Your description of the “state of the economy” is much more negative than what the rest of us Americans are experiencing. I’m not saying every point is wrong- not at all.
But for sure your post focused on the negative and exaggerated (no way was your son making $6/hr as a paramedic - no way at all. Federal minimum wage is higher than that). The inflation stuff I totally agree.

Maybe its because you’re a “60 mile round trip” to civilization.

 

Some days I feel really, really old and out of place. From no running water or bathroom as a child and now here we are. I had to look up what an Atoto is, only to discover it's basically another entertainment doodad that is just a nicety.

It then brought out arguments about resellers of products made by others, with the actual labor often being performed by those who could never afford the products they toil away making. All the while being posted on an internet forum that requires everybody using to have even more doodads to do so, along with obviously spare time to participate. From a blue-collar maintenance background, on call 24-7, I never had the spare time or electronic devices for such. The internet and this site is wonderful for some valuable information, and is a great help.

Working in electrical generation and distribution since the sixties, I have assisted way too many times in shutting off industrial sites from the grid. Depressing.

I used to look at all the middlemen from the manufacturers to the buyer with some disdain and wondered why not just be able to buy from the manufacturer? We are almost there, and it has not helped the laborers at the bottom and has done away with many middlemen. I sometimes feel a little guilty that has enabled me to afford things from the backs of unseen, far away cheap labor.

Meanwhile, my extended family, including some my age, are all over various social media, arguing about anything and everything, while being able to be an expert on anything due to info at their fingertips, then asking me to troubleshoot and repair simple appliances, plumbing, electrical, or whatever device that really makes life easier, although it would put me in often very uncomfortable, dangerous, or physically demanding situations at my age.

Pardon the rant. Please keep your eyes on the road, not some entertainment device.

 

Here's an article that claims to list the "Best Android Auto head units (February 2019)", and lo and behold, 3 out of the 4 "Best" are available on Crutchfield.com.

https://www.androidauthority.com/bes...-units-791179/

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_613DNX....html?skipvs=T

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XAV....html?skipvs=T

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130AVW....html?skipvs=T

https://www.crutchfield.com/shopsear...5w&nf=KW+M855W

 

Well, thank you for calling me a liar, with no evidence. I said he made $6 an hour, on average. This is because he had two pay scales, "Inactive duty" and "Active Duty". While sitting at the station waiting for a call, he was on "Inactive Duty" and he made $5 an hour. When a call came in and he was on that call, he was on Active Duty and made $9 an hour. He worked a 24-hour shift and on average he was on call, 4 to 6 hours of that 24 hour period.

But no matter how you slice it, he made less than $10 an hour as a highly trained professional with a wall full of certifications that has saved hundreds of peoples lives. And this is normal pay for this area. I have helped many young men with families and not one of them could find a decent job. There simply ARE none that pay more than $10 in our whole region. This is because there are no "Manufacturing" jobs. I live in an agricultural region. The only producers have 5,000 plus acres they are farming. Every other person is working in some kind of "Service" related industry. If you are not a farmer, a doctor, lawyer, or a business owner, you are making minimum wage or $10 an hour if you are lucky. I have known countless young people that have been forced to move elsewhere because that can't find a job that pays a decent wage in our area.

$10 an equals up to about 20K a year (before taxes), if you work a standard 40 workweek. The poverty level in Texas is about $29K for a family of three, and while the stats show that Texas has a low poverty level, what those stats do not calculate is how many hours a week these households are working to achieve that. Back 30 years ago, a man could work a single job for 40 hours a week and be above the poverty level. But now, that man is working 60 to 70 hours a week and his wife has a job too, just get above that poverty level line. These are undeniable facts that apply to the whole country.

The bottom line is that in 1990 I was making $10 an hour as an untrained carpenters help. Today, 30 years later, people are still making $10 on average as trained professionals, and the cost of living has jumped 300% or more. These are simply undeniable facts for most young people entering the workforce, which is why most of them have to live with their parents or share an apartment with two or three others to survive. My own daughter-in-law has a college degree from a good university and she was working in a bakery shop making minimum wage when my son married her. She has 60K in college debt and can't find a job that pays more than $10 an hour. Now she is working as a babysitter, and like me, my son is starting his own business because there is no other way he will ever make enough money to pay off her 60K school debt and support his family. This is the reality in Texas for most young people starting out.

 

I said Android OS, not Android compatible.. Take for example the Kenwood DNX995S you linked to. Here is a quote from the description on the Crutchfield page:

• Android Auto compatible (wired connection works with most Android phones)

I don't want some unit with a proprietary OS exclusive only to Kenwood. It's like my stupid Visio smart TV. It has it's own Visio proprietary OS which includes about five useful channels and about 30 other stupid channels that nobody would ever watch, no way to add more and they never upgrade it. So, I use a ROKU that has several hundreds of channels and are always adding more. I wanted a head unit with android OS so I could find and install any app I wanted to use, NOT just the ones the hardware manufacturer decided THEY want me to use. I am not saying that Crutchfield does sell one. I said that I could not FIND one on their site. So, either they don't sell one, their site is not properly designed where it is easy to find, or their product page designer failed to list this specification. Any Android unit should be listed as such and which version of Android that unit is loaded with (e.g Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS). If Crutchfield has one, they failed to list it properly. If they have a TRUE android unit, list it so I can see it.

Again, I am not saying they are bad. And stating that they carry 3 out of 4 of the "Best" head units has nothing to do with the conversation. That is someone deciding what they think I need. I know what I need, and I want what "I" want, not what someone else who is not me has decided what is best for me. I will decide what is BEST for me. Not some stranger I don't know. Give me the options and let me decide.

Again, if they have a TRUE android unit (not an android auto "Compatible" unit), list it so I can see it.

 

I think its clear where you are coming from. You are probably wasting your time asking for help on this forum in the future.

 

And why would that be? Please explain in intelligent respectful language.

 

Jungleexplorer, see my notes in bold above.

you clearly focus on the negative instead of making success. Everyone here sees it.
We all have (have had) challenges. I grew up in a lifestyle/area very similar to what you describe. I chose to overcome it. Many people around me were (apparently) content with smoking cigarettes/pot and Livin La Vida Broke-uh.
I left town. Started a new life a thousand miles away: determined to succeed.
Its going quite well.

Reasonable success is ready to be grasped by those who reach for it.

 

Wow! I am not even talking about me. I am talking about facts and figures of the economy. That you would ASSUME that I am a pot-smoking, lazy, drunk is just an indication of how desperate you are to discount the indisputable facts of what I said. I have never smoked or drank in my life. It is quite amusing to see just what you will make up in your own imagination about me to justify your Negative thoughts about me so you can discount the facts I am telling you.

What I am saying about the economy is true for most people and especially young people starting out. Wages have not gone up for most of the country in 30 years, but the cost of living has gone up over 300% requiring most people to work twice as long and twice as hard to survive. If you left home and found a good job thousands of miles away from home, that is awesome. I have lived in several countries and am fluent in four languages. I bet you have not even travel a 100th as far from home as me. Where I Live now is thousands of mile from where I was born. What I am saying about the economy has nothing to do with how far you travel.

On you next try, I would suggest that you not ASSUME things and stop regurgitating stupid sayings like "Livin La Vida Broke-uh." thinking you are making a sound argument. Come up with your own original thoughts based on sound establish facts and reason.

 

Wow man it’s rare I see someone quite so incorrect as your reply. Read above.
Its quite apparent of the blinders you’re wearing to see the world (and see me). Calm down and wait an hour to respond.

 

Thread closed until the forum mod can address.

Jungleexplorer, I admire your patience. This wasn't even a molehill and, just wow.

Stewart