trinacriabob

You mean "do you want CHIPS with that?" C'mon, give it a rest, what would do without these smug inbreds to make fun of? They're an eccentric lot. Not everybody can be German...I mean Italian.... They do build a beautiful ship, though. Here's a pic I got of the QE2 from the 25th floor of the Radisson Montevideo Uruguay (less than $100, with buffet breakfast) while on vacation in South America during Thanksgiving Week 2005. I didn't even know it was there, went up to the 25th floor for the breakfast buffet and saw it from the windows. I bolted out of there like a "bat out of hell" to get my new digital camera in my room. Probably have 30 pictures of the whole "entrance sequence." Here's one:

Happy Birthday, in green and woodsy North Carolina!

ritual

Moltie, the New York to Southhampton transatlantic "shuttle" is now handled by QM2. The newer QV will be more of a specialty ship, geared more for cruises, but has some transatlantic voyages in her calendar. However, if you decide to go transantlantic, you most likely will get to go on QM2, which is enormous.

Yeah, PCS, you're so "virginal."

arthritis

Something like a virgin in (Arkansas, or insert name of location) being someone who can outrun her brothers?

Thank top-of-the-heap American, and developed world, greed for making this happen...Enron, WaMu, etc. etc. Think of how many people are hurt by the actions of a few, and this is coming from someone who started out in the college of business administration....

That's why we like you, O.C., because you wear your heart on your sleeve. But, this is cyberspace, so it doesn't matter. Act differently in matters of the heart in the REAL world.

I didn't know. But I'm glad you got something soon afterward. I think that, when the economy turns, people will be moving to jobs better aligned with their needs and desires. I'm hoping that's the case.

I will miss the QE2. So will millions of others. I sailed on her out of NY going transatlantic once. It's something you will never, ever forget....the tugs pulling her out of the Hudson River pier, passing the WTC and the Statue of Liberty, and clearing the Verrazzano bridge. Last month, she left NY for her last crossing to the UK. She then left Southhampton (England) on Nov. 11 to make her last trip to Dubai where she will become an entertainment venue/hotel. On the 13th, she was in Lisbon...the 14th Gibraltar...the 16th Rome (port of Civitavecchia)...the 17th Naples...and the 18th Valletta (Malta). She will never moor in Europe again, as she heads for Egypt, the Suez Canal, and lastly, Dubai. As a kid, I got to see her come into the port of Los Angeles for the first time they took her on a World Cruise. She came in with the fireboats spraying, as is typical for a maiden arrival and this, too, was unforgettable. You can see the photos and the final departure here: QE2 photo montage and last departure from UK

I wonder what Sigmund Freud might write about you... My response to thread: Delaware Water Gap

cannoli (with cream filling and chocolate shavings)

I like their dashboard. A lot like the Regal's in that they have the "ravine" and uninterrupted cowl going across the top. Nice. Also, better with the console. As can be expected, I liked the interior in burgundy. And I liked those that the had the tweed-like bucket seats. I think those were an "up" model. What cracks me up is the occasional early 90s Lumina with the 2.5 L 4 cylinder. Lots of space under the hood. I think the base model may have even come WITHOUT A/C. Any knowledge as to how the 2.5 L 4 cyl. Luminas have held up, mileage wise?

Guidos

Frank Sinatra

I used to do this more often, but still do it every now and then. It's peaceful, though you can't inside the vehicle. Oftentimes, I don't want to drive it, anyway. I can always rent the cars I like. I thought about asking my C&G friends what they thought of this, after visiting a nearby auto mall last night. Actually, it's one of the larger ones and is arranged around a "ring road." If you enter late at night, there is a security booth and he appears to jot down license plate numbers as you drive in and out. Makes sense, I guess. I know some of our resident salespeople, Carbiz, Newbiewar, The O.C. and !!!Ted!!! wouldn't appreciate this, but sometimes it kind of cool to "press your thumbs" onto the car's windows and kind of study it with no one around. Do you do this?

Sorry to hear that. In addition to aggravating, it's also kind of eerie....that someone has trespassed your space. Isn't your city one of the second-tier ones in your state? I guess it happens everywhere. When I was in my last year of grad school in Champaign IL, I "splurged" to live in a nice apartment complex with parking under the building and gate access. I get either a knock on the door or something in the mail from the Champaign police department to testify or come to a hearing...great, while in grad school. Turns out this small-time criminal dork was caught going into my Cutlass in the parking garage underneath and taking change from the ashtray. He plead guilty, or was going to plead guilty, so they then told me I didn't have to go. Hope you are able to get over the negative experience. Ideally, they will catch that mo-fo if he's casing that parking lot...

The double Big Mac? Oh yeah, as if 540 calories and over 50% of your saturated fat intake from the standard Big Mac isn't enough...funny. Linda Tripp got some serious plastic surgery and a makeover...it's a "start." She was a veritable fright...a "three-bagger"...a "coyote arm" waiting to happen...

Kansas

I hope that's not the case, since you have a neat job. And, Mikey, I'm sorry to hear that. It always seems like the jobs/careers we don't like are steady and the jobs/careers we like aren't. Many states (at least a dozen) were not able to balance their budgets this year, with California being the most imbalanced in this regard. I hope this bad cycle shakes out. It will but, in the meantime, it really sucks.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

steady

squaw

ahem....Liberty fries response to thread: liberty