Phaedrus

Or (in the interests of light entertainment), you could go the even worse DIY route... http://thereifixedit.failblog.org/

Also, I think it's pretty easy to do with most photo-editing software.

I don't think there's any grand conspiracy here... the constant parade of new and shiny stuff is just a reflection of the pace of development and improvements in what's there already. The thing to remember is that just because yet another new and shiny toy came out this week, there's not necessarily any reason to buy it - and the fact that something's already considered obsolete doesn't mean that it'll suddenly stop doing what it's done perfectly well up to now. Like Reddog, I'm also happy with my stone-age iPod, and I've never had a smartphone of any kind. I *like* not being able to read emails 24/7/365 :)

So, I figured it was about time I got around to contributing, rather than just lurking here :) Megan was the first MA I saw, and also the first I went back to... and so it seems appropriate for her to also be the first one I've written a review for. Megan has a very convenient location - discreet, downtown, but with ample parking. She's every bit as beautiful and intelligent as others have described - but on top of that, she's a really nice person too. What more could you want? Fantastic massage? Check. Body slides? Even better. And finally... let's just say that ulixestrojan's comment about toe-curling was bang on the money. I will most certainly be back for more! P.S. There's just one downside: both times I've seen Megan were first thing in the morning, and then I went to work afterward. And both on both days I had people ask me what I was smiling about. I *really* need to think of a good answer to that one for next time ;)

Congratulations! Here's to the next thousand...

Ya, and so we come back to a question that comes up in other debates, too: how do we distinguish between those who are doing exactly what they please, and those who are doing something because someone, somewhere, has coerced them? Obviously not an easy one to answer... I don't claim to know, alas.

...sounds like a nasty one. More power to your elbow.

So to continue with the diabolical advocacy ('cos I think it's an interesting debate)... what if a woman feels obliged to wear a hijab/niqab/burqa/whatever in order to conform to the tribal-tradition or religion-based social norms of her community? I'm getting more at generic peer pressure here, rather than a man making his wife/daughter comply with his beliefs as the latter is rather more clear-cut...

You're still talking about Civ, right? :lol: Sorry. I'll get my coat.... Additional Comments: A little, but nothing like as much as the removal of the stack o' doom.

Absolutely. This forum would be vastly poorer without the ladies!

I knew there were some pretty awesome people here, but that really brings it home. Much respect, folks.

Thanks for that - also great for those of us who weren't around when the original thread was active...

That sounds like very wise advice. It also strikes me that any forum that becomes exclusive and isolationist will probably stagnate, and eventually decline. But if we can grow, then we all benefit. World Domination, here we come.... :)

Absolutely. And if a few folks lose a little sleep over seeing it and change the way they run their lives as a result, it's entirely worthwhile. And kudos to those of you that have stood up against this sort of thing; I count myself blessed that I've never had to.

In a similarly silly vein... http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/ is a guilty pleasure for me. It gives me great pleasure to know that whatever spectacularly stupid stunts I got up to when I was younger, there's plenty of people who are even more outrageous than I ever was :)

Not at all. I haven't been here long, but there seem to be some pretty intelligent folks hereabouts. And as for me... I don't believe in ghosts, but I'd like to.

Well, I used to not have a landline, and it was great... until work decided they *had* to have a number they could reach me at, and so I got a landline put in as they sure as hell weren't getting my cell number. So I now have a landline where work can call me and I never answer, so everyone's happy :) Of course, anyone who's self-employed wouldn't have that issue...

True. But if it helps only one, it'll still be worthwhile. Yup. If we could wave a magic wand and exorcise the demons of hatred and bigotry, I'm sure we'd all do it. Unfortunately, people can be utterly horrible sometimes, and the fact that a sizable chunk of the adult population believes that this particular form of hatred and bigotry is OK doesn't help. And I think that "This, too, shall pass" is a better message than the resounding silence that some kids seem to have to deal with.

I'm not sure. ISTR reading somewhere (can't remember where, sorry) that you could potentially be charged with obstruction of justice or something similar if you tried that. Which sounds like a particularly hideous catch-22 to me, if it's true... Additional Comments: I don't know that that would suffice. How often have recordings of interrogations been lost or deleted? 'Administrative errors' can be very useful at times, I suspect...

Maybe not, but there are probably plenty of folks who care about them. I think it's a fantastic idea (which is why I linked to it in an earlier post) - although I think it started a bit before Tyler Clementi's death - he, alas, is not the only young person to have committed suicide for this reason - he just seems to have hit the headlines harder than some others. The Trevor Project (http://www.thetrevorproject.org/about-trevor/organization) is also a great idea.

Although they presumably also have a phone number, and giving them a call to check they have someone available in five minutes' time (or whatever) may not be a bad idea...

Acqua/Luna/Oasis - MP in Ottawa with several locations.

It's also good to keep everything patched properly - not all software is good at this. I've found Secunia PSI very helpful for this - you can get it at http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

Lefty, I have to disagree with you this. I don't think that the appeal of physical attraction ever diminishes - we just work out that there's... more, that it's not the be-all and end-all. Certainly I wouldn't want to believe I'd ever stop appreciating beauty when I see it. Nevertheless, when you meet someone new, what you see is often the most significant factor in making your *first* impressions, whether it's the smile of the bum or the eyes or the whole package, simply because it's the first bit of information you receive and process. Maybe you saw someone's pics online; maybe your eyes met across a crowded room; vision is just... longer range than your other senses, and so it gets the first shot and everything else is playing catch-up thereafter. I'm inclined to think one of the only common exceptions to that is forums such as this, where you're likely to read someone's posts first. Also, apologies for the threadjack - Mod, feel free to put this in a thread of its own if appropriate...