Lowdark

I agree with everything said. Unfortunately, ignorance, fear and misinfromation forms the majority of public opinion and most people who vote do so motivated by emotions instead of fact. These are the same attributes that religion panders to or preys upon. That's why social evolution is always a slow, uphill battle.

Hope you had a good birhtday, Big Al.

I don't support the death penalty because justice is not infallible. And while I will never lose any sleep if people like Pickton, Williams, Bernardo and their pathedic ilk were to die horribly, keeping them in a cage for the rest of their lives and studying them like specimens serves a purpose. But while I am not what you would call religous, these poor excuses for human beings do make you hope there is a Hell.

I'm not sure how many more chapters I can take. But not complaining!

. . . .ahem . . .

It looks like I'm a few days late and without a present, but hope you had a good day Chanel.

Happy Birthday Big Al. And despite her humility, Soleil is a bit of a hero. Not many would do this. But by all accounts, it sounds like big Al deserves every ounce of kindness and more.

Umm, cookies and puppies anyone?

Just about half the things Tommy Lee Jones says as a U.S. Marshal in The Fugitive with Harrison Ford.

We definitely owe him the World's Biggest Beer.

Everyone is programmed from a very early age to rumour-monger. Words are the best weapon of choice against rivals and sometimes of defense against bullies. In fact, rumours are one the biggest ways teenage girls bully each in school (men as well, but not quite as much). And it simply moves on from there. Look at all the "dramas" aimed at the teenage TV viewer, like One Tree Hill and Jersey Shore. But then ask yourself, is Sex and the City any better? Or the nightly news for that matter (which has become more hearsay, opinion and in some cases naked fear and hate mongering). To ask that people stop rumour mongering would be like asking bullies to becme florists or politicians to become trustworthy; it will never happen. But we can be adults and assign rumours sufficient value when we hear them, considering them as important as garbage. There's a reason rumours aren't permitted to be heard in court. Until you get solid, hard evidence, rumours are just hot air designed to hurt someone (just another form of bullying, one that has resulted in some tragic and high profile suicides of late). Remember, we're all suppossed to be grown ups here, and while everyone may not always act like it, we should at least behave with common sense when suspiicous hearsay comes our way.

Any details a lady chosses not to share is her business and her business alone. No matter if the visitor thinks they have a right to that information, if the lady wishes that to be withheld until after a certain amount of truth is developed, than so be it. It is her decision. How would we like it if a lady we had just met started asking questions about us that we decided to keep personal? And we would have every right to keep that information private if we so chose. And if the hobbyist doesn't like it, he can choose not to repeat (or to do so until he earns the lady's trust). Like I said, you may not agree with the decision, but a dignified, respectful man should always respect it. Is it right to negotiate the donation? Standards for hygiene? Address? No. So any consideration about personal information should be respected as well. Let's not forget, we are strangers to these ladies, even after we may have seen them several times. Ask yourself, would you reveal personal details, even ones you may consider harmless, to a stranger?

Actually, I'm surprised no one's requested a sequel yet lol

Garfield in one of manynchildhood cartoon specials (after being dumped out of a plane) Whoever said getting there is half the fun should be drug out into the middle of the street and shot.

So, was someone trying to intimidate or chase her away?

Well, if Alexxis ever decides to look for an alternate career, erotic novelist looks like a definite option. I like to think her story also reflects the perspective of the hobbyiest when they visit someone new. Anticipating not only the physicality but also the potential chemistry. Nice to know some of the ladies share the same thoughts.

In the words of the Immortal Bugs Bunny; "Of course you know, this, means war."

Happy Birthday. Have a good one.

That just may explain Parliament.

It is a fine line setting boundaries that allow law enforcement the lattitude to snare predators and other dangers while protecting the liberties of a nation as a whole. But I believe this ruling crosses that line. The only way I can see it justified is if the entire interrogation is video recorded and then made the property of the court at trial, to be made available to the defense in its entirety, no questions asked so that it may be sructinized in its entiredy. Counsel should also have access to it immediately afterwards as well. For the most part, the police are honest, but we'd be ignorant to ignore the fact that there are enough who aren't (i.e. the recent controversies over the use of tasers) and there are some good officers who would tell you that there have been some innocent people convicted based on false confessions. This is an excellent thread. Democracy can only function with an informed electorate.

Here's wishing everyone a safe and happy thanksgiving. Take comfort and warmth in friends and family and maybe spare a thought for those less fortunate (a reminder to be truly grateful for what you have). Enjoy Everyone

I agree with Scottie on this. If ghosts, in the sense the word is understood, did exist, hospitals would be the most haunted places on Earth. Having said that though . . . I invest faith and confidence in the human ability to understand and relate. It's this ability that has taken us to the moon, allowed us to unravel secrets of the universe and even conquer many of the dieases that ravaged entire continents centuries ago. But while our collective knowledge is always expanding, it is always finite, and the more we learn, the more we truly understand how little we know. It is more than concievable that there are forces or phenomenon that we simply don't understand yet or have yet to explain thorugh any discipline of science. Perhaps that's the realm where intuition and instinct still comes into play. It most likely is a logical problem for Luxie, but I myself have had some experinces that I cannot explain with my current understanding of logic. Were they supernatural? Don't know. But, the mystery will always keep your imagination alive a litltle.

Tyler's suicide is a genuine tragedy. The only thing I can think of that was worse for this poor young man was the isolation, loneliness and utter despair he must have felt prior that the idea of killing himself seemed like the only recourse. I do not believe in the death penalty, but if the two "men" repsonsible for the online video were to disappear tomorrow, I wouldn't lose any sleep. But this issue is much deeper than that. Bullying existed long before the internet, the internet simply made it eassier (and more noticeable). Bullying is arguablly as old as Humanity itself and it will never go away (among women as much as men). I was the little guy at school and attracted bullies like a magnet, and the thing was, when I learned to and started fighting back, things actually got a little worse for a while. And the best resolution to that problem of my life was to leave my home town as far behind me as possible. Then I discovered new breeds of bully. There were still plenty who wanted to push you around with their fists, but those were the easy ones to deal with. The co-workers who stabbed you in the back, the politicians who blatantly lied to you to buy your vote, the list never ends. But the true tragedy for Tyler, for all of us, is the stigma that drove him to this. When I was a kid, being called gay was just about the worst thing a guy could be called. To some it was a reason to start a fist fight. In too many people's eyes, being gay (or different for that matter) makes you less. And it's that attitude that is ultimately responsible not just for poor Tyler, but for so many other young men and women taking their own lives (gay or not). We can never kill bullying, just like we can never solve dishonesty or banish corruption, but we can help those who are victimized by it to take a stand. When you see someone getting pushed around for no good reason, convnce them to stand up for themselves. And then stand with them when they do. Don't let ignorance and prejudice pas when it victimizes and individual. Bullies respect nothing, but they understand fear. When they're chosen prey makes a stand, and has others standing with them, they may just be afraid enough to reconsider. It is the only language they speak and perhaps the only way we can manage this problem is by helping others become fluent in it. In the ned, we can only hope that Tyler has a measure of peace and his (and many others) tragedy will help convince everyone else to lend a hand here and there.

Good idea. I second it.

I think the best piece of advice you should always remember is to treat the ladies with respect, courtesy and dignity because it's a safe bet that any lady you meet through CERB is going to treat you well. The only other thing I can add is that if you find a lady you really, really connect with, you may find it a more rewarding experience to spend as much of your time with her, especially for someone who may not have that much experience with women socially.