Ha! I done made up some bullshit.

You guys were very helpful, thank you! Now I have to let it sit for a while, and (I regret) actually look it over again before declaring it done. Better go back to the lesson planning. Yay, polynomial functions!

So let me ask folks: would you rather have a 4x4 sheet of gold or 3 2x2 sheets (of the same thickness, let's say)?

Well, then that would require significant education for the teachers and administrators, who need to understand that computers are the equivalent of paper, not the abacus, which then circles around to the idea of full integration.

It requires a wholesale change in attitude for teachers and administrators.

It requires a wholesale change in attitude for teachers and administrators.

Right! Kung-fu grip! Also, training, consideration of how it will fit into the current schedule setup, etc.

58 pages, bay-bee!

4x4

Is this a trick?

Shopping with Perkins = Fun, btw. She's quite the enabler.

Wow, Emily!

Hive-mind flower-getting question: The last three times Daniel's gotten me roses (a single rose twice, then half a dozen) they've died - wilted then dried up - before opening to full bloom. Upon receiving them, I trim the rose's stems at an angle under cool running water, and I follow the directions for mixing the nutrient/preservative pack. What's more, the vases are blue or green glass, which I had heard should contribute to longer lasting flowers. This is three times in a row now, so that makes me wonder if the problem is something in our water, but does anyone else have any ideas on what is going wrong?

58 pages! Yay!

I've never seen that happen, WindSparrow. Do you have hard water? I don't know that that would make any difference, but I'm willing to believe it might.

OK a quick question. My 84 year old mom has Osteoperosis. She has been taking Fosamax for some time and has not had a bone density scan in 8 years. The doctor refuses to approve another one, on grounds that he would not change any of his recommendations for treatment regardless of what the results were. I can't help but wonder if this is bullshit. If degeneration has continued we would know what areas are worse so as to be extra-careful in protecting them. If she has not gotten worse, or has gotten better it would be good to know in terms of feedback that the diet and excercise regieme she follows is right. I'm getting ready to send him a polite letter objecting to this; if the response is not good it would be followed by a second polite letter mentioning the word "breach of contract" which is one of the few things ERISA will let a medicare provideer be sued for. But I want to make sure I'm right before I go down this path.

Don't have any ideas, since you've done all the things we'd normally do in the Flower Shop where I used to work. But you could try putting them in lemonade (by which I mean Sprite/similar). We used to do that to revive the roses that were wilting. Or put them in hot water, possibly.

I've heard both putting a penny or putting an aspirin in the water, but I've not tried either.

TB, wish I knew what to suggest. That sounds crazy.

Do you have hard water? I don't know that that would make any difference, but I'm willing to believe it might.

Yes, but we've got a household water softener, as well. Of course, it is really old, but still....

Fay, by putting them in hot water or Sprite, do you mean, dip the ends, dip the blossoms, dip the whole flower in it for a short time, or do you mean empty out the water in the vase, and replace it with the hot water or Sprite?

Typo Boy, putting in writing as many reasons as you can as to why you and your mother want this test performed should help - in your shoes I might feel more comfortable about making an appointment and discussing those reasons in person - having written out the list of reasons, and made a copy of it for the physician. But if sending him a polite letter outlining the reasons seems right to you and your mother, then that's how you should do it. Consider packing in more reasons that what are really at the forefront of your minds.

But ya know what? Asking for an official second opinion could be a good thing, too. How difficult is that to arrange?