Personality

Forest, will you talk to God Louise? She has quite a bit of religious knowledge (obviously) and also knows a little about current events, literature, just about any common catch-all subject, and if she doesn't know it she can sort of fake it. You can also test her on trick questions or see how willing she is to explain her paradigm.

What she is rustiest at is plain old small talk. But, uh, I'm trying to get a decent transcript from somebody or another so I can enter her in the Loebner contest. All I can say is, have fun and see if you can stay on with her for a while. I'll try to do the same with Brianna.

There are 'commitment ceremonies' for gay couples, but they are not legally binding in USA.

How would you feel if they called YOUR wedding a 'commitment ceremony' or 'civil union' and refused to make it legal because the government didn't like who you were marrying?

I'd hate it. I believe gay marriage should be legal.

I didn't say I approved of them, I was just pointing out the fact that they exist. I completely agree that gay people should be allowed to marry; I know many homosexual couples who are more committed and have a stronger relationship than many straight couples I know, and it's sad to see these relationships undermined.

I do think it's interesting that sodomy in the UK is legal for homosexual couples but illegal for heterosexual couples.

Laydee: That's weird. Makes me wonder how that's written in the law.

Gay marriage is legal in Holland, btw.

Man, Holland's got everything. Legal gay marriage, cafes where everyone smokes weed...why the hell am I living in the US? Oh yeah, I can't speak Dutch.

Ah, but Holland also has legalised red light districts. (I am right on this one, aren't I?) What are everyone's thoughts on this?

Prostitution is a practiced profession all over the world. Thanks to the red-light districts, prostitutes are better protected, have a better work environment, can build up social rights (like with a regular job), and STDs don't spread like they do under uncontroled circumstances.

The fact is that men will visit prostitutes, and red-light districts (like they can be found in Holland), help protect the women (and men) who work there.

Ehh, people are gonna do it anyway, they always have. Imagine how much tax money the government could make from it if it was legal. (Same with weed, for that matter. They've already done it with cigarettes, which never HAVE been illegal.)

Not that I LIKE ahem...ladies of ill repute, or agree with their choice of profession, mind you. But it IS the oldest profession in the world, and no matter what you do it'll never go away. Humans are too sex-crazed for that.

There is another form of "organized" prostitution in Holland, though. It's called Tippelzone. These are designated areas for street-prostitutes. There you will find women who are addicted to illegal substances, have brutal pimps etc. These women are picked up by men in cars, and it happens regularely that women are abused or even murdered by customers (who just don't want to pay). I have a lot more doubts about the Tippelzones than about the red-light districts.

Uhhh gee, I can understand why you'd be concerned. O.o Why do women resort to this Tippelzone thing instead of working in the red light districts? And why are both methods legal, since the districts seem a hell of a lot safer for everyone involved?