Here's to you!

[Annux]

heh

[Reepicheep]

[Reepicheep]

[Reepicheep]

MWAHAH THIS THREAD IS MINE!

[Reepicheep]

[Puppet Master]

Originally posted by Adman


a faggot little mouse you are.

LOL!

[Reepicheep]

I did name myself after that. Because I am totally dope.

[DoTheFandango]

Originally posted by Reepicheep

thats one of my guitars

[Reepicheep]

liar, thats like a 60 something jazzmaster

[Adman]

I got some nasty cold of some sort so i wont be on here until monday.

I'll be on continuum though. so if you see me say hello or something.

*Peace*

-Sir Gaunt

[Adman]

"Three years or 36,000 miles!" Sounds great, but is it? Manufacturer's warranties appear to provide sufficient coverage for your automobile, but according to surveys, most car owners drive a minimum of 16,000 miles per year. Since most drivers keep their vehicles longer than the manufacturer's warranty period, there is always a need for added coverage. Most major breakdowns or mechanical failures occur after the factory warranty expires.
Your automobile is a significant investment and mechanical failure is a reality. As a vehicle owner, you want to protect yourself from the unexpected and expensive cost of repairs. The price of parts and labor has increased dramatically over the past few years and will continue to rise in the future. Labor rates today range from to per hour. This means that minor repairs can cost several hundred dollars and major repairs to your vehicle can range from to . Automotive breakdowns and repairs seem to always come at the worst possible time. Owning an extended service plan through Warrantybynet gives you peace of mind by knowing you are protected against these unexpected breakdowns. The following are some frequently asked questions that consumers usually have while going through the process of enrolling their vehicle in an extended warranty.

1. Where is the extended warranty honored? Can I take it to my dealership? Where else can I have my vehicle serviced?
The Warrantybynet extended service plan can be used at any authorized licensed repair facility throughout the United States and Canada. You have the option of taking your vehicle to your dealership or any licensed repair facility nationwide. Additionally, the plan is accepted at many of the national repair chains.

2. If my vehicle's manufacturer's warranty has expired, can I still obtain coverage?
Many consumers do not realize that even after the manufacturer's warranty has expired, their vehicle is still eligible for extended coverage. We can offer coverage on vehicles that are less than 10 years old and have less than 100,000 miles on the odometer. A vehicle out of it's original warranty is more apt to have mechanical failure compared to a newer vehicle.

3.What if I decide to trade my vehicle in several years, do I get any refund?
In the future, should you decide to trade your vehicle, you will receive a pro-rated refund on the unused time or mileage. This refund can be used to obtain coverage on your new acquired vehicle.

4.What if I decide to sell my vehicle privately?
Car buyers today, especially Internet shoppers are shopping for a good value. They understand that they do not know the full history of a pre-owned vehicle. They do not know how the prior owner maintained the vehicle, and are very interested in protecting their newly acquired automobile. An extended service plan enhances the value of any automobile; therefore it is a great feature for anyone who is going to sell their vehicle. The extended warranty is transferable to the new owner of your vehicle. It will give the buyer peace of mind knowing that should something go wrong with the vehicle that they will be protected. Additionally, it makes the selling process easier, because with the cost of repairs increasing, the buyer of your vehicle will realize the value of the coverage.

5. How does the claims process work?
We make the repair process as simple as possible. If your vehicle breaks down or is in need of a repair, take it or have it towed to any licensed repair facility and present your service agreement to the Service Department. After they diagnose the problem with the vehicle, they will call our claims administrator toll-free and receive repair authorization for all your covered repairs less a deductible where applicable. All claims are paid directly to the repair facility of your choice with a corporate credit card, therefore, you do not have to pay for your repair and wait to get reimbursed. It is that simple.

6. Is "wear and tear" covered?
It is important for the consumer to understand what is meant by "wear and tear". When a part or component has failed because it can no longer perform the function for which it was designed solely because of its condition. When the part has worn beyond the manufacturer's tolerances allowed for that particular vehicle at the mileage when the problem occurs, if it has received manufacturer's recommended maintenance. It is very important to understand the difference between "wear and tear" items, and parts that are considered normal maintenance that can wear out. Components that cannot perform the function for which they were designed for, regardless if they wear out or break are covered. Normal maintenance items that usually wear out are typically not covered under an extended warranty program. Some examples of parts that wear out that are not covered are brake pads and rotors, brake shoes and drums, and manual clutches.

7. When does the coverage begin and when does it expire?
If your vehicle has at least 1 month and 1,000 miles remaining on the original manufacturer's warranty, then our Peak Advantage Series and Premier Advantage Series Programs begin immediately upon your enrollment and will expire based on the time and / or mileage of the plan selected, whichever occurs first. The mileage of the plan selected is the total odometer miles at which the plan expires. For example, a 100,000-mile plan would expire when the odometer reaches 100,000 miles. The term selected under these programs offer additional years from the date the vehicle is enrolled in the plan. Unlike many of our competitors, coverage does not begin with the in-service date. Our programs begin upon the date of enrollment and expire 5, 6 or 7 years from that date. For example, with the Warrantybynet plan if you choose a six year plan, the expiration date will be six years from the date you purchase the plan, not six years from the in-service date. Many other companies, when offering a six-year plan, are only providing you with 2 or 3 years of coverage.

If your vehicle has less than 1 month and less than 1,000 miles remaining on the original manufacturer's warranty but has less than 50,000 total odometer miles, you are still eligible for the Peak and Premier Advantage Series, however, the coverage would begin 30 days and 1,000 miles from the date of enrolling in our program

Our Value Advantage Series Program begins 30 days and 1,000 miles from the date the vehicle is enrolled in the plan. The plan will expire according to the time and / or mileage of the coverage you select, whichever occurs first. For example, a 36 month / 40,000 mile plan would begin the date the plan is purchased and expire in 36 months or when the vehicle is driven an additional 40,000 odometer miles, whichever occurs first.

8. Does the extended warranty pay for parts and labor charges?
All Warrantybynet programs pay for both parts and labor for all covered repairs. This includes 100% of all covered components, fluids, parts and labor charges, and taxes less the standard deductible if applicable. Labor rates today in different parts of the country range anywhere from to per hour. The price of both parts and labor has increased and will continue to rise in the future.

[Adman]

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To start, all you have to do is take your pocket change at the end of the day and drop it in a jar. If you can do that, and you put away about $1 a day, that's just $7 a week. At the end of the month, you'll have about $30.

Since this is money in your pocket, you've already paid taxes on it in the form of withholding from your paycheck. (If you're self-employed, that's not true, but we'll ignore that to keep things simple.) Every month, deposit your savings in a Roth IRA account, where it can grow tax-free and -- more important -- be withdrawn tax-free in the future.

What's a paltry $30 a month going to do for you? Growing tax-free for 30 years, with a 10% annual return, your investment account will be worth $67,815. Not bad for pocket change, but that's just the beginning.

[Adman]

FROM CNN.COM

here are the victims of your sniper reepicheep you gotnipple!

ROCKVILLE, Maryland (CNN) -- The Washington area sniper began his shooting spree October 2. The victims seem to have been selected at random. They were men, women and a child of different races and walks of life. All seem to have been carrying out mundane tasks of life at the times they were shot.

Unidentified man
A 37-year-old man was shot and wounded October 19 as he and his wife were leaving a Ponderosa restaurant in Ashland, Virginia, near Richmond. The couple were traveling through the state.

The bullet pierced the man's upper abdomen and tore through several organs. Surgeons removed part of the stomach, the left half of the pancreas and the entire spleen.

His surgeon, Dr. Rao Ivatury, said the victim, who is 6 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds, "is a very, very strong man, and once he comes out of this I think he'll have a normal life. But it's going to be a bumpy road, a long process."

The victim's wife issued a statement, thanking the people of Richmond for their support and prayers for her husband. She also asked people to "pray also for the attacker and that no one else is hurt."

Linda Franklin

Linda Franklin



Linda Franklin, 47, an FBI analyst, had just finished shopping at a Home Depot in Falls Church, Virginia, when she was killed October 14.

Police said the Arlington, Virginia, woman was with her husband when she was shot once as she loaded items in her car in a Seven Corners Shopping Center parking garage, around 9:15 p.m. ET.

Sources said Franklin worked for the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center and said there was no indication she was targeted because of her occupation. (Service for victim)

Kenneth Bridges

Bridges and Meyers



Kenneth Bridges, 53, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, businessman, was killed as he filled his gas tank at an Exxon station off I-95 near Fredericksburg, Virginia, the morning of October 11. The co-founder of a marketing distribution company, Bridges was in the area on a business trip.

A friend, Gary Shepherd, said the family was "shocked and saddened by this senseless event."

"Ken was a loving husband, father of six children and an outstanding citizen of the Philadelphia community," Shepherd said. "While no family should have to endure this type of tragedy, the Bridges family hopes that this killer is brought to justice as quickly as possible."

Dean Harold Meyers
On October 9, Dean Harold Meyers, 53, was fatally shot as he pumped gas at a station in Manassas, Virginia. Meyers was a civil engineer from Gaithersburg, Maryland, and a Vietnam War veteran.

Woman, boy
On October 4, a 43-year-old woman was shot and critically injured in a Fredericksburg, Virginia, parking lot. She later was released from the hospital. She was not identified.

The sniper's eighth victim was a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the abdomen October 7 after his aunt dropped him off at a middle school in Maryland's Prince George's County.

His aunt, a nurse, rushed him to a hospital in Bowie. He was airlifted to a Washington hospital, where doctors removed his spleen and parts of his stomach and pancreas. He remains in critical but stable condition.

Pascal Charlot

Rivera and Charlot



Pascal Charlot, 72, who was killed the evening of October 3 on a Washington street, was the only sniper victim killed in the nation's capital.

A retired carpenter, Charlot immigrated to the United States from Haiti. He is survived by his wife.

Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera
Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera was getting ready to vacuum out her van at a Kensington, Maryland, gas station when she was killed October 3.

She grew up in a small town in Idaho and had recently moved east with her husband and daughter of preschool age. She was 25.

"I mean, she comes and goes, and all of a sudden she gets caught up in this. It's just devastating," said neighbor Rosa Malon. "There are no words for it."

Sarah Ramos

Walekar amd Ramos



Sarah Ramos also died the morning of October 3. Ramos, 34, was sitting on a bench reading outside a post office near a Silver Spring, Maryland, retirement community when she was shot in the head and killed.

A native of El Salvador, Ramos was a member of several church groups and babysat for children and worked as a housekeeper.

"The thing that impressed me about Sarah," said her employer, Larry Gaffigan, "when she walked into the room, not just a person walked in the room but something walked in the room with her. Something that just warmed the house and your soul."

Ramos was married and had a 7-year-old son.

Prem Kumar Walekar
Also on October 3, Prem Kumar Walekar, 54, was shot and killed while filling his minivan with gas at a service station in Aspen Hill, Maryland. It was his 25th wedding anniversary.

"I just want everybody to know that my dad was ... the greatest person I ever met," said Walekar's son, Andrew. "I'm glad he was my father."

Ordinarily, the part-time cabdriver from Olney, Maryland, would not have been at the gas station at that time of day, but he was trying to finish his runs early so he could enjoy the warm afternoon.

Walekar was born in India and had intended to retire there.

James Buchanan

Martin and Buchanan



James "Sonny" Buchanan was known as a man with a big heart who was always ready to help others.

The 39-year-old son of a retired Montgomery County, Maryland, police officer was an active volunteer at the local Boys and Girls Club. He was an amateur poet and taught children how to garden.

"Sonny was the dad to literally 400 kids," said Gregory Wims, a friend and fellow volunteer at the club. "He came to the club two or three times a week, helped with homework, etc."

Buchanan previously ran a landscaping company but had gotten out of the business. He was mowing the lawn of a former customer's car dealership near Rockville, Maryland, the morning of October 3, when he was shot in the chest and killed.

James D. Martin
James D. Martin, a program analyst at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was standing in the parking lot of a Wheaton, Maryland, grocery store when he was killed October 2. He was there to buy groceries for his church.

The 55-year-old was an amateur genealogist and a Civil War buff. He is survived by his wife and an 11-year-old son.

[Adman]

*October 21, 2002 -- I GOT ISSUES has issues this week, but will return all-new next week, on October 30

CROSS EXAMINATION

Now closing out its second year in existence, upstart publishing company CROSSGEN COMICS continues to chug mercilessly towards it's goal of finally obtaining its Holy Grail...the front section of the PREVIEWS catalog. After all, nobody wants to be trapped deeper in the book, where the likes of RAPE WEEKLY, SCATOLOGY COMIX, and CHILD MURDER PUBLISHERS have their evil solicitations. Everyone knows that the front of the comics bible is where it's at! To that end, the fine folks in Florida have been given a challenge by DIAMOND DISTRIBUTORS (the SOPRANOS of the comic world. Bada-bing.) to gain a 5% market share before they are deemed worthy of such a prestigious placement in the mighty pages of the book. I have no idea what a 5% market share is, but I've been told that, in 'Old Country' terms, it's equal to about 14 goats and a chicken. So in order to meet these terms, CrossGen Comics have increased their monthly comic book output to twelve books, with three more on the way for early 2003. By now you've probably heard tell of some of the diverse titles CrossGen has to offer...but if not, let me just name a few: There's SCION, CRUX, RUSE, SIGIL, KRUM, SCOOVER, SCRUZ...uh RIMZ,...er...SCRIZZER...and so on... Each book stands alone, but is also kinda part of the bigger picture, connected by something called a SIGIL (also the name of one of the books...see how it's all coming together, kids?) which is, of course, a type of Asian root vegetable shaped like a carrot, but with a pale green outer skin (perfect for a home-made broth!).



Anywho...in order to meet the 5 market share obligation, CrossGen has to ensure that its 12-15 monthly ongoing titles (Avert your eyes MARVEL, this information is far too powerful for you to look directly at!) arrive in stores each and every month...ON TIME! A lofty goal to be sure, and so far one that has been pretty much achieved throughout the line. But how could this be possible, you ask? Simple, really. CrossGen has opened a military-like complex, and hired a staff to work on comic books, factory style. Write 'em, draw 'em, and ship 'em! This technique is a wonderful way to get lots of books together quickly, and out to the stores on a punctual schedule...but are these comics really all they can be? Or is this practice doing more harm than good to the creative process?

Here's where I think CrossGen needs to rethink their strategy. They are soon to be publishing 15 titles...and they are currently employing only four full-time writers. They are BARB KESEL, TONY BEDARD, RON MARZ, and the soon-to-be-leaving, if rumors pan out, CHUCK DIXON. (The only "out-of-studio" writer currently involved in the line is SCOTT BEATTY who is proving to be no match for ex-Gen MARK WAID's brilliant creation, RUSE.) This means that these four writers are working on 3 to 4 books a month! The only other writers putting out that much material on a regular basis are JOE CASEY, and GEOFF JOHNS. And even they get burned out from time to time. (In my not-quite-so-expert opinion, CASEY's been burned out since his HULK/CABLE/DEADPOOL days) Sure, DIXON can handle the workload, and more...but it sounds like he's displeased with the exclusivity clause in his contract, which prevents him from pumping out some odd-300 Bat-books every month on top of his CrossGen workload. Notice how the two top creators (WAID, and DIXON) are the two unhappy creators? Is it because they know that the books aren't getting the creative attention they deserve? Before CrossGen, when's the last time MARZ or KESEL had two monthly titles, let alone 4? I certainly have nothing against the CrossGen stable, but maybe, just maybe, the talent pool is spread a little thin? There's a lot of hungry writers out there that deserve an opportunity, (WILLIAM MESSNER-LOEBS comes to mind) and the books would all get a stronger focus with a writer who doesn't have a stack of other scripts to get out the door. Having pored through stacks of recent CrossGen efforts, I can say with authority that these books (with the exception of early issues of RUSE) could be so much, much stronger. They don't even need new creative teams...just creative teams who have the time and energy to nurture them into better shape. And until that happens, I see no reason why CrossGen deserves a place at the head of the PREVIEWS class, 5% market share or no 5% market share! First work on quality, before you start bragging about quantity. A reliable book is nice, but a REALLY GOOD reliable book is irresistible. Hopefully this is something that will be addressed in the not-too-distant future. Aaaaannnd SCENE!

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: In the interest of fairness, it should be pointed out that the above piece was written before Chuck Dixon went on record stating that the rumors of his leaving the CrossGen family were greatly exaggerated. Still, the above story has been left unaltered in the interest of our being unable to prove whether the rumors were genuinely false, or CrossGen and Dixon are putting a spin on the whole sordid affair after a successful round of re-negotiations. Also, I'm very lazy.]



MARVEL SHIPPING SCHEDULE: E for EFFORT

I really want to be impressed by MARVEL's attempt to make some of their top selling titles bi-weekly. I really do. Books like ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, UNCANNY X-MEN, and THUNDERBOLTS have successfully met this schedule, which is quite a feat, and makes for a much smoother read in the long run. Marvel has even toyed with a weekly format (U.S. WAR MACHINE) with limited success. It's nice that Marvel is trying new things, and finding inventive ways to increase sales, but ultimately, they should be concentrating on making sure all their monthly titles are, in fact, arriving monthly before they start patting each other on the backs for getting a few titles up to a twice-a-month schedule. For instance, Marvel has completely dropped the sales ball on one of their top properties, THE ULTIMATES. Because BRIAN HITCH is incapable of keeping up on a monthly grind, THE ULTIMATES will be lucky to see their eighth issue hit the stands by year’s-end. For a first-year title to fall so far behind schedule is not only embarrassing for Marvel...but has cost them a veritable fortune in the process...not to mention the loss of faith current subscription holders must be experiencing right about now. There's no book that is too good to meet its schedule! If the creative team can't keep up, then do your readers a favor and make the book bi-monthly instead of deceiving the fans with hollow promises of release dates that come and go with no product to be found. Another title in it's first year that has struggled to find the shelves is CAPTAIN AMERICA.
What should have been the title Marvel rallied around during the whole post-9/11 direction the company chose to take, has instead been largely forgotten thanks to a mere 4 issues reaching the racks since its inception in April. And does anyone remember a little series called SPIDER-MAN/BLACK CAT: THE EVIL THAT MEN DO? There's one for the “Where are they now?” files. And I don't blame scribe KEVIN SMITH, either. He has constantly gone on record stating that keeping a comic on schedule isn't his strong suit, and that publishers should build up a bunch of scripts before soliciting his issues. It was Marvel that prematurely rushed the book to the shelf in order to meet the needs of the Spider-Man flick that resulted in the big delays between issues. Bottom line: It should never have been solicited until all four issues were in the can! Period. So, in theory, Marvel's 18-to-24 issues a year plan is a solid one, but until they find some consistency across the board, they should probably set their sights a little lower.


So...that brings us to the end of yet another column. Forgive its 'hasty' appearance, as I rushed it together while heading back from a trip to Ottawa (The Nation's Capital, don'tcha know!) after a weekend spent at an animation festival. A jolly good time was had by all (and when I say "all", I mean 'me'), but it's left me feeling somewhat tired, cranky, and uninspired in the ways of the comic column. Don't worry, I'll bounce back in time for the next one...promise!

One more quick note: Anybody who has sent correspondence to my e-mail link on this page in the last couple of weeks has probably been met with a whole lotta silence. Sorry 'bout that, folks! My e-mail account has been in a state of flux, and anything sent to me has disappeared into the system, never to be found. However, the problem has been fixed, and the Ken Mail Cafe is once again open for business. I look forward to hearing from you, and will do my best to respond to each and every one of you. See ya in two weeks! In the meantime, be sure to check out all the other exciting columns here at the Shoot, and always remember to have your pets spayed or neutered. Or both.

[Adman]

TRUTH IN ADVERTISING?

For years, there's been an ongoing debate over what age group comics are generally aimed at. In fact, the debate goes back two years before the first comic was ever created. It wasn't until one brash young revolutionary questioned the logistics of arguing over something that hadn't yet been invented, that the first funnybooks were published...used primarily as a way to keep the argument running. So who is our target audience? Do kids even read comics anymore, or have we given up on the readers of tomorrow in an effort to keep our claws firmly gripped in the older readers of yesterday? I think it's pretty safe to say that kids aren't finding their way into the specialty stores as much as everyone would like, and with newsstand comics about as common as your average Dodo Bird, the kids are focusing their energy in other departments. Let’s face it, your average comic reader is 20+ years old. Books aimed at kids are often the first casualties of the cancellation chopping block, and more and more publishers are producing books for an older, more sophisticated audience. Or are they? That's the fifty thousand dollar question! After all, one of the complaints I often hear when I'm trying to convince my pals at the studio to sample a few titles, is that "comics are for kids." "No, they're not," I insist...but after a quick flip through the pages of my favorite titles, I'm pretty much left with egg on my face. See, the problem is that although we know that comics aren't really aimed at kids anymore (and by we, I mean readers, publishers, and retailers), there is still one department that has yet to be informed of the current trend. The Advertising department. Here's what I'm talkin' 'bout...

I hold in my hands a copy of FANTASTIC FOUR #61. Would I recommend this book to my colleagues (all of whom are in their late-twenties and up)? You bet I would! Incoming writer MARK WAID never fails to entertain, and his take on the original "Atomic Family" promises to be a clever, sophisticated read. But here's what may lead my co-workers to suspect that this comic isn't aimed at them...but in fact, their children. (who are probably, and sadly, a very small percentage of the books core readership) Here's a rundown of the book's advertising: On the back cover - TANG! Do people over the age of six (who aren't astronauts) really drink Tang? Next up - An anti-smoking campaign..."Tobacco is whacko; if you're a teen" (If you ask me, these ads are more harmful to kids than anything else. After all, nowadays, isn't being "whacko" where it's at?...but I digress.) Then - TRANSFORMER TOYS...FRUIT LOOPS...PAC-MAN...STUART LITTLE 2 VIDEO GAME (This is a movie for pre-schoolers right?) ...POWER RANGERS..SUPER MARIO BROS...ABC KIDS FALL SCHEDULE. How can an adult possibly sit down to read a comic without feeling like a total jackass, when the same advertising can be found in an issue of "CHICKADEE MAGAZINE"? Are advertisers really in the dark on this? And why haven't publishers done anything to rectify the problem? I think advertisers would ultimately be happier if the readers of the comic actually had some use for their products. As it is, I wouldn't be caught dead with any of the products they have to offer! (Okay, so maybe the odd box of Fruit Loops...damn you and your oh-so-easy-to-follow nose, Sam!) Talking about how comics aren't just for kids is easy, but let's see who's willing to put their ads where their mouth is!