Real Katrina hero? Wal-Mart, study says - MSN Money

Interesting. A nice way to paint Wal-Mart in a positive light. This does more to make me a loyal shopper than any commercial touting low prices. I especially liked this section:

A Kenner, La., employee used a forklift to knock open a warehouse door to get water for a retirement home.

In Marrero, La., employees allowed police officers to use the store as a headquarters and a sleeping place, as many had lost their homes.

In Waveland, Miss., assistant manager Jessica Lewis ran a bulldozer through her store to collect basics that were not water-damaged, which she then piled in the parking lot and gave away to residents. She also broke into the store's locked pharmacy to supply critical drugs to a hospital.

Real Katrina hero? Wal-Mart, study says - MSN Money

Incredibly Timely...

I hate that I have often sent a gift to someone for a wedding, birthday or other event and have never received any response at all too it. I suppose that Ms. Manners would take issue if I printed a copy of this article and attached it with every gift card, huh? Thank you Mary Hunt for this great article.

How and Why to Write a Thank-You Note
In these high-tech times when text-messaging and email are the preferred method of written communication, it might not have even crossed your mind to ask this important question: Do I have to send an old-fashioned thank-you note when someone gives me a gift? In a word, yes.

It’s right, it’s proper and it’s good for you.

It is not difficult, nor should it be time consuming to write a simple, heartfelt note of thanks in response to a gift or other act of kindness.

Here are the elements of a well-written thank-you note:
GREETING. Keep it simple. “Dear Aunt Mary…” works well.

EXPRESS GRATITUDE. State your thanks and identify the specific gift: “Thank you so much for the video game. It’s a perfect addition to my Wii collection, and I appreciate it so much.” Or “Thank you for the sweater, which is the exact color I would have chosen.”

The only exception to the specific reference is if the gift was money. In that case do not say, “Thank you for the $100.” Say simply, “Thank you for the generous gift which is greatly appreciated.” However, in the event Aunt Mary actually took the time to create a clever presentation, it would be perfectly acceptable to say, “Your generosity is exceeded only by your clever ability to fold money into a beautiful swan.”

DISCUSS USE. A simple sentence that indicates how you will use the gift comes next. “I know I will get plenty of use from this sweater during my semester abroad in Antarctica.” Or, “It is my all-time favorite game so you can be sure that I will think of you often.” Or, “It will be spent well to help furnish the baby’s room.”

MENTION THE PAST, REFER TO THE FUTURE. Possibly the most important part of your message is reference to how this person fits into your life. Something like, “I remember fondly snow tubing with you on the hill behind the farm and I look forward to seeing you soon.” Or “You are in my thoughts and I hope to see you soon.”

REVISIT GRATITUDE. As you close your note, state again your gratitude. “Thanks again for your gift” is an appropriate way to close your note.

REGARDS. Wrap things up with a gentle close and your name. “Fondly, Joe” or “Love, Laura” are excellent choices.

There. Seal it up and get it into the mail. Even if you are the only person you know sending thank-you notes, don’t let that deter you. You’ve demonstrated gracious living at a time when most are too busy to be bothered.

As an added bonus—but certainly not offered as an incentive to do the right thing—thank-you notes have been known to encourage repeat performances, as well as improve the frequency and quality of future gifts.

Teachers, teddy bears and genocide...

Sudan pardons teddy bear teacher - Africa - msnbc.com

I have found this story really fascinating. I find it a little sad too-I have personally found it more interesting to read about a teddy bear and a British teacher than about genocide, 2 million people displaced and international boredom of the fact. What is wrong with us as a society, America? Maybe it is because the teddy bear story personalizes it: I can relate with the teacher, see that she is just like me in some way. Genocide is such a big word-it is hard to wrap your head around it or make it seem real. Sort of like comparing a pipeline explosion to a matchstick. Through experience, you know a matchstick can burn your fingertips. The explosion is a little harder to imagine thus a little less real. It feels like a Hollywood action, not a reality of life. But no matter what, I will always have the memories of my childhood teddy bear to make things real.

Stupid Greening...

I'm a little tired of "Green". In a 5-minute web excursion, I learned how to have a Green Baby, a Green Thanksgiving, a Greener car, and a Greener shower. I think fads are great, I enjoy them myself. But this one bothers me some. These people are hawking products for a greener earth, and basically implying that by switching to "Green" that I will be making the world a better place. Is it really better to take my perfectly working low-flow shower head, throw it away, and go out and purchase one that was made with ecologically sound conditions? Isn't a life of low consumption more important that Green purchasing? Will me replacing my cotton sheets with bamboo stuff make the world breathe better? Will it really reduce my environmental footprint more than reducing the amount of products I purchase in non-recycled cartons? If I reuse plastic bags, isn't that better than buying 50 new biodegradable ones? Maybe I'm just a heathen, but I don't get what the media is selling. Consumption is not the way to save the world. We need to better use what we already have.

Pitch Black...

I hate this time of year. 5:20 and pitch dark. I need to move somewhere southern. Daylight savings sucks.

I'm a big pissy-head...

Things that make me grumpy on 10-21-2007:

• That-thanks to the MLB playoffs and certain erectile pill commercials-I know the definition of the word prioprism. Certain things I just don't need to know. Thank you Cialis.
• When you go to a bookstore and the clerk is pretty much illiterate. I purchased a classic novel by a well-known author. Anyone who went to high school would know it. That's right-it WAS Dickens. The dumb ass clerk asked me if it was a new author because she had never heard of it before. No wonder Amazon.com does so well.
• Lots and lots of things about work. 'Nuff said.
• That it is a whole month more before I get extra days off.
• When people automatically assume that you won't be interested in something. Then they leave you out and you end up feeling sad. Ok, so I don't really like football and probably wouldn't be willing to spill $50 for tickets. But it would be nice to be invited. Just so I could have the privilege of saying no.
• That a really crappy sequel can ruin great memories of a wonderful first movie. 28 Weeks Later ruined my Sunday.
• I hate when my dog sheds. Much like above-mentioned items, nothing I can control. But today it has just pissed me off.

I guess, given my current vein of absolute crappiness, I should try to talk my way out of it. So, here goes. Things that make me smile today:

• The Red Sox are totally going to the World Series barring some major 9th inning meltdown.
• That David Ortiz, right this very moment, is wearing goggles. He just rocks.
• That my dog and my grandma love me even when other crappy, mean people don't invite me to their stupid football game.
• That a baseball player named Coco Crisp exists.
• That there was a Law and Order SVU marathon on this weekend. I really like that new guy. He also pretty much kicked ass on Joe Dirt. You really can't hate someone who was in Joe Dirt, can you?
• That Thanksgiving is a 4-day weekend. I can make it that long, can't I?
• That I totally caught an episode of Smurfs on tv today too.
• That it really doesn't look like I have done anything this weekend but watch tv and that it is mostly true. And completely ok with me.

Sick sick world...

My boss said something so horrifying to me today. She recently got a kitten from somewhere. It had been abandoned and when she saw it she fell in love.

Apparently, said kitten is annoying. It has a meow that is loud and piercing and fairly continuous in the morning. The meowing disturbs her while she puts on her makeup in preparation for work. So she is taking the cat to the vet to see if they will sever the animal's vocal cords. I know the vet, he is a pretty old, crusty man. I have to hope that he will tell her to get the hell out of the office. But if it can be done, I'm sure that there is somewhere in town that will be willing to do it for her.

When she said this, I actually put my hand over my mouth in horror-hoping she was making a sick joke. I am completely disgusted. This is a thousand times worse than people who dock tails or clip ears, or even people who declaw. This is just inhumane. I'm disgusted.

Oh my god...

This comic is the whole reason that generations of women have such a negative body image and why even pretty thin women have no self esteem. Oh my.

Secret Romance

These are pieces of some others. Horrid. Women of the comic past apparently were scheming, marriage obsessed and not too smart. Why oh why couldn't I have been alive then? Hilarious!

Congrads!

My pet peeve of the day... People who spell congratulations with a "D". Hate it hate it hate it. Around graduation time, it was even spelled that way on the Burger King sign. I was embarrassed for the poor kid who put it up there, even though they probably didn't know any difference. My boss spells it that way. It's always great when she sends an email "Congraduations on the great job, team!" Somehow, I just can't take praise when it is spelled wrong. Guess I'm a snob. I should really work at getting over it. Maybe next week.

I hate the word blog...

I have come to hate the word blog. Once something becomes mainstream enough that my 94 year-old grandmother knows what it means, then it has usually been over used. I think back to the time when she told me she had to go because "Melrose" was on...the show was cancelled the same season. And that was what, 10 years ago?

Anyway, dear grandma asked me to set up one of those new blog things for her so she can tell everyone about her life. Quite progressive, she is. I would hate to think about what she would write on a blog of her own. Yikes.

I feel sad today. It is just devastating that they are projecting 80,000 people will have died in Asia from the Tsunami. So sad. I am afraid that the worst is still to come for some of those people. There is no way that there can be sufficient fresh water or food. You see civilians, tourists, carrying the bodies of the dead.

I hear that they are burying the dead with their bare hands. Yet locally, the poster child for survival in Asia is Oprah's decorator. I understand that that news channels are attempting to make the tragedy personal for the American people, but Oprah's decorator as the hero? Please. What does that say about us as a culture? Are we so unable to picture the grief and horror and despair that we need a familiar, white face upon it to make it personal and emotionally connected. I have never been to any of the areas impacted, yet I feel a huge amount of sadness for those who are impacted.

There are bodies floating in the water. The horror of this. Even it you cannot connect with this, emotionally, I'm sure that people will understand that corpses will destroy what little water they have left. The sanitation and burial process is horrific. Those poor, poor people.

I remember when the towers fell on September 11th. My brother who was 13 at the time could not understand why people were so upset. He could not make a personal connection with the horror. He lacked the maturity to understand. Yes, he recognized that a horrible thing had happened but did not understand the magnitude of the event. After all, we live in Washington, all the way across the United States from New York. They didn't attack us, they attacked New Yorkers.

Anyway, enough social commentary for one day. Peace.