RhondaLea

Well, that's a whole different position than your first few posts on the subject. Nope. This is what I said: I would resent (like crazy) having my words turned into ads. Fortunately Icon is not a word I use, although I do use the word emotIcon. And I do not like what the preview of this post is showing me even a little bit. It's an outrage. I'm all for making money, but there is a line, and this crosses that line. I do resent it, but I can also see the argument for it--which came after my response. I still think I'd prefer the Google option, but I'll be calmer about it if I have some control of what my posts look like. (I also made a comment about it in the thread about sig lines, but perhaps we should just let that lie.) I can't go back and search every word I've ever written that contains the word "icon." I just don't like having my posts altered, unless it's for reasons having to do with the forum rules. Try to remember that I didn't start this, but I keep getting responses that seem to require my reply, and I have this terrible habit of responding to posts that address me directly. rl P.S. I wouldn't use hotmail if MSN were the last provider on the planet. I have plenty of stationery I need to use up. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

you don't intimidate me..... Is distance learning available, or do I have to show up? Now are you intimidated? If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Andrea, go back and read Katzurki's post in the other thread. That needs to be fixed. Fast. I don't care if Aerodyne links to something when I type it. But I don't want to type any words that contain "icon" and have them turn out with a capital "I" in the middle of the word and a link in part of the word. Nor do I want to have to engage in this stupid little exercise of putting some code in the middle of the words I type. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Though I understand that "it was not your intent" I will gladly refund your full payment if you do decide to cancel and leave your Premier Membership active untill your current term expires. I certainly have no desire to keep you "locked in" or cause you to suffer a "financial loss".

I can't find the link, but your first statement is untrue. I think, however, that it's based on the lack of clarity in what I wrote. Extreme heterosexuals are rare, as are extreme homosexuals. Your second statement is much closer to being true, although I'm not sure your basis for making it is related to the actual facts. There are certainly more practicing heterosexuals than homosexuals. And as I tried to say, sexuality lies on a spectrum. I have lost the link to the Kinsey scale, but more people fall closer to the middle than you would think. And the Kinsey studes were done in the dark ages, not now, when people are far more prone to sexual experimentation. For example, one of the top female sexual fantasies is lesbian sex. And a lot of women who watch porn watch lesbian porn. That may not mean most of them will ever have a lesbian encounter, but there is obviously no aversion to the idea. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

You didn't want to discuss this in the other two threads, so I brought it over here: 1. I didn't say anything about cancelling my membership, so I'm not very appreciative of your remarks above for the following reasons: a) I'm locked in until February 2007, so I can't make a decision until then anyway without suffering financial loss, even if that had been my intent, which it was not and b) I first subscribed when I realized just how much of a postwhore I'd become. Prior to the last few months, I really didn't use this site that much, and prior to the last year, I barely used it at all. The only premier feature that is minimally useful to me is the ability to sort PMs, and I don't use any others. I had a much different reason for subscribing, and I really resent the hell out of having my support for your site denigrated--i.e., by your comments above. 2. Aerodyne was and remains my overall favorite gear manufacturer, both because of the gear they sell (if I ever do start jumping again, it would be to Aerodyne I would go, unless a certain rigger friend of mine goes back into business, and even then, I'd still buy my canopy from Aerodyne), and because I am quite fond of Bushman and his predecessor (RIP Ian), as well as having been friends with Bill Hazlett way back. My point is that my objection has nothing to do with liking the company, because I support the company fully. And back when I was still jumping, a fair number of Triathlon sales were directly attributable to my glowing reviews on r.s. All that said, I strongly object to having my posts hijacked this way. Obviously, I know what to do to prevent it happening, and although it's annoying, it's exactly what I intend to do. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

No advertising in sig lines? And yet our posts are being used for advertising if we use the word "icon." I typed the word emoticon in all lower case, but that's not how it will look when it's posted. This is infuriating. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I think anything we can do to thwart this is the right thing to do. I would resent (like crazy) having my words turned into ads. Fortunately icon is not a word I use, although I do use the word emoticon. And I do not like what the preview of this post is showing me even a little bit. It's an outrage. I'm all for making money, but there is a line, and this crosses that line. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Maybe he was drinking when he created this thread. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

How about a couple of old ladies... leering at the young hot guys I'm afraid that leering just isn't enough for me. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

If you read the Kinsey study and every bit of research that has been done since, it is clear that human sexuality lies on a spectrum, and that only a very few odd people are totally heterosexual or homosexual. In other words, given the right set of circumstances (whatever those circumstances might be--it varies a lot), most people will swing the other way. My strong preference is for men. But I wouldn't categorically object to sex with a woman, and certainly (as I've said many times), I'd sooner have sex with a smart woman than a stupid man. My only other comment is: great post. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Your analysis is wrong. The rest of us learned in kindergarten that this sort of thing--poking fun at others--is cruel and hurtful. It has nothing to do with "years trying to not think of [ourselves] as ugly and fat." Pseudo-sensitivity is just that. And this is a classic example. In short, the poll is what it is. Mean. No detailed (albeit erroneous) analysis necessary. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Have I told you lately that I love you? If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Thanks, sweetie. I need all the luck I can get. I'm in South Carolina right now. I just stopped at the Days Inn, and I'm done in. The pretend-to-pack mode only works for so long, and then you really have to step it up and pack it up, so yesterday afternoon, I finally built some momentum. I did sleep last night, but except for that, I packed for about 17 hours. Needless to say, it sucked. And now it's time to drink a cup of darjeeling and get some sleep. rl Edited to add: I'm in Coosawatchie. Who names a town Coosawatchie? If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I tried to call you back, dude, but I kept getting a busy signal. It may be that using the callback feature just doesn't work given the distances involved, but at 75 mph, there wasn't much else I could do. It was still really cool that you called. Thank you. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I am packed. The car is ready to go. The cat is chasing...I don't know what she's chasing but she better come as soon as I call her. I'm on my way. Wish me luck. (And just like last time, if you feel like calling to help me stay awake and off the highway median, feel free. 386-847-0186 rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Speaking in generalities. A pre-emptive strike, as it were. And you're right. Different is just different. But most often, people perceive it as bad. Believe me, as eccentric as I am, I know that all too well. People who ask questions can't be considered ignorant. It's the people who reach conclusions without asking questions and seeking out logical answers who are the dumb bunnies. This is a semantic issue. In strict usage, 10% is not normal. In the common parlance, however, abnormal is considered bad. Ten percent is not the norm, but it's not so rare as to be...looked ill upon. I would much prefer to have a gay child than a child who was monkey-fucked with prior to his or her birth. That's just me. I'm all for treating certain conditions if it's possible and reasonable. I just don't consider "gay" a "condition." If none of this is clear it's because I've been packing for two days, I'm delirious and I'm about to get in the car and drive from FL to NJ. Wish me luck. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

No it isn't. It's mean. It's cruel. It's hurtful. Don't you dare tell her to chill. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

When I think of Scientology, I think of "The Marching Morons." So I googled for the connection between Kornbluth and Hubbard: http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1276839 One thing that all these guys shared was a genuine contempt for human stupidity. Hubbard was a very bright man, although I never read anything that gave me reason to believe he had a strong sense of ethics--he seemed to me to be quite narcissistic. But if you know something of the climate of the time, you'll realize it was as much a sell-out as a practical joke on what must have seemed to be to him a whole lot of credulous sheep. I suppose, in a way, that makes it worse, given the outcome. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Exactly my thought. If only, if only.... But if it turns out you need an old lady, I'm game. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Does packing and doing laundry and the final clean-up count as work? I can't wait to get in the car and start driving. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

http://www.don-lindsay-archive.org/scientology/start.a.religion.html If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Actually, that sounds EXACTLY like tailoring the kid to be some specific amount of masculinity. Is "masculine" the right word to be using here? If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Try this: http://www.gfmer.ch/Books/Reproductive_health/Human_sexual_differentiation.html It might help to stop thinking of gays as abnormal, given that they constitute approximately 10% of live births. "Different" does not equate to "bad" except in the minds of the ignorant. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I don't know if you can find anything in google, but the feminization or masculinization of the fetus is something that would need to be dealt with at the time it occurs, because the "hormonal bath" helps to form the developing fetal brain. It's not something that can be "cured" after birth with hormones. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb