patrick.net

Randy,

You must tell me more about this filtered blog RSS aggregate thing. That sounds very exciting. (more concentrated goofing off for me???)

Do ask for a scent strip of it if you find yourself trapped in a mall against your will.

I will keep in mind, thanks.

I do like to hike in the mall. At least there is no horse shit on the "trail". :)

Space Acer,

Now there's a Web 2.0 application I hope somebody is working hard on developing! A good spell/grammar check that automatically corrects capitalization, fills in missing words, remove nonsensical sentences. Me + That might one day convince others that I have greater brain capacity than an ordinary gnat.

Or even better, an incoming email filter that condenses 2 page emails into 3 KWIC sentences.

Instanteous telepathy would be the best, of course.

After I asked about the DINK couple that bought the East Bay “McMegaMansion” (aka “TractMansion”) Randy H Says:

> I can’t tell for sure. She comes off as the type who never
> wants children; but I’ve found that’s not necessarily a
> reliable indicator.

I’ve never met a woman that just “comes off as” “the type who never wants children” since there is a very short list of women that I have met (or even heard about) who have actually said “I never want children”…

> It’s ‘Pergo’, not ‘Prego’, although we’ll pass that off
> as a Freudian faux pas, given the context.

Sorry, but remember I grew up in a neighborhood with actual top nailed hardwood floors, redwood window sills and copper gutters…

My favorite East Bay TracMansion “feature” is the plastic/foam “wood beams”
http://www.fauxwoodbeams.com/fauxbeams.php

> by the way, i often don’t use uppercase letters on
> purpose. after looking at YetAnotherCamelCaseCompany
> all day, i’m quite content to deal with the shorter end of
> the alphabet.

when u write in all lower case most people will assume that u are a younger person. i have always assumed that randy h is older than i am since he has kids, but he may be a lot younger since i just heard from a fraternity brother (that pinned his girlfriend sophomore year and got engaged before graduation) has a son that was accepted to the junior university on palo alto…

My favorite East Bay TracMansion “feature” is the plastic/foam “wood beams”

For a second, I figured you MUST be talking about the recycled 'green' beams and was going to defend alternative and recycled building materials.

Then I clicked that link.

Useless painted styrofoam glued to your ceiling for decorative purposes? You've GOT to be sh*tting me! You know what I want? Styrofoam babies to glue to the ceiling. Because at least THOSE would be conversation starters.

I can write a software that removes 100% of all writing mistakes.

FAB,

Some of my friends already have kids and the others seem quite uninterested in kids.

I'm pretty sure Randy is a couple years younger than you. He is an early Gen-Xer, while you're a very late Baby Boomer.

"that pinned his girlfriend sophomore year" I've never heard that one before, does pinned = knocked up or does pinned = hook up?

"I can write a software that removes 100% of all writing mistakes."

Does it also remove 100% of all writing?

Does it also remove 100% of all writing?

That is an unfortunate side effect.

What I really hate are people (usually secretaries or ditsy support desk people) who set their email (or word document) to 18 pt font Script default. That reflects really badly on both them and their bosses.

18 pt font Script

Huh? I have used 7 pt courier before. :)

If I had faux timber beams in my McMansion, after a couple of beers I might be inclined to rampage about like Godzilla, snapping 8x8 beams with my bare hands. :)

I am going to look at a loft for lease on Friday. My back of the envelope calculations are that PITI+HOA is about $1450, but rent is only $1000. Quite a premium for ownership in a 1 bed, 1 bath place. Great location though.

OO Says:

> I remember your mentioning at one point that some
> dealership could go as low as $7K below MSRP on
> Lexus SUV, since we are shopping for a new car,
> I was wondering if you can point me to any resources.

I love the current Lexus LX470 and rented the Toyota version (with the live front axle that was never available in the US) on my last dive trip down under.

The dealers will be doing everything they can to move the current models off the lot before the new model gets here (the official intro will be in a couple weeks at the NY Auto Show):
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/lexus/lexus-lx470-ar14943.html

If you buy a Lexus LX 470 it will drop like a rock in value the day you drive it off the lot (and drop even more when the LX 570 hits the road). If you wait for the new LX 570 model you will do a lot better (and get a better vehicle)…

FAB

I think you and I are on opposite sides of the cusp, as astrid says. My son is pretty young but we also got started late. We married when we were both 28, even though we'd been together since the end of school.

Any chance you'd come to a Marin Brewing Company night if we can get enough people? We need someone to pay, lol. Where I grew up the hardwood floors were top nailed too (though not much redwood), but only because the houses were 100 years old then, 30-40 years ago.

Any chance you’d come to a Marin Brewing Company night if we can get enough people?

When? If it is on a week night perhaps a party in the Ferry Building may attract more people.

We need someone to pay, lol.

Just do a Lucky (Unlucky) Draw? :)

I will sulk tomorrow if Edwards drops out. Why do bad things happen to non-Stepford wives?

OO

Putnam Lexus has 07 RX 350 for $7000 off MSRP ($2500 under invoice) as of 2 weeks ago. If they run out of 07, I would think 08 would be around invoice or slightly (

OO

My last post got cutoff, if you are looking to see how much to pay for a car, go to edmunds, car talk forum, people post how much they pay for each model, it's a good resource.

BTW, Millikin in Santa Clara also has 1000 API scores or 998 or something like that, doesn't do anything for me, but everytime I say that my wife say I don't care about my kids education.

Scores are really over-rated. Education is not video game.

When? If it is on a week night perhaps a party in the Ferry Building may attract more people.

Anywhere convenient, so long as there is quality beer and wine available. I thought a Thursday or Friday night would work best. Probably not for a couple weeks yet, I'm just trying to stir up interest. We tried a year ago and it never happened.

As to who pays, I say we make surfer-X drive up and open the tab.

New thread: What is going on?

FAB and CB,

thanks a bunch for the advice.

Friday night works for me. Or we can have some sushi too?

BTW, I afraid the spring ("dead cat") bounce is here.

When I mentioned a “pinning” astrid Says:

> I’ve never heard that one before, does pinned =
> knocked up or does pinned = hook up?

I can tell astrid was not Greek as an undergrad…

When I started college in the early 80’s America was at a low point and many people thought the entire Greek system was going to die…

A small group of kids I went to school with started dressing like the guys from the movie “Chariots of Fire” and playing golf with old timers at Claremont and talking about all the traditions that died in the 70’s.

Since most of the old timers got married before (or soon after) graduation they started talking about lavaliering, pining and (even) engagement to sorority girls…

Once the older sorority alums from the Junior League and the T&C Club got word some old guys were playing golf with fraternity guys who were not smelly pot smoking hippies they rushed across the bay to let the girls know what to pressure they guys to do.

Step one was the lavaliere (Greek letters on a chain) that meant you were really going steady, then Step two was the pinning (the girl got the guys actual fraternity pin) that meant the guy made a promise to get engaged and step three was engagement a (actual engagement ring) that means the same thing it means to everyone else…

The older JLSF ladies in their St. John knits would tear up and they sat on the floor of the Sorority houses with the young girls explaining the candle ceremony where one around the circle meant a lavaliere, twice around the circle meant a pinning and three times around the circle meant engagement…

I tried to find a good explanation on the web but this is the best I got (no pinning on Wikipedia):

http://tinyurl.com/36vq9p

FAB,

Thanks for the explanation on this arcane subject.

Since I missed my chance, I guess there's nothing left except elopement
(something Smiths themed might be interesting) and finding my personal cult/tax shelter.

I say we make surfer-X drive up and open the tab.

Hmmmm, maybe HARM and I could road trip it.

Hmmmm, maybe HARM and I could road trip it.

If you guys come your beer is free. :)

And so is your sushi!

I tried to find a good explanation on the web but this is the best I got (no pinning on Wikipedia)

You know what to do then...

And so is your sushi!

My sushi is free?

Randy,

It's for extremely sensitive, thin skinned individuals. Hell, for these individuals with an aggregator, they can cut down on their daily prozac intake.

...and its also good for those who don't read posts correctly; Randy fits both of those categories.

allah,

Randy H is not the person who comes to my mind for either of those descriptions.

I can think of others here who do, but I don't want to stir up that shit storm again.

Randy H is not the person who comes to my mind for either of those descriptions.

I can think of others here who do, but I don’t want to stir up that shit storm again.

You don't need to defend Randy, he can take care of himself (right?).

It is better to stir up a shit storm and take a chance at resolving it than to bottle it up and build alot of animosity.

When someone chooses to filter out someones posts because they didn't like and/or understand/agree with what they had posted, it is just a sign of weakness plain and simple. If someone wants to do that to lower their stress, then good for them, but there really is no reason to announce it on a thread. The same goes for people who take prozac; if it helps them great, but don't announce it to everyone that you take them.

You probably weren't around when me and Randy got into a discussion that led to him filtering out my posts using his "aggregator"; you can go back and check the archives and see for yourself, it's all there! I would find them and post the links to them here if I really cared so much, but I dont.

All I will say is this:

Long ago Randy and myself got into an argument about something and I asked him if he is a realtor (check the archives if you don't believe it). Since then he took it as if I accused him of being a realtor (he bottled it up)...and then months after in another discussion with him claiming that equity is savings and me disagreeing; he brought up how I accused him of being a realtor and announced to everyone that he is going to filter out my posts from now on. To me, this is like announcing that you're going to start taking prozac or that you're going to a shrink; but can also be like a 9 year old covering his ears and shouting "I can't hear you"!

I have nothing personal against Randy, even if he is a weak person. Same goes for anyone else. This is a place to discuss issues without holding anything personal against each other. I even welcome the trolls when others feel the need to remove their posts.

The same goes for GC who says:

It is you guys who constantly mock the FB’s and imagine all sorts of hellish punishment for them. I have compassion for them. What that really means is that I leave them alone. They, at least enjoyed the roller coaster ride. You, on the other hand, have not lived.

after I said this:

If that is true, they shouldn’t feel bad about the FB’s.

Which is my way of saying that the FB's shouldn't be bailed out because of their own financial decisions. GC feels that it means something else.

allah,

(It sounds like you don't know the shit storms I was referring to. I'm not going to stir that up because the experience show me that it is sometimes counterproductive to argue specific points, even on a relatively enlightened forum such as this one.

BTW - I wouldn't mind using an aggregator to screen out a couple people here, nor would I mind other people screening me out because they don't like long OT discourses on sushi and knives.)

Okay, let's air this out.

No, I don't have to defend Randy. But nor am I forbidden to call things as I see it.

First let me make clear. I don't agree with Randy on everything and there are many times when I strongly disagreed with his conclusions here. However, Randy continues to keep a civil dialogue with most people here and his aggregator has apparently allowed him to ignore people that he finds disagreeable.

You've managed to acquire a hatred of Randy H that is blinding you to his many merits. Furthermore, based on my observation here, you tend to be less tolerant of dissent compared to Randy H, more fixated on people who disagree with you and less on issues up for discussion.

Patrick gave us all a forum to speak here. That is not the same as a right to insist on being heard by people who don't want to listen.

Hatred of Randy? Huh?

(It sounds like you don’t know the shit storms I was referring to. I’m not going to stir that up because the experience show me that it is sometimes counterproductive to argue specific points, even on a relatively enlightened forum such as this one.

I agree, this is true sometimes, but not always.

BTW - I wouldn’t mind using an aggregator to screen out a couple people here, nor would I mind other people screening me out because they don’t like long OT discourses on sushi and knives.)

Nothing wrong with using an aggregator; they have their uses, but to attempt to insult someone by telling everyone that they are using it to filter out someones posts is childish and really is self insulting to the person that makes such a statement. It really makes them look like a whimp.

Okay, let’s air this out.

Let the shitstorms begin...I love shitstorms; just kidding :lol:

No, I don’t have to defend Randy. But nor am I forbidden to call things as I see it.

First let me make clear. I don’t agree with Randy on everything and there are many times when I strongly disagreed with his conclusions here. However, Randy continues to keep a civil dialogue with most people here and his aggregator has apparently allowed him to ignore people that he finds disagreeable.

If you keep ignoring everyone who disagrees with you one time or another, eventually you will be seeing a white screen every time you refresh. Not being able to tolerate a disagreement is a sign of arrogance.

You’ve managed to acquire a hatred of Randy H that is blinding you to his many merits. Furthermore, based on my observation here, you tend to be less tolerant of dissent compared to Randy H, more fixated on people who disagree with you and less on issues up for discussion.

What hatred? Where on this blog or anywhere on the internet have I made a statement that shows hatred? It's not like I wrote a plugin for an aggregator that replaces every reference to his name with the word "asshole" and then told everyone I did....that would be hatred! :evil:

He is one of my favorite speakers here; sometimes I am stumped trying to figure out what he is saying. I actually miss arguing with him. I remember the first argument I had with him about the valuation of a precious rock years ago; even he himself agreed that he enjoyed the argument.

How am I less tolerant of people who disagree with me? I actually like when people disagree, it's what makes a discussion. Imagine for a second if everyone agreed with each other; if people didn't disagree this blog would be very boring!

Patrick gave us all a forum to speak here. That is not the same as a right to insist on being heard by people who don’t want to listen.

I don't care whether or not someone disagrees with me or doesn't listen. I don't push anything on them; but if you're going to filter out comments by me, don't make posts referring to me based on the feedback from someone else such as GC (who already misinterpreted what I said).

When someone disagrees and I persistantly argue by bringing up links to articles like "equity isn't savings" (proving them wrong), it is because I strongly believe that if I show enough proof, they may get it. If they don't, they can just agree to disagree and leave it at that.

You take things far too seriously.

Do I? I am just trying to calm the storm, that's all. Too many angry people taking what other people say the wrong way; this is no way to behave. :)

allah,

That's fine. You just come off sounding more antagonistic sometimes.

When I think of the Fed I really think of it as an extension of the Wall St. banks. The only difference is they are appointed political positions which leave them beholding to the investor elite. Look folks.. there is truly a class polarization going on it has been for some time now. The wealthiest power brokers don't want to lose their foothold and influence. And will manipulate the system at any cost.

The only way to do that is keep the masses heavily in debt and ignorant of the back room dealing in Washington. God, just look at the current arrogance of the administration the lies and abuse of power at the very top. Don't fool yourself thinking for one moment that the government cares if you have a decent standard of living. The power brokers of the world have written the play book. It's all about the big boys and corporate big wigs on Wall Street and to a lesser extent their puppets in Washington. After all they expect something for their dirty lobby money. The sad part is that we the common man gets screwed every time.