Profitability experts say wireless and banking companies routinely discover that 100% or more of their profits are attributable to just 30% of their customers.

This would work if the other 70% were loss-making for the company on a net basis. Like, "Our profits were $55 last year with ten clients. These three were worth $30 each, but these seven, each of them cost $45 to service and they only paid $40 each. They suck."

Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.

Well sure, he can't catch their souls if he's all the way out in the hall when they die!

I also don't think that blood doping should be considered doping (although if it's cheating, it's cheating, as ita says). But that's a whole long bodies and boundaries thing and, again, finals week.

I heard NPR call it an illegal blood transfusion, which is, I think, more accurate. Still bad, but accurate.

Hope finals week passes quickly!

I don't even know where to begin with this question. My friend told me that if you are converting to Judaism, and you are already circumcised you still need to provide a drop of blood from that area. Do you really have to get naked to convert?

DH had to do this -- he was raised Jewish, but his mother is Catholic, so he had to officially "convert" before he could have a Bar Mitzvah.

Unfortunately for his 13 year-old pride, when he told his social studies class about it (some kind of cultural sharing presentation), he reassured his fellow males that it wasn't a painful procedure by saying "Don't worry, it's just a small prick."

Skippity and poking head to post that, according to the Buffista Calendar, today is Kat's birthday.

Kat, you've already posted in this thread that it's not going to be an easy day, today. But I hope it will mark the beginning of a year that will show mostly improvements, each day at a time, but still.

Lots of love and thoughts (and prayers) for you and your family. Not just today. Everyday.

Happy Birthday, Kat! Procedure~ma for Grace and Noah. And what Nilly said.

I'm with Matt -- the hospice cat is clearly in it for the soul-catching.

:: eyes suspiciously household cats who sleep on my bed ::

Happy Birthday, Kat! And all best wishes for Grace and Noah.

Re hospice cat: Teddy became devoted to his grandma (Hubs's mother) while she was living with us, and he visited her regularly after she moved out. Several weeks before she died (in 2000), we took him down for an extended visit. Then he started avoiding her for the last few days before she died. We took him home on Wednesday, and she died Thursday afternoon.

So I agree that cats have some way to sense such things.

Happy Birthday, Kat.

Happy Birthday, Kat. I hope you are able to find a small amount of time today to be lighthearted and cheerful. And also to have a cupcake.