Rabble_Rouser

***Your Linguistic Profile:*** 65% General American English 10% Dixie 10% Yankee 5% Midwestern 5% Upper Midwestern Hey, after working with Texans for 3 years, I've started to use "y'all" so that must have raised my Dixie! Oh, we always called the easy classes "bird" courses... don't know why but we did.

Hi mEis. Alot of it depends on your schedule or age... -When I was in high school (out in the country) I was up at 06:30, shower, breakfast & catching the bus by 7:30am and back off the bus by 04:15. - University was another world with no schedule and late nights and even later mornings - When I started working a job with normal hours, I was up at 5 am to go to the gym (before my brain was able to fully understand what I had planned ), at work by 7:30, home by 4:30 and bed by 10:30. - For the last couple of years, I've had a job that requires me to work from 9am to 5pm and then a few hours each night starting at midnight with a few overnighters thrown in. Steve

Well, here's my 2 cents... - I've driven a BMW 328 with a stick and it's definitely a sweet car! My buddy who owns it always tells people who are starting to drive a stick for the first time that it's best to "drive it like you hate it" until you get the feel of the clutch\throttle points. - I've always driven a stick and I love nothing more than spending some time on some country roads where I can enjoy my car (Acura RSX). When I'm forced to drive an auto I have the bad habit of trying to stomp on the clutch and grabbing the shifter before I remember what I'm doing. - My preference is a stick for everything except dense traffic (3 hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic gives your left leg a good workout) and the parking garage at the office (the genius who designed the parking garage obviously never drove a stick since the exit from the garage is straight ramp from 3 floors beneath grade with a traffic light at street level... and usually someone an inch of my @ss ). - One thing no-one has mentioned was the problems a stick can be when injured... I broke my collar bone in high school and couldn't drive because I couldn't shift! Remember, Drive it like you hate it!!! (once your dad's out of ear shot ) Steve

Ibuprofen, I'll make it easier for you... if you get your highspeed from Eastlink you're using a cablemodem which most people call broadband (CJames is right that DSL,microwave,satellite are all forms of broadband) and if you get your highspeed from Aliant you're using DSL. Hey Beast... just a suggestion... make sure that you test any changes you're contemplating with IE v7.0 that they have the beta released for as I've seen some sites that are not working well with it. (and before anyone gives me a critique of the Microsoft product... I'm not saying it's right just that it's what most people will be using in 6 months) Steve

I just can't help but shake my head when I see these people! I've always heard that this family funds their cult by lawsuits... looking at the last video, I can imagine there were more than a few images that were used without copyright permission... If I was the family targetted by one of their "protests" I would be taking my vacation time to camp out by their church on Sundays and do everything within the law to annoy the hell out of them. :2hands:

Happy Birthday Doc! Hope you made it an extra-long weekend to celebrate! Steve

I'm guessing it's a regional thing in Canada just like the US... I grew up in the french part of Canada and it was always "soft drink or boisson douce" and when I used to live Toronto it was always "Pop". There's also the stereotype up here that French Canadians drink Pepsi (and eat Joe Louis's) and English Canadians drink Coke... for me, it's Diet Pepsi or Coke (but not Diet Coke or Pepsi)... and Orange soft drinks are awful (sorry Nicky )

Bonne Fete Vance! I hope you have some good weather and good times in New England today for your birthday! *still chuckling from BoyNeedsTherapy's wonderful rendition of Happy Birthday* Steve

Apparantly someone thinks I'm well-adjusted... that would be first!

Does it make me a bad person if it isn't the first time I've done that??? Steve

Happy Birthday Tim! If it makes you feel any better, I turned 37 today so you'll always be able to revel in the fact that you're not ancient like me If birthdays bother you, remember, it's just another Sunday... Steve

HEY!!! I guess we make easy targets but not usually this time of year when we can hide behind the snowbanks! Dom, sorry to hear that you've been hassled by a bunch of pricks with a false sense of entitlement. I've been holding off reading "With Trust" until you're done with DD... I'm trying to pace myself so when DD finishes I won't have an extended period of Domoholic withdrawl. And when you unleash Vic & Tim and the boys, I'll be at the border to cut them off. I'd recommend a couple of drinks to see if it's a tension headache you have but that could lead to a worse pain in your head the next day... Steve

Wow, this is a bit of an eye-opener! I can't imagine berating an author when you don't think an update is coming soon enough or telling them how you want a story to go! Where's the fun in that? I've really enjoyed the forums for Dom's stories and trying to figure out where he's going to take us and what twist's he's foreshadowed are a big part of what makes reading the stories so much fun. Sure I'd love to see my favourite authors post a story every couple of days but people need to realize that their favourite author has a job (and a life) and has a direction that they want to the story to go. My assumption is that most authors have the story mapped out before they release the first chapter and that you should just enjoy the ride they are taking you in the world they are creating. I have some author's whose work I follow pretty religiously that only post once a month or once a quarter, that is the pace they create their work... why complain? If they acquised to people's demands, something would have to give, either the story quality would deminish or the author could decide that it's not worth the hassles he/she is getting and abandon the project. If you want to see another chapter from an author who's writing you're enjoying, try dropping them a quick email telling them you've been enjoying the story, give some specifics why and say that you're looking forward to the next chapter and to keep up the good work. When I was a kid and being a little shit my grandmother would frequently remind me that "you attract more bees with honey than vinegar". To Dom and the others, I don't blame you for being a little gun shy when people get demanding or stalker-ish... you obviously love what you're doing and have more patience than I do. I would pretty freaked out when readers get threatening, especially for authors like Chris Lydon who made it pretty plain that he lives in the same city I do and frequently mentioned things going on in his life... it wouldn't be hard for some nut job to find out where he hangs out. I would suggest that authors keep aspects of their real life confidential and remember that the delete key is the handiest one when dealing nasty emails. On behalf of those who rarely write authors directly about their work, a big "Thanks!" for the fun stuff you give us. Steve

Went and saw it today and it was better than I expected and the theatre was pretty full (considering it's been in wide release up here since Dec.23... about 50% of the theatres in my city are running it). I was a little wary because I've gone to see some movies that have been big hits with the awards crowd only to want to gouge my eyes out part way thru to make the pain stop. Definitely worth paying the bucks to see it in the theatre if you have the chance. The setting was spectacular (not surprising since it was filmed in Whistler/Banff area). The story pretty much revolves around the relationship and there is only one breif sex scene (although you do get a glimpse of Jake & Heath jumping into the river... ) I took particular pleasure in seeing 3 teenage jocks sitting in front of me with their girlfriends and they didn't make a single negative comment during the whole thing. One told his girlfriend he was glad she dragged him to see this on the way out... maybe there's hope after all. Steve

Dom, Reading about drug use and unprotected sex should be in a story if it's integral to the plot line and it's realistically portrayed including the consequences. It's a fact of life that people don't always make the best choices in life and I've always been attracted to your stories because the characters are believable. Growing up in a small town outside Montreal (with 18 being the legal drinking age and generally european attitude towards alcohol and drugs...) was different than many of my friends in university. My parents and most of the parents of my friends had no problem with drinking at 15-16 years old but they were VERY strict about drinking and driving. This really didn't make drinking part of the whole teenage rebellion thing and after a couple of hangovers, you learn moderation. When I went to university near Toronto none of my friends had any real experience with alcohol until their sophmore year and some got themselves into alot of trouble. I have tried a few drugs (mainly pot, hash & mushrooms) but I stayed away from them mainly because I saw some friends (and more than a few relatives) destroy their lives when they became addicts. I think the contrast between Aiden & Trina shows that you portray drugs & alcohol realistically and responsibly. Steve

Ok, it's -3 degrees farenheit here, we have half a foot of snow, politicians are stalking you everywhere because there's a federal election on and my friends who are teachers are sending me a daily countdown on how many days they have left before they're free of the little bastards ( their affectionate term for students) for almost 3 weeks... a few suggestions for you Dom: Christmas Shopping: CALL IN SICK... the best time to hit the mall is when everyone else is at work. The shopping will still suck but there will be less people that you'll be tempted to give a fistfull of Christmas cheer! Can't figure out what to get... gift certificates are the easy way out and then someone else can deal with the post-Christmas mall crowds while you sit at home! Still can't remember where you left the Christmas spirit??? Buy yourself a totally indulgent gift (rKnapp is on the right track with the audio upgrade), wrap it and put it under the tree so you know that you'll get at least one kick-ass gift from the fat man in the red suit! As a last resort before you call in for tracking dogs... Grab a bunch of friends who don't annoy you with excessive Christmas spirit and have a party or a big "what-the-hell-did-I-do-last-night" kind of night on the town... remember that alcohol isn't only a pain killer but can act as anti-freeze for the body (at least that what we Canadians like to claim!) If all else fails, when you're on hot Santa's lap, make sure you give his sugar plums a good squeeze! Steve

Another suggestion is that the more common a car is, the cheaper and easier it is to find parts when (not if) something breaks. Also, check out and make sure that the tires are a common size so you have a choice on brand and type... I had a car which had unique tire size that wasn't used on any other car in North America. Unusual=$$$ and never on sale! Try www.tirerack.com for a quick check. And if you want to customize it, that's a whole other story!

Dom, Thanks for the early present!!! Have a good weekend in the mountains... I've always found skiing on snow easier than water although you don't have to worry about trees during a wipe out on a lake ! Oh, and that cold white stuff isn't just slippery, it's DAMN cold when it gets into places you don't want it! Remember, an apres-ski beverage will not only help warm you up, but chosen carefully it will (at least temporarily) relieve aches and pains. Steve

Dom, Sorry to hear about the bad news. I'll second somuchtolearn's statement... don't you know Thanksgiving is in October ??? It's not a holiday here in Canada but I do have a 4 day weekend since I work out of a US office... you gotta give me something to do other than ponder how to speed up global warming to get rid of this damn snow! Cheers! Steve

Put on some country music (old or new doesn't matter) and I'll run like the place is on fire!!! (Sorry Slaveboy ) Country music is about the only type I don't like to listen too... It could have something do with growing up 40 miles from no-where. What I listen to usually depends on my mood or what I'm doing (I always have music on when I'm at work... I can't concentrate when it's quiet... drives my co-workers nuts) Here's some that I've been listening to lately: Three Days Grace Green Day Radiohead Coldplay My Chemical Romance Billy Talent Chemical Brothers Hot Hot Heat Perfect Circle Papa Roach Next week it'll be a whole new list!

Hey Nickolas, Glad things went well and you're home where they let you sleep (Mom's a nurse and tried to explain why they wake you up all the time in the hospital but I still say it's a sadistic plot by the nurses!). Make sure you use the "I'm recovering from surgery" sympathy/guilt to your maximum advantage while it lasts! Steve

Hhhmmm... To Play: Football (soccer), squash & curling (gotta love a sport where drinking beer while playing is allowed) To watch: Basketball I know that saying this is blasphemous for a Canadian, but I HATE watching hockey!

Bao, As I've gotten older (or is 36 old?) I've begun to understand that when people are deliberately mean or hurtful, it's usually a way for the them to make themselves feel better about themselves because by knocking you down, it moves them up. They are trying to overcome their own inadequacies, not by trying to improve themselves, but by tearing down others. Does this make sense to you? I won't befriend people like that because I still believe that you should treat people how you want to treated and because they'll usually try to tear you down once you're out of earshot. Try to remember that they are the ones with the problem not you! Cheers, Steve EDIT: BTW, what does the T_t and O_o mean?

Bonne Fete Red!!!! Hope you've bugged the 'rents for a trip to the DMV by now! :ranger: Steve

Kill the annoying alarm and then try to convince myself it's the weekend and I just set the alarm by accident.