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Post Info TOPIC: I'm so screwed ......


Beer Please

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I'm so screwed ......


Just some stuff from a trucking forum ......  


The Coming Perfect Storm, or why the American Owner Operator may become as extinct as the dinosaur.

Because I do not believe Owner Operators can accomplish any good for themselves by reacting to the growing pressure being placed upon them by going on strike, I think it is time, as a group, for us to identify as many as possible of the coming pressures and seek a way to solve the problems we are about to face, or at least identify those possible courses of action we can take to prevent our extinction. As a first step we have to identify each problem individually and while we are still able to seek to minimize it's effect upon us.

The number one topic of discussion in the last week has been the sudden decision of the FMCSA to commence within 60 days a pilot program allowing 100 hand picked Mexican carriers to commence operation in the United States. On the face of it, this sudden reversal of policy appears to be the opening for a floodgate of low cost, at least in labor terms, trucking operators which will reverberate throughout the USA, causing downward pressure on American operators through the increased competition for the remaining freight movement.

Mexican drivers are already hauling freight in the United States. Some illegally, but many legally. There are entire trucking companies located in the southern border region of the USA. Many of them are servicing the automobile manufacturing industry, using green card drivers being paid low wages. These drivers have been running from Texas to the automotive plants in Ohio and Michigan for more than a year. The number of trucks and drivers that will be working for the 100 chosen carriers will turn this trickle into a raging flood of lower paid drivers from the maquiladoras to their customers all over the United States. No longer will they simply be hauling parts in the manufacturing chain. They will be hauling imported products directly to the distribution centers for the major retailers all over the United States.

In anticipation of this entire ports are being planned with travel corridors and railroad lines to service them to remove a great percentage of the freight from American based carriers and rail roads and transfer them to Mexican based carriers. This will insure the flood of lower paid drivers to be ever increasing as freight moves south to cheaper ports, and those raw materials and parts normally shipped from California ports move cheaper to Mexican ports for shipment over seas.

My intent here is to point out the problem from an Owner Operators or American company drivers point of view. I will make no judgment in this discussion of the quality or safety or practical feasibility of using these Mexican drivers nor do I intend to discuss the effect opening the border will have on the security of this nation. Those topics might be apropos in a discussion of how to prevent this flood of low paid workers from entering our industry here in the United States. As truck drivers, we must recognize the impact of these low wage workers and the effect that massive shift in hauling freight to and from the border region to both manufacturers and retail end users is going to have on the volume of and rates offered us for the remaining freight left to American driver to haul.

This pressure of a decreasing need for our services will be a major part of the coming storm. It is not necessarily even the most serious pressure we may face in the next 12 to 24 months. The pressure of increased operating expenses may be far greater.

Fuel is becoming the number one worry about operating expenses. Our fuel problems are not just about cost. Thanks to the Environmental Agency the American diesel engine and even the fuel it burns are being made less and less efficient. Fuel mileage on a new truck is lower and in the next 2 years the effect of that lower mileage will result in less money while the maintenance costs to operate the newer diesels are headed up at rates for which there is no historical comparison. Those of us operating older equipment face the possibility of finding ourselves forced to buy newer equipment because our paid for older equipment may begin to have catastrophic failures caused by the inability of our older motors to sustain themselves through the expected lifetime burning the new fuel. This new fuel may have unforeseen maintenance consequences.

A second aspect of fuel costs may be politically oriented rather than mechanically. The conflict in the Middle East shows signs of becoming global in more than ways than just the war of terrorism. The 14,000 year old battle between differing groups of Moslem's and the profound arrogance of both western civilization toward Moslem's and Moslem's for the entire rest of the world combined with the leftover remnants of the Cold War competition between Capitalism and Communism is leading to a strange alliance of everyone against us. This is the result of Americas emergence as the sole superpower from the Cold War and the natural reaction of all those other people toward Americas arrogant dominance of world events.

Middle Easterners are aligning with Socialist South Americans with the sole axis of their alignment being to join together in fighting against America/Europe. Our political leaders are only too happy to couch everything in terms of freedom and authoritarian rule. It is not my intention in this discussion to examine the politics but only the results that flow from it. Our fuel supply is as precarious today as the Japanese Militarists experiences in the late 1930's. At any given time if our avowed enemies can develop the ability to survive without selling their fuel to us, our economic crisis has a deadline of 120 days. In truth, the deadline is much shorter than that. The industrialization of China and other nations both increases their demand on the world oil supply, but also gives our suppliers a market to divert the oil to. Government rationing of fuel in case of a shutoff by Venezuela and the Middle East would probably begin in less than 30 days. We, today, like the Japanese in 1940 would probably see no way out except to force them through “force of arms” to resume shipping to us. The strategic reserve is a joke.

However, for the purposes of this discussion, if our enemies simply reduced their shipments to us by 15 or 20%, the crisis in fuel cost and availability would put most Owner Operators in a parking lot somewhere unable to make a living.

It is foreseeable that just the rumor of an actual economic action against us could double the price of diesel fuel overnight. No matter how many laws to prevent price gouging are in place the true price of retail fuel is more affected by the action of speculators who to a large extent are the desperate money managers of the increasingly bankrupt retirement systems.

Among the costs of operations factors, insurance rears it's ugly head as one of the points of pressure in the coming storm. The cost of health insurance is rising so high so quickly that a large percentage of American truck drivers are no longer insured. If liability and cargo insurance premiums begin to rise at anywhere near the same levels drivers do not have the option of deciding not to have it. Workers Comp, the rate of which is affected by the cost of health insurance, and Comprehensive and Liability insurance, the rates for which all may be severely impacted by the unknown quality of this massive new force of drivers we are soon to be forced to share the roadways with may put many of us out of business.

The regulatory agencies are throwing their own pressure into the storm. After just a few short years they are again considering tinkering with the hours of service. They are also contemplating throwing in a wide scope of new enforcement tools and even mandating equipment that will limit the performance of our units. Still under the radar of public exposure is a growing swell of pressure by the large carriers to increase the weight and size limits of vehicles with the idea of making 3 trucks capable of doing the work that is now done by 4. It is not my intention in this discussion to argue for or against any of these proposals, simply to bring all the factors together and get them out in the open so that a person can see the scope of the coming storm.

A recently demonstrated aspect of the cost of operation increase is the mandating of the use of toll roads coupled with the increased privatization of those toll roads. Transient taxes are politically acceptable to local governments to raise revenue. One needs only to look at Kansas and the example that turnpike users be forced to provide the funding to the university system so that the state of Kansas can claim to have a champaign education system on a beer budget tax rate. When a government demands tribute from those passing through with a toll both it is acceptable. Allowing the professors to set up road blocks and rob passing travelers at gun point would not be politically correct. The reality is the end result is the same.

The confluence of all these pressures in the next 12 to 24 months may signal the extinction of the small truck operator, and in fact may lead to the demise of “truck driver” as a job worth pursuing by Americans all together. Just as construction workers found out, we may represent a job “no American is willing to take” within just a few months. Cross country driving at 16 cents per mile would certainly make this job one that no American would want just as there are very few Americans willing to be roofers or brick layers for 6 dollars an hour!


.........................................................................................

What do I mean when I say the American truck driver is about to be "carpentered"?

When I was young, I worked summers picking crops in California. Migrant workers, skid row denizens, and teen agers were the labor in the fields.

When my sons were young, They worked on construction sites as carpenters helpers, brick layers helpers and carpet and tile installers.

Carpenters, bricklayers, carpet installers, these were "trades" and entry into those trades paid entry level wages, but practitioners made living wages.

Today, you can go into construction sites all over the country and find "migrant" undocumented aliens not only working the "helper" jobs, but in fact the journeyman level jobs.

When my sons were working as construction site helpers at minimum wage plus a few pennies, The journeymen carpenters were making $17 an hour. Now the carpenters are making $7.50 an hour.

The government says these "undocumented workers" are only taking jobs no American would want. At $7.50 an hour the government is correct.

When 5 years ago I commented that the workers in many of the plants were being replaced by "undocumented workers", no one noticed.

When 8 years ago I mentioned that the construction workers were all leaving to be replaced by cheaper "undocumented workers", no one cared.

This last week when the FMCSA and DOT decided that 100 Mexican trucking companies would be allowed to begin cross border operations, They assured us that cabotage would prevent those drivers from hauling freight state to state. After all, they said, there are laws to prevent this. But are there not laws to prevent entire labor crews of Mexicans from replacing all the workers in a plant? Are there not laws in place to prevent entire construction industries in many states from hiring "undocumented" workers?

Are there not laws in place to prevent trucking companies from hiring eastern European, Asian, and Spanish speaking drivers and sending them out on interstate freight lanes now?

Possibly these laws are supposed to START being enforced once those 100 companies are allowed over the border?

Yeah right.... the American truck driver is about to be carpentered!

How low will the wages get in the next few years, and who is gonna get richer because of it?

.........................................................................................




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NINJA MOM

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That really sucks, SU......it took me awhile to read it since the print is so small and my eyes are so screwed up.

I finally read it and hope something is done for your benefit.



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"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." -  Ralph Waldo Emerson


Beer Please

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I haven't given up yet ... But I know how to read the writing on the walls ... I can beat a lot of things that come my way .... but If our government has decided that Americans are no longer to be the one's delivering freight in America .... not much I can do but step aside ..... Just wish I had known this before I bet my whole life on it ....

So what will thousands of owner operators like me do now ..... My truck is getting older so that means higher expense while freight rates drop due to the influx of cheap labor ...

I think the one mistake I made in going into business for myself is failing to realize just how far our government is willing to go in selling out it's own citizens .....

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NINJA MOM

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Let me know what I can do as a normal citizen Jane....write a letter, boycott a company...let me know.

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"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." -  Ralph Waldo Emerson


Beer Please

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Send me money ...... and nudie pics .... LOL

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NINJA MOM

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Oh you...so  much for me helping you out!

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"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." -  Ralph Waldo Emerson


Beer Please

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Moldy ... It's a good thing you love me .... LOL


In the 15 years since NAFTA has been singed ... They have not met one requirement toward bringing their trucks on American soil ..... There's a big fight going on now on capital hill over it .... Just found some more .....


And a link

http://www.ooida.com/


SPECIAL REPORT: More and more hurdles for Mexican truck program



Thursday, March 15, 2007 – In what some believe to be a race to open the border to 100 Mexican-domiciled motor carriers, the program is facing a build-up of hurdles.

The majority of the opposition facing the Department of Transportation in proceeding with the program centers on several unanswered questions. The hurdle that best illustrates this concern is the first lawsuit filed regarding the pilot program.

Lawsuit filed seeking information

A lawsuit filed Tuesday, March 13, against the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is all about information.

The nonprofit group filed a Freedom of Information Act request with FMCSA in October 2006 requesting information about activities surrounding any program to evaluate Mexico-domiciled motor carriers that would be permitted to operate beyond the Mexico-United States border zone.

The time the FOI request was filed was the same time that word on the street in Washington, DC, was saying the pilot program brewing within the Department of Transportation was all but a done deal.

The Freedom of Information Act requires a response from agencies within 20 days of receipt of the letter. AHAS received a letter within 10 days explaining a “control number” had been assigned to the request.

According to the lawsuit, more than three months after AHAS sent the FOI request, a second letter from FMCSA’s Freedom of Information Act Officer stated that FMCSA’s response would be delayed.

The letter went on to state the agency would contact AHAS “as soon as possible concerning the approximate number of documents that will need to be examined and the date by which we expect to complete the review.”

On March 13 – nearly five months after the initial FOI request – the lawsuit was filed. AHAS is being represented by the Public Citizen Litigation Group in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit is not an attempt to stop the Mexican pilot program, but rather a request by AHAS asking the court to force the agency to cough up the requested documents related to the program.

Senator launches ‘inquiry’

The day after the AHAS lawsuit was filed, U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-AR, sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters that, according to a press release issued by his office, will start an “inquiry” into the program. And, he wants information updates on directives facing the DOT.

Pryor’s frustration with the way the program has been handled was clearly stated in his letter to Peters.

“As you may recall, during your confirmation hearing ... I expressed my interest and concern about a rumored pilot program that would allow Mexican domiciled trucks to operate beyond their current scope of authority,” Pryor wrote in his letter.

“During my questioning, you clearly stated that you questioned staff at DOT about the pilot program and were told that there was no immediate plan to implement such a program. You also stated that you would get down to the bottom of the ‘so-called’ rumors surrounding the issue.”

Pryor reminded Peters that he concluded his questioning in her confirmation hearing by stating that he would appreciate having a dialogue with the DOT and other agencies that “may be” developing this program.

“Unfortunately, I’ve yet to hear from you or FMCSA regarding this pilot program,” Pryor wrote.

Despite the fact Pryor has not received information about the program from Peters, he has looked into the recently announced proposed pilot program.

“As you can imagine, I still have many questions regarding this program and am most concerned about potential safety and security risks that may come with its implementation,” he wrote to Peters.

“The Department’s failure to communicate the plan to roll out this program has frustrated me. I believe there are other members on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology and in the Senate that share my concerns.”

Pryor asked Peters to look at legislation passed in October 2006, which included three directives for the DOT, and update him on its progress. The legislation included:

A directive for the DOT to issue regulations to verify legal status of all licensed commercial drivers;
A directive for the DOT to develop commercial driver’s license antifraud programs; and
The final directive was for the DOT to issue guidelines for federal, state and local law enforcement personnel on how to identify noncompliance with federal laws uniquely applicable to commercial motor vehicle and commercial motor vehicle drivers engaged in cross border traffic.
Pryor reminded Peters these directives are to be completed within 18 months of the signing of the law.

Senate committee fishes for answers

The Arkansas senator wasn’t stepping out on a limb when he said other senators may also have questions they want answered about the proposed pilot program.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA, chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, called for a hearing the same day word got out about the program. The hearing was held March 8.

Murray gave some background and the criteria and requirements the DOT is obligated to meet before opening the border.

“Sen. (Richard) Shelby (R-AL) and I drafted a very comprehensive provision to address the many critical safety concerns surrounding Mexican trucks without including an outright prohibition on Mexican trucks entering our country,” Murray explained.

“Our provision included dozens of reasonable safety requirements that the DOT and the Mexican authorities would have to meet before long-haul Mexican trucks could have access to our entire interstate highway system. We sought to address each of the many concerns raised by the DOT Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office and others.”

Murray acknowledged that the Bush administration certified that all of the criteria in the Shelby-Murray provisions – now known as Part 350 of the 2002 Transportation Appropriations legislation – had been met.

However, since the border is not opening to all Mexican-domiciled motor carriers, Murray questioned the administration’s real intentions behind the pilot program.

“As I look at how this pilot project is structured, I’m concerned that DOT may be deliberately allowing only the top Mexican truck companies to participate in a pilot project simply to skew the results so the outcome looks better,” Murray said.

“That makes me wonder if this pilot project is really designed just to produce a pre-ordained conclusion.”

Inspector General called in

A hearing held by the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit on March 13 revealed yet another approach by lawmakers attempting to get some answers about the pilot program.

Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-MN, chairman of House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, agreed that the DOT has made progress in complying with the various requirements established under Section 350.

“Yet, as we will hear from the testimony of several witnesses today, unanswered questions remain about whether adequate systems are in place to both make sure Mexican carriers meet these safety requirements beforethey are granted long-haul operating authority, and that they continue to be held to the same strict federal standards that govern U.S. commercial truck operations throughout their participation in the pilot,” Oberstar said at the subcommittee hearing.

Because of that concern, Oberstar and Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR, requested the DOT Inspector General conduct a separate review of the first six months of the pilot program to determine whether DOT has established sufficient controls to ensure that the 100 carriers participating in the pilot program are in full compliance with all U.S. federal motor carrier safety laws.

In particular, the Inspector General is requested to:

Investigate what checks are in place to ensure that Mexican drivers are in compliance with U.S. hours-of-service laws, both while operating in the U.S. and prior to reaching the border;
Determine what oversight and control measures are in place to ensure that the Mexican carriers’ drug and alcohol testing programs are at least equivalent to the U.S. testing regime;
Identify the process by which carriers participating in the pilot program obtain insurance issued by a U.S. company, and any challenges to such efforts; and
Report any problems with inaccurate or incomplete data on vehicles and drivers submitted by Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to the Department of Transportation.
It’s not all one-sided; Republicans call for answers, too

While Democrats may be getting a lot of the limelight when it comes to opposition of the pilot program, it is far from being a partisan effort. Rep. Ted Poe, R-TX, wants to know what is in it for the U.S. to open the border to Mexican trucks.

“Under this year-long pilot program, 100 Mexican companies will have unlimited access to haul international cargo throughout the United States. What does the United States get out of it?” Poe asked in a statement posted on his Web site.

With 100 companies having “free rein” to come and go across the border, Poe is concerned that there is no way to ensure these regulations are met while maintaining the security of our country.

“This sounds good for Mexico – not so good for the US. Now we are going to have thousands of polluting, overweight, Mexican trucks that are mechanical nightmares, being driven by individuals that may not be able to read a street sign on our highways,” he wrote.

“Once again, our government seems to be more concerned about Mexico than it is about our nation, our highways or our people.”

Where does this all lead?

Lawmakers are holding these hearings, asking the hard questions and call for investigations all in an effort to get answers. Depending on those answers and what the lawmakers believe is in the best interest of U.S. citizens, legislation of some sort could follow, according to Rod Nofziger, government affairs specialist with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

Meanwhile, while all these hearings are being held and questions being asked, OOIDA has been busy taking a long-hard look at the program as well.

“We’re researching our opportunities to stop the advancement of this program,” Nofziger said. “We’re actively investigating all legislative and legal avenues.”

– By Jami Jones, senior editor

jami_jones@landlinemag.com




-- Edited by straight up at 17:07, 2007-03-19

-- Edited by straight up at 17:18, 2007-03-19

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The Girls Love Me

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Moldy wrote:

That really sucks, SU......it took me awhile to read it since the print is so small and my eyes are so screwed up.

I finally read it and hope something is done for your benefit.



Use firefox as your browser instead of internet explorer, that way you can hold down Ctrl on the keyboard and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to make the text whatever size you want.

 



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NINJA MOM

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sparky wrote:

Moldy wrote:

That really sucks, SU......it took me awhile to read it since the print is so small and my eyes are so screwed up.

I finally read it and hope something is done for your benefit.



Use firefox as your browser instead of internet explorer, that way you can hold down Ctrl on the keyboard and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to make the text whatever size you want.

 




 I have firefox.....explain slowly so I can understand.......I think those meds I took last week destroyed some brain cells. I have felt drunk for 3 days and I have stopped taking meds a week ago!



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"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." -  Ralph Waldo Emerson


Beer Please

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I'm on a lap top with a scroll bar ..... don't work ether

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The Girls Love Me

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Moldy wrote:
I have firefox.....explain slowly so I can understand.......I think those meds I took last week destroyed some brain cells. I have felt drunk for 3 days and I have stopped taking meds a week ago!

Errm, ok,

hold         down         Ctrl           on         the          keyboard          and          use          the               scroll              wheel           on          your           mouse         to             make          the           text            whatever         size          you          want.

 



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Beer Please

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don't work


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The Girls Love Me

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Buy a usb mouse with a scroll wheel for using on the laptop, they are only cheap and will make using the laptop easier anyway.

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NINJA MOM

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Posts: 617
Date:

sparky wrote:

Moldy wrote:
I have firefox.....explain slowly so I can understand.......I think those meds I took last week destroyed some brain cells. I have felt drunk for 3 days and I have stopped taking meds a week ago!

Errm, ok,

hold down Ctrl on the keyboard and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to make the text whatever size you want.

 




O KAAAAY

....complete...thanks

 

I did it!



-- Edited by Moldy at 20:01, 2007-03-21

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"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." -  Ralph Waldo Emerson


The Girls Love Me

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LOL, cool.

I knew you could.

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NINJA MOM

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Posts: 617
Date:

sparky wrote:

LOL, cool.

I knew you could.



 I edited my reply because I thought it was mean....originally, your reply looked sarcastic until I fixed everything with Mozilla monster fixer......I am really confused, now!

 



__________________
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." -  Ralph Waldo Emerson


The Girls Love Me

Status: Offline
Posts: 746
Date:

Moldy wrote:

sparky wrote:

LOL, cool.

I knew you could.



I edited my reply because I thought it was mean....originally, your reply looked sarcastic until I fixed everything with Mozilla monster fixer......I am really confused, now!

 



Your reply was mean, I cried for ages when i read it. lol




Silly girl, you should of left it, I ain't easily offended.

 



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NINJA MOM

Status: Offline
Posts: 617
Date:

sparky wrote:

Moldy wrote:

sparky wrote:

LOL, cool.

I knew you could.



I edited my reply because I thought it was mean....originally, your reply looked sarcastic until I fixed everything with Mozilla monster fixer......I am really confused, now!

 



Your reply was mean, I cried for ages when i read it. lol




Silly girl, you should of left it, I ain't easily offended.

 



Okay..in that case.

TTHH  AANNK YOOOU   SMMAAAART  AAARSE!

 



__________________
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." -  Ralph Waldo Emerson


NINJA MOM

Status: Offline
Posts: 617
Date:

Moldy wrote:

sparky wrote:

Moldy wrote:

sparky wrote:

LOL, cool.

I knew you could.



I edited my reply because I thought it was mean....originally, your reply looked sarcastic until I fixed everything with Mozilla monster fixer......I am really confused, now!

 



Your reply was mean, I cried for ages when i read it. lol




Silly girl, you should of left it, I ain't easily offended.

 



Okay..in that case.

TTHH AANNK YOOOU SMMAAAART AAARSE!

 




 Only problem with that feature is that it makes EVERYTHING SOOOOO   BIG.  I guess I can just decrease the size when I am finished reading it with my granny eyes.....



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"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." -  Ralph Waldo Emerson


The Girls Love Me

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It's when you get granny tits that you need to worry. :)

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