TBideon

Dark Tower 1 is oddly dull but it really picks up with the second.

Dark tower 3 and talisman

Part of it is also that these companies know that people often don't have the proper change and would rather pay an extra $.75 by slipping in a third single rather than get off, find change at a local drug store, then go back to the bus. It's just a scam to increase revenue

Would prices of goods go up? Of course. Customers will spend more money on goods when they have the jobs that allow them to afford such goods. Would this result in a rise in automation? Sure. That's why you have the government threatens to nationalzie companies who do so. Would there be fewer jobs in the long run? Maybe, maybe not, but what I can tell you is as more companies outsource jobs, Americans have fewer jobs to pick from. We're bleeding like crazy either way. The idea is mostly Hail Mary as it is, I'll concede. I have no idea how I'd treat German/el al companies that do business in the US but use child and virtual slave labor elsewhere. And you're probably right, that this idea wouldn't work in the real world. But at least it's something new, something to argue over, something radical, as opposed to the complete acceptance or ignorance of the American collapse by our politicians. You gotta do beter than simply say why something is wrong; you also have to say what's right then.

In that case then we consider all Microsoft products contraband, even if the company is using such deceitful measures with subsidiaries or dummy corps. If you don't physically make it in the United States, or you pay internationals less than the US minimum wage (or whatever) in some overseas plant and don't pay the HUGE penalty, then your product is banned and ownership criminal in the US. A complete embargo on non US goods/goods made for anything less than $15/day overseas (just a random number I'm throwing out there) if they're made by US companies. If that means fewer Walmarts and more mom and pops with higher costs, then lah de dah, I'll take that tradeoff in a heartbeat. I'm not saying this is realistic but rather we need our politicians to start dealing with our pain. This is just an extreme means of doing so

^I don't agree. People have gotten fatter because of a combination of: Family breakdowns and depression (increased stress affects diet) Necessity for dual income households (cooking is time-consuming; when does mom have time to cook a healthy meal any more) Economic breakdown/food inflation (good food does seem to cost more) Somewhat (though not much) cheaper alternatives at fast food, with fried meals, high trans fatty foods (until recently), how sodium products Increased perceptions on outside crime (parents don't want kids running outside; folks, there have always been pedophiles but now there's a lot more fear) INTERNET INTERNET INTERNET (really, I consider that the must culpable. Kids sitting on their a$$ when they get home to go on the 'net is completely ignored as playing a role in obesity) Social acceptance (Chris Rock had that shtick where women can be mocked for skinny, but it's considered bullying to make fun of fat people) Growing lack of manners, etiquette, yet inflated perception of self-worth (people are just blind to what they are). Look at all these huge girls who call themselves curvy. Marlyn Monroe is just groaning in her grave at that one. Treating obesity like a disability (I can't stand that perception. Let's not kid ourselves, most obese people don't have some exotic glandular or metabolic disorder; rather, they just don't care enough to truly stop, to have the will power to put the fork down). Outside of those batty women who get butt impants, or whatever the hell those people were doing with that transgender cement-using nutso, some BBW fetish sites, or the very rare fringe group, I'm not sure there's really a movement promoting obesity. It's just that people don't care enough about themselves anymore.

And not one politician is saying a f#$king thing about it, outside of empty rhetoric and focuses on non-issues. Enough with this free trade garbage; we absolutely need to reinstute massive, MASSIVE tariffs and eliminate numerous international trade agreements. Oh no, the Chinese and Indians will be pissed?f**ck 'em. How about a law saying US minimum wage laws must govern all employees, regardless of their being employed by multinational conglomerates outside the States. That means if Microsoft is paying Chinese workers $2/hour, then they have to incur a penalty to make up the difference between that and, let's say $15 an hour. Since these jobs aren't coming back to the United States voluntarily, then we'll force them to return by instituting such high penalites that a company will either accept it, or get the f$uck ou and no longer do any business in the States at any level. Or maybe we'll engage in a trade war that will result in open war, who the hell knows. Either way, we must do something to reestablish the middle class, since this free market will not permit it. That's the point of government, to ensure our country does not turn into another Zimbabwe, which is (an exaggerated version of) the path we're taking. But instead we hear Santorum babble about playing with his dead baby or Gingrich defending his draft deferrment. I'm so sick of it! Obama, get on tv and do your f$%ing job.

I've always felt that with online dating sites, there are two deal breakers. Women may not lie about weight (thin means thin, folks) and men can't lie about employment status. Everything else is workable and some profile dishonesty is acceptable - but not weight/body type and income/employment

I don't know, I guess to each his own. I am sure I could grow to love someone fat or ugly - and I'm talking about real love - but how in the hell could I ever be sexually attracted to her? Does that kind of attraction really evolve? I supppose you don't really have to be sexually attracted to the person you love - just now I'm thinking of about the spouses of some of the Iraqi vet burn victims who are staying with their men (presumably out of love and not obligtation) - but that is certainly quite the hurdle to overcome.

damnnnnnn

How about we start imposing insanely high taxes on unhealthy foods and use that money to subsidize healthy products. That might do more to stem obesity than hunger completely, but it seems win win a kids will start eating more nutritional meals.

No one is saying the boomers were a filthy rich, spoiled generation, or at least I'm not, but rather there was a way of life, of middle class existence, of owning homes and cars, of raising families, of schools focusing on teaching rather than standardized testing, of living in idyllic safe suburbs, not to mention (more or less) present day access to a healthcare and social security system that the millenials will never have access to. And yet we're somehow perceived as the lazy generation despite never having these spoils, having to fund this retirement system that is truly impossible to maintain, and fighting tooth and nail for a job against our peers, those who refuse to retire, and a global community. It's like millenials are being attacked on all fronts sometimes, and politicians are too nervous to even come close to addressing our plight.

Honestly, I barely know anything about Collinwood other than Beachland and Kill the Irishman. You read stuff like North Collinwood is a mixed bag and South is pretty rough; anyone here have more detailed impressions?

Text messaging is incredibly damaging to one's personal life. Here's a fun texting exchange I had a little while ago (paraphrased to perfection) Girl (about 30 minutes prior to a date): "Hey, I have to bail on tonight to spend time with the family." Me: "Well, I wish you had told me earlier but no problem. Have a good night." Girl: "YOU KNOW, I ONLY HAVE SO MUCH FREE TIME BETWEEN MY STUDIES AND HELPING MY BROTHER OUT, AND I NEED TO SEE MY GRANDFATHER!" Me (trying to soothe the situation): "Can't argue that" (i.e. I understand; family is important) Girl (completely misreading): "OH, YOU'RE BEING SO ARGUMENTATIVE. YOU KNOW I'M BUSY WITH MEDICAL SCHOOL AND MY BROTHER, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE ALL PASSIVE-AGRESSIVE." (and so on and so forth until) "I DON'T WANT SEE YOU ANYMORE." Me (at this point I don't care either way if she's interested, but in all fairness to my libido she is very attractive): "Woh, slow down. You're completely misreading that. I'd like see you but if you're not interested, no need for drama. Whatever you'd like is fine with me." Girl: "YOU KNOW I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE FREE TIME AND I THOUGHT WE'D BE GOOD TOGETHER. BUT NOW I SEE YOU'RE DISHONEST AND ARGUMENTATIVE, SO WE BETTER CUT OUR TIES. Me: "That's fine. Good luck with your studies and family matters. I hope you find what you're looking for." Girl: "GOOD LUCK WITH YOU. AND BY THE WAY, IN THE FUTURE YOU SHOULD STOP BEING SO ARGUMENTATIVE AND DEFENSIVE. IT'S VERY UNNATTRACTIVE." Now obviously this person is a nutjob - the quotes aren't 100% but this is definitely the gist of the text exchanges - and it relates to texting and dating ... and I just thought it would be funny to share:) One cool fact about her is that her parents live directly across the street to Penny Pritzker in Lincoln Park, Chicago, and the families know each other pretty well. Her parents' home is unbelievable, and I really wanted to see Penny's $40 million dollar place as well: "Oh hi Penny, I'm the boyfriend. How about a tour?" Oh wow, so that's what a specially-made $25-million-dollar geothermal air thingy system is." Guess that won't be happening now.

I thought AMZN and AAPL were reporting on 1/24, and NFLX on 1/25. Ah. Well, still watch out for those in the near future

I think we do. We understand that if we are in our 50s and laid off we are most-likely unemployable and will be competing with our grandkids for those starbucks jobs, except it wont be starbucks (since they hire younger people) but maybe competing with our grandkids for jobs clerking at Home Depot. (about to speak in some generalities) While I'm sure the economy is hitting your generation hard, you have to understand that it is completely decimating the millenials. You guys had many years to enjoy a middle class life that to us is a chapter in US history books. Your generation does and will receive unbelievable yet completely unfunded socialized programs that are not remotely sustainable for my and future generations, especially Medicare, which by the way is the biggest single chunk of our deficit. I hear countless stories of those in their 50s and 60s complaining about having worked for 30 years in one well-paid industry but are now struggling (and by the way, why didn't you guys save your money instead of buying cars every 3 years and have Disney World vacations periodically). Well, the fact is people of my generation never had that middle class opportunity, not at that level; our struggles have started much much earlier, probably right around our first insane college/grad school debt bills arrive (something you guys never had to worry about, not at this level), yet we are the ones essentially funding everyone else's way of life but our own. To the older generations, buying a car and home were seen as wise and common investments; now, it is almost impossible to forsee for so many 20 and 30 year olds to do so, given the economy, given how there are virtually no guaranteed middle class jobs i.e. steel and manufacturing. We can't start families because we have no job security. We can't find jobs that pay these non-existent middle class wages outside of very specialized field. And yet we're the ones blamed for laziness, for playing with iphones and mobile devices (which are not only essential for business purposes in today's world but also they're the only things we can afford), and it's mind boggling. In a sense there is some kind of undisclosed generational warfare in which its the boomers vs the millenials, and it's a very one-sided battle so far.

Earning reports tonight, folks. Should be interesting, especially with amazon, apple and netflix

Certainly good for ancillary businesses

Iconic movie moment; we've all done it at some level.

That sense of entitlement comes from a lifetime of parents and teachers pushing education, and with it all its colossal bills, as the only way to achieve a middle class job or even propserity. You have many millions of American teens and young(ish) adults following these instructions, making the obscene time and financial sacrifices, only to find an economic climate devoid of jobs, certainly the ones that let us afford independence. It's not a sense of entitlement in as much as a sense of betrayal. Our country, our parents, corporate America, and especially our colleges and graduate institutions have completely lied to us about the value of these sacrifices, that they are generally a one way street, that we have no right to complain, that we had no right to expect renumeration for our struggles, despite our having paid out the a$$ for all these years.

Maybe they're just going to a Subway for food.

Jaysus, are you using a periscrope to take these pictures

C-Dawg, it's good news because it isn't bad news. Simple as that And there's nothing new with these distortions, which are probably necessary at some level. Inflation is a bull$hit number as opposed to cost of living, but it's still reported and we're relieved when reading it isn't escalating. The terms recession and depression are completely outdated and horribly defined/qualified, but there is value in reports that we're in neither. A lot of times the truth causes too much damage to morale and growth. Imagine if the Normandy troops were told that one out of every three would die (I believe those were the estimates prior; obviously, fatalities were far less than estimates). You can bet that would jeopardize the mission.

Worthless number or not, I can just imagine the howls on this board if the number were going up. And since it's going the opposite direction, I choose to be optimistic, especially when taking into account increases in private employment, wall street stability, etc

^now that is a hell of a point