When somebody walks by you and calls you a nigger/spic/chink/kike/etc. just because you're standing there, I'm pretty sure the correct response is not to say "haha, just kids being kids!" Nor is it to just walk away. The correct response is a fist to the jaw. I'm not in the business of letting people shit on me…

them shits was delicious.

Bullying can happen anywhere, and in all sorts of strange contexts.

I've been going to gyms for over 20 years, ranging from shithole steroid joints to the Reebok Club (for 15 years) and the idea that asking to "work in" on a machine is rude or verboten is simply garbage. If anything, that's your narcissistic NYer speaking, one who hasn't spent much time in gyms, and is wearing his…

In this case, I wouldn't bet against the Enquirer. In general, pancreatic cancer has a horrific mortality rate, and the fact that he survived to begin with is kind of remarkable. If this is in fact a recurrence, as it appears to be, that is very very bad. Cancer, on its second go round, usually doesn't get it…

Well, I can see why over a few days a bunch of texts might amount to a conversation. Then again, its going to vary dramatically based on the people, and I suspect, age grouping.

@Jonescat: I've read Straus' book, and for the most part he describes all of them, including himself for most of it, as social retards who are otherwise almost completely dysfunctional in all phases of life except for the ability to pull phone numbers using an array of odd neuro-linguistic programming type tricks. …

from only watching the clips, briefly, I would suggest that she wants the arm-candy not for the sake of arm-candy per se as much as its a statement to others that "hey, I can get this guy, which must mean I'm hot" - in other words, the guy is only there as a self-esteem tool. Given that many might not consider her…

@mouseyChuu: Perhaps, but my take is that if they were really "racist" they wouldn't have "gotten" these chicks in the first place or portrayed the acts as grudge-oriented, to put it gently. That said, I think we want to be careful about painting ethnic stereotyping as racism, which is not to say they're not…

@slowtraincoming: I'm just not seeing it - I don't see intent; I see a need to be descriptive and graphic, in the way guys talk about their conquests, but don't see the real ethnocentric anger that racism requires. And I've been in fistfights in the last 10 years because I've seen that up close and personal. I'm…

@Peppermint: Nothing gets you out of going to Iraq, other than Daddy's political contributions. On the other hand, a college roommate is on sabbatical at DoD, and he goes to Iraq often, but with the bold-faced names. That's what your friend wants - build up a resume elsewhere and do a lateral so she can helicopter…

@Peppermint: Yeah - I passed the FS exam like 5 or 6 years ago and it was made fairly clear that you were going to have to spend a number of years in less than pleasant postings before even remotely considering anything choice, unless of course you were connected in DC or in money circles - see who becomes Ambassador…

@Norton: Maybe I'm desensitized from working in finance, but I don't see that as any more than descriptive. Shit, I wouldn't mind being called that...

@gloeden31: Agreed - this is private communication that has no real news value as far as I can see.

Maybe I misread it, but didn't see any racial epithets. Other than that, unfortunate frat-boy antics that get memorialized online. Probably won't do much for his Foreign Service career, although I might make a reach here and say he was already connected if he's placed in the London office so relatively soon in his…

Actually, a useful piece of info in terms of adding to the mosaic of the human condition. In other words, if you want to know what people are capable of, and therefore what not to consider incredible, this definitely helps, if makes one more cynical.

Pretty fascinating.

John Bender: So it's sorta social, demented and sad, but social. Right?

I may be dense, but how is this anything but marginally better than using Safari to access GV?

@Aces_Over_Kings: No tail rotor. Presumably the counter-rotating rotors obviate the need for one.