I can't really spill -- it will be public information at some point.

Fine, be a tease! ;) We wait anxiously.

Moldovans are not as shy about nudity as Americans.

I never found this to be true of my Moldovan friend! Although I can't say I've ever been in a nudity-appropriate situation with her....

A friend of mine just won a prize at Sundance for his film GASLAND which is about nefarious mining practices. [link]

I never found this to be true of my Moldovan friend! Although I can't say I've ever been in a nudity-appropriate situation with her....

My co-teacher stripped down to her bra in front of me four days after I met her. I walked in on my host mother bathing (we washed in a baby bathtub in the kitchen) and she was like "no big deal, we're both women." I saw several Moldovan men in their tidy whities (they're not big on boxers there). I don't know, I'm sure it varies from person to person and possibly from village to city, but that was my experience. I don't mean people just randomly went around naked, certainly not. Outside of one's front gate one was generally dressed quite well unless off to work in the fields.

OTOH, when my host mom attended semi-med school (don't think it was quite like US med school) the chapter on the reproductive system was independent study.

Trudy, that looks like a really fascinating movie.

the shale isn't all they're frakking.

As if my home county isn't plagued by mine subsidance as it is.

And here's another question - are they using *potable* water for the "fracking?" Because that alone is a horrifying waste. They better be using treated water from waste treatment plants.

Even Dinosaur Comics addressed the wasteful uses of potable water.

ION, have I mentioned how much I hate the NFL for not letting people use the phrase "Super Bowl" in, for instance, grocery store flyers about "stock up for THE BIG GAME"???

Because I hate it. Being forced to say "THE BIG GAME" just smacks of coyness, like, we know what sporting event we mean, and you know it, and we know you know, but we are TOO COOL to say it! (Even though the real reason is the mighty legal wrath of the NFL.)

Because...Trader Joe's using the phrase "Buy some nacho cheese for THE SUPER BOWL" is somehow taking money away from the impoverished NFL?

And, if you were the NFL, wouldn't you want your biggest fucking event of the year to actually be referred to by human beings other than your paid representatives? Not good marketing, doodz.

"The big game." Gimme a fucking break.

...and in retrospect, I didn't realize that I felt *that* strongly about it. BUT APPARENTLY I DO.

I don't know, I'm sure it varies from person to person and possibly from village to city, but that was my experience.

Oh yeah, that's what I mean -- I don't think we've even been clothes shopping together, much less slept in the same place. No opportunity to drop trou!

the chapter on the reproductive system was independent study.

That sounds like it's rife with possibility.

I overates.

Oops. And it wasn't even that tasty. I'm not uncomfortably full, but I sated my hunger some forkfuls ago. And there was too much gristle in the "steak." Best stick to pork.

ION, have I mentioned how much I hate the NFL for not letting people use the phrase "Super Bowl" in, for instance, grocery store flyers about "stock up for THE BIG GAME"???

OMG ME TOO! I was going to post about it the other day!!