nc211

AMEN BROTHER! And is usually the lesson every young man learns that drives them to the real deal, the right girl...

Denny, I'll bet $1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.95 that if you did indeed return to Fresno, she'd find aonother boyfirend and continue toying with you. This is the CLASSIC case of wanting what you can't have. You left, starting a new life, and it makes her jealous to think that you don't pine over her anymore. And it bugs her that you could actually pine over a different girl. Trust me Dens... she's toying with you. Just like we predicted in your other post about you going off to college, and she'd be all about some Denny then. Some girls, not all, but some, simply like that feeling of satisfaction of knowing they can "have" something/someone whenever they want. Honestly, and I'm not knocking on Alex as I know she's your friend, but to me, from these posts, she sounds like she's the type to want to "have", and not "be". If she really wanted to "be", then she would of "been" your girl when she had the opportunity. I had a girlfriend like that for 5 years in my late 20's. Whenever she came back for the summer, it was on, then off to school "a whopping 1 1/2 hours away", I was tossed aside. Finally, I got tired of this, moved to a beach house, unlisted everything and finished up my finance degree. She transferred down to my college, and unknowingly, was stalking me. Followed me home one day to find out where I lived. I graduated with a great job waiting for me in Birmingham. One week before I was to leave, who shows up on my door step, saying much of the same stuff Alex is saying to you. I figured "brain #2 speaking", why not have a last week of some adult fun before leaving. Big mistake. She was all about some NC211, and told me she loved me, blah blah blah... we had a long distance relationship while I was in B'ham. I flew her down a few times, and she was saying she was going to move there after she graduated "she was younger". But, then the mind games started... she told me she might be pregnant but wouldn't get a test. Said my line of work was bad, etc... all a mind game to get me to come back. Well, the job turned sour, 9/11 happened and the markets tanked, so I decided I would give her a real chance, and moved back 6 months later. I kid you not amigo, I freakin' kid you not.... On the night I returned, I got the "can we just be friends" crap! There was another rooster in the hen house! Some surfer dude who had been kicked out of college. I kicked that !Removed! to the curb! The last words we ever spoke to eachother in person were: She said she loved me, and I said "You sure about that?". For 18 months she had me in her little cage, treated me like crap! All because she knew she could have me. But, what she didn't realize, is that it was an act. I knew if she thought she could have me, she would leave me alone. And wouldn't you know it, I moved away up to Raleigh in 2003. And wouldn't you know it, she has been pestering my friends for information ever since then, even to this freakin' day! That !Removed! heard I was getting married, and actually had the nerve to send me an email on my FREAKIN' WEDDING DAY! The last words she's ever heard from me, in an email, were "I don't care if you're dead or alive, just as long as you're far away from me." Where is she now? Surfer dude did get her pregnant, had a shot-gun wedding, he's a gas jockey at the local stab-n'-grab, and they're living in a trailer. And everytime one of my fishing buddies sees her, she tries to needle them for info and contact info, and everytime they say "you're a freakin' nut job". So, in conclusion... Watch out for those girls who like to control you. PS: Her little pregnancy scare with me? Well, turns out, magically it just went away and all was well a week before I came back. I told her I knew she was lying because I read an article in some Cosmo or other rag-mag like that a few weeks earlier, in the dentist's office lobby, that was all about "keeping your long distance man loyal".. and guess what the #1 way was to do just that???? Tell him you might be pregnant. It gave a step by step approach, of which she followed to a tee. The look on her face when I told her this, was priceless! BUSTED!

Human beings got to the top of the food chain with just a few characteristics of evolution. One, opposing thumbs. Two, compassion. Without compassion, we would of never made it out of the gate. The 1st two humans would of killed eachother and extinction would of occured by sundown of day one. GDixon, I see where you're coming from, and it is the basis for some of the birth control laws of China. But, we're a compassionate species, even when in war, compassion for saving is usually the motive for those who've risen to the top of the ladder. IE, USA involvement in the european theater in WWII against Hitler, when it was only Japan that attacked us. I don't care about all the radio chat-bots that say it's about oil, it's about this, that or the other. At the end of the day, it's about the prevention of abusive human rights. Serbia, N Korea, Etc... To say the storms are the fault of human population, I'd have to disagree. What about Hurricane Hazel back in the day, before Atari, internet, wireless, etc..? What about the great earthquakes in Cali and Alaska back in 1900 +/- "little fuzzy on my dates"? If the world ends tomorrow, so be it, I can't stop it. All I can do is try my best to make today as good as possible with my compassion, and opposable thumbs. One is used for thinking and realization, the other is used to hold the pen while I fill out the check. India, you have created a nice thread here, and I applaud you're efforts! I would like to add to it if you don't mind? A few weeks ago I saw a riveting piece on 60 minutes about fighting famine in Africa. Would you believe the #1 tool doctors have to fight famine, disease, and death over there is a simple little packet of peanut butter based food supplement, fortified with vitamins and minerals, called Plumpy-Nut! It's an amazing little packet of food, and according to the doctors on the show, turns around these starving and dieing kids to healthy and strong future leaders/scientists and hopefully positive contributors to society....in a matter of just a couple weeks. I'm currently tyring to find a way to donate some money for more of this stuff. Here is one of many websites I found about this stuff.... http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/002561.html

Be nice? What? hahaa... One wants to get her hands in my back pocket with raised taxes, one wants to get his hands....argh, I can't even say it; and the other wants to steal my mojo and turn me into a suburbia minivan driven drool-stool. I think they should go on tour as the "Moon Lizarded Liberace' Horned Devil Circus Act!" I'm sure there would be some great behind the scenes footage of Horned Devil and Liberace' fighting over who gets the diamond encrusted microphone! Hahaha.... Argh... gotta' go refill my blood pressure medicine now

Good news! Haven't seen him on lately, and was curious. Hopefully he'll see this thread upon his return and know that his LOC BRO's are looking out for him!

Actually, the foreign automakers usually make cars here to get tax breaks on tarriffs, and several communities actually give the land to the automaker and waive taxes on it so the company will bring operations to their community, which in turn pumps up employment, which in turn spins the wheel of fortune for homes, taxes, businesses, etc.. The currency risks are managed by hedge bets and futures within the financial markets... those same methods that are driving up gas prices, because the boys on wallstreet are pimping-out the conflict "unstability" in the mideast by !Removed! around with the oil futures. Mark my words, the days of big oil profits will colapse. I don't believe for one second the supply v. demand motive for these prices. Demand might be up, but not that much to create such a rampid uptick in prices. It's like the dot-com stuff back in the 90's, which popped in 2000. Those who get stuck holding future buy requirements of oil at $90 a barrell, will get crushed when the market finally looses it's taste for oil, and it falls back to earth. My prediction? Right around November, 2008....aka...election time.

Thank God! I hope you're right! Talk about an insult to the folks of North Carolina. Bad enough we can't keep him out of the little girls clothing section of JC Penny's down at the mall, but to put him on a political stage, representing the state, would be the butt of jokes from Leno to Letterman.

Canadian borrowers are also benfitting from the rate swaps too. Borrowing $50m in Canada from a US lender, through the rate swap conversions, is quite beneficial to the Canadians these days too. And, with the dollar so low now, some of you might be seeing hotel prices going through the roof..... you can thank all the foreign tourists who are now coming over on vacation, because we're affordable now. Good for the country, bad for us locals. Especially in Boston.... Stayed there on business two weeks ago, at $500 a night in a hotel that was only $269 in the spring.

Anyone heard from Josh "ArmyofOne" lately???

I'm not kidding, sadly. My office is in Chapel Hill, and during lunch I sometimes walk over to my local hotdog shop for some grub. They have the local independent news paper that I cruise through while eating. I kid you not, a few months ago he took out a full page ad about his run for the senate, with an interview. I couldn't finish my lunch.

Well all I can say about the upcoming elections nationwide, is that we "NC" have to have the worst of the worst running for the senator seat.... Clay Aiken! I kid you not, that twerp is actually running for the senate. And in response to the war, he says, and I quote "bring those young, handsome and strapping boys home". Not that I'm against bringing the troops home...but did Clay Aiken, the jr. Fantago Liberace' really have to say that?

I agree... none have impressed me one bit, and sadly, the ones who should run, and would win in a massive landslide, won't.... aka... Colon Powell instead of Obama. Gore instead of fang-toothed dirt !Removed! who has a secret crush on devil diva Dion. Personally, I think the real canidates aren't focusing on this election, but the next one in 2012. This one is a heavy sucker, and who ever wins has to deal with Iraq. I'm curious if W' will act like Peanut Brain Carter in is retirement and bash the sitting President.

See....this is what you get when you select Celion Dion to sing your campaign theme song!!!! The DEVIL WEARS A BRA! "I wish we had a president that thought America is great, and make decisions on his beliefs rather than the polls....Sad state of affairs...." Uh, isn't this what Bush has been doing? The "Decider".... hahaa...

I agree... especially considering some of the other automobiles running around out there.

Oops, I missed this thread when I posted a new one, about the same thing. I think Consumer Reports has finally heard about all the complaints issued about that electronic throttle lag problem, which has infected almost every new Toyota for years. I heard on the news the camry was dropped due to transmission problems, which to me sounds like lag problems. And the V8 Tucoma and AWD GS were dropped due to driveline problems, which sounds exactly like the thumping issue the GX470, V8 4Runner and V8 Tucoma owners have complained about for years. It's that dang sliding yolk sleeve on the back. My 05' V8 4Runner has this problem too, which really isn't that bad and somewhat managable, but still, a pretty significant design flaw that hasn't been fixed for years! So, maybe now we'll finally get an official and permanent fix with a recall campaign.... One can hope. Oh, and that god awful stinking cat-converter under heavy acceleration in the V8's. Smells like stinging rotten eggs. I say stinging, because if it gets in your nose, it not only stinks to high heaven, but it stings sometimes too. Eitherway, I must admit, it's nice to see the american boys possibly starting to turn the corner and get their acts together. I recently rented a Chevy Malibu in Arizona, and it drove increadibly nice! I was quite shocked actually at how well it drove. I've also rented one of those Buick Enclave SUV's in Washington, DC., and I've got to say, it was a fantastic car! I'd be hard-pressed to not give it serious consideration against all others in that market segment. I'd bet buying stock in the Mowtown Three might be a good investment these days, as a moderate to long term hold. Chrystler has my attention now too. Exciting things are possible with them now that they've split from MB, under new management by the guy to turned a !Removed! into a gold-mine "home depot". Mark my words, GM, Ford and Chrystler aren't going anywhere. Might slip some more, but they're coming back, just a matter of time. Saturn is now importing GM's European Opel cars and rebadging them as Saturns. Three weeks in Europe last month, and I can say that Opel has some pretty slick looking cars!

Well, it sounds like the folks at Consumer Reports have heard about that throttle lag that runs throughout the Toyota family, and the dreaded driveshaft clunk in the GX470/4.7 4Runner, AWD GS and Tucoma. As they have, for the first time, dropped the Camary, Tucoma and GS AWD from their top 10 picks, for these two problems. I heard this yesterday on the news, and when they said "Camry dropped due to transmission problems, Tucoma dropped due to drive line problem, along with the GS AWD", I knew it was that delayed electronic throttle, and that dang slider yolk on the driveshaft of the V8, which I think all with the V8 have AWD. I know my 4Runner with the V8 is AWD, and it has the clunk as reported by the GX470 owners..... Hmm.... where is that post from months ago about it being not all roses as #1....??

Quite the contrary. He's made us out to look like bullies in the eyes of the world, and he's made it known that what he thinks is right is what matters, not what the American citizens think, or what the global community thinks, or what the other branches of our government think, and he's made a fool out of us in Iraq. Willing to take the blame? We refuse to admit the mistakes we've made! I don't disagree with you, especially about the bullies part. I think it's still too early to write the summary on Iraq though, I really do. I don't think we'll see that for another 10+ years or so. But there certainly were mistakes made, some that will be included in those history books, that's for sure. But this is why I want a fresh face the next go-round, not another repeat. However, I do respect, and miss, the Clinton economic model, where we ended in 2000 with a surplus, that Bush stupidly gave away. I think we're all going to pay for the past 8 year economical Bush snow job soon, as evidenced by the subprime fall out. You can't pump that much money into the system, and not expect some major blow-back from it later on, as evidenced by the currency exchange rates for the dollar today. But that's besides the point. Maybe at the end of the day, some voodoo terrorist hiding in his little chicken-coupe will think "If I attack America, they're freakin' nuts, and they'll attack not only us, but everything around us too, no holds barred." I remember right after 9/11, several world leaders stating that they fear this has awakened the sleeping giant, and that can't be good. I distinctly remember Germany's Chancelor at the time saying "in so many words" that America has to unload it's bullets every 30 years, otherwise it gets grumpy, and I have a feeling this [9/11] has given them the reason to unload their inventory, to make room for the new stuff. Which is probably why so so many leaders urged some thinking before responding, letting the sting subside a little before unloading the magazines. I guess what I'm saying is, hopefully the point of all of this Iraq stuff will translate several years down the road as "one strike to America = 100,000 strikes in response, no matter what". Who knows man, who knows.... Eitherway, I'm ready for a changing of the guard, and not one with hands in big oil, or switch-back-chat with a shredder running 24/7 in the back-office from Arkansas. OH, one more thing.....any over/under bets on the day Bush & Cheney leave office that gasoline is back to $1.15 a gallon? No doubt in my mind this will happen, no doubt, especially if an anti-bush gets the office. Big oil will retreat, start shredding, and be lined up in congress, one-by-one. Mark my words.... oil prices will tank right around Bush's exit, especially if an anti-bush wins the election. How in the world do we invade Iraq, put our troops to guard those pipelines, and yet we're paying $3 a gallon for gas? Something doesn't add up, no matter what kind of spin is put on it...something doesn't add up. And with Texas in the White House, well, ain't no coinsidence there if you ask me.

OH... you know I've got to get in on this one..... I don't think Hillary will win, if not for the same reasons as already mentioned, but for the sheer fact that many americans are sick and tired of the bush/clinton dynasty, and ready for something new. We had Bush Sr. for VP in the 80's, and President for the turn of the decade. Then we had ole' !Removed! hunter Bill for the 90's...then we revereted back to Bush for the 2000's "still the right man for the job as of 9/12/2001, just my opinion". Now, we're actually thinking about reverting BACK once again to an already passed administration with another Clinton? If you ask me, I don't care who is running, and I don't care what they say, fact of the matter is reverting backwards is the wrong direction in any situation, unless it's a retreat. I want someone new, someone fresh. I think the world needs something and someone new at the helm of this country, I really do. If we reverty back to Clinton, we're just being "safe" and "predictable". Let me guess, in 2012 are we going to elect Jeb Bush? It's like ping pong, a tennis match between Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. By the way, listening to Hillary's campaign promises, are exactly the same promises her husband ran on in 92'. More social service for police, more healthcare jargin, more this, more that....and none of which happened from the first Clinton who promised the exact same things. Do I think there is a place in this world, and in our nation's front window for ole' Bill & Hillary? Absolutly, I think Bill is a wonderful speaker and communicator, and has the ability to draw crowds and motivate people. But do I think there is room at the head of the class for them? Nope. Not in this harsh environment where red-tape = delayed response and feeds time into the wrong hands. And the Clintons live in a world of red-tape. They committee everything to death, and by the time the committee has ended, the issue has either moved on, or faded away, with no resolution. Say what you want about W'. I have my serious issues with him and do not support him in many many ways, especially since the VT shootings and such. But at the end of the day, this world knows where we stand, and they know who our leader is, and they know he won't budge and won't back down from a fight, and more than willing to take the blame. Honestly, I do think the history books will be kind to him, with a few footnotes that he has earned. I just think it's time for a change, so this whole 9/11 and Iraq thing can write the closing chapter. Going backwards to an already exposed policy is something I'm not willing to do. Don't know about Rudy, don't know about Mit, or Fred, or Obama, etc... but I do know one of them will get my vote, just not sure who.

Your turn, Trump. I say a diamond crusted Lexus key chain on a necklace!

$12-$15 mill.

"free speech" is a double edged sword. NutJob Aborsnotpuketurd can spew his words of hate in our country, and we can call him a pathetic little man, to his face, on a public stage, and he can't do anything about it! I love it! I wonder how long until we catch that rollie-polie down in Venezuala loading up on mediam ranged Iranian missles, like Russia tried to do in Cuba back in the day? Granted, Russia's were to be nuke tipped.

That's a sharp looking ride Dens! Glad you got the diesel engine too, because every gasoline engine I've seen from Isuzu seems to have trouble with blown rings and such. The diesels, well, they're diesels...aka...can take a beating like a red-headed-step child!

vacuum surge tank.... interesting. I don't think I've ever seen one before. Can it be cleaned to increase performance?

He is..... And he's just trying to tell you that IT IS NORMAL!!!! My 05' 4Runner does it too! And the 06 GX I was in three days ago did it as well. Guru members like Dens, know these cars from top to bottom, front to back, inside and out. Who cares how many you've owned. It only takes ONE to learn the car and the mechanics of it. Maybe they updated the braking system in 05' to reduce warping rotors, which is why your 04' didn't make that noise?

Dens is 100% correct, the V8 4Runner has the clunk issue as well. Mine does, but is managable with lubrication of the drive shaft about every 20k miles. http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.p...mp;pagenumber=1 You'll see the last post in that thread is me. It took me all of 45 minutes with the Mobile 1 grease and a hand grease gun to eliminate it. The problem is the slider yolk sleeve on the rear drive shaft. It dries out and sticks, which makes it clunk in and out of position. The GX has a tsb that replaces the driveshaft, rear control arms and I think the differential mounts. But honestly, I'm more than happy with the greasing approach. I have a very fast vibration felt in the gas peddle and steering wheel under moderate acleration while in 5th gear, around 1500 rpm. The 4.7 V8 isn't as smooth as the other Toyota engines because it doesn't have that egr system. It has base openings for exhaust, which gives the engine a more throaty rumble. It's not that bad, but coming from a gs or ls, you'll notice it. Just remember it's a SUV truck, and it's all good. The one thing I really love about the 4Runner over the GX is the cost of parts, and especially the ability to buy just the bushings for the control arms, instead of the entire arm. The cost savings is tremendous! You get the same engine, and several of the same parts and components, for WAY LESS money! If I had one gripe though about the two is the permenant awd. I would much prefer a rwd set up with the ability to turn on and off the 4x4 as desired. The awd system sometimes give it a "tank" feel. I'd also be somewhat cautious of the factory tow package. Mine has this, and I've noticed it rides a bit stiffer in the back because of it. I think I can tow like 7,000 pounds, and I can tell from riding in others that dont' have that package, that my rear suspension is stiffer to allow the truck to hold that weight. I'd prefer a softer ride, but, I'm also coming from the ultimate soft ride of a LS400, so everything rides hard to me.