Gawain

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Everything posted by Gawain

  1. Any pics from the surgery or pics of your scar? So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  2. I would look into a used Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. You won't sacrifice much in terms of ride quality, build quality or gas mileage (even with V-6 engines, but the 4-cylinder engines are pretty impressive). You will lose that "thrust" of torque that Audi's are known for. If you really think you'll miss on the German craftsmanship, you might consider a smaller used 3-series, or a Volkswagen Passat. The other suggestions of Subarus are good too, I think they're well made, nice driving vehicles, though whenever I drove one, even with a light touch, I've never seen them deliver on the fuel economy one expects (YMMV I guess). If you must have all-wheel-drive, then Subaru would be at the top of my list. At your price point however, the used-car/truck market is vast. Lots of full-size crew-cab 4x4 trucks and SUVs as well as well-appointed "family hauler" SUVs like Honda Pilots, Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, et al...happy shopping if thats the way you choose to go. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  3. " I'm sure it's only a glitch. A temporary setback." Yeah, if you can't see that at a minimum as "black" humor, then you're taking life way too seriously. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  4. If you want just action...try the new "The A-Team" or "From Paris with Love". Loved them both, plain action, not trying to win awards. Good stuff. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  5. All the best to you as you pause to take care of this minor annoyance BIGUN! So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  6. 45TB available? What kind of gear do you have heating your home? So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  7. No shit, there is an app for smart-phones that intervenes and forces you to enter a code before sending what could be a drunk rant to a boss or girlfriend/boyfriend, etc. Works for emails, SMS, MMS, etc...certainly there is something for the laptop/desktop somewhere... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  8. Tool has some great videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9ZX2rqjSZE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhjG47gtMCo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07pLGIgyfjw Not sexy, but visually...um...well, in my opinion, stunning. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  9. Not according to Amazon, she will tell you that AT&T is far superior in every way. How bout a review http://dvice.com/archives/2011/01/counterpoint-wh.php#more ( And no... I did not write it) You can only claim that because the ITU changed their definitions of the "4G" to include HSPA+ (which is what AT&T's "3G" network is, and is spotty)...so, which would you rather have, 3Mbps part time or 768kbps full time...and it's done. By the way, a rant does not make any claims that AT&Ts network is better and the first feedback is a guy telling him he sucks...lmao! So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  10. Oh great, not another one! Damn lawyer on the BBM says that to me almost every day! Except if you say it here too much, you might get banned.... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  11. BlackBerry Messenger. It's cool. It rocks. If you don't have a BlackBerry, you won't understand. If you have some other "lesser" device, you understand but console yourself in thinking, "I don't need that, I have all these apps and stuff and AIM..." All told, BBM puts all other IM clients (whether mobile or otherwise) to shame. My PIN is 324DE66D for anyone that wants in... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  12. ...might just see their wish granted (announced) on Tuesday in Times Square in NYC. For years, analysts, insiders, trolls, poseurs and the like have been hypothesizing when AT&T's exclusive agreement with Apple is up, and they've been wrong each and every time. Even the Wall Street Journal is out-and-out saying it - Tuesday is the announcement (without citing a source other than "someone familiar with the matter"). Personally, the iPhone is not my cup of tea. But, this is a big deal in the US market. For those wondering if VZW would suffer the issues that AT&T bore the brunt of over the past few years, the answer is "no". Android users for about the past 9-plus months have surpassed iPhone users in data consumption and the network hasn't even hiccuped. It's simply a capacity and technology issue and CDMA/EV-DO runs circles around GSM/EDGE/HSPA even if it isn't as fast. Having said all that, I think it will be funny as all hell if this announcement ends up being for something else...like more Droid stuff or HP WebOS stuff simply because it's been thoroughly entertaining seeing the rumor mills over the years. I'm also not convinced that AT&T's exclusive agreement is up, and given the activations that one device gives them, I have real trouble believing they would give it up unless someone wrote them a super fat check with lots-n-lots of zeros on it...like "eleventy-bazillion dollars"... So, for those that have been waiting and haven't caught the word: 1/11/11 at 11am eastern...(how clever)... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  13. Dude, just tell the truth, you've been hamming it up with us in the BBM group non-stop through all the holidays and you forgot about this place... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  14. Understood. Yes, clearly some airports have changed them. That's not contested. What IS contested is what FORCED this change and why does it take so long to implement. It didn't change over night. In fact, these changes are tracked year-to-year and can be easily forecast. Last month the planes flew in and everything was fine. If nothing changed, it wouldn't be raining aluminum. You mention radials changing 2 or 3 degrees over decades. Completely understandable. Runways, as you're aware, are only vaguely named to the nearest 10° magnetic heading and even then there's no actual requirement to do so. Here, look at this and explain the numbering of runways 25L&R and 24L&R. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=lax&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Los+Angeles+International+Airport+(LAX),+1+World+Way,+Los+Angeles,+California+90045&ll=33.94279,-118.407984&spn=0.02307,0.037551&t=h&z=15 These runways are all parallel yet numbered differently and nobody is confused by the minor differences. In fact, it makes it easier. What I'm saying is . . . there's more to the story than we're being told. Something like the money had been allocated to the state and was going to be forfeited if not used so the project was rushed through at the last minute. That might explain why the airport wouldn't have all the signs and associated whatnot in place for an overnight change rather than the weeklong shutdown. I'm not claiming to be an authority on naming runways, I understand the number/letter scheme, but to your point: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/tech_ops/read.main/188249/ It does seem like there's quite a bit of leeway for airports to handle this. I understand your point about a week long shut down of a runway when if this could be forecast, the change could be made in a day or two (at least enough time to let the paint dry...). I'd have to agree with you...something's afoot...and it probably is a last minute funding thing or, maybe the contractor that's doing the work was able to provide a value-add proposal or something... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  15. Gawain

    Sorry ...

    "Billy Vance doesn't f**king listen."...I love that line!! So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  16. Mike - This is what I'm talking about: Car and Driver says to expect 30 city, 41 highway, 34 combined for this model. I understand the whole "Your mileage may vary." concept, but that's so large a variation as to make the number worthless for estimating my actual mileage. Besides, with diesel costing so much more than gasoline these days, it hardly seems worth it to go that direction. But thanks for the info. I've been subscribing to Car and Driver since the early 80s, and I know this - they have very, very, very heavy feet...hard to lift on the gas pedal. Also bear in mind that they may be testing "tester" vehicles or outright "new" vehicles where the mileage isn't as good anyway. It goes back to what I wrote before, the new standards are better, but they still aren't what I would call accurate. It's an impossible task anyway. Measuring the potential gas mileage for a vehicle whose buyer is in the plains versus one who lives in the mountains of Montana, you're easily looking at a 50%+ spread in the difference in efficiency. C&D tests most of their cars in Michigan and California. Their performance data is pretty good, but to relay that as what will translate to your experience is, well, "your mileage will vary." So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  17. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  18. They changed the ratings scheme a couple years ago, and it effectively dropped the ratings for all vehicles. The newer ratings are more realistic compared to what used to be in place. I won't say these new ratings are totally accurate, but they are a wholesale departure better than the old scheme (which was completely unrealistic), and can be a reasonable expectation of what you may get if your right shoe isn't made of cast-iron and slamming the accelerator. While the CAFE regulations are going up, the requirements on cars is getting more difficult, all the extra safety gadgets add a lot of weight, which saps fuel economy. If Honda could introduce a CRX-HF again, they wouldn't need a hybrid. If Toyota could begin rebuilding a Paseo, they wouldn't need a Yaris. If Chevrolet could get away with a Chevette, they wouldn't be building a Volt, but safety standards reign supreme. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  19. Well, it's Air Force, a different culture from what I've seen in the Army. For comparison sake, what is your rank/grade and what is hers? I've seen plenty of seasoned NCOs tell officers in the Army politely, but distinctly to "f**k off" when that officer was in the process of making a soup-sandwich (from LTC on down, full bird Colonels are obviously a different story). Now, I know that the officer corps in the Air Force is its own "blue mafia" of sorts, and that culture is hurting that branch badly. But if you have the stripes, even as an NCO, maybe E7 or higher, set her straight. There isn't anything she can really effectively do without taking up a lot of other people's time. If you're both officers, then I'd make damn sure you're set to challenge whatever evaluation she gives you (in the Army they're called OERs). If you're both NCOs then do the same thing. The rank is there for command and control, not for dick-in-ass - there is a difference. If it's a real problem, keep a log of activity and if it turns into a reflection of character and an intentionally biased review, then go to the IG. Thing is, if you choose this option, you'll have to be triple-OCD to keep everything straight, or you will burn yourself. In the end, if you're in for the long haul, use the opportunity as an example of how not to conduct yourself, and ride the wave until one of you gets their PCS orders for the next assignment. However, if she's driving you to work with SF (MPs for the rest of us), then I don't know man...last thing I'd want to do is work with MPs...*groan*...that's a sign that shit is bad dude (assuming you fly-boys dislike your SF/MPs as much as we did in Army)... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  20. Gawain

    Who reconises this

    Is it just me, or does that look like the snack/sandwich place at Elsinore?? So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  21. Congratulations to your daughter! I will offer their condolences or congratulations on the divorce, because sometimes it requires both or neither...so I will say this, I hope all those affairs are settled without any undue drama or BS. Best wishes through that ordeal. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  22. How many miles on your Scion? I'd pay it off and save some dough for a while. Not having a car payment is one of the best feelings in the world. If you must get a new car, then the only way to get what your Scion is worth is to do a private sale (autotrader.com is a great resource). Then your "new" car "should" be a used one anyway --- the market is so ripe with so many choice vehicles out there. If you take your time, you'll score a way better "deal" than what's being offered for that WRX and you won't take the depreciation hit. Seriously, take your time and hunt the market, especially with cars. I was in the market starting in August for a "new" pick-up and found a sweet '07 Silverado LTZ in October the low 20s (book mid-20s) and I negotiated an even lower price because I knew the thing was sitting on their lot since August and I had cash. If you can save enough after paying off your Scion, walking into a dealer with cash will put you in a way better negotiating position - not every dealer will bend over for it, but it helps, and if you don't get what you want, walk. The auto industry is in the toilet and while that new car price for a WRX is pretty good...I wouldn't take it, not when there are so many amazing opportunities for really high-quality used vehicles out there. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  23. That movie has the wrong title, it should have been called, "Shoot a Motherf**ker in the Head" Yeah, it's an awesome flick! So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  24. Bear in mind that all these rumors, from supposedly serious forward-looking Wall Street analysts who look at supply line orders, etc. of various component makers for Apple products have been 100% wrong in EVERY instance when they've guessed about Apple products coming to VZW. The closest they got was a couple months ago when VZW started selling iPads in their corporate stores. It has gotten to the point that I have more credibility about predicting when VZW might get an iPhone - I have a very good source too - iPhone is being released by VZW TOMORROW! Apparently Steve Jobs is going to ride a unicorn into an invisible Verizon warehouse (created by witches and warlocks of course), and hand deliver them. The best part, it wont be a phone for 4g LTE, its actually a 5G phone with speeds 100 times faster than LTE! I'll even leak the spec sheet! 4 inch screen 5 mp front facing camera 15 mp rear camera SUPER advanced AMOLED 3-d display 128 GB internal memory 2.6GHz dual core processor (copied from another site - in fairness to his/her humor) Truth is, neither AT&T or Apple have stated how long the exclusivity contract for the iPhone is. If it is a five year deal, then AT&T has one more year with the device as an exclusive. Even if it's a four year deal, that four years would be up the summer of 2011, and Apple has a method to their madness about introducing products the same time every year. Other factors to consider are the when VZW started selling the iPad, it wasn't even equipped with a CDMA/EV-DO chipset (like the 3G one available for use on AT&T's network. Instead, VZW sells it with the Mifi devices if you want internet access outside of established HotSpot wifi areas. Now, Apple has, in fact, been hiring CDMA and LTE-centric engineers, so it's clear that Apple wants to get business done with VZW (and vice-versa), but what progress has been made from that is anyone's guess. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!
  25. All the smartphones offered by Verizon have everything you listed, the main differentiating factor is the keyboard - physical versus on-screen; portrait versus landscape. If you do a lot of texting/IM-ing/email and desire a physical QWERTY keyboard, it is very hard to beat the design on a BlackBerry Bold 9650 - its keyboard is the gold standard. Its form factor is such that you just pick it up and start typing for the most part. The Motorola Droid Pro is also a portrait QWERTY keyboard, but the thin edges in my opinion make it difficult to be really productive on. If you want a physical landscape keyboard, the Motorola Droid 2 is pretty much your only option. It's it a capable device, but I find the Android OS to be too busy, and it's not nearly as productive as a BlackBerry. If you're not using it for work the Droid 2 will definitely get it done. Make sure you know what you're getting: There are two versions of the Droid 2 - The "Droid 2" and the Droid 2 Global". If you want a touch screen, but don't want a huge screen, the Droid Incredicble (built by HTC) is probably your best choice. Beyond that, there is the Motorola Droid X, and the Samsung Continuum, the Samsung Fascinate, the LG Vortex the Motorola CITRUS...lots of devices with "Android OS". Next thing to consider is your time-line and how soon you want/need to get a new device - there will be new devices rolling out on VZ from all the big players and platforms - BlackBerry, Android OS, WebOS (Palm/HP) and there's even a rumor that a Win Phone 7 device will be rolling out earlier than expected. Other items to consider - if security is a major concern then BlackBerry is your best option. If you'll be tying it in to a work email server, again Blackberry is your best option (assuming they have BES). If you want to take advantage of the "cloud" computing, then Android is a good option now, but Win Ph 7 takes it to a whole new level. If you want ease of use, then I think Blackberry is the best of the bunch. If price is an issue, the BlackBerry Curve 9330 is a killer deal at $50, and for the money, it's hard to find a more capable phone. If web-browsing is a priority, then pick any Android OS device over a BlackBerry (HOWEVER, once BlackBerry OS 6 is available on VZW, that won't be an issue anymore). If none of this matters and you want the absolute best whiz-bang-toy - with the latest processor, etc., and you got to "get it now" - then the Samsung Continuum or the Motorola Droid 2 Global are the latest and greatest. If you want to wait, the upcoming LG Tegra supposedly has a dual-core processor and will do 1080p video capture. Devices to avoid would be whatever current offerings for the Palm Pre Plus, or Palm Pixi Plus - the WebOS is really neat, but the hardware isn't up to the task. Also, don't bother with any old BlackBerry Tour 9630 (if it's still offered). In the end, you'll serve yourself well by going in to a VZW store and touching everything and giving it a good look over. I'm not objective, and recommend a BlackBerry (then you could join in on the BBMessenger DZ.com group...tons of fun!!). So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!