Texsox

btw and fwiw, many years ago I thought of something. I was buying new cars every three years and enjoying some nice rides. I got to thinking if I buy 16 new cars in my lifetime that was going to be a fair amount of money. Not even going higher end, just saying an average of $25k I would be looking at $400,000 in my lifetime. Then I looked at my retirement planning and punched in some numbers. Ask yourself, is driving a less expensive car and keeping it longer, worth retiring four or five years sooner? Maybe at 60 instead of 65?

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 01:09 PM) That seems like a pretty good dealer. You going with the V6 or V8 version? Quad cab or regular? I need the V8 and want the quad cab. We have my girlfriends CRV for 5 passengers if we need it, but I do not want to be limited without a decent backseat. I was considering buying something to commute with, since I drive 40 miles a day commuting to work. That may be a motorcycle. The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 turned my head a bit.

And really, can anyone around here f***ing read? Where did I ever write I was anti-vaccine?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 12:54 PM) Ok, so who takes responsibility then when a doctor takes a ton of money from a pharmaceutical company, deliberately falsifies his results, and creates a cult of people who follow his guidelines, and people die because of it? The parents? The Kids? The doctors? The company(ies) involved? Or do we just pretend nothing bad is happening? Ok, so who takes responsibility then when a doctor takes money from a pharmaceutical company, trips to educational conferences, golf outings, theater tickets, then prescribes that companies meds and the patient experiences a negative outcome? The parents? The Kids? The doctors? The company(ies) involved? Or do we just pretend nothing bad is happening? Take responsibility for what goes in your body. Ask questions, demand answers. Do a little research before going on a drug regiment. But to each their own. I prefer to be informed before taking anything. Y'all blindly trust any Doctor

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 12:57 PM) STop telling Text to conform to well-established medical practices that have prevented millions of illnesses and have no causal link to autism! QUESTION EVERYTHING!!!1!!11!1!1 Doctor says take ADD meds, take them. Dermatologists says take birth control meds to help your complexion, take them. Don't worry about your health, never question the Doctors, they are infallible. Don't Question What Goes In Your Body!!!11!!!1!!

Thoughts from 27 Pre-Ap 8th grade Hispanic students at my school. Should the words be changed? All said the book should be read just as the author intended. It's a silly label that does not apply to anyone today. OK, what if the offending word was wetback, s***, or beaner? How would you feel about being required to read the book? We would want to read it as the author wrote it, it just shows the user's ignorance. What if instead of being in a classroom where everyone is Hispanic, you were the only one or there was only one or two other Mexicans? That might be a little weird. I was up north at a white school and anytime stuff like that came up everyone was uncomfortable, looking at me to see what I was doing. Yeah, in Michigan they would try to speak Spanish and I would be pissed, I speak English. I'd have a hard time reading n***** aloud if there was a black person in class. Would you have a hard time reading slave aloud? IDK I don't think so, it seems easier than n*****. That would be a problem also. I really like Twain. This summer I took a steamboat trip to the island where so much was set and walked the streets to see the stores and houses. Anyone who speaks confidently of what Twain would do today is just guessing. There is so much material to be uncovered in most required scope and sequences, I'm not certain I would teach Twain unedited in an English class. I would want to spend most of the time discussing the racial aspects, and that is not part of any English class requirements I can think of. And just like y'all in your jobs, you have to major in the major stuff. I also believe there is a misunderstanding that Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer are books for children. I read them when I was in middle school, blissfully unaware of any controversy, and much like Balta, believing people just talked that way back then. Reading them a couple years ago was far more interesting.

Dammit, a friend of mine just bought a 2011 F150 XLT, the exact model I want for $21,990 and 0% financing. Must not walk into a dealer.Must not walk into a dealer.Must not walk into a dealer.Must not walk into a dealer.

http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/01/03/huckle...rd-censor-edit/ We had a great discussion in my class when this was shown on channelone.com news

I don't mind tossing this in, knowing some people will scream, but haviong spent so much time outside Chicago, there are waaaaay too many people who believe Thomas was on PEDs as well. Just because of his size, and many remember him tearing a bicep. But that is the average, doesn't know s***, baseball fan outside Chicago. I assume that 92% of the baseball writers are smarter than that.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 12:49 PM) So Tex...if I listen to an anti-vaccine person, and my child dies...at what point did it decide to take responsibility for what was put into its body? It is the same answer to the question If you vaccinate and the child dies, at what point did the child decide to take responsibility for what was put into its body?

I believe it is also dangerous for people to stop thinking about what goes into their body and just allow anyone with an MD to decide for them. But as soon as people take responsibility for their own decisions, other people begin to attack. You can't choose a different path, and accept the risk/rewards in our society. You must stay in lock step with everyone else.

^^ POTY worthy.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 02:01 PM) It's already the most exclusive Hall that there is. I think it'd be harder for it to get more exclusive. You have to let some players in, and some of them will be borderline. The LPGA says hello. I would rather they reward steller behavior and character than just punish bad behavior. I'd love to see Baines in.

Balance the pay today with what it may do for you down the road. I accepted a promotion that resulted in less real dollars but it put me on a career path I wanted more. Basically my compensation went from my direct sales to the company's bottom line. I made less in year one, but the move more than paid for iteself in years 3 and beyond plus putting me in position to leave and accept a much bigger role with another company, something I could not have done without the experience. Money may not be the only reason.

Quiet changes of power

I'll pat you on the back

The illegal immigration bill in Arizona was written by the for profit prison industry, I think I can guess who wrote thie one.

everyday is one day closer to retirement

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 3, 2011 -> 12:17 PM) This is what I did with my last car. Paid about $20k for it with 34k miles on it and everything very close to mint condition. Have owned it for 4.5 years now and it is worth about $10-12k still, so I am really happy with that. Unfortunately there is this stupid timing belt issue. FWIW, my current vehicle also has a notorious engine problem. I now have 160,000 miles on it without any issues. I am trying to decide to replace it again or wait and use it as the excuse to buy the truck I want. QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Jan 3, 2011 -> 03:23 PM) FWIW, I picked up a 1993 GMC Suburban as a tow vehicle about 5 years ago and I've never had any problems with it. They really last a long time. I've gotten my money out of it and then some. I've been thinking about that as well. Having three vehicles (car to commute, motorcycle to commute/fun, and a tow truck). I'm just not certian I want another vehicle sitting around.

And when I started in the industry, a college degree wasn't only not needed, it was frowned upon at some companies. Now with all the consolidation and national companies forming, a college degree is required for damn near every company.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 11:38 AM) Delivery means alot of things, if you mean actually delivering a package or something, we dont sell stuff like that. We do very complex implementations that are usually well drawn out from a timeline perspective. And my only promise for any question would be to do the best I can, but also to be honest if it wont go the client's way. I may not always be at the same company, but I want my customers to know that they can always trust me as a person. The best salespeople I knew would underpromise and overdeliver. A five week delivery when you promised four sucks, a five week delivery when you promised 6 is pretty nice. Same 5 weeks. When I had my best years I had less than ten customers. Lie to any of them and they would have kicked my butt.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 10:28 AM) Most people think of sales as some sort of slick, fast talked that can con you into anything they want you to do. This is simply not the case, especially in my industry. Most of my job is listening, understanding what people's business is and what makes them improve at their jobs and add to their company's bottom line. Its really almost like going to a constant dinner party with strangers. You have to be able to talk to people and be able to be an effective listener. The other part of the job is understanding what your "products or services" can add to a company or individual. You can then connect those two pieces of knowledge into educated recommendations and hopefully people trust you enough to partner with you. There are alot of other pieces of sales, and you add those tactical pieces along the way. In an entry level sales job you will learn about prospecting and closing small and frequent sales most likely. Then you may grown into a strategic position somewhere and then possibly management or an even larger scale sales gig. There are several reasons why I like my job: 1. No day is the same. I dont sit at a desk and pour over spreadsheets, I basically run my own business and divide up my time as I choose. 2. Performance-based pay. If I told you that the harder you work the more money you make, is that of interest to you? I'm in my 20's and make a very good base+commission package, and I know that if I put in the work day in and day out, I can make life-changing money, like seven figures. 3. Freedom. I can really be the face of my business. I can attack my territory or clients any way I choose and they learn to trust in the person and not the company I work for. I like the freedom to be myself. 4. Industry I am interested in. I like technology and so I feel like I just naturally learn about trends and industry issues because its of interest to me. It took awhile to find a company I felt that way about, but it happens. Of course there are many negatives. You are graded on your performance therefor if you begin to slack off you can and will be fired. Alot of people are job-hoppers in this business because they cant stay at one place more than 2 years. Sometimes its them and sometimes you just dont have a great territory or good accounts. Lack of structure doesnt fit everyone, some people want to go to work, do a job, and go home. I work long days and nights sometimes writing proposals or doing dinner meetings, but also have days where I play golf and thats it. It depends if you dont mind putting in the hours overall. I could go on and on. Sales isnt for everyone, but its a good place to start because in most jobs there is a sales aspect at some point and its not a bad idea to try it out. Plus sales jobs are almost always hiring. That mirrors my experience. I chose a management path after 8 years in the field, which I really loved. But I have friends who are still working their same customer list for thirty years now. I was in the electronic distribution industry. Everything from connectors to micro processors, from resistors to power supplies. I lived through the PacMan years and the telephony explosion, and lived to tell about it.

I happened to spend Christmas with a retired Division 1 AD and former compliance officer, who also sat on a number of NCAA committees. Of course the suspensions and other issues came up. He mentioned his first NCAA rules book was think and could get lost, years later, when he retired, it was thick and worded much more exactly. Reading between the lines, it seemed to me that it went from a document that athletes could read and understand to a document intended for university lawyers. Overall I came away less jaded, he said the NCAA overall does a good job of equal enforcment. And to add, I agree with NSS with one addition. I would like to see the NCAA allow some personal use items for the athletes. Perhaps a clothing allowance, meal vouchers for off campus eateries, that sort of thing. Just as NSS mentioned in the jobs and college thread, a part of going to college is living on your own, partying, dating, etc. They should have a more authentic experience. Only the very top athletes would be involved in the sort of payoffs and cheating we're trying to stop. Make the rules fit the 95% of the athletes. The cross country runners, the tennis players, the fencing athletes, etc.

QUOTE (FILLINTHEBLANK @ Jan 3, 2011 -> 12:16 PM) I could be a hot commodity Not just to you, and speaking generally . . . No, there are literally thousands of recent grads and all the way through your career, with the same skill set. Not to belittle anyone's talents or someone personally, and people do need confidence when interviewing, but there are very, very few "hot commodities" in the real world. Those are usually the ones that can have an immediate and noticible affect on the bottom line.

When I was on company car plans I had to buy new. We couldn't drive cars 4 years or older. The past ten years I have not had that situation and have been buying used and paying cash, which is really nice. I figured I would always be going that route until I needed a tow vehicle for a RV. That will be a full size pick up and that used market is scary and without any super values. I have a minimum of six months before I buy so I am hoping for a major market change. It kind of hurts that I really want the Dodge or Ford.