God bless my parents. Every year they load me down with gifts at Christmas and a lot of the time, they're right on the mark. This year I got a digital camera (!!) and some other very cool things, but sometimes when it comes to clothes, I have to wonder exactly who it is they think they're buying for. I know it's just awful to get gifts from people who love you and then complain about them. I should be happy that anyone loves me enough to put that big stack of presents under the tree and I am deeply grateful for my amazing family, however…
Let's put it this way. There are certain things that I will simply not wear. It's a pretty simple list, really.
1. Patterns. They just look bad on me. I look like a walking window treatment.
2. Short-sleeve dress shirts. My forelimbs are already pretty scrawny, but put me in a short sleeve dress-shirt and they appear to shrink down into little Thalidomide-baby flippers. It's like they're not even there.
3. Pants with pleats, which I haven't worn since probably 1991. The 80's were great. I enjoyed them immensely. But the best thing about them is that they're over. And that means NO MORE PANTS WITH PLEATS.
So, this Christmas morning, I got nine pairs of pants, seven of which have pleats. I got six dress shirts, all but one of which are short-sleeved and the long-sleeved one is some silky(-ish) synthetic material with, of course, a bold geometric pattern in bright, eye-scorching colors.
So you know what that means. Tomorrow, I will be bagging it all up and sneaking out to take it to the mall and see what kind of deals I can make with the department stores. I know they won't give me cash since I don't have the receipts and I don't want to ask for the receipts because I know my mom and step-dad went to soooooo much trouble buying, wrapping, tagging, etc. The last thing I want to do is hurt their feelings.
Yes, it's a ticklish business, doing returns. You know that you will never wear these things. There is always a chance that these stores will actually have some things I want to wear or I can swap for things that I can give as gifts for the people I haven't done the Christmas process with yet. It's perfectly normal and everyone does it, and yet I feel like such a cad.
In Britain, the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. None of my British friends seem to know why. Were there traditionally big boxing matches the day after Christmas? No, apparently, that's not it. Does it have something to do with the Boxer Rebellion? No, it's not that, either.
I'm guessing that it's maybe because that's the day when we start boxing everything up that we got as gifts but don't want.
So, what are you going to be taking back this year? Don't be shy. Chances are the people who gave them to you don't read this blog, so tell us all about it.
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NED!
TRex…. Merry Christmas my dear
Not taking back a thing. Only gift i got was a 30GB video iPod from my beloved. She got diamond earrings.
I got MYSELF a dual 2.0GHZ G5 Mac Tower, and a re-fret on my Telecaster.
It’s called Boxing Day, I believe, because that’s when you box things up to give to the poor.
fitz
Did you guys hear, Urban Pirate proposed last night and she said yes?
And whats the deal with the Christmas Themed Sweater that my Grandma always gives me.
I look like Andy freakin’ Williams!
Merry Christmas, everybody.
It’s been a beautiful, relaxing day here. Lots of good food. Lots of happy family. If my eight year old step-niece gets any cuter, I am going to eat her.
Kucinich!
Little Big Man.
egregious @ 6
Oh, HOORAY!!
That’s awesome news!
Hey TRex, Merry Christmas.
I’m hanging in there, it’s been a rough week. Hoping this coming week will be a little better with more light. My liver can only take so much.
Boxing Day in the UK was for giving presents to the servants.
Here in Canada – Boxing Day (often extended into Boxing Week) is for store sales.
It’s a legal holiday here.
Delia @ 4
That sounds like a good idea.
TRex. I like pleats. Keep ‘em. They’ll come back.
I got a George Foreman Grill! Yay!
I’m in heaven and back in business (new appt – can’t cook outside anymore).
Wikipedia has some thoughts:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_day
Happy Holidays.
Merrygregious, eg!
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem that the addition of alcohol didn’t make exponentially worse. But that’s why I am a teetotaler now. You can only get into so much trouble swilling coffee.
MerryEgregious, everyone.
Short-sleeve dress shirts.
One word – oxymoron.
Scarecrow @ 13
You want em? They’re 34″waist, 30″length, which is actually an inch too big in the waist anyway.
TRex:
Merry Christmahanukwanzaa!
I’m takin’ back nuthin’!
Especially not the virtual daughter-in-law’s first baby, born 12.22.06.
jayt @ 18
That’s Rush Limbaugh.
TRex @ 16
Second that. Same here. Don’t miss it.
(((((new baby and SteveAudio!!)))))
TRex @ 19
Turn ‘em sideways and I’ll wear ‘em.
I was always told that it was called Boxing Day because that was the day you gave gifts, presumably in boxes. Christmas Day itself was reserved for religious observance. Here in Australia, Boxing Day is the day for the big cricket match between us and England. So far, we’re winning but there’s another 4 and a half days to go.
Yes, congrats to you and your family, Steve! Spoil that baby rotten. It’s what everyone who isn’t their mom or dad has a sacred obligation to do.
Goodness gracious, you must be tall and skinny.
Persiflage says
December 25th, 2006 at 8:50 pm*
Pardon my impertinence, but aren’t you missing your Piffle?
Hey Trex, I ended up getting a digital camera too (and thoughtfully a memory card to go with it), and a wireless mouse. Wheeeeee I can sit back to scroll now.
Egregious & TRex:
Thanks mucho!
Except that now, as a virtual grandfather, I can no longer listen to or work in the music world with any credibility. No new music for me, so I’ll have to return the Jay-Z CD I just got and replace it with Pat Benetar.
Holy Crap!
My mother in law very kindly does stockings for all her children and their spouses and the grandchildren. So thoughtful. But she doesn’t know what to give us so we end up with post it notes and thumb tacks and address labels. My kids make faces when she’s not looking and give me their office supplies.
We probably won’t need to take anything back, but we did re-gift a few things. ;-)
Most unexpected gift: The handmade kaleidoscope — with switchable “pattern generators” — that spouse’s father’s wife created. The different patterns are created by swapping out little clear sealed jars filled with stones and sparkly things ; the jars easily screw on and off of the end of the ’scope. We’re trying to talk them into making them for the local Sharper Image or some such.
TRex @ 19
Thanks, but not my size. Besides, they measure lengths differently, cause people wear boots/heels. You’d think they’d leave well enough alone. You can’t trust anything.
Shez @
29
Nice.
Yes, expect posts with photos in the near future from me. But it may take me a while to learn to use the damn thing. It seems verrrrry complicated reading over the manual.
TRex @ 27
Yep. And I way 30 pounds more than I did in college.
I go numb if I sit too long in one place.
SteveAudio @ 30
What, no Heino?
Could be worse. Could be the Shaggs.
TRex @ 34
If you’re a Mac guy, cameras are the easiest thing. Virtually all of them talk directly with iPhoto, and the new Canon camcorder we just got talks perfectly with iMovie.
Strangest.
Band.
Ever.
I don’t quite know what happened or why, but I got everything I wanted for the Holidays this year. “The Gift” was opened by 3020 people in 17 countries since Nov 18, I was able to be active in the election in spite of near death surgery, and I’ve podcasted over 1000 hours of audio to the hearts of several thousand of the most politicly astute hearts on the planet.
Remember the Twilight Zone episode when Art Carney played Santa? This year, that was me.
Not your basic street guitar,
Outside your basic subway car.
Not bought, not sold,
And not co-opted.
Not your basic Celestine Prophet.
Coming soon:
The Awakening.
jayt @ 28
Wrong personiflage! I’d started using persiflage before I noticed that I had a piffle-enhanced namesake. We’ve yet to meet though I’m curious to see if we have anything in common other than a preference for light banter.
Phoenix Woman @ 36
Indeed.
Or I could listen to some Boston, ‘cuz that just totally rawks!
Actually, I played “Peace of Mind” in the cover band i was in back in ‘77.
As my sweet ex-mother=in-law used to say happily: “I wanted to get you something that you wouldn’t splurge on for yourself.”
Best gift: our three-month-old grandson Mateo with his smiles and chortles. We’re keeping him.
Merry Christmas everyone.
It’s a Fuji. I was wondering about that. It came with a software disc, but I haven’t even tried to load it into my computer yet. I don’t trust it.
So, with iPhoto I can dispense with Fuji’s software and just go run the USB cable straight in to my MacBook?
LOL Trex, luckily he got me the same kind we got my daughter last year so they had it programmed in seconds today. It is still to the manual for me though on the rest of it. ;)
Now, Steve Audio, if grandfatherly Pat Boone can do metal, you can do Jay-Z. Your virtual grand-daughter expects you to keep up with new music so that she may be properly educated. She’s counting on ya, dude.
TRex @ 42
Yes, absolutely!!
Just connect the camera to the USB cable with power off (but computer on), power up the camera, iPhoto should automatically launch, it will tell you that it’s connected to a Fuji camera, and off you go.
TRex, my spouse is still a touch too pudgy otherwise I’d ask you for them — he’s lost a ton of weight over the last year but he’s still around a 38-inch waist! (It hit home how much he’s lost when he realized that all of his dress pants — which he could barely fit into last year — now are so baggy on him he looks like a rapper. Well, a white fortyish rapper. OK, maybe not a rapper.)
Suzanne @ 44
I told her mom & dad I was gonna buy her her first guitar, get her her first piercing and tattoo.
They were cool with the guitar…
I’m guessing your mom doesn’t read Late Nite, and that your brother is not going to rat you out.
TRex @
38
Isn’t Atrios a Shaggs fan? Maybe I made that up.
TRex:
the only thing that is weird is the “get” command is File>Add to Library.
Then, you can move them to any special album you want to create, it’s just like Playlists in iTunes.
SteveAudio @ 47
Maybe a Hello Kitty tattoo?
I tot a taw a putty tat…
Patrick 4/4 @ 51
Her Uncle Jim was suggesting a Motorhead t-shirt last night, I thought that would be good.
No takebacks for me. I love all my goodies.
But I’ll have to be careful here in RepublicanLand (Coronado, CA) when carrying my new Worst. President. Ever. canvas tote bag.
As the sender wrote, “I saw this and knew it was you!” And it is.
SteveAudio @ 52
Yeah, Queensryche would probably be pushing it…
Jane Hamsher @ 48
LOL – I was thinking the same thing. I’ll bet they’re going to be charmed by the mention on FDL anyway, though.
Persiflage @ 39
That would be my sister. I’ll email her a heads-up that’s she’s been asked after – thanks, jayt – (she has to work early in the morning, so I’ll not risk a phone call). And, yes, she does have good bantering skills . . . (also
snarksarcasm). Ahem.Jane Hamsher @ 48
She only reads it if I point her to it, and I know my brother won’t narc on me. Watch, though, this will be the night she wanders in here on a whim.
After decades of buying clothes for me that were the wrong size or too dorky and needed to be exchanged, my Mother finally gave up, and now she calls me a few weeks prior to Christmas and asks what I might need. Usually I’m happy with something practical, like a doormat or some bedsheets. This year I needed bath towels, and conveyed that to her.
A couple days later she calls me back and says that she has been to the mall, and instead of buying just two towels she could get a deal on the “complete bathroom set” for the same price. I asked what that meant, and she replied that in the complete set you would also get the “contour mat, and the tank cover.”
Not immediately recognizing those terms, I did a little poking around on the Internet, and learned that meant I would be getting not only the towels, but the fuzzy thing that goes on top of the toilet, and the U-shaped mat that surrounds the base.
I said, “No thanks, Mom- just the towels, please.” I don’t think she understands….
TRex @ 38
Yup. In the words of Carla Bley, “They bring my mind to a complete halt.” It’s almost kind of Zenlike. One of our friends once described them as “an Ed Wood movie set to music”. Great for clearing out a room in no time.
One fun test of people is to see how many songs from Philosophy of the World they can take at one sitting. Most people can usually make it through the title track, but about halfway through “That Little Sports Car” they are reaching for the Eject button.
global yokel @ 58
Ha! Are you in the market for a toilet paper cozy?
CatelynK, your tote will match the GWB: Out Of Office Countdown 2007 calendar – “two years and counting” my daughter got me. I told her it should say: two years or less and counting.
oregondave @ 56
Sarcasm? Then we do have something in common. Please, yes, I’d love to meet her. She seems to post during the daytime. I do too but, as an Aussie, it’s your night time. Still, I’d make a special trip to meet my fellow persiflageur.
TRex @ 42
I prefer the Fuji software to iPhoto (which makes you import into iPhoto format). It’s very easy. Just install it, and it should take care of the rest, including letting you run your USB cable straight into your Mac, and drag-and-drop copying from camera to desktop. Email me if you have problems, and I’ll try to step you through it.
Muchas gracias!
so far, hadn’t received anything that I will have to return. But oy, in the past, my family kept trying to use Xmas gifts to turn me into the Ruby they wanted, not the Ruby the good gods created.
Back in the day, when I was working two lousy jobs just to keep my room in the commune, doing my little bit to stop the war and smash the state and stuff, my grandma just refused to see that her eldest granddaughter was not going to be the wife of a politician or diplomat as she had planned for me.
I would ask for new jeans, good boots, socks and sweaters. Just basic items I needed to get thru the winter, that I could really use. She would give me mohair sweaters, beaded purses and makeup kits. She once gave me a box with a razor, creme and blades because I had given up shaving my legs the year before. She believed this would prevent me from ever settling down and getting married, even though the hair on my legs is paler than the hair on my head, and you’d have to be, um, up close and personal to even notice that I didn’t shave my legs.
But the best year was 1970. I remember it well. Went to NYC to see the family, and under grandma’s tree was a big box with my name on it.
In the box was a silver brocade, floor length evening gown from Bergdorf’s. Really not something one could wear while getting tear-gassed on the streets of Washington DC.
I thanked her, noted to myself that the tags were still on it, and made excuses when she and Mom tried to get me to put it on and wear it that night to the big family dinner.
A few days later, on my way out of town, I went to Bergdorf’s and returned the dress for cash. When I got home, I bought jeans, boots, socks, a couple of sweaters, a Navy pea coat, and a 1962 VW beetle, the first car I ever owned.
Merry Merry ! and Many Happy (and sucessful) returns!
Y’know, my dad’s gay, and I can’t let him buy me clothes. “Dad, no v-necks. Dad, I can’t wash baby puke out of that.” More than that, though — “Dad, I need to look boring. Please.”
TRex @ 64
Respectfully, unless you’re a serious camera geek, iPhoto works just fine, prints beautifully, share well, etc.
Of course YMMV.
I am not familiar with The Shaggs, but I did find this….
The nearest thing I can compare it to is Wild Man Fischer…not sure that’s fair to him, though.
Wasn’t there also a dance called the Shagg, or the Shag? From South Carolina, maybe? Just a little free association…
Oh, here’s the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC976ydqE3g
Evening everyone …
and Trex – I bet you look great in pleats!
My plan is to try and score some Levi’s 505’s for both me and my brother, some new sheets, and maybe a couple of throw rugs. The ones I have are in bad shape. I still have some money on the Macy’s gift card from last Christmas’s returns, actually.
I love how we all help each other out. I have a request of my own.
My father called me a couple of days ago to say they found a spot on his lung. He had a cancerous kidney removed last year at this time and now they want to try out a new drug called Sutent on him.
He’s worried about side effects and quality of life, and its terribly expensive per month. Any health care people here heard of this drug? He wants me to do some research on it for him.
Thers @ 66
Aw. He’s just trying to help.
I bet he and my mom would have a faaaaaaabulous time shopping together.
Patrick 4/4 @
24
Reminds of a guy I knew in Michigan who was always on the short side of a dollar, and he spent the winter in Miami once, went to St. Vinny’s or the Salvation Army and picked up a pair of khaki pants. They were a couple of inches too large, so he took them to a local Cuban seamstress and asked her to take them in. There was some talk of pleats to do that, but, the communication was, uh, less than accurate, since he didn’t speak any Spanish, and she, not much English.
When he picked up the pants, the pleats were on the sides….
Shez, all I can offer is positive thoughts for your dad. I’m sure others will say it better but it can’t be any more heartfelt. I shall add him to my prayer list.
Hi TRex!
I am mighty ready to take bushco waaaaaaaaay back ! I never asked for them, my worst nightmares were made of them, and I wish they would just disappear!
montag @ 75
Hmm, might go nice with a horizontal pinstripe jacket.
Aw. He’s just trying to help.
I bet he and my mom would have a faaaaaaabulous time shopping together.
Hee hee. Bet they would. My kids worship their Uncles Phil & Chuck — who have their fingers on the pulse of what’s cool in the Dora the Explorer Nation, by some weird magic.
Well I managed to survive Christmas but didn’t get much in the way of loot. I did get the new Best of SNL Saturday TV Funhouse to add to the collection and a cool little mini massager that looks like the tripods from War of the Worlds that works wonderfully.
TRex -
I am also happy with iPhoto… ya know, you can try iPhoto before loading the Fuji software… the first time you use it, it’ll ask if you want to use it all the time – just tell it that you will decide later…
Shez, you probably already looked, but Wiki has a short write up. Looks like it’s in trials for lung cancer. There’s an intense competition for new tech chemo drugs by the biggies in Pharma. It’s hard to know what to think, some of the trials results are sometimes iffy.
I ran across a couple of potential new tech drugs for my throat cancer and after doing the research I just asked my oncologist. He watches this field very closely and had some pretty astute opinions on the new and the old drugs.
Whatever you end up going with, I wish you and him and your family well. As I’m sure you know, chemo is a tough nut and support from all of you is vital to getting through it.
Thanks Suzanne, much appreciated. He got pretty choked up on the phone. He knows I have broadband vs his dialup, and that I’m interested in the healing modalities.
We did get a one smile though, he didn’t know about or how to use Teh Google. I always thought he knew everything! ;)
Fini FiniTOOBZ! @ 79
And you use this mini-massager where exactly?
I didn’t receive any clothes this year, for the first time in memory. Not a problem, as my closet is pretty full.
What did happen this year is that due to two weddings of step-children, I went from being not a grandfather to being a grandfather of four. My wife and I were debating today how to identify ourselves on the gift tags for them, as there are several grandparents in the picture.
In light of my new status, TRex, I’ve been eyeing that sweater thing in your post. Not my style, really, but maybe I should start looking the part.
Mmm . . . I got a beautiful piece of costume jewelry, a 30 gig video ipod, and an ice cream/sorbet maker, so I don’t think anything’s going back.
The cutist massager I’ve seen lately looks like a little rubber duck, it even floats. I thought of that for my dear one’s stocking, but then the picture of it being played with in the tub by the eight year old kind of crashed the attraction…
Shezzy-
My prayers to you and your father. Good luck.
Shez– so good to “see” you and much hope and blessings your Dad’s, you and your’s way. I do not know the drug you speak of, but I echo what marksb says at 82.
good science. hope. love.
The last time I had one of those moments was a few years ago. I’ve never much cared about clothes since attaining adulthood. I’m basically a motorhead English major. Boots (until I ruined an Achilles tendon) and sneakers after that, jeans and t-shirts, and whatever second-hand jackets I’ve accumulated over the years.
And, then, out of the blue, my sister sends me a pair of cranberry and cream argyle socks, saying, essentially, “they’re you.”
One’s first reaction is to think, “uh, where did I go wrong?” And, second, “gee, that’s nice, sis. I didn’t realize I was the Ivy League type.”
:)
I’m going to head downstairs and raid the refrigerator. I’ll be back in a bit.
SteveAudio @ 84
Hehehe cheeky monkey! Nowhere fun, it works quite well on my neck and shoulder blades though. I was also having a strange saliva gland blockage issue that after I used this on the surrounding cheek/jaw area made it feel better.
One more thing about chemo…I was getting my old-tech dose last Tuesday and my oncologist came by with a tiny little bottle. He nodded to the bottle and told me, quietly, “ten thousand dollars”. I looked at him in disbelief and he repeated, “this little dose of chemo is ten grand”. We had a great chat about liberal/progressive health care proposals later.
Shez- I am sorry for the errors in my last message to you; the edit function does not work on this computer.
Many blessings and hope to you, your Dad and your family.
;)
I love argyle on anyone but me. :)
Shez, your father is on my prayer list, as are you and your family. I just celebrated the first Christmas without my mother after losing her to lung and brain cancer so I truly hope your father pulls through this. If it takes a new medicine to do so, please encourage him to try it, for his sake.
Christmas day 2006 was the day when Iraq war deaths surpassed those killed on 9/11.
9/11: 2,973
Bush War: 2,975 as of 12/25/06
Symbolism and all.
-GSD
marksb @ 92
And, guess what? The hospital gets that drug at wholesale and marks it up. Even cancer is supposed to be profitable….
Thanks Scarecrow, Egregious, and others who merried back my way. And Jayt? That was a great McClachlan vid on the last thread; thanks.
I can’t think of much I plan to take back. The kids gave me great pics of themselves. My nephew/roommate gave me The 40-Year-Old-Virgin DVD. A sister sent me a box of cigars. With friends, we treated each other to dinners out, mostly, though one gave me a nice houseplant and a Beethoven night at the local (Eugene,OR) symphony.
At work, via Secret Santa, I was gifted with some sort of book written by a sportswriter, which was provided by a realtor who I happen to know was upset with November’s election results. I may try and return that for some more subversive reading material that would make her head explode if she knew.
The greatest gift, of course, arrived in November. (Along with my amazingly still good health, despite all the high risks I’ve made for myself by eating well and smoking well for so long.)
I’ve never been very talented at receiving; I prefer the giving part, so Christmas Day is rather anticlimactic, unless there’s a big dinner planned (and this year, it was a small simple affair with three bachelors and Pruf, who I’m catsitting for my daughter.)
Speaking of gifts, I always enjoy visiting I Care and it’s parent org CIVIC which was part of Marla Ruzicka’s works in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I can’t be held personally responsible for Bush, yet I feel better giving what I can to the victims of his belligerent fratboy imperialism. It’s my way of apologizing to the millions who suffer because of the war crimes my taxes inevitably support against my wishes.
However, if there is a return department for moral defectives, I’d gladly return the Bush and the Dick for a cask of Silly Putty, which is more intelligible and I’m sure could do a better job.
Baby Girl got me a pair of flannel pj’s with black and white scotties dogs (wearing red or green bows) on a gray background set into a red and hot pink/fushia argyle. Sounds atrocious but they are really cute. Warm too!
CatelynK @
54
You may be in for a pleasant surprise! One of my kids sent me the long sleeved version of Worst President Ever late last summer. Am surrounded by Republicans here on the Monterey Peninsula. I was momentarily disappointed that no one glared at me but it did and still does generate grins, thumbs up and occasionally: “where can I get one?” The kid posted photographs of me sporting the tee on bartcop.com where I believe it originated.
Symbolism indeed, GSD.
Time to for the govmint and sheeple to examine more than their navels and their coffers.
Lord knows they have not examined the thousands of coffins!
Thanks so much marksb! No, with the monitor problem I mentioned in the last thread it’s been difficult to even get online to research it for him, I haven’t read anything on it yet. I’ll gratefully read it and copy the link.
And for your throat cancer, which is located by your 5th chakra of communication (color of blue), everytime you ‘think’ about it please immediately breathe in a beautiful blue light to fill every cell of your throat, followed by a bright healing white light, visualize both. It will aide the western medicines and hasten your healing.
I got a box full of origami ducks from my eight-year-old.
They are clearly paper, resemble origami, and I’m taking her word for the duck part.
Persiflage @ 63
No wonder my ears were burning. Hi guys! [Waving enthusiastically].
No gift returns from Chez P&P; as a matter of fact, the Maternal Unit and I just finished itemizing the clothes I’m going to take to Goodwill this week. Next I have to write checks for my usual contibutions: Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, Sierra Club, Audubon, Oregon Food Bank(I think there are a couple I’m forgetting) and a double helping for the ACLU.
I’ve been working late at work the last couple of weeks and haven’t had time to do much more than skim the posts when I get home (my company is afraid we’ll plug up the Toobz, so personal use is discouraged by occasional company-wide legalish emails regarding internet policy). It should get better in January and I really miss keeping up with what’s happening in everyone’s lives.
Here’s to Truth, Justice and Subpeona Power!
P.S.
Hi to His Trexitude. Hope I didn’t break the margins….
Patrick 4/4 @ 103
Or, your gammy can make puck darts from them. :)
amen.
(all great causes, btw and good to see you back at the lake!)
Speaking of things not going so well . . .
Most of the Late Nighters know that I’ve had a lot going on. Well, on top of all this, my husband has found out that he has to have surgery on the 2nd. He has a growth on the right lobe of his thyroid and a biopsy couldn’t determine whether it was cancerous or not.
::sigh:: I know that it’s most likely not cancerous (3 out of 4 “suspicious” thyroid growths are not) and that the surgery is generally not considered a major one, but with how bad everything else is going, I’m terrified.
Good thoughts would be appreciated.
persiflage & piffle @ 105
It’s so nice to know there is an entire company devoted to not plugging me up! [/snark]
Shez, this is a good resource.
http://www.docguide.com/
You can subscribe to get a weekly newsletter, it gives loads of info on reports from medical journals and new drug trials.
MarksB and Shez: Here’s hoping that Google, Yahoo or Microsoft will simply buy out Cancer, as a profitable acquisition that can be used to discreetly target pests like kudzu, malarial mosquitoes, plaid pleated pants, and pesky neo-ideologues.
In the meantime, may your portfolio be filled with high-yield returns of good health.
Patrick 4/4 @
104
I like those kind of gifts… they are the best.
DreamingCrow @ 107
From what I know of this (from the accounts of others), even if it’s cancerous, they blow it out with radiation, and, after that, it’s just a matter of taking enough thyroxin to maintain. It’s not desperate stuff, normally, because in that area it’s very, very slow to spread.
Fear not.
DreamingCrow @ 108
They’re all yours. Expect more.
OldCoastie @ 112
Yep. She was very serious when she gave them to me.
newspaperbrat @ 101
That’s encouraging! Especially coming from the Monterey Peninsula, which I love. My family lived in Pacific Grove when I was a kid, and it was the perfect place to grow up. I’d miss everything about it (except the fog) if I hadn’t found myself here, where I was meant to be. At least my landlord, a dedicated liberal, won’t kick me out for carrying my new tote bag.
GSD, thanks for the sad casualty update. I knew the “more than we lost on 9/11″ number was coming due, but I didn’t expect that if it happened on Christmas day, they would actually release the information. I’ve been watching for it, but yours is the first mention I’ve seen.
DreamingCrow @ 108
done.
I think of all of you that are suffering with worry and heavy burdens.
montag @ 113
Fear not.
Oddly enough, I know quite well about it, because I’m hypothyroid and did a ton of research on thyroid conditions when I was first diagnosed. I think that I’d have to give a full laundry list of all the stuff that’s happened over the past two years to give you a good understanding of why I’m worried, but it would just make me depressed again. Life’s thrown us so many curveballs that I find myself unable to completely accept that things are likely low risk.
Thanks.
Patrick 4/4 @ 114
Thanks, Patrick.
Has anyone heard how Ed*ard Teller is doing?
angie @ 117
Thanks, angie. I do have some hope with regards to our situation. J seems to be buying into and spending time on his therapy. My health is starting to behave better and will only get better as I start training for another marathon. G is having his surgery. If I give it time, this too shall pass. I hope.
neurophius @ 119
What happened? I’ve been off tied up with family obligations.
neurophius @ 118
Was here today. The surgery is routine and not scheduled until, as I recall, the 26th or the 28th. Was complaining about not being able to ski because of his shoulder….
DreamingCrow, nice to meet you, I noticed your name the other night when I was on briefly. My sister had the exact same problem with her thyroid a couple of years ago. They did a rather simple surgery on it that she recovered from very quickly with very little scarring. The only problem she had was getting the thyroid medicine doses adjusted to correct levels that worked good for her which took a few months of experimenting with. She’s doing just great.
We’ll add your husband to our FDL prayer circle.
Damn.
Make that Truth, Justice, Subpoena Power (and Auto Spell Check)!
Shez @ 123
Yeah, for some people it can be easy to get the right dose and others like me have a heck of a time. Hopefully, the growth won’t be cancerous and it won’t even be a worry. If they don’t have to take the whole thing, he won’t need meds. If they do, it’s a dose of radioactive iodine and sythetic thyroid hormone daily. It shouldn’t be a problem at all. I’m just a little paranoid.
Thanks.
G’night all. I hope that your holiday, if you celebrate, was wonderful and that the coming new year brings you happiness. ::waves and yawns::
We’ll add your husband to our FDL prayer circle.
DC
and I shall add him to mine.
PS – if synthetic thyroid replacement offers any problems (like it did with me), there is the old fashioned dessicated pork thyroid replacement (named thyroid on my rx bottle) still available. it works marvelously for me.
PSS – after being radiated via pill, I checked and my urine did not glow in the dark. I think the doc was pulling my leg on that one.
persiflage & piffle @ 124
don’t be too hard on yourself– I understood perfectly.
btw, is the entire government that we elected and gave the majority to (save 1 or 2 that have spoken up) going to just bask in the glory of our victory before condemning Virgil Goode?
Leader Pelosi, Rahm, Reid, hello?
How long do we have to wait?
grrrrrrrrrrrr.
I do wonder.
Very off topic, but, it occurred to me today that the Dems could endear themselves to about half the country, maybe more, if they did something so simple, it’s silly.
Just pass legislation for an opt-out list for spam email, just like for telemarketing calls.
They’d preserve the bandwidth of the intertoobz, and obtain the eternal thanks of tooberz, right and left. And, make it possible to fine the shit out of spammers, something we’d all applaud.
Huh? :) Dumbass Dubya wouldn’t dare veto an anti-spam bill (and if he did, it would prove he was an idiot :) ).
Cancer’s a bitch.
This time of year in ‘99, I was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian and given–with brutal surgery/chemo/etc.–maybe three years to live.
But here I am, the smile on my oncologist’s face. And because ovarian cancer isn’t a lurker, the chances of return after six or seven are “negligible.”
And yet, life is always fragile. Anything can happen. For all of you dealing with health problems, your own or those of friends/family, count on my continuing prayers and good wishes.
OT: If you like John LeCarre novels, I strongly recommend the movie, “The Good Shepherd.” It turns out that the protagonist is loosely based on a real
DreamingCrow @ 108
neurophius, I also gained two grandchildren by two separate marriages. One was only two at the time and short a grandmother, so I just became “grandma”. The other was fully supplied with grandmas, so I sign birthday cards, etc., “your bonus grandma”.
neuro, my mother became “nana” to all grandchildren, psuedo, step and biological. It is a name unique to her that is still used to this day.
SusanD, congratulations, Suzanne, to your mother. It’s good to hear how you handled it. We decided to go with “Grandpa [my first name]” and “Grandma [my wife’s first name].” That way we won’t usurp anyone else’s right to those titles. I’m sure the kids will figure it out.
Wigwam @ 131
montag – Thus begins regulation and a need to raise revenue for enforcement, studies, department of war against the internet, department of separation of church and toobz. Virus will be protected after first infection as a (living program) life form. We will all want national norton health care plans.
Liscense plates on every PC. :)
That just makes me want to kiss you. My mom is “bonus grandma” to my niece who is my non-biological step-brother’s daughter. (This is a very complicated family in some ways, but thankfully, not the important ones.) My step brother was born in Colombia, abandoned by his biological father who has since returned in good graces and was here for lunch today. But my step-father became his “dad”. So, my niece Mariana has her two biological grandmothers and my mom, who she calls her “Ami”.
Just between you and me and the NSA, I think Mariana likes Ami best.
wigwam
is that the same “the good shepherd” that just came out at the movies? my girls saw it this weekend and said it was a great movie (a little slow but that did not detract from its greatness).
edited to fix typo
Eureka Springs, AR @ 136
Is that the way it worked with telemarketing? No.
It doesn’t have to work that with spam email, either.
Cheers.
Montag, that is one of those simple but brilliant ideas. I think I may push that out there in a post tomorrow. It’s effing brilliant and really needed. NOBODY likes spam. Who would stand up for it?
Get gmail no spam ever. Google has figured it out.
And “between you and me and the NSA”.
TRex, you so consistently crack me up. Merry X-Mas. Thanks for doing what you do.
This ole brat is heading off to dreamland – always swamped at the little museum & library ar the end of the year paperwork at our brave and fearless little museum and library.
Merry Christmas to all and most especially Jane, Christy, Pachacutec, TRex, Sian, Jen Nix, darkblack, punaise, SFTeddy, egregious, Eureka Springs, Angie, Valley Girl, Rev.Deb, Old Coastie, and OMG just too many Firepups to mention within this great community and link with sanity in a world gone mad.
neuro, that’s what my dad did – he became grandpa bucket (a twist on his last name) and his wife became grandma ruth. easy solution.
congrats on the grandkids. my mom says grandkids are meant to be spoiled – my girls are real fond of nana’s definition.
Shez @ 73
I’ve been worried about my Mum’s health problems. After years of good health she is now taking tons on medications. I went online and tried to learn about her medications. I got the book Good Pills, Bad Pills(GPBP) from my library. There was over 2 times the info on the (GPBP) than from the official government sources on health.
They update every year and really cover in detail the side effects and interactions with other drugs.
It’s very important to get outside of the pharmaceutical research/pr to get to the truth of a medicine’s benefits/side effects.
Maybe we have thyroid or cholesterol problems, but maybe we’re a potential revenue stream for the pharmaceuticals.
Anyway Shez, I support you in your concern for your Dad. Worst Pill/Best Pill is a great resource to learn about the medication.
TRex @ 140
Go fer it, dude–it’s yours. Who better to do it than you? :)
Phoenix Woman @
36
Hey, I *like* The Shaggs!
Suzanne @
139
To me, it was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen, but my taste is very “nonstandard.” It was classical Le Carre: lots of time shifting between different periods, and very melancholy. There are never really good guys and bad guys. Both sides are composed of dedicated people who are of combination of idealists and bureaucrats. The resolution is always that “the spy game goes on.”
Even the naming of this movie, “The Goood Shepherd,” follows Le Carre’s standard pattern: “The Honorable Schoolboy”, “The Little Drummer Girl”, “The Constant Gardner,” etc.
If you enjoy a slow-moving, whodunnit plot, this is an excellent movie based on real events and a real person, per the LA Times article: ““The Spookiest of the CIA Spooks”.
But Now I want to see “The Good German.”
(waving to jacqrat – thought of you today driving back from castro valley along 880)
wigwam, it certainly impressed me that both the 18 yo and 29 yo thought it was great. both girls have very different tastes in most things.
Fini FiniTOOBZ! @
92
Oh, no… I’ve seen the photos on those advertisements! Even though the lady has her “personal massager” at cheek level, they don’t REALLY expect you to use them there.
You’re welcome!
Suzanne @
150
waves!
Merrygregious, everybody. winding things down after a nice low-key holiday.
hey TRex, I missed your late nite post on Annie Lennox. Coincidentally, I got a “Best of Eurythmics” CD for 13 y.o. daughter.
Jacqrat @ 150
And that goes double for the giant economy size….
montag @
147
“Don’t make a fuss, dear. I’ll have your SPAM. I love it. I’m having SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, Lovely SPAM, Wonderful SPAM. SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, Magnificent SPAM, Superlative SPAM. SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, Wonderful SPAM, Surgical SPAM, Splendiferous SPAM!”
—Mr. Bun
montag @ 154
Double or nothing…
Jacqrat @ 154
Too bad Monty Python pretty much expired before the real thing came along. What fun they could have had with the contemporary version, eh? :)
punaise @ 153
Happy Hollandaise.
Patrick 4/4 @ 158
sauced again, I see
Wigwam,
I love John LeCarre novels, and I didn’t know he had another one out.
Who will be the next outstanding spy novelist? I wonder.
punaise @ 159
Just goosed.
Patrick 4/4 @ 158
Don’t get saucy with me, Bernaise…
Patrick 4/4 @
156
Sort of slicing off into dangerous territory, there, yes? Bandages and therapy included? :)
montag @
154
True; but you never see anyone holding that behemoth smack upside some woman’s head, now, do you? Unless it’s being used as a Mr. Microphone
Louis le chat patrols the Christmas tree:
1
2
TRex @ 162
Saucy-ry ain’t allowed at Christmas. Jerry Falwell said so, and anyone who’s fallen as well as he has should know….
montag @ 163
It’s got a splash guard.
punaise @ 165
My lord, but he’s got some big old feet. That kitty is going to be a behemoth by the time he reaches his majority.
TRex @
168
he’s got puppy feet
TRex @ 162
“Oh, garcon de piss…”
Louis has eyes that let ya know when he is in hunter mode.
Patrick 4/4 @ 170
you egg-nogging us on?
Suzanne @ 171
the poor helpless ornament never saw him coming
Jacqrat @ 164
Umm, yeah. But, I would guess that would depend upon the attachments used. :)
My eyelids are slamming shut.
Good night everybody.
Merry Christmas.
punaise @ 172
You’re not gonna try to wassail out of this one are you?
“Oh, garcon de piss…”
huh?
anyway, reminds me of a strange word in French:
pissenlit = dandelion, but deconstructs to “pees in bed”
Goodnight to ya, TRex
punaise @ 177
“History of the World, Pt. 1“
punaise @ 177
I knew lots of football players in college who pissedinlit. Shakespeare did it to `em.
Patrick 4/4 @
179
another gaping chasm in my cultural literacy revealed….
punaise @ 181
“Pull!”
montag @ 182
oh, shoot: three mussed skeet tears
g’nite TRex, sleep well and dream of all the sales starting tomorrow.
Long time listener, first time caller.
My girlfriend is fond of buying me autographed things for Chrimmus. It’s a theme with her.
First year, she set the standard with a signed copy of Robert Fripp’s ‘Exposure’ LP (and he surely isn’t fond of signing things now, so that was a coup).
Last year, ‘Cold in July’ by Joe R. Lansdale. A writer I dig enough to name my cat after.
This year, a two-fer: ‘Oak-Mot’ by Crispin Hellion Glover (and yeah, I know, they’re all signed, but still), and a chapbook of “Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar” signed by author Neil Gaiman.
Just had to give a shout out to her generosity.
(And you know you’re getting old when a microwave hot pack is a good present).
(you know, that sweater might not look half bad on TRex)
montag @ 182
A terrible movie with some very, very funny bits.
punaise @ 183
Peasant under glass, afterwards, though.
telabs @ 185
Cool. Who signed the hot pack?
telabs @ 185
welcome! nice lead-in…
Patrick 4/4 @ 189
James Brown
punaise @ 191
Say it again.
Patrick 4/4 @ 192
James Browned.
telabs @ 185
boy, i bet you have a hard time trying to buy her Chrimmus presents (that is a great term, by the way and add me to the list of those liking your lead in)
in honor of James Brown: Genius of Love by the Tom Tom Club
Still Christmas here for a half hour.
Merry Christmas, Patrick 4/4, punaise, montag, suzanne!
I’m not bringing anything back. Ms ET and the kids gave me more stuff this year than in a long time, and I like it all. Two books, a new leatherman, a DVD, a cool pullover, some high quality sushi making stuff, and a little electric beater to froth milk for lattes or coffee. I thught the last one was very hokey, but it has been a hit around the house today as we all tried it out and loved it.
Two ducks for dinner, which was sorta Thai. I’m SO blessed!
Ed*ard Teller @ 196
And to you ET.
There was a little mention of personal frothers up-thread.
Ed*ard Teller @ 196
Is that a newfangled model with even more, or did you wear out the old one? (If the latter, I’m impressed!)
montag @ 198
why do you think he need shoulder surgery, huh?
(hey, ET – merry to ya)
Merry Christmas ET.
well, I’m off to wrestle with the Jon Carroll’s 25TH Annual Holiday Quiz – a truly obscure undertaking. catch you all on the flip side….
oops. I burped something into moderation. in any event, time to shuffle off. ‘night….
Late at nght, late in the year.
Be good to the help this Boxing Day.
Goodnight each and all.
James Brown!
What a schmuck. Genius – hell, no. But his stage presence was amazing. I saw his show in Tacoma in 1970. I’ll never forget the show.
The summer of 72 my brother Gene was called in to play bass for The James Brown Show. The regular bass player stayed sick, so my brother played the whole summer. I’ve been looking on YouTube for something from that summer on James Brown, to see if I could see Gene. Nothing so far. He died in a car wreck in October, 1973, right after finishing college.
Suzanne @ 194
Chrimmus is one of her words. Told me to address her Mom’s present to Mothra.
And yes, it was a bitch buying for her. But she’s a starving artist, so a gift card to a local art supply shop did wonders (and the Memory Foam pillow; she’s aging too. What a drag it is).
To bed.
ET, best of luck in your search.
Time for me to head to bed – two nights on two different sofas has caught up with me… night all
punaise @ 201
Could be worse–could have upchucked a fer-bail.
And Merry Christmas to telabs, too.
First personal frother – what a great name!
The books I got are Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran and The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East, by Robert Fisk. Both subject of a lot of talk here at FDL. After surgery, I might have a lot of time for both. Already on page 35 of Chandrasekaran’s mind-blowing tour of the beginnings of the Bushista fiasco.
Ed*ard Teller @ 208
Haven’t read the first, but the second, yes. I found it, after the first hundred or so pages, a very long and difficult read. Not because it’s faulty or dense, but, rather, because I could only manage a few pages at a time, and I’d have to set it aside for a while. It’s an almost relentless assault on one’s sensibilities. I can’t imagine anyone witnessing what Fisk has over the last thirty years and remaining sane.
montag – Got caught up in a movie. I guess any proposal of regulation of the internet just alarms me due to the whole net neutrality issue, free speech, and how slippery the slope can be when government enters that area. gmail really does have the spam problem neutralized. After six months I have never had a piece of spam. It’s free and advertisements are about one percent of a page (much less than a google search page) in text only. For some reason they set up gmail accounts as an invite only situation from anyone who has an account. If you want a referral I would be happy to send you one.
Eureka Springs, AR @ 210
I don’t want gmail. I want to be free of spam. There’s a difference. If you knew that Google was saving all your emails and would turn them over to any government official when asked, you’d think differently. (And, they are saving them, on your behalf and using the content to build up a keyword database for targeted advertising, as I recall.)
Now, is your phone number unique? Yes. Is your email address unique? Yes. So, tell me the difference between telling telemarketers calling you on the phone that they can’t bother you without your permission and telling spammers they can’t bother you without your permission?
Same principle and the same mechanism. It’s all phone lines.
Hell, man. The government already knows who you are and what you spent last month. The least the government can do is cut down on the unnecessary traffic for you…. :)
montag @
209
I’ve been reading Fisk’s articles and op-eds for years; seen him on Democracy Now a couple of times.
The book does appear to be a hard read, but I’m wrapping up reading three versions of the Peloponnesian Wars, so his Clash of Civilizations tome won’t be much different.
You’re right about how hard it must be to report from these awful situations over such a long period. The three reporters from Alaska over there – Dahr Jamahl, Cory Flintoff and Peter Kenyon have my highest respect. The latter two work for NPR, and the battles they fight to get accurate news onto NPR are more frustrating than anything else they deal with. First I’ve talked here about them.
Ed*ard Teller @ 212
I suspect that by the time you finish the section on Algeria in the `90s, the Pelopennesian Wars will seem tame…. *sigh*
I’ve read quite a bit of Dahr Jamail’s reporting. Didn’t know he was from Alaska, nor did I realize that Cory Flintoff was, as well.
montag @
213
They all worked and lived here long enough to be considered Alaskans.
As a customer of google (must be how they look at it) they find it profitable enough to keep spam out of the relationship, so it’s possible for others to do it as well.
I despise postal junk mail and would like wasted paper stopped first. Spam could be handled with shopping around in isp land, imo. My earthlink account (pay per play) rarely allows spam into my inbox, but it’s a tiered system with suspect mail and known spam in separate boxes for an ability to micro manage if one wants to. Don’t know who your provider is but it really is not much of a problem with many folks anymore.
Now the whole privacy issue is one where I find myself much more willing to jump on a regulatory bandwagon and blaze many a new trails.
Sign me up, anonymously of course.
I suppose one way to keep the water clear would be to tie in a proposal such as yours with genuine net neutrality at the same time.
Don’t know how international solicitations are handled with do not call lists but it might prove difficult for government to regulate that kind of spam and maintain privacy. hmm
Eureka Springs, AR @ 215
Okay. If you are in the phone book (and I realize many people aren’t because they only use cell), are you on the don’t-call list for telemarketer’s spam? If not, do you get ten calls a day from them?
If so,they have your phone number and your physical address is traceable from the information they have.
Why is it that an email address is sacrosanct, but a phone number and physical address aren’t?
A good system for spam prevention would only offer one piece of information for opting out–the email address itself. Even if it were done without someone’s knowledge, they would always have the opportunity to opt in if they chose (can’t imagine who would, but that would be a reasonable approach to the problem).
If you think your email addresses are completely anonymous right now, you are, I think, in a state of denial. If you want to prove that to yourself, simply write George W. Bush a vaguely threatening email.
I get about fifty pieces of spam a day, because they come from shielded ISPs and are directed to my precise email address. How did that happen? Because I subscribe to a private mailing list which has publicly searchable archives, thanks to Google’s web page archives.
On the web, information is ubiquitous. It can be found one way or another. The key to limiting spam is not for a few people to think the problem is solved because they’ve created a different problem for themselves, as I think you have with gmail. Rather, it’s to make it unprofitable for spammers to engage in annoying and potentially computer-damaging behavior.
But, fundamentally, the simple question is: why was an opt-out system good for telephonic spam, but is not good for computer spam? After all, if a spammer can find you, anyone can. Just because Google manages to intercept spam, that doesn’t mean you’re unknown. :)
Cheers.
Eureka Springs, AR @ 216
Yeah, I thought about that. The way to do it is to appeal to a country’s self-interest. Estimates are that up to half of current spam coming to US addresses is from Russia and Eastern Europe. So, simple. List-violating spammer identified, country notified. If the spammer isn’t shut down in thirty days, all incoming mail from those country IDs and ISPs are shut down. Export-import commerce grinds quickly to a halt.
Harsh, yes.
But, in this country, spam is taking up a lot of valuable bandwidth. That’s one of the reasons (not, by far, the only one–greed figures prominently) that the controllers of the wiring want to put an end to net neutrality. Net neutrality is served by taking away yet one more argument for its termination, by clearing the toobz. :)
Privacy and junk/spam/phone solicitation have grey lines intersecting but in many cases are very different.
I have no doubt as to how many entities have more information about us than acceptable nor do I have any disagreement with your goal, in fact I share it with great passion.
I still think the company one does business with should cater to privacy with equal passion, as well as government. Google has my isp/e-mail, ATT has my number as you mentioned. They both already have the ability to block anything if the customer/legislation tells them to just like their ability to share it now. Another agency/block list should not be necessary. I think it’s the framing that concerns me most.
Thanks for the banter, will muddle this over some more tomorrow. Late nite should be interesting once again.
peace out
Framing…ugh, I am tired. more like unintended consequences.
g’nite
Eureka Springs, AR @ 219
Are they? In fact, not. It’s all done by wire… whether fiber optics, or optical switches or copper cable or wireless, the phone companies manage it all, and as recent news has shown, same-same, as far as the government is concerned, the phone companies are whores.
I agree. The best questions come from how to do it.
“Another agency/block list” strikes me as a vaguely libertarian complaint that ignores this salient point: spammers and telemarketers are taking your time and are invading your privacy, and yet, them doing it is somehow preferable to a rather simple government edict which can be designed to protect your privacy and solve a problem.
What’s one of the major problems today–Bush and Co.™ have made a mess of government and have intentionally created a government which is perceived as unable to solve people’s problems, so people will think that government is worthless, thus hating all Dems, and continuing to believe the `pug meme that government is taking their money for its own purposes and cannot be trusted.
I’m suggesting something which is possible–can be done with considerable protection of identity–and would, in some small measure, restore people’s faith in government’s ability to solve problems.
Cheers.
Firepup patriots:
Ho-ho-fuckin’ ho…it’s over and the children are at last all tucked in their beds again. I hope the holiday found everyone and anyone well and the children happy.
There is no peace but there is hope…as long as gthere are children there is hope.
Workin’ med-surg on Christmas night reminds me what a fuckin’ mess we have in a medical delivery system.
Peace brothers and sisters and…
KEEP THE FAITH, ALL THEY GOT IS THE MONEY!!
Well, this topic sure resonated!
Just wanted to mention that short-sleeved shirts in certain patterns (madras!) used to be a fashion statement that signaled the wearer was a nerd from Perth Amboy. Don’t even ask me why we used to have a small colony of Amboy immigrants in Little Five Points. I never did figure that one out.
Boxing Day originated in Victorian times and was the day off for the sevants since they had worked Christmas Day preparing and serving Christmas dinner, etc. They were given boxes of presents by their employers. Even today, no trains run in England on Boxing Day. There is a saying there, “Happy as a turkey on Boxing Day.”
If you assume an email is a direct metaphor to home-delivery paper mail (as it is, in my mind)…therefore spam is electronic ‘junk-mail’. Our first class stamps have long subsidised the stuff. I prefer that to having MY personal mail inspected and otherwise having privacy violations. Of course, few foresaw literally ‘poisoned’ mail…such as attacks of some recent fame.
Overall, I don’t like the idea that some packets are better than others.
I’d defer to original intent and that process:
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2505.txt
a lengthy analysis RFC dating back some seven years now. Don’t know if it has any superceding treatment.
A conundrum.
Which will get even more complicated with the advancement of multifunction handhelds that browse and talk (smartfones like Treos and Blackberrys and the rumored Apple device.)
It’s a New World..be Brave. (apologies to A. Huxley.)
——-
ps–> Monty Python redux:
http://www.dailyllama.com/news/2003/llama206.html
Breaking News:
Tsunami heads for Philippines after earthquake near Taiwan
My sympathies. I usually get a size too small, pink turtleneck, without or without the little bears or alligators from a family member. Waiting in line, I imagine everyone waiting in line at the Gap is incognito one way or another on the Day-After. It’s the thought the counts though.
Tickets to Wicked and Keith Olbermann’s Worst Person In the World? Oh, these are keepers. Happy Happy Happy!
Mornin’.
http://www.pcworld.com/article…..ticle.html
heehee!
…but OTOH the rest of the story is ’spam=insecurity’ — which gives me the creeps, even if somewhat truthi.
mornin’ egregious!
morning everyone… is the coffee ready?
Mornin’ egregious.
How’s everyone doing. I missed all the festivities yesterday at the Lake. Anything I should know besides urban pirate taking the plunge?
Good Mornin’ egregious.
And many thanks to everyone for all of the responses to my question last night, lots of much needed reading material for me to check out now to help my dad.
FDL’ers are the bestest.
Mornin’ all.
Been having power outages and connectivity problems at home all weekend. So, lot’s of lurking for me, but not much commenting.
I will be glad to be back at the office later with a more stable connection. I love living in the woods, but the modern conveineces are a bit spotty.
new thread
I’m very late, but Orlando Patterson is in the NYT today:
http://mgpaquin.blogspot.com/
He’ll probably be nailed to the cross for that…
Boxing Day in Britain … The first weekday after Christmas, celebrated as a holiday in parts of the British Commonwealth, when Christmas gifts are traditionally given to service workers..
Oh Dear, TRex! Sorry we’re so late to your party! Jurassic is a little beyond our limit….
But we ARE parents of grownups, and …. well, maybe some other kind soul asked already but, just why are you “talking” to your parents thru the toobes?
Should we fwd a lil’ note to them for you? Be happy to, HONEST. (Gawsh what an awful sweater! The Mr. here immediately wondered out loud, “Who are they buying for, Bill Cosby?!)
love, Adie et al.
p.s., Thanks for all you do, big fella. Your parents must be really sweet folks. ;->
too late to matter – did Beck tell you? these no-bib contracts are un-sauce-stain-able…
Taking presents back? Count your blessings. How I long for the day when I get a present to begin with.
If you get that many presents (digital camera, other electronics, 9 pairs of pants, 6 dress shirts) why not just drop off the pants and shirts you don’t want at the homeless shelter, and keep and appreciate the digital camera, 2 pairs of pants, and other stuff you enjoy and help some people out who didn’t get as much?
This year I purchased a Nintendi Wii on 12/06/06 from a Wal-Mart for my 2 sons after standing in line for 4 hours before work. Upon setting the system up on Christmas Day we found a history of game playing from 11/19/06 to 12/02/06, that included 5 games not including “Sports”. I paid full price for a repackaged, used, and possibly a defective Wii console from Wal-Mart.
Any advice other than “Don’t Shop At Wal-Mart…. Deb
exhuming mccarthy @
241
Actually, I donate to my local recovery house for recovering drug addicts and alcoholics. That will be my main project this week once I get back to my house in Athens, culling anything I haven’t worn in the last year and donating it, as well as surplus household items. There’s going to be plenty of stuff to go around.
Awesome! Thats cool. you get stuff that you want and can use, and other folks get stuff that they want and can use! what can be more Christmas-y than that?
punaise @ 239
707!!!
J Clark, Atlanta @ 240
J Clark–I don’t know if you will see this, but might you tell us how you came to be so alone? We have a lot of love and encouragement here at the lake, I am one of the frequent people in need and grateful recipient of this love.
It’s called Boxing Day because that’s when you hand out boxes to the servants – food, coal, clothes you-and-your’n can no longer wear, etc.