1984

I wish this could be done too. I have all my stuff on various external drives and the letters change depending which of my computers i plug them in to, which is annoying. I don't just leave them plugged in and on as I like to keep all my personal stuff away from the internet when surfing so if i get any problems and have to reinstall i dont lose anything. Interesting topic.

One time I had a person in the back of my cruiser car telling my partner and I that we were chumps for working and thanked us for paying taxes to provide them with welfare money to get drunk on. Gotta love it.

Another thing that is interesting is our unemployment is around 6.5 percent, and is not considered terribly bad, where yours is at 6.1 percent or so, and is considered terrible. It comes from perspective. We have a much stronger social network (meaning programs that pay for things like health, welfare, etc.) so canada is more liberal with paying for those that don't work. Not saying i agree with it (in many cases we have gone way too far with the cradle to grave approach of welfare) but in some regards we have a better system in that it allows for a little more compassion when dealing with those down and out. Of interest countries in europe have things like 5 weeks vacation a year, where as in canada its only 2 weeks (with some exceptions) so its all just perspective. Too bad we can't pick and choose and put together the perfect system. lol....that'll be the day. Regardless, its still great to see obama elected. things are looking a bit bleak south of the border and a change and fresh perspective should be good. It looks like a lot of the world agrees, and being that the US is the current target to "bash" and such it might help having a non white president (though i dont believe thats a reason to vote for someone). One more point. I totally agree with your comment about israel. A LOT of the tension that the us has is from its support of israel. I dont really have an opinion on the matter because i see both sides of the issue as very rational and really cant see any fix to the situation, but there is no doubt that the establishment of the israeli state has caused a lot of the animosity towards the us. But then thats a whole other can of worms. lol

Actually rridgely universities and colleges are subsidized by tax payers. The tuition that the students pay doesnt cover all costs (there are a ton of hidden costs covered by government, the least of which are land taxes in many cases. You make a lot of good points, i dont agree with them all, but they are well thought out. Of course it all comes from perspective. You are inside looking out, I am outside looking in. Just a point of interest. We have a lot of regulation of our banks in canada, and from what i understand, we are the only g20 country that will not run a deficit this year. Our economy is really not that bad. I am not as knowledgeable about the exact economics and the bank regulations in europe so i really can't provide too much to that area. Maybe one of our european members can enlighten us on how things are done there.

Lol...and so it is with most countries....and the ones that dont? (cuba, venezuala, etc ....) well they seem to get labled "terrorist" or whatever. I agree with you rridgely that nato is weak. But you have to remember that the US agreed to play by the rules of the UN, and when they didn't get their (Bushs) way, they entered into an illegal war. Attacking Iraq was illegal by world standards. And the only ones that though sadam (madass? lol) had wmd were the US or those that relied on the US intelligence (which appears after the fact to show that there was NO intelligence suggesting such). The current iraq war was a knee jerk reaction and opportunist reaction to 9/11. I think that most of the world agreed with the afghanistan war. In fact, i think that if the us had not gone into iraq, the afghan conflict would be long over and they would got everyone of those crazies by now. (BTW, I have friends serving in both wars overseas-support the troops, not the war ). I agree with what you said about the first gulf war. It was about oil, and nobody minded the US going in (and totally destroyed the iraq army) and saving world oil supplies. Which is exactly my point. The governments all support the economic (masked with the word terror or war on drugs or whatever) flexing of the us...because as humpty pointed out, thats who our government leaders take their marching orders from (currently, as they did from england once, and rome another). Keep in mind that north america was a (tribal) land once too, as is/was much of these middle eastern countries (though there is oil in them, so they can be converted by the US and others. ). A good example in somalia. When they started dragging dead troops behind jeeps on camera, the western forces high tailed it out of there (no oil, bad PR, = get out, who cares about democracy, we can send relief financially to look good). General Scwartzkopf is a very smart man. People should have listened to him the first time. They wouldnt have the problem now. I am curious why the US doesnt invade Korea? Same situation, and better technology, closer to getting the big bomb. Most believe it is because a) the us is spread too thin now, china, c) korea would be a harder fight then iraq is. As for the banks, if you let a corporation, any corporation run unfettered by laws or regulations, time and time again it has been shown that they will suck the surrounding area dry, make as much money as they can, regardless of the consequences, and leave everyone else holding the bag. What the government needed to do was apply PROPER regulations....ones that enabled people to purchase homes, credit, etc, but within an acceptable mandate. By loosening the rules too much, banks gave credit to every tom, d*** or harry that couldnt really afford it. Reminds me of a joke I saw one time. A picture of french fries from mcdonalds with the capition "Because not everyone will grow up to be a rocket scientist".....A bit condescending, but true. Some of us will have to learn to live within our means and accept that we cant all drive a Lexus and have a 50 inch plasma in our 3000 square foot house. And people seem to forget that government regulations enter every single aspect of our lives. I pay school taxes, my kids go to school. Those that don't have kids still pay school taxes. Sucks, but such is life. My taxes subsidize university tuition. If my kids never go to university, i still don't mind paying, because i like to think its good that others will have the opportunity to attend. Oh, and until recently, the republicans had both the white house and the senate, so they ran pretty much loose in their ability to push the bush agenda. I read a blog the other day that had someone complaining about the dems having both, and i (though i would lean democratic if i was in the us) had to agree. We have in canada right now a "minority" government. Basically we have 4 major parties, with 308 seats in our house of commons. the Prime minister runs the show with his party (the conservatives currently) with the other three parties actually holding more seats then the conservatives, so if they band together over a really important issue (or sometimes frivilous ones) they can affect the laws and how they work. Personally, i love it. It keeps some great checks and balances and forces all involved to "play nice" a bit. We have quite a bit different system then you do in the us, but i dont know if its better or worse. Maybe neither. I still would have to disagree about palin. I can only speak for myself, but if i had the choice between hillary and mccain, i would choose mccain, but if he had palin with him, id go hillary. But that could just be me. As for mccain and bush, i totally agree, and think that that message got lost in all the hype about both palin and obama. I personally think mccain is very intelligent and honorable. I just dont agree with some of his economic and military strategies, but thats a personal thing. But never throw the baby out with the bathwater. As for abortion, gay marriage, etc....i think pretty much everyone is sick of that talk. The smartest thing our conservative government did with those hot potatoes is that they pretty much left them alone (except for a single free vote on gay marriage). They appeased their christian right to a degree, and then moved on to the things that most people care about-law and order, financial stability, etc. Our current PM, though he seems to have the personality of a clump of grass, has been pretty good at building coalitions, building his party back up and almost getting the majority (hes 12 seats away) and has made a few very good moves politically. I was never much of a conservative thinker, but i intently watched him every time he spoke, and during our recent leader debates he said some things that were extremely tactful in the face of jibes and such by his political opponents. Hopefully obama is the same kind of leader and will work with the other party in the us to get things done. Anyone else got thoughts on the us election? I love hearing other points of views, politics have fascinated me for about 15 years now.

I guess the difference that most of the rest of the world thinks is that the US pushes its way into the role of guardian of the worlds nuclear arsenal. Because really, what gives the US the right to determine who does and does not have the right to have nuclear arms? Nobody gives them the right. They take the right by flexing their economic and military might. As for the rest of the world asking for the US help, the problem is that they only help when their is an economic reason for them too. And I don't believe that anyone asked them to help in iraq or afghanistan (or any of the rest of the countries that are in those places). I think that if all the military effort was spent on humanitarian effort the US would have a better image worldwide. I mean if democracy is so important, why not restore it somalia, the congo, etc. where help is REALLY needed (i know the answer, no oil, or economic benefit for the expenditure-simple math)? And rridgely, you miss the point. The point of government is to set laws and regulations so that the citizens can live safe and prosperous. If the government deregulated to the point that the social groups pressuring the banks to give loans to "under privileged" individuals who surprise surprise, couldn't pay it back. are able to actually push their agenda, and have these unsecured loans given out, then the government failed in their obligation to secure its citizens. ie. the loosening of laws that allow banks to make a quick buck by giving out cheap mortgages, then getting huge bailouts, etc later/foreclosing on homes, should never have happened in the first place. I agree that the problem (or a large part of it) is people living outside their means, but everyone does it seems. How many people are only a couple of months without a paycheck from the streets? Lots. But its also to do with the "rules of the game" that allows people to live like this. My wife and I have always been the type to live well below our means, and when things get tighter (like every time she takes a year off after each of our children) we are able to absorb the loss of income without any pain. But then we don't live like rock and roll stars (im joking here) like lots that i know. As for your comments about the republicans, i think the biggest blunder that mccain made was picking palin as his running mate. Good idea picking a woman for your running mate. Bad idea picking her. She just doesn't seem to have what it takes. Otherwise, i think mccain lost for two other reasons. One, obama being a man of colour got more votes then he lost because of that issue. Two, mccain, for all his great lifelong record of being a decent man and a great american, could not overcome or shake the negative feelings that a lot of the public had about the Bush strategy of dealing with the economy and his strategies abroad. A different time a different place he would have won. Might even have won if hillary had gotten the democratic nomination (she is much smarter then palin, but people were ready for a fresh face, not bills wifes). I agree with the abortion thing too. I find it personally unpalatable, but then i have never been in that position, so i can't say what i would do. But then morals are very relative to the individual. Good thing for the separation of church from state. I hope obama does a good job with things. Because there is more then just the american economy at stake.

I don't personally see the US as a bully (a bit spoiled at times, but all industrial countries are) but much of the world does. As the islamic states believe its "my way or the highway", so does the US as seen by it's use of force globally both economically and financially. I am not saying that it is right or wrong, but the US does have the clout, and uses it (hence the bully label). As for the banks, that comes from government set rules which regulate the banks (and basically every other industry). When you deregulate, deregulate, deregulate, and take all barriers off of the banks (or anyone else) they do whatever is in their best interest.....usually for the moment only though. Make a quick buck, then get out. I'm not saying total regulation is the answer, but sometimes regulations are needed to keep us all in check. I've taken economics, political science, etc. and try to keep an open mind when it comes to these things. I've always tended to lean a bit left politically, but I also like a lot of the more right ways of thinking, depending on the issue. Contrary what some believe, obama is not socialist by any means. Even in canada, the ndp are far from socialist. A little left, maybe too left in some areas, but then our conservatives being right, maybe too right could never be called fascists (as some people on the left believe them. Regardless though, sometimes change is needed, as has been happening in canada.

This is the best thing for America and the rest of the world. The USA is broken as a country, is mud in the rest of the worlds eyes. Like a bully with cancer the rest of the world waits in fear for its downfall. Maybe Obama can start the healing. They say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well it's broke, time to try something new other then duct tape........

I would love to get a barebones operating system created that had nothing added to it. Then i could just add some core products like microsoft office, winrar, vlc player, etc that i need for opening and viewing files, and use that computer for all my surfing needs. Usually they come with so much additional software, programs, bells and whistles that i rarely if ever use that it takes a long time to customize everything the way i like them.

where did you get that pic hazel? that is such a cool picture! would love the link if you still have it.....

I cant see it in firefox........I always thought that Mr. Brownstones name may have come from the gnr song..... been waiting for this album for what, like a decade? lol.....poor axl took a long time to get his stuff together.

Thanks JDPower for posting that. I grabbed that a few years ago too and was never sorry....

Sorry Corona.....our bad. I actually like the look of the windows 7, and will definately get another computer with that operating system when it comes out......but now im seeing this "cloud" thing and getting excited about that.......and well, i would still like a mac desktop so im just gonna have to work a lot more overtime, and of course, check with my wife who thinks we have too many computers now......

Well I like chrysler, not a big gm guy, but not against them, and had a great ford years ago so i dont mind them either. I personally prefer toyota, but i just seem to like their vehicles. ive had all kinds of vehicles, the worst being a mazda 323.....

Hey Kisk4mat, love the emule/vista avatar! Did you make that yourself?

I love vws. I used to have one of these babys: http://www.coolairvw.co.uk/ca/3764/mia/d/s...van/pid/7020635 Then got married and had kids and had to cut my hair and get a real job! lol

Thanks Mr. G!

Yeah that first phone is a pretty good one. My partner at work has it and totally loves it, thinks its the greatest thing since sliced bread. I love to surf the internet while mobile and like a bigger screen so i like the new smart phones. New technology always makes me excited so i like to go get it to try out and play with. The thing i like about the iphone is the size and the way it feels and such. i got an ipod touch and absolutely love it, so i thought i would like the iphone, but now the storm looks pretty neat so im thinking of trying it out and see if blackberry will make me a follower...

I found this fact sheet on the Storm, and the more I look at it, the more I think I am going to make this my new phone. Thanks Anthony! http://www.berryreview.com/wp-content/uplo..._spec_sheet.pdf

thanks for that! i think i may just wait till that one comes out and upgrade....that way i dont have to buy out my current phone time! thats a sweet looking phone and has all the extras that i want as well! oh man, now im totally stoked!

im seriously looking at the iphone.....and in the alternative the blackberry bold. but only rogers has the two.....and im currently with telus. darn it. anyhow, just wondering the pros and cons of the iphone........

yeah i tried the exe installler....no go. also its on vista home 32 bit.....my 64 bit one is working fine....go figure.

so weird problem as of late. for whatever reason adobe flash will NOT install on my laptop for IE. installs and works fine for mozilla and opera, no problems, but whenever i try with ie i get an error message. the message is basically a link to adobes trouble shooting site. tried all the fixes, and nadda. turned off popup blocker, tried allowing all active x, used adobe flash uninstaller to uninstall, tried running as administrator (im using vista home, and im the only account on it), and nothing works. done reboots, used CCleaner after uninstalled, etc. any suggestions? figured someone else may have had this prob before.

you must not have little kids at home...

do you dust the inside of your machine? i regularly use the compressed air cannisters and blow out my laptop and desktops, and you wouldnt believe the amount of dust inside of them.....