We have a holiday luncheon thing that's part of the regular scheduled meetings we have through out the year. The food isn't bad and there are drawings for small prizes and everyone gets a company mug as a gift. Plus there is usually food left over so most people get to take something home for dinner.

Teppy, I seem to recall your having some "copyright infringement" notice troubles from your ISP. What did you do? How did it go? I just got a notice and wonder whether it's worth it to file a counter-notification or just take it as the warning it is and lie low for a while and be more careful.

Peru has a pre-Columbian tradition of erotic art. It's really trippy to walk around a museum and see small children gathered around pitchers and pots clearly (and in no way stylized) depicting naked people doing various sexual things. It doesn't surprise me at all that the locals in the article see it as a tempest in a tea pot -- though it does surprise me the journalist makes no mention of the history of eroticism.

Hah! That sounds trip-to-Peru worthy. Oh, H brought home a catalog from the Museum of Erotica in Sweden when she was there with the fucking bastard last year. I'll see if I can dig it up and bring it with this weekend.

Teppy, I seem to recall your having some "copyright infringement" notice troubles from your ISP. What did you do? How did it go? I just got a notice and wonder whether it's worth it to file a counter-notification or just take it as the warning it is and lie low for a while and be more careful.

They actually suspended my account and sent me an Official Form that I had to fill out and return, indicating either (1) I had removed the material in question or (2) I disputed the claim and was willing to undergo further investigation.

Then, the Official Letter said, if I chose #1, it would still take -- and I quote -- no less than 10 business days to reinstate my service. Because they transfer the data packets by hand, apparently. Uphill. Both ways. In an ASDL line.

P-C, is your account still active? If the notice you got was just a warning, I'd say lie low for a while.

don't really have holiday parties at the library - however, tomorrow is pie day. the town brings in tons of pies for the worker bees. mmm....pie.

Do you have Big Piece of Cheese Day, beth?

Pie Day? PIE DAY? I gotta get me some of that action.

Pie? Day?

That's something I've never understood - if someone isn't harassing someone else and doesn't plan to have anything to do with them, why do they object to the restraining order? and why are courts so reluctant to grant them?

People sometimes object to the restraining order even when innocent because it affects their lives. If, for example, you live in the same neighborhood, you might run into the restrainer in the grocery store or at the gym. If the order is bogus, the person might use the restraining order to have you hassled. Also, there is a record of having a restraining order filed, even if it is eventually lifted.

Previous Holiday parties consisted of dinner and drinks and the highlight for the evening was handing out gift certificates. This year we decided to shake things up a bit, so we are having a rockin party complete with rock band, food, and beverages of every flavor (except maybe Green Pea from Jones). The prizes are a fooseball table, kickboxing center, portable dvd player, etc. Of course, some people complained (because change is bad!), but the majority of the 40-some workers are enthusiatic.