P.S. A Column On Things

Start of August 19 Column. More or Less Continuous News Service since 1998

Transactional Relationships

Donald Trump’s relationships are purely transactional. Many people’s are, even my mentor Edwin Diamond. As I understand it, that means your relationships are strictly based on utility. If you’re no longer useful, you’re no longer a friend/lover.

I have fallen into that transactional pattern from time to time, in the sense that I fear I am on the receiving end: I worry a relationship is over if I’m no longer useful.

But it’s only in my mind, not that of my friend or partner. Maybe it’s a matter of low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, the idea that “no one will ever love me again.” But I don’t enter/stay in transactional relations, and I need to remember that.

The End of Checks

Since I am not Jewish, the day I became a man was in my freshman year of high school, when I got my own checkbook. This rite of passage will cease to exist sooner rather than later. My daughters got checkbooks. My grandchildren will not.

A recent story in the New York Times examined a lot of reasons checks are still used in this country, despite being greatly diminished. Curse you print! When I wrote the reporter to mention already checkless countries, he said he didn’t mention them  because there was “no room.” (I remember with the coming of the Internet I celebrated the end of space restraints, a freedom I have been abusing ever since)

Here is a partial list (mostly from Wikipedia) of countries that have ended the use of checks. The U.S., the U.K  and Australia have that as a stated goal, but can’t overcome political opposition.

• Finland stopped issuing checks in 1993, the Netherlands abolished them in 2002, and Denmark no longer uses them.
• China, South Korea, and Japan
• New Zealand

Most of Africa is expected to go straight from cash to electronic payments, with no pause in-between at checks, the same as it did with telephones, moving from nothing to cellphones with no stop at landlines.

Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in

One of my favorite shows in high school, and a favorite of my friends, was the Rowan and Martin Laugh-In. Like much 60s humor, it is now cringeworthy (stereotyping gays and women), but it was funny at the time. We must just accept art for the context in which it was created. Everyone at KBPS,  my high school radio station, was in awe of the work of Gary Owens, the on-screen announcer (read about one of his shticks, making up meanings for the acronym NBC). You can hear his voice here, but rest assured the date is wrong. This is late Owens, not early Owens.

For more, catch the Netflix special Still LAUGH-IN: The Stars Celebrate, or any of the original episodes on Amazon Prime. You bet your bippy.

Meme O’ The Week: Can You Spot The Error?

You will need to double-click the image to see it full size. First correct answer gets an all-expenses paid Tip of the PSACOT Hat for one.

 

 

 

This and That

What I Did for 20 Years
I always thought of my two decades of technical journalism as English To English translation. I described technology in a way intelligible to an English Major or an MBA.
…
Harris: Kick the F****** Door Open
The Harris campaign has been memeified from day one. Her she is, on TikTok, telling women to kick down the door. And unlike some other candidates, she wasn’t just being sarcastic.
…
Just Being Sarcastic

“I was just being sarcastic,” and “Can’t you take a joke?” are the last refuges of the idiot, with their foot deeply implanted in their mouth. As a public person, baby, think about your words. Assuming you can think. And aren’t literally a baby.

…
Always Have An Agenda
You may see advice on creating better meetings. My dear friend, the late great Richard Dalton, a consultant, took a bold position and stuck to it: no agenda, no meeting. No matter what the client said.

End of August 19 Column (No. 943)

Start of August 12 Column. More or Less Continuous News Service since 1998

The Usual Gang Of Idiots

Speaking of found families, there was the Usual Gang of Idiots, to which I belonged at MIT. Those of you of a certain vintage will recognize the reference.

I never had an ounce of trouble with my birth family. They backed me 100% in every intelligent enterprise I ever undertook, and guided me away from the stupid ones.

My first year at MIT was tough, albeit it got better towards the end. But in my second year, at The Tech, Norm Sandler, Barb Moore and John Hanzel joined me in an unbreakable lifetime bond. They were all at my wedding, I was at their's.

Jobs and lovers came and went. The UGI (and Edwin Diamond) were the rock upon which I built the church of my wonderful life.

Grateful and thankful. And so much more.

Grandkids: Grandson: Magic Trick

My son-in-law has taught our grandson how to do a magic trick with the calculator on his phone, in which you swipe ones off the screen and blow them away. We need to buy this kid a magic trick kit. He already has a disappearing coin box, but I think he’s ready for sleight of hand.