Absolutely Anything Else

My "coulda been a star" was from "On the Waterfront "with Marlon Brando, think it was 1957... Just has he died those were his last words.
I actually could of been "famous" several times without even going to acting school or searching out an agent.
Just not for me, I actually think I missed my calling in comedy,my bestie and I can laugh all night long and we usually take anyone around with us on a wild ride of laughter.
A stand up duo would suit me with my old buddy from school.
My cousin ,poor thing now with all the media attention on child actors and prev's, he shot himself in the head at age 21 and now I believe my poor aunt may of given us all a cover story as to why he did that. ( he did films in the late 50's early 60's)
He had been in films in Hollywood since he was an infant, my aunt loved showing off by telling us what Disney film he would have a small part in etc.
At age 21 he killed himself, wonder now if it was the pedo ring that did him in ,other then her tale of him getting a head injury and not being himself.
In any case, it was just so sad, a beautiful blond boy with a sweet smile...
I was "discovered" at age 17 in Hollywood silly story which sounds like a movie in itself.
I have and always have had a love of wearing oddball clothing and standing out with fashion.
I happened to be walking to a friends house one fine day with my homemade knickers( knee high pants) on with ballet quality thick stockings, a smart well fitting 1940's ladies suit jacket on and a wide brimmed straw hat with a long scarf tied on the crown., white gloves on of course to show off my bangles.
Came out of my friends house to find a note on his car, ( was just a high school buddy, not a boyfriend)
I read the note, took it to my girlfriend to look at and we had a good laugh. Thought it was all a big joke.
A Big shot Metro producer had seen me walking acting all "sassy" with my bold outfit on and asked me to call for a reading of a script on a new film.
We thought it was another perv in Hollywood and only called as a lark, thought we had nothing much to do during the daytime so why not get a laugh out of it.
We hitched a ride to the studios and met with a sweet older man in his huge office at MGM studio's and he handed me a real script.
Shocked, I had no idea he was for real.
I messed
up the reading, never even saw a real script in my 17 years of life. He was sweet and walked us out and paid for a cab home for the two of us.
Just to think now if I was even half way into becoming a "film star" it was almost just handed to me without even a tear.
Not the first time someone has offered to make me a star, just not interested at all in fame , fortune could of been nice though...

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

.....
A Big shot Metro producer had seen me walking acting all "sassy" with my bold outfit on and asked me to call for a reading of a script on a new film.
We thought it was another perv in Hollywood and only called as a lark, thought we had nothing much to do during the daytime so why not get a laugh out of it.
We hitched a ride to the studios and met with a sweet older man in his huge office at MGM studio's and he handed me a real script....

Great story!

I got "mugged" into doing a voice over of a political speech once as I was the only native English speaker there at the time.    The subject matter was highly suspect and extremely distasteful (to my liberal political leanings).  But being polite, I tried to stop throwing up and stop imaging myself beating the author to death.  Biting my tongue, I spent two hours with the guy as I edited his speech to correct the grammar, change the flow of the words, made it easier to pronounce.  I did actually try and put some conviction into it.   I guess I was trying to be a "pro".   I could have been writing a script akin to "Springtime for Hitler" except it wasn't funny.

fluffy2560 wrote:

I got "mugged" into doing a voice over of a political speech once as I was the only native English speaker there at the time.    The subject matter was highly suspect and extremely distasteful (to my liberal political leanings).  But being polite, I tried to stop throwing up and stop imaging myself beating the author to death.  Biting my tongue, I spent two hours with the guy as I edited his speech to correct the grammar, change the flow of the words, made it easier to pronounce.  I did actually try and put some conviction into it.   I guess I was trying to be a "pro".   I could have been writing a script akin to "Springtime for Hitler" except it wasn't funny.

I can not critique you. Not one bit. Because I have been there.

But in recent years, and as I see the world becoming what it is, my conscious is bothering me.

I was "well paid". Far more than 30 pieces of silver.

But....

What have I contributed to? What have I done? Could I have stopped it if I had said "No"?

I guess I will die wondering that now.....

klsallee wrote:

I can not critique you. Not one bit. Because I have been there.

But in recent years, and as I see the world becoming what it is, my conscious is bothering me.

I was "well paid". Far more than 30 pieces of silver.

But....

What have I contributed to? What have I done? Could I have stopped it if I had said "No"?

I guess I will die wondering that now.....

As someone who produces "work product" that lasts in the region of 7 years and in theory is people and organisational shaping, I have come to accept that no-one will remember my part whatsoever in anything I've done. 

However, in another project I met someone I worked with 20+ years ago who told me he was still in contact with someone who HAD been influenced over the long term by our passing presence.  They actually had nostalgia for those times and it had shaped them.   It was quite a surprise.

I have to think also the project which really does have last influence would be showing (hopefully) the Fluffyettes the way forward (however convoluted).   That's the real product, never mind how I actually earnt my 30 pieces of galvanised iron (not important or posh enough for silver).

When we moved to sunny Cal. back in 1959 from the east coast of the US, my mom thought we would see "Movie Stars" all over the place.
No, happened here and there but they were out "slumming" when we saw them.
We actually had good ol' Sammy Davis Jr. do a performance on a Saturday afternoon in our local grocery store! He was still wearing his eye patch after just losing his eye in that auto accident he was in. I was around 8 years old and couldn't figure out why everyone in the store just stopped what they were doing to watch this tiny little man sing up on a make shift stage in the middle of the store, Crazy Calif.
I served Mickey Rooney a hamburger when I had a job as a car hop in my teens. David Carradine was also a customer although he was blank faced and his friend did the ordering, they drove in with a beat up old 50's car and a mangy looking dog, they ordered food for the dog only!
My cousin had been in many movies as a child actor but my aunt loved to show off and never wanted to share her contacts in the industry. Sort of glad she never did now hearing about how pervy that industry can be.
My sister knew a ton of people in the music and film industry, she even did a weekend job house painting  they guy that did the voices for Roger Rabbit.
Her boyfriend was a film editor for Hanna Barbarra Studios, they did children's cartoons. He was from the UK, a really nice guy who had a stunt plane and loved to glide. He used to play on the weekend football UK team in Hollywood and Rod Stewart was on his team. Of course we never watched them play, would of been too much to have fans watch him on his down time.
From the stories she told me, most of those people were off center to say the least!
We once went into a studio and did sound effects for a film, her friends full time job was doing special effects for films, I remember we had to make walking sounds in a sand  box, that was fun.

Looked up shoes tossing, means different things in different countries.
It does mean, schools out and also in Cal. means you are entering gang turf.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Looked up shoes tossing, means different things in different countries.
It does mean, schools out and also in Cal. means you are entering gang turf.

I think I prefer my explanation of schools out for more positivity than drug turf.

I like your response better too.
Sorry, sitting here crying after reading about all those young people who died today in the Oakland . Cal warehouse fire.
I can not believe this could even happen in the year 2016 in America.
It is not 1900! Upset but will say a few words to those lost and pray for their souls and family, friends. I am not even a religious person so it takes allot to get me going.
So many of those lost were just starting out in life.
In these modern times when we see and hear so many horrible and shocking things we forget sometimes that there is a real person behind a tragic effect who had a life and was looking forward to the future. Excuse me for getting a bit too "real".

fluffy2560 wrote:

I have come to accept that no-one will remember my part whatsoever in anything I've done. .

Not exactly my point.

It does not matter to me if I am remembered or not.

It is what I know are the facts.

That is, it does not matter if history remembers or thinks of me or my cow as the cause of all the problems. If history is correct or not about my relationship to such events is irrelevant to me. If I know the truth of the causal events, those bother my personal soul regardless of history and other's memory. Even if everyone forgets my involvement, I can not. I do not wish to rationalize away any culpability. Too easy to do, and too many do so. And that is far more personal and important to me than history's judgment, memory, or maybe lack of memory regarding my involvement.

Those are just my views. Typing out loud, so to speak. No critique intended. Not expecting anyone to agree with me.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

I can not believe this could even happen in the year 2016 in America.

I fear such things may happen more and more in the USA in the next 4 to 8 years. There are already indications that deregulation and reduction in consumer protection may become, again, policy. As it was in the first 8 years of this century.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

...
I can not believe this could even happen in the year 2016 in America.
It is not 1900! ....

It'll be someone's negligence. 

While I would not want to dismiss the tragedy but stuff happens.

It's easy to die if someone takes their eye off the ball or engages in risky behaviour or are just lazy or stupid or even just plain ignorant.

I didn't read anything on the fire but probably locked doors or some other thing.  Just guessing.

Have been saying positive things in prayers all night and this morning for those who lost their lives and for their family and friends.
With all the horrible things going on in the world, I wonder why this story has upset me so much?
Probably because I always seem to side with my working class roots.
Who wants to work the night shift in a warehouse, some poor soul who probably needed the money badly.
To die for a dollar just hurts me.
To die at work seems to be the worst sort of humiliation to me, well one of them.
My husband retired himself early after the crash in 2008. He could probably of found another job with his skills but he decided it was just time to walk away from making money.
He said the worst thing to him would be to die while working.
I had a customer at my baccarat table just put his head to one side and die right there on the table in front of the other 5 players and myself.At least he was having his idea of fun.
He was a daily player and never caused any trouble on my table, just odd how quick these things can happen, he went in peace, dying in a panic in a fire has got to be nasty, everyone should be able to just put their head to the side while doing something they enjoy and never waking up again.

This has got to be the longest running post ever....
Going back to the entertainment industry.
My baby half-bro and his wife are acting in a new film.
They both have real "day jobs" but my bros friend comes from a long line of film makers who have their own production co.
His friends father started making western films back in the 50'-60's and his son's have continued the family trade.
They film allot in the small western movie making town where we grew up in S. Calf.
They are in mid production now and hope the film is released in 2017.
It is called ."Copper Head Creek" and some production footage can be seen on U tube.
It is a Groat Brothers Production.
A family safe western with no nudity only your run of the mill gun fights, good vs evil sort of story.
Starring Jimmy Van Patton,George Masson,Sam Neely and Carlo Alvarez. My bro plays a half breed native American trapper, yes, that is his real hair in the footage, super long. His wife plays a bar maid, they both are just back up players but really looks like they had allot of fun filming with their friends.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

It is called ."Copper Head Creek"

Info about this film at IMDb:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3652198/

Fame in the film industry is a funny and fleating thing. I have been watching a lot of old films at archive.org, and I am amazed how some of the actors were "really big" names in their day, especially in the 1930's, but are almost or completely unknown today. Such as Kay Francis or Joe E. Brown.

Thanks for the link to Copperhead Creek. My bro is Lon Dillon, his wife is also in the film but didn't see her name posted on the link. They have joined SAG so posting their names is not a biggie.
I love old films and think those "stars" where overall allot more talented then those of today.
At least in the day they knew how to sing, dance and act.
My bro is a jack of all trades in the entertainment industry.
He was a rock and roll roadie in the 80's when he was 20 something.
Crazy times for him, partied like there was no tomorrow etc.
Worked with both B and A list in the music industry.
Sounds like it was both fun and super hard work.
He has always held a more or less normal day job between adventures.
Being a single dad with a junkie ex wife , he had no choice but to get himself together.
We grew up in a small S. Cal town that had a place called, Corriganville where they filmed many, many western films from the classic times till now. Later Bob Hope bought the property and it was renamed, Hope Town.
Funny thing is we also have the Ronald Reagan Museum in the city and the fact that the Mason family used to live in the hills in our town, what a crazy place to come from.
Oh, almost forgot to mention we also had the Sandia Labs in our town which had the largest nuke accident in US history, bigger then 3 mile Island, not much coverage about that thought since it happened in the late 50's. No wonder so many odd things happened in Simi.

Comment from https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 99#3486484

fluffy2560 wrote:

When I was a kid in the 1960s, we were promised flying cars. I am still waiting for one of those in my Xmas stockings.  The pace of change is beginning to looks slow to me but overall time is going faster.    But I digress.  I wouldn't mind a Balaton house under the tree this year but it's for the Fluffyettes really.   Nearly everything is about the Fluffyettes.

Mrs Fluffy and I have stopped giving presents to each other now - I've got everything I need but not everything I want but some things may never be available - I am still waiting for that blinking flying car.

Well, there are personal helicopters. And they are much cheaper than a Balaton house, and easier to fly and land than a flying car (or a Balaton house for that matter.....).

http://mosquitohelicopters.com.au/

klsallee wrote:

...Well, there are personal helicopters. And they are much cheaper than a Balaton house, and easier to fly and land than a flying car (or a Balaton house for that matter.....).

http://mosquitohelicopters.com.au/

Oh yes, interesting stuff. Plenty of these things around.

I was using my flying car thing to illustrate my disappointment in what's in my Xmas stockings (no, not my legs) and with technological progress in general.

The flying car will be run by the Uber-Google conglomerate of course. It'll land and take off itself.   No need even to have any controls (really not keen on that). I like the idea of vertical take off and landing as it'll go straight in the garden.   While it's flying one can watch Amazon-Nextflix movies. 

BTW, Uber-Google sounds ominous.

For Balaton, I could have a shed hung under a dirigible  - it'd be cheaper - and quicker back to Budapest.  I'll just have to remember I'm 50ft above the lake when I wake up in the middle of the night in case I open the wrong door.

fluffy2560 wrote:

For Balaton, I could have a shed hung under a dirigible  - it'd be cheaper - and quicker back to Budapest.  I'll just have to remember I'm 50ft above the lake when I wake up in the middle of the night in case I open the wrong door.

Well.... All things considered, that may be at least in a better direction. A craft over/on the Balaton rather than a house near the Balaton. Maybe a sail boat would be to consider then? Then you have a place to sleep and you can visit the entire Balaton shore easily. I have thought about buying a boat here (or one moored in the Mediterranean, which would be even better).

But quite frankly, if/when I had the (disposable) capital, I would rather buy a helicopter. 

Moved from: https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 99#3487039

Not because the quote was off topic, but because my reply is. 

fluffy2560 wrote:

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Anyone who would pay stupid money for anything needs their head examined - Xmas or otherwise.

Which is the business model for Neiman Marcus on down to any place outside Italy where someone called a Barista makes your coffee.:

Couple of weeks ago, I ordered a large skinny latte in Costa Coffee and the operator - wearing a Barista T-shirt - made it for me.  If a Barista made it, it must be good.

I pondered then what skill level is needed to become a Barista? Looked like  pressing some automatic start buttons on the gurgling machine, twiddling some knobs and then generating steam into the milk to me.  Looked far less skilled than serving staff in "proper" restaurants. I am wondering if McDonaldistas or KFCistas will be hyped up next.

As a lover of coffee (and wine) I can say a Barista can range from a push button machine operator to someone aware of the entire coffee pedigree, similar to a wine sommelier.

But at most coffee joints, the former is far more common than the later.

klsallee wrote:

..... A craft over/on the Balaton rather than a house near the Balaton. Maybe a sail boat would be to consider then? Then you have a place to sleep and you can visit the entire Balaton shore easily. I have thought about buying a boat here (or one moored in the Mediterranean, which would be even better).

But quite frankly, if/when I had the (disposable) capital, I would rather buy a helicopter. 

Not that keen on sailboats.  Prefer wings myself (with engines).  Anyway, closest Med (or Adriatic) is a bit far away although could get there by chopper.  Helicopters are quite expensive. 

On other other hand, I could pump up the zeppelin with all the hot air I spout here.

My ex BIL is living what I think is the male dream life for a senior man.
He lives in Honolulu on his 38 foot yacht.
Works here and there when it suits him as a petrol truck driver, might be a bit of a dangerous job so he gets paid well.
When he gets bored he sails off to a outer Island.
He really only picks up jobs driving when his adult kids need a leg up. otherwise he is set just for himself. Both of his 2 ex wives are deceased, one of course being my beloved sister. I met his second wife, she was a nice pretty lady too.Either way, no ex's to bother him.
Dang, even I am slightly jealous of him!

klsallee wrote:

....But at most coffee joints, the former is far more common than the later.

I think that's right.  1/2 days's training and flip through the Costa manual.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

My ex BIL is living what I think is the male dream life for a senior man.
....Either way, no ex's to bother him.
Dang, even I am slightly jealous of him!

I used to hate my ex-wife but now I am totally indifferent.  She doesn't bother me, I don't bother her and we don't speak.  Best way. Been years since I spoke to her.  At least 11 years if I could guess I suppose.  I hear through my (oldest set of ) kids) sometimes what's going on with her but I don't pay attention much.  Too busy elsewhere and irrelevant to my daily life.  If either of those two kids get married I suppose I might get dragged into it but I've told them not to get married (and certainly not to get married to the losers they like). Maybe I've put them off sufficiently.

It's  very hard to see your adult children making a huge mistake getting married to the wrong person.
Been there.
Our son's second wife from Japan suits him well but my husband can't stand her much, nothing really bad to say, just she is so passive about everything that he thinks she isn't in reality or doesn't care.
Of course his last Japanese GF was the one we liked and would of loved to see him marry...
His life, hard to sit back and watch though.
It can be hard to take a step back as a parent and see what personality flaws one's child has and learn to be grateful that anyone cares for them.
I had a boyfriend or two before I met my husband but I was so young that there wasn't much history to deal with.
I moved in for the second time with my older sister after I met my husband.
My old BF I knew the second I laid eyes on my husband was not going to be my life partener.
Even if it had not worked out with my husband and myself, I knew if I could look at someone else then my old BF had to go.
I am not a person to play on the fence with a person's emotions like some people can do.
Our son has made our hair stand up on end more then once with the things he has done with former lovers/GF and friends in general.
Sometimes I think we created a monster but then again we realize no one picks their family and perhaps we were the best match as parents for him in the cosmic world.
Most other people might of dropped him off outside a strangers doorstep a long time ago.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Prefer wings myself (with engines).

Used fixed wing aircraft are even less expensive than a helicopter, but will require an airfield (which has fees to land, store, maintain and keep registered).

Just for example (Sorry, in the USA, not Europe, but to show the idea of prices):

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?cat … _order=asc

From: https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 99#3487231

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

" If I have a Hungarian wife, I would be driving a Rolls Royce, not a junk car"

That's funny.   

My experience was the opposite. People in the USA whom I told I was engaged to a Hungarian said either she only wanted to get a Visa to the USA and/or was just marrying me for my money.

Shortly before our marriage, she started a new job making more than I did. So in the end, I guess, I married her for her money.... and used our marriage to get a Visa to live in Switzerland (where I then lived for many years), because my wife had zero interest in living in the USA. 

Just goes to show how prejudices can be so wrong.

klsallee wrote:

..... only wanted to get a Visa to the USA and/or was just marrying me for my money.....

Marrying someone for a US visa is overrated.  The USA diversity visa system ("green card lottery"), works for everyone (some exceptions) and it's free.   Never seen another country with such a visa system and it's a pretty good idea.  Weakness is the number of visas issued is quite low.

Makes me wonder why all rich countries do not operate a similar system.

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Prefer wings myself (with engines).

Used fixed wing aircraft are even less expensive than a helicopter, but will require an airfield (which has fees to land, store, maintain and keep registered).

Just for example (Sorry, in the USA, not Europe, but to show the idea of prices):

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?cat … _order=asc

Thanks. I'm aware of much of this of course.  It's been on my mind 30+ years. And I've been actively been involved.

One can get a plane where the wings detach and store it on a trailer and there are also flying cars (some of them are more like motorbikes).  Even STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) panes obviously need some rolling distance which limits their usefulness in urban areas.  The VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) requires obviously just a large enough back garden with few obstacles.  I would hope these "flying cars" would come in at a reasonable price.   

The underlying technology is starting to become mainstream - the Tesla 3 electric car is sold out for 2017.  That model electric car is getting towards "affordable" at about $35K (quite a lot but for some....) but actually what's of interest is the battery technology - from what I read, the base battery is 60kwh, which translates to 300km or so.  This is starting to become a feasible technology for a home based VTOL "flying car".  Moreover, this could, if the charging technology gets sufficiently fast/sensible, be a possibility for extended off-grid power at home with grid power as a backup.   

BTW, I've seen two higher end Tesla cars in Budapest (must be >$50K - starting to be very pricey) and suddenly a lot more volume sales type cars with the light "green" number plates these days.

I knew a HU couple that lived next door to us in Vegas for awhile.
They came through Canada and the women won the green card lottery, she landed a good job at a casino and her BF stayed home watching tv and hanging a the pool.
Like my husband has always said as he himself is a immigrant, there are two types of personalities who are willing to leave home and everyone behind.
Those who want to do big things and are go getters and those who are too lazy to make it at home and move to where they think the grass is greener.
Not sure where I now fit in as a "immigrant" in Hungary, too old to actually care either way.At least I am self supporting, well will be very soon!!! I plan on taking my long suffering husband on a spa holiday when I finally collect my first SS payment! He deserves allot more then that but what can I do?

One thing that I have noticed about my friends and people who I have met who have retired at a younger age is that after about five years their retirement funds have to stretch a lot further. Probably inflation and other issues.  But also some of them had to take redundancies or early retirements before they had fully planned.
I will work a bit more if I have to over the next few years but like Marilyn I am hoping that my State OAP will kick in in five years time as currently promised  but we can never fully predict the future.
I am the child of immigrants so I have never been that bothered about staying in one place and it is generally true that most people move for economic reasons. 
All comments are just based on my own experience and observations.

I never worry about things too much these days.
Life is full of difficult episodes and all the worry and crying and pulling your hair out won't help, if it did I would cry,scream and go bald.
If HU ever becomes so crazy expensive then there would be little reason to stay here, at least in our situation. Can live in FL. for about the same plus be legit for any gov. benefits.
In HU they do not and will not provide aid for foreigners.
My husband could get aid but be, no way they would probably "invite" me to leave as they would with anyone who can't afford to take care of themselves.
The national health is covered by the gov. for those people who have retired and get a SS payment from working in HU.
We do not get that, we must pay our own way 100% here, which is fine with me.
Never really got a leg up with a grant for college or anything, always been on our own.Paid our own way for schooling etc.
I have no complaints on prices in general in HU at all.
Most everyday life expenses are a fraction of what they would be in the US.

fluffy2560 wrote:

but actually what's of interest is the battery technology - from what I read, the base battery is 60kwh, which translates to 300km or so.  This is starting to become a feasible technology for a home based VTOL "flying car".  Moreover, this could, if the charging technology gets sufficiently fast/sensible, be a possibility for extended off-grid power at home with grid power as a backup.

All very interesting indeed.

But I have my doubts.

For one thing, the company you linked to in its "promotion" admits about the same distance limit, but also says:

Imagine, you could have breakfast in Munich, go shopping in Milano...

But of course, air distance between these two cities is almost 350 KM. So probable over hype there. And I am suspicious of any over hype claims, and find when that is done, the product really does not become retail reality for the average Joe (in actual fact or simply being too expensive).

And if you run out of battery power short of your destination? What happens? Can you vertically land without power? I doubt it. Do you then glide to a landing? I hope so. Or do you have to deploy the whole-aircraft parachute to keep from crashing? And if you glide to a landing, you will need some open space like a field or road. And if forced to land/parachute in a field, will you be able to find a long enough extension cord to recharge the battery?

And sure, the helicopter link I provided, those machines only have a range of 240 km. But they run on unleaded gasoline (not aviation fuel), so one can refuel them anywhere, in minutes. And if one has to land when out of fuel, one can walk or hitch or call a taxi to a nearby service station and bring back a can of fuel to get going again. And a helicopter, even if all your fuel has gone, can still come down safely and land in much smaller space than a fixed wing aircraft due to autorotation. Yes, I have thought a lot about this too. 

The electric vehicle is the future. I am convinced of this. But practically, if one loves flying, why wait on doing what one loves? When there is reliably working technology now? You just keep an eye open to later upgrade when the new technology is really ready. 

Anyway, that is just my opinion of course.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Marrying someone for a US visa is overrated.  The USA diversity visa system ("green card lottery"), works for everyone (some exceptions) and it's free.

Green card is a lottery. You can play your entire life, and never win.

Marrying someone just to get a visa is not really "legit". That is why the process is so painful -- to eliminate fakers. But if a USA citizen marries a foreign national for all the right reasons, then the family reunification visa should always work.

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Marrying someone for a US visa is overrated.  The USA diversity visa system ("green card lottery"), works for everyone (some exceptions) and it's free.

Green card is a lottery. You can play your entire life, and never win.

It might surprise you to know that it's remarkably easy to win. 

The chances of winning depend on your nationality - it's not an even distribution.  I would guess it's about 3 to 5 years worst case, one could get selected. In that period, it's possible to apply multiple times.   You can check the stats online.  Look here: Diversity Lottery.   Other Googling is available.

As a British person I am not eligible for the DV lottery but Mrs Fluffy is eligible as she's not British.  She can apply and I can hang on to her coat tails as her married spouse.  The ineligible countries vary.   Some oddities - people from Northern Ireland can apply even though they are British too.  Nicaragua has special status too.  I think Hong Kong and Macau citizens can apply even though China is ineligible.  It changes all the time

Mrs Fluffy and I were selected for the DV lottery some years back (Clinton era) but we decided we didn't want to actually go. When faced with actually having to make a decision, we decided we were quite OK where we were and it would be too much hassle.  Didn't cost us anything to apply except a stamp and didn't cost anything not to go. Perfect.  Obviously if we did go, we'd have to pay up for flights etc.  Otherwise totally gratis.

klsallee wrote:

....he product really does not become retail reality for the average Joe (in actual fact or simply being too expensive).

And if you run out of battery power short of your destination? What happens? Can you vertically land without power? I doubt it. Do you then glide to a landing? I hope so. Or do you have to deploy the whole-aircraft parachute to keep from crashing? And if you glide to a landing, you will need some open space like a field or road. And if forced to land/parachute in a field, will you be able to find a long enough extension cord to recharge the battery?...

The electric vehicle is the future. I am convinced of this. But practically, if one loves flying, why wait on doing what one loves? When there is reliably working technology now? You just keep an eye open to later upgrade when the new technology is really ready.  ...

Oh sure on all that but it's still relatively early days.  Things seem to be accelerating on the battery technology.  Tesla is becoming more and more mainstream (and therefore the battery which was my main point).  Prices are coming down. 

Obviously if your batteries are draining it's the same as flying a petroleum driven machine - the pilot has to monitor the available energy and stop for fuel appropriately.   I would think one would need at least 30% battery left at refuelling/charging time.   Tesla's Model 3 range is up to about 350km approx.  In a straight line, this is quite some distance and all that metal running gear doesn't need to be carried either.

If you look at drones, these have endurance of perhaps 30 mins with decent payload and maybe 3-4h with hybrids - starting to get serious distance wise.  So there's not much difference  with the drones and flying cars. The only difference is the  self propelled payload (people). Drones are cheap.

Autogyro might be alternative to the helicopter or fixed wing as that's STOL but one needs a big garden.

As for getting on with it, it's just money and time.  Unfortunately to afford it, I need to work which limits my time to actually get on with it.  I'm waiting for a lazy job somewhere with nice weather and a flying school - had numerous lessons anyway but never quite finished.

It's a mainstream demand of techies now: "Dude, where's my flying car?".

fluffy2560 wrote:

Fred wrote:

I like hot apple pie with ice cream.

I need a good recipe for apple pie WITHOUT sugar in it.

ummmm.....There isn't one

fluffy2560 wrote:

It might surprise you to know that it's remarkably easy to win.

Yes, that might indeed would have surprised me earlier. But not today.

But, even so, a green card only gives a right to work. Marrying an American Citizen typically gives an income without any need to work (including if divorce happens --- alimony  ). Which was the idea that some people I knew considered as the only reason a foreigner wants to "snag" a USA citizen spouse like me.

klsallee wrote:

....But, even so, a green card only gives a right to work. Marrying an American Citizen typically gives an income without any need to work (including if divorce happens --- alimony  ). Which was the idea that some people I knew considered as the only reason a foreigner wants to "snag" a USA citizen spouse like me.

Jeez, I never thought of that.  I should have married into American money.  How naive I have been all these years.  Oh well, too late now.

But I suppose marrying for money is quite good capitalism.  Plus the kid, it's a sealed deal for cash forever.   I noted that Ivana and Melania are almost identical in style and general looks, but born 20 years apart.  Looks like a trade in.

Not all Americans are made out of money as my son's ex Hungarian wife found out.
She arrived in the US after helping him spend his life saving on her in Hungary only to find out he was just another working stiff.
Dumped him for "greener pastures". If I ever happen to run into her again in Vegas it will be front page news... she got some "wreckening" comin' her way!!