Sirius/XM radio is the tits, imo.

Zeno you are a man in a mission, to misanthropically go where no man has gone before and hate people to life (vs love people to death). For that alone 17+37 are your lucky numbers.

Ah, yes. Found the Fountainhead of the irony.

This forum would fall to the heathens who worship at the alters of Babbling and Nonsense if it weren't for His Great Works.

May his Scythe of Concise Ridicule never dull.

in my cs degree i was given a science elective (any that had a lab) and i chose geology. now, 1 week into the semester, methinks the only worse choice would have been organic chem (as far as workload is concerned). fml

Western History Books Recently and not-so-recently read. All worthwhile.

After Lewis and Clark: Mountain Men and the Paths to the Pacific, by Robert M. Utley. If you are interested in Frontier America History this is an excellent book, well researched and balanced in perspective it presents facts as best can be gleaned from first hand records and documents. It reads well and is engaging as the subject matter is engrossing and the characters one of a kind: It deals a lot about the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade. It also sheds light on the western expansion and the cosmopolitan people and nations that vied for dominance. This is history rarely and truly told.

I recently read a similar book about the History of the Yellowstone Basin (by Mark H. Brown) and the above book dovetails neatly with that book in many respects. Coupled with a book I read years ago, Jedediah Smith and the Opening of the West by Dale L. Morgan (reference in both above) a better understanding and appreciation of Western Expansion is achieved. Another recent book that I read also adds to this theme and I highly recommend it: Blood and Thunder: The epic Story of Kit Cason and the Conquest of the American West, by Hampton Sides. If you are an American history buff all these books are excellent reads.

To this add Tough Trip Through Paradise 1878-1879, by Andrew Garcia. Unabashed, unbiased autobiographical sketch of one man's two-year-saga in Montana as a trader and squaw man. Human nature in the raw. Shows Kant up as the jackass he is. Confirms Adam Smith with the best of Machiavelli shot-gunned throughout for extra flavor.

Others I have read through the years and recommend:

The Modocs and Their War, by Keith A Murray
Trappers of the Far West, edited by Leroy Hafen
The Journals of Lewis and Clark, edited by Bernard DeVoto.

Toss those philosophy books into the cesspool and read the real thing.

Damn you Zeno, I already bought several of the philosophy books you recommended.

Monterey Bay, where I am now, is better than Chicago, where I was last week.

It has a temperature

I always put Chicago as second on the list of American Cities to be fire bombed into oblivion. Detroit is obviously the first.

Monterey is a wonderful area (despite the coolness and fog sometimes). I visit it occasionally, as I have a cousin that lives in Salinas. I was just there recently and was privileged to cruise about the bay and also rambled into Pebble Beach and rubbed elbows with the money elite, the super finicky, the well dressed, and the well mannered. I was universally worshiped by one and all.

Enjoy your stay. Have some fresh oysters and beer.

It's naaat fer sissies. Der out in Caaalifornia. Hope ya enjoyed da pizza, ribs, dogs, and steaks. Da Bersss!

Salinas is very nice. I was there for one meeting today.

I got to go to the garlic capital of the world for a 15 minute meeting after Salinas. Did you know that there is such a thing as garlic wine?

I am now at an elsewhere that isn't nearly as nice.

In Chicago? I ate in meetings and hotels. The hotel had decent ribs.

And, yes, that sort of cold isn't for sissies. It hurt.

Unfortunately, yes. I was at some silly place in this same area where artichokes are king. Largest plastic artichoke in the world stood out by the entrance to some even sillier shop. A just cooked artichoke is very tasty. And they are excellent in some salads. Never had artichoke wine - if they make it I don't want to hear about it.

It hurts if you have exposed skin, but if you dress appropriately, you need not feel it at all.

You have to get out of the hotel as Chicago has some of the best food in the country. You can barely get Chicago style pizza outside Chicago. It's also known for its numerous rib joints (I like Barney's ribs at Portillos which also also has great Chicago style hotdogs and Maxwell Street polishes), and numerous steak places like Chicago Prime which does nothing but prime rib. There's every other type of ethnic restaurant too, like in Greek Town, Chinatown, and my personal favorite the Czech restaurants, the best of which are out in the burbs (my favorite: Bohemian Crystal out in the western suburb of Westmont).

Lol. You had one of those fried artichoke things? Just the bare minimum of understanding of artichokes would have been sufficient warning.

It ****ing hurts if you have eyeballs or a need to breath.

I was, once upon a time, used to such mistreatment by mommy nature. I now complain (in my head, not out loud) when it is below 72 F.

My bucket list includes mostly things to not do. I find most experiences quite enjoyable, so I only need to weed out the ones I don't like. I will tentatively remove "never go to Chicago again" from the list on your recommendation.

I will be sad if Chicago Prime has sides.

If Chicago Prime has side dishes I will be very disappointed.

Briefly considered following a woman to Chicago, thankfully the winter warded me off. As luck would have it, all the great food and culture remain come summer!

That, with a few more details, could have been a sad story. Perhaps a blockbuster.

You're right, it could've.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/62...r-pics-698339/

Unfortunatle, after about 4 months it ended with a wimper.

Not a problem.



Wear fleece layer under jacket, and long underwear. The goggles are usually overkill.


They used to throw a couple token veggies on your plate. Now they've got all kinds of crap on their menu. Chicken, pork, salmon, shrimp, crab... The place seems to have gone to hell since I was last there.

The goggles would have been welcomed. Even the locals were shedding tears due to eyeball pain.

I am amazed that the brush-style mustaches are so popular there. Nose drippings and all are not a good look.

I do appreciate (a lot) that you double check your experience against current reality. I'm ok with garnish.

I have one, and a goatee too. Have to keep melting icicles from from it when I ski.

The prime rib was excellent though, and there are lots of other steakhouses that serve aged beef. That's where they let the beef age for weeks and let mold grow on it. That makes the meat more flavorful and tender.

I knew there was something wrong. It isn't Chicago Prime that has only prime rib on the menu. It's Lawry's The Prime Rib. I've been there, not the other place. Comes with mashed potatoes, and you can get other accompaniments separately. Menu

There are at least 42 steak houses within walking distance of each other on the near north side.

Snotcicles are not cool. Appreciate the further refinements of your restaurant visits. Lawry seasoning is good. It is salt mostly. Salt tastes good.

I am incapable of not playing excessively with my facial hair when I have it, plus it makes me look like Chester the Molester.

It's not snot. Just breath that condenses and freezes.

Looks like they've got a Lawry's The Prime Rib in Beverly Hills too. Also Dallas.