Jazzmoose

Mandrake the Magician Harry Potter Sherman Potter

Jacques Strap Homer Sexual Al Coholic

Used to play chess and backgammon, but without others around who share the interest, it's hard to keep up the skills. Same with cribbage and pinochle.

My cat jumped down on my turntable (not running) and somehow sent it flying across the room. The cat lived about five more years, but the turntable was dead...

I'm a firstborn, but my sister says it just means that I hit senility first...

John Tappscott Joseph Cinque Ernest Tubb

Does embezzlement count?

Damn...I like James Brown and all, but jeez....

I sampled jazz here and there, but I think what really put it in the heart for me was hearing Coltrane on a killer system in a Japanese bar back in my Navy days on a night that was particularly blue. Suddenly I felt like I was home.

Well, if that's the attitude you're going to take, let's switch to comparing Bonds and Aaron...

That was my point. Well, it's a very underwhelming (and incorrect) one. Though I'm too lazy to dig through the historical data, I'm willing to bet that its fall from the #1 spot predates the peak of manufacturing's share in the British economy. Also, most of the countries currently ahead of Britain in the rankings have a very high services/GDP ratio. I'm also not sure why a tripling of British GDP per capita over the past 50 years counts as an "economic decline". Guy First of all, fifty years ago, Great Britian has already fallen from it's number one position in the world, so I'm not sure what relevance any increase over the past fifty years has to that point. What I'm talking about is "top dog" status: the number one economic powerhouse in the world. Right now it's us, but as we turn more to 'services' rather than 'manufacturing', we are beginning our slow slide from the top of the heap. Secondly, I'm not saying that there is causation in the rixe of services vs. manufacturing in the decline of the top dog's relative strength. It could very well be an indicator rather than the cause. Third, as for your bet, I would be more than happy to take it. Britian's share of the world's manufacturing production stood at 31.8% in 1870, and steadily shrunk until 1910 when it reached 14.7%. Britain still had it's financial services of course, and the pound still reigned supreme, but soon enough the dollar took over there as well.

That was my point.

While you are correct to a degree, I don't think it's as big of a degree as you think. The British thought "services" could replace manufacturing, as did other major economic powers of the past. When they reached that stage, they were already fading. As are we.

We tried to switch to the newer lightbulbs, honest. They burned out so fast we just gave up. Maybe we were just unlucky, but I was decidedly unimpressed with my "savings".

Damn, I wanted that submarine...

Ya think?

Van Basten, who's that girl in your avatar? The lovely Adriana Lima I think we're disgressing but i feel i'll be pardonned Absolutely. Faster than Scooter Libbey, anyway...

Welcome to the world, James! It's a cool place most of the time, although the music might not always be as good as you first thought... Congrats, Pops; nice timing!

I'm stunned. I got 18 out of 20. The eyes give it away to me. Then again, maybe I'm just used to people pretending to laugh at my moronic jokes...

Just a warning for you pros...

Strangely enough, I'd consider Laura to be more at home in a list of overrated films. I sat down to enjoy a masterpiece and was definitely disappointed. I think if it had been released in the thirties I would have enjoyed it more, if that makes sense...

Ralphie Boy mentioned Detour; I'd have to go with that one. Not really a great movie; more of a car wreck that you can't look away from. It's poorly made, cheap, depressing, and I love it.

Pippi Longstocking Stockard Channing Charlie Chan