skydiver30960

One more reason to stop using the damn credit cards! Elvisio "been credit debt free for a while, and lovin' it" Rodriguez

Beano? I know, I know, you thought of that like years ago... Elvisio "learn to say the alphabet while burping, make lemons into lemonade" Rodriguez

Thank God we have such great control over our southern border, no risk at all of anyone getting through... Oh, wait... Elvisio "not much will change" Rodriguez

Why do you think they always knock you out? Elvisio "otherwise the patient would want to pick the tunes" Rodriguez

The problem is, nothing that ANYBODY does is as cool as it seems. If it was, they wouldn't have to pay us to do it, we'd just do that for free. Then, consider the fact that people watch movies and TV with their precious free time. SO, how can we convince people to spend (waste) their free time watching stories about stuff that is, inherently, boring? Well.. just gotta jazz it up a bit. I'm an ICU RN, and I work with what are (to me) pretty cool patients. On the continuum of human existence, these people are definitely TOWARDS the "clinging by a thread" end of the spectrum. But even my job gets pretty humdrum. It's a small fraction of our patients that are AT the point of clinging by a thread. So my job, just like every other one that's portrayed as "extreme" or "exciting" is just a lot of humdrum with an occasional moment that meets the hype. Elvisio "drug pusher" Rodriguez edit for apostrophe abuse

What's in a "midnight" sandwich? Sounds like something involving two cheap hookers and a dark alley... Elvisio "call me the meat" Rodriguez

I'd be intrigued to see what would happen if Iran actually managed to figure out how to cure spinal injury with stem cells. With Iranian former paraplegics suddenly walking and dancing around, I wonder how long our western objections would hold up... would we still waggle our fingers from our wheelchairs? Or in the face of what we would suddenly be missing, would we find a way to justify it? Elvisio "interesting thought" Rodriguez

Sweet! I was all for it too... right up to the day I got married. Don't think the wifey would be all that thrilled at the idea now. Now, if it were a two-person mission... Elvisio "repopulating the old fashioned way" Rodriguez

Imagine NASA comes to you with a proposition. They say "We want you to be the first human being to travel to another star system and land on an Earth-like planet. We can guarantee you that you will arrive safely on that planet and have XYZ number of days to explore. You will be the first to bask under an alien sun. Unfortunately, the system we have in place is a one-way trip, you will not be able to return. We're sending you with gear to try farming on the new planet, but if it doesn't work, you'll starve when your supplies run out." And let's SKIP all the jokes about NASA being able to guarantee anything. Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that they actually have this one nailed down. Wouldya do it? Yay? Nay? Or is it one of those "maybe long ago, but that time has passed" kinda thing for those of you with families? Dunno where this came from, just something I've pondered for a while... Elvisio "just a thought" Rodriguez

Don't blame the packers, it was all body position. Elvisio "to boldly go" Rodriguez

Then your buddy needs an EpiPen. If it's a legitimate anaphylactic reaction, epinephrine is the only medication that will stabilize his immune system. He'll still need to go to the ER if exposed, but the EpiPen will keep his reaction well under control until he can get there. If he doesn't have one, ask him why not. If he gives you an excuse, whatever excuse, tell him it's bullshit and to get the damn EpiPen. Before I was a healthcare provider, before I understood such things, I had a friend who had such a reaction to macadamias. Had I known then what I know now, I'd have slapped him until he came to his senses. You're right. It's just one small step. Just one small step, that in conjunction with a thousand other such small steps, will have me walking down the streets one day as a gray-haired old man, wondering how we managed to let our country get so fucked up. Teach kids responsibility. Teach kids with and without allergies the risks. Teach teachers and school nurses how to safely administer an EpiPen (it's not that tough). Require that the parents of all children with peanut allergies maintain an in-date EpiPen at the school. Really, I dug around and found very little data about how many people die from this issue. One source states about 150 people of all ages die of all different food allergies each year. Another source (wikipedia, I know, I know ) says anywhere between 12-27 kids die a year of peanut allergies (not just at school, but everywhere). (Not providing sources since I'm really not impressed with them anyhow) So yeah, it sucks. But on the scale of the other things that are killing kids (violence, traffic crashes, underage smoking) how do these numbers match up? Could our efforts be better spent? ESPECIALLY if most of the deaths could be avoided with proper medical management? Elvisio "liberty and security" Rodriguez

Other than a whanged-up prop, the plane looks almost untouched. Hope they saved it, jumpable or not, it's a sweet bird. Elvisio "Or, just cut it loose and watch it smash" Rodriguez

For those who are unhappy with the four-year institutional option, yet feel they need SOMETHING to prepare them for the future, I'd like to suggest the community college system. I graduated from Virginia Tech in '97 with degrees in Materials Engineering and Spanish. I worked in the field until 2005, when I went back to school because of a fast-shrinking job market and even faster-shrinking sense of job satisfaction. I went to nursing school at the local community college and was quite impressed at the "bang for the buck" factor. It was a very solid education for a price WAY below what you'd pay for a four degree. I'm now in a field that started me out at a pay rate that was competitive with what I was making in engineering when I quit, and will have me "writing my own ticket" for a LONG time instead of scrambling to find work. I'm going back again for another two semesters to finish up my Paramedic this fall. A community college doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a four-year institution. No fraternities, no heavy-duty sports programs, no housing options (usually), no intramural innertube waterpolo (this is a true loss). But if these things don't rank high on your list of needs, and you'll be concentrating on classes more than (beer) glasses, then the CC system is for you. Elvisio "good stuff" Rodriguez

Bingo. Winner. Make sure you (or your kiddies, if that's where you are in life) look at where they're going once they have their degree. I'm a Hokie too, and saw a HUGE number of communications and psychology majors who didn't realize until senior year how limited their future would be without post-grad work. But other four-year degrees can be immensely valuable and worthwhile, and can stand alone without post-grad education. EH... not in total agreement on this one. The PE exam(s) require a solid understanding of the field. But in my two current careers (nursing and EMT) the certification tests have so much less to do with the body of material and so much more to do with knowing "how to take the test". Elvisio "forgot how not to study" Rodriguez

I'm a little bothered by the whole "medal counting" system and the idea of how it correlates to "greatest olympian". There are disciplines like swimming and track and field that allow one athlete to compete multiple times in competitions that are marginally different but very similar as well. This allows these athletes the opportunity to win multiple medals in one olympics, while other athletes compete in match after match in elimination processes (tennis, soccer, hockey, most of the team sports) to compete for one medal only. I honestly don't have any research to pick somebody, but if I was choosing "greatest olympian" I would look at who had been to the most olympics, but would include times they'd come as an athlete and as a coach, would consider volunteer work at home, and administrative work they may have done whenever the games were in their home country. Elvisio "I need to get out more" Rodriguez

(So I go online, look up a few videos on "Olympic Trampoline", ponder what I have seen, and return to reply to your post.) Ok, ahem. I will admit that your point does stress MY point to its limits. In particular, MEN'S trampoline (along with mens field hockey) does make me shake my head a little. But, these women (and men, sigh) do really get into it. So, I say, let 'em play. PLUS, dude! Check out the legs on some of those ladies! Talk about the promise of power! Elvisio "I'm glad you're having fun, but I can't breathe" Rodriguez

>sigh

Remember: just because we don't play a sport in the States (or wherever it is you may be right now) doesn't mean it isn't some serious shit somewhere else. I didn't vote for any. I'm an Olympic romantic: it's all about people from all over the world getting together to compete. If they want to hand out medals for beerpong, that's fine with me. Hey: beerpong, that might be my ticket to Olympic gold! Elvisio "it's all good" Rodriguez

Yeah, I'm really nonplussed by the story. Lip-synch is rampant in mass media. Hell, anymore, I'd be more surprised if it wasn't happening. I understand that I'm a world away just watching TV whenever I have time, but so far I'm pretty impressed. China seems to be doing well in putting on a decent gig. Elvisio "so far" Rodriguez

...you have two AADs. Elvisio "simple enough" Rodriguez

HARD arch out the door, then still arched but a bit relaxed under drogue. I've found myself (over the past couple years or so) moving my arms down to the clean air to the side of the student, instead of always fighting the burbles behind their arms. I feel it gives me much better control. And since I'm behind/below their arms, I'm not as worried about having my arms trapped as I would be if I was above/in front of theirs. Elvisio "pic from sunday attached" Rodriguez

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=afp-oly2008swimusaspitzphelps&prov=afp&type=lgns I can ALMOST handle that one. But then, the next day, to see: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=afp-oly2008swimusaspitz&prov=afp&type=lgns with verbal gems like: WTF? Don't want to go anonymously? You mean, you don't want to go like a nobody? You mean, you don't want to go just like everyone else in the world would LOVE to go, i.e. just to be able to go and be part of the spectacle? I dunno, mebbe it's just me, but after reading those two articles one of the "five greatest Olympians of all time" just sounds like one of the "five biggest jerks of all time." Elvisio "end rant" Rodriguez

I'm not much for the parade of nations thingy, but as far as the artistic portion... The media say that China are using this event as an opportunity to "get the world's attention"? Sure as shit got mine. I'm very impressed. I'll have to youtube the drums when they're online. My favorite part (of what I saw) was the movable type. I knew beforehand that there were people in each piece, but as far as I'm concerned I'm glad I knew from the get-go, it made it even more impressive to watch. Hopefully, everything else goes as well as the opening ceremonies did... Elvisio "many nations, one race" Rodriguez

I just started watching it, it's at the part with the giant LED screen and the dancers making the painting. Holy cow. Un-be-fucking-lievable. Elvisio "commercial break over" Rodriguez

WTF? I'm afraid that by the time the dust settles, nobody is going to remember all the good he did. He was ("is" still remains to be seen) a great QB, and had the hearts of millions of cheeseheads in his pocket. Now, I feel like he's just another graying athlete who dragged his career on longer than it should have, and has ruined his "ultimate franchise player" status, to boot. Mebbe it's just me, though... Elvisio "armchair QB" Rodriguez