Running Bear's May 2025 Coffee Shop

[chadbag]

Has anyone else started having issues with the auction site? I’m using Safari on IOS devices, and they keep making me sign on every time I visit, even though I have “stay signed in” checked. When I log in, I get a full-page pop-up trying to get me to use passkeys using Google. Umm, I already have enough Google trackers, so no thanks.

Are you sure the passkeys is using Google? Passkeys are built into iOS and have nothing to do with Google. Your iOS device will create one and share it with the target site once you've confirmed you identity with the target. So in the future you can just use the passkey to log in. I have Passkeys for a bunch of sites now including Amazon. Google not involved.

 

[troyphoto]

Whoever said to go check out the MRH forum... thanks. I forgot I have a login. Did a password reset, and that was a fun rabbit hole.

 

[chadbag]

I did hear one company spokesman who was talking about tariffs say that there was no place in the USA that could manufacture scale train items as there was no one in the USA with the talents to do so. What a crock of $hit.

There is probably some truth to this. It's not that Americans are dumb or don't understand manufacturing. It's that the American education system doesn't produce enough process engineers and the type of people who set up factories, all the machines, and make them work. Not the factory workers, but those who design and setup and organize factories and the production equipment. Steve Jobs said that in China when you set up a new factory and need 10k process engineers (obviously a big factory complex) in China it's no problem. He said there weren't even 10k process engineers in the US. (I may have some of the details wrong but it was something like that -- it's not my field).

That means if a larger scale (meaning scale of operations, not model scale) train manufacturer wants to set up a factory, they have a hard time getting the people who can design the factory, all the processes, and get and set up and "run" all the machines at the higher physical management level.

We need companies to sponsor these sorts of jobs and educational opportunities or it won't change. Tariffs should not be aimed at foreign products. They should be aimed at domestic products manufactured in foreign countries (which doesn't help most of the train companies).

And mostly unrelated: KATO makes their trains in Japan, not China. Some of the auxiliary KATO stuff like buildings or scenery and that sort of thing *may* come from Chinese factories, but they make all their own rolling stock, power and otherwise, in Japan. So your KATO product will just have the base tariff on Japan and not the China one.

 

[AuburnCentral]

Hello everyone. Was anyone at the division meeting in Auburn NY today besides me

 

[CambriaArea51]

I think the project managers at Atlas are just that inept!

I think the same goes for Intermountain.
Boris I had 2 engines ordered from Intermountain, 3 years later they sent me an email want to know if I still wanted them or cancel the order. I had forgot about them and canceled them.
Willie I only pre order from Scale Trains they are the only one to produce product on a timely manner.

 

[migalyto]

I think the same goes for Intermountain.

Intermountain has to be the worst!

When they first announced Dash 9s. I pre-ordered several from my LHS (I actually had one back that far). It has since gone out of business, torn down and an apartment building has been built on its property. Still no locomotives or word when they would ever be produced.

Thankfully Scaletrains has scratched that itch. They have seemed to do several runs since then.

 

[Bruette]

I have Passkeys for a bunch of sites now including Amazon.

What are Passkeys? And why do you use them? Straightforward honest questions, I haven't a clue.

Is that when it says "sign in with..." I always use my passwords. I don't have trouble signing in anywhere. I use Edge.

I keep an eBay page open, and I stay signed in. Even if I restart my browser to install updates. By the way I love the way Edge updates without restarting my computer and reopens all my tabs, no sign ins needed.

Along with eBay I keep my Microsoft rewards page open, mlb.com, and amazon.com open all the time and stay signed in.

And of course, modelrailroadforums.com, which is obvious. But I'll mention it anyway.

 

[Marlin39]

There is probably some truth to this. It's not that Americans are dumb or don't understand manufacturing. It's that the American education system doesn't produce enough process engineers and the type of people who set up factories, all the machines, and make them work. Not the factory workers, but those who design and setup and organize factories and the production equipment. Steve Jobs said that in China when you set up a new factory and need 10k process engineers (obviously a big factory complex) in China it's no problem. He said there weren't even 10k process engineers in the US. (I may have some of the details wrong but it was something like that -- it's not my field).

Speaking of process engineers. Our son is a chemist and has been working in his company's R&D department for the last 3 years. He was promoted last year. He just had his annual review and was told he's learned more than they had expected and want to promote him into a process engineering position. The only problem is that his company requires 2 years in your current position before a promotion, so it won't happen until next year.

 

[Boris]

I did hear one company spokesman who was talking about tariffs say that there was no place in the USA that could manufacture scale train items as there was no one in the USA with the talents to do so. What a crock of $hit.

A few years ago BC, (before Covid), a popular manufacturer's influencer was making the rounds of the forums extolling the virtue of the highly skilled production workers in China, vs. the unskilled American workers. Turns out that an industry had located near by that manufacturers facility, and the prevailing wage/benefit package exceeded what the manufacturer was willing to pay, and they could not attract employees willing to work for less.

That's why I take all these self serving informationals with a grain of salt.

The Scale trains video implied that even if they fitted out a factory here or elsewhere, they would not be able to source components....really?

These folks have a business plan that has been serving them well for several decades, and are content to keep it going regardless of the consequences to others. Problem is their customers have reached a limit, and want things to change. Now the manufacturers are threatened.
They seem to forget that there is always an innovative individual willing to step into the void.

 

[Bruette]

Sovereignty outduels 3-1 favorite Journalism in stretch to win 151st Kentucky Derby in the slop!

From the Baltimore Sun

 

[bnsf971]

Are you sure the passkeys is using Google? Passkeys are built into iOS and have nothing to do with Google. Your iOS device will create one and share it with the target site once you've confirmed you identity with the target. So in the future you can just use the passkey to log in. I have Passkeys for a bunch of sites now including Amazon. Google not involved.

The page has a button that says "Create Passkey". When I click the button, I am directed to Google. If I cancel, I am redirected back to the "create passkey" page. I can click "skip for now", but that "for now" is worrisome.

 

[Bruette]

Orioles enter rain delay during Saturday’s game vs. Royals - Thunderstorms roll into Baltimore after the first inning​

Even my lights blinked and that seldom happens. I seldom mention the weather, but this is impacting the Orioles game! I hope they can play, I don't want our new star pitcher from Japan, Sugano, to miss his start.

 

[chadbag]

The page has a button that says "Create Passkey". When I click the button, I am directed to Google. If I cancel, I am redirected back to the "create passkey" page. I can click "skip for now", but that "for now" is worrisome.

Is this on eBay? Are you using your Google ID to log in to eBay? Typically when you create a Passkey, it authenticates your user through the normal means to make sure that you're who you say you are so that they don't associate a Passkey with YOUR account that belongs to am imposter. Once you authenticate it will create the Passkey and use that to log you in in the future.

The only way I can see Google being involved is if you h ave some sort of "Login with Google" on the account already. In that case you're needing to authenticate with Google in any case.

 

[chadbag]

What are Passkeys? And why do you use them? Straightforward honest questions, I haven't a clue.

Passkeys are a new universal technology for safe and secure authentication for logging in. Basically, instead of a username and password, they give you a special digital certificate, the Passkey, that encapsulates your login ID and password (in concept -- its not just an encrypted form of userid and password), and your device (PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, whatever) sends that Passkey to the site to authenticate you instead of you having to put in a user and password. It's a LOT harder to get hijacked or spoofed when using Passkeys.

It's important to know that Passkeys are a technology that was designed by a group of companies and everyone agrees on how they should work etc. So it doesn't matter what platform you are on or you are talking to.

Here are some random "what is a passkey" blogs or technical documents I found

Passkeys Explained: What Is a Passkey and How Do Passkeys Work?

Learn the simple, technical explanations of passkeys: What they are, how they work, and how they keep users safer than traditional passwords.

www.dashlane.com

Ask a Techspert: What are passkeys?

A look at how passkeys will make you more secure by removing the need for traditional passwords.

blog.google

About the security of passkeys - Apple Support

Passkeys are a replacement for passwords. They are faster to sign in with, easier to use, and much more secure.

support.apple.com

What the !#@% is a Passkey?

A new login technique is becoming available in 2023: the passkey. The passkey promises to solve phishing and prevent password reuse. But lots of smart and security-oriented folks are confused about what exactly a passkey is. There’s a good reason for that. A passkey is in some sense one of two...

www.eff.org

 

[Boris]

It's that the American education system doesn't produce enough process engineers and the type of people who set up factories, all the machines, and make them work

Could that be because our Colleges and Universities are obsessed with educating foreign students, and denying admission to qualified American prospective students?

KATO makes their trains in Japan, not China. Some of the auxiliary KATO stuff like buildings or scenery and that sort of thing *may* come from Chinese factories, but they make all their own rolling stock, power and otherwise, in Japan. So your KATO product will just have the base tariff on Japan and not the China one.

KATO may also benefit by the current situation, by supplying product / components like they used to do for Atlas and later Stewart. China also undercut their US business.

Tariffs should not be aimed at foreign products. They should be aimed at domestic products manufactured in foreign countries (which doesn't help most of the train companies).

I think that's the stimulus for the escalation of tariffs, American Companies profiting from off shore manufacturing. That's also why the whining, screaming and carrying on is so loud. The difference between an Apple I phone manufactured in PRC and the same phone made here with the same components would be the profit margin would be considerably less......Breaks my heart.

 

[Bruette]

Passkeys are a new universal technology for safe and secure authentication for logging in.

Brilliant answer, thank you sir!

 

[bnsf971]

Is this on eBay? Are you using your Google ID to log in to eBay? Typically when you create a Passkey, it authenticates your user through the normal means to make sure that you're who you say you are so that they don't associate a Passkey with YOUR account that belongs to am imposter. Once you authenticate it will create the Passkey and use that to log you in in the future.

The only way I can see Google being involved is if you h ave some sort of "Login with Google" on the account already. In that case you're needing to authenticate with Google in any case.

I am logging in to Ebay using my user name and password. Unfortunately, my email attached to the account is gmail. I do not have “login with Google” enabled anywhere.

 

[Bruette]

American Companies profiting from off shore manufacturing.

Many businesspeople will use anything to their advantage. From bankruptcy to avoid paying their bills or moving offshore and using contractors to undercut their employees pay and avoid paying benefits.

 

[chadbag]

Could that be because our Colleges and Universities are obsessed with educating foreign students, and denying admission to qualified American prospective students?

It's more likely that our colleges and universities are set on teaching about gender studies and crap. I don't see, at most universities, that foreign students are the big clientele. They definitely are a clientele but not the clientele.

It's also that a lot of the process type stuff we're talking about is not university level, but more advanced vocational level. Vocational education is no longer a big thing in the US, unfortunately.

I think that's the stimulus for the escalation of tariffs, American Companies profiting from off shore manufacturing. That's also why the whining, screaming and carrying on is so loud. The difference between an Apple I phone manufactured in PRC and the same phone made here with the same components would be the profit margin would be considerably less......Breaks my heart.

I think that that is one of the reasons, but it attacks legitimate foreign trade. There is no differentiation

Mattel, a US company, making Barbie dolls and importing them into the US, should pay a tariff that makes up for the lack of their participation in the economy as a "giver". (Fictional Chinese company) Hong Feng Red Dragon Plastics Co Ltd Inc making a Ling Ling doll and importing it into the US should not be charged a tariff, as long as Mattel, taking a US made Barbie doll and importing it into China shouldn't be charged a tariff. (Or the tariffs should be low and equal). True foreign trade where products from different countries are shared with the rest of the world. Not a labor market scheme to arbitrage labor. I've actually been thinking about this and bigger questions like social compacts in a country and the economy and will be writing an essay about it. I've worked it through in my mind a million times but have not yet put anything to paper.

As an aside, to come up with a fictional Chinese made doll I asked ChatGPT for some help:

Me: what would be a good hypothetical chinese girl name to be used as the name of a doll

ChatGPT:
A good hypothetical Chinese girl name for a doll should sound pleasant, be relatively easy to pronounce, and evoke positive or endearing qualities. Here are a few charming suggestions, each with meaning and feel appropriate for a doll character:

1. Mei Mei (美美) – “Beautiful, lovely.” A cute, playful-sounding name; very doll-friendly.
2. Xiao Yu (小雨) – “Little Rain.” Soft, poetic, and gentle—gives a sweet and serene image.
3. Ling Ling (玲玲) – “Tinkling jade” or “delicate sound.” Elegant and classic, like a porcelain doll.
4. Bao Bao (宝宝) – “Little treasure” or “baby.” Very common as a term of endearment, perfect for a cuddly or baby-style doll.
5. Hua Hua (花花) – “Flower” or “blossom.” Bright and cheerful, ideal for a colorful, playful doll.

Would you like the name to reflect a specific theme, like traditional elegance, modern cuteness, or fantasy?


------

I did not answer it's follow-on question

 

[chadbag]

I am logging in to Ebay using my user name and password. Unfortunately, my email attached to the account is gmail. I do not have “login with Google” enabled anywhere.

So using a Gmail account probably triggers something. I'll have to check eBay. One of my accounts there is a Gmail account IIRC. I forget as the crews are all saved in my keychain.

But as far as I understand it it just needs to know that you are you when iterates the passkey to verify the truthfulness of it so that it can trust it later.