trinacriabob

Tammy Faye Bakker

Consider yourself lucky, Z. The greater NY area has a commendable transit system. America's second city got on board with one in the mid-90s (absurd) and it is nowhere near adequate for where it needs to go such that Angelenos, except for the poorest ones, continue to live in their cars.

You're not kidding!At one time, my Dad owned both a 76 Olds Cutlass Supreme with the 350 V8 and a 76 Buick Regal with the 231 ( 3.8 ) V6. My God, the difference in smoothness and engine sound was unbelievable. The V8 moved with a confident whoosh while the V6 sounded like it was farting. Not only that, it did shake at idle because of the lack of offsets in the crank that were later introduced. (That little engine has gone from 110 hp and shaking like it was in front of a firing squad all the way to 205 hp as a normally-aspirated product...what a chronology).

Yo, O.C., you have an opinion on everything! Do you like the GP (since this is what this thread is about?)

I just looked up the "Freedom of the Seas" in both Wikipedia and on their own web site. Northie, it is supremely ugly. I initially thought the new QM2 was pudgy compared to her sleeker stablemate, the older QE2. However, when compared to the new QM2, it's like the Freedom of the Seas is a Chevy Malibu Maxx and the QM2 is a Grand Prix. The "Freedom of the Seas" is NOT a pretty ship.

One thing I read is that it fell a few KM shy of a Japanese speed record. Still, it's impressive. Los Angeles to Las Vegas ought to be a prime contender for such service. They've talked about it for as long as I can remember. Maybe they are worried about too many rattlesnakes and coyotes getting spooked...

Wow! Must be an Oregon thing! Actually my parents are domiciled in Oregon, but I'm south (yeah, one of those) and I quit my job, too. I resigned on January 10 with 2 weeks notice. Wound up staying until the end of February.Always thought that being an architect would be the greatest thing since sliced bread. It wasn't (for me, at least). I worked for some jerk-o outfits. I worked at this last one for 3 years. The first 2 years were great as I had the best of the firm's partners to work for. When he and a handful of others left to start their own firm, I had to contend with some of the remaining partners and I then understood why the "cream of the crop" left. The remaining partners are jerks. In fact, their leaving caused many others to leave within the next 6 months. Out of 42 people, I would say 18 to 20 have left since January 2006! The big gift is that I left them was a nice difficult high-profile project (for a jerk partner I was assigned to) without a qualified project manager. What I did do is simply not work any overtime since October and, whithin my rigidly metered 40 hours, I had to take care of some of my own projects/clients, so it put this project at 28 to 30 hours a week of time. It realistically needed about 60 man hrs. every week. Oh well, and they had no clue I was going to school at night and preparing to say "adios." Should be done with an evening graduate business degree in mid-May. It's in a track for which I have a professional certification (that I put up on the shelf) since I had majored in business while first in college. You know, it may not be as glamorous and you can't walk through your finished building, but, sheez, I remember it being much easier for the same amount of income. Good luck with all your changes. BTW, what ever happened to the Intrigue you were selling? Or, I must have forgotten if you reported it.

What lot size are you on right now? From the multi-car photo you posted, it looks like you have a good spread of land. When I owned in ATL, I had .48 acre at my house which is unheard of in LA where lots are about 6000 to 8000 sf on the typical cookie-cutter home. And, in ATL, I had an ATL zip code, so I was in town but the yardwork consumed WAY too much time (I know that's not an issue for you). The next time I move, I want the house to be on a small lot since I want to be less married to a property. In ATL, they call these "cluster homes." Funny, because a "cluster home" lot is an absolutely normal sized residential lot in Southern California.

Good! That's a good analogy. The Chinese LaCrosse looks like a Sable up front and like an Altima from the rear. I like the American version that is coming up next MY better, though I would have held back on making the grille THAT bold. As for the interior, the Chinese interior is nicer IMO. I like the center stack more. Furthermore, if that's in-dash ignition I see, I like it all the more. So, it's a split decision.

Is this in Champaign or Circle Campus? No...seriously? I walked home from the campus to West Champaign for 3 years in all kinds of weather.Yeah, I went to U of Ill. for a typical daytime program and went to U W at night for an evening degree for working folks. These must have been done by the same person and in a concentrated area. When they get these people, they need to pay in a big way (throw away the key).

imposter

I look at my web home page and there's a link to "campus shooting." Unbelievable: it's at the University of Washington in Seattle More unbelievable: in the Architecture Building They weren't students, per se, but it was a murder-suicide between a research associate and a man who was obviously obsessed with her. One of thinks of smug, morose, safe Nordic Seattle and this is hard to believe. On the South End, maybe. But on the UW campus? I rarely visit the place as I want to forget the school experience there. However, if I ever do, it will be creepy.

I lived in a LaCrosse CX for a week. Under normal driving, it was quiet enough and very pleasant. It's quieter than previous Buicks I've driven or owned. Let's face it, all OHV V6s, be they Buick, Chevy or Ford/DCX, have a sound that is different from that of a V8 and, under acceleration, a muffled exhaust note will display this sound to you. If you want to notice a difference within the GM ranks, take a basic GP V6 out for a spin and hit the gas. When you come back to the Buick, you will inevitably think it's quiet. Other than that, I don't know what to say.

Good, except for your gratuitous homosexual overtones which are an inextricable part of everything you do and say! :AH-HA_wink:

Las Vegas

What if they are big Germanic hefers with broad shoulders and thick ankles, you still wanna kiss them? (Remember, German girls in America are put together differently from German girls in the Motherland...I'm sure you know).

Wow. I went to 16 years of Catholic school (grammar + HS + bachelor's degree). Nothing ever happened to me. Agreed - this thing has been a black eye for the church. I seriously think that priests ought to be able to be married and that women should be admitted to the priesthood. (Our two closest allies, the Episcopals and/or the Greek Orthodox) allow these things. In grammar school, I just did my work. In high school, one could actually talk to them. In college, the few teachers that were priests or nuns treated you like an adult and were wonderfully helpful and easy to talk to. In fact, I have one priest friend in Portland, who transferred there from the Northeast, that is so "salt of the earth" and commonsensical, that I call him up and take him to lunch when I go up to there to visit my Mom to get his feedback on things.On the flip side, I don't have a uniform respect for the clergy. I have met some bad apples. When I lived in ATL, I went to a monied parish on the north side. Every one of the priests was as much of a jerk as the parishioners. It made me puke. I have also experienced some gross inconsistencies at confession as to the reaction I've gotten for some "transgressions." I don't know. I am ok with the content of the faith. I am NOT that ok with the bureaucracy and dogma that accompanies the Catholic Church. But, in reality, I think other religions would suit me even less. I just try to choose Catholic parishes and events that suit my sense of what is "correct." The Catholic church erred gravely with how the molestations were handled. A lot of people are mad. The Archdiocese of Portland OR has declared bankruptcy, as have others. Contributions and being named as beneficiaries of estate plans are way down because people don't want their money going to lawyers to defend these suits. Can you blame them?

A little early for the question for some, but mine is all planned already. And, no, I am not a kid, so I can afford to do this. I recently quit my full-time job to spend the final 6 weeks tending to a graduate business degree for which I overloaded on credits and ought to be done in mid-May. I am moving out of my apartment and taking my crap to Portland to store it. I leave for Europe in mid-June and come back in early-August. Holding down a full time job and tending to this degree at night for almost 3 years made me say: SABBATICAL! Schedule: Florence (IT) (arrival at relatives only) Sicily (IT) Porto, Portugal Madeira Island, Portugal Gran Canaria Island, Spain Valencia, Spain Sardinia (IT) with cousins Bavaria in Germany Venice (IT) and surrounding areas Florence (IT)(prepare for departure back to states) Rest of August: chill September: go look for a job in a new field

I swear, WMJ, you are the resident titty freak on this site! Are you sure your name isn't Nick? You know: Nick the Greek, the titty freak. Aw, never mind!

Of your additions, this is the most compelling. I think you have to hit birthday 30 to come to this conclusion. It's so damn true. I did ask someone about this, and they did say that relocation has validity when the "old place" is laced with trigger points. This could be someone who is dealing PTSD or has been abused. A move will help but not eliminate this as "wherever you go, there you are." Incidentally, it also applies to people who have had run-of-the-mill negative experiences that weren't a party to the above situations.Others I love/like: What goes around comes around. Water seeks its own level. He who lives by the sword perishes by the sword.

I was very receptive to the Aura and went to check one or two out at the Saturn dealership. They were very nice and respectful. Just based on sitting in it, I didn't like it. The quality of the fabric was just "eh" and the cabin felt cramped. I'm not even that tall. Therefore, I didn't even proceed to test driving it.

Richard Simmons (Weeeeeeee!...as in aerobics tone you)

Wow! Amazing that I have thought the same thing! My family is intact as a traditional immigrant nuclear Italian Catholic family. It doesn't mean they have it together and their penchant for high theatrics and drama certainly has brought about some inefficiencies in my life. Since 1996, I have been going back to Italy nearly every year as I finally decided as an adult "Hey, just go." Let me tell you, it has been a discovery trip(s). I am able to see all my first-cousins on BOTH sides, see how they were raised and see the family dynamics that I was previously unaware of. It's been like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. A lot of it is NOT good. As a result, each successive trip has been LESS family and MORE vacationing in new places in Portugal, Spain and Italy to spend less time with them. It's my Goddamn vacation that I wait 1 year for, after all!

Tres bonne! Vous avez de la chance! J'ai loue' un Grand Prix la semaine derniere a Las Vegas.L'annee prochaine, j'acheterai la LaCrosse ou la GP. Je ne sais pas, encore. Mais j'acheterai les versionnes basiques. Pour la Grand Prix, je voudrais l'exterieur blanche avec l'interieur/les tessuts noire. Quelle coloeur avez vous choisissez pour la GXP? Fotos tout suite, s'il vous plait!

:rotflmao: That's cool. I've been to the Vatican a total of 5 times or so, including one climb to the top of the cupola which is a must. Never got to see the Pope. In fact, with today being Palm Sunday, I had written down Mass on my daily schedule. Then, I thought about the 2 hour factor. I said nah. I'll dutifully eat fish next Friday night, be good and go to Easter Mass. Glad to hear you're having an awesome time. This is something that makes for a lifetime of memories. Study abroad for us (U of Ill goes to Versailles, outside of Paris) wasn't compelling because it extended the time in school, derailed me from in-state tuition, and all the jerks in my class were going. Plus, I had lived in Europe between 4 and 8. But your stories all kick-ass!