HAPe4me

First, Eagle, thank you, it was an appropriate response. Secondly, my stated "reservations" were limited to your paragraph stating "ONE APPROACHING A LOT OF GANGS" by themself, to be armed. I expressed nothing in regards to trained and legally sanctioned action. Therefore, I do not agree that my display fertilizes gangs. I do think it might help someone to live longer if they do not follow your advice. (edit) Upon your explanation, I withdraw your name from those who I suggest should try what I understood you to be saying in the first paragraph of your post. :D (end edit) ~HAP

Peace out- ~HAP (edited to correct "Mark" to "Mosh")

I am well over 50, but the only Skitch I remember was Skitch Henderson. what are you talking about, youngster?

WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!!!!!!!!!!! (Eagle's, Jonny's. and Rhino's plan) Encouraging people who find themselves approaching a lot of gang members to do so armed, seems to me to be a recipe for disaster., and indeed nucking futs! What, are you going to take them ALL out without being carried out in a box yourself? Not likely. Certainly not something I would recommend to anyone I liked. Those of you who think otherwise, GO FOR IT! I will be happy to say a word or two for you in the Memorium Forum, and there I promise to be kind, out of respect for your survivors. Eagle's post was not directly pointed to M13, at least in its wording nor in my understanding of it. It really makes no difference what gang it was anyway. He DID point to "the blight coming over the border", thus opened the door himself to Mosh's post. He, not Mosh, played the "race card". Thanks Mosh for pointing out who REALLY cares about the Constitution on this board. We can see clearly now. (Yikes again) ~HAP (edited to correct "Mark" to "Mosh")

yikes- that is all I am gonna say on this subject.

its Da Bears! not them garbage eating birds.

yes Ex, I knew one could call the airlines direct, but i was playing with the discounted sites. I had forgotten about STA however, and the kids are registered there. Their rates are usually great, with the added benefit of being able to change departure for a very small fee. ($25 last time we used it). It's all hypothetical anyway in my case, I am probably dreaming that they will end up back here anytime soon. I may have to just go see them again in a year or three LOL. thanks for your effort. ~HAP

ROFLMAOPIMP! I accidentally clicked on the CES forum thread and there was an ad that said "Like soap Operas?"

yeah, it seems that way Evan, no prob, I was just dreaming he might come back here some day, so this thread gave me an opportunity to look around. we fully know the Euro/dollar ratio. thanks ~HAP

How about for oneway tiks FROM Europe? Ex's site doesn't seem to give me that option, although they DO allow one way TO Europe. SoOMEday, I may talk the kid into coming back here (if the war stops and the creek don't rise), and I am not sure the airhitch thing they used to get there works as well coming back. ~HAP

What are your concerns with the system(s) Rocko? And yes Shell, although I doubt there is anything particularly useful left here.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The only problem with backward hats is they give a funny tan line, unless you get the expensive fitted ones.

first, welcome Sioux. haven't seen you here before, I hope you enjoy your stay. What is it you are stunned about? His use of the Koran in a photoop or a muslim elected to congress, something else? Perhaps it is the reaction of some here that stuns you. It does me! ummm Coolchef- While a new, Muslim member of Congress sparked a controversy for taking his oath of office with a Quran instead of a Bible on Thursday, another new member who is Buddhist was sworn in with no book at all. Rep. Mazie Hirono, a Hawaii Democrat who was raised in the Buddhist tradition, said, "I don't have a book. ... But I certainly believe in the precepts of Buddhism" Elsewhere she said, "there is no book in Buddhism that’s equivalent to the Bible or the Koran" There are actually 2 Buddhists in congress this session. So, seeing that little has been mentioned of the Buddhists, (you apparently didn't know about them) why is such a bruhaha being made of Rep. Ellison, a muslim? Since the official swearing in is done enmasse, without a religious book, I don't get the consternation against Rep. Ellison. apparently neither do various other religious leaders. They are backing a petition against Rep. (notso) Goode who was chiefly responsible for raising this issue. Religious leaders and organizations backing the petition include Dr. George Hunsinger of the Princeton Theological Seminary, Rev. Robert Edgar of the National Council of Churches, Rabbi Steven B. Jacobs of the Rabbi Steven B. Jacobs Progressive Faith Foundation, Rev. Dr. Larry L. Greenfield of the American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago, Rev. Cedric A. Harmon of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Joseph C. Hough, Jr. of the Union Theological Seminary, Vincent Isner of Faithful America, a program of the National Council of the Churches of Christ USA, and Rev. Timothy F. Simpson of the Christian Alliance for Progress You can read the petition, and presumably sign it here: http://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/2007/01...ep-vigil-goode/ should you be so inclined, teehee ~HAP

No Belle, don't pin that on me. It's not my intent to do any such thing, where one files themself is totally up to them. We must each weigh our own heart and determine what shall emanate from our being. Such is life. Peaceout, HAP

Regarding the Constitution, as has been cited in this thread before, but apparently needs repeating for some: The Constitution specifies in Article VI, clause 3: "The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." This is not about freedom to worship, it is the law of the land, and what ALL congresspeople (and the president) supposedly swear or affirm to support and defend. "No religious test SHALL EVER be required...." I believe for a congressperson to project that muslims should not be allowed to hold office is in itself a violation of their own oath. It speaks volumns about their integrity. The Constituion itself does not describe a specifically worded oath for any office other than that of the president, nor does it require the traditional addition of "so help me God" Ellison is not the first, a number of presidents and congressional electees have forsaken the bible for their oath. Some have simply "affirmed" (Quakers, as an example), one placed his hand on a law book, and some have used various jewish books. This is not new, but not much of a scene was made of it until this current spat. For a fun aside concerning historical disagreements on the congressional oath: In 1862, Congress adopted an internal rule which made it necessary for "every person elected or appointed to any office ... under the Government of the United States ... excepting the President of the United States" to swear or affirm that they had never previously engaged in criminal or disloyal conduct" Following the Civil War, in 1868, members from the southern states were specifically not required to ascribe to this "Test Oath". This really angered some northern legislators who objected to the idea that southerns could be criminal and disloyal, but northerners could not! ~HAP

I am glad apologies are forthcoming, I feel sorry for what these families went through before the holidays: U.S. Army Sends Reenlistment Letters to Dead Soldiers! January 6th, 2007 BBC: The US Army is to apologise to the families of officers killed or wounded in action who were sent letters urging them to return to active duty. The letters were sent to more than 5,100 Army officers listed as recently having left the military. But this figure included about 75 officers killed in action and about 200 wounded in action..... The rest of the story can be found here: http://webmerica.org/2007/01/06/us-army-se...-dead-soldiers/ We usually don't even allow people to rise from the grave to vote (except in Chicago), and I doubt they could pass a physical anyway. ~HAP

as a construction worker myself, I doubt that running him off or abusing him would have been in the cards. I would say a majority of us have dogs ourselves, and a certain empathy for the abused. (canine or human) We are such lowlifes oursleves ! LOL Glad you were able to assist the critter anyhow.

I do not care one iota about that case, and do not suggest that I have any idea as to his guilt or innocence. It seems to me that for a school project on a trial, a book that gives an impartial portrayal of it would be preferable. Not one that seems from your description to be predisposed to Simpson's guilt. Perhaps I am misunderstanding your description. Is it one sided or does it also point out prosecution attempts to sway the jury? Tommy- is she looking at the criminal or the civil trial for her study? or both? ~HAP

good answer Abi I for one, am appalled. .. ... .... that in this day and time this is an issue. Sad really. oh the hatred. bah humbug, disgusting. HAP

I thought pictures were supposed to go to the Gallery instead of open forums. Is that a recommendation or a rule?

I don't know what I mentioned that would be "unwanted features", but I was using IE6 through AOL. I can try Mozilla and let you know if there is a difference for me if you want. ~HAP

since you asked for our thoughts (somewhere- I know you must have, LOL) here are mine: I have no prob with the lightness of the background, however at first look, it seems to me that the separation between posts is not as obvious as it was. They seem to run together to my eye. The titles of sections seem to be misplaced by half a line. The are half in the lighter part of the banner and half in the gold/yellow part. (i.e. "fast reply", the thread title, all the links at the top of the page to gallery, livechat, calendar etc.) The button titles are hard to read, perhaps because of their compressed height or , is it because of the white font fill color? I like the fonts in the avatar areas, and also those in the posts themselves. wow, the sidepanel that comes up when you click quote is cool. lots of stuff there. what does +quote do? ~HAP

Leftover chili from the in-law's get together yesterday.

Dateline Arvada, Colorado- yep, we got snow before Christmas. 31" in less than 30 hours on Wednesday and Thursday. We are glad to have it, any moisture means water for the spring. Unfortunately the swiftness with which it fell messed up some people's plans for holiday visits, throughout the country, but we thank all of them for their sacrifice in the name of moisture for us. Denver airport was closed for 2 days (5th busiest port in the country). This not only affected local passengers, but screwed up schedules at virtually every airport in the US and beyond. Things are up and running now, mail is coming, the checks that were in the mail might finally make it, and Billy's present from grandma should be there this week some time. The nice thing about a storm like this at this time of year is the goodness that it brings out in people. We have lots of stories of good deeds done, heroic steps taken by strangers, and neighbors banding together to help each other out (literally as well as figuratively). Holiday greetings to one and all. ~HAP

Today I shoveled 30" of snow from the deck and stairs to the yard and then 50 sq.ft of the yard so Trey could get out and do his thing, before I went to work on clearing a way for my truck to get out of the driveway. Dogs deserve better than that lady was affording hers. ~HAP