trinacriabob

Normandy

White with black interior seems to be most flattering for the GP...and I like what you said, Flybry: "f@#k you, I'm the Grand Prix." Every time I see one, I think of that kick-ass comment.

It's a little over-the-top. I know the Midwest and the South are particularly keen on the Greek System and it's almost humorous that my grad alma mater (U of Ill.) has or had the largest Greek System in the nation...some 55 fraternities and 27 sororities. It's part of the reason I didn't like being there...too much noise. I like things real quiet and was carrying 17 or 18 graduate credits per semester. There's no denying that the Greek System is elitist. It's based on externalities for the reasons they describe...popularity with Greek houses of the opposite sex and then, after school, for the connections value. I do see a value in the latter, but the former can be rough on some people, as the article describes. Incidentally, 2 very prominent schools (Notre Dame and Rice) do not want the Greek system on their campuses for the segmentation it seems to create. I know that my friendships with kids I had gone to parochial grammar school/high school with and then went onto undergrad with waned significantly once they joined the Greek system.

Yeah, you wouldn't believe how many 2006 new Monte Carlos are sitting on lots around where I live...quite a few more than, say, 2006 LaCrosses and Grand Prixs. It will take some incentive action to move them, though.

invasive

What's the matter, babe, the worldliness a little over your head? You need to get out of PA and MD a little more.

This holds true most of the time but sometimes it doesn't...meaning there are darker featured people of unmistakable northern Italian lineage and light skinned, or blond, Italians coming from the South (about 20% of my relatives are some dark shade of blond and they are southern).However, that being said, a southern Italian generally would generally get the reaction "now THAT's an Italian." This would be someone like Al Pacino, Tony Danza or Sylvester Stallone. Dark features, dark eyes (especially with what I call the hound dog feature...i.e. the whites exposed under the pupil like Stallone has), a prominent nose and an unmistakable ethnic look. Some are potentially interchangeable with a Greek or a darker Spaniard (they cast Andy Garcia in "Godfather III" and he is Cuban and they cast Al Pacino in "Scarface" and he is Italian). A northern Italian wouldn't probably get that reaction...they could interchange with French or Swiss people in most cases, which border them to the north. Most of the time, they will have brown or black hair but it's just that they don't look particularly ethnic. If you are ever in Milan or Turin, you will see a lot of Italians that don't hit you over the head as being Italian, particularly the more well-heeled northerners. Throwing this over to another ethnicity or race, take some Jewish celebrities. I have a Jewish friend I grew up with in LA who was talking about this and she said "now, you take one look at Elliott Gould and you think 'now that's a Jew' "...because he has a certain look. Then you look at Michael Douglas or William Shatner and that wouldn't really register, yet they are Jewish. This whole anthropological thing is fascinating and people watching in Italy is a trip in itself. Sometimes, I've found myself on trains in Italy trying to keep from busting up in laughter...they probably wouldn't get it and probably don't see themselves as amusing, so they might think I am the one who is nuts.

Voce tem Taco Bell em Lisboa? Nao e possivel... My response to thread: future

chihuahua

An "airbrushed" 49 according to the announcement on the home page ...and his billboard.

I saw 3 birthdays today: MGZ06 - he lives in Windsor, Ontario, it seems...he has Detroit's RenCen in his signature Buickman - well, I won't open that can of worms as this can get heated Another member I've never seen post Happy birthday, guys!

No. The Mafia originated in Sicily. The Camorra originated in Naples. The 'ndragheta originated in Calabria. All in the south...that's why northern Italians don't like southern Italians. And me, being southern Italian, can sort of understand while they feel that way. Fortunately, because I don't look southern Italian, I can blend reall well in the north of Italy and am treated well. Actually, this is a political "hush-hush" topic that is probably best left alone while over there, but I wanted to pass on that information.I am really sorry about what happened to your fellow studio mate. I am wondering if he was small and naive-looking which could have made him a target. Even though I can take care of myself, I am always cautious in some of those cities. The train station is in Piazza Garibaldi which is always crowded, but I would stay away from any neighborhoods outside of there. What's really sad is that (many) less than fortunate Neopolitans are all about the "art of the scam" and accept it as a way of life with no intent to change it. Naples has had many campaigns to change its image and it doesn't look like they are succeeding. As for the hotel, do not take any valuables with you or keep them with you. I have heard that stuff has "disappeared" even in some nice hotels. What a $h! hole!

He and his wife followed his in-laws who relocated to a more rural area between San Antonio and Austin. I think it's in the San Marcos area. I was stunned. It wouldn't be my first choice.

TYD, that's hilarious...I guess it's from the sensory overload of downtown Toronto living.Texas, huh? My best childhood friend just moved to the Austin TX area because he was priced out of Cali and wanted to buy a house.

Oh, come on, P, you can muster a better line than that. Even "what's your sign?" would be better....Couldn't resist...that one was ripe for the picking.

Very funny and clever, but I'm a little dense on this one. This is a joke, right? Does the party being described (yes, I know who it is) know about this interesting exercise in wordmanship?

dog turds

Right. I know about the holdback but if I get a decent deal, I can live without $ 150 in my pocket...or the equivalent of 4 tanks of gas.Thus, based on your analysis, I would be paying tax and license on $ 22,500 (per above) and both the bonus cash and the GM card would be deducts/credits from that. I guess I was trying to ascertain that the discount from negotiating and the GM cash allowance (of the day, or week, or month) come from 2 different pockets, so they are mutually exclusive to making the deal. It sounds like they are.

T.O. = the tundra? I don't assume that, especially with my last purchase...$ 16.9 K on an $ 18.7 K car...without even muttering a word? (I know that margins have tightened since 1992). I guess it's because I went in there knowing what I wanted and was very knowledgeable, so he wasn't going to do "a dance" with me. That dealer, in general, is a very nice place to do business. Their waiting lounge is peppered with letters from customers saying how much they like the outfit. Incidentally, that particular salesperson is now a homebuilder in the scenic parts of Central Oregon. For a $ 100 or $ 200 either way, on a car that I would keep a while, I'm not too concerned. Most importantly, I want to give my money to a salesperson that is polite, informed and helps me consummate a purchase. It's real easy to tell early on if you have the right salesperson helping you.

Oooh, yeah, thanks for letting me know....I'LL WATCH IT. (You started this thread just for me, right, Reg?)

The last car (and my only new car) I bought is my 1992 Regal. I still have it, as most of you know (** as you scream Cheapskate! **) The MSRP sticker was $ 18,736 and I got it for $ 16,900 without even saying a word. I went in there with a typed list of all the codes and MSRPs...I guess they don't see that often. So, on 5-16-92, right after getting back to Portland from Champaign IL (bleh!), I took delivery of the car. Now, the MSRPs on the sleds I am currently looking at are in the $ 23,500 to $ 24,500 range. Some have incentives of $ 1,000 or $ 1,500, for example. In your mind, that means that you should be able to get the initial deal (the dealer's "issue" - what they sell to you versus their invoice) and then get this "other" money (because it's from GM). Is that right? Then, that leads me to wonder if they will try to crimp on their deal because that GM incentive exists. And, on top of that, you don't want to let on that you have GM Card money until the very very end. OK, how about this calculation? GM W-body (duh) car MSRP $ 24,500 Less: Discount negotiated with dealer 2,000 GM Incentive cash 1,000 Equals: Selling price $ 21,500* Less: GM Card redemption 2,000 Equals: Final price $ 19,500 Plus *Tax and license probably based on this number Does this look reasonable?

Naples is the veritable armpit of Italy...it is the most corrupt and (petty) crime-ridden of the Italian cities. Most Italians' (from other places) hair stands up on its ends being there. True, it is the jumping off spot for all those places that are worth seeing but, while there, do not have anything remotely valuable on you nor papers/documents you want to lose. I hate the 'effin place...and I have relatives (Sicilian, but assigned to a government job in Naples) who I won't go see. Stick to your group and don't dabble much in Naples. Glad to hear you are having fun.

Yo, Dan, slumming it, I see. I have relatives who live in Easton and in Norwalk, the first have some really nice digs, the latter have so-so digs, but the lot is big. For the ones in Easton, you get off the Merritt Parkway on Gun Hill or Sport Hill...something like that...gorgeous Cape Cod styled home. Now, do you really think one of us paupers on here can pop for that house? Yikes. Still, that's a better price than what you'd need to pay for that size house and lot in a nice area of Los Angeles County, for example. Are they downsizing or moving to Florida?

I can't help you with the song but this is unbelievable. You went to Bracciano which is on the lake about 15 to 20 miles northwest of Rome? If so, you probably noted another lake town called Anguillara. My cousin, who commutes to Rome for work, lives there. Feels so removed from Rome out there, doesn't it? Well, it looks like you found your song.

annulled