sox4lifeinPA

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Dec 20, 2006 -> 11:09 AM) Yeah, about that. . . Were the Magi like the worst Christmas gift-givers ever or what? "Awww, look at the cute widdle Baby Messiah. Let's give him some of this dried tree sap the Romans burn at funerals to mask the smell of burning bodies. . . " Sheesh. Just get the kid a football. Jesus would have thrown for 450, ran for 100 and had 3 TD passes in his first start for the Bethlehem Runnin' Rabbis instead of dying for your sins.... real good Jim. I'll go with Frankincense.

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Dec 20, 2006 -> 10:27 AM) So close to Christmas you probably got lot of Birthday/Christmas "combination" gifts growing up. I bet that sucked sometimes and you felt ripped off. I assume Jesus had to put up with that cr@p too. Frankencense, gold, and Myrrh? I think not.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 03:21 PM) Hmm in my case, we are talking tickle fights and phone calls to boys. gay-f**

wait, is this a radio commercial? I swear I've heard this phone number before.... It's like a woman's singing group and they sing like 1950ish radio-like. "eight hundred-five-eight eight- two-three hundred" weird.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 10:23 PM) Soxlife, you pushed one of my hot buttons. I bought a mattress this summer and spent several months shopping, testing and researching. Here are a few things I found. 1. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MATTRESS SALE. Mattresses are always discounted off of "retail" price and no one ever pays retail. If you don't believe me, go shopping for a mattress and write the specific model down. Then, wait until that store has a sale and check out the price. It's no different. Mattress "sales" are simply marketing what they already do. That said, in some places you can negotiate a deal, but never be fooled by newspaper ads, signs, and "special offers". 2. The mattress companies have their own racket going, making it virtually impossible to comparison shop. You can walk into three different stores that sell Simmons, Serta, Sealy, etc. and none of them carry the same models. Each store carries model names that are unique to them in a certain area. You may find an occasional duplication but it is rare. The key is to find out the composition of the mattress. What is it made of? What kind of foams? How thick are the foams? Memory foam or latex? Finding out exactly what each mattress has in it, will help you compare. For example, Simmons has a high end bed called the Medalist Blvd (plush or pillowtop). In another store it may be called the Lindbergh View (same mattress). Others may have a different name. 3. How you sleep will help determine what you need. Are you a front, back or side sleeper? What do you weigh? Back problems? Those kinds of things will help figure out how to narrow down what will work for you. 4. Don't go cheap unless you want to buy again in a few years. As others have mentioned, you spend a lot of your life on a mattress, most of it sleeping. A quality mattress can give you a better night's sleep and keep you from having back, shoulder and neck pains. 5. Each place will tell you why theirs is better and why their competitions is not. Simmons dealers will tell you how their individually pocketed coils are great because they provide great motion separation, meaning two people can sleep comfortably without disturbing the other (hence their bowling ball example). Stores that don't carry Simmons will talk about high rate of returns and a lack of durability because the individually pocketed coils are not intertwined. I eventually chose a Serta Perfect Day Super Pillow Top. Below is a link. The link lists the model as an Uplifting, while mine was called the Enlivenment. Note the pricing for the bed at this link. It shows the King as regularly $5100. Nobody pays the regular price anywhere (see #1). I got mine locally for $2200 including tax, delivery and a frame. If you don't like the prices you are getting locally, don't be afraid to check out online options. Be sure to see their return policies and understand them before you do. But if you test a bed and are pretty comfortable that it is the right one for you, then save a few bucks. You just don't have the convenience of the local store if you decide quickly you bought the wrong model. Serta Perfect Day Uplifting Super Pillow Top I chose the Serta because it has a stronger innerspring system than Simmons and I am not a small guy. I wanted something that was going to last me for a long time, so I paid more for durability. They also say that memory foam mattresses tend to sleep hot. Serta has technology that reduces this and it has not been a problem for me at all. Here is a good resources to learn more. It is an ongoing Q&A from Charlotte, NC that is very informative. They are a Simmons dealer and their info tends to slant toward Simmons, but they are pretty objective. They give you good information and offer pretty good prices. I liked Simmons mattresses a lot and almost went with the Medalist Blvd. I would have gone with the Quinlan SPT or the Florin SPT if I did not need the strongest spring system. I did not find Sealy's very comfortable, but that is just me. Check out the links and take your time. Go shopping with your wife or girlfriend (preferrably not both) and lay in each bed for more than just a few minutes. Two minutes on the bed in a store will not give you a good enough read on its comfort. Hope my painful, drawn out experience can help you in some way or another. If you have any specific questions, let me know. Ask the Expert - Charlotte Rex, I had no idea when I asked this question that I had access to any of your hot buttons, let alone the mattress one. Thanks a lot for your information. This is amazing. Miss PA and I will be sleeping like a King and Queen...on a King sized bed. and FWIW, it's PA not Soxlife, but it's cool.

QUOTE(EvilMonkey @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 06:02 PM) I would have hoped you could have figured out that I meant in the human rights area, especially since I acknowledged in the same post that he had done good building the homes. I fixed my post for the temporarily challenged people. I don't read other people's posts... QUOTE(Texsox @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 06:04 PM) I am reminded of a quote by Theodore Roosevelt which hung in my office for many a year. why was Teddy Roosevelt hanging in your office for many a year?

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 05:55 PM) I'd say that because of that moderation occurring in Iran's populace, and the increasing access to information, the problem may start to solve itself over time. There is at least a chance (how much of one I do not know) that the state will moderate from within. without guns and bombs you say? foolishness.

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 05:39 PM) so, i can still luuuv articles that do. He can. It's true.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 05:30 PM) This discussion has come up before. I have a hard time giving too much credit to a film based on actual events. You already have a great story to begin, so tell it. Coming up with a good story and THEN making it into a film is a bigger challenge. Yes, Smith was solid and I didn't know the kid in the film is his kid in real life. Not a bad actor himself. I see what you're saying and I'm trying to search my memory for a "real life" movie that sucked... the cheerleader from heroes almost ruined Remember the Titans... Although you're right, Harry and the Hendersons was a sweet flick. QUOTE(bmags @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 05:39 PM) i don't know, joaquin phoenix was pretty ridiculously good as cash and forest whittaker was insanely good as Idi Amin Phoenix not winning an Oscar is one of the biggest cinematic tragedies ever.

agreed. I always had great success (high fives) with netflix. Even when stuff got lost, I never was charged. I would like to search my mailperson's home...because he has to have a sweet DVD collection by now

so the answer is put Al Gore in a lock box along with all the other retirees that refuse to die

Let's see how long it takes us to knock down all the houses he's helped build for people without homes.

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 04:52 PM) in 50 years people will realize that social security needed a major overhaul to keep itself sustainable. lockbox doesn't fix problem. a lockbox fixes the problem for tex, when he retires in 10 years. but you're right...for us, it doesn't.

QUOTE(bmags @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 12:43 PM) the iranian people are really a fascinating bunch And no different than Americans... it's actually quite relieving that people are getting tired of hard line politicians. People want change and they want leaders who are willing to work things out rather than egg on war and fighting.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 03:54 PM) He was joking????????? j/k I'm sure I'll get some lame excuse of how this is ok....like usual, soxtalk fascism at its finest.

QUOTE(Soxy @ Dec 18, 2006 -> 09:37 AM) Actually, this reminds me of the Warrior Christ depicted by the ancient Celts. Nothing new. I would argue not incredibly theologically valid, but whatever. This seems to be a trend over the past 3-5 years from John Elderidge's Book "Wild at Heart" to this Godmen thing, it's simply men trying to figure out their place in church. I don't know what you mean by "not incredibly theologically valid" but certainly not something that should overshadow the Gospel. It's kind of like a fad diet...if you forget that ultimately you need to eat a balanced meal, you'll die from the mismanaged lifestyle.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 03:21 PM) Hmm in his case, we are talking tickle fights and phone calls to boys. I love it... just as long as you're the one who can make gay jokes and not get banned. :rolly what a joke.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 03:02 PM) Pairs gymnastics, even. grecco-roman, of course.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 02:34 PM) saw 'The Pursuit Of HappYness' last night. Solid film, but once again if you have a good, true story to begin with, it's tough to screw it up. I don't know about that, but certainly Will Smith was great in this role.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 02:41 PM) BTW, thanks PA for ruining a perfectly funny thread suck it Trabeck QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 02:21 PM) Who's to say we wouldn't have had 5 more 9-11's since then if Gore was in office. You guys are make making some hellacious assumptions based on a whole bunch of nothing. Neville Chamberlin vs. Winston Churchill... imo.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 02:36 PM) Think trampoline. summersaults in mid air?

QUOTE(Texsox @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 02:35 PM) don't forget people and their hidden talents.... Right now I am in the middle of a small fundraiser that we are projecting will earn us $45,000. Tex's Bikini Carwash?

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 01:46 PM) It looks like I might get to be a big part of a capital improvement fund raising program for a local not for profit organization in the near future. My question is, has anyone ever been involved in anything like this, and if so, what was it like? I imagine it will be a big challenge, but I am curious to hear war stories if anyone has any. bake sales....killer.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 01:49 PM) There's only one way to really test a mattress. this quote is so much more hilarious because you don't actually say what that way is....

QUOTE(Texsox @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 09:23 AM) I wonder if he will have to register as a sex offender. That could really mess that kid for life, and possibly so. uh, yeah more than spanking it into a ranch dressing jar at school so people eat your special addition could ever do... yeah, that's not f-ed at all