Nataly

Actually, that's sensible advice.. We're both pragmatic people, but it certainly makes more sense to look into it when the relationship is sound!! If for no other reason than to know our liability if we go bankrupt!!! (And as skydivers, you'll appreciate that this is a real possibility if you want to stay current!!! ) "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Wow--that sucks! Nope--we're getting a joint-mortgage, so it will be in both our names. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

AHHH!! *Finally* something worthy of my work-time!! I think people are muddling things up a bit.. Firstly, although lots of people would like this not to be true, Becks became well-known to non-football fans because he was dating Victoria.. So technically, he was standing in her spotlight--at the time she was worth millions, and he was mostly a no-name. In England, for some reason that escapes me completely, she has managed to always stay in the press after Spice Girls. People now associate her with Becks, but she's originally famous for the Spice Girls, then she just stayed in the media, and now they are a "power couple" of sorts in the UK.. I think the attention they've been getting is because they're keen to be in the press in the US as much as they were/are in the UK. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

The boyfriend and I are in the process of getting a joint-mortgage and finding a place.. Just wondering wether anyone else found the experience MINDNUMBINGLY painful?? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Thanks for the advice guys! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

d'uh!! Even I know that!! No, he's landing in NY, but will be driving around quite a bit--including going up to Niagara.. So taxi not really an option!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Hello everyone! My friend is travelling to the States (NY) in a couple of weeks and wants to rent a car. He's under 25 and it looks like it's gonna cost an arm and a leg.. Any tips from all you travellers out there would be very welcome! N@ "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Jesus Christ that fucking sucks--not for you, ASSHOLE, but for the rest of us!! Johnny had such a love of the sport. Oddly, the last message I have from dz.com was from him.. Hard to believe that all the thousands of people he muffed he still had such a big heart & remembered the "little people"! What a great way to go.. And what a great loss to skydivers everywhere. Bye bye ASSHOLE Nataly "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I know a lot of people won't believe this, but I was only *scared* on one jump. Oddly enough, it was the 15th!! It's the first time I actually looked down! Don't get me wrong.. I feel anxious.. And I this as is the case with most people, that anxiety has changed over time.. First it was the not knowing.. Then it was that I'd fuck up and have to re-do the very expensive AFF jumps (which I did).. Then it was that I'd fuck up the exit and/or dive (which I also did).. This turned into frustration when I couldn't get something right.. Then anxiety because you haven't jumped in a while.. I don't think I would jump if I were genuinely scared, though I do have a healthy respect for how things can go wrong.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Yeah, that's what I thought too. Thanks! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Hey all you gurus! I may be able to get the original VHS tape, but if not, how would I go about capturing footage that was burnt onto a DVD? (Sorry I use an ancient program and that I'm asking such an ignorant question!) Thanks in advance! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Thanks guys! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

What is it in OZ? PAL? NTSC?? Thanks! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Hi guys! Apologies if this seems like advertising--I hope the thread won't be seen as such. I will keep specific details to a minimum. I recently quit my job in London, England (not Canada!!) as a video editor for a small company because I want to work in PR. We edited some weddings, but most of our clients gave us home footage (usually of their kids or vacations) to either clean up or edit to a 5-10 minute video set to music. If you're interested in getting paid to use your editing skills, this might be a good opportunity. Great boss; flexible hours. Just thought I'd give everyone a head's up. PM me for more details. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Hi guys! Apologies if this seems like advertising--I hope the thread won't be seen as such. I will keep specific details to a minimum. I recently quit my job in London, England (not Canada!!) as a video editor for a small company because I want to work in PR. We edited some weddings, but most of our clients gave us home footage (usually of their kids or vacations) to either clean up or edit to a 5-10 minute video set to music. If you're interested in getting paid to use your editing skills, this might be a good opportunity. Great boss; flexible hours. Just thought I'd give everyone a head's up. PM me for more details. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Anyone out there been to Oslo? I booked a cheap, cheap flight for myself & the boytoy, and we'll be there later this week.. We're getting there quite late so first night will be at a cheap hostel, but for the second night, we would like something a little nicer.. Apparently you can rent cabins on one of the small islands for not much money.. Is this a good idea? Any other suggestions? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

800$ for a one-way ticket across the pond--to move in with the boytoy of my dreams

I would but currently I am a non-religious nun. Surely you're not suggesting anything naughty?!! I meant something like sit-ups, crunches--stuff like that.. SHAME ON YOU.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I had a bad sprain years ago that's still bothering me--probably because I didn't wait long enough before starting to run again (only 6 months).. Apparently, I'd have been better off breaking my ankle, though either way, I wish I'd just stayed in and not gone running in the ice/slush in the first place .. This injury sounds like it needs a lot of TLC.. Why don't you find sports you can do lying down, until you can jump again !! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Which supports my theory "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Quote(not to mention, your logic makes no sense! Why would a health care professional assume a Brit or Canadian would have medical insurance when they don't need it?) To answer that question -- we *do* have insurance. Canadians, for instance, all have "medicare", which covers basic stuff. In addition to this, most people have additional insurance (ie: blue cross) through their work (all military personnel, for example), which covers more things, like medication and dentists. More people still have travel insurance when they go abroad. Many, many, many Canadians have their own medical insurance policies. "Free" healthcare doesn't cover everything... Similarly, although brits have free national health care, many Brits take out personal healthcare & pay for insurance.. I'm not saying it's a policy to overcharge foreigners.. I'm suggesting that it's a possibility that the bill is higher when they assume the insurance will cover it (because individuals often can't pay out). It may not be happening in hospitals--it's just a theory. But it *does* happen in all kinds of places.. Just think.. Lots of people charge more when they know they can get more money.. Our editing company charges rich clients more under the pretense that they require more attention--but really it's just because they can afford it!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I'm no expert, but I'm guessing the bill's so high because they expect certain foreigners to have medical insurance.. I know it's different, but I have friends who work in garages and they say they double the bill when they know the insurance will be paying out. I'd be willing to bet that Canadians and Brits would fall into the category of people who are likely to be overcharged (because of their healthcare policies). If you don't have insurance, I'd call them (cheap number 08448 615 615 -- 1p per minute; country code 001; area code probably 813 in Florida). I'd tell them you are a single individual & don't have insurance. Ask them for an itemised bill. Probably they'll have charged you for a whole bunch of stuff they never used but always put on the bill (gloves, box of kleenex, q-tips, etc). You can contest these items, and probably lower the bill by a couple of hundred dollars, believe it or not. Did that myself and my 5 minute pee sample went from 1400$ to a measly 1100$. Still a fucking rip off, but 300$ less, anyway. Collection agencies cannot pursue you after a certain amount of time (I can't remember if it's 1 or 2 years--I think it's 2), but although they're not allowed to bug you about it, some of them will, and worse, it won't go away until you pay and it'll take forever to build up a good rep after this--especially as you are not american & won't be actively doing things to change your credit status over there. Although bad credit in North America (or good credit, for that matter ) will *not* follow you to the UK, the US can be particularly nasty about letting you back into the country for stuff like that. I'd consider whether or not you want to be black-listed before you leave it for too long. If after speaking to you they do not send an itemised bill and they are not willing to budge, I'd try taking some legal action--though I couldn't tell you how to go about that.. All of this sucks, but the fact is that you chose to go to the States, engage in a risky sport, and make use of their health facilities... At the end of the day, they make the rules, and the moment you stepped into that hospital and received their care, you consented to playing by those rules. A good lesson to be learned here is to have proper insurance when travelling--it's always a lot cheaper to dish out £50 than 1000$ -- just think if you had broken a leg or hip, or dislocated your neck, or needed to be air-lifted to hospital etc.. Hope this helps.. **Edit to say: by legal action, I'm not suggesting you dispute having to pay the bill, but you can certainly put pressure on them to justify the *amount* they charged. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

This is fun!!! breasts: tah tahs, the girls, the twins, the twin peaks, mountains, implants, silicone, silicone valley penis: prick, sausage, "Mr Big", rod, pole, baby maker, hose, shaft, joystick sexual intercourse: "putting his fishies in her tank", a friendly poke, banging, grinding hips, bumping hips, fertilizing, nooky, doing what comes naturally, doing "it", pole dancing, bonking, boinking, conjugal relations, conjugal duties, wife's obligation, finding God, a "religious experience", playing hide the sausage, mounting (usually when girl on top), copulating, reproducing, doing the wild thing, popping her cherry, doing the deed, doing the nasty, playing doctor, the full meal deal, option c (if you have to pay for it) I'm sure more will come to me... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

But Mr. Jeremy... I thought you *loved* oysters!!! (Nice pic--reminds me of his early days, before he got obese and hideous!!!) "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

_________________________________ AMEN TO THAT!!! I have to say, I am rather sceptical about these types of surveys... A lot depend on how the questions are worded, and also how women want to be perceived. Example: if you had to choose the most acurate statement between these two: a. A bit of chesthair can be attractive b. Chesthair makes me want to puke I'd answer "a", which might seem as though I like chest hair--I don't, but if I had to choose I'd say it's ok, as opposed to HIDEOUS! And consider this type of question: I choose a mate according to the size of his wallet: a. Never b. Occasionally c. Always I'm going to say "a.", but that doesn't mean money isn't important!! And as someone's already said, there are factors there, as well--mostly, it's the ambition and motivation that the man has that's important, not his current actual net worth. These surveys are crap! They're designed to shock and provoke--or support someone's "fantasy world" where love handles are sexier to look at than a firm six-pack... *PLEASE*!!! -- Edit to add: Now, let's get you men to send in naked pics of yourselves, and we'll have a totally unbiased survey as to which one of you we find sexy!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss