algboy

Since we're trading recipes (while waving hand and lisping ). I love half asiago, half romano cheese, onions, bacon, spinach (sorry) and baby portobellos. Yumm-ME!! Let cool and put on old videos of "Will and Grace".

This "real man" loves quiche, MAKES quiche (prefers to make omelettes), drinks Chardonnay (but generally drinks IPA and tequila), changes poopy diapers, shoots his .45, plays piano, reads, rock climbs, mountain bikes, loves his dogs--and cats, hates paying bills (that's the wife's job) and doesn't give a flying f#$k what some provincial, homophobic, bad-beer-drinking, ESPN-watchin' lardass thinks about what makes a "real man". But then, we quiche eaters can be a bit reticent about sharing our feelings . . . .

Lenin said, "Probe with bayonets, where you find mush proceed, where you find steel, withdraw." Call this a thug's credo. People need to choose their individual "choke point" where you draw the line in the sand and refuse to be victimized. I choose to be steel. That's why I carry and that's why I'm not afraid of being a victim. A gun is the great equalizer; it makes me stronger than four. If they reach for a weapon while I have my weapon drawn, I have them at a serious disadvantage. If they have a weapon out already, I will still draw down on them because I have the intention of killing them, whereas they probably assume I am unarmed and may only have the intention of intimidating me. Lastly, if they have a weapon out and ARE prepared to kill me, they will have to work for it because I will be blazing back at them until only one of us is left standing. A person is justified in the use of deadly force, if such person reasonably believes deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or a third person. This means that I--not the bad guy--get the benefit of the doubt. And I practice the American martial art of BangPao with a Mozambique Drill! I agree with you to a certain extent......sometimes you need to be strong and stand up for yourself, but there's a fine line between being the victim and changing the roles and becoming the aggressor.........and in a legal sense the incident in question would not justify deadly force. Had they pulled a weapon or told him that they were going to kill him, at that point he should have pulled his...........not before. "I thought they were armed" or "it seemed like they were going to" aren't going to get you anywhere in court. This wasn't a life or death situation....it could have turned into it, but at this point it was not. There's a flaw in your theory.........if you choose to be "steel" all the time.........someone says something that intimidates you and you pull a gun, you've just crossed the line of becoming the aggressor............you just made them the victim. You can't physically threaten people with a weapon over a verbal comment............unless that comment is something along the lines of "I am going to kill you". I agree with you here, once again to a point...........if you can resolve the situation without killing your opponent, then that is the route you should take. If killing your opponent is your only choice then so be it. Personally I prefer a more ancient art called g` lock. Just to clarify: choosing to be "steel" doesn't mean that the only tool on my belt is a gun. It could be anything from making an assertive comment, standing up to a bully, getting a movie manager to eject some loudmouth SOB, filing a grievance against a boss, to calling 911, up to shooting some bastard dead. Being "steel" means I choose to resist the bullies/meanies/thugs/dickheads of the world who generally encounter "mush". One of the earlier posts referred to the scenario of four slugs surrounding him demanding--not "asking--for his wallet. Now I'm guessing I wouldn't have the presence of mind to remove my ID from my wallet without spooking the thugs into wasting me, but . . . . I'm gonna bet MY life that they mean me harm and aren't out collecting for UNICEF. The mistake the poster made was in pointing the gun at them too early. He should have had it at the "low ready" position and shouted "NO--I'm not giving you my wallet! Get away from me" [That should keep the ambulance-chaser/prosecutor crowd happy and let any witnesses know that YOU are the victim.] Then call 911 to CYA.

Lenin said, "Probe with bayonets, where you find mush proceed, where you find steel, withdraw." Call this a thug's credo. People need to choose their individual "choke point" where you draw the line in the sand and refuse to be victimized. I choose to be steel. That's why I carry and that's why I'm not afraid of being a victim. A gun is the great equalizer; it makes me stronger than four. If they reach for a weapon while I have my weapon drawn, I have them at a serious disadvantage. If they have a weapon out already, I will still draw down on them because I have the intention of killing them, whereas they probably assume I am unarmed and may only have the intention of intimidating me. Lastly, if they have a weapon out and ARE prepared to kill me, they will have to work for it because I will be blazing back at them until only one of us is left standing. A person is justified in the use of deadly force, if such person reasonably believes deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or a third person. This means that I--not the bad guy--get the benefit of the doubt. And I practice the American martial art of BangPao with a Mozambique Drill!

It's a Buyer's market, there's no need to settle. Yep it is. Houston evidently is still holding up well in the market though, and seems a lot of sellers aren't willing to negotiate as much as I would've wished. It's wearing me out and I think my Re/Max realtor is bordering on incompetent. Beerlight, this recovering (former) realtor/mtg broker asks you to please keep this in mind: 1) You'd be buying at the peak of a rapidly declining RE market (country wide). How much has the seller reduced, 5%, 10%? Patience, Grasshopper, unless you like catching falling knives . . . . 2) As far as realtors go: would you ask a barber if you needed a haircut? I didn't think so. 3) Don't believe anything from a seller about what's a "fair price"--it's probably what they need to get out from under their alligator with a little bit of walking money. It's not your problem. 4) In a declining market your "asset" is a depreciating one. That means you can't borrow against it. If you have to sell it, you're gonna have to come to the closing table with CASH. 5) Run from any of the "toxic/suicide loans" and especially anything with interest only or negative amortization. You'll be just another foreclosure statistic if you do. [up over 200% in AZ this year] 6) And yes . . . it's entirely possible your realtor IS incompetent. What'd she do before? Many are returning to their former "careers" since many of the newer agents haven't sold a thing all year. 7) It is a BUYER'S market. [wash, rinse, repeat] A house is just a piece of meat. Don't fall in love with it. Either the numbers work--or they don't. It's OK to walk away. 8) if you MUST buy, be prepared to hold it for years and years. This market is not heading for a "soft landing" no matter what the MSM/NAR shills try to sell you. 9) Finally, will your TOTAL housing costs take no more than 40% of your monthly income? If more than that, you're buying too much house. WAIT. 10) Unless you HAVE to buy--rent for another year or two--then maybe buy. The phrase "pennies on the dollar" comes to mind. My $0.03. I could be wrong . . . but I bailed in 2003 when I saw how insane the market was getting even back then. My shadenfreude-meter is off-the-charts lately.

Source: The Sun As-Salaam-Alaikum!! “Keep your elbow up!"

That loud thumping sound you hear is Patrick Henry, T. Jefferson, G. Washington, B. Franklin, Sam Adams et al spinning in their respective graves! “Keep your elbow up!"

Unless they're brown-skinned and you kill/hurt them by the thousands to the strains of "God Bless The USA". Then it's yeeeee-haaa and thanks "Anyone" for defending my freedom. “Keep your elbow up!"

I'm a Vick-tim . . . waaaaaaa!!

Where do you put the batteries??

"All bank accounts are protected under the FDIC." Good luck with that . . . better make sure you're first in line when the meat hits the fanblade.

Direct quote from the just published REAGAN DIARIES. The entry is dated May 17, 1986. 'A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the political one who lives in Florida. The one who hangs around here all the time looking shiftless. This so-called kid is already almost 40 and has never had a real job. Maybe I'll call Kinsley over at The New Republic and see if they'll hire him as a contributing editor or something. That looks like easy work.'

Yeah, can you say: phony left gatekeepers? Tweedle Dumb and Dumber. The Brookings Institution is the Washington establishment's "left" (read: Democratic) version of think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, AEI, etc. It's a left gatekeeper that keeps the discussion "on point" and close to the interests of its corporate sugar daddies, i.e. nothing that would rock the boat of the USS Status Quo. Picture two bald guys fighting over a comb . . . .

So, what kind of gel is this that can be created from common drug store products, that will explode when an electric current is run through it? I can't believe that three people have actually voted that terrorism is "phoney". I guess these are the conspiracy theorists that believe that our own government orchestrated the 9/11 attacks. But even then, wouldn't that still be "terrorism", but just from a different source? Explain yourselves, phoney-voters. I confess--I voted "phony". Why? Just to be a DickHead because the poll is a complete non sequitur (like so many on-line polls). The question doesn't correspond to the answers offered! What does the fact that the powers-that-be are trying to flog a long dead horse (read: liquid bomb plot) have to do with whether terrorism is "real"? Of course terrorism is real. It's been around for centuries. But isn't that material for another thread? The truth about binary/liquid explosives is that a bunch of numbnut government types have been watching too many McGuyver re-runs and hoping that all the J6Pers out there have been watching the same crap. The explosive we're supposed to believe that the Keystone Cop terrorists we're supposedly trying to make to supposedly blow up airliners with is TATP (triacetone triperoxide). It requires concentrated hydrogen peroxide, acetone and sulfuric acid to make. [If you can buy sulfuric acid and concentrated H2O2 at your corner drugstore, you live in a much more interesting neighborhood than I do! ] Not to mention a bunch of ice, a good venting hood, plenty of time, etc . . . Hopefully none of the flightcrew would notice all those nasty fumes coming from under the bathroom door and how many hours Ahmed's been in there. Ohhhhh-nooooooooooo. BTW: Here's the real kicker. The so-called UK "terrorists" had never actually made a bomb, none had purchased a plane ticket and only a handful even owned a passport. Pretty much behind the curve weren't they? So, the dutiful TSA still makes us forego liquids to get onto commercial aircraft -- for a bogus propaganda stunt gone belly up. Doncha feel so much safer taking off your shoes, dumping your water bottles, drinking your baby's breast milk and watching your wife get groped by some semi-literate er, TSA security professional?

Dem, Repub--what's the difference? They're all part of the same party: The War Party.

Herb of preference: mushrooms or weed? cough up some examples. They aren't supporting gay marriage bans, or drug bans, or any of the other shit we see with the Christian Right these days. And sorry, forcing an end to discrimination doesn't account. Good Lord . . . you're just improvising here. To wit: In N.Y., Sparks Fly Over Israel Criticism Polish Consulate Says Jewish Groups Called To Oppose Historian By Michael Powell, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, October 9, 2006; Page A03 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/08/AR2006100800817.html "There is an often organized and often spontaneous attempt to marginalize anyone in the Jewish world who offers a critique of Israeli policy," said Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of the liberal magazine Tikkun. "It's equated with anti-Semitism and Israel denial." Former President Jimmy Carter (Los Angeles Times December 8, 2006): “For the last 30 years, I have witnessed and experienced the severe restraints on any free and balanced discussion of the facts. This reluctance to criticize any policies of the Israeli government is because of the extraordinary lobbying efforts of the American-Israel Political Action Committee and the absence of any significant contrary voices. “It would be almost politically suicidal for members of Congress to espouse a balanced position between Israel and Palestine, to suggest that Israel comply with international law or to speak in defense of justice or human rights for Palestinians.” James Abourezk (Former US Senator from South Dakota, December 3, 2006) “I can tell you from personal experience that, at least in the Congress, the support Israel has in that body is based completely on political fear—fear of defeat by anyone who does not do what Israel wants done.” “I've heard too many cloakroom conversations in which members of the Senate will voice their bitter feelings about how they're pushed around by the Lobby to think otherwise. In private one hears the dislike of Israel and the tactics of the Lobby, but not one of them is willing to risk the Lobby's animosity by making their feelings public.” “Secondly, the Lobby is quite clear in its efforts to suppress any congressional dissent from the policy of complete support for Israel which might hurt annual appropriations. Even one voice is attacked, as I was, on grounds that if Congress is completely silent on the issue, the press will have no one to quote, which effectively silences the press as well. Any journalists or editors who step out of line are quickly brought under control by well organized economic pressure against the newspaper caught sinning.” Lobbying for Israel — The American Israel Public Affairs Committee By David K. Shipler, New York Times (two articles) WASHINGTON, July 5 (1987) – “After several decades of growth in size and sophistication, the leading pro-Israel lobby in Washington, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has become a major force in shaping United States policy in the Middle East.” WASHINGTON, July 6 (1987) – “To some, like Representative Henry J. Hyde, Republican of Illinois, the incident demonstrated that the lobbyists from Aipac were, in his words, ‘extremely effective’ on Capitol Hill. “According to members of Congress, Aipac is one of the most successful lobbies on Capitol Hill . . .” Oscars Under Pressure From Jewish Groups Over Film’s Origin http://www.eightballmagazine.com/diatribes/volume02/039/792.html “The Israeli government along with some U.S. Jewish groups are actually pressuring Oscar organizers from saying that a film [“Paradise Now”] being nominated for a best foreign film Oscar this year is from Palestine.” Unafraid to tackle other issues, Jewish groups avoid Iraq war http://floridajewishnews.com/News/National/Unafraid_to_tackle_other_issues,_Jewish_groups_avoid_Iraq_war_20070323999/ “This year, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the consensus-driven public relations arm of the Jewish community, took on handgun violence and efforts to stymie gay marriage . It also came out against some tax cuts, a third rail in the donor-driven non-profit world.” Then, we have the case of the successful campaign by Jewish groups to get the play, “My Name is Rachel Corrie”, banned from the New York theater. The play tells the story of Rachel Corrie, the American peace-activist killed by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza. efforts to stymie gay marriage Shall I go on?

Herb of preference: mushrooms or weed? “Keep your elbow up!"

That's what they all tell me. “Keep your elbow up!"

Well whaddaya know. Last look it was 13,999. 13971.55 as of end of trading today. BFD. We're almost back to 2000. If you drink Jim Jones-flavored KoolAid everything is just grrrrrraate!

Something to consider: the concept of purchasing power parity of the Dow. On a purchasing power basis the Dow isn't even where it was in 2000. To figure what level the Dow needs to be at in order to achieve the same purchasing power parity as the 2000 Dow just follow this link to the Federal Reserve and find their inflation calculator (left side). http://www.minneapolisfed.org/Research/data/us/calc/index.cfm Enter 11,723 for a starting value (2000). Put in 2007 for an end date. Using the Fed's own calculator of inflation, the Dow would have to hit nearly 14,000 to match the 2000 Dow peak. Bear in mind, that's assuming the Fed's figure of around 2% inflation. Dubious at best. Some sharp-pencil guy named John Williams has recreated M3 (since the gov't stopped publishing this over a year ago). http://www.shadowstats.com/cgi-bin/sgs/data These "alternative" stats would suggest that consumer price inflation and the M3 money supply are much higher than the "official" numbers. Backing these higher inflation numbers into the mix would give you a Dow of over 17,000 to reach 2000 parity. IMHO all that excess liquidity (dollar inflation) and the flight from real estate--not to mention the "gold rush" CNBC mentality of the markets lately--have invigorated the equities markets. I could be wrong, though. FYI: "monetary inflation" is the *cause* of "price inflation". Higher prices are just the *effect*. [You now know more about inflation than than 99% of your friends]

Gotta chime in: Netflix rocks! TV: (recent) House Everybody Loves Raymond (older) CSI:Miami Northern Exposure X-Files Star Trek: The Next Generation 3rd Rock From The Sun The Honeymooners Movies (in no particular order): Memoirs Of A Geisha The Illusionist Syriana Fried Green Tomatoes Thelma And Louise The Hunt For Red October Life As A House Nell Total Recall Deep Impact American Beauty Fargo Being John Malkovitch Sideways The Secret Of Roan Inish The Commitments Office Space The Island The Good Shepherd Being There The DaVinci Code Oceans Eleven Gattica Unforgiven Outlaw Josie Wales The Pianist Little Miss Sunshine Shine Million Dollar Baby Blood Simple The Tailor Of Panama Frida Dances With Wolves Coyote Waits In The Name Of The Father Forrest Gump The Shawshank Redemption The Green Mile In The Line Of Fire The Quiet American Sexy Beast Terminator II The Abyss Gladiator Cool Hand Luke L.A. Story Groundhog Day My Cousin Vinny They Live Donnie Darko Tombstone Scent Of A Woman Rio Bravo Billy Elliot The Silence Of The Lambs Memphis Belle A Christmas Story (Ralphie's) American Pie Road Trip Highlander

I'm not sure if Arizona even has net metering. It was a moot subject in my case: I'm completely off the grid. There's no phone lines, sewer, water or AC out here--you're own your own. We did get a nice rebate check from APS for about $4000 ($2/watt) after our system was up. Some people have the luxury of being able to sell back their generated AC. That's nice, but everyone's scenario is different. Mine was a desire for energy independence and flat out necessity. We were also able to bundle all the infrastructure into our mortgage.

This just in from my undercover, super-secret Chinese operative bussing tables at Lee's China House: Captain Wangius: "We will pass through the American patrols, past their sonar nets, and lay off their largest city, and listen to their rock and roll... while we conduct missile drills."

9 out of 10 times, solar is more cost-effective than wind. Few places in the world are suitable for wind as the primary energy production mode. [As my solar guy says: forget wind and put your money into buying more solar panels]. I've been running a 2kW solar array with 1100 amphour battery storage and a Subaru gas-powered backup generator since late `05. Wood-burning stove helps in the winter, too. Total cost around $23K and I have all the comforts of life in the "big city". I don't live in a passive solar, earthship, straw bale or anything exotic either--just a modern manufactured home. We replaced all bulbs with CF and use energy-efficient appliances and "toys" as much as possible--although that's still a work-in-progress. BTW, some of the better wind turbines are very low noise, but there's still the tower to contend with and the unappreciative neighbors (God--I'm so glad I live in the country) Here's a good place to get schooled on the off-grid stuff: http://homepower.com/

Make a really yummy-looking Poor Boy sandwich, Chili, hamburger, spaghetti sauce, etc. Put about a tablespoon of powdered habanero pepper in it--or just squirt some bear repellant into it. Ayykarumba!! That'll rock his foodswiping world!! I once put some Neet hair remover into a bottle of shampoo for a scammin' roomie who was into my shower toiletries, too. No more problems after that. "Payback: it's fun--and tastes great, too!!"