RMK

What would be the proper title for the "first husband" should the US ever elect a female president? "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I'm liking your new Bob Marley avatar. Rasta man; one people. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

When Hillary Clinton becomes the next US President, I'm certain she'll see that dogs don't have access to loaded weapons. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Yes, just winding them up and adding a little levity to our political discourse. From what started as a "dog shooting gun" thread is probably now only a post or two from World War II references. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Be careful with them "shootin irons" [Arkansas Democrat Gazette]:”Two local men were injured when their pickup truck left the road and struck a tree near Cotton Patch on State Highway 38 early one Monday. Thurston Poole, 33, of Des Arc, and Billy Ray Wallis, 38, of Little Rock, were returning to Des Arc after a frog-gigging trip. On an overcast Sunday night, Poole’s pickup truck headlights malfunctioned. The two men concluded that the headlight fuse on the older-model truck had burned out. A replacement fuse was not available, but Wallis noticed that the 22 caliber bullet from his pistol fit perfectly into the fuse box next to the steering-wheel column. Upon inserting the bullet the headlights again began to operate properly, and the two men proceeded eastbound toward the White River Bridge. After traveling approximately 20 miles, and just before crossing the river, the bullet apparently overheated, discharged, and struck Poole in the testicles. The vehicle swerved sharply right, exiting the pavement and striking a tree. Poole suffered only minor cuts and abrasions from the accident, but will require extensive surgery to repair the damage to his testicles, which will never operate as intended. Wallis sustained a broken clavicle and was treated and released. ‘Thank God we weren’t on that bridge when Thurston shot his balls off, or we might both be dead,’ stated Wallis. ‘I’ve been a trooper for 10 years in this part of the world, but this is a first for me. I can’t believe that those two would admit how this accident happened,’ said the investigating officer. On being notified of the wreck, Lavinia Poole (Poole’s wife – the other half of any offspring’s genome) asked how many frogs the boys had caught and whether anyone had gotten them from the truck! "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

You got me; I agree. I should have used another adjective/euphemism for the type of person I was making reference to. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

That’s the core of the problem with your worldview. I lived in the US for over 15 years – South and North. I also lived for a few years in Asia. Think of the thought behind the quote: "What do they know of England who only England know" - Rudyard Kipling Your viewpoint of a country is much more insightful if you’ve seen it both as an insider and outsider. People saying they’re not scared, when they have to keep guns in their vehicle, bedsides and under their pillows? They’re scared of something. I’m not totally against guns. I’ve owned several semi-autos when I lived in the US. I just don’t think it makes for pleasant society if every halfwit with $200 in his pocket can carry one. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Europe is far from perfect, however in the last 20+ years living here, I've never once thought I was in danger of someone pulling a gun on me. I've actually had a gun pulled on me in the US. The primary point is to highlight the fact that such an idiotic event is a result of the laissez-faire approach to firearms and firearm safety in the US. Getting shot by a two-year child or a dog seems to be something America is “we’re Number 1” in. What does liberal/conservative have to do with a getting shot by a dog? I’m guessing in your mind Obama is somehow at fault for accidental shootings by dogs. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Search how many instances of dogs accidentally shooting people in Europe - you won't find any. I just saw 5 separate examples in the US in just a few clicks. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Not toddlers this time; it's their dogs. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/18/dog-shoots-man-wyoming_n_6348650.html It’s not surprising that in the US some Billy Bob Redneck has left a loaded gun near a dog romping about and been accidentally shot: What’s more interesting is that it’s not really an uncommon occurrence. The article links to other instance (click to story on Florida incident) then references a story on similar Utah incident. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Yes, that's correct; you will see a lot, but the old American cars are a minority. I stayed at the Hotel Parque Central Havana (which is the nicest hotel in Old Town Havana. Only after speaking with our drivers did I find that the nicest old cars that took tourists out were actually owned by the hotel and they paid the drivers. I had planned on using Skype via the hotel wifi, only to find that Skype is not allowed in Cuba. Not a great problem as the hotel wifi (though reputed to be the fasted in Cuba) was quite slow. Here's a pic below that shows a nice old vintage car, but look at the row of cars in the background. Under the bonnet (err...I mean hood) power was by Hyundai. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I was there recently; they don't stamp anyone's passports - you get an extra slip of paper. There's full checks with photos taken (even babies). Even as a Brit, we can't use any credit card that is distinctly American (no Amex, no foreign issued Citi, not even Virgin Credit Cards as they are MBNA). I found the Cuban people very friendly and welcoming. Go visit now, before they open it up to Americans Regarding the old American cars, everyone that I wrode in had had its engine replaced with a Japanese engine - so much for the made in America. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I thought 4K video was supposed to produce near 8MB frame grabs. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Grow's out of my disdain for those arguing points and holding dogmatic assumptions about topics they don't understand or places/cultures they've never visited or experienced first hand - along the same lines as your prior posts re "Foreigners" and Europe. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

How many years have you ever lived in Chicago? What's the longest that you have visited Chicago. I've lived in New York, Chicago and also many years an American "standard issue" Southern Hick Town where everyone loves Jesus, guns and fried food. Small town America is not a Norman Rockwell painting; it's more of an example of reverse Darwinism. In your average sub 10,000 population town, the best and brightest get out as soon as they can, leaving behind the detritus that builds up over generations. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

My bad; you got me. I didn't read the part where it said TGI Fridays UK. When the UK copies something that is already bad in American, we never fail to make it much worse. Like British people dressing in American western wear and line dancing - it's just wrong. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

American chain restaurants are generally soulless places and not exactly easily confused with Michelin-starred establishments. However, this takes the "classless" number far beyond what a group of button-wearing happy birthday singing waitstaff can do: http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/tgi-fridays-mistletoe-drones-want-you-to-pucker-up/ I would bitchslap the manager if someone flew a drone over my table while I was dining. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Obama. Obama is black. I zoomed in on your avatar pic - you're not black. (please correct me if I am mistaken) "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

if one person makes accusations; maybe lets have a discerning look. if three/four/five unrelated people make the same or similar accusations; we may have something here. My advice to young woman visiting the Cosby household on their own - I'd decline Bill's offer of glass of wine. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Your posts usually leave me puzzled/amused, but I'm curious how O'Reilly and yourself have a better understanding of what it's like to grow up as a black man - than say ...an actual black man. Bad people come in all colours. WTF, O'Reilly's ramblings go into to blaming it on rap music. Rap music wouldn't be big business to start with if not being followed/purchased mostly by white suburban kids. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Nice pics. Do you use a polarising filter or are these shots just straight lens. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

In the full show I believe there were 5 chicks; only two survived. Natural selection is definitely at work, however evolution is a "work in progress" - I'd say it needs a few thousand more years to work out the kinks. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Yes, of course you water your Christmas tree. You also use a proper German-engineered Christmas tree stand http://christbaumstaender.krinner.com/ which has a water level indicator - those crafty Germans. I call Blasphemy at the above choice of "not believing in Santa"; he's real, lives at the North Pole and has eight reindeer (not counting Rudolph). Don't tick that box, because he's watching who's been naughty and who's been nice. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I just Googled the gimbal you mentioned. That's pretty cool (not for attaching to a skydiving helmet), but pretty cool nonetheless: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmR0cL_S734 "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

It is a sham. I went to school and university in the US. I remember in my freshman year taking a free elective class that was either fun or physical-education oriented. We had a few guys from the football team in the class. It was blatantly obvious that it was all just a set-up for them. Speaking with them, I remember one (actually an intelligent guy) telling me that he was limited from choosing classes on his own due to the football team. Yes, they were at the same university as the rest of us, but they weren’t really in “school”. Priorities start to go awry in US high schools where your average little “hick” town puts more of its limited resources towards the “Friday Night Lights” than they do towards books, supplies or teachers. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"