paya

Wow the live traffic works with London as well! That is really COOL! I saw you can now go inside several shops on Google Maps of Paris and now I see it's a new feature...

I think it's about the muscle growth? Maybe more stamina? Less pain?

OK, I'm still waiting for how this ends...

No porn in two years?

What I read, the reason was that wrestling had a big doping problem and wasn't tackling it properly. Doping is IOC's No. 1 problem they want to fight, so I guess it the main reason. There's no problem in return of wrestling later when the doping has been dealt with. (In my opinion, cycling has even worse reputation and yet it's still on...) From PrivateTim's post (I somehow messed up with the quote, did the whole thing change again?) Doest that mean that the IOC would be less corrupt if there were Americans in it?

@rustle: The same goes for the upcoming referendum on Britain in Europe - it's brought up because of a few people who grasp at an old historic fantasy, out of discomfort with reality.

Skyfall by Adele - I like mainly the melody, the lyrics is slightly on the dumb side but the music is great

OK, so just to make sure I understand correctly, WHO exactly stopped the aid to the NY and NJ states? Because it sounded like everything was in motion for the law to be passed? The White House was not acting or why are you talking about the federal government? The Senate approved it but the House didn't? Edit: OK so I listened to the questions and so it was the Speaker/House Republicans stopping the aid packet. Though I understand the packet will be approved in the next Congress, so delayed but still the money is coming. On the other hand, why it has to be state/federal government that aids the victims of the hurricane? If the Republicans are so promoting self-help and independence, wealthy job creators, why aren't these wealth job creators stepping in, dishing out of their pocket to help these victims or repair the infrastructure so desperately needed to get their business going? Or if there is some building has broken air system, why don't the companies residing in it help cover the repair? If they need the air system to generate their profits, why should it be the state to pay for it? So the state (as a polity) is suddenly needed? If there are families of workers/officers working for these job creators and these people are in troubles to get to work, why don't these job creators help them instead of relying on the state?

And Poland (Krakow, Wadowice) ;-)

I've been only to Europe - Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium, England/UK, Sweden, Norway, on our way to Croatia we passed through Slovenia, then Montenegro, Serbia. Oh and we had to go through Bosnia and Herzegovina but that was only one town. :-)

Me too! I wasn't a big fan of this last Bond but Skyfall is raising hopes. And Adele is singing it great! Well it's certainly gonna be better than the one where Lincoln is the vampire hunter or something. :-P ;-)

Thanks everyone for birthday wishes! I had a great week at home, visited everyone, showed off my man, it was superlative!

Well is David Boudia gay? He sort of gave out this vibe...

bah, tease! Don't be afraid, we won't bite. ;-)

I can second that. I had Avast Home edition on my personal comps and NOD32 by Eset on the work laptop and I was always satisfied (and clean). AVG is also a good option, though it didn't have a free Home version for a long time, so I wasn't using it. Kaspersky should be very effective but like JamesSavik I don't trust the Russians.

Twenty out of 10,600. that's not a good promo for the tolerance of the Olympic idea...

We will not manage. :-( Hopefully, next time our situation will be better. I was promised a trip to Paris anyway! :-D

I like it. I like how it changes the skyline and the orientation around the city and all. But I also like the Olympic watchtower made by Mittal, so I may be weird. The opening "laser and light show" was rubbish though. I mean, you invest so much money into construction of "the tallest building in the European Union" (which BTW nicely eliminates Moscow from the comparison ) and you have no money left for some decent show for the people? Come on, that is lame! They charge £25 for viewing platform, £50 million for a flat there... well that just makes them look desperate.

I thought Jim Parsons was openly gay as well? He's not mentioned there?

One our saying says „it’s better [read: easier] to burn down the house than move it“. Another one says „your best friend shows in need“. I need to move and I asked my friends for a help. Since it’s not an easy move but over almost 1000 miles, there haven’t been many volunteers. And those that were willing to help are falling off for different reasons and I’m short one man that is needed. Where are my best friends that should be supposed to drop everything and come to help when you’re in need? Or what makes a best friend best friend? Do I get it wrong? Now for something completely different. I had another interesting talk this weekend. It made me think. If I’m coming out to people so easily now, being encouraged by not negative reactions, am I assuming (wrongly) that everyone is fine with it? After all, we’re in Europe; here when you come out, nobody will say in your face that you’re going to burn in hell. But are they really OK me being gay? And more importantly, how can I find out? In my life so far, I’ve made/found/been gifted with two “best friends” for quite a long time (each in the different period of my life, one, let’s call him Martin, for seven years or so, the other one (to be called Peter here) for around... well almost seven years as well!). After latest development, they both now know I am gay and that I have a boyfriend. Peter has met Westie several times, Martin learnt last weekend. I haven’t talked about me being gay with neither of them. I mean, yes, there has been the coming out part and all, but in a way, I still don’t know what they are thinking about it. They might be accepting (no sulphur and brimstone) but I sort of feel our relationship had changed. Do they think I perved on them (I did have a crush on one but it wasn’t what I now know is love), do they think I still want to rape them anytime I meet them – because I’m gay (and gays obviously do that)? Are they still as comfortable around me as they used to be? How do I find out? I’ve been brushing over this awkwardness for some time but now when I am in need of any good friend that would be willing to help with the move and is actually free in the given time, there’s deafening silence. I still have to wait for an answer from Martin, while Peter excused himself because after his serious illness broke out (his MS got confirmed), he doesn’t want to risk longer journeys. And I don't question that – even if I feel that in this case the MS came in handy... because no matter how serious it might be, it actually allows for a normal life and given all the precautions are kept, there are no limitations to the person having it. So did I lose my best friend? Did I lose him to a terrible disease or to me being gay? Was the other one a true friend any time at all? Why the two guys I thought I could always rely on, in any bad time or need I might be, why didn’t they come to help me? What makes a true best friend? And is it possible to lose them because they might accept the information about my gayness but they might not be so OK with it? Last paragraph, I promise! There’s another thing linked to the coming out. If you find yourself in an accepting environment, when you come out, do you take those people who “know” as hostages? They might be under peer pressure – they might not be alright with that but for fear to be ostracised they won't say anything and 1) pretend nothing has happened, 2) not talk about that subject at all? What if they have questions that need to be asked but they are afraid to do that? How do you have a serious talk about a thing that is inherent to you and the others don’t feel comfortable talking about it? It puts a strain on the relationship with those people – and not a small one. So while I might get relieved from a big burden weighing on me, it’s possible I just passed it over on others – moreover those, that I have deep feelings for. It has never occurred to me that coming out might also be selfish – “hey hou everyone! I’m gay, deal with it however you like; I don’t care because you can’t hate me”. All those thoughts have been bugging me all weekend and got me a serious headache. :-/ I don't know the answers, I don't have the third driver I need and I might have never had the best friends in my life... What a hoot!

I loved how Liz 2 hinted at the phillip-isms in her Speech in the Westminster Hall I wish I could find it somewhere to post it here! FOUND IT! (For Prince Phillip remark see 2:36)

well some of them are hilarious! "People think there's a rigid class system here, but dukes have been known to marry chorus girls. Some have even married Americans." or: "Can you tell the difference between them?" - The Duke's question after President Barack Obama said he met with the leaders of the UK, China and Russia.

OK this was really TERRIBLE. I guess I'm not their targeted audience but I didn't manage to listen to that "song" more that for one minute.

Oh yes! River Song spices it up!