to see ya, Jimi. Now we know three of us still exist.
Guess that is enough for a quorum?
Hi rich, it's cold here tonight but not as cold as you are having. We had a power out last night like ta frozeGlad to see ya, Jimi. Now we know three of us still exist.
I use to like winter the most when I was more able body,
JuicyLucy
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I hear that
It sucks getting old
JuicyLucy
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I agree - I'm glad I did pay some attention to what my grandmother said about aging - it has helped me deal with it some
When I was a teenager, I remember her telling me that in her mind, she was as young as me, but her body wasn't
I think we were colder than Alaska last year too. I'm too old for this shit.
Dildo. Er, I mean, ditto.
That's thr perfect outlook on getting older my friend
Yesterday was Lannie's 29th birthday. If I tell you the age of her body, she's likely to whack me upside the head, so she's just gonna be 29 forever.
Wise decision RichYesterday was Lannie's 29th birthday. If I tell you the age of her body, she's likely to whack me upside the head, so she's just gonna be 29 forever.
JuicyLucy
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Have a good soak!
G'nite Jimi. I think I better turn in too. Catch y'all on the flip flop.
I saw this picture on a T-shirt and thought it was ever so cute...
Then reality crept in. Take that word and insert a space after the first three letters and "therapist" becomes "the rapist."
So now we know why so many people who visit therapists on a regular basis are fucked in the head.
Then reality crept in. Take that word and insert a space after the first three letters and "therapist" becomes "the rapist."
So now we know why so many people who visit therapists on a regular basis are fucked in the head.
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Same old same old and still cold.
Obviously, however, you can see that now it is late in the day, I must be bored because I am finding more stupid words, like "manslaughter" that could be "mans laughter," or "together" that could be "to get her." While I have been into linguistics for ages, I only now am seeing words in this light and wondering just how many of them could be totally misconstrued by someone on a smart phone putting a space in the wrong place, or failing to put in the space where there should be one, like "students exchange" becoming "studentsexchange" (which can be seen as "student sex change"). Then, of course, one can also come up with words like "atone" that actually was derived from "at one." Oh well...
So what's going on in your end of the world?
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Same old same old and still cold.
Obviously, however, you can see that now it is late in the day, I must be bored because I am finding more stupid words, like "manslaughter" that could be "mans laughter," or "together" that could be "to get her." While I have been into linguistics for ages, I only now am seeing words in this light and wondering just how many of them could be totally misconstrued by someone on a smart phone putting a space in the wrong place, or failing to put in the space where there should be one, like "students exchange" becoming "studentsexchange" (which can be seen as "student sex change"). Then, of course, one can also come up with words like "atone" that actually was derived from "at one." Oh well...
So what's going on in your end of the world?
Avalanche closed the highway all day - but I'm home and didn't need to go anywheres anyways
Mud and rocks or just a lot of snow?
JuicyLucy
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Combo - we are still enjoying a mild fall in my area, but snowing like a bitch kitty about 8 miles up the road from me
I can do without more snow (only because I am becoming a really cranky old phart) -- there's still about 4" on the ground, but the next couple days are supposed to have highs just above freezing, so maybe some of it will go away. Right at the moment, the sky is so clear and the stars so bright, you can face south and look right into the center of our galaxy.
Extremely busy and tired. She's trying very hard to do her chores and some of the ones I used to do (me: broke back and both rotator cuffs and right ulnar nerve are screaming), plus we're trying to medicate a few of the 20 feral cats in our garage and feed a couple starving babies.... and .... and ....
Plus, you have to admit that this thread has been really slow lately (except for me and Dale arguing about the viability of the internet as a useful tool), so she probably hasn't seen any reason to get on here and comment. But maybe this post will trigger her to say something...
JuicyLucy
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Extremely busy and tired. She's trying very hard to do her chores and some of the ones I used to do (me: broke back and both rotator cuffs and right ulnar nerve are screaming), plus we're trying to medicate a few of the 20 feral cats in our garage and feed a couple starving babies.... and .... and ....
Plus, you have to admit that this thread has been really slow lately (except for me and Dale arguing about the viability of the internet as a useful tool), so she probably hasn't seen any reason to get on here and comment. But maybe this post will trigger her to say something...
I like waking up and seeing her side of what you said the night before
But I understand her position completely
Of course. Men and women can stand side by side and still see the world completely differently. One will take any given situation extremely seriously while the other says, "Shit happens. Let's get on with it."
Well, Juicy, I'm going to put my tired achy old ass to bed now. Take care and we'll BS more later.
"Something."
I try to get on here and skim through posts every morning, but I usually have very little time, and only one period of RELATIVE quiet every day (early morning) when I can even come down here and turn my computer on. It's especially bad in the winter because it's cold, and sitting in the basement when it's cold is unpleasant. I prefer to sit upstairs where there's (maybe) some sunshine coming in the window, and it's a little warmer. When I get a break, that is. Jeezly-crow (don't you love that word?), I have trouble sitting down for 5 minutes anymore. I usually don't get even that. I remember back in the day when I "worked" for a living, and felt cheated if I didn't get a 15 minute break every two hours. HA! Those were the good ol' days, for sure.
This morning I spent 20 minutes looking for my pen, which I still have not found. Our little Kommando Kitty, Peanut (AKA Shiva, Destroyer of Worlds) will steal whatever she can pick up, and I'm constantly running after her to retrieve something she's stolen. Her latest favorite toy is the plug thingie from my bathroom sink. I had to hide it in an upper cupboard, so now there's a black hole in the bottom of my sink. Anyway, my pen is missing, so I need to find a new one, and figure out someplace to hide it where she won't find it. I normally keep it on the kitchen table and I use it to write in my weather/egg records, and the cow books (I make an entry every day on them), and of course, the shopping list or anything else I need to make a note of. She's an adorable kitten (when she's SLEEPING!), but honestly, I can't wait for her to grow up!
I try to get on here and skim through posts every morning, but I usually have very little time, and only one period of RELATIVE quiet every day (early morning) when I can even come down here and turn my computer on. It's especially bad in the winter because it's cold, and sitting in the basement when it's cold is unpleasant. I prefer to sit upstairs where there's (maybe) some sunshine coming in the window, and it's a little warmer. When I get a break, that is. Jeezly-crow (don't you love that word?), I have trouble sitting down for 5 minutes anymore. I usually don't get even that. I remember back in the day when I "worked" for a living, and felt cheated if I didn't get a 15 minute break every two hours. HA! Those were the good ol' days, for sure.
This morning I spent 20 minutes looking for my pen, which I still have not found. Our little Kommando Kitty, Peanut (AKA Shiva, Destroyer of Worlds) will steal whatever she can pick up, and I'm constantly running after her to retrieve something she's stolen. Her latest favorite toy is the plug thingie from my bathroom sink. I had to hide it in an upper cupboard, so now there's a black hole in the bottom of my sink. Anyway, my pen is missing, so I need to find a new one, and figure out someplace to hide it where she won't find it. I normally keep it on the kitchen table and I use it to write in my weather/egg records, and the cow books (I make an entry every day on them), and of course, the shopping list or anything else I need to make a note of. She's an adorable kitten (when she's SLEEPING!), but honestly, I can't wait for her to grow up!
Well @JuicyLucy she did as predicted and said "something" today.
BTW, that kitten is having a ball down here in my den (computer/artsy-craftsy room) with stealing pens, pencils, felt tips and carrying them to the next room before she drops them in favor of something she found slightly more interesting. I think one could make a full time job just following Peanut around the house picking up her stolen treasures. Good thing I am a dyed-in-the-wool cataholic.
BTW, that kitten is having a ball down here in my den (computer/artsy-craftsy room) with stealing pens, pencils, felt tips and carrying them to the next room before she drops them in favor of something she found slightly more interesting. I think one could make a full time job just following Peanut around the house picking up her stolen treasures. Good thing I am a dyed-in-the-wool cataholic.
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Well @JuicyLucy she did as predicted and said "something" today.
BTW, that kitten is having a ball down here in my den (computer/artsy-craftsy room) with stealing pens, pencils, felt tips and carrying them to the next room before she drops them in favor of something she found slightly more interesting. I think one could make a full time job just following Peanut around the house picking up her stolen treasures. Good thing I am a dyed-in-the-wool cataholic.
Yeah, my favorite kitty likes to carry shit around in her mouth, lol. She is especially fond of hair bands and when she can get them, Qtips
She has a favorite box full of "stuff" we call her nest - asides from hair bands and qtips, it also has a few twisty things from bread, a plastic thingie from the neck of a jar and, most odd, an empty paper towel roll
Should have seen my face the day Peanut came out of the bedroom (bathroom being on the other side of that) into the living room and kitchen with something large in her mouth, about 6 inches long by 1 inch wide and when I snatched it away from her, it turned out to be the sink stopper from the bathroom. How'd she do that?
I have also discovered that if you throw a pile of trinkets on the bed, including at least one rubber band, all the cats in this house will pick the rubber band first, grab it and try to run away with it. And a rubber band is about the last thing they should be allowed to have in their mouths because if they swallow it, the surgery to unclog their intestine is about $1500... assuming it didn't kill them before you realize what happened and get them to the vet.
That's cute. I have not found any specific nests, so perhaps our cats consider the entire house to be their nest. They just pick up stuff and drop it wherever and go pick up something else to play with. Lannie and I are constantly picking up something and putting it back where "we" think it belongs (which is obviously NOT where the cats think it should be). Oh well...
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I've kept cats my whole life and that is what they always do - never had one that made a nest with a stash of stuff, even mama kitties
So did SHE make the box full of stuff, or did you and Hubby just put her favorite toys in a box for her convenience?
JuicyLucy
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We don't spoil ` that bad, lol
Yeah..... right....
Several months ago, there were five cats in this house. One, Tigger, got killed by a car on the highway (first vehicular fatality since we moved here 14.5 years ago) and we adopted one of the garage kittens who looked exactly like that one and acted exactly like that one (born a week after Tigger's demise - a reincarnation because he wasn't done yet???), then another one sneaked in (Tigger2's sister, a tiny sick baby, Peanut, the Terrorist written about above), then another kitten whose luck wasn't all that great (One-Eyed Willy, whose eye finally came unstuck, so he's just Willy now). That brought us up to 7 in the house, 21 in the garage. A tiny sickly gray kitten in the garage began following me everywhere, both eyes glued shut, could hardly breathe, but apparently she followed me by sound. I brought her in and nursed her, but she just wouldn't get well. Pyxie died on my lap a couple weeks later (3 of her siblings had already passed in the garage) and now, her two remaining sisters are begging to move in here (Ewok and IttyBitty). The count is currently seven in the house, 20 in the garage. Can we handle having nine in the house? How far will the "spoiling" go? That would be 9... The Fellowship of the Cats? Will I survive my own cataholic problem? Or should "Crazy Cat Guy" just go live in the garage?
JuicyLucy
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Yeah..... right....
Several months ago, there were five cats in this house. One, Tigger, got killed by a car on the highway (first vehicular fatality since we moved here 14.5 years ago) and we adopted one of the garage kittens who looked exactly like that one and acted exactly like that one (born a week after Tigger's demise - a reincarnation because he wasn't done yet???), then another one sneaked in (Tigger2's sister, a tiny sick baby, Peanut, the Terrorist written about above), then another kitten whose luck wasn't all that great (One-Eyed Willy, whose eye finally came unstuck, so he's just Willy now). That brought us up to 7 in the house, 21 in the garage. A tiny sickly gray kitten in the garage began following me everywhere, both eyes glued shut, could hardly breathe, but apparently she followed me by sound. I brought her in and nursed her, but she just wouldn't get well. Pyxie died on my lap a couple weeks later (3 of her siblings had already passed in the garage) and now, her two remaining sisters are begging to move in here (Ewok and IttyBitty). The count is currently seven in the house, 20 in the garage. Can we handle having nine in the house? How far will the "spoiling" go? That would be 9... The Fellowship of the Cats? Will I survive my own cataholic problem? Or should "Crazy Cat Guy" just go live in the garage?
I think there is something to the theory that cats domesticated themselves
Which is the superior species? They certainly have me trained......
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HiYa Lucy
You healing up any?
Hi Jimi. Hang in there on that eye --- it WILL get better over time.