docoflove1974

All of these horrid lines just have me steamed. I might blow up if you keep it up.

I'd be careful of making such hypothetical comments, only because there are instances of wide-spread languages which are eventually lost to time. I think of the languages of Mesopotamia, of ancient Egyptian, which were languages of powerful empires, but which were lost over time. They both have evolved into other languages, both extinct and modern. It wasn't until archeological finds and plenty of work by academians and lay-people that these languages were decyphered, and work continues today. This easily could have been the fate of Latin. One cannot go back in time, fiddle with circumstances, and talk about what could have been ono such a large scale, in my opinion.

ROFL! She either would pounce it, or run away from it. She's funny that way. It's an idea that I like...except for the fact that she now pushes against the screen door to go outside...without her harness on. Not a good idea, and she's just skittish enough that I'm afraid of what she'll do. I've got to talk to my dad (a darn good handyman in his own right) to see what can be done...if I leave it to my landlord, nothing will get done. He's great on emergencies, but minor issues he couldn't be bothered.

Are you allowed to post pornographic images like that? Imagine how I felt driving!

Uh, keys won't help if the slide bolt is engaged...

The day had been typical for a weekend. Went to the Farmer's Market and the store in the morning, got started on laundry and cleaning, ate lunch, and finished the chores. The last thing to do, usually, is sweep up the backyard. My landlord essentially neglects it, and since I look onto the yard from my kitchen window, I've been taking it upon myself to tidy things up. Well, what I can, anyway. After finishing up in the back, I went to enter the apartment again through my back door. It's bolted. Ok, WTF? I then realize that the bigger of the slide bolts must have shifted just enough when I closed the door (ok, I admit I kinda slammed it, because it's getting a bit loose...I gotta fix that)...either that, or Bella locked me out. Eh, who knows. After trying the door several times (and, I'm sure, looking like an eejit), I tried to take the screen off my bathroom window; I keep the window cracked for ventilation, and if I could take off the screen, I could climb in and unlock the door. Well, I guess I should be thankful that I couldn't get it off, but at the moment I wasn't. So I moved to the kitchen window. On this long window, the screen isn't locked--yes, it's something that will be fixed soon, either by my landlord or by me. The window was open so Bella could hang out on the sill and cry at the birds and squirrels. I grabbed a bench in the backyard and tried to climb into the kitchen. Easy, right? Oh my Lord...to be fair, my arms have never been that strong. Oh, my shoulders, chest and back are plenty strong, thanks to years of swimming, but I've never been able to do one pull-up. Yeah, that just bit me in the ass...because now I couldn't pull myself in the kitchen through the window. I'm sure it was a sight to see, with my ass hanging out of the window...a Candid Camera moment if ever there was one. I started cussing...not at being locked out, but because after 2 years of losing weight, I had put on almost half of it back in the last 8 months. And, yes, I'm losing weight again, but at this moment in time I'm still more than I want to be. *bleep* *bleep* *bleep* *bleep* *bleep* *bleep* *bleep*...you get the point. Bella just kept watching me, wondering what the hell it was that I was doing. Yes, I finally got in--I just got another item to step on--but all I could do afterwards was poke my flab and piss and moan. Not only is my new gym really great, and it's 5 blocks from my apartment, but now I have no excuse. I have but 2 weeks left of class, and after that I can resume my normal workout regime. This will change, dammit! *grumble* *grumble* *grumble* *grumble*

I was just picking up the ball that you dropped...since most of us on this side of the Atlantic wouldn't know what a Mondeo was otherwise. Well, at least I didn't. Ok, I'll make it up: what I saw yesterday on the way to the parents' house

Maybe that's why I wait in anticipation for Mondays...that's when Top Gear comes on BBC America. Even if I don't understand half of what they're talking about, I just want to look at the pretty cars...and dream that I'll be driving them. *sigh* I know car companies change the names of cars, as well as offer different ones, depending on the country market. For those who don't know, it looks like this--aka the Contour for us North American peoples. Although officially the Mondeo is derived from the Latin mundus 'world'...not that one would know that looking at it.

Oops, double post...sorry about that!

Happy birthday, Faustus! Enjoy your day, and enjoy your weekend!

That's terrible!

I agree with your points, but I do think that, while we can't change the course of events, we can all live smarter. It may not put even a minor dent into the course of affairs, but that doesn't mean that making certain changes won't be beneficial to our lives in general. Take the use of hybrid cars...it's something I'm interested not to "stop global warming," but because we need to be open-minded about our energy consumption in general. They're more efficient, which is just smart practice. Now, if I want a sports car, I'm going to go the fossil-fuel-route...unless there's a hybrid sports car than can out-perform it's gas-guzzling cousins. But for day-to-day driving, I want to drive something that is a good, solid car and that is efficient; after all, the less money I waste on gas, the more I spend in the rest of the economy. And, hey, if it ends up cutting smog levels, then that's just an added bonus. I think if more people continue on that path of reason, the better we'll be as a (global) society...that the focus should be on efficiency with stability, not necessarily for everyone to go hug a tree. As for Burma...100,000 people...Christ. What I heard last night is that India told Burma that this was coming, and did so with enough time to have started evacuations...but Burma's junta was too stubborn to heed warning. If that's true...wow. What will be interesting to see is what, if any, reaction this will bring out from the Burmese people. Is this the straw that breaks the junta-camel's back? I hope that something major changes, but in my gut I know it won't.

Re: the environment...this is something my dad and I have talked about for a few years now...just that no one 'round these parts cares to hear it. Oh, I truly believe that we should all drive smarter, live smarter, be more aware of our environment. But we still are in the midst of something that really wasn't all our creating, and we aren't going to change things, either. As for BJ...I'm guessing he's a few steps on Dubbya.

The people of Galicia and northern Portugal are, by and large, not the 'sun-kissed', swarthy types; they tend to be quite light-skinned, dark haired. So that, along with geographical links, certainly helps in their argument. But while I find this interesting, especially for one of my favorite activities (armchair philosophy ), I still have plenty of questions. There's also an element which isn't accounted for--the Iberian peoples who were in various parts of the Iberian peninsula before the Celts arrived. It could be that the Welsh have some traces of them, and not necessarily Celts. Regardless, it's interesting, and I'd love to read more about it.

Well, to be fair, the Sharks failed to show up for a couple of those games. I suspect there's gonna be some housecleaning at the Tank. Sick as a parrot...close. Then again, I supposed Stars fans would have been, too, if they had lost. It was going to take either a mistake or a fluke to win that game, and so it happened. How the players had the energy to stand on their skates in the first place, yikes. Right now, I see Detroit v. Pittsburgh...odds would say that the Red Wings would take it, but it should be a good match. Please, Detroit...beat the snot out of the *bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep* Stars!

So, just to update... Detroit--in. Yikes, did the Avs even show up? Honestly, they're prolly gonna win the cup this year (well, they're now my pick). Flyers--in. Whoda thunk it...they beat Montreal in 5? Admittedly I don't see the Eastern Conference teams that often, but still, I thought the Habs were stronger than that. Penguins--in. I gotta say, I'm happy with this. I already mentioned how the Pens are just cool...what Mario Lemieux has done to keep that team in that town...it's amazing. Right now the Sharks are barely hanging on...down 3 games to 2 to Dallas (*bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep*), but are currently losing 1-0 going into the 3rd period. If you see a deep, indigo blue streak over the Bay Area, that'll be me...and it'll be directed to the HP Pavillion (aka the Shark Tank). BTW: 1) The Sharkies just tied things up (yay!), and 2) I love Ray Ratto of the SF Chronicle.

It is, and going higher. But here in California, and in particular the San Francisco Bay Area, it's the highest. California puts the most taxes per gallon of any other state. And with land and cost-of-living extremely high, well, you get this current situation. Supposedly we were the first metropolitan area to average $4/gallon in the country, although I think LA, NYC and some others are about there now. As for insurance...I know, it's tough to compare, even within the US. Each state seems to be different. All I know is that I pay less here in California than I did in Texas; the rationale I was told is that there are more uninsured drivers in Texas. Who knows, I just know that even living in a major city with no enclosed parking, I still pay per year almost what I paid for 6 months in the suburbs of a smaller city in Texas. Go figure!

GLI AZZURRI!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh this is true...gas is at $4.00/gallon here in SF, and we're not happy about that. But I know full well that all of Europe is somewhere between $8.00-12.00/gallon. I don't know how car insurance compares, but I think overall it's easier/cheaper to have a car here in the States and all.

I had to laugh at both the general elections and that of Boris Johnson as mayor of London. BBC World News America showed an interview with his father, and all I could think about was golfer John Daly. A total clown who gets attention...just that BJ has now become mayor. We'll see if JD can get to rehab and win another major.

Ouch, Neph! But have a great day, Ursus. Enjoy your day!

LOL I don't know about elsewhere in the country, but here in California, BMWs, Mercedes, Lexus and Infinity account for probably a third of the cars that I see every day. There are still quite a few SUVs, but those are becoming fewer and fewer; this is an environmentally friendly area, after all But the rest of us schmucks drive average cars, and do just fine. But oh to dream...

Feel better? Need a beer? I'm blunt, direct, and honest. I'm fully capable of being, and in fact often am, diplomatic and tactful, but still will tell you directly what I think. As a result , I'm often labeled as being 'rough'...and it's just that I'm not prone to blowing smoke up someone's ass just to get ahead. Personally, I find it to be an asset, and don't plan on changing my ways. You and I really need to sit down to some potent potables and hash out why the world revolves around slight dishonesty. And for the record...me likey BMWs...quite a bit And all other sports cars. But I'm still a good person, honest!

Nope, just mountains of refuse the size of Vesuvius.

Oof, that's right, I forgot. Politeness above all. Even when telling you to sod off.