Jazzmoose

You know, that one sentence is enough to qualify as a great review for me; I'll add it to my list! Currently reading Crunch by Jared Bernstein. I was hoping for something along the lines of Levitt and Dubner's Freakonomics (which is kind of like James Burke's Connections, but on economics), but this isn't it. It's a book on economics written for those clueless about economics. I have to admit that it's interesting to read a book written right before things went batshit that warns that things are worse than we think and could very well go batshit...

Same here. I'd say he's one of my favorite SF writers, but let's face it, they just put his stuff in that section because they didn't know where else to put it. A true original, in my opinion.

Last time I tried that, I ended up giving up TV for eight years. Not saying that's a bad thing, either... Last night I watched the season premiere of Law and Order: Criminal Intent. The cast was great (especially D'Onofrio, of course), but I don't know. Maybe I'm getting burn out on crime dramas (which, in my case, means Law and Order) or maybe I'm getting a little prudish in my old age, but frankly, I was uncomfortable watching this one. Maybe it was seeing another show (Cold Case) the day before that dealt with the same subject. I don't know; it just felt like one scene in particular was designed not to show how awful sexual abuse of a child was, but to appeal to those who like it. The Law and Orders come close to the line on a regular basis, I'll admit, but this one seemed to cross it. I'm not sure I can watch a show that brings out feelings of revulsion...

Baba O'Riley Happy Jack Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand

Well, it certainly marks you as an oddball; that can't help!

Well, if you damned kids had just stayed off my lawn and off of that internet thingie...

I guess you're right; after all, no one else has ever been attacked on an internet bulletin board before...

Didn't realize she was that affected by Japanese steakhouses...

While I used to argue with Brad, taking a "pro-political forum" stance, I have to agree, I wouldn't be upset if they went away. And those who insist on bringing politics into other areas can always be stopped if they can't follow the rules. On the other hand, I enjoy the political forum and can't understand those who can't seperate it from the rest of their threads in their minds, and more particularly, in their posts. Still, I've never been much on reevaluationg things just because someone wants to take their ball and go home...

I think that's the key.

Thanks for the review, sidewinder! Sounds like it's well worth it.

I don't know if the new setup of combining your posts if you quote more than one person into one post is part of this change, but I thought I'd mention that it has been noticed and appreciated!

Sounds good to me. We didn't need a replay of the last time a member did a Sherman on the way out...

Finally, spam I can use!

On the other hand, I remember holding a door open for a girl back in '78 who then informed her husband that she was leaving him because she'd found someone with a little class. I wish she'd talked to me about it first; I had already enlisted and was leaving for boot camp in a month.

Yeah, but he'll have a complete set of Mosaics to trade for cigarettes... Joking aside, I'm glad it looks like it's working out, Al.

Harvey Mudd Khan Noonien Singh Lord Garth, Master of the Universe

That's just wrong...

Ron Lyle Duane Bobbick Nick Wells

Yeah, I guess that's true. It's an instance of revealing more about myself than I intended. Child of an alcoholic. Not a physically violent one, but a verbally abusive one. If you've been there, that probably says it all. If not, I'm not sure I can explain it. You learn pretty young (whether it's the right lesson is another question) that you have to hold things together for everyone, supress your own anger (or any other feelings), and choose whatever action is necessary to make the pain stop. If you can't make it stop, you do what it takes to postpone it. You get to the point where every action is designed to mollify the alcholic and prevent an explosion from taking place. You learn that passivity is far more often the better option than taking an active step.

It would almost have to be...

I'm sorry for your loss. Fasstrack is right about letting go; holding on to anger towards the incompetents at the hospital will only hurt you, not them. But I know, that's easy to say.

Wally Gator Lippy the Lion Touche Turtle

I think you're right about not wanting your boss and landlord to be the same person; too many eggs in one basket and all that. On the other hand, if he's willing to offer it as a temporary solution (and you don't let go of the idea that it is temporary!) it could still be a help. And I dunno about that "path of least resistance" stuff; that's the road that led me to most of my mistakes in life. But, it's a trait you learn growing up the way I did...