loathar wrote: I've been out of work for almost 1 1/2 years! That leaves ZERO $$$ for the layout! A can of paint or a copy of MR is a cause for celebration for me.I've got 10 years management experience and I can't even get a job stocking grocery store shelves on third shift! I've applied at about 50 places in the last 3 weeks. Got ONE call for an interview. A job I was REALLY qualified for. I got 2 sentences out of my mouth and the woman interviewing me called out to the rest of the people in the office-LOOKY HERE! WE GOT US A OHIO YANKEE LOOKIN FER WERK!!!I REALLY frickin hate living in the South!!
I've been out of work for almost 1 1/2 years! That leaves ZERO $$$ for the layout! A can of paint or a copy of MR is a cause for celebration for me.I've got 10 years management experience and I can't even get a job stocking grocery store shelves on third shift! I've applied at about 50 places in the last 3 weeks. Got ONE call for an interview. A job I was REALLY qualified for. I got 2 sentences out of my mouth and the woman interviewing me called out to the rest of the people in the office-LOOKY HERE! WE GOT US A OHIO YANKEE LOOKIN FER WERK!!!I REALLY frickin hate living in the South!!
Loathar,
You have to consider the source, the woman doing the interview is just a plain jane hillbilly. Half of the rednecks are extremely ignorant to the outside world and then you have the other percentage who have primitive mentality and very limited vocabulary.
YeeeeHaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww !!!!
(If the moderator of this thread feels that my posting is inappropriate, then please feel free to contact me via email)
loathar wrote:Do those things put out any soot? I need to think about heating the train room this winter and the idea of a 220 volt electric heater isn't very appealing. Don't want something that's going to leave a film on everything.What happened to that RR that was exploring going back to steam engines to haul their coal trains on a few dedicated routes? With the cost of diesel, I would think it would be a good idea.
Do those things put out any soot? I need to think about heating the train room this winter and the idea of a 220 volt electric heater isn't very appealing. Don't want something that's going to leave a film on everything.
What happened to that RR that was exploring going back to steam engines to haul their coal trains on a few dedicated routes? With the cost of diesel, I would think it would be a good idea.
As Granite State said, they're pretty clean, but there is a bit of a dust factor. I put a gas heater in the future train room, due to that, and the fact that I'm not planning on heating that room 24/7 - the gas heater will warm the room a lot faster than pellets.
I'm trying to model 1956, not live in it.
loathar wrote:he train room this winter and the idea of a 220 volt electric heater isn't very appealing. Don't want something that's going to leave a film on everything.What happened to that RR that was exploring going back to steam engines to haul their coal trains on a few dedicated routes? With the cost of diesel, I would think it would be a good idea.
he train room this winter and the idea of a 220 volt electric heater isn't very appealing. Don't want something that's going to leave a film on everything.
No idea on the conversion back to steam, but with coal at 5.50$ per 1,000,000 BTU in a 75% efficient boiler, well, you may see a comeback. The circumstances would have to be near perfect though.
The stoves need to be vented out, and require constant but minimal upkeep. Keeping an eye on the hopper of pellets and the ash pan is really all that you have to do. Annual inspections by a chimney sweep and someone certified in the care of the stoves is recommended, and I would say, needed. A small pellet stove in the layout room with a couple hundred pounds of pellets should get you through the season with no problems.
All in all, they aren't too bad. Going through 8 tons per year of pellets seems a little high, although running two stoves and maintaining 75 degrees might make that seem about on par.
Scarpia, check your PMs
This space reserved for SpaceMouse's future presidential candidacy advertisements
Scarpia wrote: GraniteRailroader wrote:I'm looking for a new home, probably going to purchase one f0r myself in relatively short time. Alternative solutions for heating, water, etc are going to be my top priority. Possibly even going as far to look at a self-loading wood chip or wood pellet stove. A few of us at work are even considering buying them by the railcar. 100 tons at a time, at 150$ per to divided by the six to eight us will end up only being in the $2500/person range. That much fuel will last years in time. We have even thought of selling them off to others to further reduce the price. (Of course this assumes that you have access to rail shipment and decent rates - which is a non issue for me). In addition to wood pellets, many of the newer stoves also have the ability to burn corn. Some of the local grain depots are starting to carry corn for the people with pellet stoves. Way cool. PS: Glad to see that the forum staff here on the Trains.Com forums are open minded about allowing conversations to progress, even as dicey as they sometimes appear to be. Two thumbs up to our Moderators. Let me know if you do the pellets - I run two of those stoves in my house, and burn about 8 tons a year, which keeps my old (1820) place nice and toasty at 75 degrees. I'd be interested in going in with you on that deal.
GraniteRailroader wrote:I'm looking for a new home, probably going to purchase one f0r myself in relatively short time. Alternative solutions for heating, water, etc are going to be my top priority. Possibly even going as far to look at a self-loading wood chip or wood pellet stove. A few of us at work are even considering buying them by the railcar. 100 tons at a time, at 150$ per to divided by the six to eight us will end up only being in the $2500/person range. That much fuel will last years in time. We have even thought of selling them off to others to further reduce the price. (Of course this assumes that you have access to rail shipment and decent rates - which is a non issue for me). In addition to wood pellets, many of the newer stoves also have the ability to burn corn. Some of the local grain depots are starting to carry corn for the people with pellet stoves. Way cool. PS: Glad to see that the forum staff here on the Trains.Com forums are open minded about allowing conversations to progress, even as dicey as they sometimes appear to be. Two thumbs up to our Moderators.
I'm looking for a new home, probably going to purchase one f0r myself in relatively short time. Alternative solutions for heating, water, etc are going to be my top priority. Possibly even going as far to look at a self-loading wood chip or wood pellet stove. A few of us at work are even considering buying them by the railcar. 100 tons at a time, at 150$ per to divided by the six to eight us will end up only being in the $2500/person range. That much fuel will last years in time. We have even thought of selling them off to others to further reduce the price. (Of course this assumes that you have access to rail shipment and decent rates - which is a non issue for me). In addition to wood pellets, many of the newer stoves also have the ability to burn corn. Some of the local grain depots are starting to carry corn for the people with pellet stoves. Way cool.
PS: Glad to see that the forum staff here on the Trains.Com forums are open minded about allowing conversations to progress, even as dicey as they sometimes appear to be. Two thumbs up to our Moderators.
Let me know if you do the pellets - I run two of those stoves in my house, and burn about 8 tons a year, which keeps my old (1820) place nice and toasty at 75 degrees. I'd be interested in going in with you on that deal.
markpierce wrote: Perhaps the technoclogy was too unproven or risky, or that the majority of Americans were anti-nuclear in any form. Regardless, we have only ourselves to blame.Mark
Perhaps the technoclogy was too unproven or risky, or that the majority of Americans were anti-nuclear in any form. Regardless, we have only ourselves to blame.
Mark
Sadly, living in Vermont, our "nukular" (as some have put it... hehe) power plant is just a "dangerous eye sore". While Yankee doesn't provide all of Vermonts power, it provides a good portion that helps keep our electricity at decent rates. The media likes to play up every little bump that the facility sees like it will cause the end of the world.
I'm all for alternative energy sources. The community I live in is powered about 40% by wood chips, and the other 40+ percent is power bought through wind generation. Around 15% of the power used is bought from traditional fossil fuel usage. Seems like a pretty good alternative to me.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Okay, gentlemen. This thread is slowly eroding into a political discussion so I'm going to have to pull it over onto a siding.
As someone already mentiioned, times like these allow all of us to become more "resourceful" with both our monies and our time, when it comes to our hobbies. Most of us will have to seriously look at our budgets, figure out what is important/necessary to each one of us and our "lifestyle", then make the necessary adjustments. The sad thing, too, is that the rise in gas prices also affects and is difficult on the LHSes, the excursion RRs, and the RR museums, as well.
Maybe, instead of a thread on the detriment of the current market, someone could start one on inexpensive ways to still enjoy MRRing and RRing, despite the current market. Just a thought...
Tom
After receiving a PM from a forum member and some reconsideration, I'm reopening this thread because I was a bit hasty in locking it earlier. Please feel free to continue the conversation.
Do be mindful though about topics of this sort and where they can lead. If things do get heated or too "political" in nature, the thread will be locked down for good. Sorry about the short disruption.
P.S. I've already noticed a couple of threads started on ways on how to save MRRing $$$s:
HOW TO SAVE $$ IN TOUGH TIMES LIKE THIS
Model Railroad Budget - any ideas?
Way to go, fellas! I think the thrust of each thread has it pluses and benefits. It's a great way to substantiate the adage that, if you're given lemons in life, make lemonade out of 'em.
loathar wrote: markpierce wrote: "With the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992, and the appointment of Hazel O'Leary as the Secretary of Energy, there was pressure from the top to cancel the IFR. Sen. John Kerry (D, MA) and O'Leary led the opposition to the reactor, arguing that it would be a threat to non-proliferation efforts, and that it was a continuation of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project that had been canceled by Congress. Despite support for the reactor by then-Rep. Richard Durbin (D, IL) and U.S. Senators Carol Mosley Braun (D, IL) and Paul Simon (D, IL), funding for the reactor was slashed, and it was ultimately canceled in 1994."Well, according to Wikipedia, it appears that a certain political party has been hostile to this form of alternative energy and, from my point of view, that party is embarassed by our high standard of living.Make your own presumptions. Do you want to be a dependent, or be responsible?Mark, and yes, I am quite a bit off topicCorrect me if I'm wrong, (and I might be...) but weren't the Republicans controlling the House and Senate at that time? I wasn't too "up" on politics back then.(oh, yeah... How bout them trains!!)
markpierce wrote: "With the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992, and the appointment of Hazel O'Leary as the Secretary of Energy, there was pressure from the top to cancel the IFR. Sen. John Kerry (D, MA) and O'Leary led the opposition to the reactor, arguing that it would be a threat to non-proliferation efforts, and that it was a continuation of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project that had been canceled by Congress. Despite support for the reactor by then-Rep. Richard Durbin (D, IL) and U.S. Senators Carol Mosley Braun (D, IL) and Paul Simon (D, IL), funding for the reactor was slashed, and it was ultimately canceled in 1994."Well, according to Wikipedia, it appears that a certain political party has been hostile to this form of alternative energy and, from my point of view, that party is embarassed by our high standard of living.Make your own presumptions. Do you want to be a dependent, or be responsible?Mark, and yes, I am quite a bit off topic
"With the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992, and the appointment of Hazel O'Leary as the Secretary of Energy, there was pressure from the top to cancel the IFR. Sen. John Kerry (D, MA) and O'Leary led the opposition to the reactor, arguing that it would be a threat to non-proliferation efforts, and that it was a continuation of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project that had been canceled by Congress. Despite support for the reactor by then-Rep. Richard Durbin (D, IL) and U.S. Senators Carol Mosley Braun (D, IL) and Paul Simon (D, IL), funding for the reactor was slashed, and it was ultimately canceled in 1994."
Well, according to Wikipedia, it appears that a certain political party has been hostile to this form of alternative energy and, from my point of view, that party is embarassed by our high standard of living.
Make your own presumptions. Do you want to be a dependent, or be responsible?
Mark, and yes, I am quite a bit off topic
Correct me if I'm wrong, (and I might be...) but weren't the Republicans controlling the House and Senate at that time? I wasn't too "up" on politics back then.
(oh, yeah... How bout them trains!!)
Correct me if I'm wrong, (and I might be...) but weren't the Republicans controlling the House and Senate at that time? I wasn't too "up" on politics back then, said Loather.
No, I don't think it was until the next congressional election the Republicans were given control of Congress. Now, why didn't that policy against alternative energy reversed then? Perhaps the technoclogy was too unproven or risky, or that the majority of Americans were anti-nuclear in any form. Regardless, we have only ourselves to blame.
TheK4Kid wrote: You are correct, it's the speculators who are getting fat.My opinion is that oil speculation needs regulated or a limit set on it.I drive a semi for a living and Wednesdaay I left for Milwaukeee from Ft Wayne IndianaI returned from Milwaukee on Thursday.Anyway, during the entire trip I saw only 3 RV's , one large RV coach on I94 , one smaller one on US 300 and one setting at a fuel pump at a truckstop in Indiana on my return home. A total of 3.And it is June, and I can remember in my 30 plus years of over the road when I saw them by the hundreds.Rather interesting that they are disappearing so quckly from America's highways.On the north side of Chicago I passed a huge RV dealer, and thinking to myself, Iwouldn't want to be setting on all that inventory right now.I wish I would have had some time to go look up Kalmbach and MRR 's facilities.I really don't even know if I was close to them.I was over on 68th street just off of National Avenue on Wednesday and was just off 43rd strret and Old Green Tree , I think it was greeen tree or something like that. If anyone is planning a trip up that way, may I please advise all that I94 is under construction in Illinois from the Wisconsin state line all the way to Chicago, and it's very slow going! Take a train!!! TheK4Kid
You are correct, it's the speculators who are getting fat.
My opinion is that oil speculation needs regulated or a limit set on it.I drive a semi for a living and Wednesdaay I left for Milwaukeee from Ft Wayne IndianaI returned from Milwaukee on Thursday.Anyway, during the entire trip I saw only 3 RV's , one large RV coach on I94 , one smaller one on US 300 and one setting at a fuel pump at a truckstop in Indiana on my return home. A total of 3.And it is June, and I can remember in my 30 plus years of over the road when I saw them by the hundreds.Rather interesting that they are disappearing so quckly from America's highways.On the north side of Chicago I passed a huge RV dealer, and thinking to myself, Iwouldn't want to be setting on all that inventory right now.
I wish I would have had some time to go look up Kalmbach and MRR 's facilities.
I really don't even know if I was close to them.
I was over on 68th street just off of National Avenue on Wednesday and was just off 43rd strret and Old Green Tree , I think it was greeen tree or something like that.
If anyone is planning a trip up that way, may I please advise all that I94 is under construction in Illinois from the Wisconsin state line all the way to Chicago, and it's very slow going!
Take a train!!!
TheK4Kid
I've noticed a drastic decrease in people pulling trailers (which I associate with the middle class) versus "super buses" pulling automobiles (which I associate with the upper middle class, but not super-rich, with their yachts and planes). Obviously, this has been a function of the high cost of fuel. Of course, a few hundred dollars increase for a fill-up for these large vehicles doesn't have a significant affect on very-high-income earners/recipients. Regardless, I don't resent this fact. I say, let's all work harder and smarter and hope that government policies will not keep us from achieving our goals in an ethical manner.
markpierce wrote:"With the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992, and the appointment of Hazel O'Leary as the Secretary of Energy, there was pressure from the top to cancel the IFR. Sen. John Kerry (D, MA) and O'Leary led the opposition to the reactor, arguing that it would be a threat to non-proliferation efforts, and that it was a continuation of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project that had been canceled by Congress. Despite support for the reactor by then-Rep. Richard Durbin (D, IL) and U.S. Senators Carol Mosley Braun (D, IL) and Paul Simon (D, IL), funding for the reactor was slashed, and it was ultimately canceled in 1994."Well, according to Wikipedia, it appears that a certain political party has been hostile to this form of alternative energy and, from my point of view, that party is embarassed by our high standard of living.Make your own presumptions. Do you want to be a dependent, or be responsible?Mark, and yes, I am quite a bit off topic
Scarpia- check your PM.
To keep this train related. North Platte loco facility pumps 100,000 gallons of diesel/day. Even if the oil companies only make a nickle/gallon profit, that's $1.5 million PROFIT per year just off one loco facility! Multiply that by how ever many such fuel depots exist in this country alone. This assumes that the 5 cent/gallon profit figure is the truth. They used to make 12 cents/gallon profit back in the 80's when gas was around $1/gallon...
Now think about all the truck depots and airports. We're talking some serious coin here.
TheK4Kid wrote:Yes it's all about a word called "GREED" and FAT CAT speculators
Scarpia wrote: ouengr wrote:We need to produce traditional energy as quickly as we can. We need to drill everywhere we can to increase the domestic supply. Alternative fuels and conservation will not solve the problem today.Maybe I'm nuts, and you're on the ball - but didnt' the Saudi's just say that supply isn't a problem? That it's not a supply and demand issue, but a speculation, and weak dollar problem?If that is the case, than drillin' aint' the issue. It's more about a few fat cats, getttin' fatter. Unlike the 1970's oil crisis, one factor that is definately different, is that the oil companies are reporting record breaking profits. And they get huge tax breaks. While some people in my neck of the woods, either get colder (and heat here is used from October until May, at least), or sacrifice elsewhere. That other sacrifice hurts the economy as a whole. Yes it's all about a word called "GREED" and FAT CAT speculators
ouengr wrote:We need to produce traditional energy as quickly as we can. We need to drill everywhere we can to increase the domestic supply. Alternative fuels and conservation will not solve the problem today.
We need to produce traditional energy as quickly as we can. We need to drill everywhere we can to increase the domestic supply. Alternative fuels and conservation will not solve the problem today.
Maybe I'm nuts, and you're on the ball - but didnt' the Saudi's just say that supply isn't a problem? That it's not a supply and demand issue, but a speculation, and weak dollar problem?
If that is the case, than drillin' aint' the issue. It's more about a few fat cats, getttin' fatter. Unlike the 1970's oil crisis, one factor that is definately different, is that the oil companies are reporting record breaking profits. And they get huge tax breaks. While some people in my neck of the woods, either get colder (and heat here is used from October until May, at least), or sacrifice elsewhere. That other sacrifice hurts the economy as a whole.
Yes it's all about a word called "GREED" and FAT CAT speculators
Well fellas and gals were all in this together.
I can remember when I could fill up my 16 gallon gas tank in67 Mustang fastback GT and buy a McDonalds hamburger, an order of fries and a coca-cola and have change leftover from a $5.00 bill! Fred and Barnie were popular back then too!! LOL!
Yabbbbba Dabbba Dooooo !!!!!
Give your local political representatives a" hint", everybody send them a DRILL BIT !!!
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
I know that the economy is challenging right now. We have fear tactics and doom and gloom predictions everywhere. The doom and gloom is weighing on my mind and the economy in general. I do wonder if the constant series of bad news stories are true, are meant to 'sell the papers', or have some other sort of political agenda. There are problems in the economy but there is a lot of good news as well.
I believe that there are a few things that need to occur to stablize the economy but I am not sure that they will occur prior to the election. We need to produce traditional energy as quickly as we can. We need to drill everywhere we can to increase the domestic supply. Alternative fuels and conservation will not solve the problem today. In the long run, I believe that we will make the transition away from pertolem based fuels, but it cannot happen today.We need to investigate alternative fuels that actually work unlike corn grain ethanol. I want the US to end its dependence on petroleum fuels but I want to find a way that does not collapse our economy and our living standards.
The best thing that we could do right now is allow for domestic production, restore Treasury Regulation T which sets the minimum margin on commidities and other security investments, and make the tax cuts permanent. I know many people will disagree with me on the tax cuts but I have heard from many small and medium investors that they are holdng off on investments and projects until they see how the tax system works out. They are afraid to invest the money and create jobs because there business calculations may not work if the taxes rise substancially. They are also concerned about carbon trading and other programs that drastically increase the costs of doing business. The outcome of this trepadtion? Investments are not being made and jobs are not being created. A lot of this money is not sitting in the commidities market where it aids in ramping up commidities prices.
I know that the economy is troubling and that many of you are suffering. I would like to say that everything will be okay but I can't. I believe that many of the problems that we are facing today have been created by the government and cannot be resolved by expanded government power. We need freedom and liberty for the economy. This will allow business owners to grow and expand their investments and employ more workers. Government solutions from DC are one of the major problems we face right now. If you think that government can simply fix things, I would ask that you review the Great Depression. In this time business became afraid to invest and create jobs due to a constantly shifting series of government regulation. If you study the history, the rest of the world did not suffer anywhere near the difficulties that the United States did. The best solution will be freedom. We can inovate new solutions and create entire new industries that do not exist today.
The biggest problem in the economy right now is uncertainty. People are simply afriad to invest. They do not want to lose the money that they have out of fear that they may not be able to remake it. I know that we are all realing from the fuel costs. I paid $39.70 for a half a tank of gas on my Honda Accord. Two years ago that filled the Explorer. My wife and I have basically parked it because we cannot afford the gas. If we will free the markets, the economy will calm down and prices will moderate. A market that is out of balance will hurt everyone and it is in everyones interest to stabilize the economy. Please do not panic. I know that the times are hurting but things can and will get better.
One thing I know, the economy is being mirrored by my railroad. The Cedar Branch & Western is selling off surplus equipment to pay for upgrades and repairs (Ebay auction the extras, buy decoders). The railroad management (me) has elected to continue to use older rebuilt EMD products (Athearn BB) rather than expend the finances necessary to purchase new equipment. (I'm slobbering over the Atlas Gold C-420's)
Like the rest of us, the railroad is seeking ways to cut back. Working with fewer engines, rebuilding equipment in-house, finding ways to save energy (turning off extra lights and gadgets), and deferring maintenance all play a role on the model railroad.
By the way, it's nice to see that I'm not alone in my financial concerns. My wife is a full time student, so I'm holding things together with one full time and two part time jobs. Sometimes I feel that all I do is work...
Fortunately, I truly love what I do!
The Cedar Branch & Western--The Hillbilly Line!
Scarpia wrote: chicochip wrote: Has anyone read a best seller titled "The Power of Negative Thinking"? How about "The Eight Ways to Success Through Complaining"?chicochipNo, but their positive based brethern haven't done anything for business, or our economy either - other than generate legions of business people who receite the phrase "think outside of the box" as if it will actually happen, the more times they spit it out...Like everyone, Packer is entitled to his opinion, but as he's not paying bills yet.....discrection in this cae may be the better part of valor, if you know what I mean. My real concern this winter up here in the NE is heating oil. It's not the well off, or the really poor who are going to suffer (at least not as much, as there are programs to help them) but the folks just above that level for whom $4.60 a gallon heating oil is going to really, really hurt.I'm already planning on how to pay for that myself.There are some plusses. If this continues, we may finally see some real innovation in technology, especially in the alternative energy business, and automotive. I mean come on - I've been waiting for the Jetson's flying cars for better than 30 years, and we're still looking at a product design that hasn't really changed in a 100 years.
chicochip wrote: Has anyone read a best seller titled "The Power of Negative Thinking"? How about "The Eight Ways to Success Through Complaining"?chicochip
Has anyone read a best seller titled "The Power of Negative Thinking"? How about "The Eight Ways to Success Through Complaining"?
chicochip
No, but their positive based brethern haven't done anything for business, or our economy either - other than generate legions of business people who receite the phrase "think outside of the box" as if it will actually happen, the more times they spit it out...
Like everyone, Packer is entitled to his opinion, but as he's not paying bills yet.....discrection in this cae may be the better part of valor, if you know what I mean.
My real concern this winter up here in the NE is heating oil. It's not the well off, or the really poor who are going to suffer (at least not as much, as there are programs to help them) but the folks just above that level for whom $4.60 a gallon heating oil is going to really, really hurt.
I'm already planning on how to pay for that myself.
There are some plusses. If this continues, we may finally see some real innovation in technology, especially in the alternative energy business, and automotive. I mean come on - I've been waiting for the Jetson's flying cars for better than 30 years, and we're still looking at a product design that hasn't really changed in a 100 years.
Yeah man, I'd love to see that.
GraniteRailroader wrote: 2-8-8-0 wrote: Did the kid that still has a bedtime seriously just say this? Thanks for the laugh...I bet he still reads "Goodnight Moon"
2-8-8-0 wrote: Did the kid that still has a bedtime seriously just say this?
Did the kid that still has a bedtime seriously just say this?
Thanks for the laugh...
I bet he still reads "Goodnight Moon"
Not only him, but some other "worldly experts"!! Will some one please kick their butts!!
chicochip wrote:Has anyone read a best seller titled "The Power of Negative Thinking"? How about "The Eight Ways to Success Through Complaining"?chicochip
chicochip wrote: Packers. Check your e-mail. chicochip
Packers. Check your e-mail.
I did. Same to you. BTW loathar, I'm 13, not 15.
chicochip wrote: I'll bet on the "kid's" optomism and philosophy any day. If we dwell on all that's not just right, that's what we'll continue to get.Has anyone read a best seller titled "The Power of Negative Thinking"? How about "The Eight Ways to Success Through Complaining"?Packers, I admire your attitude!chicochip
I'll bet on the "kid's" optomism and philosophy any day. If we dwell on all that's not just right, that's what we'll continue to get.
Packers, I admire your attitude!
Thank you, chicochip. Also, did you know that laughter can actually help you heal? Oh, and BTW, no matter how high certain things get, God gave us legs and feet for a reason, ya know. And I'm sure the bike can help out here. Usually, after any kind of ordeal, you'll still be alive.