I keep wanting to go Roku, but for the life of me, I can't find a channel lineup that tells me what type of content (i.e. what shows) are on the Roku channels. In fact, this is the FIRST REFERENCE I've seen to ether Democracy Now or Al Jazeera being available via Roku. Pls, can anyone link a resource that gives some kind of detail on what is available via the Roku? The Roku site itself (as far as I can see) is useless for this. It just gives the names of its channels, not what's ON them. :-( [irishdaze(AT)yahoo.com]

Hats off to you, techvet. I wouldn't have been able to be so civil in my answer to flame.

I've never seen a more accurate description of my life in large-enterprise corporate desktop support. Wow. Just freaking wow.

Working in IT in the fourth largest city in America has given me the opportunity time and time again to see that this is true. I can't stress strongly enough how your reputation and attitude follow/preceed you.

I'm not in management, but I have been a team lead. I've had opportunities to yay/nay resumes before interviews because, Hey, you worked at Such-And-Such, and so did this guy. Do you know him? I regret that I've had to answer with a hearty Don't hire him!" every single time.

Remember that, as long as you work in IT, every single person (regardless of their function) you work with/near/for/around is a possible future yay/nay for you.

Whatever you do when you find yourself in the OP's situation, remember to maintain the highest level of professionalism and the best attitude you can. I promise, it will pay off, even if you have no way of seeing the payoff when it arrives.

It surely is once they've passed their own law that says the same thing.

Thank you for taking the time to actually list practical examples of non-racial suspicion markers, something I've not seen done in the hysteria over this bill.

You are correct, and I'm not at all sure why "apocryphal" made sense to me at the time.

Remember during your year in Iran (if you get there) that they incarcerate and torture student-visa backpackers who get lost.

Just saying.

"[R]esearching" Arab vs Western World cross-cultural problems by "getting to know an Arab" (in person) would be more effective than talking to one online? How?

As far as I can see, either method of dissecting cross-cultural issues is like looking at a random black or white person on the bus and asking, "Why don't blacks and whites get along in the US?"

Valuable research data is not apocryphal.

Too bad the real world has't managed to interfere with Arab exectutions before now, eh?

Do NOT do this, grasshopper. Too many women have no idea how to dress a man.

A much better option: Go to Dillard's (or any other department store with dressed mannequins), find a mannequin wearing clothes that appeal to you, hand the sales girl a slip of paper with your measurements, and say to her, "I'll take that outfit," while pointing at the mannequin you like.

This was the secret weapon used by a man I used to know. He was a serious babe-magnet, but could NOT dress himself. He decided that since department stores ACTUALLY PAY PEOPLE to put outfits together for mannequins, that he should take advantage of that skill.

That man was by-far the sexiest and best-dressed straight man I've ever known, and he was NEVER without female companionship if he wanted it.