ww_watcher

I drool over asian women too. However, I am an equal opportunity drooler.

I have a 2009 version of MBPro (company 'puter) but I have always had windows (XP then 7) on it because of the tools I need. I prefer the complexities of Linux because I have never liked being led down the Primrose Path as Mac, and now Windows10 Bloatware, does to its users.

You mean besides getting a PC? LOL. Mac doesn't support Flash. Your best bet is to make sure your browser is up to date and using HTML5. If that isn't it then I believe VLC is available for MAC.

I'll drink a toast this evening.

HF. I understand completely. We have a 15yo Spitz/Border Collie female, Graziella, who lost her brother, Ottie, to cancer about 5 years ago and then her best friend Tremolo, a Rat Terrier/Chihuahua mix about 6 months later - to a pluot (plum-apricot) pit that got lodged in her small intestine. They were awesome puppies who loved playing chase throughout the house, over laps and sleeping guests...etc, whatever was in the way. I had to put Ottie (the brother) down and the worst part is I think he knew why we were at the Veteranarian's place and had bravely accepted it. I stayed with him to the end. Now it's getting close to Graziella's time. I don't think we will replace them for the same reason I would not remarry if I lost my wife. I've spent half my life on a ranch and had to put down many animals and pets but these were the ones that mattered. It's funny that we remember things about them that made us laugh and cry. For instance, Ottie was deaf as a doornail but his ears stood up as straight as his posture and was very attentive to his sister and friend. When he spoke to you, which was alot, he sounded just like a deaf person trying to create a sound they had never heard. We would laugh so hard but then Tremolo would come and stand in front of Ottie and scold us.

Don't encourage him. I haven't the stones for another joke like that.

I had said I would get a little video of brew day. I still am but I've been moving my brewing partner into our guest room as he is on his way to Nashville and needs to get a few gigs taken care of (musician) before he can leave town. Looks like Wednesday will be the day. However, my wife and one of her friends have purchased the ingredients for Elderberry wine. So I guess that may be the activity of the day.

Hey! I'm not old, I'm lazy...so there! Well, OK. I'm old too...but mainly lazy.

A great many muslims would prefer to get on with their lives without the complications of religious differences. However, they aren't the ones blowing up people which renders their religious viewpoints irrelevent. Until we can get a handle on who the violence perpetrators are and stop them cold, a very real limit needs to be placed on their movement. Concerning refugees: they need to choose a side and defend their respective countries instead of just running to sanctuary. We did it during our civil war where millions died and atrocities were committed by both sides until an understanding was reached. This resulted in a stronger US. Our new weakness is a result of not requiring people to take responsibility for their behavior and family well-being; this includes our government.

So, I sort of apologize, ahead of time, to the gay folks reading this...as told to me by a flamer I've known since elementary school. There was a bar frequented by longshoreman and it was about time for them to start popping in when in walks an obviously effeminate fellow. He struts up to the bar and orders a pink lady (I know, I know). The barkeep eyes him suspiciously and thens warns him, "you should probalby get outa here, tinkerbell, the regulars may not be so friendly." The fellow puts on his most indignant expression and tells the barkeep, "I know my rights and you'd better serve me or I will have this place closed down." The bartender fixes the drink and says, "Here's your drink. Go over into that corner and drink up then get out without talking to anyone. I don't want no trouble. You got that?" The fellow puts on a smug face and traipses over to the corner table and quietly sips his drink. A few minutes later in walks a big hairy burly man, filthy and um sweaty, and orders a beer and a whiskey chaser, slams them both and then tells the barkeep, "Bartender! Bring me the biggest steak you got. I am so hungry I think I could eat a whole cow...almost immediately you hear this small voice from the corner table go, "mooooo!!"

I liked Neil Diamond in The Jazz Singer. He played a Jewish Cantor who made it big on stage.

This is my experience only, Back in the 70s, when Iran was still run by the Shah, one of my duties in the USAF was to train Iranian airmen how to maintain the reconnaisance equipment on the RF-4Cs which we had sold them (i did the same thing with the Saudis only I went to Saudi Arabia to do it). One particular fellow was a Christian among his muslim compatriots. He was also one of only two enlisted men in the group; the rest were officers (I think mostly because of money not education). Of the 20 or so Iranian airmen he was the only one respectful of us as their instructors. One of things he warned me about was, as BB said, the use of the Burka by men to hide their identities. This way they can hide among women and children, essentially using them as "meat shields". However, I learned tell the difference by watching how they interact with others (you can't always see their eyes, which would be another clue); the women are subservient and meek and the men can't fake this well. This became a personal safety issue with me because I have no tolerance for the un-earned arrogance of the people I had to deal with professionally. When the Shah was deposed by the Ayatollah the country's society was set back at least 100 years. My friend, who was still attending the tech school, had to request political asylum because he got word that his family, who had members in the government and were Christian, had either been killed or imprisoned during the regime change. I was even cornered [at work] and threatened by a couple of his fellow airmen -not because they were concerned for his safety- but because they thought that I and a couple of friends, were hiding him somewhere. AT WORK! they did this, on an American base, on American soil! As a group they were placed under house arrest and sent home the next day and in case you guys are wondering those two got a 5 second lesson in reality about how Texas cowboys address this behavior...but I brag...a bit. Anyway, Since I have met and worked with all kinds of people from all over the Muslim world, in my estimation, I have found most are good people. However, in the big picture, those good people are irrelevant because they aren't the folks who will hurt you. I could easily be confused as a racist, but then the middle easterners should not be identified as a race; they are a society, whose behavior and laws are set by their religion...and their history. I make my personal judgements on an individual basis but as a group my opinion changes accordian to that societies known behavior patterns. This is why I am constantly astounded at the -apparent deliberate- naivete demonstrated by my country's leaders in their dealings with these people. The reason we established a Navy was because of this exact issue. Nothing has changed since then, so why haven't we learned? What is the motivation behind our country's (and I am not talking about our government; that's political) acceptance of the horrendous behavior pattern routinely shown by the muslim society? The Ghurkas and the warriors of the Sikh are nothing like the muslims who have recently invaded the UK and Europe and have served the British empire faithfully. However, I have not actually met any who would wear their ceremonial knives blatantly in public. Only the show-offy kids. I never knew it had become an issue. I am a McGregor and I have worn a sword (in battle I would prefer the axe) with the battle tartan, but I wouldn't do it for any other reason than ceremonial. BTW BB, folks who have been blind for a while can tell a lot by voice inflections. I am sure you can tell when someone, you are talking with over the phone, is smiling or sad or tired or has had a bad day. You don't need to see their faces. That you think about this is the reason you can usually tell when someone is being honest or not. Most of this generation have lost that skill because if they can't see "LOL" written in txt, they won't realize you are being mirthful; they are not paying that kind of attention.

I am going to guess that the two big guys are "enforcers" of some kind. Their muscles aren't for show (as are male model muscles) and the way they move, stand, and sit suggests they are athletes or bodyguards/bouncers.

an addendum to #6. "...make him a sanwich..." but stand close enough that he pat your bottom when you set it down in front of him.

"Better a lost opportunity than to invite disaster." Stilgar, Na'ib of the Fremen of Sietch Tabr, Frank Herbert's Dune. Many of my High School friends, who had the gift of gab, are working on their 2nd or 3rd wives and 1st or 2nd child support. Though I was 29-30yo when I met and married (5 months between met and married) my first girlfriend, we've been at it for 30 years now. That's the good part. The bad part is I have seen more naked women (not including the wife and daughter) and been offered more sex than I ever did as a single man.

So my idea is a good one considering that no one can get out of paying for their preferred lifestyle; Including the businesses. I will have to think of a comprehensive way to cap the disparity between the head honcho and the peon. One good way is to make it against the law for the golden umbrellas of the CEOs. If your business fails, you fail and you still have to pay your employees. But the CEO should still be paid according to their worth; and it is their company after all.

I had forgotten about that. What did we do to collect the operating expenses for our government?

What do you folks think about eliminating the income tax and establishing a strict consumer tax? The idea is, if you buy a Lear jet you pay a one-time tax according to it's value, but you'll also pay a tax every time you feed the beast. There will be no depreciation factor for tax breaks. If you feel your ride is getting old, you have a choice of continuing the less expensive maintenance, and respective tax, or buying a new one, which will be taxed according to its value. For those of us who can't or don't want to spend our money that way we pay a substantially lower tax on that Toyota Camry. Repairs on your consumer items will also have a tax affixed according to their value. So that Lear Jet owner will have to pay for that luxury. We would then be able to eliminate the IRS because they would be rendered unnecessary. Companies will still need accountants to keep the books and pay the taxes on the company jet. Yes a lot of IRS employees would have to find other jobs but since there is no income tax you can now open up that lemonade stand you've always wanted and don't have to pay that business tax; only a one-time tax on the equipment you purchase and the subsequent tax on its maintenance. Any business whose work force goes overseas pays a huge tax and that will encourage those businesses to keep their workforce local. Yes, your internet and cell phone bill will go up a bit but you will still have that 33% of your income you pay out now, still in your pocket. the more frugal you live, the less tax you pay out of your pocket. I am not sure about import tax because, example, the Japanese have forced the american car makers to take a closer look at the quality and value of their work. Competition is good. Keep in mind that going out to eat is taxable since prepared food is a consumer item. Groceries may not be taxable but cigarettes and alcohol definitely are...unless you homebrew (just kidding). Perhaps I haven't thought of everything but I believe this arrangememt will prove less expensive to operate within so we will have more of our hard-earned paycheck to use as we see fit. I would also like to see the Federal Reserve abolished along with interest on loans. I don't use a credit card so I am already half-way there.

On a good day I can hear the sounds from COTA (Circuit of the Americas) near where I live. I've been to Talladega once. I got many awesome photos, one showing Dale Jr's (before he changed sponsers) car engine giving it up, and coated with oil and tar on the left side of my body. There were several "$4 shot" bars, which I had never seen till then. Alas, only one served JD Black and it dried up first...go figure.

Earlier this month I turned 60 years OLD. It was supposed to be a big deal with kegs of homebrew, live music (open stage and many musician buddies), and various kinds of grilled carnage. Well we have an annual convention called SXSW where presently undiscovered talent can come, get exposure, and hopefully get discovered. It was cool for the first couple of years but then Rap and DJs ( if we wanted to listen to a DJ we could to some Disco or wedding, or a Bar Mitzva) invaded the scene bringing with it thuggery and mayhem of all kinds, then also came the politics and headliner bands who have no need to be here and then came the "no-refusal" weeks (where if you get pulled over you give blood -can't refuse- to see if you are driving drunk). ANYWAY, my musician friends got gigs to play and others didn't want to fight the traffic and take a chance on getting pulled over so no one came. Sad. Instead, that night, I acted as a roady for my brewing partner. A cheezy way get to see a couple of shows for free. My brewing partner is one of the more sought-after local bass players so he was invited to play 19 gigs in 3 days (he was an animal)...mostly headliner Rap crap but a few musical shows...and he made a measly $150 USD in all, though at least two of the headliners he played for made several thousand. He was getting pissed but trying to remain professional. Having had enough, though, he opted out of one headliner gig, at the last minute, when he found out the hippety hopper was only going to "Trow de bitch a jackson and a fatty an he'll be down" (yes, we heard him say it to one of his entourage just moments before set-up time) for a 1 hour show for which he was getting paid $500 (and no other musicians were being used). Just a cheap pre-programmed keypad, and a mike. So he told the rapper to go fuck himself and use the beat boxing bum standing across the street. One of his meatlocker buddies was going to make a big deal of it but the bar owner (a friend and former MMA fighter) and I stepped between my friend and the meatlocker and two pals. Alas I broke a nail but a stern point had been made and the owner calmly told the rapper to play his gig and get out along with all his fans. A few minutes later the cops came and removed the freshly concious meatlocker and two of their posse, ziptied and sitting quietly on the floor by the door. The rest of the show was peaceful...more or less. We left after two beers, called it an evening, and retired to my house for homebrew, jammin' with the oldies on youtube, and my wife's good cooking. SXSW sucks and I hate Rap music.

Maybe she is falling prey to the same thing as most latinas her age.

Ben dover is standing at this end of the table. Phil M is probably sitting next to Peewee Herman at the other end of the table...across from Pookie McColon.

I don't interact very often with you folks but I just have to throw in my two cents. I have worked at a University for nearly 2 decades and I've seen girls go out in all kinds of clothes from mostly see-thru to downright "go-home-and-put-some-clothes-on-missy". And since it is legal for girls to go topless here I see that too. I expect in Spain the dress code may be a little less strict than here. Why complain about them walking around the house nude in front of thousands and expect them to "cover-up" when going out where they might be seen by maybe 100. Oh sure they might get groped but then so would every other female going where they are going. I for one am glad they are getting their butts out of the apartment for a while. Let them play outside and maybe their playing, when inside, will entertain you even more. As far as the girls getting along...I am pretty outgoing and I would never try and "fit in" immediately especially if I wasn't already friends with my new roomies. It took weeks before Adele became friendly with either Ilona or Danaya and has become so touchy-feely in last week or so. So go easy on the preconceptions folks. If they are reading these you could end up with the opposite of what you want. Comments made by the likes of HFBoy approach abusive, not thoughtful, and are not conducive to good humor or friendliness.

No Mr 1010. That was the problem; I too was naive and didn't realize what was going on till it was to late.

One of the arguments about America being the melting pot of the worls and that we should embrace the cultures or risk being labeled a "racist" (although the word "racist" is incorrect in this context). We should observe that the "melting pot" was filled mostly with european immigrants whose religion was the same. It is where the term WASP (white anglo-saxon protestant) came from. While we bickered alot among ourselves we had a common tenet; the 15...OY! 10 commandments (a little Mel Brooks humor). When the Asians started immigrating here they brought with them the Tao of Buddhism, Shintoism, and others, and, though many were brought here as indentured servants or slaves, they didn't require nor ask for help in making a new life. Nor did they even try and force their philosophy or traditions on us. In general they lived peacefully and worked hard. They were here to start a new life not carry on a failed life. The folks from the middle east are not so easy to get along with and have demonstrated that throughout history. The area around the eastern Mediterranian was the cradle of early civilizations but because they couldn't stop fighting among themselves (that includes Rome and Greece) they failed but what they left us in math, science, and medicine has endured. Even Persia was a large contributer to today's intellectualism. However the rest rest of the world around the middle east matured and continued to build but the world between the Med and, say, India has fallen to ruin because its inhabitants couldn't get above the narrow vision of their religion. Keep in mind that we very nearly didn't make it either. Many thanks should go out to the Lutherans for starting the movement of religious reform. Keep in mind the degrading life of the Castrati (young boys who were castrated before puberty in order to retain their "angelic" voices), who were often sold to the church because of poverty and used as sex slaves for the self-proclaimed overly pious Catholic Church. We had witch hunts, the burning and looting of the peasant farms in europe because they still worshipped pagan Gods or disagreed with the church in some other way. Think of the hardships endured by the pioneers of the intellect such as Galileo, et al. I personally believe we have not grown up very much in the last 200 years but our technology has and has allowed us to improve on the violence we can inflict on others while retaining a measure of self-serving detachment. Our great country has fallen because we tried to embrace everything without the thought of whether we should. Look at the generation after mine, faces stuck in the phones, no knowledge of our history - so destined to be repeated, hyper-violent games such as GTA that have started showing the resulting shift in their psyche (and don't try and convince me otherwise because I been in the middle of the technology that enabled it). Now we have drones that further allow us a terrible detachment from the reality of killing and we have started training our teens to make the best use of this. Our medicine has only improved because of the momentum in tech but the pharmaceutical gods only investigate things which turn profit. Like the tech to fix heart disease that is preventable and cheaply turned around. We have become a society of narcissists and anachists-for-profit. Like many adolescents we only think in turns of "me". Ozi, you mentioned earlier in this forum that America was the only country to come out of WWII unscathed. We didn't. During the war our county's infrastructure was turned into a war machine that collapsed in on itself causing a financial depression that is still reverberating today. Such as we had to use steel and aluminum (Aluminium for you Aussies) -bad, instead of copper -good, for house wiring because it had all been used for ammunition. The women had been working in the factories and now had to transition to men except that many of the women were now single mothers but still had to give up their jobs to men, but now the factories had to lay off a bunch of people or close completely because they no longer needed to build thousands of tanks and airplanes. The Rothchilds, Rockefellers, and others including the Bushes (among the founders of the Federal Reserve) have been profitting from that ever since. We rebuilt Germany and Japan and they are better at many things now because we didn't upgrade our own infrastructure. Woodie, the fight between the "Left" and "Right" has become inane at best. Conservativism has taken on an adulterated definition and no longer means holding to traditional values. Liberalism now means let's accept everything right or wrong and we'll deal with the consequences later. Most of the Republican politicians are directly responsible for moving our labor force off-shore to avoid paying higher wages and the Democrats want to give everything away because there are those who make excuses for their poverty and we must accept them. Both sides are responsible for our country's present plight. Someone in this forum said if you don't accept homosexuality you must be homophobic. To that person, if God-Creation-Nature had intended for us to practice that lifestyle we would be hermaphriditic...like worms and such. Regardless of what you think it is all about sex, nothing else. Our species developed spiritualism when we became self-aware we (and certain other mammals) are the only species to have experienced love as a result; but that is often confused with lust. I won't tease or harrass someone because they prefer to have sex with the same gender but I don't want to be forced by law to accept it. Actually I resent it. It has been a contributor to the downfall of every civilization on the planet because the hedonism involved became the focus instead of the onus of life and providing for a family. Oh yes, as always there are exceptions to this but they are irrelevant in the larger picture. The parable of Sodom and Gamorrah illustrated this quite nicely. It is a lesson delivered every so often, in our +15,000 year old history as a species, but, because we seem to have to re-learn life's lessons every few generations, we are going through it again. Someone here asked to name a european country that has failed because of socialism. Actually, I can name several. France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Spain, England, Sweden, and Norway to name a few. They have all nearly collapsed due to a socialist government - and fascism for some. The only reason many of these countries didn't go down completely was because of colonialism and the aquisition/exploitation of resources from another country such as the US and Africa. Greece can't blame its problem on the European conglomerate, they relied heavily on tourism because their own currency could not support a country whose leaders didn't enforce the paying of taxes and refused to live within their means. Sound familiar? We are doing that too except we manipulate the world economy and our leaders don't rely on (couldn't care less about) the Dollar. The average American is feeling the crunch because this is happening and we have forgotten how to save and live without credit. But this too isn't new. The jewish communities in the bible teach us that interest is evil and they would run the "money changers" out of town. Where do you think the adage, "Never a borrower nor a lender be." came from. I should stop here because I have exceeded the attention span of many and my voice is likely falling on deaf ears. So the point is, stop squabbling about who's smarter and/or better informed and put your combined intellect to work solving things. You'll hit upon a solution much faster. I invite arguments but refrain from insults and expletives for they are the sign post of the ignorant, don't fix anything and are meant only to make yourself feel superior, and I won't respond.