Any "older" members still recall the time when smoking was acceptable indoors?

[cocacola31173]

People still use money for transactions? That's so last century! We've had debit cards since 1998. I cannot remember the last time I had money in my pocket that I gave to someone at a store... obviously it was prior to 1998. We've been using the debit card since before they were accepted at places like McDonald's, or some stores would charge you $1.50 to use them. If I wanted to have money, I would specifically have to go to the bank to get some. Well, at Golden Corral (a restaurant chain), they still operate under a system where you pay in advance with a debit card, but you have to request some dollar bills to give as tips. I don't really understand why it can't be a charge on the bill like everywhere else. Otherwise, I haven't needed to carry any cash in so long, it isn't even an issue anymore.

Now I put everything on my credit card since my debit card got hacked! I have never used it online so not a clue how it was done. They drained my account and went on quite a shopping spree...even getting a pizza at Domino's in Utah! I got all the money back from the bank but took a few days because I had to wait till everything posted. Now Im scared to use it! I have a credit card that I use and just pay on it whatever I charge on it.

Not too bad though because I am racking up some cash rewards doing it that way.

 

[mojofilter]

Your debit card may have been hacked by a device installed by criminals in the card reader at a gas station pump, called a skimmer. Ours has been hacked three or four times over the years. We were notified by the bank, who keeps track of all card purchases, that someone hundreds or thousands of miles away bought items using our card number, so they cancelled it and sent us new cards with new numbers. We never had to pay for anything that was not bought by us. We use our debit card to buy things online all the time, mainly from amazon and ebay, but also for the relatively new feature of being able to order your lunch online in advance, and just go pick it up. The possibility of your number being hijacked by criminals goes with the convenience of it being a digital transaction that can be intercepted. But the bank has your back on it.

 

[Rossum]

People still use money for transactions?

Yes. Some of us prefer not to give the banksters a cut out of every transaction, and not to have the details of every transaction we make recorded in various databases for future analysis.

 

[smkfree]

I Never use a debit card. Always a credit card. Better protection and I like the cash back.

 

[DaveP]

Several posts in this thread have mentioned things that young people today have no frame of reference for. I collect records. I spent much of my later childhood and all of my adolescence in front of a tape deck, putting my records on tape so I didn't have to play them and wear them out. And I'd tape my friends' records, too. You get to learn recording techniques, such as how to read the VU meters so you can adjust the recording volume to its optimum level, being careful not to turn it up so far that the needles or lights would go into the red too much.

I work in broadcasting. Most of the people who work at the station, I'm old enough to be their dad. By the time they were adolescents, cassette decks were already obsolete; they've known nothing but CD players, and then mp3 players. Well, these people have to record sound as one of the most important parts of their job. Not a single one of them has any idea how to read the VU meters on the mixing boards, or the level indicators on the sound recording / editing software they use every day. When I assemble a program that contains items they've recorded, I have to completely re-engineer everything they've done, because every piece of audio they've recorded is at a different volume level. There is no consistency, it's up and down and all over the place, from barely audible to overdriven into distortion. And you can't explain it to them. It might as well be rocket science.

And it's not just them. We get programming from all over, sent as sound files. There is no consistency in the levels of these, either. I make over a dozen promos every day for upcoming shows, with audio supplied by the program producers. These are all over the map. Each one requires some level of repair to bring them up or down to the standard level of audio that we are supposed to be sending to the transmitter. Rather than teach our staff how to record properly or expect to get any kind of audio standards from other stations and producers, the engineering department has instead bought over ten thousand dollars' worth of outboard equipment that turns down sound that's too loud or turns up sound that's too quiet before it goes to the tower.

As you may have guessed, this is one of my pet peeves. I hope it wasn't too technical for the average person to understand. It's just that I come from a time when everybody who worked in the field knew all of this stuff. Even people just getting into radio would have some level of comprehension of recording before they got there. Now, all bets are off. Sorry, rant over!

I grew up with tape decks and VU meters, too. I've owned several modern digital recording studio systems that first used cassette and then digitals with hard drives and CD burners. My current rig is a Korg D3200 with a hard drive and a CD burner that's also MIDI compatible.

Today everything's automatic. Recording levels are "automatic", but accuracy depends on the algorithm used to do that. Digital is great, but a prior experience with tape is beneficial. It's less forgiving and you learn more about the process.

My gripe with audio today is the compression that everyone feels like they need to overdo. Especially with commercials, they crank the compression to the point where quiet passages are in your face. I guess they want you to hear it all while you are standing at the refrigerator in the other room. Commercial skip is a godsend.

 

[Papillon61]

Of course I remember. I was born in 1953 and at that time everybody smoked and they smoked everywhere - bars, restaurants, shops, cinemas, even hospital corridors. Probably the only place people didn't smoke was in church. This practice went on till about 8 to 10 years ago where I come from.

 

[DaveP]

Men (mainly) used to smoke outside our church on the sidewalk before the service started. You could smoke inside stores, restaurants, and just about everywhere. It was unusual to see a no smoking sign and those were usually where there was a danger of fire.

Doctors were smokers. My doctor of years ago used to talk about how he'd go to medical seminars and doctors' meetings where everyone at the conference table had an ash tray in front of them and most of the doctors smoked. My wife and I both remember as kids seeing the doctor smoke in the examining room while with a patient. It was just normal to smoke whenever and wherever you wanted to.

 

[skoony]

I grew up with tape decks and VU meters, too. I've owned several modern digital recording studio systems that first used cassette and then digitals with hard drives and CD burners. My current rig is a Korg D3200 with a hard drive and a CD burner that's also MIDI compatible.

Today everything's automatic. Recording levels are "automatic", but accuracy depends on the algorithm used to do that. Digital is great, but a prior experience with tape is beneficial. It's less forgiving and you learn more about the process.

My gripe with audio today is the compression that everyone feels like they need to overdo. Especially with commercials, they crank the compression to the point where quiet passages are in your face. I guess they want you to hear it all while you are standing at the refrigerator in the other room. Commercial skip is a godsend.

remember when the TV stations actually shut down over night?
here's a video of what some of our local stations played before signing off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoL-KCFbIpA

an oldie but a goodie.
regards
mike

 

[Papillon61]

Men (mainly) used to smoke outside our church on the sidewalk before the service started. You could smoke inside stores, restaurants, and just about everywhere. .

Even our parish priest smoked outside our church - including on Good Friday! .. and that was in the 80's.

 

[choochoogranny]

Thanks, Skoony. I had forgotten that one.

 

[SmokinRabbit]

I remember smoking in the movie theater. Also the diner. Ahhhh, that after dinner cigarette while still sitting there after a good burger.

I remember my first adult job, smoking at my desk. But there was also a typewriter on said desk. LOL

It's funny, you could pretty much smoke everywhere.

Not all that long ago, within the last year, I did stay at a hotel in PA that still had smoking rooms. I was still smoking then and I was soooo happy. LOL

 

[DaveP]

I was informed the other day in Chili's by the manager that they had a corporate policy against use of electronic cigarettes inside the restaurant. I just agreed that I would abstain. It did kind of irk me that there was no sign out front as I walked in the door. It's a place where I have been numerous times and vaped without incident. I'll make different choices about my choice of restaurants in the future.

The manager waited until after we had ordered to come over and inform us. That way he still made a sale.

I wonder if cloud blowers have pushed the decisions of restaurant owners to not allow ecigs. I've always tried to be discrete and blow my 9 watt vapor under the table, not up into the air. I've seen some people blow thick clouds into the air. That usually makes people frown at the guy who did it.

 

[Rossum]

Not all that long ago, within the last year, I did stay at a hotel in PA that still had smoking rooms. I was still smoking then and I was soooo happy. LOL

While I was still smoking, I refused to stay in hotels that didn't have any smoking rooms. Marriott properties were the first to eliminate them, and lost my business entirely from that moment on. Since vaping doesn't leave a stink, I no longer seek out hotels with smoking rooms, but I still don't book Marriott properties out of spite.

 

[AndriaD]

While I was still smoking, I refused to stay in hotels that didn't have any smoking rooms. Marriott properties were the first to eliminate them, and lost my business entirely from that moment on. Since vaping doesn't leave a stink, I no longer seek out hotels with smoking rooms, but I still don't book Marriott properties out of spite.

Exatly why I'll no longer give Golden Corral my business -- when we lived in a small town in whose county there was no smoking ban, the Golden Corral took it on themselves to ban smoking... I backed the mgr against the wall informing him that I would eat at Ptomaine Palace before they'd ever get another dime of my money. The next year, the state-wide ban took effect, but I still won't patronize Golden Corral.

Andria

 

[skoony]

I was informed the other day in Chili's by the manager that they had a corporate policy against use of electronic cigarettes inside the restaurant. I just agreed that I would abstain. It did kind of irk me that there was no sign out front as I walked in the door. It's a place where I have been numerous times and vaped without incident. I'll make different choices about my choice of restaurants in the future.

The manager waited until after we had ordered to come over and inform us. That way he still made a sale.

I wonder if cloud blowers have pushed the decisions of restaurant owners to not allow ecigs. I've always tried to be discrete and blow my 9 watt vapor under the table, not up into the air. I've seen some people blow thick clouds into the air. That usually makes people frown at the guy who did it.

there is no state wide ban on e-cigs in Minnesota as of yet. however
many city's have enacted bans same as smoking and some counties
have banned them on county property.
in Saint Paul where i live there is no ban yet. every bar i have visited
here allows vaping in some form.ie.,no cloud chasing and watch wear your blowing
the vaper.. most bar/restaurants,and coffee shops vary from no to restricted area use.
every business private or public,big your small that i am aware of has or is
addressing vaping in their policy statements.(that's statewide)
i am not aware of any problem resulting from this non-state mandated
policy making on the part of its private citizens. its working pretty well here.
psssst! please don't tell the ANTZ.

regards
mike

 

[DaveP]

I can understand how patrons want a clean air atmosphere to enjoy their meal. If vaping was as popular as smoking once was I'd understand vaping bans. Stealth mode generally doesn't harm anyone and I'm usually the only vaper in the place. When it gets to the point where everyone who smoked vapes in public, then I can see the issue.

I want a ban on loud people who are annoyingly unaware of how their loud mouths affect the enjoyment of other patrons. That, and screaming young-uns.

It's beginning to look like we are all going to be asked to go out in the parking lot to vape ... and not in front of the entrance.

 

[DaveP]

there is no state wide ban on e-cigs in Minnesota as of yet. however
many city's have enacted bans same as smoking and some counties
have banned them on county property.
in Saint Paul where i live there is no ban yet. every bar i have visited
here allows vaping in some form.ie.,no cloud chasing and watch wear your blowing
the vaper.. most bar/restaurants,and coffee shops vary from no to restricted area use.
every business private or public,big your small that i am aware of has or is
addressing vaping in their policy statements.(that's statewide)
i am not aware of any problem resulting from this non-state mandated
policy making on the part of its private citizens. its working pretty well here.
psssst! please don't tell the ANTZ.

regards
mike

I can understand restrictions on vaping if someone is making clouds or flaunting their ecig and puffing up in the air, making people look at them. If someone is quietly vaping at low wattage and blowing it down their shirt, then what's the problem?

GA has only a few counties that have outlawed vaping in public indoor venues. I understand that some cities have included ecigs in their indoor bans, but it's not a statewide ban in GA. Ga has traditionally been lax on smoking because tobacco was a significant source of taxation.

 

[OlderNDirt]

I can understand how patrons want a clean air atmosphere to enjoy their meal. If vaping was as popular as smoking once was I'd understand vaping bans. Stealth mode generally doesn't harm anyone and I'm usually the only vaper in the place. When it gets to the point where everyone who smoked vapes in public, then I can see the issue.

I want a ban on loud people who are annoyingly unaware of how their loud mouths affect the enjoyment of other patrons. That, and screaming young-uns.

It's beginning to look like we are all going to be asked to go out in the parking lot to vape ... and not in front of the entrance.

You mean as in those talking on their cell phones to somebody with a hearing deficiency?

 

[The Torch]

remember when the TV stations actually shut down over night?
here's a video of what some of our local stations played before signing off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoL-KCFbIpA

an oldie but a goodie.
regards
mike

And then it would go to just white noise or THIS (remember that one?)

I often woke up to this one when I was home alone in my teen years.

 

[skoony]

I can understand restrictions on vaping if someone is making clouds or flaunting their ecig and puffing up in the air, making people look at them. If someone is quietly vaping at low wattage and blowing it down their shirt, then what's the problem?

GA has only a few counties that have outlawed vaping in public indoor venues. I understand that some cities have included ecigs in their indoor bans, but it's not a statewide ban in GA. Ga has traditionally been lax on smoking because tobacco was a significant source of taxation.

no need to blow it down your shirt just be aware which way the vapor
is drifting. people openly vape here. i have only seen ego/vision type
set ups mostly. some time some more advanced v v or v w set ups.
no body uses them at max vapor mode. the only time i have seen a high
end mod is when a young man came up to me when he noticed i was
vaping to show me his set up. he refrained from firing it up as he thought
that would be rude to do indoors.
that's one of the reasons vaping shouldn't be banned indoors.
seeing how its working so well here i believe it should work well
in other places. this supposed problem of cloud chasers everywhere
just doesn't occur and if it does its a a far lower instance that some
think.society would work out acceptable norms and all with out any
imperial entanglements. not vaping in the theater is understandable.
not allowing vaping at the bar while watching the boy's in the mosh pit
frolicking in the stage fog,whats the point?

regards
mike