Where is Lebowski?

[wayne sheldon]

So many observations I would consider commenting upon.

 

1 hour ago, KRK Sr. said:

Lebowski has been gone for 2 1/2 months before anybody missed him. My guess is everyone has their packages wrapped, and are waiting to see what Santa brings tomorrow. I guess no one has any car parts that need washed, sandblasted, or primed this afternoon. This thread has definitely given me some laughs. Thank you Lebowski! you will not be missed. Karl

 

KRK Sr, Peter G, and other moderators et al, Most of us, occasionally, pull away, or get dragged away from places such as this, whether we really want to or not. I know I have. And many of us, do notice others missing, think that hopefully they are okay, and just busy or something. Occasionally, someone does come back on their own, and greeted with "we missed you" by several others. Sometimes, something triggers a thought or recall of a missing friend and leads to a thread on "where are they?" and it could be the recent cold weather or holidays keeping some of us inside.

 

I won't say anything against our banned brother. I will say, I was never seriously offended by any of his posts that I read. However, I am sure he posted on many areas I do not frequent.

 

I do sometimes wonder why I have not been banned. I know I can drift a bit far into politics at times. And I do believe that the nations politics are seriously very important to the future well being of our hobby, and even future survival of our cars. However, I also understand that politics becomes too easily inflamed and out of hand. So, I do try to moderate myself somewhat.

 

 

This has become my happy place. This forum and a couple others I spend too much time on. These antique automobile forums should mostly be about sharing information about the cars and the related history so important to all of us. However, they are also about friendship. Many of us become real friends, in spite of the fact that we may not ever meet face to face. To that end, we drift on many threads, and discuss our families and surgeries on others, the snowfall and a hundred other things. Those things keep the forums lively, and healthy activity follows.

 

Many "Thank You"s  to all that make this forum work so very well!

 

And many "Merry Christmas"s, "Happy Holidays", "Happy Chanukah", or whatever flavor of your choice, to all the good people here.

[John348]

2 hours ago, JACK M said:

 

Thanks for this.

Not being all up on musicians I wonder who all these ones are (I am sure I would recognize at least some names).

My kind of listening. You can almost understand the words. LOL

 

Thank-you I am glad you enjoyed it. Off the top of my head on the stage for that number with "The Dude" Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Kean, Sheryl Crow, Jimmie Vaughn, Robert Randolph (not 100% sure but the black guy stage left looks just like him). Brittiney Howard (playing the turquoise Gibson SG) Good Stuff... 

I was fortunate living in the greater NYC area  to have seen a lot of great musicians and bands over the years....... 

 

I am with Wayne on this I never encountered anything Lebowski posted to be offensive, but I did not see everything he posted..... I always enjoyed the cars he came across.    

 

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by John348 (see edit history)

[Grimy]

39 minutes ago, wayne sheldon said:

This has become my happy place. This forum and a couple others I spend too much time on. These antique automobile forums should mostly be about sharing information about the cars and the related history so important to all of us. However, they are also about friendship. Many of us become real friends, in spite of the fact that we may not ever meet face to face. To that end, we drift on many threads, and discuss our families and surgeries on others, the snowfall and a hundred other things. Those things keep the forums lively, and healthy activity follows.

Everybody please read this again!

[wayne sheldon]

Ben P.

Wow, talk about thread drift! (Not you, ME!)

When I was growing up, we were sometimes the odd family in the suburban neighborhood. I grew up in the city, but with one foot in the country. My grandparents were farmers, my parents raised on peach orchards and a cattle ranch. So, naturally, we had chickens and ducks as pets. Well on and off we did. At one point, I got to witness what could have turned out to be an incredible and newsworthy event! Well, except for a neighbor's dog. We had five baby chicks. and raised them for almost a year. All five turned out to be hens. And they were the only hens for probably a mile around. A neighbor's cat (our cats got along well with the chickens) eventually got two of the hens. But about that time, some strange things started happening. One of the hens began to change. It started strutting around differently. It became more bold. And it began to crow. It had the most pathetic crow of any chicken/rooster I ever heard. It went sort of like a "URR ah cough UR hack", at which point, the thing having stretched its scrawny neck as far out as it could, would fall off its feet and land on its butt. At first, it did this only a few times. However after about a week, it began to do this all day long, still always landing on its butt.

And its comb began to grow larger. We began to wonder if it was going to transition into a rooster. However, almost immediately at that point, a neighbor's dog that was often allowed to roam far too much for a suburban neighborhood went into our yard and killed it. 

It was a bizarre experience. Whether it was in its feeble best only calling out for a mate? Or perhaps as some descendants of dinosaurs have been documented to do, transitioning into a mate for its sisters? I will likely never know for sure.

 

Our house was on the outer edge of the neighborhood. Our backyard ran against the lot with the remains of one of the few old farmhouses still standing in the area, and ironically against the vacant for several years chicken coop. So we weren't likely very offensive to our neighborhood. However, even then I wondered about the animals being offensive to neighbors, in spite of out efforts to keep them separated.

[wayne sheldon]

Thank you George.

[8E45E]

52 minutes ago, Ben P. said:

That became my go-to story every time a coworker complained about another coworker who annoyed them. I’d just tell that stupid little story about the little brain damaged rooster that so annoyed me but when he was suddenly gone I didn’t even noticed.

I've asked the same of people I know who live near airports.  They all say, "Live here long enough, you don't even notice them."

 

Craig

[John348]

Being we are going all over the place on this thread Lebowski's disappearance reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite movies, Goodfellas. By the way that diner used in the scene was still there a few years ago near the junkyards around Kennedy Airport

 

that thing  didn't work out and a........ Lebowski is not here anymore..... "and there is nothing you can do about it"

 

and that's that

 

warning the language is rough and there is blood, so if that stuff bothers you don't click.... Love that movie

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBzfY8ABR9E

Edited December 24, 2020 by John348 (see edit history)

[JamesR]

4 hours ago, KRK Sr. said:

Lebowski has been gone for 2 1/2 months before anybody missed him.... Thank you Lebowski! you will not be missed.

 

Not true. I was genuinely concerned for a while that he might be having some health issues. I think John started this thread because he had the same concerns. I'm glad that wasn't the case. I had good interactions with Leboski. Some people got along with him, and apparently some people didn't...why can't we leave it at that? I truly appreciate what moderators have to deal with to keep this a sane and polite place. Let's also not forget that nobody's defined entirely by their failings, because we've all been at  less than great places at different times.

[Xander Wildeisen]

1 hour ago, John348 said:

Being we are going all over the place on this thread Lebowski's disappearance reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite movies, Goodfellas. By the way that diner used in the scene was still there a few years ago near the junkyards around Kennedy Airport

 

that thing  didn't work out and a........ Lebowski is not here anymore..... "and there is nothing you can do about it"

 

and that's that

 

warning the language is rough and there is blood, so if that stuff bothers you don't click.... Love that movie

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBzfY8ABR9E

This guy almost gets wacked for not talking. https://youtu.be/VDimGOMMkLE

 

[Bhigdog]

And to think my post asking for guidance on hearing aids, something quite few here might be interested in or knowledgeable about, was summarily deleted for being "OT"......... Moderators heal thy self.......................Bob

Edited December 24, 2020 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

Cue the music-

"Drifting along, on 'loon'-like bay, I want to say----"

Sorry, my warped sense of humor again.

 

Ben P, I was always a voracious reader. School totally failed me, I read so much on so many subjects, I was always a couple grades ahead of my classes, and the schools had no resources or plans to accommodate me. I first read about this phenomenon when in middle school, in definitely suspicious (however claimed to be factual) reference materials.  Over the years, I have run into it again in more respectable sources. In recent years, there have been some interesting scientific studies surrounding genetics confirming the phenomenon in a few species of frogs, with indications that it may be an ancient insurance against extinction if all males were killed off in a localized species.

Reports of chickens spontaneously changing gender with no males nearby date back hundreds of years. All such reports carry considerable doubt. A few reports are considered maybe credible dating to the early 1800s. I have read of an unconfirmed report of such an occurrence dating from the 1940s, but do not remember where I read that.

I have always believed it more likely a lonely hen's pathetic call for a mate. Otherwise, one of nature's millions of mysteries to ponder.

 

Bhigdog, I saw your initial post on hearing aids. Was saddened when it disappeared. I don't like to complain about how the volunteers run things. They have an impossible to please everyone task. Without them, there would be no forum to share time and/or thoughts together. Personally, I thought it would be helpful to many regulars on this site. I find googling for opinions usually gets badly mixed results, with too many people that clearly do not know what they are talking about. I find off topic discussions on antique automobile sites yield good information from people you actually know a little bit and feel you can trust their opinions, or not.

 

Ben P. Please don't give up on us. I personally find your posts to be wonderful, informative, and very interesting. Happy Holidays!

[John348]

51 minutes ago, JamesR said:

 

Not true. I was genuinely concerned for a while that he might be having some health issues. I think John started this thread because he had the same concerns. I'm glad that wasn't the case. I had good interactions with Leboski. Some people got along with him, and apparently some people didn't...why can't we leave it at that? I truly appreciate what moderators have to deal with to keep this a sane and polite place. Let's also not forget that nobody's defined entirely by their failings, because we've all been at  less than great places at different times.

 

That is true, I was genuinely concerned

[ericmac]

One thing this thread makes me believe is if I were to drop off the face of the planet you folks would notice and would be concerned...even if I dropped off for doing something stupid.  This is heart warming as I belonged to another forum and had been a senior level poster. I took a hiatus for a couple weeks, then a couple months,  then many months.  Nobody has reached out,  expressed concern,  nothing. Apparently I am not missed!

[Frank DuVal]

1 hour ago, wayne sheldon said:

Bhigdog, I saw your initial post on hearing aids. Was saddened when it disappeared.

Me too. It's not like this forum is 90% people under 50 years of age! It was quite an age appropriate discussion of TOOLS we need to do antique car restoration. If you can't hear, that's a safety issue.😳

[wayne sheldon]

ericmac,

If you are referring to that other site I have known you from for several years? I do not want to be too nasty, but it got bullied by a few hardline "ON TOPIC ONLY" people. They set aside a specific "Off Topic" area, which has the longest threads! But only a few people contribute much, ever.

The general discussion area is monitored by someone. Anyone posts an even marginally off topic thread? Somehow, moderators with certainly better things to do than monitor every post find out, and often in minutes, the offensive post about a different antique marque or wrong year model is moved to the OT section. Several people have complained that many of the moves to OT actually were on topic! (And they were!) Still, it goes on. Most of the best regulars on that site have left. Questions that used to be routinely answered in minutes, often go unanswered. Administrators say viewership is way up! However, participation and activity have seemed way down for the past year and a half.

There are several old regulars that I keep in touch with one way or another. A couple, I get emails from often. Others, including you, I am pleased to keep track of on this site.

Merry Christmas my friend!

[nick8086]

I got it also.. I deleted to many posts..

 

Kaiser club is raising the dues to $50 per year and no longer allowing non-members to post on the kaiser forum after 1/1/2021.

Edited December 25, 2020 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[Buffalowed Bill]

The thing that I care most about, is that whomever is posting get it right. Sadly opinionated people don't do a very good job of sticking to the facts.

[Bhigdog]

10 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

Me too. It's not like this forum is 90% people under 50 years of age! It was quite an age appropriate discussion of TOOLS we need to do antique car restoration. If you can't hear, that's a safety issue.😳

 

When those in charge harbor a personal animus objectivity and professionalism are usually the first things to go...... C'est la vie.

And speaking of life:  A very merry Christmas to all with wishes for a healthy new year..............Bob

 

[dustycrusty]

[ericmac]

12 hours ago, Ben P. said:

Naw, Eric, you and I are in the bottom 1% of the age range in this hobby. I’ve ghosted this site and the MTFCA site as well as a couple of others since I think they began online in the mid 1990’s (without ever so much as making a single post because until a few years ago I simply hadn’t owned a car I was in over my head with). One thing I’ve caught myself doing is - if I’m looking stuff up and see a post from 5 years ago I automatically assume the poster is dead. It’s kind of a surprise to be looking up technical information (usually covered long ago) and then see a recent post by the same person, “Oh, wow, he’s still alive? I saw a post from 2011....”

Ok, I shouldn’t’ve said that. But this hobby is made up of the nicest people. Seems to go with the territory of the type of person that would keep an old car up. It used to take networking on a scale few ever had to use to find obsolete parts - today it takes the same kind of networking to find the skills/knowledge.

One of my first jobs was working for the County fairgrounds when I was 12 picking up trash after shows and events. Antique flea markets, concerts, and whatnot. After each event there were literally acres and acres of trash. Trash so deep I’d get this sinking feeling of not knowing where to start. The HORSE show people were the worst (I hate horses to this day - because of their owners if nothing else). The horse people would leave and there’d be trash hanging from all the trees. I kid you not. It was like scenes from National Geographic and 3d world countries.

But the antique car people would come for a show and the first time we saw that, and I’ll never forget this as long as I live, I was next to one of my little coworkers (Chris E., and I can’t believe I remember his name) and as we walked to the edge of the lot overlooking the fairgrounds he stopped dead in his tracks and started humming that theme song to ‘The Twilight Zone’ - do doo do doo, do doo do doo. The place was IMMACULATE. Not a single piece of trash, not even a gum wrapper, anywhere. The place wasn’t that clean when they got there I can tell you that. We had nothing to do on that day so we searched all the trash cans for returnable pop bottles and after watching us do that all day the foreman came up as we were getting on the bus to go home and took them and said that they belonged to county jail inmates for their cigarette money (the inmates had spent the day in their orange jumpsuits sitting in shade under the picnic area - just like they did every other day).

Every antique car show went just like that. But that was the last time we ever sorted pop bottles from the trash....

Naw, I think people DO notice, there’s just usually not a polite way to ask... I never have. Which reminds me of that time I bought a car out of a 50 year estate - In over me head with it so I had to join a couple of clubs and a newsletter group. Turns out they all knew the prior owner and none of them knew he had passed until some twitt (me) turned up with his car! Boy did that ever end the honeymoon with THAT car. Now that’s a bad story....

*enough*

 

I appreciate your comments Ben, and you as well!

[ericmac]

12 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

ericmac,

If you are referring to that other site I have known you from for several years? I do not want to be too nasty, but it got bullied by a few hardline "ON TOPIC ONLY" people. They set aside a specific "Off Topic" area, which has the longest threads! But only a few people contribute much, ever.

The general discussion area is monitored by someone. Anyone posts an even marginally off topic thread? Somehow, moderators with certainly better things to do than monitor every post find out, and often in minutes, the offensive post about a different antique marque or wrong year model is moved to the OT section. Several people have complained that many of the moves to OT actually were on topic! (And they were!) Still, it goes on. Most of the best regulars on that site have left. Questions that used to be routinely answered in minutes, often go unanswered. Administrators say viewership is way up! However, participation and activity have seemed way down for the past year and a half.

There are several old regulars that I keep in touch with one way or another. A couple, I get emails from often. Others, including you, I am pleased to keep track of on this site.

Merry Christmas my friend!

Thanks Wayne. I believe the forum you allude to is indeed a tough crown but there is enough there to learn that it's worth checking in regularly.  The forum I was thinking of deals with a completely different topic. Candidly, it's a hobby that I believe is destined to slip into obscurity  because too many have suffered the same fate I have, the fate that I believe is the death knell of any hobby...lost interest. 

And a very merry Christmas to you. 

[Matt Harwood]

I think this thread has become apropos to the season.

 

Appreciate the people around you while you can, because you never know when they'll be gone.

 

Happy holidays to all my AACA friends.

[knee-action]

18 hours ago, John348 said:

Being we are going all over the place on this thread Lebowski's disappearance reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite movies, Goodfellas. By the way that diner used in the scene was still there a few years ago near the junkyards around Kennedy Airport

 

that thing  didn't work out and a........ Lebowski is not here anymore..... "and there is nothing you can do about it"

 

and that's that

 

warning the language is rough and there is blood, so if that stuff bothers you don't click.... Love that movie

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBzfY8ABR9E

"Funny how? I amuse you?"

[John348]

4 hours ago, knee-action said:

"Funny how? I amuse you?"

 

"What am I a clown?" ........ "I entertain you?" ............. "I make you laugh?".......... "Go get me a F'n drink" 

[wayne sheldon]

6 hours ago, ericmac said:

I believe the forum you allude to is indeed a tough crown but there is enough there to learn that it's worth checking in regularly.

 

I check in there still, practically every day. The activity is so low, that many days I do not bother to sign in. I seem to leave comments, or answer questions a few times each week. They used to be my number one forum for social interacting, and I often joked that I spent way too much time there. It was good for me, family issues. This forum was my second most visited for several years. This one is now the one I spend the most time on. There used to be a lot of very good people checking into that forum several times every day. Now not so much. This forum has a much broader appeal (car-wise) and therefore a lot more people on it every day. There are a lot of very good people here still.

 

There are about a half dozen other forums I check fairly often, and occasionally leave comments or answer questions. 

In spite of my passions in that area, I almost never go to political forums. Those people are NUTS!

 

Happy Holidays all!

[Harold]

On 12/24/2020 at 5:45 PM, John348 said:

Being we are going all over the place on this thread Lebowski's disappearance reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite movies, Goodfellas. By the way that diner used in the scene was still there a few years ago near the junkyards around Kennedy Airport

 

 

I worked with the guy who played the truck driver whose rig was stolen from the diner parking lot.   His day job was selling Fords.