What's Sam Serving?

On our way to Winston Salem to attend the Winston Salem Theatre Alliance's absolutely wonderful production of Sordid Lives (A black comedy about white trash.), we stopped in Kernersville to do a wee bit o' shopping. After doing some fabulous shopping in Kohl's (I got a nifty corduroy sports coat with a zip-up jersey lining...), we went to that God-awful place known as Walmart (You gotta watch this movie: WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price). Thankfully, no one in our party made any purchases there. On the way back to the car (at the car, no less), was this lovely little conversation starter on the ground. 'Tis a shame I only had my cellphone to photograph it, but it's better than nothing. It's an EPT brand pregnancy test. The fact that it's just lying there in the parking lot, unpackaged and probably used, lends so many opportunities for an active imagination to run amok. How active is yours?

Jack's and Ennis' shirts, major props in Brokeback Mountain, are for sale on eBay. With over seven four days to go, they've already drawn bids in excess of $17,000! $50,000!!! (Ended at $101,100.51 - WOW!) Whomever wins this auction will own a wonderful piece of a landmark film's iconography. This film struck me so deeply that I'm sure I'll never again see two shirts on one hanger without getting a shiver. I surely wish I had the disposable income to bid on these. What a treasure to have!

Susan and me after our first "Practice Party" at the new Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Greensboro. We had a good time once we stopped being so self-conscious and just did what we could. After all, we've only had one lesson! This is fun and at such a bargain! We've only spent $22 for three 30-minute personal lessons and four 30-minute practice parties. Also, we're going to the guest party on February 23rd. It's a professional dancing demonstration and (probably) some basic dance lessons. We're encouraged to bring guests to it (they gotta market somehow!) and for each guest we bring, we get two personal 30-minutes lessons (that actually translates to one lesson, since there's two of us...). So far, it looks like we may have up to seven guests! Come on! Come to the party!

You've got to check this out! It's delightfully funny.

Weekly Grocery Lists for Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist--Summer, 1962

Hey! This is also a good reason for me to post this other picture I like of Jack and Ennis...

Dear Mobile Phone Manufacturer:

I want a "Hold" button. Not just any hold button, but one with a specific purpose - to act as a receptionist for me when it's momentarily inconvenient for me to answer my phone.

What I want:

• A hold button on the outside of the phone (a friend suggested the manufacturer's logo)
• A default message that says, "Please hold. I'll take your call in a moment."

How it works:

• My phone rings while I'm:
• watching a movie in the theater
• conversing with someone face-to-face
• placing a food order
• completing a purchase at a checkout counter
• attending a meeting
• I press the hold button.
• The caller hears the hold message AND a repeating tone to indicate the call is still connected.
• I complete my activity or move to an appropriate place for a phone conversation.
• I answer the call.
• If I don't answer the call within one minute, my phone rings again.

Additional features:

• Customizable hold greeting
• Play my ringtone to the caller while on hold (also suggested by my friend)
  

My friend's comment on this letter:

Perfect! Finally a phone feature that is useful.

I want it on all models across their line... don't put this feature only on the camera phones with the built-in PDA, MP3 player and hair dryer. Everyone can use this feature, regardless of the other options.

Where can I buy one?

T

I completely share in his desire to have it on all models. Doing so may well help foster the re-emergence of some manners in our society. It may also prevent legislation of mobile phone use in public buildings and policies in private facilities.

Please give great consideration to the addition of this feature. I'm more than ready for it and I think many mobile phone users are, too. I also bet most people who directly and indirectly interact with mobile phone users are ready for this.

Kind regards,
S.A. "Sam" Moore
___________________________

This was submitted to the following companies on February 10, 2006:

• Motorola (Actually, Moto has not received this idea. Their on-site communication form yields no confirmation of my message having been sent [I tried several times with different PC's and with different browsers] and I have received no acknowledgment of it from them. Upon further investigation on their site, I find a phone number to call to leave my name and address so they may send me forms to complete. I called and left the info; we'll see just how complex these forms are. I have a feeling Moto will not be receiving this information. I also informed them of my notification of many other manufacturers and of the inadequacy of Moto's submission method. This is a shame. I use a Moto phone and like their products.)
  
• Nokia (personalized form response)
  
• Sony Ericsson (personal response & directions to submit via snail mail - done)
  
• Samsung (form response)
  
• LG (form response suggesting contacting service providers because "our products are manufactured according to the service provider's request")
• Siemens (form response)
  
• Hewlett Packard (no response)
  
• RIM Blackberry (nice form response)
  
• Nextel/Sprint (best response - "Thank you for replying back with the confirmation and for such a nice suggestion. We always welcome such suggestions. I have forwarded your suggestion to the appropriate department. You will certainly find this feature in the near future.")
  
• Sanyo (failed delivery notification)
  
• Cingular (My service provider - personal response - "Unfortunately, we have no direct correlation with what is included in the phones when they are manufactured. This may be something you would want to refer to the actual phone manufacturer's." - Hmmmm... LG's reply seems to conflict with Cingular's position. Cingular sells LG phones.)
  
• T-Mobile (automated response)
  
• Virgin Mobile (form response)
  
• Verizon (personalized form response)
  
• SunCom (response that's pretty indicative of the customer service I know SunCom delivers, rather fails to deliver - "At this time, this service is unavailable with our network.")
  

If you think other companies should be contacted with it, please leave their names in the comments.

Why would he not be sworn in? Would that be so he could lie? Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous... And Democrats demanding he be sworn in were overridden by the GOP. Imagine that. Ya think they've got anything to hide? Bastards. Stop putting these scurrilous creatures in office. They're embarrassing, hypocritical, dangerous and downright detestable. (So are the Democrats.)

Update 6: Gonzales Answers Tough Questions on Spying - Forbes.com

Monday's hearing into the NSA program got off to a rocky start when Democrats protested that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should be given a sworn oath before testifying.

Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the panel's senior Democrat, argued that Gonzales should be sworn in like any other witness. At the very least, Gonzales should be asked if he would volunteer to being sworn in, Leahy said.

"It's not up to him," said Specter, who was upheld by a quick party-line vote by the GOP-led committee.

Gonzales, who was not sworn in, told the committee he would voluntarily take the oath if the committee so desired. Either way, "my answers would be the same whether I was under oath or not," he said.

Love it!

(Hat tip to Celestial Blue)

Happy Birthday, Tiffany!