Where do they find these people?

[Zelgadis 638]

I read the news a lot.  Especially the New York Times online, Washington Post, Toronto Star, etc. 

Sometimes I come across an article where somebody is interviewed, and I can't help but think, "Where did they find this bozo???"

Case in point, from the NYTimes today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/fashion/20bummer.html

lizabeth and Dennis Jones, of Alexandria, Va., are among those acclimating to downsized travel. Instead of spending more than $2,000 to fly their family of four to Wisconsin for the 50th wedding anniversary of Mr. Jones’s parents, they decided to drive. Round trip, the trek will cover about 2,000 miles. Their son, Eddie, is 3 1/2 and their daughter, Josie, is 15 months old.

“We don’t even have a minivan,” Ms. Jones said. “We’re definitely worried.”quote>

That last part is the killer for me.  Definitely worried about not having a minivan???  What the....  I went with my family (Mom, Dad, brother, and me) by car all the way from Northern Kentucky down to Key West Florida, twice!  The first time I was a year old and we went in a 1975 Chevy Malibu.  It was no problem!  The second time, when I was much older, was in a 1986 Nissan Maxima (back when it was a compact car.  Today's Toyota Corolla is about the same size.)  Again, no problem!  I didn't even have "legroom."  We put a cooler there.  I didn't care...

Where did they find these people?  Worried about what?  The car will shrink while they're driving or something?  Why did they print this?  Drama?  When I read that section, the only thing I could think of was Dr. Evil, "Boo freakin' hoo!"

When you watch a news show or read an article and wonder where they dug up the gems they use for interviews, tell us about it here!

ISF

[krbe 193]

Compare the ticket price to the miles covered: To get out on the positive side, meals, accomodation, petrol, oil, wear and tear, etc must be less than ONE dollar per mile.

I'm doing 500 (310 mi) km in a couple of hours, and 500 (310 mi) more the day after that. If I didn't have to move furniture half the way I'd be (much) better off with air tickets on three days notice.

[IDS2 3,346]

She's worried because she too wants to be an Atlanta soccer mom in her McMansion, but her kids aren't old enough to play soccer yet have yuppie names, she doesn't have a minivan and lives in a split level! Oh no, I wanted my husband to be a lawyer and buy me a mcmansion in Atlanta and sign the kids up for soccer parties and daycare! Oh no, now my dreams are shattered!

You mean like that? Minivans don't necessarily get good mileage anyway...those poor kids with 1-ft legs have no leg room!!!! Bwaaaaah mommy I need more space for my ever growing legs! "OK sweetie we'll stop along the way and get a new car."

And the title of the article is "BUMMER!" What will they ever do with the lack of more legroom than they already have...

[hamsterTK 93]

They could just rent a minivan for the trip

[panthersimcity4 162]

Maybe they implanted a human brain into a goat? That would explain where they "find these people."

[krbe 193]

Found this:

In contrast, Ms. Rugh said: "I don't think anyone's going to remember a 'staycation.' Is anyone going to take pictures? 'Here's the kids playing Wii!' I'd say, cut your budget somewhere else."quote>

Well, could some of the money spent on the Wii (USD 250-540 according to Google) be used to cover the rising holiday costs? She's bloody right, cut your budget somewhere else, and start with the Wii, please.

[Easy Bakes 253]

How bout Flying the Mom & Dad down to you?

wouldnt that be cheaper then the other way?

[Meg 368]

Back when I was a kid, we had these vehicles called station wagons.  My parents would put us in the car and we would do whatever:  lay flat and sleep. prop ourselves up and play cards.  play with the magnetic chess board.  crawl around chasing each other.   Somehow, we managed to survive.

These days, kids have to sitting and strapped in.  Which is why they have things like DVD players to keep them amused.  But only the minivans have DVD players, which is what I think the guy's point was.

Still, I agree with Zel that we managed to keep ourselves amused without a variety of electronic gadgets.

Adding to the "where did they find these bozos?" list, I found this article:

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=229488&in_page_id=2

Men jailed for setting fire to mate's crotch

Two men from Kansas were sentenced to two years in prison for pouring cologne onto a mate's crotch and setting it alight.

Matthew Craig Pillers and Jack Brent Nicholas Keiffer couldn't resist a practical joke when they were on a beach holiday with Elliot Tuleja in January.

Tuleja was drinking with Keiffer and Pillers at a house in Grover Beach. But when Tuleja was passed out the men poured cologne on his groin and set him on fire. Tuleja suffered second-and third-degree burns on his testicles and third-degree burns on his inner thighs.

The men routinely drank together and played practical jokes on each other apparently.

Prosecutors say the 22-year-old Pillers, a parolee, was sentenced to two years in prison and the 19-year-old Keiffer got 45 days in San Luis Obispo County jail.

Both pleaded no contest to a felony great bodily injury charge.

quote>

I find myself asking it more often:  what is wrong with these people?

[Muck308 55]

Track 2 off of Slipknot's Iowa record pretty much somes thing up.

[hamsterTK 93]

you can buy DVD players like that at Wal-mart rather cheaply, there are big ones that can strap onto seats too.

Back in the 90s we had a 5" inch TV/VHS combo hooked up with a nintendo and would fit snugly between the two front seats and face the back.

Still I liked looking out the window, I guess for the same reasons why I hang around here, love seeing cities and places I guess

[Ratieya455 1]

When my brother was born, my parents bought the smallest vehicle they could find that could fit three car seats across the back, which was a Mercury Sable. It's not that hard to strap three kids in the back of a sedan, and there is really nothing wrong with kids fighting a little bit. Pacifying them with electronics probably does more harm in the long run. That's just my opinion.

Originally posted by: hamsterTK They could just rent a minivan for the tripquote>

You'd be surprised by how expensive this is. 3-4 times as much as a midsize car, if you're lucky.

[Voar Tok 4]

Originally posted by: SkiGeek

Adding to the "where did they find these bozos?" list, I found this article:

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=229488&in_page_id=2quote>

That has to be a violation of every man-law in existence.

[panthersimcity4 162]

Wow, the title of that article is priceless.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: Voar Tok

That has to be a violation of every man-law in existence. quote>

I imagine it would be.

But is there any law anywhere that says it's okay to set a living human being on fire?

By what moronic standard is that a fun thing to do?

I really do wonder what is wrong with people.

[WackoJak 0]

It really is quite unfortunate that this is mainly what what we overseas hear of Americans. Since the only major American TV I watch is the Daily Show or The Soup, one should be forgiven for stereotyping all Americans on what they see on TV, or in this case, read in the paper/internet.

Me though? I'm still undecided about our Miss North Carolina/Chocolate Rain/Numa Numa/George Dubbleyah Bush/War on Terrorism Buddies in the North.

[Voar Tok 4]

Originally posted by: SkiGeek

Originally posted by: Voar Tok

That has to be a violation of every man-law in existence. quote>

I imagine it would be.

But is there any law anywhere that says it's okay to set a living human being on fire?

By what moronic standard is that a fun thing to do?

I really do wonder what is wrong with people.quote>

A friend of mine was lit on fire by his roommate during his freshman year of college.  And on top of that, I actually have pictures of him lighting his shirt on fire while he was wearing it.

[Zelgadis 638]

Perhaps only minivans have the DVD player as a factory or dealer installed option. However, you can get them in any car.

Back when I sold cars, a guy bought a new Subaru Impreza WRX STi and installed a massive electronics package in it himself. It had a DVD player and screens embedded in each of the seat headrests.

So it can be done. Easily.

ISF

[robertg0902 0]

This is what you get when you have a generaion that grew up with everything has kid, or to much time on their hands in the case of the burning, many American just out for what they can get and don't care that most of the world just make due or don't. Maybe Obama's pastor is on to something when he said what he said. BTW I am an American born in California rasied in Ohio.

[BurroDiablo 222]

I read somewhere that 30 Australians have died watering Christmas Tree's with the lights still on... I mean, thats fine, but when you take into consideration some 10 of those deaths were caused by people watering artificial christmas tree's, you kinda wonder where the human race is heading...

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: SkiGeek Back when I was a kid, we had these vehicles called station wagons.  My parents would put us in the car and we would do whatever:  lay flat and sleep. prop ourselves up and play cards.  play with the magnetic chess board.  crawl around chasing each other.   Somehow, we managed to survive.

These days, kids have to sitting and strapped in.  Which is why they have things like DVD players to keep them amused.  But only the minivans have DVD players, which is what I think the guy's point was.

Still, I agree with Zel that we managed to keep ourselves amused without a variety of electronic gadgets.quote>

The new correct term for those is Crossover vehicles.

The people who buy them get upset when you call then station wagons or The family truckster.

As for keeping kids amused Dramamine  works well.......  

 

[WackoJak 0]

I was just reading an article in The Listener, a NZ magazine, where the author was checking in his luggage at LAX when he was asked where he was going. "Dublin." He replied. "Well," said the impatient Officer, "Which Dublin?" This was met, of course, with a look of confusion. "Dublin, Ohio? Dublin California? Dublin, Indiana; Dublin, North Carolina; Dublin, New Hampshire; Dublin, Texas; Dublin, Virginia; which goddam Dublin are you going to?""The real one. The one in Ireland." To which the official replied, obviously confused by the Kiwi accent: "Idaho? Didn' know there was a Dublin in Idaho!"

[Easy Bakes 253]

Dublin ,Texas Doesnt have an airport.

[BurroDiablo 222]

Originally posted by: Easy Bakes Dublin ,Texas Doesnt have an airport.

quote>

Oh, thats the Punch line... I get it now Sorry... its just its too difficult to comprehend how somebody can be so frustratingly stupid.

[JanYpe 17]

In the vein of "Where do they find these people?" Parents who come up with ridiculous names:

New Zealand children have been given names such as Number 16 Bus Shelter, Violence and Benson and Hedges(twins).

But other names, including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Stallion, Twisty Poi, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit, have been blocked by registration officials.

The revelations came during written findings by Family Court Judge Murfitt, who ordered a girl be put in court guardianship so her name - Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii - could be changed.

The girl's lawyer told the judge she was so embarrassed by her name she refused to reveal it to friends.quote>

[Meg 368]

and I thought the names the hippies gave their children were bad.  Compared to "Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit" the name "Moon Unit" almost sounds normal.

"Benson and Hedges" -- now there's a name I haven't heard in a while.  But those decades old brain cells manged to put "100s" on the end of it.   Even though those commercials stopped airing a long time ago, I still remember them.  Scary.

[Voar Tok 4]

Reminds me of the story of the woman who had twins, didn't know what to call them, walked into a Wal-Mart, and allegedly named them after the first things she saw.