For The Love

[Jack Frost]

Yes, the DC beltway would not be condusive to sanity. LoL.

Of course, one huge problem that people moving to small places often discover; they miss city conveniences, like good stores and restaurants. But it does have its advantages, such as the traffic situation. LoL.

I found the rush hour part too funny. Of course it's a small town and I feel them since I grew up in a small world as well... I hate traffic jams and I rarely get caught in one. When I do...I get really pissed off and annoyed. I had that in Montreal too many times and I learnt my lesson to avoid downtown on certain hours. That's one major city thing I will never ever miss. But I do miss some of the stores that you can't anywhere else. That's why I need to plan a trip to NYC someday.

[C James]

I found the rush hour part too funny. Of course it's a small town and I feel them since I grew up in a small world as well... I hate traffic jams and I rarely get caught in one. When I do...I get really pissed off and annoyed. I had that in Montreal too many times and I learnt my lesson to avoid downtown on certain hours. That's one major city thing I will never ever miss. But I do miss some of the stores that you can't anywhere else. That's why I need to plan a trip to NYC someday.

 

Howdy my Frosty Friend!

 

Seems we agree about traffic. I hate it, and get pissed off after about five minutes of it.

 

Remember the Lawyer (rick) stating that he was from Kingman, AZ, but couldn't go back because it had become a big city? Well, Kingman has indeed grown. It;s big now, but City folk can be, well, strange. I know of one who, as bizzare as this may sound,

considers Kingman a small town! :wacko: But, said bizzare individual (he shall remain anonymous) does many bizzare things, like staying in chat, alone, and talking to himself for 24 hours straight. He also mentions strange things such as Pineapple Pizza in his writings, and names one of his protagonists after a type of whiskey!

[shadowgod]

Howdy my Frosty Friend!

 

Seems we agree about traffic. I hate it, and get pissed off after about five minutes of it.

 

Remember the Lawyer (rick) stating that he was from Kingman, AZ, but couldn't go back because it had become a big city? Well, Kingman has indeed grown. It;s big now, but City folk can be, well, strange. I know of one who, as bizzare as this may sound,

considers Kingman a small town! :wacko: But, said bizzare individual (he shall remain anonymous) does many bizzare things, like staying in chat, alone, and talking to himself for 24 hours straight. He also mentions strange things such as Pineapple Pizza in his writings, and names one of his protagonists after a type of whiskey!

 

Begin shattering annonimity...

 

First off Kingman has a whole four or five freeway offramps... so yes small! (this may be arguable as Vegas only has like three freeways...) I noted my detest for placing fruit on a pizza, I DO NOT CONDONE PLACE PINEAPPLE (or any other fruit, tomato's aside) ON A PIZZA! and your just jealous cause you didn't think of Bourbon first

 

End shattering annonimity...

[Graeme]

Begin shattering annonimity...

 

First off Kingman has a whole four or five freeway offramps... so yes small! (this may be arguable as Vegas only has like three freeways...) I noted my detest for placing fruit on a pizza, I DO NOT CONDONE PLACE PINEAPPLE (or any other fruit, tomato's aside) ON A PIZZA! and your just jealous cause you didn't think of Bourbon first

 

End shattering annonimity...

Begin random mutterings...

 

We have cities in Australia that have NO freeways or only one. One could also argue the point about Sydney, since you have to pay to use most of their major arterial roads, and hence they should not be call FREEways.

 

I should also mention that a ham-and-pineapple pizza is a staple on every pizza menu I've seen in this country. It is quite popular and usually goes by the name of a "Hawaiian Pizza". I've had a pizza with a banana on it once, which was interesting. That was more a gourmet item than a staple menu, though.

 

(Full marks for acknowledging that tomatoes are technically a fruit )

 

I'm sure there are purists that would argue that Bourbon is not a whiskey, but I won't. Those are the purists that don't believe it's a whiskey unless it comes from Scotland (though you can sometimes get them to admit that whiskey is also made in Ireland).

 

End random mutterings...

[C James]

Begin shattering annonimity...

 

First off Kingman has a whole four or five freeway offramps... so yes small! (this may be arguable as Vegas only has like three freeways...) I noted my detest for placing fruit on a pizza, I DO NOT CONDONE PLACE PINEAPPLE (or any other fruit, tomato's aside) ON A PIZZA! and your just jealous cause you didn't think of Bourbon first

 

End shattering annonimity...

 

Now, now, shdowgod, I call you my Anonymous Beta Reader becuase you are supposed to be anonymous! So shhhh!!!

 

Besides, your anonymity is very useful: It gives us a chance to conspire against you; always a worthy goal.

 

OK, I will concede the issue regarding Pineapple on Pizza, and merely opine: Only in California...

 

And thank you very much for proving MY point regarding Kingman: Anywhere with a freeway and more than two offramps is HUGE!

Kingman has become enormous: And Kingman has THREE, worse than that: there is a fourth just outside of the city! There are also over 40,000 people in the greater Kingman area, so, it counts as a big city. Heck, it's the fourth largest metro area (in population) in the state! (Flagstaff is slightly bigger at nearly 50k).

 

And BTW, "only for or five offramps" and you think it's SMALL?!?!?! :wacko:

 

And as for Bourbon, agreed. That name is a classic, as is the story(the first three chapters have been re-edited, BTW, and are great!). But I gotta tease you about something...

[C James]

Begin random mutterings...

 

We have cities in Australia that have NO freeways or only one. One could also argue the point about Sydney, since you have to pay to use most of their major arterial roads, and hence they should not be call FREEways.

 

I should also mention that a ham-and-pineapple pizza is a staple on every pizza menu I've seen in this country. It is quite popular and usually goes by the name of a "Hawaiian Pizza". I've had a pizza with a banana on it once, which was interesting. That was more a gourmet item than a staple menu, though.

 

(Full marks for acknowledging that tomatoes are technically a fruit )

 

I'm sure there are purists that would argue that Bourbon is not a whiskey, but I won't. Those are the purists that don't believe it's a whiskey unless it comes from Scotland (though you can sometimes get them to admit that whiskey is also made in Ireland).

 

End random mutterings...

 

Hmmm, I have never seen pineapple (or any other fruit except tomatoes) on a pizza anywhere around here. Does this mean that Australia is as strange as California?

 

Hrrrrm, Kentucky Bourbon not a whiskey? That sounds like the same bizzare mindset that cuases some to insist that if it's not from France, it's not Champagne. (as I sit back, enjoying a drink of American Champagne).

Now, I'd best run and hide before Bondwriter sees this...

[shadowgod]

Now, now, shdowgod, I call you my Anonymous Beta Reader becuase you are supposed to be anonymous! So shhhh!!!

 

Besides, your anonymity is very useful: It gives us a chance to conspire against you; always a worthy goal.

 

OK, I will concede the issue regarding Pineapple on Pizza, and merely opine: Only in California...

 

And thank you very much for proving MY point regarding Kingman: Anywhere with a freeway and more than two offramps is HUGE!

Kingman has become enormous: And Kingman has THREE, worse than that: there is a fourth just outside of the city! There are also over 40,000 people in the greater Kingman area, so, it counts as a big city. Heck, it's the fourth largest metro area (in population) in the state! (Flagstaff is slightly bigger at nearly 50k).

 

And BTW, "only for or five offramps" and you think it's SMALL?!?!?! :wacko:

 

And as for Bourbon, agreed. That name is a classic, as is the story(the first three chapters have been re-edited, BTW, and are great!). But I gotta tease you about something...

 

AS Greame so assutidly pointed out.. Pineapple as apizza topping isn't a 'Only in California" thing.. bet your cloven hoove that many things are, but that isn't one of them sadly!

 

As for this 40,000 claim. I live in a city that has nearly three times that number of people. And citing the devil as a referance... Only one Wal-Mart for 40,000 people? I think not by those numbers there should be at least five.

[shadowgod]

Begin random mutterings...

 

We have cities in Australia that have NO freeways or only one. One could also argue the point about Sydney, since you have to pay to use most of their major arterial roads, and hence they should not be call FREEways.

 

I should also mention that a ham-and-pineapple pizza is a staple on every pizza menu I've seen in this country. It is quite popular and usually goes by the name of a "Hawaiian Pizza". I've had a pizza with a banana on it once, which was interesting. That was more a gourmet item than a staple menu, though.

 

(Full marks for acknowledging that tomatoes are technically a fruit )

 

I'm sure there are purists that would argue that Bourbon is not a whiskey, but I won't. Those are the purists that don't believe it's a whiskey unless it comes from Scotland (though you can sometimes get them to admit that whiskey is also made in Ireland).

 

End random mutterings...

 

YAY! Full Marks! I knew someone would say well a tomato IS technically a fruit if I didn't

[C James]

AS Greame so assutidly pointed out.. Pineapple as apizza topping isn't a 'Only in California" thing.. bet your cloven hoove that many things are, but that isn't one of them sadly!

 

As for this 40,000 claim. I live in a city that has nearly three times that number of people. And citing the devil as a referance... Only one Wal-Mart for 40,000 people? I think not by those numbers there should be at least five.

 

The devil as a reference? Hey, it was I who told you that Kingman has a wallmart! And it's a supercenter, yet! Now, as for the 40k number, that includes part-time residents. Snowbirds, we call them: they live here for the winter and the return to the notherern midwest (and even Canada) for the rest of the year. It also includes everything within 20 miles of Kingman. So, one walmart is more than enough. Though, I do know of a city with half that population that has TWO supercenters. UGh.

 

Besides, Kingman isn't a fancy-shmancy big city, so I doubt there is a call for more than one store selling high-end clothing and such, like Walmart does. (there is a K-mart nearby, too).

 

And yes, I admit it, I was hoping that you would forget that the tomato is a fruit.

[shadowgod]

The devil as a reference? Hey, it was I who told you that Kingman has a wallmart! And it's a supercenter, yet! Now, as for the 40k number, that includes part-time residents. Snowbirds, we call them: they live here for the winter and the return to the notherern midwest (and even Canada) for the rest of the year. It also includes everything within 20 miles of Kingman. So, one walmart is more than enough. Though, I do know of a city with half that population that has TWO supercenters. UGh.

 

Besides, Kingman isn't a fancy-shmancy big city, so I doubt there is a call for more than one store selling high-end clothing and such, like Walmart does. (there is a K-mart nearby, too).

 

And yes, I admit it, I was hoping that you would forget that the tomato is a fruit.

 

I knew you were... I knew it!

 

and you did not! I'd been in that wal-mart (both the super-center and its predicessor next to the albertson's and whattaburger) before I ever happened upon your trail! Where do you think I get my shell's when I go camping??

 

[Graeme]

Only one Wal-Mart for 40,000 people? I think not by those numbers there should be at least five.

If we're using the Wal-Mart store guide to city size, I should point out that Melbourne, where I live, has a population of around 3 million (from memory) and no Wal-Mart stores at all.... Does that mean it's not a city?

 

As a side note, to the best of my knowledge, there are no Wal-Mart stores in Australia at all, which would mean either (1) We have no cities, or (2) we're civilised....

[shadowgod]

If we're using the Wal-Mart store guide to city size, I should point out that Melbourne, where I live, has a population of around 3 million (from memory) and no Wal-Mart stores at all.... Does that mean it's not a city?

 

As a side note, to the best of my knowledge, there are no Wal-Mart stores in Australia at all, which would mean either (1) We have no cities, or (2) we're civilised....

 

DEFINITELY the latter there Greame....

 

I envy you

[C James]

I knew you were... I knew it!

 

and you did not! I'd been in that wal-mart (both the super-center and its predicessor next to the albertson's and whattaburger) before I ever happened upon your trail! Where do you think I get my shell's when I go camping??

 

Ahhh, that's right, YOU were the reference (and hence, in your own words, the devil...)

 

I don't go to Kingman that often (I try and stay out of big cities when i can) but I do recall that Walmart, just north of the Freeway. It is huge!

 

And further proof that Kingman is huge: it has more than one supermarket!

 

If we're using the Wal-Mart store guide to city size, I should point out that Melbourne, where I live, has a population of around 3 million (from memory) and no Wal-Mart stores at all.... Does that mean it's not a city?

 

As a side note, to the best of my knowledge, there are no Wal-Mart stores in Australia at all, which would mean either (1) We have no cities, or (2) we're civilised....

 

Ummm, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your respite of civility is, alas, short-lived;

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/walmar...4198011039.html

Yep, get ready to be wal-marted.

 

I don't mind walmart in small doses, but they tend to saturate the marker and drive the competition out of business. That results in far less choices for the shopper.

[shadowgod]

Ahhh, that's right, YOU were the reference (and hence, in your own words, the devil...)

 

I don't go to Kingman that often (I try and stay out of big cities when i can) but I do recall that Walmart, just north of the Freeway. It is huge!

 

And further proof that Kingman is huge: it has more than one supermarket!

Ummm, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your respite of civility is, alas, short-lived;

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/walmar...4198011039.html

Yep, get ready to be wal-marted.

 

I don't mind walmart in small doses, but they tend to saturate the marker and drive the competition out of business. That results in far less choices for the shopper.

 

Alas... the devil I was citing was indeed Wal-Mart.

[C James]

Alas... the devil I was citing was indeed Wal-Mart.

 

Oh, the OTHER devil... Don't worry, I'll always consider you the prime evil.

[Graeme]

Ummm, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your respite of civility is, alas, short-lived;

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/walmar...4198011039.html

Yep, get ready to be wal-marted.

That report is dated 31st July 2006 -- a long time ago. They may still be trying, but Australian's can be an orney lot at times. McDonalds (the restaurant that produced booklets to explain how healthy and nutrious their food is) had had trouble in some parts of the country with locals campaigning to stop council approval for a new restaurant being formed.

 

I haven't been able to find any more references, so either they're still planning, or they've given up on the idea of bring "civilisation" to Australia....

[C James]

That report is dated 31st July 2006 -- a long time ago. They may still be trying, but Australian's can be an orney lot at times. McDonalds (the restaurant that produced booklets to explain how healthy and nutrious their food is) had had trouble in some parts of the country with locals campaigning to stop council approval for a new restaurant being formed.

 

I haven't been able to find any more references, so either they're still planning, or they've given up on the idea of bring "civilisation" to Australia....

 

McDonald's is so unfairly maligned. You can make a very healthy meal out of one of their burgers in three easy steps:

 

#1 Throw away everything between the buns.

#2 Throw away the buns.

#3 Eat the high-fiber cardboard box that the burger came in.

 

As for Walmart, you could minimize their impact by limiting the number of stores. Let them build one, but insist it be centrally located.

The geographic center of Australia would be ideal IMHO. (that would be about 200 miles SW of Alice Springs.)

[Graeme]

As for Walmart, you could minimize their impact by limiting the number of stores. Let them build one, but insist it be centrally located.

The geographic center of Australia would be ideal IMHO. (that would be about 200 miles SW of Alice Springs.)

That would probably put it in the middle of an Aboriginal sacred site....

 

I would personally suggest the middle of the Simpson Desert.

[C James]

That would probably put it in the middle of an Aboriginal sacred site....

 

I would personally suggest the middle of the Simpson Desert.

 

Hmm, my suggestion would put it uncomfortably close to Ayer's Rock, so, agreed, the Simpson Desert would be good.

 

It is a pity that you are the only continent that lacks an active volcano, as that would make an ideal site. They could have some truly red hot sales.

[TalonRider]

I found a few months ago, that by leaving home for work five minutes earlier than I used to, I miss a lot of traffic. I live ten miles from work and there was one spot where I could wind up in traffic backed up one mile. It moved quick enough but still. Once I got past the intersection, I lost about half the traffic.

 

I also live about 15 minutes from two Wal-Marts, one super center and one regular.

 

Jan

[Bondwriter]

The show so far:

Kingman, Az

Walmart

Walmart moving to Australia

Traffic in small towns

Traffic in small towns near a Walmart.

It's only Thursday! This type of silliness is Monday stuff.

Please, other readers, drop in and leave a comment about the story.

 

I think as Jan pointed out, Steve and Chris are being watched. The author's devious mind must have hatched some peril they're going to fall into. Not to disappoint you, Conner, but they're more likely to run around the hills dodging bullets than frolicking in the sun. Naked. Though they might be running around naked dodging bullets.

[Jack Frost]

And thank you very much for proving MY point regarding Kingman: Anywhere with a freeway and more than two offramps is HUGE!

Kingman has become enormous: And Kingman has THREE, worse than that: there is a fourth just outside of the city! There are also over 40,000 people in the greater Kingman area, so, it counts as a big city. Heck, it's the fourth largest metro area (in population) in the state! (Flagstaff is slightly bigger at nearly 50k).

According to my sense of size...I'd call Kingman a small city. I grew up near an urban area called Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with about 250,000 people all clumped together in small towns and boroughs and two small cities in the valley 15-20 miles long but 3-5 miles wide. It's weird, there is a city called Pittson in that area and it only has 6,000 people...and it's officially a city by name (ask the state that declared it a city, not me). Wilkes-Barre has 40,000. Scranton has 75,000, but to me they're small compared to Philadelphia (1.5 million) and Pittsburgh (315,000), the state's two biggest cities. So I live near the fourth largest urban area in the whole state and I go there all the time. My school was there. I shop there... I guess I'm not as isolated as our dear boys in For The Love. But still, traffic jams are so rare there despite the population.

 

So CJ, am I still a small town...more like small village kid since my community is just a speck in the middle of forests and mountains with no shops, one stone church, and the rest houses.

 

Kingman, Az

Walmart

Walmart moving to Australia

Traffic in small towns

Traffic in small towns near a Walmart.

Welcome to New Worlder talks. If you Old Worlders can't take it, leave the kitchen.

[Bondwriter]

Thanks for all the personal info, Jack. It will make the abductor's job much easier.

 

And New-Worlders VS. Old-Worlders? Trying to bring dissent again? No, I'm just waiting for a moderator to bring things back on topic. From my experience, being random doesn't have to do with which side of the Atlantic you're on.

 

BTW, thanks for dedicating 5% of your post to FTL. That's more than this one.

[Graeme]

The show so far:

Kingman, Az

Walmart

Walmart moving to Australia

Traffic in small towns

Traffic in small towns near a Walmart.

It's only Thursday! This type of silliness is Monday stuff.

Please, other readers, drop in and leave a comment about the story.

 

I think as Jan pointed out, Steve and Chris are being watched. The author's devious mind must have hatched some peril they're going to fall into. Not to disappoint you, Conner, but they're more likely to run around the hills dodging bullets than frolicking in the sun. Naked. Though they might be running around naked dodging bullets.

I thought we were discussing the story? Isn't it obvious that the boys are about to be abducted by Wal-Mart operatives, flown to Australia, and forced to work in the new Wal-Mart store there, while battling traffic problems in small towns caused by the boys driving the charger on the wrong side of the road? It all makes perfect sense to me....

 

The boys may be watched, but I think their camping trip is probably safe. Unless someone plants a tracking device on them or their vehicle... which given what has happened to date should not be ruled out. The house is at bigger risk, as I suggested earlier.

 

The other possibility is that their trip gets canceled because something else happens before then.

 

What I find interesting is that we don't have a strong motivation for the original bad guys to kill Chris and Steve. While they had the datastick, the bad guys obviously wanted it back. Now that they have "the datastick", why should they still be going after them? It could be that they've realised that the datastick they have is fake, or that Chris and Steve may have decrypted it, or encrypted it again with a different key, but that doesn't explain why Thaddeus apparently encouraged those attackers. None of them would have known what the datastick was, or where to get the original, or to ask for the password to decrypt the data. That attack was either intended as a distraction to something else going on, or there is another reason the bad guys want Chris and Steve out of action, if not dead.

 

Paranoia is good for you....

[Jack Frost]

Thanks for all the personal info, Jack. It will make the abductor's job much easier.

 

And New-Worlders VS. Old-Worlders? Trying to bring dissent again? No, I'm just waiting for a moderator to bring things back on topic. From my experience, being random doesn't have to do with which side of the Atlantic you're on.

 

BTW, thanks for dedicating 5% of your post to FTL. That's more than this one.

How am I being random? The traffic and small towns are in the story and we ended up talking about that. It's not something that popped out of my mind.

 

And my personal information wasn't new, afterall...it's the setting of Moving On. Didn't think of it, eh?

 

Et enfin, il y aura un beau probl