trinacriabob

MOLTAR! That's awesome. I ate at Bob's Big Boy practically every damn day in college. How I stayed at 170 lbs is beyond me. The chain went KAPUT. The list of their presence was equivalent to Denny's...on every corner. I thought it was better, so I don't know why they didn't make it. Incidentally, there are still 6 left: Burbank (original), Glendale, LA (the one you went to on Wilshire in the Miracle Mile district), Diamond Bar and Fresno (quite far from LA, actually). I don't know the 6th one. I make it a point to go to the one in Burbank every time I'm in LA. It's close to the studios, so there are some nauseating entertainment types in there at times which can make for interesting people watching. The Big Boys elsewhere (JB's in Utah or the ones in the Midwest/East) seem different. I like the California rendition, all of which have the same design. (Incidentally, we had one around the corner from my HS on the Westside and it was common practice to borrow "Big Boy" and hoist him on your flagpole prior to graduation.)

I don't know. I have NEVER seen any male read one of these.What I will comment on is the proliferation of these magazines and the tabloids you see at the check out stand. It's amazing how many people (women through these mags and tabloids and more recently the Men's Health and Men's Fitness types mags aimed at men) need to be given a series of SHOULDS in life. Figure it out yourself and don't line anyone else's coffers. I was at B & N in a Portland suburb with one of my friends and, I don't know if there is a gay section per se', but the progressive social issue mags are grouped together. He picks one up called "Girlfriends," evidently aimed at the lesbian set. (He likes them about as much as I do). It ranked the best places for lesbians to live. I think Long Beach CA (LA suburb) came in as number 1. Without failing, Seattle and Portland (where they seem to thrive in dreary overcast weather, clapboard bungalows, curio shops, used bookstores, with their fleece vests, cats and Subarus) also made the top 5, if I recall.

And that's exactly why there's that competition to get into those schools. It's an investment in the "after life"...either grad school or a job. I know that some firms or companies will only consider you if you went to certain schools. For B-schools and law schools, some draw a line at a certain point on the "rankings" list.

Dude, you know your schools. In fact, all of the public ones you mentioned are reputed to be of "public ivy" caliber -- though that label was coined for Virginia. I have friends that have gone to UCLA and Berkeley and those schools can be intimidating. I went to visit those places and, at 17, I opted out. I felt overwhelmed just being on their campuses. I needed something smaller at that time. In reality, I wish I had gone to a public university for my first 4 years of college, though a more laid-back one like Univ. of Florida that is considered a good school, but not a pressure cooker. Instead, I took 1/4 of my Catholic grammar school class and 1/4 of my Catholic high school class to college with me. Not much of a change - rather stifling in fact. Michigan is too cold (sorry NOS) so Virginia would be the one I would opt for on the snooty list. It has about half the students of either UCLA or Berkeley. However, you have to deal with the elitist Southern society crap and way too many fraternities (where's that barf icon when you need it?). I applied there for graduate architecture school. I didn't get in. There were 260 applicants for 20 spots in their "stretch" masters for unrelated bachelor's degrees. Oh well, hello corn fields (it was Univ. of Ill. instead). You know what's funny is that you often learn the same thing at a less lofty school. My friends who went to Cal State Sacramento said they had the same books for engineering classes that they did at Berkeley. They use the same "Investments" book in run of the mill evening business programs that they do at the top ranked business schools. In short, it depends on you to make something of your education.

Happy birthday, you "watered-down mackerel snapper." Seriously, ENJOY!

Alpha, you nut, that's good. 72. You see fewer girls who look like they could be cast in "The Brady Bunch." They've moved to Arizona and Colorado. 73. You know what "Behind the Orange Curtain" implies

What, Pantho, no Zoo-Mass for you? :AH-HA_wink:

I am not commenting on the jist of the conversation. I am just commenting on this portion of the post. BV, you've got your act together more than you think. That above, "...what I think," has been my guiding philosophy in life. It will make you happier. My brother (the only sibling I have) is all about the first part of the phrase (what THEY think). That's why he and I don't get along. Keep it up, BV!

I have been thinking about this. I have hung on to a lot of friends across time and miles despite career changes and moves. Some are worth hanging on to. I have also thought about some friends (both male and female) who turned out to be either plain idiots or self-centered. The male friends I can think of that I have parted ways with were based on the fact that they wanted me to: (1) bail them out of something financially, or (2) they got married and this made the friendship go south in a hurry because their wives evidently set their social calendar. The female friends I can think of that I have parted ways with either: (1) liked me more than I liked them and wanted something more, or (2) tried to set me up with one of their friends where I would be the rescuing party...it was never someone I considered worth my time, thus showing their one-sidedness in coming up with such a fix-up. (And for some previous C&Gers who thought I tended toward being misogynistic, I believe in equal opportunity discrimination - see (1) under male and (2) under female) So, have you dumped friends along the way?

True. To whomever is upset that validation is sought, we've had a lot of hoaxes around here lately...such as people imitating other people and stuff like that, so please don't be upset. Also, where is Alpha? I haven't seen him around for a while.

Sorry. I may be clueless, but what is "Juicy Couture"?

Is there? I have seen a lot of dealer "consolidation" in the GM family within the last 5 to 10 years.

57. You "go to the snow" instead of having it come to you. 58. Every numbered freeway has a "the" in front of it 59. Weather is "partly cloudy" whereas in Seattle it's "partly sunny" 60. You know some words in Farsi...and you're Anglo 61. People actually BRAG about their plastic surgery 62. The two parts of the state (north/south) hate each other and would like to secede (from each other) 63. Your mayor is likely to be a movie star (...and that can lead to scary things) 64. You have a 3.3 high school GPA, are Anglo and are ABLE to get into a UC school because of the diversity you offer

Very, very sad news indeed. The name "Chief" instantly conjures up a very funny and witty individual. Another thing that was a real bond was that he probably grew up and lived within 2 hours of where I went to grad school - the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In fact, when he would post pictures of his house and street, it would take me back there. I find that on this site there is a link to virtually every one - same age bracket, same career, originating from the same place, currently living in the same place, similar travels, similar interests, ethnicity or even zodiacal sign, when that thread goes around. That's what makes it fun. And when somebody as fun and colorful as "Chief" is no longer with us, it is a big loss for both C&G and those close to him. God keep you, big guy.

I obviously like news like this. Some analysts feel it will bode well for GM. They also say that it will be the dealers that will "take it on the chin." I immediately went to a couple of GM web sites to see how certain cars were priced and then to GM card to see if the allowances changed (downward). I did see, however, that some incentives have been lowered. Well, but that was expected. Do you think that the mark-ups will proportionately be the same? Do you think this will mess with the dealers? DO YOU THINK GM WILL SELL MORE CARS OR THAT THE OTHERS WILL FOLLOW SUIT?

Sheez, Marc, feel free to post every now and then...at least in The Lounge where it's not brand specific. Well, have fun in whatever forum you hang your hat and don't freeze your ass off up in the Finger Lakes. (Sounds like a yearbook comment: Have fun in college and don't get in too much trouble).

I've done the same. My candor and honesty in being a watchdog, or muckraker, has gotten some execs fired...a total of three over my career. They deserved it and, like your friends, people were happy that it happened because these bastards were abusive and, unfortunately, the "abusees" weren't willing to take the issue to the very top. Gotta stand up for what's right. My dad, who is not around any more, taught me not to take crap. If I listened to my mother, I'd be a door mat. Father knows best.

You and I need to talk...let's hold off on that until things cool. (We have some D-B clients and they are not perfect either). By the way, D-B means design-build, not douche bag as some of us around here use that abbreviation.

As a kid or young adult, I didn't have the nerve to do this. Now I do, though I use it sparingly. Our office/firm just lost a bunch of people after the new year. Some picked up their year end bonuses and went to new companies or started their own. When the job market (in a field or in an area) is short on help, job hopping goes up and loyalty goes down. I handle my own client projects and now I "inherited" a few more from the departees. Everybody has been just awesome in understanding and is allowing us more time to complete projects. Except one client who is in the "inherited" batch. In 6 days of working with him (and I jumped right to it to servicing his project), I have received 5 nasty e-mails on how we must do this and that and what happened is no excuse for any tardiness...all with exclamation marks. In short, a real dick-head. Those above me are supportive of the fact that I have to work on all the client projects as time (with some OT thrown in) allows. I may not tell him what I would like to because I shouldn't, but you can let someone know in other ways they don't rank. Those around me hear me raise my voice to him in a firm but still professional manner. Have you ever told a client, a boss, co-worker or teacher to PUT IT WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE? What happened?

First, Zoomer, you spelled it incorrectly. It's Terraza. Second, Buick spelled it incorrectly. It's Terrazza....meaning terrace in Italian, unless they deliberately dodged the connection. Third, Buick's version is too high priced for this segment without the incremental benefit via a different powerplant, or whatever. Let Chevy/Pontiac handle this one (Saturn's rendition should go away, too). Fourth, I agree.

Well, yes and no. The MC has SO much potential...whether FWD or RWD. It sits alone in a specialty segment: a mid sized (sporty) personal luxury coupe which just about anyone buying a new car can afford. I think GM should fix this one and not abandon it. The baby boomer set is getting older, they know the nameplate and more and more people are either single or saddled with smaller families. Obviously, I personally like the Monte Carlo.

Welcome to the adult world. When I was in high school, I thought that, besides differences in the reproductive system and obvious physical differences, the inside wiring, or that of the brain, was the same without regard to gender. Wrong. By the time I got to college, I figured it out. Right at about where you are in your college career. I had this sort of thing happen to me when I was in my mid-20s. I was living in ATL and this girl, who liked me more than I liked her, and I were supposed to do something. I hardly knew her. She managed an Olive Garden near my job...she had a degree in hotel/restaurant management and would always comp my bill....which I was willing to pay for. So, one time, we had plans (her plans) and I had to cancel due to a conflict which took precedence....I forgot exactly what the specifics were....so I left this on her VM a few days earlier OUT OF CONSIDERATION. At any rate, she calls me back later with this "hand the hip" kind of bitchiness saying "WE HAVE TO TALK" blah blah blah...what, after 2 or 3 dates? I wound up telling her to go to hell shortly thereafter. Remember, you retain power by not getting fumed over it and playing cool, indifferent and inaccessible. I LIKE having the upper hand.

Mileage....mileage...and more mileage. This thread is still going? At least the pictures thread is interesting (so long as more people post what their supposed to) and quit the filler commentary. Ok, I'm being a jerk...you can say whatever you want on a forum. I perused a couple of posts above and Enzora makes a very interesting statement. He mentions how acknowledging who, within your own gender, is attractive raises suspicion or can send out wrong signals. I don't think this is tied to sexual preference AT ALL. People know what characteristics are considered attractive. People in Europe, particularly the Mediterranean basin, have no problem making such acknowledgments. So, it's more cultural. Also, over the pond, my male relatives kiss me on both sides of the face when they see me and are big time skirt chasers which they shouldn't be doing because they're married. I think a lot of American sexual attitudes and those parts of our sexual culturalization borrowed from Anglo-Nordic frames of mind can, at times, be stifling. (Scarlet Letter on the brain). The uptightness surrounding sex and sexuality is probably part of that tradition. Why do you think they have a term such as "Latin Lover?"

Marc lives in Upstate New York in the Finger Lakes area (probably near Ithaca, I think)...a completely different world from THE CITY...or downstate New York. I have cousins who live in the Niagara Falls area, in addition to those living near the city, and you might as well be on two different planets. Hey, razor, does he live around you? I can only think of you two in that immediate area. Did Marc ever come back after the big crash? Lord Stafford...an interesting and unusual dude. I think he contemplated pursuing a PhD in something ethereal but not at all practical. But, hey, why be normal? And...what exactly is normal?

Well, come on, not all of our mothers are beautiful and sexy (that would be so Oedipal)*, they just need to have plumbing that's in working order. Hey, kudos to the female of the species for she has to put up with the hassle of being bloated for 9 months, pungent morning sickness and then....never mind...too much P-A-I-N to think about... *as long as your Dad thinks/thought so....I once eavesdropped on my parents from the bottom of the stairs when I was a teenager...(knees turn to jelly)