I think Geico has a separate glass-replacement part to their policies, which I declined to pay for.

I have State-Farm, the chip repair thing isn't an extra, they just do it so you won't have a claim for the whole thing later.

I'm not dying before I find out what's going on with Lost.

I already explained what will happen somewhere in the Lost thread.

That's interesting. It's the first thing I expected.

Back when the invasion happened, I was thinking that the administration must have some secret plan to manipulate the election results to get the government that they wanted. But it seems that the administration is just completely blinded by its neocon ideology.

Stupid faith-based reality.

you're in the throes of commitment and you discover, too late, that it just can't be what you want it to be.

I know that. You know that. I'm sure Betsy knows it. Many other residents of the thread certainly know it. Do the Handbook People know it? No. Would they care? Not so much.

We don't care. We don't have to care. We're Microsoft.

Oh, yeah, I didn't mean to upset folks who do have diamonds, just hoping to affect future decisions. My sapphire is set with a (teeny tiny) diamond, and I still wear it. So, I'm right with you.

No worries here -- I adore mine because it's a family piece now with extra added me-and-S history, not because of the kind of stone in it. OTOH, I've said for years that not only do I not like diamonds, I don't even like the whole culture of engagement rings, so if it weren't for this particular ring, I wouldn't be wearing one at all.

(Oh, and Bon: try [link] for friendlier (purely speculative) commitment jewelry. I suspect it's the one Plei was referring to, but I missed it if a link got posted.)

(And to clarify: This is all about my own bizarre and neurotic issues-with-a-capital-ME; nobody else go and feel bad.)

That's interesting. It's the first thing I expected.

Who didn't? Actually, I think it will be considered a success if it gets western companies in charge of the oil. That's a little too cynical perhaps, I do think there are some people in the administration who really were thinking that Iraq would quickly end up a with secular, free-market government.

We don't care. We don't have to care. We're Microsoft.

Is this the party to whom I am speaking?

</'70s TV reference>

Do the Handbook People know it? No. Would they care? Not so much.

They don't need to. They can't be made to see that their way is not the One True Ultimate Right 4Evah!!1!! way.

Yeah, well, the phone company is powerless nowadays, so I updated.

Remember when Woody Allen got a whole gag out of robbing the phone company and everybody applauding? Nowadays it'd be cable, I think.