Re: All people over 25 should be dead.
QUOTED:<br /><br />"Smoked cigarettes in the bush ya.<br />and bumper shined, any body remember doing that. "<br /><br />"If it is what I think it is, did that also! Grabbed the bumper of a passing car (snow on the road) and slid along behind it, being careful that your feet did not hit any dry pavement or that your head came up high enough that you could be seen by the driver, who would probably freak out if they knew they had become a "tow vehicle." Great fun! Only a few scrapes and bruises! "<br /><br />"Around where I lived, we called it "skitching" !"<br /><br />"We called it "hooky bobbing""<br /><br />WOW, ! What a rush of memories this one brought back !. Here on the South Side of Chicago, as a kid we called it "Skeetching" or "Flippin" a ride. <br /><br />I called a life long friend from the old neighborhood and asked what he called it, and sure enough, he remembers "Skeetching" as well. He said he used it as a major mode of transportation! The only problem he said he had was that the street he lived on was cobblestone, which added a whole new element to the sport. The key words were " Keep you're toes UP".<br /><br />It bothers me to see that a lot of kids these days don't have the same views as I did when I was a kid. It's not regional , it's generational. We as kids used our mental and physical resources to repair a broken sled or bike , instead of just buying a new one. We knew what a 9/16" wrench was for. You either fixed the one you had or you walked. Sadly, we have become a 'throw away' society. Manufacturer's don't make items repairable or as well built as years ago. Cheaply made goods are meant to be tossed out and replaced. The market place is price driven because, we as consumers, want cheap products, price wise. Since the products are easily replaceable, there's no sense in repairing them. When was the last time you replaced the 'brushes' in a weed whacker?? Why learn to repair something, anything, when a replacement is easier. This is my point, many folks, kids and adults don't have a clue about using tools to fix much these days. Mechanical skills are a lost art and it's a sad thing. These skills aren't passed from father to son or daughter any more. There was a time when you could replace the points and condenser, adjust the timing and re-gap the plugs in you're car on a Sunday afternoon. These days, if the ECM (Electronic Control Module) or PCM (Power Control Module) in you're car goes South, you HAVE to call for help. Gone are the days when a solid, dependable, cast iron motor, with a little maintenance could get you where you're going year after year. If it ran a quart low on oil or the coolant was down a bit, or heaven forbid, it overheated, not much was needed to make things right and you'd be back on the road. These days, an overheated motor will self destruct before you can steer it to the shoulder. Loose a timing belt or timing gear ( nylon these days-not like cast iron of old) will cost you a motor with interference engines. <br /><br />Outboard motors are no different. I have older models that have points, condenser and a flywheel. They have run dependably for 50 years. Simple to work on and won't let you down. There's nothing mystical about the newer 'Power Packs'. The parts that make up the powerpack are serviceable, but the manufacturers encapsulate them in plastic so that you CAN'T do board level repairs. Just buy a new one! They are taking the average person 'outta the loop' so to speak. And so it goes.<br /><br />Sorry for the rant, perhaps I've seen too much. I make absolutely no apologies for being as old as I am and seeing the changes since I was a kid. There's a good side to knowing what I know and seeing the difference between the 'good old days' and now. The next time the dryer decides to lay down on the job, I'll fire up my cast iron motor'd car , or just 'skeetch" on down to the parts store and get what I need to put my world back on track.
<br /><br />What's the statute of limitations with regards to being grounded