Using 47°36' N Latitude and Google Earth to find the appropriate landing point on the Asian continent you appear to arrive on the coast of Sakhalin Island, part of Sakhalin Oblast, a federal subject of Russia. It appears to be a mainly rural area of the curved coast that is NNW of Dolinsk (because of the shape of the lower part of the island).

Most any kind of processed food has loads of sodium in it, especially the instant-type meals you're talking about. Sodium acts as not only a flavor enhancer but also a preservative. So to make food that has had all the natural flavor processed out of it palatable and extend shelf life, it needs ridiculous amounts of salt. This is where Americans get most the massive excess of sodium in their diets that you hear about.

Now food that is more-or-less home cooked is going to have a far lower sodium content because it's only going to have the salt that you add to it. Using your example of spaghetti: the noodles will have a pretty low sodium content and the jar of sauce you buy will be higher, depending of what type , but probably not in the range of an instant meal (unless you get a jarred alfredo, that shit is crazy salty). The jarred sauce is obviously processed but much less so than a Lean Cuisine. If you were to make your own sauce from canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, ect., you'd not only have a far superior tasting meal, but also a much healthier one. I'm not going to go on a rant about how great learning to cook is - you get the point.

On sodium and health: If you're a basically healthy person eating large amounts of sodium isn't necessarily the worst thing in the world for you. Your kidneys do a fine job of regulating sodium and fluid content in your body and you should be able to deal with salty meals just fine. OTOH if you have issues with your health, namely high blood pressure, kidney problems, excess weight, etc., you'd be much better off without the high sodium food. I'd also recommend a lower salt intake so your palate isn't blown out by salt. If you're eating high sodium foods all the time, "real" food isn't going to taste salty enough for you. Once your palate is adjusted away from the processed stuff, you'll find that it really does taste like shit and you'll wonder how you choked it down!

The plugs/sockets are different, so you'll need a travel adapter so you can just plug things in. You can often find these in drugstores - this is what a UK plug looks like: http://www.cellphoneshop.net/ukplug.html?CAWELAID=993626248&gclid=CLC0h9Ci3q8CFQJdhwodYG54Ag

Voltage is 240V AC in the UK (while continental Europe is 220V - they're both close enough to be essentially the same). For most electronic goods that have separate power units (camera charger, cell phone charger, laptop adapter and so on), the adapter or charger will have a note somewhere on it indicating the voltage range it can take; this is nearly always 100...240v or similar for most modern electronics. If that's the case with yours, then you can just plug it into the adapter as in the picture above, and it will work just fine on UK voltage.

If you have some item that is only rated for 110, then you'd need to buy a more expensive voltage converter unit. (It's somewhat rare to actually need this for casual travel, though; most personal electronics work fine on 110 or 240, and the things that are voltage-specific tend to be appliances that one generally doesn't bring on vacation.)

Not sure about the hair dryer, though; most hotels have these anyhow, so you may be better off leaving yours at home. (Not an expert, but I'd be wary of pluging a heating device rated at 110v into a 220v source for fear of it overheating.)

"I have heard time and again that girls like assertive bad-boy alpha male douchebag asshole types".

The kind of "girls" who find these types of men appealing are probably not ones you would be interested in dating. Being attracted to asshole douchebags is usually symptomatic of problems. Grown-up women with good self-esteem want the same thing grown-up men with good self-esteem want: a considerate, kind partner who will respect and accept them. It's a cliche for sure, but no less true for it: what we find attractive is confidence. Assertive, yes. Douchebag assholes, no.

As a woman, it gets so fucking tedious hearing men bitch about how we "only" like assholes. I do not like assholes, male or female. None of my female friends, relatives or coworkers like assholes. I have heard countless men complain about how they can't attract women because they're "too nice". This reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of women's desires and priorities. For the most part, we are not clingy, infantile dimwits who need a "chest-thumping gorilla" of an emotionally abusive dick to make us swoon with our own helpless inferiority. And the men who complain the loudest about how their kindness, generosity and attentiveness is a HINDRANCE when it comes to dating are usually petulant, embittered and insecure - guaranteed vagina-repellent.

As a woman, my advice to you is the drop the whole nice-guy-martyr schtick and play up your strengths. Focus on what you like about yourself: what makes you a great friend, great dad and great (theoretical) boyfriend? Those things are the unique assets that make you awesome and will attract the kind of woman who shares similar values. Your ex's betrayal was no doubt a bitter blow to your self-esteem, but now you must build it back up. You don't have to make any excuses or apologies for who you are; the right woman for you will be attracted to YOU, not some 'roided out, over-aggressive bro.

Also: it may be more fun to meet people "naturally", but dating sites can help you find people who share similar values and goals, and weed out the evangelical-Christian-Republican dog haters. I recommend giving online dating a try.

2 years ago there were alot of oxhart varieties of Renton ave ( I think it's called minters earlinton. ). Don't know if it's okay to post their number, but I'd suggest calling since it's a bit further south. But it's a great nursery and they had five rows of tomato varieties in really good shape. Pricier than home depot but well worth the extra bucks to have healthy tomatoes well into the grow cycle that you could actually get them to ripen in seattle

I walked by that mural the other day. There is an explanation in the far left corner when you are facing the mural. It was by Ersa and Ksera and Pratt youth
www.flickr.com/404era
www.k-sra.blogspot.com

I'm not clear on if you want the cheapest "computer" possible or the cheapest laptop possible or the cheapest desktop possible.

The cheapest functional computer possible is probably something along the lines of a Picotux: http://www.picotux.com/ (99 EU for the 2MB version). There are very specialized versions of Linux (such as minix, or some BSDs) that can run entirely from a floppy (1.44MB), so 2MB of flash RAM is plenty of room.

Oh, but you mentioned you wanted 4GB of RAM, and 1.44MB is only 0.00036% of that, so I'm going to assume you really want the cheapest desktop or laptop available.

The cheapest of both is always free. RE-PC (or one of the several other electronic recycling places with a retail store in the Seattle area) won't give you stuff for free, but the people who give them stuff for free (or even pay them to come pick it up and get rid of it!) will.

You have to find those people. Since I manage a large-ish amount of computers, I am occasionally one of those people and have given away dozens (hundreds?) of things that were put up for grabs before eventually ending up at RE-PC. Everything from USB cables to hard drives to monitors to desktops to (really old) laptops. Even a couple Macs! Unfortunately, right now the closets are clear at work and I don't really have anything for you. But someone out there might!

Second to free, RE-PC (and similar stores, there is another one literally across the street) are worth checking out and do sell used, bare-bones machines, but to be totally honest I have always felt their prices are too high for me when I'm at RE-PC and feeling cheap.

You could try to find a decent deal on craigslist (try not to get robbed), or maybe the QuestionLand marketplace, but there is a large demand for cheap/free computers that don't suck so I wouldn't expect a miracle.

If you're going to buy a new laptop, my first advice is to see if you can afford a used Macbook. They start brand new at like $899 (I think) so you may find one 4-5 years old that is in your price range. Macbooks are the best laptops in existence and anyone who disagrees is simply wrong.

As far as PC laptops go, netbooks are cheaper than laptops (especially since their market is disappearing to tablets), but they are also not very high quality. I've seen a lot of people blow through a lot of netbooks from all different makes. You can find netbooks as cheap as $199, but with 4GB of RAM you're in "good netbook" to "crappy laptop" territory (aka $400-500). I have no strong opinions on good PC laptops but I have seen Dells, Lenovos, HPs, and Sonys that seemed okay in the last year.

PC desktops are much more interesting to build cheaply because you can build them part-by-part if you know how to build a computer, which really isn't very hard. There are lots of videos and articles online that take you through parting out a computer to purchase and build on Newegg. Only shop at Newegg or Amazon Prime -- every other site sucks for computer hardware (unless you need any sort of cable, then you go to monoprice.com).

Since Newegg rules, they have a whole category of "bare bone" computers of varying levels of bareness. Here are all of them sorted by price: http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=3&name=Barebone-Systems&Order=PRICE

At the end of the day your average "cheap but decent" (as you described) netbook should cost around $300, laptop around $500, and desktop (without monitor) probably closer to $400. Keep in mind Windows 7 costs $100 bare-minimum unless you pirate it or use a free OS (I'd try out Ubuntu). Reduce all prices by 20-30% if you go for used.

I'd buy a used 3-5 year old Macbook for $400-600.

Some people nerd out and try to build the cheapest functional computer possible. Here is an example:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=1659798 ($210!)

These are interesting and educational because you can get an overview of the specific components that make up a bare-bones system, and a functional system.

Here are two other articles to help as well:

http://lifehacker.com/5151369/the-first+timers-guide-to-building-a-computer-from-scratch

http://lifehacker.com/5826509/how-to-build-a-computer-from-scratch-lesson-1-hardware-basics

Good luck and feel free to comment if you have any specific questions.

Parcel Post is just standard ground package (or parcel) delivery through the United States Post Office. According to their website, it looks like 2-8 days is considered standard. https://www.usps.com/business/parcel-post-for-business.htm

If customers are having issues with items taking weeks or months, the issue is probably with the person doing the shipping, and not the shipping method. I've shipped and received items through the post office very frequently for over a decade now, and almost never have a problem. Honestly, if there are reliability or consistency issues, I'm guessing it's the seller's issue. If they don't pack the item and get it to the post office in a timely manner than, obviously, that will delay things. There's an option to add delivery notification/tracking, but those are additional charges and would've had to have been negotiated/selected before the sale. You should be able to contact the seller and ask them specifically what day they sent it. That should give you a good indication of arrival time. Because Miami to Seattle are as far apart as possible in the states, I'm guessing it'll be closer to the 8 business days length of time.

The size of the box shouldn't affect shipping time.

There is lots and lots of stuff out there to consult to answer your questions.
Most packaged or canned foods will also have a manufacturer's toll-free phone answer line to field any questions you have about their products. When in doubt on a packaged food, call and ask.

"Best if consumed by" or "best before" dates are often ways that manufactures are stating that for best taste and consumer satisfaction the food should be eaten before that date, not that it is not safe to eat after that date. Expiration dates are something with which you should pay more careful attention.

Eggs present a great growth medium for all sorts of things so proper storage and using within printed expiration dates is pretty important. To test your eggs for freshness here are a couple of recommendations:
http://busycooks.about.com/od/quicktips/qt/testingeggs.htm
http://southernfood.about.com/cs/eggrecipes/ht/fresh_eggs_ht.htm
There are lots of others.

As far as mold on hard cheese goes, I have usually just shaved off the edge and kept eating, but why not read from an expert good enough to be posted on the Mayo Clinic site:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01024
There are some pretty simple guidelines.

When in doubt on a fresh food that presents a contamination, bacterial growth or other safety risk - it is ALWAYS better to toss it than to be SORRY that you ate it!

No. The car will be no different than one originally purchased in Washington. Washington has the same standards as California, and has since 2009. http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/cleancar.html

Kristen, this is adorable! Since it's handmade, I'd estimate a price of around $30-40, plus shipping. Look up "plush toy" on Etsy, and you'll see that prices go up as the toys get more complicated.

I also think you could charge more if you customize them somehow.

Your scenario still fits within the description of the applicable WA law governing crosswalks. That is: "Remain stopped...when the pedestrian or bicycle is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning." So remaining stopped until the pedestrian reaches the curb on the other side of the bicycle lane would not be necessary. It could be considered polite, however.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.235

RCW 46.61.235
Crosswalks.
(1) The operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian or bicycle to cross the roadway within an unmarked or marked crosswalk when the pedestrian or bicycle is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning. For purposes of this section "half of the roadway" means all traffic lanes carrying traffic in one direction of travel, and includes the entire width of a one-way roadway.

I just bought my first home (got keys on April 6th) and I learned a lot of things along the way. We are a similar age, but I wanted a condo or a townhouse (and ended up in the latter).

First and foremost, Redfin is awesome. My significant other and I couldn't be happier with our experience with Redfin. Their website rocks, their people rock, their system is smart and empowers the buyer, they had our back the whole time, and neither of us felt a moment of pressure or that we weren't dealing with a realtor that was on our side all the way.

The first thing I did was get pre-approved at Bank of America thinking they could give me the best deal. I had a dollar amount I was pre-approved for (including downpayment), and we planned to go around places listed 5-10% over what we actually had and lowball them until we got lucky. We eventually found exactly what we wanted for exactly what I was pre-approved for and are very happy with the decision to buy it.

Finding the house was easy -- especially using Redfin's awesome website and the great realtor they set us up with -- it's finalizing the mortgage and title that is a pain in the ass.

We went out looking together or separate (always with Redfin) at least a dozen times over 3 months before making an offer on a place that had been on the market for 5 days.

Originally, I wanted my realtor and my bank to be unrelated things. I know how to read so I know Bank of America is a horrible company, but they also are giant and offered me a crazy mortgage when I eventually put an offer in.

In fact, it was so crazy, they called me 21 days into the closing process (10 days before I was supposed to get keys) and told me they couldn't do it because the property was zoned mixed-use and too small to be considered, by them, a good investment. They first tried to blame government regulations but we eventually got them to admit it was internal policy. It was fucking bullshit and fuck Bank of America, but I'm over it and have been cautioned by many people that I should be thankful I got away from BoA's mortgage division as soon as I did.

After that, I went to someone local Redfin recommended (Sterling Savings, who also did a great job), and 30 days later I had keys.

The process of getting a mortgage has more hoops than I can possibly remember. Plus, while Redfin is all nice and electronic, nobody else is, and you have to sign and fax or mail so much junk.

Ever bought a car? Remember all the paperwork? Imagine doing that twice a week for a month solid. I would have felt much more stress if I didn't have a flexible schedule at work.

Talking cash, the #1 thing I learned was that having a 20% downpayment makes life a lot easier. It makes it easier to get the loan, and you don't have to pay for mortgage insurance.

My closing costs were about $4000 in fees (3/4 point -- you'll learn what a point is -- $450 appraisal, escrow/title/bank fees); and about $2500 in stuff I had to pre-pay (you have to pre-pay a lot of taxes and insurance stuff and early April is the one of the most expensive times of the year to do it).

After the BoA ordeal, I shopped around at 4 banks and got offers that were not significantly different. In all, total closing was around $5500, and that included the rebate I got back from Redfin.

I also had to pay for a $500 inspection and $130 worth of lock changes.

We are paying 20% less per month to own vs. renting a nice apartment in house payments, but probably more in utilities. Overall I am glad to have found the place we both really wanted, done with the process, don't have to worry about my rent going up every lease and moving every 2-3 years, and about 70% unpacked.

But there was a week or two there during that mortgage process where I wanted to punch a kitten in the face.

We intend to live here for 7-10 years and then change scenery, perhaps the east coast where the SO is from. And it would be nice to be in the position financially to just rent the place out then, which I can do after I have lived here for 1 year.

If the two of you together is a good idea it will be a good idea a week, a month or even later from now. Nothing can kill a possible developing relationship like being smothered (when such attention is not welcomed or inappropriate).

Your prospective partner has already made significant decisions in life and has the responsibility of a son and maintaining some connection to his father (that will always be true). Her next choice in a long term relationship will be made with all of those factors in focus. You have a lot to learn about her and her world that goes well beyond the time you have spent together. She is not going to let you into those realms until she is far more sure of things.

The best course of action is to be the man that she will see as being worthy of the investment of time, trust and heart. You have plans for next week already. Perhaps find a way to communicate that you have a busy week ahead and confirm time and place to meet on Thursday, then let some days of silence happen. You will have more to talk about when you see each other.

I have a grain mill that I inherited from my grandma which I LOVE - but then again I bake all my own bread and live in a wheat producing area. It's pretty incredible to get local wheat, mill it yourself, and bake delicious, wholesome bread from the resulting flour.

Baking bread is easier than many people think; I would suggest that you try baking a loaf or two of homemade bread. Also, if you ever make pancakes, waffles or quick breads (like banana bread) freshly ground whole wheat flour is fantastic for anything that calls for flour. Who knows, this grain mill could turn you into a baker!

You can also grind flax seeds in a grain mill; they're extremely nutritious and high in Omega-3's but need to be ground for you to get the benefits. Try keeping a jar of flax meal in the fridge and eat it sprinkled over cereal, in yogurt or in a smoothie. I also put flax in all my baked goods: they add a subtle, delicious nutty element to chocolate chip cookies and magically turn them into a healthy food!

Wow this is a really tough decision; I feel for you. I have had to make a similar choice around contacting a father who from a lot of perspectives didn't "deserve" to be contacted (it was a matter of neglect more than abuse for me). Here are some thoughts.

1) The first answer that came to mind was: Only do it for you - not for him. Don't do it out of any sense of obligation or responsibility that you may still carry, or for what you think you're supposed to do for your father; "How can I leave him along, he's still my father," etc. (I don't know if that is relevant or not, but I thought I'd mention it.) Is this something you want? Do you feel it is important for you?

2) I can see that you're already thinking about your motivations enough to recognize that you are looking for a parent, especially with your mom gone - that is understandable, and is not a reason NOT to contact him; but be aware that it's very unlikely you will get that need fulfilled - in other words, prepare to be disappointed.

3) All that said, this actually has the potential to be a healing experience and an experience of growth for you. It's likely the situation will bring up some old, unresolved patterns around your relationship with your father, and how you see yourself. This may give you the chance to "digest" what happened, and "digest" your relationship with your father, in a way that you were not able to do in 6th grade.

4) So, if you think you will be able to emotionally handle the experience, and if you want to, I would see him.

5) I recommend enlisting the help of a therapist to help you work through this process. Our relationships with our parents cut very deep. You're likely to experience a range of contradictory emotions - anger, hatred, love, confusion, desire to be seen by him - its all okay, and it can be helpful to have some kind, objective support. Before you see him, a therapist can also help you understand what you want to get out of this contact, what is realistic, and what action/communication will be most likely to get you what you want. Then, afterwards, you can process the experience with your therapist.

These are just my thoughts - I tend to be supportive of counseling for everyone. Regardless of whether you go that route, I encourage you to stay with your feelings, and be kind to yourself in this process.

You didn't mention what type of orchid you have, although I'm not sure my answer would vary too much.  The most common orchids we see in the PNW include Cymbidiums (aka boat orchids), Paphiopedilums (aka lady slipper orchids), and Phaelaebiosis (aka moth orchids).  These orchids are relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to grow in our homes.

Now back to your question:  Do you see ANY sign of a new leaf? If the answer is yes, you have a chance of saving the plant. Cut back the flower stem--you want the plants energy going into producing leaves not flowers--and get your plant on a regular water schedule. I'll give general orchid care instructions later.

If the answer is no, I recommend replacing the orchid.  

Here's some general orchid care instruction:

Light:  Orchids do not like direct sunlight.  Place your plant in a very bright window. 

Water:  Watering is probably the most frequent reason orchids fail to thrive or die.  Most orchids should be watered just as they begin to dry out.  There are variations to this rule.  Orchids like Phaeleonopis and Paphiopedilums have no water storage "organ" and need to be watered just before dryness occurs.  I water my Paphiopedilums once a week.  To water place the plant in the kitchen sink.  Water your plant copiously until the water runs freely from the drainage holes. Keep the plant in the sink until all the water has drained.  

Fertilize:  There is a lot of information available about when to fertilize and what fertilizer to use.  Unless you want to become a collector and grow lots of orchids, I'd recommend keeping it simple.  At the time of watering, I put a pinch of orchid fertilzer in 1 cup of water for every plant.  Every 3rd watering, I omit the fertilizer.  

Humidity:  Place your plant on a saucer filled with pebbles.  Add some water.  Each week, replace with fresh water.  Don't overfill the saucer.  You don't want the plant to drink this water!  The roots will rot.

This is probably more information than you wanted but I hope it helps.  If you do replace your orchid, keep the care tag.  The American Orchid Society's website has  particularly good Orchid 101 fact sheet designed for novice orchid lovers.  Or, post another question and I can give you specific care info for the type of orchid you've purchased.  

#1 - Your Car - The person plummeting to their death and crashing into your car would be considered a missile (in the general sense of the word). Therefore, initially, if you had Comprehensive coverage on the car, your insurance company would cover the damage to the car, minus your Comp deductible.

#2 - Suicidal Jumper's Injuries - If you have Personal Injury Protection coverage on your vehicle, your policy will actually pay for that jumper's medical expenses, if he/she lives, or funeral expenses, should they die (up to the limits stated in your actual policy, for medical, usually $10K and funeral $5K, and whether or not the coverage would cover the jumper varies by state).

#3 - Intent - The intent of the jumper would have to have been to land on your car, specifically, for this to matter, and since that information would be nearly impossible to obtain, this is an interesting, but ultimately moot question.

#4 - Victim was pushed - Again, unless the person pushing the other was aiming for your car, this doesn't matter. The damage to your car would still be considered to be caused by negligence (probably...again, varies by state). In the case of the pushed person, your claim is against the pusher. If they jump, against them directly.

#5 - No 1st Party Coverage on your car - wait 'til they die or recover enough to leave the hospital before you present them with a claim (assuming there are no statutes of limitations that would toll by doing so). Nobody likes an asshole; not even lawyers and judges.

Ikea! but hurry, they sell out really fast. If you want something local and ceder try "Seattle Cedar"

Mcclendens also has good values for outdoor furniture.

Because of your south facing windows you may want to explore some additional methods of blocking incoming light. Stopping incoming radiation by application of a partially reflective film could significantly lower the amount of energy entering through the window glass and is then being absorbed by your blinds which essentially adds heat to the room. Dark color blinds also become a good absorber of heat energy. You may want to find blinds that have a colored side that faces the room and a shiny metal side that faces outwards. These will also reflect energy back out of the house.

When I replace my own blinds I plan to install those that can also be lowered from the top leaving a privacy barrier in place from the street but still allowing full natural light into the room from an open section at the top. The light entering at the top of the window then can reflect off of the white ceiling and illuminate the room from above, which is a pleasing direction for background light in a room.

Obviously, this so depends upon the people and what they like. For over a decade, I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the fun stuff at the Zoostore at Woodland Park Zoo. You don't have to buy zoo admission, you can get into the store at the west gate, i believe. If not, just explain to the admissions person that you're looking to shop. Along with all the souvenirs you'd expect, there's some fun world art and crafts and jewelry, and notepads made from elephant dung paper.

If you've got time to wait for shipping, etsy.com can be a great resource. Like all of the internet, you've got to wade through some real crap to find the good stuff. But there's a surprising amount of delightful handmade stuff at reasonable prices. If you're stumped, try entering some key words (this is how I found a much-beloved slow loris print, and an adorable sloth necklace). And while this won't help now, remember that the Urban Craft Uprising show is in July. It's great getting to touch and hold wonderful creations from many of our local etsy sellers.

Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park has a really wonderful collection of "prizes." Lots of great and quirky finds, many in the $5 range. From housewares to stationary to finger puppets. I haven't been in their Ravenna store, but they probably also have good stuff. Independent bookstores, in general, often have some really great and unusual gift items.

Portage Bay Goods has a great selection of gift items, cards, journals, and they try to stock stuff that is FUNCTIONAL as well as fun (some type of cool hammer, or hipster mug, or whatever). I appreciate that, as I prefer to gift items that have a purpose. http://www.portagebaygoods.com/page_info?pages_id=1

If you're looking for gifts that are cute/adorable, CakeSpy has a pretty nice selection. http://www.cakespyshop.com/

Not A Number was that wacky store in Wallingford that was similar to Archie McPhee's, but had more liberal bumperstickers everywhere. They're now on N 35th. So for the funny stuff, the quirky stuff (America vs Communist Unicorn action figures), and liberal political gifts, this is the place. http://notanumbergifts.com/

City People's Mercantile in Laurelhurst is fantastic, as well. I've never gotten anything hardware related here, but it's a treasure trove for finding amazing gifts and things. And it's pretty big, so there's lots to check out. http://www.citypeoples.com/

Lastly, while I haven't been there, Andaluz seems well loved on yelp, for having fun little items in addition to their clothing and jewelry. http://www.yelp.com/biz/andaluz-seattle

Since you don't have underlayment, nor do you want to install it or use chemicals, you're going to have to pull weeds as Greg Barnes suggested. You can also use boiling water to kill weeds and their ungerminated seeds--it's non-toxic and effective, but a bit unwieldy.

Do you like moss? Acidulate your soil with vinegar, which will kill most vascular plants but will encourage moss growth.

Finally, you could try covering your path with black sheet plastic for several weeks. This will kill whatever is trying to grow under it by denying it sunlight and (if you're lucky) cooking it with the sun's heat.

However, with all of these methods, you're going to have to stay on top of pulling up weeds as they sprout as none of them will prevent seeds that drift in from germinating.

Hi MR,

I've had my grinder for nearly 5 years now with no problems. So for $15 a year, I'm content.

There used to be an "ask this person a question" button, but maybe no longer? This I cannot answer.

Cheers,

Griffin

Numbers that hold a significant lucky or unlucky status in many cultures seem to have commonality in the basic nature of being odd or even and are notably within single digit amounts (or sometimes certain multiples). You can read all sorts of things about numbers of gifts given or numbers of people in a photograph, but that tends to break down when the numbers are large.

What I did find repeatedly mentioned was that the numbers of distinctly separate ethnic groups (sub-cultures) with separate languages, heritage, and cultural identities within Vietnam itself number 54.

Here is a list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_groups_in_Vietnam

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
Anatole France (1844-1924)

The essence of this sentiment, that is not explained in the brief and elegant words is to have a relationship, a recognition, a shared existence and high regard, a bonded trust with an animal.

I get the impression you realize the less than complete ideal environment your room provides, but you are willing to call it home when not otherwise involved in life. Perhaps it is not a great location to ask another being to call home all of the time. The place where you want to keep your possible future pet and the time you have to devote to it appear better suited to managing a healthy self-contained environment where an animal that does not necessarily bond with you as important, can live, solitarily or ideally with others of its own kind - like an aquarium. You become involved with having to gain the knowledge and procedures to design, set up and maintain a healthy and working biosphere where beings can live and coexist. It requires work and dedication. You gain the presence of animals that depend on your skill and dedication, and the movement and presence of an aquatic environment can be very relaxing and enjoyable for you. However, this is a situation that makes you more of an observer than a participant.

Having an animal that you can play and interact with suggests a much higher level of awareness. Such an animal that could interact with you when you are there would find a lonely existence all the time you are gone. A huge gauge of success in doing right by a pet is not for it to merely live, but to thrive, that is to prosper and enjoy life - to have challenges, surprises, tasks, routines, and the occasional treats that make one moment in life different from another.

You don't mention the relationship with the feline and canine residents of your house. My thought is to work to building a relationship with one of them. They presumably have a complete life there already, but one of them might find you to be the best thing happening when you are around. Then you will have that friend that will be happy to see you when you arrive and choose to hang out and interact with you when you are home.

Here's what I've heard from my contact at the court:
Suspended is a big deal, obviously. You'll be arrested for it (criminal offense). Expired is a $250 ticket (traffic infraction). Technically they can make you walk or call a cab or a friend, but many cops won't be that mean. If you submit by mail written proof that you have renewed your license they court will reduce the fine to $50.

Sez Mr. Griffin, the math PhD student:

MATLAB is better for numerical analysis and large data sets. Mathematica is better for symbolic manipulation and visual representations in calculus and analysis.

So, it depends on what you want to do. He says it's worthwhile to learn both programs.

Mathematica lets you do stuff like this, too, if you're into that.

These lube names crack me up. I'm going to introduce you to some "Kitchen Magic."

Get some almond oil and mix it with a little coconut oil, so it's creamy. OH MY GOD, is it ever yummy and it smells like dessert, too. There used to be a hippie called Charlie Sunshine who made some of the first commercical lubes with these two ingredients, and a little scent. Before AIDS, it was all the rage.

Now, with condom security in mind, people choose water-soluble lubes. But if you're not using condoms, oil is heavenly. For anal sex, it's even better.

I wouldn't put beeswax in my vagina... I mean, it's WAX. If you rubbed it on your hands, how long would it take to get it off, even with soap? These lubes aren't mystical... just read the ingredients and BUYER BEWARE.

P.S. Rachel really knows the latest on lube stuff, Babeland always has great info pages on this topic.

Charlie Chaplin I would fear most because his expert pantomime would allow him to sneak into my apartment and convert it to Dadaism.

Gunter Grass would torment my mind with dense barely understood German prose tortuously translated into barely readable English.

Together, they would rule the planet.

The vera project has a bulletin board near the bathrooms where people post various ads for bands seeking members and other music and community related notices