nerd's eye view

Here I'm again and supposed to write something eye-catching about Pam's adventures that I've read this week. It is anno domini 2005, January to be more precise. So, Aigen and its surroundings look like that (picture from Pam's blog):
Doesn't it just take your breath away, this beauty of the immaculately white snow. (Well, it certainly isn't a big deal for you Austrians out there, but for me, a girl from a coastal town, it is.)

Anyway, during the first few days of January Pam was in Tuscany and admits that it is as fascinating as it has been portrayed in books, films etc My favourite picture she featured on her blog from Tuscany has to be this one:
What is also worth a line or two from me is that she attended a snowshoe races whilst staying in Italy and had an absolutely fantastic time there. She is even contemplating about taking part in such a race some time in the future. Pam really isn't someone who plays on the safe side in life. What's more she has also written an compelling account of the races, which you can access via: http://www.snowshoemag.com/view_content.cfm?content_id=112

Back in Austria, there was plenty of snow and freezing cold weather awaiting her. So, what else to do than to contemplate and advice others. Pam contemplates about gay rights in the USA after having a nightmare featuring George W. Bush (he really is her pet aversion).

The way I see it, gay people should certainly have the right to marry and conduct their domestic life as they please. There is, though, a right I'm not quite sure gay people should receive just like that-the right to adopt children. Somehow, I hold that having two mothers or fathers may irreparably affect a child's psyche. Maybe I'm completely wrong in believing that... There's an overview about the history of gay rights in America, if this interests you, on http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/overview.cfm?issue_type=gay_rights

Another issue she was brooding about is the feverish shopping people indulge in nowadays. How I understood her is that she certainly isn't anti-consumer, but she is a proponent of using one's common sense whilst shopping. In other words, asking yourself questions like do I need it desperately or just want it etc

I've found some sound advice about how to shop cleverly in different spheres of your life on :
http://magazines.ivillage.com/goodhousekeeping/archive/0,,404905,00.html