Coffee Pot #3 March 2012 5+ years and going strong and its for all to chat. Plenty of coffee and sweet ice tea for all. Come and join us and chat. GRITS for the Yankees.

[Banks]

Hello All

Balmy 50 on the way to w**k this AM. Rain in route for the return trip. Figures cause I got a ton of coal to shovel in the basement tonight.

Unless I remember wrong today is the anniversary of Navyjack's passing  May he RIP

SS fund is calling

 

Prayers for those in need

[Buckeye Riveter]

[quote user="ChiefEagles"]

J  He is moving to Roseyville to live with her.  Smart guy moving to Roseyville.  Already getting him set up to do shooting and fishing.

[/quote

Obviously this guy has never been to Roseyville. I wonder if he knows he is going to get shot at for being a Yankee.

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill RR....

It is a cloudy 60 degrees. Going up to 66 today with some rain.

Today is a busy day. I have to run a few errands. Then, the usual chores around the house. I'll be busy most of the morning. Hope to get a nap this afternoon.

Dining car is here with Cheerios for breakfast.

Y'all have a great Thursday.

Chuck

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Dull wet and windy today going from a high of 56F this morning to the mighty 34F this afternoon to 20F tonight....then about 3" of the white stuff...for another winter day...of 29F...tomorrow...oh well...by Sunday we will be up to 60F again....

Yesterday I did manage to get some yard work done..ie: we cut up what remained of neighbours large Maple tree that fell after the last windstorm we had...now we have some more hardwood to play with....

Someone( I forget who) asked whether it is always this windy up this way..weeelllll...it sure do feel like it sometimes..we had a rather windy fall/winter here this year...as well..being in the upper part of a valley the winds do come off the lakes a lot more here than in the valley bottom...

Laz:  I'm thinking that had to have been a 4X4 with that height...neat truck that...

Fife:  500% !?!?!  That is insane!!....as well as another 15% surtax on the gas...oy 

Anyhoooo...you all have a good'un....

[Demay]

Konbanwa,

It’s been a few days since my last post.  I’ve been pretty busy with work and school and have not visited the forum as much as usual.  I was in the process of posting a few days but hit the wrong button and lost it.  I was too tired to retype.  I will keep this part of the post short and get right to the photos of Tokyo Tower. 

We visited Tokyo Tower http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/english/ last week while spending some time in Tokyo.  The day we went to the tower was the day Tokyo received over five inches of snow.  It was a great day to be outside for snow lovers like us.  The tower’s elevator was being renovated so we could only go up to the main observatory which is 150 meters high.  This is the second time we have visited a tower and not been able to go to the top due to renovations: the first time was in 2003 at the Eiffel Tower.  Anyway the main observatory has two floors and offers great views of Tokyo and even more distant areas; however, the snow storm limited our view on this day.  One of the cool parts about this main observatory floor is the windows built into the floor which you can walk on.  The photos I posted are not the best but you can see how high we were and notice some of the temples around the tower.  Also, in one of the photos you can see the track for a carnival ride which is open in the summer months.

Sayonara,

Joe

[anjdevil2]

Mornin'.......

Up early, couldn't sleep.....abandoned house fire early this morning, got home about 5 had to shower.  The eau de burnt building is not that appealing.  I was assigned with a boot (read "new guy") for interior work.  The bulk of the building was boarded up, all 3 floors and we had floor 1.  The inital attack team got the front door and we were right behind.  I (and I do mean I) opened 2 walls (plaster and lathe) and 7 windows with glass and screens plus plywood.  Pass the advil please......it appears to be set, allegedly by the local illegals.  It's been a long morning.

Fife - the area is rife with horse farms, so I can pick and choose......one has a past Derby winner in residence

Joe - nice pics....what is that white stuff???

Cloudy up to 70 today.  I have work at 1 and have to run the Princess to school by 1030.

Have a good one .....

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 72° and mostly cloudy with a 15 mph south wind with gusts of 25 - 30 mph. The high should be 80° and mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of rain this morning and 30% this afternoon and things will as they say go downhill from there.

Nothing special going on today. Just more cleanup on the layout. I had several interruptions yesterday. Certain people seem to think that because I'm home all the time I should have plenty of time to look up things for them on the web. They seem surprised when I tell them I have a life too and have things I have to do. Oh well, such is life.

[sir james I]

Joe awesome pictures, I got a nose bleed just looking down from there.

55 with some rain overnight. The air smells fresh and clean. Temps going down through the day . Granny's up and in the kitchen, I smell bacon...S.J.

[RockIsland52]

Good Mornin' Y'all From Partly Sunny Taxachusetts,

Laz-like weather here with 52 now and 64 later, the wind is off the ocean holding the temps down a few, but near-record temps for a March 8 nonetheless.  Rain on the way to enhance the already soggy back yard where Maximus' racing around has begun to "muddy" the playing field.  May have to take him into the shower with me daily if this keeps up.

A major, potentially life-altering decision looms in my near future.  A mistake here could have economic and quality of life issues for both the short and the long term for my wife and me.  I know what my options are, but I need some advice from those of you less emotionally involved.  

You see, my faithful seven year old cell phone needs replacing because the cost of replacing the battery on a device reaching the end of its useful and dependable life is not cost effective.  I basically don't want or need my cell phone to be anything more than a cellular phone.  Shocking, isn’t it?   

Our communications devices have become an addictive curse.  For some, they have become a lethal distraction.  For others, these devices have cut into their quality of life rather than enhance it.  These devices keep people literally and figuratively chained to them, forcing too many to check and respond twice hourly to an veritable barrage of "incoming.”   

I can attempt to reach my daughter, SIL, or son by text, cell phone, email, and their home phones and can be relatively assured I won’t get a human voice or an immediate response.  It seems everyone has to know everything about everyone down too the most insignificant stuff; but they miss the 5% of the truly important things.......like my call.    

So this communication-enhancing device has become the direct opposite.  No, this post is not the story of a person afraid of, or unwilling to, keep up with the times.  It is one of a person who wants more simplicity, specific functionality, less stress, and better communication at a reasonable cost.  Is that asking for too much?  When the combined monthly cost of our TV, internet, and phone service (land line and cellular) approaches mortgage payment levels, something is seriously wrong.  

Verizon (my carrier) has only 3 cell phones out of a zillion product offerings that do not require the bare bones minimum data plan @ an additional $360++ per year.  Bottom line, I already am paying close to $1,000 per year for cellular service on two phones (and numbers).  With all of the current “free minutes” (nights, weekends, Verizon to Verizon), my wife and I have gone over our monthly 500 minute allotment a grand total of once in 7 years, about 1%.  No, we don’t pay any mind to how much we use the phones, not in the slightest.  We call each other, don't text.  We always reach each other in short order and don't go over the allotment.  So you can understand why the notion of $120 per month for cellular angers me.

Now what?  With all of the platforms, 3G vs. 4G, and the amount of consternation expressed by the Pot members about their own cellular device problems, I am left at a crossroads in the selection of my next phone and may have little choice in the matter.  Reading product and user reviews with my wife last night on Verizon’s current lineup of these devices left us laughing.   Few consumers seem neutral.  Folks seem to either love their device/platform or they hate it.  So no help there.

I need the Cliffs notes version of how you have proceeded in the selection of your phone, the technology, and level of service. 

Jack

[Stourbridge Lion]

Good Morning CTTfans!

Big Glass of Ed's OJ Please!!!

Well, it's 23F and Sunny and the snow storms that they said was coming blew south and missed us completely.  You can truly see and feel Spring coming by just watching the wildlife starting to get in the mood

[fifedog]

blownout - This person has his eyes set on a Pennsylvania Ave address come 2016.  He certainly will have the "new American" vote...

RockIsland - I first ask for one with a rotary (just to break the ice), then get the bare-bones/no frills tricorder.  When I cross over the Potomac for the last time, I will toss it in the drink and go CB.

[cnw1995]

Aloha!. The sun is out, the winds have died down but it is back to around 35. Joe, where is Godzilla?

Jack, I am probably considered more of a high-end user of the smart-phone side of things. But there are several non-contract providers out there for nice basic phones - Boost Mobile, Cricket, to name a few, to explore.  Best Buy is a nice place to browse options. All the biggies also sell non-contract 'minute and text' phones that you use by the month.  In addition, Walmart has a great deal on these basic phones.  I could walk you though some options for your area off-line if you wish.

[jonadel]

Jack --

We waited and waited for Verizon to offer iPhones and that happened one year ago this month for us, we bought two and have really enjoyed them.  They are amazing phones and will do nearly anything we want when we want, I've truly had a blast using mine and my wife is in love with hers.  Having said that, next year when our contracts run out I will downgrade to a simple bare bones phone, we don't need two smart phones, one will be perfect as Sharyl will be retired and with me most of the time, I want her to continue to have hers.

I just hate paying the monthly fee associated with having two smart phones and that's with a 20% discount because of job association.  We also have a land line, that's going out the door next month!!!  I have my iPad (first generation) and when I'm on the road I can always find a wifi spot to use it, and by that time I'll probably have a new iPad that will do even more.

It's just crazy what we pay for cell phone service, internet, and Direct TV.  That money could be used in better ways, re: TOY TRAINS or a pretty nice vacation.  My parents and grand parents seemed to do  fine without these "necessities", I'm just ready to use that money more wisely.

Just my .02.

[dougdagrump]

Mornin' Y'all.

A bit of frost on da pumpkin this morning. Brrrr, but it is supposed to warmup nicely. Did get a little yard work done yesterday, emphasis on little, before the energy supply wained.

My ancient cell phone is only a paperweight now, Sprint dis-continued the plan the first of the year. We had that plan for years, now I don't want one nor need one. If anybody needs too call I am either here at the house or at the museum.

Rich, Great news on the employment front.

Fife, re the boat fees, how about doing what Mr Kerry from Ma did, register it in a neighboring state with lower fees.

Jon, Thanks for the Eagle link, I had forgotten about it. Forwarded it to my daughter to see if they can use it in any of their classrooms at school.

Not sure how many runners will be at the museum tomorrow morning so I have quite a bit of stuff packed up just in case I need to cover multiple mains. Five engines a passenger, a military and a freight consist.

Sure wish MTH would put out some powered B units in the Railking line for the E & F series engines. It seems like with my Rock Island passenger service that one powered unit hauling a dummy A&B plus seven 60' streamliners and an express box is an awful lot of weight. Just seems like the only alternative now is to buy another E6 AA, swap shells with my dummy unit and run them as a lash-up. Down side is the extra cost and the pain of doing a lash-up when you want to run.

Tony the Tiger dropped off breakfast, time to find the morning pills and try to warm up my hands(they're most always like ice).

Later !

[Stourbridge Lion]

V8Vega

As time goes on and people replace their Bible with a device it dosen't seem right to me not to carry a Bible to church.

Not long after that folks will attend church only through their devices not just take them to church.  Hear folks way to often taking even business calls while sitting on the "pot" with all that "background" noise going on.  You mean the customer / boss can't even wait a few minutes until you are not in there!  Oh well, we will soon become to BORG with all this stuff attached to us...

[ChiefEagles]

jonadel

Jack --

We waited and waited for Verizon to offer iPhones and that happened one year ago this month for us, we bought two and have really enjoyed them.  They are amazing phones and will do nearly anything we want when we want, I've truly had a blast using mine and my wife is in love with hers.  Having said that, next year when our contracts run out I will downgrade to a simple bare bones phone, we don't need two smart phones, one will be perfect as Sharyl will be retired and with me most of the time, I want her to continue to have hers.

Because I do not have the intelligence of my REB buddy, the Chief, to use it.

I just hate paying the monthly fee associated with having two smart phones and that's with a 20% discount because of job association.  We also have a land line, that's going out the door next month!!!  I have my iPad (first generation) and when I'm on the road I can always find a wifi spot to use it, and by that time I'll probably have a new iPad that will do even more.

It's just crazy what we pay for cell phone service, internet, and Direct TV.  That money could be used in better ways, re: TOY TRAINS or a pretty nice vacation.  My parents and grand parents seemed to do  fine without these "necessities", I'm just ready to use that money more wisely.

Just my .02.

Could not resist.

Sunny and extra warm here.  Might go fishing in the pond.  Later

[Hudson#685]

Lunch time,

It is in the 70's and beautiful  in Central Jersey. All is quiet and good at work.

Brutus, get well soon. I am glad that Char is doing better.

Toughts about NavyJack, I miss our phone calls. He was a great guy with many life experiences.

Thoughts and prayers for all in need.

John

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Lunchtime! General Sherman's Breakfast (similar to mulligan stew) and cornbread! Great stuff.

[RockIsland52]

Hudson#685

Thoughts about NavyJack, I miss our phone calls. He was a great guy with many life experiences.

John

John..........doesn't seem like he's been gone a year.  You are dead on, he was a great guy.

Jack

[KRM]

ChiefEagles

 Sunny and extra warm here.  Might go fishing in the pond. 

Chief. I hear tell Buckeye had the Jones boys stock the pond with Aisin carp.

Before you had them arrested.

 

 .

[dbaker48]

Hey guys!

That is some big fish!

This retirement stuff is tough, there should be a training class before you start!  I don't have any time anymore, just too much going on.

To that end, must share with you all what I did yesterday!  Procceded with the next step in getting a position driving the trains at Knotts.

This is one of the two engines will be driving;

And the Goose;

Had an interview with the Chief Engineer, (2nd), interview lasted 2 1/2 hrs.  And was conducted in the car below.  (Former Presidential car from the Denver & Rio Grande).  Interview went EXTREMELY WELL, and he IS the hiring authority.  So looking good!

Initially would start training in the Goose, then Fireman, and finally Engineer.  (Certification required).

Finally the Depot;

More later, today is Kay's B-Day need to get busy.

[SPMan]

Good late morning all,

Got up late so it's almost noon now.  Been trying to catch up on the forum.  We are a wordy bunch,l aren't we.

Glad to hear that Brutus and Char are better

Jack, I am amazed at all the modern gadgets for communicating.  I feel like a dinasour with only a land line and one early model cell phone that is only used for emergencies and is on a pay for minutes plan.  I pay something like $25 every three months and almost always roll over those minutes when I renew them.  If you don;t renew on time you lose all those accumulated minutes.  I have done that a couple of times but I never use the thing anyway.  I'm either at home or the super market most of the time.  I go to two train meets per month and that's about it so what do I need a smart phone for?  My son just got one but he is out in the world all the time.

Re Navy Jack, he was a good guy and he is missed here.  R.I.P.

Joe, fantastic pics of Tokyo.  I'm surprised at all the high rise buildings with their history of earthquakes.  I suppose they build them to withstand it.  A friend of mine visited there once with a jazz band he plays with.  He rode the high speed trains and was impressed with that.  Over here, it is going to take three more years just to get a street car line from near the Santa Anita Racetrack to near where I live (about 11 miles) which will travel at an average speed of probably 35 MPH.  Wow!

Chief, congratulations on your new 40 millimeter gun for your arsenal.  Oh, excuse me, I guess that was 40 caliber.  40 millimeter is for shooting down aircraft or used to be.  Might come in handy though for those pesky yankees flying over Roseyville on spy missions.

Our little train group is planning on a get together tomorrow afternoon at my layout.  My friend in recovery from heart surgery is going to come.  Just hope it is not too hot in the garage.  Suppose to be near 80 tomorrow.  Does anyone know if MTH sells extra sets of trucks with tinplate wheels for the woodsided passenger cars like the empire express set and others?  My friend needs some.

V8 Dennis, wouldn't surprise me to see people reading electronic devices with the Bible on it.  They have everything else.  Just doesn't seem reverant somehow though.  Our local padre even frowns on people hanging around in the church itself after mass for the purpose of talking.  It does make sense to me to take it outside and not spoil the dignity of the church. We have a hall where people can go after church to talk and hang out with coffee etc.  They always request at the beginning of services that everyone turn off their cell phones or devices that might might spoil the dignity of the mass.  There is always at least one though who doesn't get the message.  Billy Cystal told a funny story about the same thing happening during a quiet moment in a broadway play but they let it keep on ringing so they wouldn't blow their cover.  Finally, the actor said "someone answer the @#!$%^& phone.

D. Baker, Don, glad to hear that things are going well on your Knotts train adventure.  Word of advice though, don't tell an old head railroader that you are going to "drive" trains.  You drive a car but you "run  a train".  Don't know how that would apply to the Goose though.  If it was me and it was on rails I would say "run it".  Happy birthday to Kay

Have a good day all

Ray

 

 

[blownout cylinder]

V8:  Spoke too late..they already have it...http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/bible/id282935706?mt=8

[Stourbridge Lion]

dbaker48

And the Goose;

One of these days I hope to see and ride in that one!

If you would like to trade my work for your retirement let me know!!!

[sir james I]

Dbaker, bet the ice cream store has banilla.

We just use the cell phones for necessary calls. T Moble to go works for us. Pay some in advance more when needed. No monthly bill at all..S.J.

[blownout cylinder]

We use Rogers Wireless up here...when I signed up we got the unlimited data/talk scenario for a low sum. And what James said we do as well..in fact I am about 3 months ahead of them lol

[laz 57]

Hi GUYZ,

  All this talk about cell phones?  My next cell phone will be my first.  Don't need one, I aint that important.  Only make at the most two phone calls a week.  One to my MOM every Saturday morning and one for Pitza Sunday nites.

KEV, saw some videos on those ASIAN CARPS, look like they hurt when they hit you flying out of the water.  OUCH!!!

laz57

[jeffrey-wimberly]

laz 57

saw some videos on those ASIAN CARPS, look like they hurt when they hit you flying out of the water.  OUCH!!!

They do hurt! I have a cousin who lives in the Chicago area. She says one of those things jumping and hitting you feels like getting hit with a brick.

[MichRR714]

Chief, the pistol is the P94.  The PC4 is the matching carbine both in .40 caliber.

[cnw1995]

Laz, those carp are very nasty - and getting closer to Lake Michigan. Too bad they're not good eating.