But let me point out (without a dissertation on the FACT that marriage-as-we-know-it, that is, marriage that had to be documented in public records, began as a CIVIL institution, not a religious one) that the question of marriage rights is not merely one of religious v. civil institutions, as the religious rite of marriage must be recognized by civil process in order to be proved valid and legal.

Marriage can be either strictly a civil endeavor, or a combination of civil and religious. It CANNOT be merely religious (or there'd be no need for a marriage license, would there?).

I've been reading the comments in the "A Guy's Guide to Not Getting It On." I'm in LA, but I cannot for the life of me find the LA Jezebels page on Facebook. Can you point me in the right direction?

Thanks! :-)

Richardson! Did you go to Poteet?

Are the films yours?

So clearly I have to ask - where y'all from?

(I'm from Dallas, went to Baylor.)

i don't think the depotism ever left. i agree that after stalin, there wasn't ever the true tyrant, but there was always the committee to deal with- and that was the source of the power, the corruption, the midnight arrests. that committee has never really went away, just like the kgb, it just evolved, and ever leader has had to control it to keep power- that's why krushchev and gorby had such issues. the committee wasn't ever really a united force, but they were so split after that fall, i bet that was why the military coup didn't succeed. and now i sound like a crazy conspiracy theorist, but i'd lay money on it anyway.

and you're right about the us being an r.r. just another parallel to the roman empire.

my grandparents, due to an ugly history with soviet 'communism' have brainwashed me into believing that it was a system that proclaimed it was communism to make it look good, when it was truly a tyranny. nothing has changed much, so i still call it "communism" more in a mockery/insult way then a factual way. i tend to forget not everyone can hear the scorn in my voice.

as for the putin/medvedev balance of power, you're right. i don't know if the nation, with the history that it has, could work with a democracy. as you pointed out, we sure struggle with it.

The Master and the Margarita - hmmm, I shall look this up.

One of my fav reads came from a shout-out on here - The Crimson Petal and the White.

Awesome. One of my buddies lives right there. I'm surprised I haven't found it yet. Thanks!

Its a pain in the ass eh? Do what i'm doing and marry a local (just kidding, she is my reason for moving, not the other way around). Good luck with that, i know how stressful it is!! oh btw, thanks for your patience, i have been learning LOTS and its showing in my family life :D