Re: M119 and M113 - bit of comparison
I won't let this devolve into a purely political discussion, but I will say that results and statistics speak for themselves, and Texas has done very well under George W. Bush (and for the past 12 years under Perry, Texas' longest-serving Governor). There is nothing to be ashamed about, in having had either man as Governor. If you look at how Texas has fared in nearly all dimensions during the recession, you will see that it has been FAR less affected by the economic climate than nearly all other states. Our real estate prices have actually climbed in recent years -- can you say that? Contrast Texas' leadership to the likes of the "Governator" during the same time frame and you'll see two VERY different stories from two large states with large economies, diverse populations, etc.
I was comparing those two to Ann Richards, not our own Governator. You would have a better chance of winning the Mega Millions than you would finding somebody who has EVER heard me say ANYTHING positive about "The Governator". But I guess Ann Richards doesn't mean much to you since she was Governor LONG before you went to Texas.
And I'm GLAD that real estate hasn't started climbing back up yet out here because I'm looking for a place as we speak! And I am GLAD that it's a buyer's market! I'm sorry but I've been on the raw end of economic swings way too many times! It MY turn now to be on the "good" end for a change!
At least we aren't running out of water here. That's because God is rewarding us with precipitation for being more "Green" and for electing people to public office who are more Green. Unlike Perry who STILL denies that Climate Change is for real. (I'm joking again. [Well, OK, a little.] And I am speaking as someone who was a Republican for 47 years, but finally woke up and switched parties three years ago. It's not too late for you too uncle Gerry!)
As I am reading your post, I am finally getting a bite to eat and watching tonight's re-broadcast of "Nightly Business Report". They are doing a story on Houston real estate tonight. (How timely!) I can sum up the whole piece for you in one word: Oil. More than anything else, high oil prices have been helping the Texas economy in much the same way that low oil prices were hurting it when I was there in the 80s. This is really ironic because Texas was one of THE LAST STATES to climb out of the recession of the late-70s/early-80s for this very same reason that it is one of the first to climb out of the one we are in now. Again: Oil. They don't call it "Texas Tea" for nothing!
My last point is that there is a LARGE difference between inferring/accusing someone of bigotry, and shutting down a thread temporarily as a joke. Particularly when you've never met the person. Eric, I would venture to say that I have personally met far more people on this board -- in various locales around the world -- than probably anyone else here. You have not been among them, so your basis for "knowing" me has been limited to several thousand posts on the E500E forum iterations. I am sorry to say, despite what you may believe, that that is NOT enough of a basis of "getting to know someone" that an accusation such as you made is warranted, let alone valid.
Accusing someone of bigotry, publicly, is in my opinion a very serious accusation that is designed to impugn their integrity. I strongly suggest you re-evaluate your strategy, motivations and most of all, intentions.
This is my last statement on the matter.
-- Gerry
Again, please re-read the post again:
That's not cool! You guys know that that thread is my baby! That borders on Admin status abuse!
That's the problem with the printed word..... it's difficult to tell what the tone is. I just figured that something had happened to you because of all the Texans you are being exposed to now. (I'm speaking as someone who is a descendant of Texans, still has extended family there [including but not limited to a real life Uncle Jerry], and as someone who lived in that part of the country for 4 years.)
Lot's of homophobic folks there, I'll tell what! My Dad (Uncle Jerry's older brother) was born and raised there and he is as homophobic as they come. Despite the fact that he is well educated (he has a college degree AND a law degree), I've still never been able to get him to understand the super simple math: The more gay men there are, the more women there are for the rest of us! Imagine the possibilities if half of the men in the world were gay! Imagine a broke-ass 50 year old suddenly being in Adriana Lima's league! (I can already hear the response: "Uh, that would take at least 75% of the men being gay.")
In that post, I was (jokingly) trying to explain what I (jokingly) thought was the reason that you had shut the thread down, since I was innocently unaware of the real reason. I mean after all, we had gone way more colorfully off topic before in that thread, and in other threads, so why now (I was jokingly implying) was there all of a sudden the iron fist? I mean really, what other possible explanation could there be? (I was jokingly implying.) Who would have ever thought that it was just Uncle Gerry F'ing with me! If you carefully read the post, it is the people of Texas, not you, who I was implying are homophobic. (Which they still were the last time I was there.) The only implication that I (jokingly) made regarding you was that maybe your now extended exposure to these Texans (as I remember them) might have started to have an effect on you in some way. (Again, please re-read the post.) Cause again, that was the only possible explanation I could (jokingly) come up with. Really, the only folks I am writing negatively about in that post are Texans (as I remember them from 1988) and my own dear old Dad! To give you an idea of just how bigoted some of the Texans I met in the 80s were, there were more than a few (admittedly uneducated, backwoods types) who implied that I must be gay just because I was from California! (Not that there is anything wrong with that.)
It is very clear there in that post that I was only (jokingly) implying that I thought that maybe you had somehow fallen under those Texan's "spell" and that that might explain your "new" policies regarding off topic discussions, since, again, what other possible explanation could there be? (Cause who would have thought that Uncle Gerry was just F'ing with me.)
I NEVER implied that you were or are a bigot. The worst thing that I can be accused of here is that I jokingly implied that you MAYBE had fallen under the influence of them though.
You also have to understand the fact that, since I'm kind of immersed in such bigotry, by virtue of my exposure to my dad on a regular basis, it has taken on a sort of comical quality, and is therefore taken less seriously by the rest of us in the family. I'll admit that that is unfortunate, because bigotry is not a laughing matter, and this little exchange has reminded me of that. (Now how do we deal with the Old Man? Oh! I know! Let's ship him back to Texas! [I'm kidding again!])
In both cases, it was just a joke. But that's the problem with jokes: They often end up going too far.
And then, when it wasn't enough for you that you all had a good laugh at my expense, you had to go further and try all over again to rile me up! (I guess I didn't react strongly enough for you the first time.) You mentioned that I stopped posting after you closed the thread. Weren't you aware of the fact that I completely stopped coming here altogether? Right after you closed the thread, I closed the tab and never came back until two days after you re-opened the thread. (When the Sauceman called and told me it had been re-opened. Was he in on the joke too?)
You can't expect to do a joke that was carefully designed to get me riled up and get a reaction out of me without...... well...... getting a reaction out of me!
Now maybe I over reacted....... maybe you did too. (Or maybe you're just yanking my chain yet again, with Steve fanning the flames with his post quoted below? I mean, where is the line when even the administrator is engaging in it?)
I think we all have enough fun on this site without having to resort to F'ing with one another. I honestly can't fathom why you would do such a thing. Seems rather juvenile to be honest. Please, let's think better of it next time. Especially when dealing with an oversensitive Wap like 400Eric. (I can say "Wap" cause I am one!) Let's also please remember that bullying is no longer acceptable behavior!
Well, you have your "reaction" now! I hope it lived up to your expectations this time.
.gif "OMG :omg:")
...wtf?
And you! Uncle Gerry says that you were in on the "joke". That's not nice Steve! I fully understand that you didn't instigate the whole thing when you originally baited me with your initial question, but still, you knew the whole story and didn't tell me! Not Cool!
Since we are off topic in the off topic section, I want to bring up something that has me curious. Dave has stated several times in several different places that he completely removed his cats altogether and saw zero performance gain. (Documented on the track.) So how are you going to see a performance gain with the aftermarket cats you are planning on obtaining? (Now that I think about it, this discussion belongs in the M119 section. I'll start a thread there and link it.) (OK, thread started, link provided:
http://www.500eboard.com/forums/sho...quot-Cats-Worth-the-Trouble&p=20596#post20596)
Regards, Eric
P.S.: There is a Seinfeld reference somewhere in this lengthy post. Can anybody spot it?
you go baiting me again. Don't forget how emotional I am.
Please re-read the post. It should be fairly obvious! 
