@FauxFilms: I'm thinking Ashley Judd would be far more likely.

@scarbrtj: How to Cook For Forty Humans.

@jetRink: In social influence circles (of which I am a part), we call this the "foot in the door" technique of persuasion. Once you start getting concessions, however small, future concessions are easier to obtain. Also, gradual changes, introduced slowly over time, are received better than total change done at…

@GitEmSteveDaveSpoils: The university where I'm a grad student has a Harry Potter literature class in the English dept. I would have taken it if I could spare the time, even though I'm working on a M.A. in psychology.

@Fractal the Meek: Aren't synthetic diamonds relatively cheap and plentiful (relative to naturally formed diamonds, that is)?

@Snow leopard: Just as long as it doesn't taste like despair.

@whoamarcos: Speaking of which...

@Chernobyl: Yeah, I really like Aubrey Plaza. Total cutie and love her deadpan snark humor style. She's my favorite part of Parks and Recreation.

@Lite: an adventurer is me!: I'm an ordained reverend in the ULC, and here in California I don't need anything else to perform a wedding ceremony.

Since the earliest I can upgrade won't be until the 5th generation iPhone next year, I really hope Apple addresses this for next year's model. I can do without a glass back.

@krispykrink: Texas fails at logic. I was born there. I'm glad I left.

@tomsomething: Heidi Montag. The divorce may be a publicity stunt...they're shopping a new reality show featuring Heidi and one of her friends, and some suspect at the end Spencer Pratt and Heidi will "reconcile". He's apparently listed as a producer, which is what's raised suspicions...if she wants nothing to do…

@krispykrink: A bar would be considered private property. Just because it's open to the public doesn't change the fact that it's privately owned. Which is why they can hire their own security (bouncers).

@YK: You'd be surprised how well older folk can still hear it. I'm 38 and I can hear it quite easily. I don't anticipate losing that range of hearing until I'm well past 50, if ever. You might have to date some super old cougars.

@NaraVara: I'm with you in this matter. I only pull out my phone in company if I have to make an emergency call, if I'm receiving an expected urgent call (and I excuse myself to talk on the phone), or if we need to look up something (movie time, a fact on Wikipedia relevant to the discussion, an address where we're…

@Sean Godos: No, a troll is someone who deliberately says something inflammatory in order to get a response. Like calling a Ph.D. author of a Gizmodo blog post a slut. Congratulations on a troll well done.

@Bandit: Right. So safe that the blowout preventer that didn't exist 100 years ago failed, leading to essentially the same result, only one mile underwater. That blowout preventer mention in the article was the reason I referenced it in the first place.

@shibbybypass: You sure about that? [en.wikipedia.org]

@Enochrewt: The Walkman was introduced in 1979. By 1995 they were well established.

@That Guy: Think of it like explosive decompression. The pressure at the depth of the oil far exceeds the pressure exerted at a mile underwater, so the oil will flow from a higher pressure environment to a lower pressure environment until pressure is equalized. Nothing needs to enter the space previously occupied by…