12/2    Beowulf is really cool but... how did these fearless sea fairing
        vikings (Beowulf) who killed dragons and monsters turn into
        furniture making pussies (IKEA) in a matter of few hundred years?
        \_ Beowulf was a Geat, not a Swede. And the time scale is a
           milennium, not a few hundred years.
        \- OP: ignorant about who is Beowulf, ignorant about Swedish history,
           and ignorant about the tax scam that is ikea.
           \_ tax scam?  i've never heard that before.  wassup?

12/2    Anyone familiar with Final Cut Express? How much better is it than iMovie
        and how much "worse" is it than Final Cut Pro? Thanks.
        \_ What do you want to use it for?
                \_ Editing home movies. I feel I've outgrown iMovie, and
                   I want something more powerful, but hopefully not
                   something as difficult to use/learn as FCP. -op
                   \_ I suspect express would work great.  That's the goal
                      of the product, do more complicated editing without
                      needing professional level complexity.
           \_ Editing home movies. I feel I've outgrown iMovie, and I want
              something more powerful, but hopefully not something as difficult
              to use/learn as FCP. -op
              \_ I suspect express would work great.  That's the goal of the
                 product, do more complicated editing without needing
                 professional level complexity.

12/2    Is there a big difference in quality of gas sold between brand name and
        generic gas stations?
        \_ Not enough to pay extra for it.
        \_ Supposedly not, but my car runs like crap when I put cheap gas
           in it. I prefer Chevron if given a choice. I go out of my way
           to avoid Arco/BP if I can help it and I never buy true generic
           gas (like Costco or Thrifty or whatever). Next time you buy
           something at the grocery store compare the ingredients in the name
           brand with those in generic brand. Sometimes they are identical,
           though not usually. Once in while the generic is actually superior.
           Most of the time the generic is inferior. Why would you assume
           any differently about any other product, including gas?
           \_ So, are you saying that he bas sold at BP brabded gas stations
              is not as good as say Shell?
              \_ It seems not based on how my car runs. YMMV.
           \_ You can STFW, but gas stations are all basically supplied the
              same gas (you can't really build a budget oil refinery),
              with the difference being the proprietary additives.
              \_ Yes, and the additives make a difference. So, too, might
                 storage (lots of gunk in the tank) or other variables.
                 \_ Well, now, that's not so clear. But you certainly hope
                    they do if you're willing to pay for them.
                    \_ I go by what my manufacturer (BMW) recommends:
                       http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html
                       Notice BP and Exxon are not recommended. If you do
                       research you will see Chevron (who holds a lot of
                       patents for this stuff) and Shell (supposedly just
                       released a new product) recommended over and over
                       again. I also read that the EPA uses Chevron for
                       its tests, going so far as to bring it in especially
                       from Kentucky because it's not sold in Ohio.
                       \_ Who operates this web site?
                          \_ The gas companies who are members.
                             \_ That speaks for its credibility.
                                \_ Huh? The gas companies that choose to meet
                                   the standards set by certain auto
                                   makers call themselves "Top Tier".
                                   Companies may meet the standards and
                                   not participate or they can choose not
                                   to meet the standards. Participation is
                                   voluntary, but that doesn't mean the
                                   standards and participants are not credible.
                                   \_ Is there more background behind this
                                      certification? A website run by
                                      Denny, Jim (ynnedj@aol.com) seems
                                      slightly less than professional.
                                      \_ Why? Do you know him?
                                         If you look at the address of the
                                         registered company (National
                                         Products Group in Tulsa, OK) you
                                         will see it is QuikTrip.
                                         \_ AOL is so early 90s and screams
                                            one-man job, and incompetent
                                            one-man job at that. I don't see
                                            how you connect QuikTrip to this
                                            outfit, nor why I should consider
                                            QuikTrip to be an unbiased source.
                                            \_ Look at the postal address. Who
                                               said QuikTrip needs to be
                                               unbised? I don't understand
                                               your skepticism. A few
                                               automakers joined together
                                               and came up with some
                                               standards. Gas companies
                                               (including QuikTrip) can
                                               choose to meet them or not
                                               in a self-certifying process
                                               that does involve random
                                               3rd party testing. Exxon
                                               claims they meet the standard
                                               but they don't want the hassle
                                               of certifying. That's fine,
                                               so they aren't on the list.
                                               The companies that *are* on
                                               the list meet the automakers'
                                               standards. Other ones may or
                                               may not. What are you
                                               concerned about here?!
               \_ It think there's a few issues.
                  1) use of alcohol in the gas: most stations now use up to
                     10% ethanol, but some don't (e.g. I think Chevron often
                     doesn't). Ethanol gives you worse mileage and runs worse.
                     \_ I thought the ethanol percent was mandated by law?
                        \_ I don't know, I guess maybe it will be. Which is
                           FUCKING STUPID of course. Fuck US agribusiness
                           subsidies.
                  2) turnover. sometimes low-priced popular gas stations are
                     actually better because the gas doesn't sit around as
                     long when they sell more than the expensive place across
                     the street.
                  3) proprietary additives, which I can't really comment on
                     (Techron, blah blah)

12/2    http://tinyurl.com/2lgwc2 (signonsandiego.com)
        Old mortgage:
          2004-2007  4.97% interest-only on $352K
          2007-2009  7.97% to 11.97%, principal payments start
          2009-2034  11.97%
        New mortgage:
          2004-2007  4.97% interest-only on $352K
          2007-2010  5.25% interest-only
          2010-2034  5.25% principal payments start
        Countrywide is da b0mb!
        \_ Moral of the story: it doesn't pay to be fiscal responsible.
        \_ Lame.  "Oh we didn't understand the terms of our ARM.  We're too
           dumb to read the papers right in front of us.  We thought we were
           getting a free lunch because we're nice people.  Now, only because
           the rest of the mortgage industry is fucked, we get totally lucky
           and keep a super low rate forever".
           \_ Countrywide can tell them to go pound sand. It's the free
              market at work like it should be. What I have a problem with
              is the government attempting to legislate these discounts
              or, worse, making taxpayers pay the bill.
             \_ All the deficit spending is effectively a tax. We are getting
                taxed out the ass.
                \_ This is a non sequitur.
                  \_ Well, it's related to fiscal irresponsibility. Someone
                     always pays the bill in some way. Legislating discounts
                     for idiots passes the bill onto responsible people.