What's bugging you? **2025**

[nate82]

7 hours ago, GAME05 said:

But your first paragraph, particularly, just made me think how "kids these days" have grown up on "just google it" and having an answer pop up for them. I suspect much of the issue relates to that and the death of just fiddling with something until you figure it out.

Well I tell them to just google some things and they just look at me with a blank stare like how do we do that. 

[CheezWizHed]

On 1/26/2025 at 2:19 AM, nate82 said:

Well I tell them to just google some things and they just look at me with a blank stare like how do we do that. 

Google? You are so old!

School not teaching critical thinking has been going on for a LONG time.  But there was enough inertia for a few years that people picked it up.  Now you have teachers that weren't taught critical thinking and don't even know how to help the kids when stuck... A school system based on multiple guess testing is going to dumb everything down.  

Even programs like "No child left behind" didn't actually help.  Good intentioned, but the school systems reacted by making things easier (i.e. pulling everyone down) instead of adding additional attention to those falling behind to "pull them up" to the standards. 

Honestly, I think it is time to outsource the school systems.  Pouring more money into them and standardizing everything has only made them worse, IMO.  All we are doing are buying more gadgets and forcing them into one way of thinking.

[greeg35]

18 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Google? You are so old!

School not teaching critical thinking has been going on for a LONG time.  But there was enough inertia for a few years that people picked it up.  Now you have teachers that weren't taught critical thinking and don't even know how to help the kids when stuck... A school system based on multiple guess testing is going to dumb everything down.  

Even programs like "No child left behind" didn't actually help.  Good intentioned, but the school systems reacted by making things easier (i.e. pulling everyone down) instead of adding additional attention to those falling behind to "pull them up" to the standards. 

Honestly, I think it is time to outsource the school systems.  Pouring more money into them and standardizing everything has only made them worse, IMO.  All we are doing are buying more gadgets and forcing them into one way of thinking.

Teacher here.  I'm not saying there's no bad teaching going on, but teaching critical thinking to kids with an attention span of 2.1 nanoseconds and parents who think their job is to shelter rather than push is a big part of the equation too.  

We have kids coming into kindergarten that don't even know their own name.  I wonder what their parents and siblings are doing 99% of the time?  Hand them a phone to keep them from interrupting your phone time.  Read to them, creative play, socialization, develop loving healthy relationships.?  No way.

The room isn't full of these kids, but there's enough of them to drag classes into the abyss because they are starved for attention and don't know any decent ways to get it.  Administration and parents blame teachers.  No public support.  

Anything about this sound like it would be appealing for the best and brightest people to choose to join or stay in the profession?

Edit:  and don't get me started on administration. Doesn't attract the best of the brightest for similar reasons. At least some teachers are there for the right reasons. Why administrators choose their job? Don't ask me. I would never be an administrator. But I can say that that many of them are not familiar with the processes of teaching and learning, and aren't great at managing, leading, or communicating.  They look to the the latest and greatest idea, which is usually some repackaged old idea. They cycle through these "new" ways of doing things, provide little to no training for the teachers, then blame the teachers when it doesn't work. Then they try something else. If they haven't been fired already, and on to someone new trying some new solve-all solution.

[CheezWizHed]

6 hours ago, greeg35 said:

Teacher here.  I'm not saying there's no bad teaching going on, but teaching critical thinking to kids with an attention span of 2.1 nanoseconds and parents who think their job is to shelter rather than push is a big part of the equation too.  

We have kids coming into kindergarten that don't even know their own name.  I wonder what their parents and siblings are doing 99% of the time?  Hand them a phone to keep them from interrupting your phone time.  Read to them, creative play, socialization, develop loving healthy relationships.?  No way.

The room isn't full of these kids, but there's enough of them to drag classes into the abyss because they are starved for attention and don't know any decent ways to get it.  Administration and parents blame teachers.  No public support.  

Anything about this sound like it would be appealing for the best and brightest people to choose to join or stay in the profession?

Edit:  and don't get me started on administration. Doesn't attract the best of the brightest for similar reasons. At least some teachers are there for the right reasons. Why administrators choose their job? Don't ask me. I would never be an administrator. But I can say that that many of them are not familiar with the processes of teaching and learning, and aren't great at managing, leading, or communicating.  They look to the the latest and greatest idea, which is usually some repackaged old idea. They cycle through these "new" ways of doing things, provide little to no training for the teachers, then blame the teachers when it doesn't work. Then they try something else. If they haven't been fired already, and on to someone new trying some new solve-all solution.

Fair point about parents.  And my rant failed one of my own "tests" that I call people out on... the expectations that schools are the only educators in a child's life and parents have no responsibilities there. So thank you for calling me on it. 

But the point I was trying to make stands... the school system (note I'm not saying "teachers") has been this way for years and the teachers, admin, and PARENTS grew up in that system where critical thinking was not emphasized. Now their kids are growing up in that second generation (or maybe third?) system where critical thinking wasn't taught to the teachers, nor in the administration.

By contrast, I grew as first generation that wasn't taught classical education, but my teachers generally were.  So while the curriculum didn't necessarily encourage that style of learning, they could flex out and find ways to incorporate it.  So the further away you get, the less and less there is going to be.

A simple example is learning Latin.  It used to be standard (i.e part of classical teaching just like critical thinking).  But now only a few people know it.  Knowing Latin enhances the understanding of vocabulary and spelling (and I'd imagine helps learning Spanish or Italian).  But my generation was quite a ways removed from that being a "norm" in school. Frankly, I didn't even know why someone learned Latin until I had my own kids and started educating myself on teaching methods for their educations' sake. 

I'm ok with Latin going the way of the Dodo (unless you want to win a spelling bee), but unfortunately, critical thinking is going that way also. 

So I wasn't trying to knock teachers... or even parents.  Once you change the system and stop educating people certain ways, those skills will disappear. 

[tmwiese55]

Sorry, to me this is just a classic thing every generation says about the ones after them.  The same thing was said about you by those 20-40 years older than you.   

Things change.  Those young people can point to a laundry list of things the older people have no idea how to do as well.   And keep in mind the younger people were brought up in a world created/managed etc by the older generation, so who's really to blame

[greeg35]

1 hour ago, tmwiese55 said:

Sorry, to me this is just a classic thing every generation says about the ones after them.  The same thing was said about you by those 20-40 years older than you.   

Things change.  Those young people can point to a laundry list of things the older people have no idea how to do as well.   And keep in mind the younger people were brought up in a world created/managed etc by the older generation, so who's really to blame

We'll see.  My guess is that this change is fundamentally different and if there's anyone left that can analyze, we may find out later that putting attention harvesting super computers in everyone's pocket wasn't the best move for our species.

Point taken Cheesewhiz.

[CheezWizHed]

20 hours ago, tmwiese55 said:

Sorry, to me this is just a classic thing every generation says about the ones after them.  The same thing was said about you by those 20-40 years older than you.   

Things change.  Those young people can point to a laundry list of things the older people have no idea how to do as well.   And keep in mind the younger people were brought up in a world created/managed etc by the older generation, so who's really to blame

This is a little different than the generational gap that typically leads to someone saying "this generation has no common sense" - which really means that we don't have common experiences that lead us to make similar decisions.

I'm 50 years old and I include my generation in the educational system that switched from "let me teach you how to think critically" (typically referred to as classical education) to the "learn and regurgitate information" system that fits well into multiple choice testing profiles.  

There is also much written about the education systems of India and China compared to the US and how they help or hinder the ability to create as function of their education system.  (I'm an engineering manager and have worked with engineers in many countries - customers, suppliers, and direct reports - including India and China).   

People tend to be good at however you are taught to think because they spend 20 years in grading system that gives positive reinforcement for thinking that way (or negative reinforcement for failing to do so). 

[nate82]

I hate how my company calculates the tax for my bonus they use the aggregate method so bonus + monthly pay over 12 months.  Which puts me in the 33% tax bracket I think.  Screw you Uncle Sam stop taking muh moneyz!

[Jimbo]

Brewers ticket office leaving voice messages on my cell phone.  Five times now.  Nicholas, I'm not interested.  Take the hint.

 

[Jimbo]

It appears the Wisconsin State Journal has discontinued the scoreboard/transactions section on its Page B2.  Scores and standings are 90% of the reason I look at the Sports section.

 

[TURBO]

My son left his job in Montana in September to take a new job in Nevada as a federal government employee.  This means that as of last Friday, he has been fired/layed off/let go, or whatever our current administration is calling it today.

He has insurance for 30 days, after that, he is on his own.  Can't get unemployment until he finds another job because he hasn't been in the state of Nevada long enough to draw unemployment.

Just a really crappy way to do things.  No notice at all, just see ya later.

 

[homer]

13 hours ago, TURBO said:

My son left his job in Montana in September to take a new job in Nevada as a federal government employee.  This means that as of last Friday, he has been fired/layed off/let go, or whatever our current administration is calling it today.

He has insurance for 30 days, after that, he is on his own.  Can't get unemployment until he finds another job because he hasn't been in the state of Nevada long enough to draw unemployment.

Just a really crappy way to do things.  No notice at all, just see ya later.

 

Sorry to hear that, Turbo. Hope he lands on his feet.

[owbc]

15 hours ago, TURBO said:

My son left his job in Montana in September to take a new job in Nevada as a federal government employee.  This means that as of last Friday, he has been fired/layed off/let go, or whatever our current administration is calling it today.

He has insurance for 30 days, after that, he is on his own.  Can't get unemployment until he finds another job because he hasn't been in the state of Nevada long enough to draw unemployment.

Just a really crappy way to do things.  No notice at all, just see ya later.

 

Really sad. It’s amazing how little fanfare this has gotten given it is the largest mass layoff in American history by far. Most of what I’ve seen has been personal stories like this. 
 

Lots more to come as government contracting companies go under. I have a family member at one at a 5,000 person company which is prepping to file for bankruptcy. 

[LouisEly]

On 2/17/2025 at 7:42 PM, TURBO said:

My son left his job in Montana in September to take a new job in Nevada as a federal government employee.  This means that as of last Friday, he has been fired/layed off/let go, or whatever our current administration is calling it today.

He has insurance for 30 days, after that, he is on his own.  Can't get unemployment until he finds another job because he hasn't been in the state of Nevada long enough to draw unemployment.

Just a really crappy way to do things.  No notice at all, just see ya later.

 

Check with Montana.  When I was laid off from Anheuser-Busch after 8 months I seem to recall having the option of filing in either Missouri or Wisconsin; can't remember if it was because WI was where I moved there from or where I moved to after being laid off, but I seem to remember that I could choose either. 

Quick internet search says Montana eligibility is the first four of the last five quarters.  This quarter isn't finished yet, so I believe the period would be Oct 1st 2023 to Sept 30th, 2024 as having wages.

[TURBO]

18 hours ago, LouisEly said:

Check with Montana.  When I was laid off from Anheuser-Busch after 8 months I seem to recall having the option of filing in either Missouri or Wisconsin; can't remember if it was because WI was where I moved there from or where I moved to after being laid off, but I seem to remember that I could choose either. 

Quick internet search says Montana eligibility is the first four of the last five quarters.  This quarter isn't finished yet, so I believe the period would be Oct 1st 2023 to Sept 30th, 2024 as having wages.

Thanks, I know he has applied in Montana, still waiting to hear from them.  I just can't imagine being able to draw from a state you no longer live in...

[zurch1818]

On 2/20/2025 at 9:09 AM, TURBO said:

Thanks, I know he has applied in Montana, still waiting to hear from them.  I just can't imagine being able to draw from a state you no longer live in...

But it's in a state where his former employer (on his behalf) paid into, so it is completely rational.

I hired a nanny when our twins were born to help watch our 2 year old and I didn't have to withhold any payroll taxes...but I did have to pay unemployment taxes.

Side note...it was also quite fortunate that I didn't have to send her a W2 because she was just under the minimum wage...and I missed the deadline to file with the state because twins will do that to you.

[Fear The Chorizo]

On 2/18/2025 at 12:42 PM, owbc said:

Really sad. It’s amazing how little fanfare this has gotten given it is the largest mass layoff in American history by far. Most of what I’ve seen has been personal stories like this. 
 

Lots more to come as government contracting companies go under. I have a family member at one at a 5,000 person company which is prepping to file for bankruptcy. 

I actually think it's gotten alot of fanfare....and what is so shocking is the public sector and associated companies heavily reliant on govt contracts have been allowed to balloon to the level they have under both political party administrations where it's acceptable to run multi trillion dollar deficits, continue printing money, and then act like we don't know why things cost so much.

 

The budget deficits are about alot more than government employee payrolls, but in the absence of reasonable reforms to entitlement programs that would require cooperative legislation, slashing the beauracracy while daylighting some of the nonsense receiving tax dollars is the next best thing to do at the moment to shake things up in the public sector.  

 

Mass layoffs will always have tough stories for individuals who were cut, both public and private sector. Most of the time it's not about those people themselves not doing effective work in the roles they were in, it's that the roles they were in didn't provide enough value to a project, program, or activity to justify its cost.  The public sector can't be allowed to be sheltered from those type of staffing resets, which is exactly what this is.  Quality employees/people who are let go by employers find a way to land on their feet and ultimately their careers benefit from these type of job upheavals, too.

[Zad Fnark]

A little over a year since my hospitalization.  I made it through through an aortic dissection, spending 16 days at Froedtert.  I couldn't walk for 14 of them, as my blood pressure would plummet every time I stood up.  I thought it was sheer willpower when I started walking, but the meds were probably starting to work.  They signed off on me pretty quickly after that.

They told my wife when it started to not even follow the ambulance to Milwaukee as I would probably be dead when it arrived.  They gave me a 5% chance of surviving the trip.  I can't imagine how she spent her evening.

A month later I spent two nights in the hospital as my blood pressure started rising again.  I was on meds to raise it, who turned out to not be needed anymore. Since then I've been on a bunch to keep it down.

I'd been visiting Froedtert every couple months after that.  Probably had 5 CT scans done over that time.  Everyone there seems happy with my progress.  It seems I still have an aneurysm in my aorta, but it's too small to be workable yet.  They're content to wait until the end of this year to check it again.

I has one mishap last month as one of my BP meds was draining all the potassium from my body.  Another night in the hospital.  They removed the offending med, but my blood pressure has risen a little since then.  Not danger high, but I'm hoping they adjust it at my regular doctor visit next week. 

I'm currently not working.  My job was raising my stress levels quite a bit.  I mentioned that stress from my job likely put me in the hospital to begin with, and they gave me a voluntary layoff package with 14 weeks of severance.  I haven't been in a hurry to look yet.  I'm visiting my USAF son in Mississippi the last week of March, so I'll probably be looking thereafter.  I may just look for a factory job as I've grown weary of the IT world.  My surgeon said I had some mini-strokes during my surgery, so I don't know if that was messing with me doing my job.

My aneurysm will have to be dealt with at some point.  Best case is having a stent put in.  My surgeon was bragging that he set up everything in my chest so that it would be easy to do. Worst case is a full blown surgery.  I lost both my parents to aortic aneurysms in the last four years.  No clue my Dad had one, who we lost first back in April 2021.  We knew my Mom had two of them.  Shortly after Dad died, she had surgery on one of them.  A five to seven day stay in the hospital turned into six weeks as her kidneys took that long to start up again.  She declined to have the second surgery done as this one was near her stomach (first one was in the chest), which would have been worse.  Of course, it then blew up on July 2023.  I had genetic testing done last fall, and it's all negative there.

I thought I'd fill everyone in, since I first brought this up on page one of last year's thread.  Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes, as such things probably helped me along.  I have my days where I don't know if I'll be around next year.  So far, so good.

Watching the Brewers smoke the Royals typing this.  😁

[nate82]

I am now allergic to raw bananas.  Cooked or frozen I am fine but if I eat a raw banana I almost go into anaphylactic shock.  Mostly just difficulty in breathing and dizziness.  But it goes away after a few minutes.  So not full on but close enough.  This sucks because I love raw bananas in my cereal.  

[LouisEly]

The first thing that AI needs to replace is customer support from Malaysia.

AI is first level support, second level is managers in the US.  Should keep you from having to explain things four times.

[Joseph Zarr]

On 2/27/2025 at 5:01 PM, nate82 said:

I am now allergic to raw bananas.  Cooked or frozen I am fine but if I eat a raw banana I almost go into anaphylactic shock.  Mostly just difficulty in breathing and dizziness.  But it goes away after a few minutes.  So not full on but close enough.  This sucks because I love raw bananas in my cereal.  

That's intense. And, man, that is rough. Did this come on gradually or was this sudden? 

[nate82]

59 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

That's intense. And, man, that is rough. Did this come on gradually or was this sudden? 

Gradually I believe.  My ears and throat would itch once in awhile when eating a banana.  Then about a month ago it got worse.  Went to doctor and she goes stop eating bananas you are probably allergic to them now.

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, nate82 said:

Gradually I believe.  My ears and throat would itch once in awhile when eating a banana.  Then about a month ago it got worse.  Went to doctor and she goes stop eating bananas you are probably allergic to them now.

Man I would never in a million imagine going to a doctor's office and hearing the words "Stop eating bananas..." What a wild moment that must have been. I'm in several farming and tree and seed breeding groups. I did just encounter a woman overseas who can eat cooked or processed apples but is highly allergic to raw apples. Apparently, the older heritage varieties are potentially palatable due to phenolic acid composition within the genetics of this older fruit. 

Anywho, sorry you are likely seeing the loss of bananas in your cereal. Food 'attachments' or preferences are really hard to overcome. I wish you the best.

[GAME05]

20 hours ago, LouisEly said:

The first thing that AI needs to replace is customer support from Malaysia.

AI is first level support, second level is managers in the US.  Should keep you from having to explain things four times.

There's a company now advertising its AI customer support service. My first thought was how much worse scam calls are going to be if there's no Indian accent. 

[NeedMoreFans]

I probably shouldn't confess this on a site that uses ad revenue for some support, but...

I opened Chrome this morning to a message saying uBlock Origin has been disabled because it is no longer compatible with Chrome.