Oh, being pro-Internet for education isn't anti-school. I just
   see them as complementary and education is going through some
   growing pains at present in trying to tie it together.

   I've spent my adult life on the 'net. Most of my higher
   education has been here. Been online since 1988... and there's
   hardly a subject I haven't discussed with somebody online at
   some point in time.

   There's many models for learning. The University system is one
   such system. The public library system is another. On the job
   training is another. The Internet is another. There's goods and
   bads in each of them, and I think they all serve a purpose.

   Yeah, I mean can you imagine _not_ having the Internet?
   Everybody you know would be the people at your home, in your
   town, at your school. That's about it. The things you know would
   be limited to what you can learn from family and friends and
   local teachers and the library.

   There's a lot there of course - and I'm not putting down
   family/friends/community/school... but I wouldn't be who I am
   today without the 'net, knowing what I know, interested in the
   things that interest me, doing the projects that I do. I've
   never stopped to think of the alternative; it's almost
   frightening to imagine. I probably should, as a thought
   experiment: What would I be doing if the 'net never existed?

   It's something I never considered.

   raised garden beds up a slope? awesome! How'd you do it? Do you
   have to cut into the hill and make retaining walls (with
   drainage hoses underneath) or is there another way? [I always
   like either learning something new or confirming... but I always
   prefer new ]