Gideon MacLeish

Reply to Gotta gotta gotta gotta Garmin! in Misc JoeUser Forums

[quote]I haven't gotten to go upstairs and open presents yet (a tradition in the Chonino household - you can't go upstairs and open anything until a)everyone's up, and b)we've read the Christmas story from the Bible), but I'll report back when I've gotten to[/quote] We open our presents on Christmas Eve so we're all done 'cept for the eating! Our tradition goes back to when I worked in the group homes. As all of our residents went home with their families for Christmas, it was

Thank you, Bob Geldof! in Current Events JoeUser Forums

It's Christmastime There's no need to be afraid One of my personal holiday traditions is to listen to the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (the original, not the remake). Thanks to YouTube, I can not only listen to it, but watch it in all it's hair-riffic splendor (does Simon LeBon cringe every time that video is shown?) At Christmastime, we let in light and we banish shade And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy Throw your arms around

Reply to Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas in Misc JoeUser Forums

WHAT day off? I'm sitting at the help desk awaiting calls as we speak...lol! We'll have dinner at 2, though...I clear out of here at noon, and am hoping that all these folks with brand new Vista computers but no idea how to use them wait until the next shift to call in! Merry Christmas to you, BFD! May God grant you all that you desire and more than you deserve!

Reply to Gotta gotta gotta gotta Garmin! in Misc JoeUser Forums

It's been a good year for us, although not in a material sense. All of our money's tied up in moving, and, while we did get a nice Christmas for the kids, we didn't get much for each other. But I've heard good things about my new boss (as of January 7). Hopefully this will be a promising career move.

Reply to Frivilous or Classic? in Writing JoeUser Forums

[quote]Unfortunately we can't choose what we're known for.[/quote] Yeah, a one hit wonder's better than a no hit wonder. Arlo Guthrie once said (and I paraphrase): "If they're only going to play one song of mine on the radio one day a year, it might as well be my longest song." (referring to "Alice's Restaurant, and Thanksgiving, of course).

Know Your Place! in Current Events JoeUser Forums

One of the things that has always intrigued and repulsed me about Christmas is that it is usually a day when grudges are put aside and "peace on earth, goowdill towards man" are the order of the day. Indeed, even in the trenches of Europe in the early years of WWI, the now legendary "Christmas truce" brought together soldiers who had been shooting each other the day before, and would soon be shooting each other again. But the hypocrisy of joining together with people we hate and putti

Reply to Brad's highlighted pictures of 2007 in Blogging JoeUser Forums

...my guess was WAY off...glad I didn't offer it! I woulda started all sortsa rumors...lol!

Reply to Are you a gifted person? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]Gifted people know they're gifted. They see proof of it all the time in things like consistently higher grades with less effort in school and better paying jobs. [/quote] I have to disagree with this point, afaust. I have seen many gifted people who work menial jobs. One other interesting characteristic is, money does not ALWAYS tend to be a primary objective. It's all in fun anyway, for crying out loud, it's like an online IQ test. In the end, it in and of itself means

Reply to This Christmas we need to shower blessings on the needy. in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Yeah, I realize you won't stop it, I just want my money going where there will be LESS theft. Thanks for your recommendation. I will look into them.

The Christmas Spirit in Misc JoeUser Forums

This is a song I've been working to put together right for awhile. It still needs work, but I thought I'd present it as is. Merry Christmas, JU! It was Christmas Eve in nineteen seventy something, The trees hung heavy with the winter snow. We sledded down the hills in cardboard boxes We huddled up and shivered from the cold. We lived in a small two bedroom apartment My mom, two brothers, a sister and me, We'd come home every day and make our dinner While mom

Reply to Wii Question in Console Games JoeUser Forums

Well, I'm not a networking genius, but I AM certified, and I second Ock's suggestion. You can unblock ports on your firewall (which is presumably what you did), but you can also set your Wii up outside the firewall.

Reply to My friends are liberals in Blogging JoeUser Forums

I like a broad spectrum of friends, but I have to say I'm growing less and less patient with far left liberals. I like honest people, and I find far more honesty among my friends on the right (although NOT among politicians so aligned!)

Reply to Are you a gifted person? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[x] Are you a good problem solver? [ ] Can you concentrate for long periods of time? [x] Are you a perfectionist? [ ] Do you persevere with your interests? [ ] Are you an avid reader? [x] Do you have a vivid imagination? [x] Do you enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles? [x] Often connect seemingly unrelated ideas? [x] Do you enjoy paradoxes? [x] Do you set high standards for yourself? [x] Do you have a good long-term memory? [x] Are you deeply compassionate?

Reply to This Christmas we need to shower blessings on the needy. in Blogging JoeUser Forums

adnauseam, I appreciate your sentiments, but I'm very careful where I donate my money in nations like these. As you know, many of these nations are in the state they are in because of rampant corruption, and money is often misappropriated. While I understand in that area SOME graft is almost impossible to avoid, I prefer to dedicate my dollars to places where more of them will actually REACH the intended recipient. Do you have any statistics showing how much of the aid offered

Reply to Slavery for the government in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]If I thought I'd enjoy living in the US more than in Oz - if I ever felt that somewhere else was a better match for my thoughts - I'd move there in a heartbeat. So to me it's not an asinine statement but simply good advice[/quote] This is my homeland, cacto. My ancestors have lived here for almost 400 years. They have spilled blood for this nation across the country and abroad, they have built it, farmed it, and a certain share of them disgraced it. I belong here and it is irresp

Reply to Slavery for the government in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]Sure, but anyone with a middling or better income can pretty much choose the country of their choice for residence and tax purposes these days, particularly if they work in IT. An accident of birth doesn't lock you into a country for life. Transnationalism is the new black. If you find somewhere you like better, why are you staying where you are? [/quote] Ah, taxes -- love 'em or leave the country. Too bad we don't live in, like, a representative democracy where we could actually

Mr. President, Please Pay My Rent in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Dear Mr. President, I am writing you because of the current economic conditions. You can read in any paper and see the foreclosures of several families' homes, and the dire economic circumstances that haunt us all. I am writing you because I need help. You see, my meager salary is not enough to pay my rent, and I figured if the government can help bail out citizens of Louisiana to replace their belongings because they would not evacuate the city when ordered, the government mu

Reply to Slavery for the government in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]There's another way of thinking about it, Draginol - you're paying for the privilege of living in the US.[/quote] Did Draginol beg to be born in the US? No, his place of birth was not of his own choosing, anymore than a baby born in Calcutta chose his. Your response appropriates the perspective that we are here to serve the government, when in fact, it should be the government who is here to serve the people.

Reply to Slavery for the government in Blogging JoeUser Forums

You know what's interesting? Whenever I encounter someone saying the government ought to pay for this, that and the other, my question is "and if it meant doubling your taxes, would you STILL want it?" I would say at least 80% of the time the answer is no!

Reply to Do White Supremacists Lose the Right to VOTE? in Politics JoeUser Forums

By the way, Leauki, did you miss previous comments by LW on this issue where she said that her ex husband would give money to candidates he didn't like just to watch them squirm? Don't always assume everything is what it appears to be. If you can show me that a majority of white supremacists support Paul, or show me Paul speaking at one of their conventions or a standing membership in such a convention, I will agree he might need to rethink his positions. But as long as Paul s

Reply to Student Complains After She is Kept Out of Men's Locker Room in Current Events JoeUser Forums

[quote]They're people too. [/quote] Yup...but they need to keep to the locker room of the gender they currently hold...lol! As for bathrooms, I agree. I've got no way of knowing if the "guy" in the stall next to me is a woman, nor, frankly, do I WANT to know. And I'm hoping that "guy" doesn't want to know about ME either...lol!

Reply to Do White Supremacists Lose the Right to VOTE? in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]He can have the Neonazi vote or mine. [/quote] So you are, quite literally, saying that you give the neonazis power to decide your vote. Wow, Leauki. You give them FAR more power than the average American does. [quote]Do I not have the same right to be against Ron Paul as the Nazis have to be for him? [/quote] Oh, absolutely. But to do so BECAUSE you won't support anyone who has ANYTHING in common with neo nazis seems a tad absurd. [quote]I assume Ron P

Reply to Beam Weapons Are the Answer in Pure Technology JoeUser Forums

Bush was responsible for the Star Wars program? DAMN that Ronald Reagan for going forward in time, stealing George W. Bush's idea, then going backwards in time and claiming it! We REALLY need to control the time machine. After all, Bill Clinton did the exact same thing with NAFTA! So let's see now, the things we can assume about Bush, based on your post are: 1. He's omnipresent (he should have been on the scene at every disaster). 2. He's omniscient (he should have kno

Reply to Student Complains After She is Kept Out of Men's Locker Room in Current Events JoeUser Forums

[quote]I've never believed in this alleged inability of otherwise sane men and women to avoid raping each other as soon as they see each other naked. [/quote] No, I agree that is absurdly extreme, cacto. What I am concerned with is not this woman's actions, but the fact that 1) I don't feel comfortable with a woman with free access to a men's restroom (dire emergencies are understandable and excusable, but I'm talking about on a regular basis) and DEFINITELY not in a locker roo

Reply to How do I hate my life? Let me count the ways... in Life Journals JoeUser Forums

[quote] I can't help but feel like this makes me a bad parent. [/quote] Don't feel that way, Caeli. You guys are doing the best you can. I'm glad to hear there's light at the end of the tunnel, but terribly sorry you guys are going through this. And don't worry about grumbling some. The people who walk around with smiles on their faces all the time are either on heavy psychotropic drugs or faking.