mav

In the interest of full disclosure, I ride as well, so I might be a little biased. One thing I forgot to mention in my previous thread is there are some cyclists out there who are very adamant about their rights and won't pull over for anyone. They are just like the folks you run across who automatically move to the left hand lane on the interstate and just do the speed limit. When you run across those type people my original point still stands; be the better person. Be courteous and wait for an appropriate time to pass.

I have to admit that I am pretty stunned. I think this thread and some of the responses within it are a great representation of what is wrong with this country. A lot of people have no courtesy and think of nobody but themselves. With everything that is happening right now in this country, are we that petty that we are b**ching about cyclists? Personally, I think this is a non-issue. If you are driving a car and come upon a cyclist(s) in the middle of your lane, slow down, be courteous, and wait for the appropriate time to pass. Does it bother me at times if I am in a hurry? Sure it does. However, I will be a bigger man and wait paitiently for an appropriate time to pass. I also extend this same courtesy to people on motorcycles, and to those who are driving their car less than the speed limit.

I think the SCOTUS made the right decision. It is unfortunate that it wasn't unanimous. The only thing I find that is Baptist or Christian about the Westboro Baptist Church is their name. I find their behavior abhorrent, and it is an insult to those who have fought for their very right to protest. However, I believe they have every right continue on with their little circle jerk without being threatened or subjected to violence. While it might make us feel good momentarily, beating the hell out of someone who offends you with their political speech is the exact opposite of what our founders intended, and it is an offense to all of those who have fought to uphold those freedoms.

It's okay. You have to remember, "It is for the children."

I play at golf. During the summer, I will usually play 9 or 18 holes at Knob North after work with some of our salesmen. Although I enjoy it, I pretty much stink at golf since I don't really play all that much. I have only shot in the 70's three times. Typically, when I get to play at least once a week, I will shoot in the mid to high 80s. However, when I don't get to play all that much (once a month), I will shoot in the mid 90's. Although I hardly ever play on the weekends, I guess I could be ranked right along with a weekend duffer.

I think you would change your mind if you shot a Sig P226 X5 L1? Definitely not a first time gun purchase considering the wholesale on the gun is $2070. However, the trigger is absolutely Sig's finest and it is their most accurate as well.

I never did chime in on here. You might as well say I am a just handgun guy. I have two long guns, the LWRC M6A2 D-DEA and a FN SLP Mark 1. I can't shoot either of them worth a . I guess it is sort of bad to say you are more accurate with a handgun than a rifle.

I had no idea FN made a SAO FNP-9. I had a DA/SA FNP-9. The gun had fantastic ergonomics. I would have kept it if it hadn't of been a DA/SA trigger, which I absolutely hated. I wouldn't mind shooting one of the SAO FNP-9s.

It is impossible to say what my favorite song is, so here are my favorites in different genres: Classic Rock: Peace of Mind - Boston Grunge: Smells like Teen Spirit - Nirvana or Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam Sixties: (This is a tough one) Gimme Some Lovin' - Spencer David Group, Ride My See Saw - Moody Blues, Good Vibrations - Beach Boys Seventies: Young Lust or Comfortably Numb or some other Pink Floyd song Eighties: Red Skies - The Fixx Nineties: Lit Up - Buck Cherry 2000: Numb - Linkin Park R&B: Uptight - Stevie Wonder Rap: The Message - Grandmaster Flash (very old school) Jazz: Give it One - Maynard Ferguson Classical: Scheherazade - Rimsky - Korsakov Dance: Come Into My World - Kylie Minogue Country: Looking For Love n All The Wrong Places - Johnny Lee (gotta get my Urban Cowboy on) Smooth Jazz: Ever Since We Met - Chris Botti New Age: Only Time - Enya Non-English speaking music: Du Hast - Rammstein Hard Rock: Unchained - Van Halen Glam Rock (Hair Bands): Turn Up The Radio - Autograph British Metal: You Got Another Thing Comin' - Judas Priest Metal: Anything pre-Load Metallica Southern Rock: Flirtin' With Disaster - Molly Hatchet

Although I'm not wild about the ergonomics, I would go with a Glock as well. Just to be upfront, I hate DA/SA triggers. I prefer SAO, but I don't have any problems with Glock's safe action. The other nice thing about Glocks is there is a plethora of aftermarket parts available. Is there any reason you have chosen .40? If I was planning on shooting a lot at the range, I would consider a 9mm.

We can dance if we want to. We can leave your friends behind. Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance, then they're no friends of mine. Men Without Hats. Classic. I hated that song when it first came out, but I like it now. I heard it the other day on XM and caught myself singing along. I just hope nobody mentions "Mickey" by Toni Basil. I hated then and I still hate it.

Well, at least I know I am not the only one who likes that song.

Best of luck to you. The cold I had started in a similar fashion. The sore throat lasted for about 4-5 days. Overall, it took 2 weeks for me to be completely over it. I took 4 tablets of Mucinex D each day, which helped a lot with the congestion.

How could this ever work without a genetic database in place? It couldn't. While I do see the merits of what could be achieved from such a device, the blatant invasion of privacy and abuse far outweighs any possible benefit.

I was pretty much done with this thread, but reading the last several pages have left me scratching my head. I was going to comment on the some inconsistencies that I have read, but I had a change of heart. I feel that it would be inappropriate in such a venue as this, and it would do nothing to further the conversation. However, I will cite an example that furthers the argument that the unions, not just the teacher's union, have got to go. As I was reading some news this afternoon, I ran across an artcle that was discussing Richard Trumka's plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs. For those of you who do not know, Richard Trumka is the head of the AFL-CIO. He is also one of Obama's advisors whom by his own admission speaks to someone in the White House everyday. Trumka's plan to stimulate the economy and decrease the unemployment rate is accomplished by none other than raising taxes. I bet none of you would have guessed that. Trumka wants to raise the federal gas tax and create a financial transaction tax, in which financial institutions will be taxed on every transaction they make. Even if we were in a vibrant economy, Trumka's plans are a terrible idea, and considering the current condition of our economy, they are downright stupid. With ever increasing oil/gas prices and this administration's complete block on drilling and development of existing energy sources, raising the federal gas tax is nothing more than complete idiocy. Raising the gas tax will be devasting to a lot of people. Not only will the price at the pump go up, everything else will increase in price as well. This will be a double whammy on our wallets and pocketbooks. Trumka states, "We need a dedicated source or revenue to create infrastructure in this country." He also states, "We need to create jobs. The best way to do that is through infrastructure development." I have to admit that I was sort of stunned while reading this article. Does Trumka believe that we, the taxpayers, are walking around with our heads up our a$$? My response to Mr. Trumka would read like the following. Mr. Trumka, there are those within our society that do pay attention to all things political. We realize that union membership has declined significantly over the last decade. We are fully aware that your plan is nothing more than a ploy to create more union members, thereby replenishing your dwindling coffers and increase your political influence. We also remember that President Obama and his ilk stuck it to us taxpayers with a $626 billion dollar stimulus package that was supposed to be for infrastructure and "shovel-ready jobs." Two years after the passage of the stimulus, President Obama was asked about the infrastructure spending. He ackowledged that, despite his campaign promises, "there's no such thing as shovel-ready projects." As evidenced by the last election, we, the tax-paying american public have awoken to the corruption that is within the unions and in Washington. We are determined to root out that corruption before it destroys us as a nation. Mr. Trumka, your plans would be disastrous for this country. So in short, go sell crazy somewhere else, we are all stocked up here. In regards to Trumka's financial transaction tax, he states that it will not take money out of the pockets of the middle class. I guess I am too cynical to think that the financial instituions will just absorb that tax and not pass it along to its customers. I don't habor any anymosity towards teachers or other public service employees. In fact, I believe that those public service employees who do care and excel within their field represent some of the best of society. However, there are some within the public service sector that I wouldn't give a squirt of pi$$ if they were on fire. I guess what I would really like to see is for the unions and primarily the federal government relinquish their stranglehold on numerous sectors within our economy and turn those sectors over to the private industry. This is the only way that I know to solve the problem of corruption that is draining us financially. Utlimately I would like to see a lot of the public sector, including teachers, work under the same auspices as the private sector, where competition is encouraged and rewards can be generous for those who succeed. Unless we can come to some kind of consensus as to how we can truly fix our financial problems, we will continue this spiraling decline until we reach reach the point of having more people receiving from the government instead of contributing. This will ultimately lead to a default. If that happens, those SHTF scenarios that we ruminate about on this forum might very well become reality.

I do not think the Tea Party should go 3rd party. I think the results would be disastrous. Thinking about setting up a third party is accepting defeat even before the 2012 election. Look at the effectiveness of the Tea Party in the 2010 elections. We can repeat the results in 2012. The key as it was in 2010 is the primaries. If an establishment republican wins the presidential nomination, I will vote for him. Even the most establishment type is way better than what we have now.

Atlas Shrugged was good, but it was also very boring. There was just way too much character development for my taste. I will probably see the movie and see how faithful they hold to the book.

Though not my favorite, it is a very cool song that I haven't heard in a while. Frank Zappa's "Titties & Beer." YouTube - Frank Zappa - Titties and Beer

Here is the actual link to the salaries of those in the Wisonsin school system. Statistical Information Center - School Staff and Salary Data. Those administrators have absolutely nothing to b**ch about.

If you are looking for a really honest answer, then I would say that the only way it will be fixed is to allow the entire sructure/system to completely fail and rebuild it. I absolutely hate to be a doom and gloom guy, and I certainly don't want to lump myself in the tin foil hat club, but I don't see any other way for things (not just in education) to be fixed. Our federal, state, and local governments are broke and a lot don't seem to take it seriously. I really hate to say this, and I certainly hope it never comes to fruition, but I don't think everyone will truly grasp the gravity of our financial burdens until the SHTF. I hope I am wrong.

You are a very mean person.

Preaching to the choir. And yes, I am for corporal punishment in schools. It is too bad that it would only stop at the kids. I know a few parents that need the beat out of them as well.

Looks like the ergonomics would be good. I haven't had any problems with Bud's either.

I like Girl Scout cookies, but I won't eat them. I usually buy a few of boxes and give them away to someone else. Same thing with the coupon books. I will buy one and give it away.

No need to take up any slack, there isn't any. Don't misread from my agreement in the previous post that I am on the Bolshevik party train headed to the worker's utopia. You cannot, however, discount the well documented cases of crony capitalism over the last couple of years. Back on topic. If I could make the choice, I would take the federal government out of the education business altogether. It should only be on a state and local level. Our public school system is pretty much failing. What is Washington's response? We need more funding. What is the unions response? We need more money. The education budget is increasing every year, and what do we have to show for it. Increased dropout rates? Lower test scores? Just to be clear so nobody comes on and pounds their chest that their spouse or relative is such a great educator, this is not solely the fault of teachers. There are some good teachers who are caught in this quagmire. The failure is in the entire system. Should our answer be to send more money or give more of this or that? Absolutely not. Continuing to pour money into a failed system and bottomless pit is nonsensical. Now I know this is pie in the sky thinking, but if we were to reform the system by dumping the unions and taking the federal government out of the education business, we might actually see some positive results. Perhaps, if the market deemed such, quality secondary education teachers might command a salary of $100k.