So did you beat the lines and were you in your jammies when you voted?
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Holy voting line, batman!
I got to the polls at 6:55 am. The parking lot was jammed. Inside, there was no line. In and out in < 5 minutes. :D
The only reason it took so long was that I had to study the instructions on how to fill in the circles properly. :rolleyes:
Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, and Ben & Jerry's are giving away freebies today. I'm not sure of all the details.
Some reports say Starbucks first offered free coffee to people who voted. That violated some election laws, so no its one free tall coffee for everyone.
It took ILJ and me 45 minutes to vote (40 minute wait, 4 minute to sign & get code, 1 minute to vote).
Then, ILJ and I got free coffee at Starbuck's. Didn't know about the Krispy Kreme (although I prefer Dunkin Donuts).
Cheers,
Lavabe
I don't know what it is about Massachusetts but we've got that voting thing down. Do you have the same experience Ymo? I've only ever had to wait in a significant line once when due to some construction they combined two precincts into one location. And still I was out in about a half hour. Today I had to wait for one person in front of me to check in. Took less than 5 minutes. I think we have really small precincts or some such. Massachusetts, where we get some things right! Should be the state motto, I think.
I did have one snafu voting in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The last time I voted there, I went with a woman who lived in the same building I did. Turns out, we had to go to two separate locations so we each could vote. No idea why that was, don't really care now.
I know a lot of polling stations are in churches, schools, community centers, shopping malls, etc. but there are also some interesting places that people vote. What is the most interesting location you have voted?
I have voted in a bowling alley and now that precinct votes at a Denny's. Others?
Since I typically vote on the way home from work and am going nowhere else, I don't usually take the sticker.
I may have to take it so I can go get CB&B his free Krispy Kreme donut. :D
Sometimes I enjoy eating noodles with only butter.
Actually, you could put garlic and butter on anything and it would taste great. Even snails!!! :eek:
OMG, I quoted myself. What's the penalty for that? :D
OMG^2, I referenced penalties. What's the penalty for that? :D :D
Note to my favorite mods: I'm joking! Just a little jocularity.
I did eat snail because the garlic butter sauce was soooooo good. Bread for dipping in it was a great addition. I even finished someone elses escargot. Just for the record, it was a set menu for the 5 course meals that week - I'm not sure I would have ordered escargot on my own.
Cool - facebook just showed me an ad for these:
http://www.simpleshoes.com/search.aspx?searchfor=duke
I may have to get some for BBall season. :D
Wow, post 5400 and counting... Are y'all trying to get to 6000 before the weekend?
I have never tried on or owned a pair of crocs - are they something a grown man should consider wearing? I might consider it if they had a Duke logo on them...
P.S. Whoo hoo, Grant Hill!!
P.P.S. With the election finally here, it's time to start dialing up a new avatar... hmmm...
Congrats on the Grant Hill status.
I think a grown man should consider wearing anything if it has Duke on it! I especially like the crocs when working in the garden/washing the car etc. as water doesn't ruin them.
eta - I have now achieved Shane Battier status. Since he is a future president of the country, I think it is fitting that I reach this milestone on election day.
2535 - can you memorialize this in the Whatever thread for me?
Looks like this one finally overtook me. Congrats to the whole LTE crowd. :)
It took a village...
I'm a bit late weighing in on this, and I sort of regret to inform you, but not having seen the Grinch (the animated one, the original...the Jim Carrey version is an abomination and basically doesn't exist in my world) is a serious strike against your candidacy. I will, however, name you Assistant to the Head Elf if you promise to see it this season.
Whenever I'm asked about my favorite Christmas movie, I always say Casablanca.
Not a Christmas movie you say? It is in my house.
But, if you hold me to a holiday theme, I have to go with A Charlie Brown Christmas. Still not a movie but I never miss it. And I can do a decent impression of all the dancers, even Violet's 'Safety Dance'. Watch it. You'll know where Men Without Hats got their inspiration. (Violet can't dance.)
I figured it was probably something like this. But I'm sorry...it's really pretty inexcusable for a self-proclaimed lover of Christmas not to have seen this gem. I'm not sure I can bend on this one.
As for my favorite Christmas films, I'm a bit more of a modernist, but I enjoy the classics, too My list follows in alphabetical order:
-A Charlie Brown Christmas
-Elf
-Home Alone
-How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
-It's A Wonderful Life
-National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
I can stop with those six as my true favorites, but this list is by no means exhaustive. There are at least a dozen Christmas films that I make a point of watching every year, and I will watch essentially any Christmas film, no matter how mediocre. The one (large) exception is 'A Christmas Story.' I just don't like it. I know this is sacrilege to a lot of people, and I recognize and respect the film's presence in the Yuletide pantheon; it just doesn't do a thing for me.
Wilson, I'm a little disappointed in you. You don't approve of someone not watching grinch (I can't stand the grinch), but you don't like a christmas story and recognize other people do. Where is your compassion? I'm asking as I see myself falling out of favor (if I was ever in) with you over the grinch.
My favs are, in no particular order:
White Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th Street (the original)
Can't think of any others I really like.
I have only two in the top tier - I'll change my schedule to watch these in real time when they're on.
1. The Grinch (original animated version). I've heard rumors they made a couple of full-length Grinch movies in the past 10 years or so, but I can't believe anyone would be that foolish. It must be some sort of interweb hoax...
2. Charlie Brown Christmas.
The next tier, more or less:
Muppet Family Christmas ("Watch out for the icy spot!!")
A Christmas Carol (black-n-white British version from the 50's)
Wonderful Life ("My lip's bleeding!! Whoo hooo!!")
Rudolf ("because Bumbles bounce!!")
Polar Express (I love the animation and Hanks is perfect as the conductor)
Mrs Turk likes "Year without a Santa Claus" (epecially Heat Miser)
My collection is probably lacking in those areas - or I just don't know enough to classify what I have in those areas. If you name an artist I can tell you if I have something. I'm probably more heavy into Country & Western but I also have about 10 years of the Hallmark Christmas tape/CD with varying artists. My favorite CD is Good News by Kathy Mattea. There isn't a single what I would call traditional carol on it. i.e. - no Silent Night, Joy to the World, etc. I also have one by the King Singers that is great. My favorite song is actually a duet with Bing Crosby & David Bowie that it took me about 10 years to find on CD. It was from one of Bing's Christmas specials. I do miss those.
Was that Bing and Bowie doing "Little Drummer Boy"? That one is classic...
I usually just go for the theme ones (i.e. Celtic, acoustic) and look for a mishmash of artists every few years or so... It will be time to dig them up soon enough and we can thread bump after Thanksgiving.
Oh dear! How could I forget the Muppets? I of course love the Muppet Family Christmas and the Muppet Christmas Carol. I am also eagerly awaiting a new Muppets Christmas special this year, airing on Dec. 17.
DiK, I am still mulling your candidacy, but your non-Grinchitude remains really problematic.
It is because of this glaring omission that I cannot support your position as DBR Head Elf.
If there are any other candidates out there seeking the position, let me know - I'd be willing to endorse you, depending on your answer to the question:
Isn't 'A Christmas Story' one of the top 5 Christmas movies of all time?
I would like to apply for the position of Head Elf.
Qualifications:
Religion- Jewish
Favorite Xmas Movie- How The Grinch Stole Christmas (the original cartoon, in fact, I own it)
Use of the Term Xmas- Yes
Attendance at Midnight Mass- I've been twice. One service was entirely in Polish in a 100+ year old church
Childhood Request for a Hanukkah Bush- Yes
Participation in Secret Santa- Yes
Participation in Hanukkah Hunt- Yes, several as a child
Eight Gifts for Eight Nights- Yes, as a child... now just one biggie ;)
Drink Eggnog- Nooooooooo
Pass Out Candy Canes- Yes
Wear a Santa Hat- Yes
Put Reindeer Antlers on Chloe- No, I prefer not to be bloodied, thank you
Decorate Christmas Trees- Yes, in fact my friends' moms would invite me over when their children bailed on them. Loved decorating the trees.
Prefer Neutral Decorations or All 3 Holidays Be Represented- Yes
Favorite Holiday Food- Latkes with a side of applesauce
Height- 5'3"
As you can see, my qualifications are exemplary. Therefore, I submit my name for consideration for the position of Head Elf.
Thank you.
Sue71 - No to eggnog? Not a good elf candidate. You do have a height advantage on me - I'm more like Will Ferrell in Elf and Hermey the Dentist Elf. (5'10" to your 5'3").
I make a killer cup of eggnog - and you have your choice of nogged or nogless.
Wait a minute... hold on thar!
Since when did Wilson resign his position?
FWIW, I'm pretty similar, except the side of applesauce has been replaced with a fine-crafted Schlafly Christmas Ale. Ymm, Beer! And the Polish church too. And no on the hat, and Secret Santa.
Oh yeah, and I'm 6'7".
Okay, so maybe, we're not that similar.
Guess I'll apply for Hanukkah Harry.
Cheers,
Lavabe
While the article refers to old customs, it also states:
We don't honor all old traditions, i.e. burning witches at the stake. Heck, a couple hundred years ago only property owners could vote in the US. Times change and so do traditions.Quote:
None of this means that Christians (and others) aren't justified in feeling slighted when people write 'Xmas' rather than 'Christmas,' but the point is that the abbreviation was not created specifically for the purpose of demeaining Christ, Christians, Christianity, or Christmas - it's a very old artifact of a very different language.
Why do we have to stick with this old tradition?
Tilly, I agree, I don't like the term "Xmas". JMHO.
Please put your collective genius to work and help me solve a coffee dilemma.
I like Dunkin Donuts coffee. At work, our cafeteria serves a generic brand and starbucks. I buy the starbucks because it's better than the generic.
We also have Keurig coffee machines with "free" coffee. I don't like that coffee too much. Even more importantly, I'm on my own personal green campaign. The coffee containers for the Keurig machine are plastic and plastic is the environmental devil. :mad:
My objective: to use Dunkin Donuts coffee in the Keurig machines in an environmentally friendly way.
Any solutions?
Tilly, I'll tell you why I abbreviate Xmas, Xianity, Xian, Xtology, X (for Christ) with an X. It is so I can learn MORE about everything related to Christ/Christianity/religion.
I majored in religion at Duke. In my note-taking, I found that I could get so much more down in my notebook if I abbreviated "Christ" to X. It doesn't mean that I am denigrating my own beliefs, faith or savior. It simply means that I'm trying to write down as much as I can about all of that.
I also used the Greek letter theta in my note-taking for the word God and all words related to theo-logy, theo-logian, even theo-ry. I wish I could show you this with the letter "theta."
Using abbreviations gave me more time to write out words that I needed to understand like paraclete, gnostic, Talmud, midrash, exegisis, eschatology, ecclesiology, soteriology, diaspora, sacerdotalism, etc., I'd never used those words before, so abbreviating the words I had used in the past made sense for my note-taking. I still abbreviate today.
Certainly no disrespect meant on my part at all. I hope my explanation makes sense to you.
Um, guys, the whole thing was meant as tongue-in-cheek. Heck, I'm Jewish applying for Head Elf?!?
Brava, Cathy!
Point of reference: I live in a house divided. Being Jewish, I always use "X"mas, but not for abbreviation sake. I use it pretty much as Cathy and bb explained.
ILJ (Christian) always assumed that it was for abbreviation sake. We've gone through this argument.
We've reached agreement. She knows what I mean, and I know what she means.
PAGING HEAD ELF!!
Cheers,
Lavabe
I understand what you're saying and appreciate you sharing your thoughts. What you did was in private, you didn't post your notes publicly. It’s the public displays of X that really bother me.
When you get something wrong on a test (which I doubt you did very often, if ever), what symbol did the teacher use to note you were wrong? An X.
The letter X is used to rate adult films.
We use X in describing hypotheticals, i.e. he did it X times, Company X, etc.
I do understand why X was initially used, but we don't live in that world anymore. Just like we are a society more accepting of race, religious beliefs or lack of, and sexual orientation.
God should be special enough to believers that He/She doesn’t get reduced to symbol when he/she doesn’t have to be.
I didn’t say the old tradition denigrates Christ. My point is doing so today does. Again, we change traditions as the times change, we should change this tradition.
I also pointed out that even the explanation you provided states it is not wrong for Christians to feel “slighted” when the abbreviation is used.
Folks, we are teetering close the brink of the PPB. :(
Let's put our heads together and figure out a way to help Fish80. I'm so down for a secret mission.
This is fraught with danger: the bosses (or the mods?) may find out and impose sanctions, a faulty solution could blow up the machine, inappropriate attention to health concerns could result in sickness (or worse) or myriad other dire consequences.
The Keurig machine is a clever invention. Over simplifying, you place a single serving coffee package in the "holster" and press go. When the next person opens the hatch to place in their coffee package, the machine jettisons the prior now used package into a bucket. Periodic emptying of the bucket is required. Of course, I empty the bucket with a much greater frequency than random chance would suggest.
I've tried placing a tea bag in the holster, and the tea brews okay, but the tea bag doesn't properly jettison.
The coffee package is a plastic 2 ounce cup with a sealed foil lid. The machine punctures the package on the top and the bottom and then runs hot water thru it. Inside the package is a filter and finely ground coffee. (We've dissected a few packages.)
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is design a process and product that will recycle or reuse the coffee container and allow unfettered choice of coffee brand.
Ahhhhhhh it's one of "those" machines. Have you tried other brands of single brew cups? Perhaps it's just the Keurig brand flavor that leaves you disappointed. A little googling around shows that Emeril, Timothy's, and Gloria Jean's all make compatible brews.
I'm afraid that the recycling of the coffee container doesn't sound efficient. If you insist, I'll pick up the ninja suit and lab coat from the dry cleaners and see what I can invent.
My office has a Keurig. :( We have Green Mountain Roasters cups, and that stuff is nasty. But, Green Mountain Roasters in my coffee pot at home, or back at my alma mater the University of Vermont, is much better.
Fish80, when making tea, we run hot water into our cups, then add a tea bag. Does your machine have that option?
Yikes, could it be the pot?
Fish80, how is the water fed to your pot? There are some key factors for making a good cup of coffee, water and the brew are the first two that jump into mind with the machine playing a factor as well. Maybe if you addressed the water situation or looked into cleaning (or descaling) the machine you'd improve the flavor.
I'm afraid this does little to address your environmental concerns though. :(
I'm hopeful that the recycling or reuse can be efficient.
A paper or cardboard cup would be environmentally friendly and perhaps similar to the plastic cup in production costs.
Reusing the plastic cup would drastically reduce waste. The cost is mostly soft cost of time and a marginal energy cost for any cleaning of the cup.
So you find a way to clean the cups... now we have to figure out how to pack them and make them brew ready. Should we assume that each person shall have to repack their own cup or will this be handled prior to setting the cups in the cafeteria.
Either way, I'm thinking of those badge-a-minute machines or a bottle capper to be retrofitted to stamp the foil lid. Now all we need is foil and FDA approved adhesives, or some other way to seal the foil around the cup as I imagine this is crucial to their brewing process.
This goes back to Tech Support or Quality Assurance 101. Something works in one location, but doesn't work in another; what's different? We could assume Green Mountain Roasters do some level of quality control and that their brews are consistent. If so, that leaves the water supply and the machine as probable culprits. It's probably too difficult to trade machines (unless you have willing participants) so I'd start with the water. What do they use at work?
Some companies put out what appears to be the same product, with only the slightest difference in labeling/naming. This allows them to put a different version of the same product in the package, and it could be a lesser version, and the consumer usually doesn't notice the difference.
As long as we're inventing, let's step outside the box. Wait, to quote another poster (Wilson?), let's burn the box and dance around the fire naked. :eek:
Our preeminent resident scientists can help us genetically engineer a beast that eats coffee beans and excretes perfectly brewed coffee.
A starting point is a cat - goat hybrid with some frog genes mixed in. :D
It may not be brewed, but we have a start with Kopi Luwak coffee. So we start here, then combine it with a bird since they have a gizzard which effectively "grinds" their food.
My 2 younger children belonged to a youth group at a local church from about 6th-12 grades. It was called GYMSOX. They even had window decals-with and without the words. (think GTHC-with or without:D). What does GYMSOX mean?
Get
Your
Mind
Set
On
X (Christ)
Pretty clever, I thought. Parents and kids were all cool with this, so I guess it depends on context. If Tilly hears Merry Xmas hundreds of times and it comes from secular sources, I can see how/why she would be offended. If it was used in her/other churches as a clever way for an abbreviation like CathyCA pointed out, then I might think she would have little, if any problem with it. Of course, I am not speaking for her, just imagining what she feels when she sees/hears this.
I have completely lost my appetite!
Now that Jam Master Earl is unbanned, Tilly needs a new avatar.:D:D
Discuss.
I go with:
http://www.foxnews.com/images/358941..._craig_320.jpg
Cheers,
Lavabe
I think I'm really glad I only drink tea.
Trivia time. A virtual smile to the first person to identify what product is made of the following:
1.5% Padimate 0
44% White Petrolatum
No word on the other “ingredients.”
-EarlJam
You all can designate some other Head Elf if you want, but I've held that title around these parts for a long time. I fail to see why you don't understand the difference between not liking, yet accepting something, and not having ever seen it at all. Choose who you will, but I refuse to relinquish my title, and if need be, I will establish the Head Elficy of Avignon in exile.
Right back at ya :D
Curiously, Blistex had 6.6% padimate 0.
1.5% Padimate + 44% White Petrolatum = chapstick?
http://www.jorusfett.com/photogaller...me_Amidala.jpg
I just don't see how Princess Padimate combined with White Petrolatum adds up.
Just an observation. I'd rather lock lips with the one on the left...
Attachment 507
-EarlJam
The Big Kahuna
"'Usually the wave never steps out or goes evil like that one"
Today is Saturday which follows Friday and precedes Sunday.
Potential quandry here...which is the first day of the week? In the simple ordering system of only three days that I set up then my statement is true. But did I choose the wrong reference points?
Yeah, I'm guessing JJ locks it up...
Ahhh, a Hendrick man. Next year will be interesting with Smoke changing teams. BTW, what the heck happened to Kyle Busch? He disappeared...
Kyle Busch DID disappear, until it was too late. Remember that during the Chase, he DID do well driving the "Race for the Cure" pink M&M car.
But yes, otherwise, he tanked it. It will be different when HE is the lead driver for the team next year.
Cheers,
Lavabe
Maybe he should drive a pink M&M car every race. Who else is changing teams?
I think the economy has affected the price the Tribune Co. expects to get for the Cubs. They are now talking about selling less than a 100% stake in the team.
Well, according to the AP, if you have the money AND your last name is Cuban, you have "zero chance" of buying the Cubs.
The other owners are afraid he won't play nice.
I could talk about my cats for several posts...further cementing my reputation as the Cat Man.
One of my cats is a NASCAR fan, this may scare devildeac away again...
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...tPhotos230.jpg
I don't deny my inner redneck...
You know, talking about cats gives me every excuse to tell 'cute kid' stories.
Good news on the theater front, I just got into one of my favorite festivals with 'Heartbreak Hill'. It's in January, Ymo and billy. I'm just saying. I can't give anymore details yet because I'm not supposed to say anything until all the playwrights have been notified, so please, don't get me in trouble.
Here is a picture of two of my cats cuddling cheek to cheek.
Attachment 509
Its a hugely complicated deal that doesn't make much sense to me. Sam Zell convinved the trustees of the ESOP for the The Tribune Company that it would be a good idea to borrow $8+ billion dollars to buy a stake in the company. Ultimately, the ESOP ended up buying 100% of the stock with borrowed money and Zell will chip in $315 million(much of it a loan) that will give him the right to control 40% of the company. Much of the employee's future is being gambled on the success of the company. A huge risk given everything that has been happening and the now $13 billion debt that the company has to service. One day, there will be lawsuits over this...
I figure the ESOP will come to its senses one day and sue whomever gave them the advice to pursue the deal...
Oh, ESOP = Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Allegra is protecting my bass.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c9...18/allegra.jpg
All this cat talk sent the thread to the bottom of page 1. Sacre Bleu!
Let's talk about dogs. Dogs are superior pets to cats in every way. If you want a companion, get a dog. If you want a feral beast living in your midst, get a cat. :D
My puppy has started running with me. She loves to run! The vet tells me she shouldn't go on long runs until she's 1 year old. So we go for short runs, ~20 minutes. She's a tough training partner. At random intervals she likes to sprint.
Dogs are great! My dog is the best! :D :D
My dogs pushed me out of bed this morning. My cat won't do that, he knows I'm the reason the bed is warm.
My dog likes to preempt the alarm clock. She starts licking my face and pawing me 2 to 3 minutes before the alarm. :)
This morning, she couldn't because she was stuck under the bed. :eek:
She likes to sleep under the bed. As she's been growing, we anticipated the day would come when she got stuck. Today was that day. Now we'll see how many more times she gets stuck before she stops going under there.
We've trained our dog since puppyhood that our absurdly late sleep cycles are to be respected. He sleeps in our room, but he would never have the gall to wake us up. On some days, that means sleeping in till 10 or 11.
He's a good dog.
So says the Onion: Like Boxes Of [Crap] In Your House? Get A Cat.
Dog owners always gotta be hating on the cat owners. Why dat?
HAHAHA. For the record... Mr. T loves kittens, not puppies.
I can understand why some people don't like cats or dogs, or even why some people don't like animals at all. But I've never understood the need to talk about it. It's been my experience that dog lovers are more likely to comment negatively on cats than vice versa.
Anyone else notice this or do I just need to have another cup of coffee, or a glass of wine?