dryad

I use NiMH rechargeable batteries for everything. They certainly last a lot longer than alkaline (at least in my digicam), and I feel good about not generating waste. A little solar charger from Campmor served me well while travelling.

This sounds pretty cool. Maybe it would look something like ...

Most diamonds come from Africa, not Canada.

And does anybody know the conditions under which diamonds are mined? Scary! I don't want any part of that.

And the elaborate wedding... WTF? Why the hell would I blow all that cash to entertain like 500 relatives I don't give a crap about. Screw that shit. I'm running away to some desert island.

Quite frankly if my man wanted to blow multi-$1000 on me, I'd want it to be on something I'd actually appreciate and use like a trip or down payment on a new car or somesuch. The best engagement ring is the one having the most fun, and mine, lovely though it was, always sat in my jewelry box not having any fun at all because I was too scared to wear it for fear of dropping it off some cliff. That's also the same reason I never spend more than $5 on sunglasses.

My all-time favorite quote relevant to all things romantic is this line from an old Smiths song: "I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does."

Scampy Dances with Chipmunks Yup, that's me.

Don't worry Scott, you're not the only one who thinks Jude Law is hot.

This guy is so hot he deserves his own thread! Chris T wrote: Yes!!!!

GAEL IS MINE!!!!!!!

It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (from official lyric sheet) That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane - Lenny Bruce is not afraid. Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn - world serves its own needs, regardless of your own needs. Feed it up a knock, speed, grunt no, strength no. Ladder structure clatter with fear of height, down height. Wire in a fire, represent the seven games in a government for hire and a combat site. Left her, wasn't coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck. Team by team reporters baffled, trump, tethered crop. Look at that low plane! Fine then. Uh oh, overflow, population, common group, but it'll do. Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed. Tell me with the rapture and the reverent in the right - right. You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright light, feeling pretty psyched. It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine. Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign tower. Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn. Lock him in uniform and book burning, blood letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate. Light a candle, light a motive. Step down, step down. Watch a heel crush, crush. Uh oh, this means no fear - cavalier. Renegade and steer clear! A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline. It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine. The other night I tripped a nice continental drift divide. Mount St. Edelite. Leonard Bernstein. Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs. Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom! You symbiotic, patriotic, slam, but neck, right? Right. It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine...fine... (It's time I had some time alone)

1999 I was dreamin' when I wrote this Forgive me if it goes astray But when I woke up this mornin' Coulda sworn it was judgment day The sky was all purple There were people runnin' everywhere Tryin' 2 run from the destruction U know I didn't even care 'Cuz they say two thousand zero zero party over Oops out of time So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999 I was dreamin' when I wrote this So sue me if I go 2 fast But life is just a party And parties weren't meant 2 last War is all around us My mind says prepare 2 fight So if I gotta die I'm gonna listen 2 my body tonight Yeah, they say two thousand zero zero party over Oops out of time So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999 Yeah Lemme tell ya somethin' If U didn't come 2 party Don't bother knockin' on my door I got a lion in my pocket And baby he's ready 2 roar Yeah, everybody's got a bomb We could all die any day But before I'll let that happen I'll dance my life away They say two thousand zero zero party over Oops out of time We're runnin' outta time So tonight we gonna, we gonna (Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999) Say it 1 more time Two thousand zero zero party over Oops out of time No, no So tonight we gonna, we gonna (Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999) Alright, it's 1999 You say it, 1999 1999 1999 don't stop, don't stop, say it 1 more time Two thousand zero zero party over Oops out of time Yeah, Yeah So tonight we gonna, we gonna (Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999) Yeah, 1999 (1999) Don'tcha wanna go (1999) Don'tcha wanna go (1999) We could all die any day (1999) I don't wanna die I'd rather dance

I already got my Xmas gift from Santa (aka my parents): set of Aliens, blue to red. Woo hoo!

Does anybody have any experience with this pack? How well does it carry? It looks like a nice light basic design, and it's on sale at Campmor now.

I have a friend from NYC coming to visit me over Thanksgiving. He expressed interest in seeing some of the famed Washington wilderness that I keep raving about, and I'd love to take him out somewhere, but here's the catch: this dude is a not even a little bit outdoorsy - he went for a hike maybe 3 times in his life. So what would be a good place to take him for a hike/snowshoe trip/whatever with maximum scenery for minimum effort? I was thinking some of the tourist trails around Paradise would be great, but not if the weather is crap and it's all socked in as is likely the case this time of year. What would be a good backup plan?

Emergency!!! I was planning to go hike up Alta Mountain tomorrow but partner bailed. Anybody else want to do this or anything else tomorrow?

I have a fancy mens medium blue North Face Gore-Tex jacket I'm looking to part with.

I'm also looking for something to do on Sunday, but not exit 32/38. Cloudy + 40 degrees + bare hands on rocks = BRRRR! I was thinking of going on some chill hike/scramble, like maybe Alta Mountain.

Slate's assessment of Powell makes for some pretty sad reading.

I never meant to imply that Tibet SHOULD engage in a violent response to the Chinese. For one thing, it would be absolutely futile because they would be outmanned and outgunned by a factor of maybe a million to one. But even more importantly, nonviolence is an essential part of their culture and religion, so even if they did somehow manage to win, it would be at the cost of sacrificing an essential part of their culture, so it would be as if they lost anyway. The only hope Tibet has is international pressure.

Bear in mind that is a British site. America on average is much more religious and much more conservative than Europe, where Michael Moore books are extremely popular, and Nader would be considered perfectly mainstream. It's all relative. Kerry may be more liberal than Bush, but he's not by any means a lefty in the grand scheme of things.

Similarly, a nonviolent campaign has failed miserably in Tibet. Any attempt at protest has been met by shootings, mass arrests, and torture. One example: This and many other examples here

I really want to know the source/context of those two Gandhi quotes, especially this one: "The Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher's knife. They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs." Does anybody know?

The "naturally unlucky" question has to do with economic libertarianism. If you're an Ayn Rand-style libertarian, you wouldn't believe in luck, only in pull yourself up by the bootstraps individualism. Whereas if you belive that sometimes people just get unlucky, you may be more of an economic lefty and support protections for such unlucky folks in the form of unemployment benefits, welfare, etc.