Colin Angus Mackay wrote: Anne Robinson, the host, is apparently like that in real life too... She was a guest on Top Gear once. I'm sure she scared the hell out of Jeremy Clarkson, though he tried very hard not to show it. (She's a fairly aggressive driver too, surprise surprise.) -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

brianwelsch wrote: Anyone have some valuable lessons they learned the hard way to share? Just one: When designing bookshelves, make sure you count the thickness of the wood when you're calculating the total height! -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

I do home workouts with dumbbells - I try to do this about 3 times a week, been a bit too busy with work lately though. Weekends I like to hike in the local parks or foothills (Los Angeles County, California at the moment; Dundee, Scotland normally). Adding aerobic exercise doesn't seem to do squat for me. Earlier this summer I tried getting up early, 7 days a week, and doing half an hour on one of the machines at the gym... didn't change the way I was eating, and didn't lose an ounce. Luckily the apartment complex where I live has a free (though tiny) gym, so at least I didn't lose a ton of $$$ trying this out. I also try to do tai chi once in a while, to stay flexible (and to get my circulation going again when I've been sitting on my butt for too long). Sorry you asked yet? :) -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

Steve Mayfield wrote: I didn't realize that she was 6 foot 2 inches tall Me neither! No wonder they god Dan Aykroyd to play her in that Saturday Night Live sketch... :) "Save the liver!"

Is it any good then? I'm sure I saw this in Waterstone's last time I was home... one of the many things I hate about being exiled in LA, I just can't find many of the good authors over here. I loved his Cosmonaut series. Great stuff! Haven't read anything else by him yet, keep meaning to... -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

A great line from the BBC news article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3545684.stm[^]: 'It quotes the Liberal Democrats' environment spokesman, Norman Baker MP, as saying the picture emerging looked like "a case of hidden mass medication upon the unsuspecting public".' And it still doesn't explain nearly enough, if you ask me... :) -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

Jörgen Sigvardsson wrote: Anyone drunk in the audience? I've been in the office for the last 9 hours or so. I *wish* I was drunk, it might help me understand how to use strtok(). -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

Roger Wright wrote: But lifting weights is boring! And the treadmill isn't?! You lost me... :) Roger Wright wrote: ...and for women the idea of building large muscles may be esthetically undesirable It's very, VERY hard for women to bulk up, even on purpose. This doesn't even wash as an excuse any more. IMHO too much emphasis is put on "losing weight" and not enough on either "losing fat" or "getting fit". (And I am NOT saying that just because I've been gaining and losing the same 4 pounds since March!) Loads of cardio WILL make you lose weight, but a lot of that is often muscle - if your body decides it's meant to be running around everywhere, it makes sense to be as light as possible. So too much cardio can backfire by just making you light and squishy... -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

Matt Gullett wrote: 39 - Now leave me alone, you're making me loose my concentration. (1) I think you mean "lose", not "loose". :) (2) What do you mean, "overly fascinated with fiddly details"? I resent that! (3) I now feel oddly inadequate having scored only 38. On the other hand, that's the same number as my age, and the same as Eric Gagne's jersery number. (See? I just can't help it.) ... though, to be honest, I thought half my answers were more to do with the old Attention Deficit Thingywhatsis... wait, now I'm all confused... -- Diane C Itinerant games programmer "Federal Espresso - When it absolutely, positively has to stay up overnight."

Maybe you're pregnant. :) - Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

Roger Wright wrote: This is a weight loss idea that could really take off! Yes, I hang out on the low carb diet forums a lot and this is one of those things that "everybody knows". It is a always greeted with much relief - finally, a positive feedback loop that does something GOOD! Roger Wright wrote: Uh oh... I see a lot of things on WebMD that I hope are *not* true! I've seen references to this in many places, WebMD is just the most reputable source I found when doing a quick search. I tried typing "basal metabolic rate increase muscle" into Google, and - surprisingly - almost all of the first page of hits AGREED that the BMR can be raised by increasing your lean (or muscle) mass. So apparently it really IS something that everybody knows. :) It probably says this in some reputable books as well, but I am at the office right now and can only search the Web... :| -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of western civilisation)

Michael Dunn wrote: I prefer the "shower gel" style stuff to a bar. I'm with you on that one. (Err... you know what I mean.) As an added bonus, the last bit of the shower gel is just as useful as the first bit - no more wondering what to do with the last useless sliver! -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of Western civilization)

Roger Wright wrote: Muscle doesn't consume anything, unless you use it Actually, yes it does... increasing your muscle mass increases your basal metabolic rate: in other words, if you have more muscle mass, you burn more calories even when you're just sitting around. I saw it on WebMD, it must be true... :) -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of Western civilization)

/sRoger Wright wrote: What the heck are the other 2489 users doing ... ? Uhm, hanging out in the Lounge? :) - Diane C "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." (Dorothy Parker (attributed))

Surely you could disturb the boss on his or her mobile (cell) phone? I don't know what time it is where you are, this might be a really good way to teach them not to do that again. :) -- Diane C "I think it would be a good idea." (Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of Western civilization)

It might also have something to do with flight paths... remember that there are lots of planes in the sky, not just yours, and it is good if they don't run into each other, or even get too close. :) I imagine that with enough planes going in enough different directions, some of the paths they take could end up looking very strange indeed. -- Diane C "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is an absurd one." (Voltaire)

Paul Watson wrote: Anybody going to the F1 "parade" around Regents street in London today? Sigh!! I wish I could -- I'm in the right country at the moment and everything. Unfortunately I'm stuck way up here in Dundee working. :( Ah well, London makes me twitch anyway (too crowded). Have fun, and let us know how it was!! -- "Time is an illusion, lunchtime double so." (Douglas Adams)

Jeff Bogan wrote: That reminds me - avoid seeing "I, Robot" if you have any respect at all for Isaac Asimov. It is supposed to be a typical stupid Hollywood movie with very little to do with the original stories. Yes, well, typical Hollywood summer fare, isn't it... looks like another summer to be spent at home reading the originals. :) -- Reality is nothing but a collective hunch. (Lily Tomlin)

"Man acquitted of harpoon attack" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/3835537.stm[^] -- "If the human mind was simple enough to understand, we'd be too simple to understand it." Emerson Pugh

Colin Angus Mackay wrote: Who are the Olsen twins? Sigh... you lucky, lucky people... an entire country where you're not subjected to Mary-Kate and Ashley! I'm still marooned in LA and this reminder that the UK isn't yet completely awash in garbage American "culture" really, REALLY makes me want to come home now!! :( - Diane in exile -- "Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." Mark Twain