Find a silversmith who makes jewellery that you like and that's a bit different from the offerings at your run-of-the-mill jeweller. Take your girlfriend with you and commission the silversmith to make an engagement ring (and wedding bands if appropriate). There are loads of alternatives to diamonds for stones; the silversmith will help you. Whether or not the finished ring contains a diamond, it will be unique; you'll be supporting a local artisan; and it will be something that the two of you have created specifically as a symbol of your relationship. You can also talk to the silversmith about where they source their gems from, which might go some way to easing the concerns you have.
It lacks the wow factor of presenting your girlfriend with a huge rock, but the symbolism it accrues will more than make up for it as time goes on.
>>I'm not sure I see why the Segway won't go the same way as the C5. I certainly wouldn't buy any stock in Segway.
Lucky for them they're a privately held company, otherwise the lack of interest from small potatoe shareholders would cetainly do them in. One of the main reasons why the segway won't go the way of the C5 is that the Segway has already penetrated the commerical market.
Actually, I think you've equally shown that civilization is a mythical beast at best. Living in a civil society is no guarantee that bad things won't happen to you or that (heaven forbid) your child won't be exposed to pornography. Otherwise you wouldn't be arguing so strenuously that resticting the things that people can see and do is such a good thing. (another conundrum: if 'freedom' is a mythical beast, why does the possibility of it un-nerve you so?) You can feel free to "pity the children" all you want, but the fact is that the things that you find so troubling about the world have always existed in some form or other.
You're living in a fantasy world if you believe that there is any kind of "backlash against the net by decent people in Australia today." The government's attempt to censor the internet in Australia had nothing to do with protecting children from pornography and everything to do with securing a favorable vote from an anti-porn senator on a completely unrelated issue. The current Australian government has proved time and again that it does not understand the internet, even in a rudimentary sense; this recent desire to regulate streaming content is all about adding a new stream of revenue to the government coffers and ensuring that the only broadcast quality entertainment that gets seen on the net comes from the same interests who now control Australian television.
>The real problem is trying to provide everyone with my standard of morals;)
Thank god for small favors. You're right though, the internet is just like the world--it's even got its share of narrow-minded individuals, as you have just illustrated.
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Find a silversmith who makes jewellery that you like and that's a bit different from the offerings at your run-of-the-mill jeweller. Take your girlfriend with you and commission the silversmith to make an engagement ring (and wedding bands if appropriate). There are loads of alternatives to diamonds for stones; the silversmith will help you. Whether or not the finished ring contains a diamond, it will be unique; you'll be supporting a local artisan; and it will be something that the two of you have created specifically as a symbol of your relationship. You can also talk to the silversmith about where they source their gems from, which might go some way to easing the concerns you have.
It lacks the wow factor of presenting your girlfriend with a huge rock, but the symbolism it accrues will more than make up for it as time goes on.
>>I'm not sure I see why the Segway won't go the same way as the C5. I certainly wouldn't buy any stock in Segway.
Lucky for them they're a privately held company, otherwise the lack of interest from small potatoe shareholders would cetainly do them in. One of the main reasons why the segway won't go the way of the C5 is that the Segway has already penetrated the commerical market.
They are also planning to release a cheaper 'educational' version of the home computer too.
It's called a pencil.
easy to make a quote look stupid or illogical when you present it out of context, isn't it?
Actually, I think you've equally shown that civilization is a mythical beast at best. Living in a civil society is no guarantee that bad things won't happen to you or that (heaven forbid) your child won't be exposed to pornography. Otherwise you wouldn't be arguing so strenuously that resticting the things that people can see and do is such a good thing. (another conundrum: if 'freedom' is a mythical beast, why does the possibility of it un-nerve you so?) You can feel free to "pity the children" all you want, but the fact is that the things that you find so troubling about the world have always existed in some form or other.
You're living in a fantasy world if you believe that there is any kind of "backlash against the net by decent people in Australia today." The government's attempt to censor the internet in Australia had nothing to do with protecting children from pornography and everything to do with securing a favorable vote from an anti-porn senator on a completely unrelated issue. The current Australian government has proved time and again that it does not understand the internet, even in a rudimentary sense; this recent desire to regulate streaming content is all about adding a new stream of revenue to the government coffers and ensuring that the only broadcast quality entertainment that gets seen on the net comes from the same interests who now control Australian television.
>The real problem is trying to provide everyone with my standard of morals ;)
Thank god for small favors. You're right though, the internet is just like the world--it's even got its share of narrow-minded individuals, as you have just illustrated.