Sometimes events come together that cause me a time of real reflection about things. New names in the sales departments of our vendors and the ongoing 'musical chairs' that so many seem to have suffered, either by their own hand or someone elses. I guess it all started yesterday when I read Lyra's February 2008 issue concerning HP's new Generation III monochrome toners.

I guess we are all going green these days; even HP. They laud their new printer designs for their smaller size saving 'X' amount of natural resources each year. Printers that are as small as the 1010, but can print 26 PPM. Toners that are so efficient that they have reduced the size of the waste hoppers in the newer units. Toners that have unique flow characteristics and are chemically grown. Imagine that, monochrome printers now using hybred chemical toners.

I then picked up the Feb. Recharger and to read Mike's excellent article on the P1006. I have a library of Recharger's that go back to the days when they were black and white periodicals. the Feb. issue, from what I can tell, is the smallest monthly issue since 1994. Outsourcing is gaining ground and our friends are moving on to different things. 1994, hmmm; that's when I came on board this industry. Interesting it is!? I guess we are coming full circle.

A friend came in my office the other day and saw an old Merle Haggard CD a former employee had left in a stack on my desk. He says; is that one song on there? What song would that be? We popped it in and away we went. I'll leave a few of the lyrics... It made me really start to wonder...


I wish a buck was still silver and it was back when the country was strong.

Back before Elvis and before the Vietnam war came along.

Before the Beatles and yesterday when a man could still work and still would...

Is the best of the free life behind us now and are the good times really over for good ?