trinacriabob

PB, I don't know whether or not you will listen to my advice because I tend to flip you some $h! at every opportunity.First, this is your place of work. You need to think of the "what ifs" and what that could mean for your job. I assume you have obligations and the like. I have been propositioned several times in the workplace since the time I left college because people think of my laid-back goofiness as "safe"...by both chicks and guys, for that matter...and I shrug it off, never bring it up and go on as if it never happened so as to not taint the work relationship. Most recently, 2 girls who are pretty fresh out of college come into my office and "hang" there. One has asked me to come see her condo. I am uncomfortable with it for a couple of reasons - 1. we work together, and 2. the age difference. So, I just laugh at their comments and keep looking into my monitor and draft away as they talk to me, hoping they will diplomatically get the message. Second, are you and this co-worker already friends? Can you handle being friends with this person? There's nothing wrong with friendship. There's a lot to be said for it. Be cool. Now, I will definitely rent "40 yo Virgin." I've been wanting to see it.

I grew up in this kaleidoscopic multi-ethnic city, so my friend's parents, people in high school/college and neighbors provided fuel for the fire. Here's my list: Cuban - this is Ricky Ricardo talk, this is NOT a Mexican accent. I love it. It's my favorite. Iranian-Middle Eastern - perfected from LA experiences - make damn sure you leave out articles in front of nouns whenever possible. I once asked this Middle Eastern guy at a party where he was from. His response: "I leev een Bay Area." I had meant which country he came from, but that's ok. I can't drive through Concord on 680 without muttering that to myself. Southern - it's great and it can be so affected. I love those Southerners who call Dr. Laura and put the Christian bent in there ... when she's Jewish. Southernisms are great. OK, I won't use the "E" word, some African American street slang...with inflection. There are 2 guys I work with and we will go to lunch every other week at a pizza place we like and "ham" this one up in the car on the way over there and back as if it's a ritual. German - to some extent. It's so guttural....it's great. Remember Dr. Ruth? My hero. New York - one of my favorites. Perfected because just about every Italian and Jewish person who hung out with my parents in LA came from there...and never lost the accent. A co-worker who is from Port Washington L.I. says mine is a Jewish/Queens version. Accents I cannot do: Irish brogue, French, Australian, Minnesota/Scandinavian, New England

It's crEEk...as in Walnut Creek (where I wish I lived) Crick is Hick. Get over it.

I spell check EVERYBODY's posts. It's a "good time." People in my office use me to edit their memos, letters, etc. I guess it can be taken as a compliment.

I hope you're not talking to me. It doesn't seem like it.

Shouldn't be a surprise. The EPA sticker on 3400 Montes and Impalas has been 21/32 for several years. And it delivered that. On mine, the EPA sticker was 18/28 and that's what it returns. Keep in mind, that 1 or 2 mpg difference over a year make a minimal dent in your wallet. You should drive what you like.

Definitely not going down this route, but I don't think there's any harm in reading it so long as you don't abide by it. That would be a problem. My faith has an Old and a New Testament. If you look at it for fun or coincidence and live your life by what your religion dictates, then you should have nothing to worry about. Moving onward.

The first one sounds dumb. The second one is of interest to me as regfootball said it was good. The third one: never heard of it. What's it about? Report back.

Go, Sagittarius. We're leading thus far. I don't know if I believe in it. (I had a co-worker whose birthday fell on the same day, and year, and we had to work on a project together and it was NOT good. I am super organized and methodical and he was a slob.) However, it is weird that almost all of my friends are Sagittariuses and the other 2 signs belonging to the group called "fire signs": that would be Aries and Leo. And I sure as heck don't ask "What's your birthday so I can see if we can be friends?" As for the purported characteristics, Sagittariuses are supposed to be the most apt to travel (check), have the broadest assortment of friends (check), like people for what they are and not how they can benefit from them (check) and may change scenarios as they are commitment phobic (check). One time, I was read my chart based on planets and there was a line that said "You have an odd attraction to foreigners." Bring it on!!! I about fell out of my chair.

She's cute. Does she look like you, her Mom or a blend of both? It's always fun to see who kids end up resembling?

Croc - I'm glad you said it first. Me and a friend from YOUR state sat around once to look up the meaning of the word Hoosier. We found several meanings in dictionaries, the least flattering of which was "an ignorant rustic." It was good for a laugh. Seriously, though, I visited a friend at IU and ate as a guest in a graduate housing complex (meaning I had to pay because I wasn't on their plan). It was a Friday and there was cod. The lady behind the line, a townie or a Southern Indiana type, with the requisite bun hair in a net, looks at me and says: "You won feesh, eej ya?" I was dumbfounded. The words were actually: "You want fish, is you?" My friend who was from the area had to TRANSLATE. The other one I've heard is: "Hoosier daddy? Hoosier momma"?

It was good, but it wasn't great. Probably 26 to 27, mostly highway. I just didn't like it. On the other hand, I had an Impala with a 3400 that was repeatedly netting 32 to 33 on the open highway. Unbelievable for such a large sled. I like small displacement V8s, too. I just want the mileage from them. My favorite small V8 of all time was the super quiet and smooth Olds Rocket 260 V8 found primarily in Cutlass Supremes.

You're right. You're right. There was a 3.0 badge on the earliest FWD Centuries.

You'd better not! For someone who keeps his car as long as you do (I'm one to talk), you should L-O-V-E the 3800. It can also help you get into that entry-level Lucerne if cost is an issue. What happened to the LaX? Are you done with that? Seriously, folks, had to go to a meeting in a conference room at the Hilton which has a circular driveway and a porte cochere. There was a Lucerne there, under the lights. I came upon it in the rear 3/4 view. It looked good! It was in that light bronze color. Light years ahead ( )of the current LeSabre, which I thought was bland beyond belief.

You are so damn right. This one says it all. It really celebrates what Buick is all about and no other slogan can be confused with it. I think it also has longevity, like Cadillac's "Standard..." tag line. Hey, BMW has something with "precision" in it. I'm not crazy about it. Too much overlap with another automaker's word craftsmanship.

And my dad. And he had a Napoleonic complex.

Holy $h!! Parenthood, to me, is...well...frightening. But that's just me. Congrats are in order! Enjoy!

Let us know. I am sure some are curious.

What is On The Road about? My cousin in Italy who is now about 28 or so raved about it. He even named his German Shepherd after a character in this book. Isn't Kerouac and his stuff kind of dour? I heard that, in real life, Kerouac was kind of a mess and that he died young. Please advise.

I think Chevy 3100, 3400 and new 3500/3900 are derivatives off the same tree. This may even include the previous 2.8 around in the late 80s that went into the inagural 88 Regal and then was replaced next year by the 3100. Buick's 3800 stands alone. It has had two derivates to my knowledge: the 3300 which lasted into the mid 90s in the Century and then, in the 80s, the 4.1 litre V6 (or 252 cu in) which in some applications had a 4 bbl carb. LOL. That larger engine made it into the LeSabres, Parks and even some Cadillacs of the early 80s. I will still see some Cads with the tiny 4.1 badge and I have to laugh. Chevy's 4.3 Vortec also stands alone. It is a sliced Chevy 350. The difference among these is that the first batch are all 60 degree engines while the latter 2 paragraphs refer to 90 degree engines. I've only owned a couple of 3800s. I certainly like the engine sound better than that of the 3400/3500/3900. On the few occasions I've driven 3300 equipped cars, those, too, have turned out to be fairly pleasing to the ear and I understand that it too is a long-lasting motor.

The 3900 - I had it in an Impala rental....competent: yes....quiet and good gas mileage, even like Chevy's previous 3.4: no

Relax, LA, buddy. While there might not be such a term, that Oakland reference you bring up is correct and the news media itself talked about "Ebonics" being adopted by the Oakland school district as an issue.Let's face it...surfers have their own words, as well as inflection, particular to their segment of society and we take pokes at it...look at "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." The movie relied on that to make it beyond hysterically funny. Then, there are ways of indicating things which are exclusively used by black people. In a college sociology class, I learned the term "deuce and a quarter" referring to the Electra 225 as coined primarily in the black, or African American, community. (Learn something new every day, for that matter). Now, have you ever heard a white person say "Walk on, child!" ? I think we have to see what side of the fence we are on: Are we chuckling at idiosyncrasies or are we being hateful? Hopefully, we are only doing the former.

Flybry: Hilarious has one L. Thanks.

I've used that term for eons and I have just passed through Indy. It means something "off the Richter scale." A bottle of cologne was once given to me as a gift. It was a Davidoff product. I've used it about 3 times. It sits there in my medicine cabinet staring at me. I prefer my Zoloft.

Like: We've had one built for you. It's a great feeling to have an Olds around you. Dislike: The power of intelligent engineering. Not your father's Oldsmobile. God..."Memory Lane Central", loved those trim 81-87 RWD Cutlass Supreme coupes (especially in Brougham and Calais/Salon form).