You know, I think it is great that one of our team members can still be here as a consultant, despite the fact he lives on the other side of the country. And I realize that the projects he's working on right now require a lot of face time. But I'm sorry, going into the ops room and seeing him video teleconferenced in and projected onto the huge screen with no one in the room is just freaky.

I was really quiet and didn't cross in front of the camera and avoided looking at the screen. But it still seemed like voyeurism.

If she lives nearby, you can make it a bonding thing where you pick out the paper together, maybe have a spot of lunch?

Unfortunately, she lives in Mass and I have to leave right after Christmas for the MLA. I found a site that has a pink cash box for express delivery, so I think I'm going to go with that.

Also, even more unfortunately, I'm now earwormed with the SNL Al Gore "lockbox" sketch.

Mom: Talking Doll Called My Daughter 'a Slut'

Dec. 10, 2006 — It's supposed to say sweet things to little girls like, "You're a wonderful friend," but push its button the wrong way and the Little Mermaid Shimmering Lights Ariel doll may say something else — "You're a slut," according to a California mother whose allegation came to light in a newspaper report.

The doll's manufacturer, Mattel, doesn't believe it's possible, and a company spokeswoman said the complaint by Stephanie Herrera of San Jose, Calif. — first reported in the San Jose Mercury News — is the only one it's heard of.

Normally, the doll says the phrases, "Your sparkles are so beautiful," "Life is the bubbles" and "You're a wonderful friend." It also hums a song without words.

...

ABC News bought an Ariel doll, and after pressing the doll's button several times quickly, some employees thought they heard the doll say, "You're a slut" — but only after listening very carefully. They warned that they could have heard it based on the power of suggestion.

Others said they could hardly understand what the doll was saying when it was sped up, let alone hear the phrase.

"Power of suggestion" is my guess.

Maybe her kid shouldn't give it up so easily. Did anyone think of THAT?

Maria, that last pic that you linked to made me weak in the knees, and I'm sitting down. Pierce Brosnan, stubbly, with twinkly blue eyes . . . stuff dreams (and wicked fantasies) are made of.

Oh yeah. In fact, I'm going to a happy place right now. Maybe I should shut the door to my office....

Lee, all I have to say is "YUM!" JA will always and forever be Eric Brady to me, but I'm ready to start appreciating his SPN character. The first season is my holiday treat.

Congratulations to mommabelle and mac!

Mom: Talking Doll Called My Daughter 'a Slut'

I'm almost sad I already went and ordered the cash box.

Maybe her kid shouldn't give it up so easily. Did anyone think of THAT?

Yeah, maybe her mom is so mad because she just couldn't accept the truth....

I'm gonna whitefont this... because it's gross (deals with human waste).

"December 10, 2006 -- Police and firefighters yesterday rescued a Long Island man who had been trapped in his bedroom for four days after piling up a 7-foot-high mountain made up of bags of his own feces, jars of urine and other debris.

"An officer responded to Charles Ruoff's dilapidated home in Centerport around 3:30 a.m. after receiving an anonymous 911 call asking police to check up on the 64-year-old veteran who hadn't been seen in days.

"As he explored the house, the cop heard Ruoff calling weakly from a second-floor bedroom where he had walled himself in with a mountain of his own filth. He said he had been trapped since Tuesday."

[link]

Yeah, maybe her mom is so mad because she just couldn't accept the truth....

Maybe mom should be more worried about little Suzy's juice box bringing all the boys to the school yard...

And if she MUST worry about dolls she should direct her concern to Tickle Me Elmo and Tickle Me Ernie and Tickle Me Cookie Monster and a couple of others because if you poke all of their tummies at once and pile them up you're left with nothing short of an ecstatic little Muppet orgy where they all writhe squirm and shout things like "Tickle Me!" "That feels GOOD!" "I'll rub your little ducky tummy" "Me want coooooookie" and "I loooooooooooooove you"...

You know. If someone ever did that. After playing the Grinch Drinking Game. And laughed until they cried. And took photos which made no sense in retrospect but, hey, they didn't have video...

I'm sorry, who's wearing the sea-shell bikini in this little scenario? Slut indeed. She's one to talk.