Nine Things That Will Disappear In Our Lifetime

9 THINGS THAT WILL DISAPPEAR IN OUR LIFETIME

Whether these changes are good or bad depends in part on how we adapt to them. But, ready or not, here they come.

11. The Post Office. Get ready to imagine a world without the post office. They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term. E-mail, Fed Ex, and UPS have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post office alive. Most of your mail every day is junk mail and bills.

2. The Check. Britain is already laying the groundwork to do away with checks by 2018. It costs the financial system billions of dollars a year to process checks. Plastic cards and online transactions will lead to the eventual demise of the check. This plays right into the death of the post office. If you never paid your bills by mail and never received them by mail, the post office would absolutely go out of business.

3. The Newspaper. The younger generation simply doesn't read the newspaper. They certainly don't subscribe to a daily delivered print edition. That may go the way of the milkman and the laundry man. As for reading the paper online, get ready to pay for it. The rise in mobile Internet devices and e-readers has caused all the newspaper and magazine publishers to form an alliance. They have met with Apple, Amazon, and the major cell phone companies to develop a model for paid subscription services.

4. The Book. You say you will never give up the physical book that you hold in your hand and turn the literal pages. I said the same thing about downloading music from iTunes. I wanted my hard copy CD. But I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that I could get albums for half the price without ever leaving home to get the latest music. The same thing will happen with books. You can browse a bookstore online and even read a preview chapter before you buy. And the price is less than half that of a real book. And think of the convenience! Once you start flicking your fingers on the screen instead of the book, you find that you are lost in the story, can't wait to see what happens next, and you forget that you're holding a gadget instead of a book.

5. The Land Line Telephone. Unless you have a large family and make a lot of local calls, you don't need it anymore. Most people keep it simply because they've always had it. But you are paying double charges for that extra service. All the cell phone companies will let you call customers using the same cell provider for no charge against your minutes

6. Music. This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. The music industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegal downloading. It's the lack of innovative new music being given a chance to get to the people who would like to hear it. Greed and corruption is the problem. The record labels and the radio conglomerates are simply self-destructing. Over 40% of the music purchased today is "catalog items," meaning traditional music that the public is familiar with. Older established artists. This is also true on the live concert circuit. To explore this fascinating and disturbing topic further, check out the book, "Appetite for Self-Destruction" by Steve Knopper, and the video documentary, "Before the Music Dies."

7. Television. Revenues to the networks are down dramatically. Not just because of the economy. People are watching TV and movies streamed from their computers. And they're playing games and doing lots of other things that take up the time that used to be spent watching TV. Prime time shows have degenerated down to lower than the lowest common denominator. Cable rates are skyrocketing and commercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I say good riddance to most of it. It's time for the cable companies to be put out of our misery. Let the people choose what they want to watch online and through Netflix.

8. "Things" That You Own. Many of the very possessions that we used to own are still in our lives, but we may not actually own them in the future. They may simply reside in "the cloud." Today your computer has a hard drive and you store your pictures, music, movies, and documents. Your software is on a CD or DVD, and you can always re-install it if need be. But all of that is changing. Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all finishing up their latest "cloud services." That means that when you turn on a computer, the Internet will be built into the operating system. So, Windows, Google, and the Mac OS will be tied straight into the Internet. If you click an icon, it will open something in the Internet cloud. If you save something, it will be saved to the cloud. And you may pay a monthly subscription fee to the cloud provider. In this virtual world, you can access your music or your books, or your whatever from any laptop or handheld device. That's the good news. But, will you actually own any of this "stuff" or will it all be able to disappear at any moment in a big "Poof?" Will most of the things in our lives be disposable and whimsical? It makes you want to run to the closet and pull out that photo album, grab a book from the shelf, or open up a CD case and pull out the insert.

9. Privacy. If there ever was a concept that we can look back on nostalgically, it would be privacy. That's gone. It's been gone for a long time anyway. There are cameras on the street, in most of the buildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone. But you can be sure that 24/7; "They" know who you are and where you are, right down to the GPS coordinates, and the Google Street View. If you buy something, your habit is put into a zillion profiles, and your ads will change to reflect those habits. And "They" will try to get you to buy something else. Again and again.

All we will have that can't be changed are Memories.

BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTS ON LOVE

1. It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return. But what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel, and then regret it. 2. Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift. 3. Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, and the romance in a relationship and find out that you still care for that person. 4. A sad thing in life is, you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be, and you just have to let go. 5. When the door of happiness closes, another opens. But often at times we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. 6. The best kind of friend is the kind whom you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you have ever had. 7. It is true that we do not know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we do not know what we have been missing until it arrives. 8. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Do not expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart. But if it does not, be content that it grew in yours. 9. There are things you would love to hear that you would never hear from the person whom you would like to hear them from; but do not be so deaf as not to hear it from the one who says it from his heart. 10. Never say goodbye if you still want to try. Never give up if you still feel you can go on. Never say you do not love a person anymore if you cannot let go. 11. Love comes to those who still hope although they have been disappointed, to those who still believe although they have been betrayed, to those who still love although they have been hurt before. 12. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone. But it takes a lifetime to forget someone. 13. Do not go for looks; they can deceive. Do not go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Hope you find the one that makes you smile. 14. There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real! Hope you dream of that special someone. 15. Dream what you want to dream. Go where you want to go. Be what you want to be. Because you have only one life and only one chance to do all the things you want to do. 16. May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy. 17. Always put yourself in other's shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the person, too. 18. A careless word may kindle strife. A cruel word may wreck a life. A timely word may level stress. A loving word may heal and bless. 19. The beginning of love is to let those we love just be themselves and not twist them with our own image. Otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them. 20. The happiest of people do not necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the most of everything that comes along their way. 21. Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried; for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. 22. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a tear. 23. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. 24. When you were born, you were crying, and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling, and everyone around you is crying.

COINCIDENCE

Dear friends,

I would like to share this small poem that I came across, do read on:

Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for?
THAT'S GOD talking to you through the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to talk to?
THAT'S GOD wanting you to talk to Him.

Have you ever been thinking about somebody that you haven't seen in a long time and then next thing you know you see them or receive a phone call from them?
THAT'S GOD. There is no such thing as coincidence.

Have you ever received something wonderful that you didn't even ask for, like money in the mail, a debt that had mysteriously been cleared, or a coupon to a department store where you had just seen something you needed, but couldn't afford?
THAT'S GOD knowing the desires of your heart.

Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it was going to get better, how the hurting would stop, how the pain would ease, but now you look back on it. .
THAT'S GOD passing us through tribulation to see a brighter day.

Do you think that this e-mail was accidentally sent to you?
NO! I was thinking of you!

Please pass this along and share the Power of God.
In all that we do, we should totally give thanks and our blessings will continue to multiply.
Keep this going. You have no idea which one of your e-mail buddies could use a little hope today.

Thank you, dear friends!

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in 

hamburger; neither apple or pine in pineapple. 

And while no one  knows what is in a hotdog, 

you can be pretty sure it isn't canine.

English muffins were not invented in England nor 

French fries in France.


Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads 

which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its 

paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work 

slowly,  boxing rings are square, and guinea pig 

is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.


And why is it that writers write, but fingers don't

fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't 

ham?


If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural

of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one

moose,  two meese?



Is cheese the plural of choose? One mouse, 2

mice. One louse, 2 lice. One house, 2 hice?


If teachers taught, why didn't preachers

praught?


If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a 

humanitarian eat?


Why do people recite at a play, and play at a

recital?


Ship by truck or car and send cargo by ship?

Have noses that run and feet that smell? Park on

driveways and drive on parkways?



How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the

same, while a wise man and a wise guy are

opposites?


How can the weather be hot as heck one day

and cold as heck another? When a house burns

up, it burns down. 

You fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm

clock goes off by going on. You get in and out of

a car, yet you get on and off a bus. When the

stars are out, they are visible, but when

the lights are out, they are invisible.



And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it,

but when I wind up this essay, I end it?

English is a silly language ... it doesn't know if it

is coming or going!!!

THE ROLE OF A MOTHER BEST DESCRIBED

The Role of A Mother Best Described

Dear Readers, this is a perfect description of the role of a mother which I wish to share with you:

POSITION:

Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Momma, Ma

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.

Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.

Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:

Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE POOR...

The difficulties, hardships, and trials of life, the obstacles one encounters on the road to fortune, are positive blessings. They teach you self-reliance. The person who has battled with poverty and hard toil will be found stronger and more expert than the one who could stay away from the battle.

My dear friends, here is a short description of what it means to be poor, unloved and uncared for, in the eyes of the destitute that are scattered all over our world.

Being poor is getting tired of people wanting you to be grateful. Being poor is knowing very well that you are being judged with every step you take, and every breath you breathe. Being poor is hoping that you will be invited for a sumptuous meal.

Being poor is not talking or meeting people because they will probably laugh at your clothes and your living conditions. Being poor is not taking the job because you just cannot find someone whom you can trust to watch over your kids.

Being poor is finding the letter your loved one has written to a charitable institute asking earnestly for child support. Being poor is relying on people who do not give a damn about you.

Being poor is wondering if your well-off sibling is lying when he/she says he does not mind when you ask for help. Being poor is knowing very well that your children visit friend’s houses but never have their friends over to yours.

Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs. It is heartening when you get angry with your kids for asking for all the crap that they see on the television. It takes guts for a woman to come back home after shopping, clutching a box of food that she has bought with her savings and then trying to think of a way to make her children understand that the box has to last for as long as the next savings.

Being poor is accepting the fact with a heavy heart that any type of hand-me-downs is always accepted as new, since ‘ Beggars cannot be choosers.’ Being poor is people wondering why you didn’t leave.

I would like to end this note with a small quote by Muhammad Yunus, who is a banker to the poor.

“ When a destitute mother starts earning an income, her dreams of success invariably center around her children. A woman’s second priority is the household. She wants to buy utensils, build a stronger roof, or find a bed for herself and her family. A man has an entirely different set of priorities. When a destitute father earns an income, he focuses more attention on himself. Thus money entering a household through a woman brings more benefits to the family as a whole.”

Yet, we find so many women all over the world being mercilessly abused and tortured. WHY???

The Rich And The Poor - JULIUS BABARINSA

Everybody will like to be called a rich person.

To be rich is to be labeled successful and prosperous.

Many will call you affluent, high-class and wealthy.

Nobody will like to be known as a poor creature.

To be a poor creature is to be wretched and deprived.

Many will tag you as underprivileged and a destitute.

The poor are also labeled impoverished and lower class.

We all know that we live in a world of contrast.

While some are born rich, many are born poor.

Many princes and princesses are born into opulence.

While the off-spring of refugees are born into poverty.

Everybody knows that human fingers are not equal.

The question here is – can the rich become poor?.

On the other side of the coin – can the poor become rich?.

There have been instances when the rich later become poor.

The rich can become poor through massive gambling.

The rich can become poor through ill-advised investments.

The rich can become poor through reckless spending.

Conversely, we have witnessed some poor becoming rich.

The poor can become rich by winning the lottery.

The poor can become rich through inheritance.

The poor can become rich through savings and investments.

The poor can become rich through marriage.

Many ask – do the zodiac signs determine our fortune on earth?

The answer is negative as there are rich and poor in all signs.

Others ask – does our place of birth determine our fortune?

Since we humans can migrate to other countries.

There are no definite answers to linking our birthplace.

to whether we are rich or poor on this earth.

All said and done, we humans possess enough intelligence.

to improve our fortune and have better existence on this earth.

Whether you are rich or poor, always remember that No condition is permanent. Good luck and happy destiny!