text:
Happy Presidents' Day! Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington's birthday, Presidents' Day has come to be a day of honor, remembrance and gratitude for all United States presidents throughout the years.
Today we take time to remember and say thank you to the presidents who have served the U.S. For some, today means little more than an extra day off of work. For others, it can represent so much more. How can you honor Presidents' Day in your everyday life and your family's life? We have some ideas. Check out these six altruistic ways to celebrate Presidents' Day.
1. Learn about the presidents.
One of the simplest ways to celebrate Presidents' Day is by learning more about our nation's presidents. Pick out a few presidents you and your family want to learn more about, then do some fun research on them. For instance, did you know that James A. Garfield could write in Latin with one hand while writing in Greek with the other at the same time? Start with George Washington, then work your way down to see what fun and insightful information you can learn about the former leaders of the United States.
2. Write a letter to the President.
Once you've learned more about past presidents, get involved with the modern political system by writing a letter to our current President. If you have children, help them write a letter as well. This activity is a great way for you or your family to start thinking through present-day issues in the United States, such as policies you admire, policies you might disagree with and how you can best discuss these issues in a respectful manner. Share in the political discourse by writing a letter to the President expressing your views.
3. Make presidential arts and crafts.
For a family-friendly celebration, help your kiddos make presidential arts and crafts for the day, such as a patriotic flag decorating activity or Presidents' Day bingo. Look up different crafts and activities online to see which ones your family might enjoy, then give them a try. Combine the activities with learning about Presidents' Day, and you're off to a great start for celebrating an altruistic holiday.
4. Give back with the military.
With the role of President comes the title of Commander in Chief, otherwise known as the head of our nation's military. Celebrate this Presidents' Day altruistically by giving back with our military servicemen and women. Whether you volunteer with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, donate to an organization that supports the military or send out care packages to troops overseas, there are lots of different options for how to give back.
5. Clean up the community.
Cleaning up the community and neighborhoods near you is the perfect way to commemorate Presidents' Day. While the President is the head of the executive branch for the federal government, he or she can also play a role in state or even local governments. Your local government matters, so show your appreciation by giving back and volunteering to clean up the surrounding area.
6. Collect donations for a charity.
Finally, commemorate today by collecting donations from others around you and give to a local charity in recognition of Presidents' Day. See what organizations are involved with government, the military or a cause you care about and donate in celebration of the holiday.
This Presidents' Day, do more to get involved and give back. Learn the history behind the holiday, get involved with current issues and give back to your community. Lead a more altruistic life and celebrate today with your friends and family.


text:
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Anyway, I mention all this because today I got a harsh reminder of just how old my phone is:
Yep, old enough to appear as a plastic toy on a Wreck.
And not just ANY Wreck, but one that's ugly as vomit-streaked sin and suffering from a severe identity crisis to boot. Is it a going-away cake? A birthday cake? Both? "Happy Birthday, Billy. Now Daddy and I gotta go! Bye!"
I could also mention the punctuation, spacing, and CCC issues, but really I just can't get over this phone-clone thing. In fact, I think I need to photograph my phone just to show you I'm not making this up. Check it out:
See? Of course, the fact that I wanted to show off my new Mickey Munny doll had nothing to do with it, Christina B. (But isn't he cute?)
123 comments | Post a Comment
I had a moment of severe phone envy the other day after watching too many commercials for the new iPhone and Blackberry with their cool little games, etc. My phone just, well, makes calls, sends text, and could connect to the internet at a ridiculously slow speed if I really wanted. And yet... that's what it's supposed to do. It's a *phone.*
Oh, and the cake is ugly! I definitely wouldn't have paid more than $12 for it, if even that!
Word verification: defuncr, what many of these cakes are to the intended parties - February 3, 2009 at 9:36 AM
- Unknown said...
I love that it's on sale.
Priceless. - February 3, 2009 at 9:38 AM
- Unknown said...
Love Psychonauts.
- February 3, 2009 at 9:39 AM
What an odd inscription. I think this is a cake from some inconsiderate traveling parent that was trying to give a phone order message while talking on another phone.
*on phone one* "What's up? Gotta go out of town!"
*on phone two* Oh yeah the cake...umm...how about "Happy Birthday"
*decorator* Qua? - February 3, 2009 at 9:39 AM
My favorite part is that it's on sale.
- February 3, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Yes, he's very cute. So cute that I forgot the cake and really want that Mickey Munny (is it supposed to be Mummy? Because I don't know what "munny" is).
- February 3, 2009 at 9:44 AM
- Unknown said...
Oh my gosh, I love Psychonauts too!
- February 3, 2009 at 9:45 AM
- jengersnap said...
I love that it's discounted too. It's a reject trifecta.
- February 3, 2009 at 9:45 AM
- Boozy Tooth said...
iityrLook on the bright side... at least you can have vomit-streaked sin for under $12.00!
Woot! Woot! - February 3, 2009 at 9:46 AM
- Unknown said...
I don't understand what the connection of any of the cake is. We have the phone, ugly background, "we gotta go!" and "Happy Birthday!". There is about 4 different messages on that cake.
- February 3, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Forget the cake (and the phone)... I want one of those Mickeys!
- February 3, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Wouldn't it make more sense to throw your controller during the Meat Circus, rather than your phone?
- February 3, 2009 at 9:50 AM
- Jamie said...
The dialogue on this cake is definitely the best. It was as if the decorator was having a conversation with herself thinking of what to add and decided to add it all.
- February 3, 2009 at 9:50 AM
I'm sure it will come up in other comments here (when they're posted all at once) ... but it appears THIS wreck was something that the original person wouldn't purchase. The inscription is bizarre enough to suggest there was a backstory.
But now it's marked down, and the cake board is scribbled with "Happy Birthday" to try to move it out the door. For that reason, it's one of my favorite wrecks. - February 3, 2009 at 9:51 AM
- TooBlue said...
Have you managed to beat the Meat Circus? I have NEVER been able to do it and it makes me cry.
Also, big ups for old phone love. I practically have to crank mine. - February 3, 2009 at 9:53 AM
- HorribleLicensePlates said...
They forgot "IDK my BFF Jill"
- February 3, 2009 at 9:55 AM
- Litza said...
That's the best phone ever. I kept mine until AT&T FORCED me to take a free phone because their network wouldn't support that one. After two years, I still haven't had the heart to actually toss the thing.
I'm glad that you don't take it for granted! Enjoy it while you can! - February 3, 2009 at 9:59 AM
- HuianaSukari said...
its okay. i just upgraded, cause someone stole my phone at the mall over x-mas. what any one wanted with the first flip phone with a camera is beyond me. I had it forever, like, 6 years, and in phone world, that's decades. the screen was cracked, you reallly had to push to dial a 2, you know? I think the toy flip phones are fancier. I now have a newer bar phone. I picked it cause it was pretty plain,but it has the Music ID thing, and I didn't expect it to, so thats pretty cool. If it hadn't been stolen, I probably would still be chuggin along with my old one tho. It still worked fine.
- February 3, 2009 at 9:59 AM
- Ketutar said...
No wonder one's gotta go with a cake like that, and why one is out of town when it's time to eat the cake.
Thank you for this blog. I haven't laughed this much for months :-D - February 3, 2009 at 10:00 AM
- Unknown said...
I used to have that phone! I think it is still kicking around in a drawer somewhere.
- February 3, 2009 at 10:01 AM
- Mella said...
My phone doesn't even have a multi color screen .
I guess it's a free for all occasion cake - February 3, 2009 at 10:04 AM
- Brooke said...
Ugly as vomit streaked sin! That is a new one and I love it! Seriously though, Update your phone!!
- February 3, 2009 at 10:07 AM
- Eagle Archambeault said...
I find it hilarious that just the other week, my partner saw the little toy cellphones in our grocery store and commented how much they looked like his phone. I too had an old cellphone until recently (actually I still have it, it just doesn't work anymore) so I upgraded to one that actually is semi-modern - whoo!
- February 3, 2009 at 10:11 AM
- Unknown said...
This cake makes absolutely no sense at all, and the colour scheme is downright nasty..YUCK!!!!
~Amy B. - February 3, 2009 at 10:11 AM
- Danielle said...
I knew my phone was old when I saw it pictured on one of those donate your old phone bins.
- February 3, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Yeah, I still have the first cell phone I ever got - May 2003. No camera. Still works perfectly (even after I dropped it down that flight of concrete steps in college). The battery life is starting to go though...
- February 3, 2009 at 10:18 AM
- ilovebabyquilts said...
I think a mid-50's cake decorator was trying to mimic what pre-teens might say on the phone. I took it as a middle school birthday cake for a talkative girl. But the question remains as to why any person with eyes in their head would make a cake in those colors.
- February 3, 2009 at 10:19 AM
- Brittany said...
I know this is the most unrelated thing, but why are you saving $7.79 and paying $11.69? that means the cake was originally $19.48... and while that may have been a good year for some, it's a really odd price, and an even odder discount... i'm sure there's a mathematical explanation but since the "cake" itself is horrifying, i went for the more hidden befuddlement
- February 3, 2009 at 10:22 AM
I'm hanging on to my cruddy old phone and hoping that someday I can use it as a topper on my kids' graduation cake.
Angie (from over at www.HalfAssedKitchen.com) - February 3, 2009 at 10:32 AM
My phone was older (from 1998), but two years ago I learned it no longer works in all 50 states . . .
There's a river in the middle of the cake, I'm pretty sure. But whatever the person ordered, which I'm sure was fraught with personal meaning, I think "designers" are charged with making it look okay. Otherwise we'd all make our own cakes, or just murmur something while handing one another Twinkies. (Uh, it needed to be said.)
No amount of retconning can make this worth spending money on. Prying the cupcakes apart and scrambling them like a puzzle, to obliterate any hint of intentional communication, would move them faster.
Guity -- how some wreckerators who can't spell feel at the end of a work day. - February 3, 2009 at 10:40 AM
- Clara said...
I have that exact phone! And I still use it as well =)
- February 3, 2009 at 10:48 AM
that mickey money is probably the lamest thing i've seen all week
- February 3, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Given the game you're playing, and that cake, I can only think of one appropriate response to that monstrosity:
"Ahhh, it's so... tacky... Can't... look... directly at it..." - February 3, 2009 at 10:57 AM
My phone is way older than that. :-/ It makes calls and sends text messages. That is all. No Internet, no pictures, the screen is 1980-computer-monitor green.
- February 3, 2009 at 10:59 AM
- Rhian said...
We have the same phone - and I still use mine, too.
I also cannot believe/am hugely amused that the cake is on sale. - February 3, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Aw, don't feel bad, Jen - I had the exact same phone and only gave it up when my call company offered me a new phone for free (which was about two years ago, but still). Of course, my "new" phone is pretty old by now, too...
Oh, and the cake is *really* ugly. ^^ - February 3, 2009 at 11:05 AM
- XOXO said...
Wait - what's wrong with that phone? *I* have that phone. Still works - most of the time.
When I get a new one, I'll use it to put on someone's going-away cake.
You know, a whole Keep-in-touch - touch.
XOXO - February 3, 2009 at 11:19 AM
- thisisbeth said...
That "cake" was so ugly, I failed to notice it was an evil CCC until it was mentioned in the write-up. I think the colors blinded me.
(My phone is only three years old, although it wasn't even a fancy model when I bought it. I can still make and receive calls, which is my main requirement.) - February 3, 2009 at 11:20 AM
- Unknown said...
Loved that phone. I eventually had to replace it because the metal contacts in the phone didn't work right and it was very hard to charge.
- February 3, 2009 at 11:22 AM
- Sarah said...
Someone HAS to make a cake like your Mickey Munny doll. That would rock.
- February 3, 2009 at 11:25 AM
If you liked Psychonauts, check out Grim Fandango, the same team's game before Psychonauts. It's available on PC and super cheap (they did a rerelease a few years ago). AWESOME game.
- February 3, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Ok, I feel old. My first phone was one I inherited from my older sister in the mid nineties. The screen was greenish grey and black. The aerial pulled out. The sim card was the size of a credit card. Camera? Don't be absurd, it barely managed 30x40 monochrome bitmaps! And I have no idea how they got there! And there was no way you could fit it into a pocket unless you were borrowing your clothes from MC Hammer.
It had Snake though. I miss Snake, even if I do have a pretty nifty Sudoku game on my current phone. - February 3, 2009 at 11:33 AM
- Alisa said...
LOL, I had that phone, too. Sold it two years ago to a guy for $25! Then I "bought" (got free with renewal) the next Sony-Ericsson model(Z520a) which has the *exact* same menu system.
- February 3, 2009 at 11:35 AM
I have to laugh too! Just realised that my phone is "older than most 1st graders" too - I was about 3 months pregnant with my current 1st grader when I got it. Still doing fine; on 2nd earphone; might replace the battery some time. I'm using it now to listen to the radio. Phone, text and radio - that was state of the art when I bought it :) And still all I need.
- February 3, 2009 at 11:38 AM
We need a "Design a cakewreck Munny" contest!
For those that don't know what a Munny is, go to http://www.kidrobot.com/2008/munny/ - February 3, 2009 at 11:50 AM
I was so mad...as soon as I bought my new BlackBerry, they came out with the Bold and the Storm...I kept my old RAZR so I wouldn't have to buy new Tetris and Solitare games ;)
I have one of those 2-ton cell phones from the 80s that could be installed IN THE CAR
wv: litub...erm, I got nutthin' - February 3, 2009 at 12:00 PM
This is the funniest website I've ever seen!
underneat that
Best wishes! - February 3, 2009 at 12:16 PM
- Tabitha (From Single to Married) said...
hey - at least you got a phone that has lasted a long time. Some of the newest models can't boast that (hello iPhone that keeps dying on me)!! :)
- February 3, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Wonder how long it sat there before it was discounted?? Maybe it started out with different colors & didn't age well - lol. The "vomit-induced sin" remark is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. As always thanks for brightening my day!!
- February 3, 2009 at 12:33 PM
I think it's even a CCC if you look closely around the edges...you can just make out the scalloped edges...
- February 3, 2009 at 12:37 PM
- Leslie said...
I had a phone that was 5 yrs old with no intention of replacing it even though the 3 button didnt work but then my bf decided to help with laundry and washed it. I still miss that phone. sigh...
- February 3, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Psychonauts is love. That cake is so not.
- February 3, 2009 at 1:25 PM
- Scritzy said...
I got my first cell phone in the early 1990s. It was so big (relatively speaking) that I had a separate little purse just for the phone.
That is one butt-ugly CCC, and it must have a multiple personality since it can't decide what message it wants to convey.
Word verification: evera. "It's sure as heck as bad a wreck as evera wreck that was." - February 3, 2009 at 1:29 PM
You should turn your Munny into a Disney-style mouse/Klingon hybrid.
- February 3, 2009 at 1:32 PM
- Jo-Momma said...
Oh my goodness, that is the ugliest, most confusing cake ever!
- February 3, 2009 at 1:44 PM
- Valerie Phoenixfire said...
AHHHH. YOU LIKE PSYCHONAUTS? That's my favorite game ever!
Okay, you were already awesome. Now you are MADE of awesome.
♥ - February 3, 2009 at 1:44 PM
- El Comodoro said...
It's incredible that after all these years of mocking my wife's ancient, uses-an-abacus-instead-of-a-computer-chip cellphone, you post THE SAME PHONE on Wrecks.
Is there something sinister in this Sony Ericsson that creates irrational loyalty in its disciples... I mean owners?
This is the kind of thing that would make me say the following in a phone conversation: "Out of town." So this cake's reduced? Boy, is it ever. - February 3, 2009 at 2:00 PM
- WM said...
Ugly, ugly, ugly...this is why some people should never be allowed near an airbrush.
The Mickey doll is soooo cute. - February 3, 2009 at 2:03 PM
Yes, Jen, he is VERY cute and the phone clone is freaking me out too!
WV: podermi WTF!?!?!? - February 3, 2009 at 2:06 PM
I had my previous cellphone for a few years, and when I went get it upgraded the guy at the store laughed in my face. He said, "You know they don't make these anymore," like it had a rotary dial or something. I got a new phone but it wasn't worth the humiliation.
- February 3, 2009 at 2:13 PM
- edeabay said...
I was drawn out of my little lurker corner by your mention of Psychonauts. I can't get past the damn meat circus part where the water is rising and my dad is yelling at me... it's very traumatic.
As far as the cake goes, it is horrifying. I can't help but wonder if maybe the wreckarator thinks that "Out of Town" is an expression akin to "Out of sight!" or similar. Otherwise I can't understand why you would write it on a cake. - February 3, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Yay i took this picture and it made it on! I'm so happy!
I saw it in Wal Mart and made my husband distract the bakery person so I could snap the picture with my camera phone.
Sweet! I loved that it was on sale too... can't imagine why! :) - February 3, 2009 at 2:23 PM
- Jenene said...
Your cell phone might be old, but it's still better than mine. Because I don't have one. I'm 23 years old, and I've never had a cell phone. I'm kind of proud of that fact.
- February 3, 2009 at 2:28 PM
- Gaby Castañeda said...
i had that same phonee
and it still works
gotta love a phone that keeps on givin'... - February 3, 2009 at 3:37 PM
- TheDaughterOfTyr said...
That cake looks like it could be older than your cell phone!
Mmmm Mold Coloured.
Who ever thought that a cake could be appetizing when it's THAT colour.
Don't feel too bad about your phone though - mine was marketed to pre-teens (it has pretty flashy lights LOL).
Word verification: Lingi - I didn't want to Lingi longer as looking at this cake made me want to hurl. - February 3, 2009 at 3:40 PM
- Lindsey said...
The phone comparison is sad. :(
In case no one else has done this, I will give you the nudge to give yourself permission to just LET IT GO. It's okay. You're still a good person if you buy a cell phone that belongs in this decade.
You get lots of kudos and applause from the "reduce, reuse, recycle" campaign for holding on to a working item and not becoming a consumer just for consuming's sake. But it's time to move on.
I'll get off my soap box. Just sayin' it because I care! - February 3, 2009 at 3:58 PM
That cake confuses and disgusts me.
and hey at least you have a cell phone! Too much money for me so I stick to the $5/month landline!!! People always look at me crazy when I tell them I dont have one :) - February 3, 2009 at 5:08 PM
I've been trying to figure out if it's a river or a road on that cake to take you out of town.
To Wrench 0626: I loved Snake. It was about the only game on my phone I could figure out how to play. Alas, the snake..I mean, the phone died and I had to replace it with something that lasted only half as long. - February 3, 2009 at 5:26 PM
I would wager it's on sale because the person who ordered the cake took one look at that and said "Um...no. No way." And either walked away without paying or demanded a refund.
- February 3, 2009 at 5:31 PM
- Becky said...
Psychonauts is amazing but the mind-brain-tank-evil battle sequence often causes me to throw random objects around. Usually at my partner who doesn't understand the epic hardness and glory of psychonauts.
- February 3, 2009 at 5:34 PM
- Rachael M. said...
What does that mean, "Out of Town"??? Is that some newfangled teen lingo?? Who texts someone "Out of Town" unless they are LITERALLY out of town?
And honestly - wouldn't "g2g" be more proper than "Gotta Go"? And "ttyl"?
Maybe it's the sleep deprivation that comes with having a newborn, but I'm so confused. Amused, but confused. - February 3, 2009 at 6:31 PM
- Zombie Edward said...
Psychonauts made me want to break things.
I think if I saw this cake in person and thought about that game, the cake would be smashed onto the floor and would probably look better there than it does here. - February 3, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Hmmm....it's my birthday today, and that cake sounds a lot like my phone call with my mom this morning. Will she get me another cell phone?
*cue "Twilight Zone" theme music*
---Blue Jean - February 3, 2009 at 6:54 PM
- Lauren said...
Two things.
One. I admire your ability to keep your phone in tact for so long. I've gone through at least 6 in the last five years...I'm a little abusive my cell phones. The one I have now though is remarkably sturdy, having withstood paint, water, and multiple cross-room throws. But kudos to you and your cell phone longevity! It's a great thing to have.
Two. Psychonauts is the best game ever. Aside maybe from Portal. Game on! :) - February 3, 2009 at 8:13 PM
- Unknown said...
Phone twins!
And I love that phone. - February 3, 2009 at 8:20 PM
- Nutella Nutterson said...
The cake inscription is reminding me a bit of "Rocket Man," the Elton John song...
- February 3, 2009 at 8:34 PM
I was so amazed at the general hideousness of the cake I didn't even realize it was a CCC! - February 3, 2009 at 9:12 PM
- ksaldria said...
Ah, I see you have a "brick". Don't worry, those things last forever. Seriously.
- February 3, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Maybe it's not a clone, maybe they just bought a bunch of old phones which they are now using as decorations?
And yay, Psychonauts! - February 3, 2009 at 9:40 PM
- Lillian said...
my mum has the same phone!
I find it quite hard to use, so I hate having to txt for her on it occasionally.
When my dad passed away, my mum say it was lighting up every morning around 6am something (I forget) which is the time my mum wakes my dad up before he passed away. Spooky or coincidence? - February 3, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Pah, I have a Nokia 5110. Calls and text - good enough for me! It's been through our entire family and I love it. It also doubles as a defensive weapon in emergencies.
- February 3, 2009 at 10:44 PM
And am I the only person that ever since I found this site I HAVE to make a trip to the bakery at the store??? :) - February 3, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Omigosh, it's my phone!! You don't know how happy it makes me to see that someone else is still using that model after all these years - I feel validated! I wonder if that's actually a fake phone on the cake or if someone was inspired when they got a new one after having the Ericsson for so many years?
*walking into grocer's bakery* "Dude! My new phone came today, what should I do with the old one? ...Wait..." - February 3, 2009 at 11:38 PM
I have that phone too!
and I still use it - February 3, 2009 at 11:40 PM
Don't feel bad. At least your phone had a camera at one time! Mine doesn't have a camera, doesn't connect to the internet, and sends and receives text messages when it feels like it.
- February 4, 2009 at 12:48 AM
I possessed and CHERISHED that Sony Erickson for years until my sister borrowed and lost it. I still feel a pang of grief when thinking about the loss, so I guess that just adds another dimension of AUGH to this cake.
- February 4, 2009 at 12:51 AM
Don't feel bad, I have the original butterfly keyboard Nokia, AND another just like it purchased unlocked. My carrier keeps wanting me to "upgrade." I always say the same thing: "I LOVE my phone, it does all I tell it to and nothing I don't."
We are not alone and we are not going away.
[Dang, that sounds way tougher than it needs to for a cake blog. Jeepers, uh, let's color it unicorn-ish, ya' know, lighten it up some... I'm shutting up now.]
-A. - February 4, 2009 at 1:30 AM
- Sasha said...
I had that phone too!! It was amazing, so durable.
- February 4, 2009 at 3:19 AM
- Miriam E Lewis said...
My friend just gave in and upgraded from her Nokia 3210, so old it has a yellow screen and pixel graphics!
Man, I want to paint that Mickey doll so badly! - February 4, 2009 at 4:14 AM
- ZZamboni said...
I also had that phone until a few months ago, when the little controller gave up and I couldn't do anything with the menus anymore. It's a really good phone! It's great that yours is still in working condition.
- February 4, 2009 at 4:42 AM
- Wolverine Girl said...
The random! usage of! exclamation points is! almost! Shatneresque!
And about the phone - you mean you have one of those newfangled things with a camera? I bet it has a colour screen too. My unkillable Nokia 3315 is now 6 years old, and has none of that fancy schmancy stuff hehehe.
Word verification: gatisc - a sort of weird choking sound one makes when viewing a particularly horrendous cake wreck. - February 4, 2009 at 5:13 AM
and again!
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5516511.ece - February 4, 2009 at 6:08 AM
I love Psychonauts. I hate the Meat Circus.
- February 4, 2009 at 7:51 AM
That was MY very first phone too. Sad to say, but I have graduated way beyond that one, but i LOVED LOVED LOVED it!!! More power to you for still using it!!!
As to the cake, I just don't get it... - February 4, 2009 at 9:16 AM
It looks like the Disney Dough-boy.
- February 4, 2009 at 9:23 AM
- Ell said...
I had one of those two phones ago. THEY WERE AWESOME. That was like the Nokia 3310 with a camera (which means good, since Nokia 3310's are like indestructible and are probably made of the same stuff they make the black box in planes of)!
But that was an ugly cake though. - February 4, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Psychonauts is pretty much the best game ever.
- February 4, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Psychonauts effing ROCKS!
- February 4, 2009 at 11:00 AM
- Lillie said...
OMG! THAT'S MY PHONE! I, too, have been using it forever and refuse to get a new one.
- February 4, 2009 at 11:09 AM
- Beverly said...
Uh...yeah. Well that's the phone my fiance used about three phones ago and gave me as an upgrade to mine. LOL So this one is not as bad as the one I HAD been using...
- February 4, 2009 at 2:40 PM
- heartafire said...
"vomit-streaked sin....."
It's a day later and I'm still crying with laughter.
You are the greatest, Jen!
You deserve every blogging award out there.
In fact, nest time I am going to nominate you for Best Religion blog and Best Political Site, in addition to Food, Humor, Cooking, etc. - February 4, 2009 at 3:05 PM
- alicia said...
why bother discounting it? they should cut their losses, put it in the break room and add 'eat me' to the list of random phrases.
- February 4, 2009 at 4:05 PM
- Gretchen said...
*My* cellphone is so old it's got a rotary dial! Okay, not really, but close.
Hey, Shahinrani, get a new battery for 10 bucks from Amazon & your phone will be like new! I just did that and now I can make a whole call without the battery dying! - February 4, 2009 at 4:26 PM
What's a Mickey Munny?
- February 4, 2009 at 4:33 PM
- CYW said...
I used to have that phone too. I'm sad that it broke because all the ones I had after it weren't as good! That phone had really user-friend menus and a good, solid feel.
- February 4, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Wow... speaking of Psychonauts, I think that cake is the same color as Bobby Zilch's canvas-of-decay gumline.
- February 4, 2009 at 7:27 PM
I understand hanging on to your phone completely. My current phone is eight years old, falling to pieces and most of the time the battery dies whenever someone calls it (I can only use it to send texts). I have been given two different new phones, but I just can't bare to part with it/ do not want to learn how to use a new phone.
- February 4, 2009 at 9:11 PM
What's your favorite level? I think mine is Lungfishopolis. - February 4, 2009 at 10:27 PM
The irony is that $11.97 is also probably the current value of your phone.
- February 4, 2009 at 10:45 PM
And by $11.97 I meant $11.69. What? I can't be expected to remember the entire price of something if I have to do something complicated in between like click on the comment section.
- February 4, 2009 at 10:51 PM
- Moominmama said...
My phone was made before camera phones were invented. It has a monochrome display. Next to my phone, yours looks like the starship Enterprise.
- February 5, 2009 at 7:46 AM
Where did you buy the mickey munny doll from?
thanks! - February 5, 2009 at 10:16 AM
- MJS said...
I didn't even realize it was a CCC due to the myriad issues it's got going on. I think maybe the inscription was supposed to be a text message convo? But it should have been text speak then, no?
But I totally understand your phone thing. My wireless carrier contacted me to see if I didn't want to get a new phone because one as old as mine (only a preschooler, LOL) can't possibly still work. The sales rep didn't believe me when I said it still works perfectly (and I'd pass on paying more for fewer minutes for the privilege of buying a new phone). - February 5, 2009 at 1:48 PM
- SkierRMH said...
Am I seein' that right, or is the "Happy Birthday" not even on the cake?? Looks like it's on the paper on the bottom of the tray. Now that's creative :(
- February 5, 2009 at 8:35 PM
i can't believe you got a Mickey Munny! AND it's a DIY one...you should make a cake-wreck Munny homage of some sort =)
- February 7, 2009 at 7:47 PM
I have that phone too. It's a sweet phone!
- February 9, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Well, if all you want your phone to do is make calls and you don't really care what it looks like, then what's the point of a new phone. Personally, I'm one of those people who gets a new phone every six months or so.
- February 9, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Don't feel bad I have the exact same phone!!!!
- February 16, 2009 at 4:57 PM
I had that same phone from 2003 up until about a year ago. I loved it so much! It had everything i needed. Glad to see that I am not the only one that had that phone for so long!
- February 25, 2009 at 4:45 PM
*gasp* I love the Mickey Vinylmation!
- May 11, 2009 at 5:37 PM
- mduprey said...
For the record, I'm a 21 year old female and I had your phone less than a year ago. I loved it. Passionately.
- September 8, 2009 at 3:34 AM
- Michelle Luevane, CPA said...
I love Psychonauts also!
One of the BEST games EVER :D - October 15, 2009 at 11:17 PM
$11.69 for that cake? Boy, those people are STEEP!
Funny as always, thanx!
P.S. Your toy is CUTE! - April 12, 2010 at 11:54 AM
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The Syrian government indiscriminately used cluster bombs in last week's attacks on civilian areas, according to a Human Rights Watch report released Sunday.
The news came as Turkey's foreign minister announced that the country is barring its airspace to civilian flights from Syria. As the AP reports:
"Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday that Turkey had made the decision because the Syrian regime, which is battling an insurgency, was 'abusing' civilian flights by transporting military equipment."
Much of Syria's munitions are reportedly Russian-made; earlier this week Turkey forced a Syrian plane from Moscow to land on suspicions it was carrying Russian weaponry. Human Rights Watch says the cluster bombs used in recent attacks were Soviet-made.
Cluster bombs can scatter hundreds of "bomblets" over a wide area, not all of which may detonate immediately. They're considered such a danger to civilians that many countries banned their use under the . Neither Syria nor Russia have signed the convention.
"Syria's disregard for its civilian population is all too evident in its air campaign, which now apparently includes dropping these deadly cluster bombs into populated areas," said Steve Goose, the rights group's arms director.
Human Rights Watch cited interviews with residents and several videos posted by activists, as well as accompanied its report with its own video.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Dryer Vent Cleaning in Manvel, TX
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Dryer Vent Wizard of Pearland offers thorough dryer vent cleaning to make each vent system we clean safer and more efficient! Call 281-404-5010 to learn more about our services or request an appointment now to schedule your Manvel, TX dryer vent cleaning.


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Kit with Strap and BCD Holder. Robust and accurate compass for underwater navigation that ensures accuracy and durability for a long time. The compass perfect for travelers.
Scratch-resistant and durable oil-filled polycarbonate case. Highly luminous dial for easy reference in low light conditions. Side view window for easy and accurate navigation.
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FastCGI is a method which enables a web server to communicate with long-running scripts. This has the advantage that the script is only started and initialized one time, and that data could be cached in memory from request to request, enhancing the performance of the CGI application.
Follow the basic installation for your operating system as described in other parts of the MoinMoin installation documentation. This is HelpOnInstalling/BasicInstallation and HelpOnInstalling/WikiInstanceCreation, or HelpOnInstalling/ApacheOnLinux in most cases.
Using MoinMoin with FastCgi
For more general information:
http://fastcgi.com - FastCGI Homepage
FastCGI — The Forgotten Treasure (introduction)
Deploying on Apache
To deploy MoinMoin using FastCGI you need an apache with mod_fastcgi. Please refer to the documentation of mod_fastcgi ( mod_fastcgi homepage ).
Don't forget to install the fastcgi Apache module (e.g. libapache2-mod-fastcgi). Then in places where the documentation refers to moin.cgi you use moin.fcg instead. Be sure that .fcg is handled by the FastCGI module (AddHandler fastcgi-script .fcg in your apache config).
Normally Apache will start CGI scripts with its own user and group, or with the user and group of the VirtualHost if you are using the suexec wrapper. To enable this with FastCGI you need to use FastCgiWrapper On in your Apache config (check your distributions and/or FastCGI Documentation).
Be sure to restart your Apache after you changed py files (i.e. the config) for a running FastCGI server, or you won't see any changes!
Script options
No matter how and where you install or how you configure, you can add some options (in Apache config or as self-running process). Here is a list of some options.
-host [hostname:port] - The port and on what host name to respond. -idle-timeout [seconds] - The number of seconds of inactivity allowed before request is aborted.
-port [port] - The port the application will use for communication with the web server. -idle-timeout [seconds] - The number of seconds of inactivity allowed before request is aborted.
Example for Apache2 on Debian
Edit the /etc/apache2/conf.d/your_wiki:
<IfModule mod_fastcgi.c> AddHandler fastcgi-script .fcgi .fcg FastCgiServer /your/path/to/moin.fcg -idle-timeout 60 -processes 1 ScriptAlias /your_wiki "/your/path/to/moin.fcg" </IfModule>
- number of processes depends on your hardware..
Expand the Apache installation:
apt-get install libapache2-mod-fastcgi a2enmod fastcgi apache2ctl graceful
Now, your wiki should respond a little faster.
Running as an external application and/or on Windows
(see also ../ApacheOnWin32withFastCgi for a Windows-specific how-to)
MoinMoin can be run as an external application that answers FastCGI request via a local TCP/IP socket. This works on Windows as well. All you need to do (after having installed mod_fastcgi and a working MoinMoin instance) is this:
- Select a port number for the internal communication. It should be larger than 1023. For this example, we chose 8888 (just for fun).
Add the following lines to your httpd.conf:
Alias /moin.fcg "/your/path/to/moin.fcg" FastCgiExternalServer "/your/path/to/moin.fcg" -host localhost:8888
Edit moin.fcg. Replace
fcg = thfcgi.FCGI(handle_request, max_requests=max_requests, backlog=backlog, max_threads=max_threads)
fcg = thfcgi.FCGI(handle_request, 0, 8888, max_requests=max_requests, backlog=backlog, max_threads=max_threads)
Start the file moin.fcg manually like a Python script:
python moin.fcg
- Start Apache.
Fallback to CGI if FastCGI is not available
Install and test MoinMoin according to HelpOnInstalling/ApacheOnLinux. Then make and test the changes to run mod_fastcgi. If you are satisfied, you can add the following block to your apache config:
<IfModule !mod_fastcgi.c> ScriptAlias /mywiki "/your/path/to/moin.cgi" </IfModule> <IfModule mod_fastcgi.c> AddHandler fastcgi-script .fcg ScriptAlias /mywiki "/your/path/to/moin.fcg" </IfModule>
Now Apache will use mod_fastcgi if available and otherwise use the slow cgi script.
Deploying on lighttpd
This is about running a wiki under "/" URL with lighttpd.
The moin.fcg processes will get spawned by lighttpd automatically (thus, if you want to restart moin, just restart lighttpd).
It will also take care about handling robots.txt and favicon.ico correctly.
First add fastcgi and rewriting support to your lighttpd.conf (if you don't already have it):
server.modules = ( "mod_access", "mod_rewrite", # <--- IMPORTANT! "mod_status", "mod_fastcgi", # <--- IMPORTANT! "mod_accesslog", "mod_redirect", "mod_auth", "mod_expire", )
Then configure it to run moin.fcg for your wiki site and also serve the static stuff:
$HTTP["host"] =~ "^(www\.)?example\.org" { url.rewrite-once = ( "^/robots.txt" => "/robots.txt", "^/favicon.ico" => "/favicon.ico", "^/moin_static161/(.*)" => "/moin_static161/$1", "^/(.*)" => "/wiki-engine/$1" ) server.document-root = "/srv/org.example/htdocs/" $HTTP["url"] =~ "^/wiki-engine/" { fastcgi.server = ( "/wiki-engine" => (( "docroot" => "/", "min-procs" => 10, "max-procs" => 10, "max-load-per-proc" => 2, # allocate successive port numbers for each process, starting with "port" "bin-path" => "/srv/org.example/bin/moin.fcg", "host" => "127.0.0.1", "port" => 3060, "check-local" => "disable", )) ) } }
Finally adapt moin.fcg:
class Config(FastCgiConfig): loglevel_file = logging.INFO logPath = '/srv/org.example/logs/moin.log' max_requests = 1000 properties = {'script_name': '/'} # <--- IMPORTANT!
Using HTTP Authentication
lighttpd mod_fastcgi does not add the AUTH_TYPE variable to the cgi environment, which will cause http auth in moin to fail. See http://trac.lighttpd.net/trac/ticket/889 for more information, and an attached diff file to correct to issue.
MoinMoin Startup script
Here is a startup script for Mac OS X, using DarwinPortsStartup system. It is probably useful for other unix like platforms.
# Start and stop multiple moin fast cgi instances runnings on PORTS NAME="moin" DIR="/www/org.mywiki/bin" FCGIAPP="./moin.fcg" PREFIX="/usr/local" # List of ports to start moin instances on, separated with whitesapce # Keep in sync with fastcgi.server in lighttpd.conf PORTS="1080 1081" start_on_port () { # Start moin instance on port, leaving pid file port=$1 cd "${DIR}" && sudo -u www "${PREFIX}/bin/spawn-fcgi" \ -f "${FCGIAPP}" \ -p $port \ -P "${NAME}-${port}.pid" \ > /dev/null } kill_on_port () { # Try to kill process using pid in pid file, then remove the pid file pidFile="${DIR}/${NAME}-$1.pid" kill `cat "$pidFile"` && rm -f "$pidFile" > /dev/null } start () { for port in $PORTS; do start_on_port $port; done } stop () { for port in $PORTS; do kill_on_port $port; done } case "$1" in start) # XXX starting twice will break pid files (bug in spawn-fcgi) start && echo -n " $NAME" ;; stop) stop && echo -n " $NAME" ;; restart) stop start && echo -n " $NAME" ;; *) echo "Usage: `basename $0` {start|stop|restart}" >&2 ;; esac exit 0
Mac OS X: Adding MoinMoin startup script
With this script, moin instances will be started automatically on startup.
Install darwinports
Install DarwinPortsStartup package:
sudo port install DarwinPortsStartup
Copy moin.sh into /opt/local/etc/rc.d:
sudo cp moin.sh /opt/local/etc/rc.d


text:
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text:
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
To have and to hold...
Wait, let me back up. The divine Lesley Stahl was hosting and the entire show was dedicated to women.
Okay, so a segment came on about marriage and the social importance of engagement rings in American society. Specifically, the size of the rock. The reporter took to the streets and showed her own wedding ring…a rather nice one…as compared to the author's wedding ring…a rather massive one.
Time after time, folks were unimpressed with the smaller ring…which flowed over into their being unimpressed with the man who gave that ring.
A bitch is fascinated by this. As the segment covered, folks spend more time planning the wedding and fretting over the social statement the ring is making than they do planning their marriage and fretting over the commitment they are about to make.
It's May and you can't avoid the advertisements for wedding dresses, jewelry stores and tan spas. Apparently, being tan is a big deal because this bitch has seen three separate wedding specific tan commercials in the past 24 hours! This bitch has never tanned on purpose…and is more than slightly freaked out by the entire skin pealing element of it…but my ass damned sure gets the message that tan lines and that wedding dress don't go hand in hand.
In my opinion marriage is not threatened by gays or lesbians who believe in it and want to participate fully in it…nor the single folks who don't believe in it and have no wish to debate why they don't…and not even by the people who think the whole business should have no legal benefits associated with it.
Marriage in America is threatened by the marketing of it, the married people who turn around and pitch the same fucked up marketing message to their friends, the other married people who should have never gotten married and now trash the whole practice because they are miserable, the state and local governments that hypocritical pontificate about the sanctification of it and yet uphold quick and easy nullification through divorce…and the religious leaders who urge participation in it when, in reality, marriage isn't for everyone and requires hard work and dedication, not just a set of vague and undefined values spiced up with a few dashes of tradition.
50% of marriages fail, but a bitch suspects that a majority of weddings are successful as a motherfucker.
Just some thoughts…
28 comments:
- M A F said...
Ah, the importance of material possession when it comes to love and marriage. Man's best friend is a dog, while diamonds are a girls best friend? Is it any wonder the divorce rate isn't higher.
Good post! If you do a little research on the subject of diamond engagement rings, you'll learn that the entire concept was created and marketed by DeBeers in the 1930s. The best marketing ploy in history! They convinced the public that the only acceptable engagement ring was a new diamond. I got engaged this year and decided that I was not falling for the marketing trap. Not to mention all of the horrors associated with diamond mining. But I really like the look of a classic white gold band with a simple diamond, so I ended up getting a moissanite ring. It was much cheaper, still looks good (you really can't tell it isn't a diamond), and I don't have any of the guilt I would of had by spending thousands of dollars on a diamond ring. I'd rather have that money in the bank to save for our future.
Many thanks for yet more proof of the truth delivered unto us by the sublime and timeless Cyndi Lauper:
"Money changes everything." - 11:48 AM
- Shavita said...
As a recently divorced woman that should have NEVER been married in the first place, your remarks are heartfelt, my friend. I personally think weddings are a joke. I go, I laugh at people, get the free food, and leave. If I ever did it again, it would be a private decision and done in private. I don't need to make a fucking spectacle of myself in order to be committed to someone.
The size of the rock indicates the depth of one's love, because it indicates the amount of debt one is willing to assume at the beginning of the marriage. Now THAT'S a commitment! I mean, your spouse may agree to a divorce, but the credit card company is never gonna let you off the hook.
I'm glad someone else has noticed how the wedding industry undercuts marriage. People are so wrapped up in planning perfect weddings that they don't have a chance to think about their marriages. And these fairy tale weddings are NOT cheap, which brings up another major marriage-killer: money. But divorce is good for the bridal-industrial complex. More divorces means more re-marriages ... which means more weddings!
Now that I'm thinking about it, could the wedding industry be one of the forces behind the gay marriage movement? After all, gays and lesbians are a segment of the population that it has not yet penetrated. There is pent-up demand for wedding dresses (sold by twos), tuxes (ditto), taffeta bridesmaid gowns, dyed-to-match shoes, cakes, ice sculptures, dove releases, musicians, caterers, banquet halls, the works. Equal rights can be good for business. - 1:43 PM
Thank you. I sent this post to my boyfriend, who is still paying off his wedding from last summer (it lasted maybe 3 months).
Until recently, I saw weddings as a microcosm of a lot of other American institutions (churches, corporations, etc)... sure, they seem fine, but there's a ton of scary stuff inside that you don't even want to know about. As long as you're keeping up appearances, the rest doesn't matter.
Anyway, great post. - 1:47 PM
- Maven said...
See, the way I view it, the wedding is all about the fantasy, the illusion... just one more reason to have an over the top big party.
Also, I think the biggest threat to marriage isn't whether gays and lesbians get the right to marry. I feel the biggest threat to marriage today are homewreckers. Male. Female. Gay. Lesbian. Homewreckers come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and sexual orientations. - 1:56 PM
- Ron Bramlett said...
AMEN. I am getting married next Saturday and this was right on time.
The entire wedding "industry" thrives on those things you just mentioned.
My fiance and I have spent so much money on the wedding that I am seriously considering getting into the business of weddings myself (selling favors or reception accessories, etc). Everything involved is ridiculously overpriced!
Nice post, ABB and take care. - 3:11 PM
- Vera said...
It's very sad that weddings often mean more than the marriage. My parents had a miserable marriage, and I have a happy one.
However, it certainly not all roses, and it's not for everyone. - 3:33 PM
- Shark-Fu said...
Tisk, task MAF...
My Dawg is also one of my best friends and this bitch only wears faux diamonds and only because my ass likes shit that sparkles and has an affection for cheap silver shit...
Materialism is genderless, my friend. - 4:04 PM
- The Red Queen said...
I don't want the wedding but I do like shiny baubles and travel. So I'm down with jewelry and vacations but it doesn't have to be an engagement ring and a schmaltzy honeymoon.
- Uccellina said...
I completely agree with the gist of your post, but I don't think that most weddings are successful at all. An informal poll of my friends and relatives has determined that those who spent a lot of money (say $10,000 and up) on their weddings were the least pleased with the event in the end. Those of us in the lower bracket (including myself and Husband) had better weddings. Less expenditure = less stress, for one thing.
Though I suppose if one has buckets of money to throw at a party . . . - 4:37 PM
Man, it's just a total conformist pissing contest. Who has the bigger diamond. Then who has an engagement ring with three diamonds. Now, which woman has the biggest three diamonds on the engagement ring, which is worn with the wedding band which is circled in diamonds as well. All of which either makes your hand break off at the wrist or makes you a primo mugging target!
You know, I always thought the purpose of the expensive engagement ring was as insurance for in case a woman's ass gets left. I've always heard the ring should cost at least 2 months' salary, and I thought that was so if the marriage dissolved (or, I suppose, if a woman was widowed) she could sell the ring for enough cash to float herself until she got it together.
- L said...
delurking to say "great post"!
I have never understood the whole phenomenon of the engagement ring/wedding extravaganza. If I ever get married, which seems unlikely at this point, I would skip both. - 6:31 PM
- Paula D. said...
You are so on point with this! I swear people are divorcing every friggin' week!
- Dragon Lady said...
As someone about to be in a wedding for someone else, let me just say, AMEN!
The first thing my friend does now is show everyone her ring. Its nauseating.
Weddings are a total joke. Thousands and thousands for one day. I think they have thought much more about her perfect wedding than the actual marriage.
The wedding has completely taken over her life. Seriously.
From my standpoint, it seems alot of people get married because that is what you are SUPPOSED to do, but people talk more about their wedding than their relationship.
I could go on and on, but I'l end it there or it'll never end. - 8:16 PM
- Casey said...
Weddings scare me. Scare me--bad outfits, bad music, unnecessary expense and anxiety and pomp and primping . . . Yesh. Thanks for the post; I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who doesn't care for the ring comparisons.
- Rhea said...
My husband and I don't have wedding rings, and people always ask me if I really want to be married because I don't wear one. As if! I just smile and say, yes, we're on the fence, then try not to laugh when they look shocked or disgusted. People you don't need a ring to be married!
Amen, sista! I'm thankful my wedding was uber-simple: Me, my husband, a minister, my son and two witnesses. We were married on a bridge in Peace Park. No diamond, no rings, not even a new dress. Later on we got some silver wedding bands. It's the only jewelry I wear besides a nose ring.
I told my husband (then boyfriend) that if he ever blew wads of cash on a silly diamond then I would dump him. I'm compulsively frugal, which comes from being a poor single mom for years.
Screw the diamond and the fanfare, if I had that kind of cash I'd put a down payment on a nice house! - 7:56 AM
Great Post!
Along with all your wonderful points about the marriage industry lets not also forget all the turmoil our love for diamonds is causing...
from amnesty international
"In many African countries, including Angola, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) diamonds have been, and continue to be linked to terrible human rights abuses either by insurgent groups to fuel conflict and carry out atrocities against innocent civilians or by unscrupulous government who are equally brutal."
I am fond of shiny things as well but there are great alternatives out there like greenkarat (http://www.greenkarat.com/about/about.asp) which actually re-cycles gold and diamonds.
Who knew being eco-friendly could come with bling ;)
-Nazzy - 9:15 AM
- Unknown said...
Right On, ABB!
My husband and I got "married" in the center of our livingroom with only my two neighbors (one of them my best friend to this day...) as witnesses, about 7 1/2 years ago (in CO all you gotta do is marry yourself and sign the certificate...no preacher or JOP necessary).
Got a couple of cheap matching bands at a Celtic store (replace them with new matching rings when his breaks...he's a soldier who works with tank-sized machines)...it's sort of a tradition now (I have my "copy" of every ring we have ever exchanged). They cost us less than $20 bucks every pop, but they look unique and are great conversation starters for nosy folks.
Last Mother's Day he got me a nice blingy ring with three nice sized CZ stones set in stainless steel (or some such). He got it as a belated "engagement" ring (something I never had before we got married). That sucker cost less than $50 (I am totally money conscious...although he would totally break the bank if I let him). But, on my finger it looks fabulous...People always ooh and aww over it, but they don't know how much it actually costs...
since my husband is in Iraq, it keeps the suckers at bay...no way they can say they didn't notice the ring when trying to hit on me...
...but of course, all the ladies want my husband cuz he's (seems like) such a big spender...I just smile like an imp...(If they only knew...)
So, we look affluent just by the "rock" on my hand, but money is not a big issue in our marriage (cuz I pinch pennies like they are going out of style...which, apparently, they are) and we don't have awful memories of wedding disasters.
Sure, we have our problems, but our wedding still included lots of tears and was probably more romantic and meaningful than any big wedding I've ever been to. - 11:27 AM
In response to Regina's comment about engagement rings acting as a kind of insurance to protect the wife if the husband takes off . . . I don't think that's true. I was foolish enough to let my first fiance buy me a diamond ring. He blew three grand on it, and after our divorce I tried to sell it to several jewelry stores in different cities. Despite the fact that the ring came with papers proving its value is $3,000, no store would offer me more than $300 for it. They all explained that the retail value of a diamond is about TEN TIMES the wholesale value.
So a diamond is *not* a good insurance policy. - 12:29 PM
- M A F said...
I think you misunerestimated what I was saying Sharkfu. I wasn't implying that materialism was confined to the female sex. I was commenting upon the stereotypical best friends of both sexes. My comments obviously failed to convey the sarcasm intended.
Hey, I didn't say it was a *good* policy. But in some cultures jewelry is basically money that you don't put in the bank. It's small/portable, and if you're really sensible about how you buy it and what you buy, it can have high resale value. But in many cases what determines the resale value isn't the stone itself (diamond value is notoriously artificially inflated), but the setting it's in. So going to Call's jewelers and buying an overpriced stone in a crap setting is a bad investment, but getting judiciously valued jewelry isn't necessarily a bad investment-- or didn't used to be, anyway.
By the way, I'm not defending the obsession with the engagement rock,-- I agree that it's foolish and there are other concerns in marriage that definitely get short shrift. - 2:26 PM
- Shark-Fu said...
Got it...task and tisk removed!
Lawd, a bitch needs to slow down... - 3:18 PM
- Weasel said...
THANK YOU! I have been saying this shit for a while now.
Screw the ring, screw the uber-fancy wedding. Just give me a quiet ceremony with my SO and a JOP and I'll be fine.
Truth be told, my heart and soul did get me a diamond ring. (I didn't ask; he honestly wanted to get me a rock.) It's not big (it's a half-carat at most), but to me, it's more beautiful than the Hope Diamond. It ain't the size of the rock, it's the size of the heart of the man who bought ya the rock that really counts.
--Weasel, looking into simple silver wedding bands for her quiet little ceremony... - 12:55 PM
The Gumdrop Stage of Grief ...
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MoneyThe U.S. personal saving rate stood at 3.7% in January of 2017, a bit lower than its 10-year average of 5.5% and well below the recent five-year high of 11% in December 2012.1
The personal saving rate is the federal government's estimate of what percent of their incomes U.S. households are saving. But market watchers and economists are mixed on what can be learned from swings in the saving rate.
Why Economists Struggle
They struggle with the personal saving rate because it's a derivative number — that is, it's not measured directly. Instead, the Bureau of Economic Analysis derives the saving rate from other estimates. Here's how it's calculated:2
- The Bureau of Economic Analysis subtracts payroll and income taxes from personal income to get disposable personal income.
- The Bureau then subtracts its estimate of personal outlays — expenditures, interest payments, and payments — from disposable personal income to get an estimate of personal saving.
- The Bureau concludes by dividing personal income — the number the Bureau started with — by personal saving.
As currently structured, the U.S. Personal Saving Rate does not include capital gains from the sale of land or financial assets in its estimate of personal income. This effectively excludes capital gains — an important source of income for some.
Fast Fact: Other Measure. Some economists prefer to track gross national savings as a percent of gross domestic product. In 2016, the gross national savings of the U.S. was 18.6%, well below the world average of 26.8%.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, 2017
Gaining Insight
Gaining a bit of insight into a popular economic indicator can help you better understand trends as they are discussed in newspapers and websites. However, don't let your long-term savings program be influenced by a national number.
Economic Indicator?
The personal saving rate fluctuates with the country's economic environment.
Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis, June 2017; for the period January 1, 2007 through January 1, 2017.
1,2. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2017
The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2019 FMG Suite.


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Aaron Harang (9-8, 3.75) vs. Trevor Cahill (10-11, 3.98)*
Smell ya later, Arizona! One last game against the team that has beaten us 11 of 17 this year, and the end can't come soon enough.
Cahill is 2-0 against the Dodgers this year, with two no-decisions. The Dodgers and Snakes split those two decisions, with the Dodger win coming way back in May. (Hey, remember May? That was fun. *sigh*) Plus, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh in his last start. (How he did that without facing the Dodgers, I'll never know.)
So, this is it. One last chance to beat some Snakes. But, if you're hoping it's going to be Whacking Day**, you'll likely be soundly disappointed.
*Yes, I said I was never doing a GT again. I lied. What are they going to do? Lose? They do that just fine without my help.
**In the Simpsons sense, you pervs.


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