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 ]