Happy Independence Day America!!!

[Soulinsane]

Yay, it's the 4th of July. Go blow something up!

[L,B'XXX]

(runs to the outhouse with M 100's)

[blizzard_beast]

Yeah, happy July 4th you fucking Yanks. Just remember it's the French who got you there.

[walpurgis]

I think we've more than made up for any help we have received from France...

Happy 4th. Get drunk and play with pyrotechnics. In that order.

[Soulinsane]

I'm getting the Bar B-Q pit fired up right now.

Just FYI, a gallon of gasoline is NOT needed to start a grill :flame: :eek:

[Transient]

rainy cloudy day in NY! BOOOO!!!!!!!


HAVE FUN TONIGHT , i will for sure

[L,B'XXX]

New Yorkers are sissies for not bbq-ing in the rain like us Buckeyes. We just eat faster and ignore the rain.

15 pounds of country ribs going on the grill for 4 of us. Mom made potato salad and baked beans, and I'm taking strawberries. Maybe I'll make those into a fruit salad instead.

[walpurgis]

In light of my new weightlifting diet I must still spend the day consuming large quantities of beer and dead animals.

[philkilla]

word to the niggs

[PST 88]

It's the 166th anniversary of Thoreau moving to Walden!

Happy Declaration of Independence day, everyone. Remember that, when aliens invade the Earth and we kill them all on July 4th by one of those remarkable coincidences that makes you realize that, not only is there a God, but he must really, really love America, this will be a planet-wide holiday and everyone will rejoice. And the French will hopefully have been wiped off the face of the planet. If not by aliens then simply by smug.

[Amadeus]

New Yorkers are sissies for not bbq-ing in the rain like us Buckeyes. We just eat faster and ignore the rain.

15 pounds of country ribs going on the grill for 4 of us. Mom made potato salad and baked beans, and I'm taking strawberries. Maybe I'll make those into a fruit salad instead.

Happy with what I'd gained
Greed was not a factor
Oh, and was there a cesserole (never mind spelling) involved?

Congrats to the people still able to celebrate a day such as this. Do something wierd.

[moe_blunts]

HAPPY BURTDAY MURRIKA!!

already ate my bbq

[obrien20]

Have a good one.

[Soulinsane]

I still got a hot grill if anyone whats to come over. I've cooked a ton of food and tonight I will set the sky on fire.

[sixsicsix]

fucking central florida firework laws.....
LUCKILY
I bought m-80's at the nashville WGI regional
got around 600 of em for a dollar BWAHAHAHA

[YOUR_GOD_IS_DEAD]

well ill put down the mickeys for the day and drink something american. but yeah FUCKING BBQS UP THE YING YANG MAN AND EXPLOSIVES!! CANT GET ANY MORE AMERICAN THAN THAT, ALL WE NEED IS CHUCK NORRIS ND HULK HOGAN IN A CAGE FIGHT.

[Dahmers Fridge]

And the French will hopefully have been wiped off the face of the planet. If not by aliens then simply by smug.

With the French and their track record for waving white sheets on a stick faster than anyone who's just been given four feathers, they'd surrender as soon as the mother ship appeared on the radar screen! :D

@L,B'XXX We Brits are very adapt at BBQ-ing in torrents of rain seeing as it never stops pissing down here long enough to have a summer! It wasn't until I first went abroad did I realise that beefburgers aren't damp :p

Enjoy yourselves my fellow Americans :beer:

[Kalmahswamp]

It's the 166th anniversary of Thoreau moving to Walden!


161st :D

Anyone watch the space shuttle take off today? Pretty cool watching those engines (or whatever you properly call them) fire up.

And Transient, if you don't BBQ on July 4th, you're a muslim, communist, pinko faggot and you're probably part French, Iraqi, Russian, Japanese, and you've strong Facist beliefs. Cooking dead animals over an open flame is the most American thing you can do. Hell, I bet mah boy GW is down in FL with his big bro Jeb and is cookin' up something fierce.

[Transient]

we had hamburgers man, relax :p

[Soulinsane]

Space shuttle launch? Fuck me, I missed it. Today has been fun as hell though. Now its about time for the fireworks.

May the smoke this country makes in the next few hours travel across the ocean and choke the smug out of France :beer:

[metal_monkey]

Anyone watch the space shuttle take off today? Pretty cool watching those engines (or whatever you properly call them) fire up.

fuck thats been on tv here in australia for a couple of days, fucking boring just looking at the spaceship, i missed the take-off :bawling:

[Zionist]

Earlier today I heard a loud explosion next to my house, so I looked outside and my mail box was gone. Could this unexplained explosion have part in the disapperance of my mail box??


Happy Indepence Day to the pole that holds my mailbox!

[HelpMeHelpYou]

For me all that today represents is the start of summer school. It should be fun though....

[Bia]

I love America and am fortunate that even though I am considered lower lower lower middleclass.....I am wealthy among humans on a planetary scale.


French are homos...poodles and pastry and hairy smelly chicks.

[MetalThrashingMad]

For me all that today represents is the start of summer school. It should be fun though....
Somehow, I am not thoroughly convinced.

[PST 88]

Yeah, I definitely did some bad math there. Good catch. Can't even blame it on the beer.

The hairy, smelly chicks are one thing. The titless, androgynous French chicks are something else altogether.

I wouldn't doubt it, Steve-O. He's from Canada. Why should he give a damn about today? And why wouldn't he enjoy summer school? It's not like being Canadian is any better than going to school during the worst possible season for it.

[YJM04]

today was a great day! woot. motha in italy won!!! it was a great game though. there was alot of much needed things that happend today. and im glad that everything that did happen happen'd

[metal_monkey]

French are homos...poodles and pastry and hairy smelly chicks.


thats why they beat america in soccer

[PST 88]

Yeah. America's best athletes definitely go to play soccer in our soccer-oriented sports culture.

[walpurgis]

Go America! Fuck everyone else!!!!!!!!! Except whatever country this rum came from...

Puerto Rico?"? Aww god damn it...

[johnmansley]

America? Never heard of it.

[Slabbefusk]

Happy 5th of July!!! :p

[low-tech]

a celebration of the modern hate vibe.

with bombs bursting in air, gave proof to the night that our brains are nowhere, oh drink yourself into a coooommaaa, pray to your porcelin god, in the land of greed and the home where everyones a sssssllllllaaaaaaavvvvveeee!!!1111

copyright low-tech inc. any unlawful use,distrobution or piracy of this song will result in low-tech invading your home and eating all the food in your fridge and possibly living on the couch.

[L,B'XXX]

Just go ahead and try it.
I don't have a couch anymore.......AND I MISS IT!!!!! :(


Oh, put a sock in it wally.

[Soulinsane]

Lol, N. Korea failed thier missle test yesterday too :rofl: Thats what they get for trying to scare everyone. Reports say children with bottle rockets had better results yesterday :rofl:

[L,B'XXX]

Last night they said 10 by about midnight and this morning they said only 6 or 7. Screwed up news as always. They said last night that one failed 35 seconds after launch.

Amadeus--Casserole??? YOU BITCH! :rofl: Take this! :flame:
Dahmer'-- Then teach the NY-er's how to do it. The other 49 states here and Puerto Rico have given up trying to teach them.

To those in the northern Ohio vicinity, the space station or satellite is supposed to be visible at 10:05 pm tonight with clear skies and about 5 minutes later the shuttle is supposed to pass through visibily. West north western sky. If I'm still moving then I'm going out in the backyard and look for it.

[low-tech]

Lol, N. Korea failed thier missle test yesterday too :rofl: Thats what they get for trying to scare everyone. Reports say children with bottle rockets had better results yesterday :rofl:


international self-ownage.

chinese made "american" fireworks > north korean modified trashcan

[Soulinsane]

It just comes down to who is opperating the projectile ;)

[Bia]

thats why they beat america in soccer

haha

[sixsicsix]

It just comes down to who is opperating the projectile ;)
have you ever gotten anything from north korea that worked for 5 minutes?
chill out

[Soulinsane]

More than 5 minutes? Yes, a headache ;)

[Frozen Soul]

Stealing land from it's indegenous people. Go America! When you think about it...that's all Europeans ever did. Conquer, kill, and dominate or at least attempt to. I'm drunk, sorry.

[BassBehemoth]

Stealing land from it's indegenous people. Go America! When you think about it...that's all Europeans ever did. Conquer, kill, and dominate or at least attempt to.


Very good. Polishing up on your global history are we?
;)

[Soulinsane]

And that's why we are the badasses that we are today in North America. We survive at all cost.

[timedragon]

Happy 4th. Get drunk and play with pyrotechnics. In that order.
exactly what i did. though im sure MANY others did too. we had 3 twelve packs amongst 3 friends. other friends were their, but that beer was for the 3 of us :) . my friend had also bought 2 packs of Excalibur fireworks. you are "supposed" to shoot those off in the provided tube deal, but we just blow the hell out of random items. these are pretty damn big "shells" really, about the size of a smaller can of soup. we put one inside a big plastic drum (barrel) and a bunch of beer bottles, awesome. then we covered the top of the barrel with palm tree branches, they blew about 5 feet up. then we turned the drum upside down and my two friends stood on it. haha, the thing exploded and they said it hurt a lot. the drum had busted and some of the fire crackers inside made it through. didnt burn them though. i didnt get burned that night. however, getting burned is perfectly fine if there are cold items around. what could be a better cure for a burn on your hand then holding on to an ice cold beer bottle :D :D :D

[Frozen Soul]

Very good. Polishing up on your global history are we?
;)No way, I've been studying European histoy since I was 7 years old. I used to think the Vikings were such noobs, just idiots really. I had to dig deep to find the truth about my European heritage, alot of books are filled lies. Vikings were very clean, neat, and courageous people, and I am proud to be 75% norse!

But still, it's funny to me how the British just beat the fuck out of the Natives and then all kinds of people started coming to the states. I am not racist or anything, though I used to take a racist approach to daily life. Now I just don't give a fuck.

[BassBehemoth]

But still, it's funny to me how the British just beat the fuck out of the Natives and then all kinds of people started coming to the states


Amen, canadians share much of the same past...we all killed the natives. :p

[low-tech]

No way, I've been studying European histoy since I was 7 years old. I used to think the Vikings were such noobs, just idiots really. I had to dig deep to find the truth about my European heritage, alot of books are filled lies. Vikings were very clean, neat, and courageous people, and I am proud to be 75% norse!

But still, it's funny to me how the British just beat the fuck out of the Natives and then all kinds of people started coming to the states. I am not racist or anything, though I used to take a racist approach to daily life. Now I just don't give a fuck.


vikings resisted christianity for a while, i think thats a major part of thier negative image. they were aggressive expansionist, but not really that impressive in terms of military might,technology. what they should be recognized for is thier boat building and exploration, they far exceeded anyone in europe.

[low-tech]

More than 5 minutes? Yes, a headache ;)


i truely believe north korea will self destruct soon, kim jong il will be taken out like nero and caligula. cult of personalities can only go so far.

[Frozen Soul]

It's just funny how everything turned out. And the Native Americans might have taken this land from someone else too, I've heard that it's true before.

[far_beyond_sane]

And that's why we are the badasses that we are today in North America. We survive at all cost.

I give you less than ten years until the spectacularly greedy and short-sighted fuckwits who run your republic bury your dollar, turn your deficit into an uncontrollable beast and stagflate the lot of you.

My advice? Buy Euro bonds and learn Mandarin.

Happy Fourth of July to all.

[BassBehemoth]

My advice? Buy Euro bonds and learn Mandarin.


haha, Sad but True.

[johnmansley]

My advice? Buy Euro bonds...

Too risky! One would have to spread one's capital into around 20 varied investments in order to attain a risk-free* portfolio!

*Systematic (business) risk only. It's hard to negate unsystematic (inherent) risk.

[Soulinsane]

I think I will just put all my money into Microsoft. One day the world might convert to use the Microsoft dollar.

[PST 88]

Thanksgiving and the Annual Trail of Tears Celebration are the days we celebrate taking land from the Indians. The 4th is when we celebrate declaring independence from the British. For some reason we don't celebrate the day we actually won it.

The British were never alone or pioneers in finding the 'new world.' But yes, the Europeans are, historically, the most war-like and belligerant people on the planet. Go them. Now, call me when you realize that Asians eat a lot of rice and Africans don't like to wear too much clothing and we'll have a long, interesting discussion about the more salient aspects of various cultures.

Vikings are having a resurgence now specifically because they were denigrated before. low-tech has them about right, which is more than I can say for anyone else on this site. But being proud of your ethnic background is like being proud of your ability to draw breath; try accomplishing something to get that chest-swell.

And learning Mandarin is certainly a must. Microsoft will crumble with the rest of America.

[far_beyond_sane]

Too risky! One would have to spread one's capital into around 20 varied investments in order to attain a risk-free* portfolio!

*Systematic (business) risk only. It's hard to negate unsystematic (inherent) risk.

Hahahahahaha snakes alive, cumboy! I didn't mean sink all your dough into crazy European Monopoly money, but rather betting against the U.S. dollar would be a great investment (at least in the short/medium term).

(And come on... as if you wouldn't get a kick out of betting against Uncle Sam and winning...)

I think I will just put all my money into Microsoft. One day the world might convert to use the Microsoft dollar.

Don't you DARE. I am not reading your Metaltabs LiveJournal entry in a year's time about how hard it is to get broadband in a cardboard box.

[Soulinsane]

Don't you DARE. I am not reading your Metaltabs LiveJournal entry in a year's time about how hard it is to get broadband in a cardboard box.

:rofl: I bet your right but Mircosolf has only gone up and up and up. I'm sure their will be a solfware revolution one day and everything will change but I don't see it in the near future.

You can bet your sweet ass I will find a way to get broadband in my box.

[PST 88]

Microsoft lacks in a few areas:

1. Inflexible business model.
2. Lack of concern for quality.
3. Americo-Centric outlook (ask Aussies and Brits how they like using a word processor that comes with 'American English' as a default).

This all suggests that it's due for a turnaround, either due to a competitor's innovation or the loss of American power. It doesn't really guarantee that it will happen, but I'd say that it will.

[johnmansley]

Microsoft lacks in a few areas:

1. Inflexible business model.
2. Lack of concern for quality.
3. Americo-Centric outlook (ask Aussies and Brits how they like using a word processor that comes with 'American English' as a default).

This all suggests that it's due for a turnaround, either due to a competitor's innovation or the loss of American power. It doesn't really guarantee that it will happen, but I'd say that it will.

While these are significant points, I don't reckon that they're sufficient to lead to the relative downfall of Microsoft.

Microsoft have only one real competitor and Apple's stubborness in not granting licences for its operating system is a major limiting factor in their possible expansion. Additionally, Apple, in the form of the iPod division, is undergoing a paradigm shift in its core operations. People no longer regard Apple's main purpose as the provision of a quality operating system (or at elast I don't) and they would be foolish to ignore public perception and plough funds into the operating system division when innovation in the portable music market is more fruitful.

As such, Microsoft's competition is dwindling rather than becoming more fierce. There are also significant barriers to entry for new competitors: the sheer global scale of Microsoft's operations require an inhibitive capital outlay and imposes the continual need for finance and innovation in order for the new rival to compete. Against a multi-national such as Microsoft, no start-up company could even pray of competing.

Even existing conglomerates moving into Microsoft's territory would struggle as they don't possess the necessary expertise to gain a significant and sustainable competitive advantage. Maybe if a massive conglomerate bought up the share capital of Apple they could gain a foothold but that's unlikely as the electronics market is dynamic and high risk and precludes such a huge investment - no finance director would recommend such a move.

Sure, Microsoft's products are infuriating at times and are riddled with bugs, glitches and annoying Americanisation, but buyers have little power to rail against these downsides and the lack of suitable, versatile substitutes further strengthens Microsoft's power over its very own customers.

However, a couple of salient - although unlikely - points can be made in the argument for the downfall of Microsoft. The first is the impending retirement of Bill Gates. One could argue that Microsoft has been too heavily reliant on Gates' leadership and direction since its inception and the new CEO may struggle to emulate what Gates has achieved.

The other is the emergence of the Chinese as an economic force. Burgeoning Chinese markets could lead to economic downturn in the states as the balance of payments redresses itself in favour of the East. However, this would require a Chinese company stepping up to the plate and competing with Microsoft. I believe this to be unlikely as Microsoft still hold all the aces and even if America was demoted to the world's second most affluent economy, Microsoft would remain the world's largest corporation.

Unfortunately, it seems that Microsoft is here to stay.

[far_beyond_sane]

I see no Cumboy faith in open source...

[low-tech]

im running linux dog! too bad i dont know shit about running BASH and utilizing it at its potential

[johnmansley]

FBS: (Very) simple SWOT analysis, old chap!

[PST 88]

I don't think that Bill Gates's retirement will be too much of a problem. He didn't leave an example that will be particularly hard to follow.

On the other hand, I don't think that Microsoft has much in the way of flexibility or innovation (because I'd expect them to do something flexible or innovative, rather than repeatedly putting out new, largely unimproved and annoying, versions of their existing products, if they had), meaning they're prime to repeat IBM's initial face-falling at the invention of the word processor, and probably not prime to repeat IBM's resurgence with the incorporation of the word processor into the personal computer. When, as will inevitably happen if we don't, say, blow the world up in the meantime (and, as Jim says, open source helps for this), somebody comes up with some out-of-left-field innovation regarding operating systems, Microsoft is not agile enough to catch up, at least initially, and doesn't seem capable of the type of innovation needed to surpass the people who bring about a paradigm shift in operating systems. They're likely to come back from any such setback, but unlikely to re-establish their current dominance. And I don't think they'd still be capable of competing were the playing field levelled, as often happens in business, by sudden, unexpected change.

I also think that Apple are fully capable of taking the huge moneys made for them by the near-ubiquity of ipods and figuring something clever out in operating systems that would change public perception once again (they're already good at making you get all of their software if you want any of it, and a lot of people with PCs nevertheless prefer Quicktime and itunes to its domestic alternatives). However, I also think that they're similarly capable of marketing whatever innovative product they have in the most annoying and trendy possible manner. Plus, whenever they lose Steve Jobs, they are somewhat fucked.