Regena, when you read that quote note that it says "during the twentieth century." They are citing past practices, not current. I believe that Texas has sentence rapists to death in the past but they no longer do so. You have to murder someone, under specific circumstances, to receive the death penalty in Texas. Just wanted to clarify... Texas has a large enough reputation for being execution "happy."

Hi, Debra. Yes, I know the owners. And I'm well acquainted with their situation (I'm helping their bookkeeper get the financials in order for the CPA). Regarding the website: The general consensus has been that it would be great if another family could buy/take over the store/website. I don't think the owner wants to shut down the website until the last minute, in case someone wants to buy it. Once shut down, it would cost to reactivate. The store is scheduled to close at the end of July. Everyone who has consignment will get their materials back (or be paid) unless they directed differently on their consignment (there is an option to donate the materials if they don't sell within a certain amount of time). The owner is trying to keep everything for sale as long as possible. Obviously, at some point, she's going to have to break the consignment down and sort it by seller, but I think they'll not do that until they absolutely have to. If anyone is concerned about their consignment, my suggestion would be to ask if they can come in and personally pull their consignment off the shelves. That way you can get your materials now and offer them on a swap board, etc.. That is what I would do if I had high qualify, costly items on consignment that I really needed to get my money out of. I do not think the staff has the time to do this right now... It would be best if you came in and pulled it yourself, imo, but you migiht want to check with them first because I am not in a position to be saying this with any authority at all. They are marking things down to liquidate as much as possible. Other retailers may buy out her inventory of certain publishers, so across the board price slashing hasn't begun yet :). But some price reductions have already started, so I'd get in there pretty quick if there are things you really want. Yes, it's sad. Kind of the end of an era, to be honest. Dd and I have been hanging out at the Keith's store for years. Oh, and it wasn't her husband who was in the hospital with seizures. Not that I am aware of... I'm sure I would have heard about that!

Deleted by me... never mind! I see that you've already made your decision. Should have read the rest of the thread before posting! LOL Good luck, Erica

Jean, you are GORGEOUS!!! What an inspiration you are - thanks so much for sharing this! Wow. Just... wow. Robin

(((Kathy))) - you'll be in my prayers today.

Doran, please read my response to anj below... I worded my comments poorly if it sounds like I was saying it was a conspiracy... what I was trying to say was that I think there was already a lot of history/context to this poll before it was ever posted, therefore someone like me who wasn't familiar with the other threads and discussions were at a severe disadvantage when we answered *this* poll as we thought we should - quite openly and honestly. Had I had the benefit of the other conversations, I might have cautiously worded my response differently or perhaps not participated in the poll at all. That's what I meant about feeling a little baited, or set up, or whatever you want to call it... all of which is too strong of terminology but I am at a loss as to how else to describe how it feels. Take "baited" or "set up" and divide it by about 30 or 40. Or I guess you can say I feel like I unknowingly walked into a bee's nest :). Hope that makes more sense...

Anj, if I misunderstood then I take complete responsibility for that, and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I, too, felt very misunderstood when responses like mine (therefore mine included) were received as chiding. This is the way things look from my side - not as a *conspiracy*, but that this thread had its genesis in another complex situation and therefore it was already a moving train when I hopped on... conspiracy is really too strong a word for what I was trying to describe. I think that if you go back and re-read my post, you will see that I'm saying this to express why I think perhaps opinions like mine and a few others in this thread were doomed to either insult or incite ~~ it's because of the "baggage" this conversation was already carrying. That's why the poll feels a little misleading to me... to answer you honestly was to risk offending you over your participation in the other thread when my comments didn't have anything to do with the other thread at all (and I'm not sure Kris's comment did, either). I was trying to get you to see what a dilemna this had created. I hope this explanation makes more sense. Please reread my post to see if you can view it through my eyes (flawed as they may be). One thing is for sure... I am very sorry to have added to the misunderstandings in this thread. And I am especially sorry for hurting or offending you in any way at all. Robin

Gosh, anj, I sure hope you didn't feel chided by *my* remarks. You wanted to know why I do or don't participate in the threads, and I told you. How can I answer honestly without saying that it's a matter of honor or personal digity to me? That doesn't mean I'm passing judgment on or chiding others who don't feel the same way! Surely, though, you knew when first asking this question that people who are not comfortable with these conversations were going to give their reasons why (since you asked them to), and that surely those reasons were going to be from some sort of view that they find it inappropriate. Did you *really*, in all honesty, want to know why anyone would find it inappropriate? Because this thread is looking more like defending opinions than sharing them (high fiveing those we agree with, etc.). I'm really confused... I honestly thought at first that you were genuinely wanting to know how people felt, but after reading your response here, and how there were private conversations going on about this behind the scenes, I'm now beginning to think that you and several others came up with this poll as a reaction to negative feedback you saw in other threads... that what you really wanted to open up the argument in a new thread. People like me came into this sort of as a new conversation, when really it was a simmering leftover from an old conversation. I think y'all assumed that everyone who responded to this poll would be the same people who read and kept up with all the conversations you were referring to, when in fact some of us were just saying, "Yeah, I've seen those subject lineis before but I skip over those conversations because...." For some reason, I'm feeling somewhat baited into an argument... like perhaps the poll was a tad disingenuous. Is there a single answer to "why I don't like to have these conversations" that would have been accepted without defense or refute from the collaborators? I think that the problem with Kris's post and your response to it is this... you asked how we felt about open discussion of sex on the forums. Kris responded by saying that she felt like it would be dishonoring her husband to talk about their sex life in public. You responded by saying that's not what happened (which was an attempt to delegitimize her position). This is where we disagree. If you are talking about your husband's libido and how it makes you feel, then you are talking about your sex life, and Kris's comment is relative. You ask how we should answer these questions in the future. I say for those who want to discuss it, fine. And for those who don't, fine. I really couldn't care less... but *I* would never post a question on these boards about my husband's low libido because it would humiliate him, and you know... there is nothing wrong with that. It is not the answers to the question, but the question itself that I am addressing. It *is* an issue of honor and dignity for me. But surely the op in that thread would have never shared such an intimacy if it were embarrassing to *her* dh, right? And there is nothing wrong wtih that, either. So, you know... if you and your spouse are comfortable with the open discussions... post away and have a ball! (pun intended :D).

Plaid Dad and others, I hope you have a fantastic day! You deserve it! Robin

Okay, now I know why I'm so confused about this! LOL To be clearer, though, I wasn't saying that a person who discusses sex in public has reduced dignity... I was trying to explain that to some people, it isn't a matter of being all straight laced taboo about it, but a matter of personal dignity to keep private things private. If you look hard, there is dignity to be found in this (instead of looking for a fuddy duddy, for example). I really don't care who else discusses what, though. Even among my irl friends, I stand out as being very private about my private life. I still stand by the opinion, though, that if what one discusses in public would in any way embarrass the partner should the partner stumble upon or hear about the conversation, then you should not be having that discussion. I do think that anyone (male or female) who has a discussion about a private matter (any private matter, not just sex) that would embarrass, shame or put their spouse on the defensive, that is a betrayal. Y'all can call me a fuddy duddy on that one... I feel very strongly about that one. The only exception would be in the context of counseling. I honestly believe this to be the ultimate premise behind the "no spouse bashing" rule on these boards... it's not because you can't get good advice from strangers on the forums, it's because you don't have any business talking about your spouse like that in public without their knowledge. Okay, that's my soap box for the day, and I realize it has little to do with the op (it does have a little, but only a little). I also see the irony of my commenting on how I don't like to comment on these things! LOL

Is that what this is about? Secret society conspiracies? One Canadian economist's Amero theory that neither Canadian or US govt supports? And we are not currently the North American Union. Not the last time I checked, anyway :). I'll bet when your grandmother was young, the country looked unfamiliar to her century old ancestors, too. I honestly can not think of a single country that is the exact same today as it was 100 years ago for which that is a good thing.

That will probably happen this summer sometime, so get ready. I wouldn't panic, though. I'm sorta depressed about it, and I'm extremely concerned about DH's salary (he's on 100% commission in the industrial supply business, and his salary has already tumbled quit ea bit). Long term, I'm optimistic, but short term this is going to be hard to weather.

If you say thank you in the thread, that is enough imo. I try to always remember to thank people for their responses (sometimes one big general thank you, if there were a LOT of responses). I do the rep thing only if something really stands out ... for example if it is particularly helpful (what I call an epiphany post) If I felt compelled to rep every single person who answers my posts, I doubt I'd post much because that would be too labor intensive :). Thank you is sufficient . Some people don't even do the rep thing at all. Robin

There is no way I'd attempt growing my own wheat. It has to be just the right conditions, and there is a lot to harvesting, threshing, etc. I get 50lb bags from Wheat Montana Farms. Bronze chief for red wheat, Golden 86 for white wheat. You can go to their website or Walton Feed's website and see if there if someone in your area orders in bulk. That is the best cheapest way to get wheat... order with an established group. Good luck! It is so much better than anything you can buy, but the initial equipment is not cheap.

I'm pretty sure its ante and post meridian, meridian being basically a line of longitude.

My 12yodd does not like to practice. She begged to start the violin. She loves playing it. She would be crushed if she had to quit. But she still doesn't enjoy practicing. Basically, she doesn't like to work at all. Not at anything. It's hard work, and she is a little on the lazy side. A friend of mine's dd of the same age used to really hate practice and her mom didn't force it a lot. But now she is in school and got into orchestra, and everything is completely different. She is very self motivated to prepare for chair competitions, etc. Playing every day in a group environment under the direction of an orchestra conductor with a little competition mixed in was the ticket for her. For my dd, I'm not sure she will ever be self motivated enough until she reaches college age. FWIW, Itzahk Perlman hated to practice as a child, too. :)

Yeah... I did mention that I was surprised that anyone would send that film in. As a matter of fact, I find it hard to believe that anyone stood there and held the camera on the whole event and didn't try to help. It was a very shocking video. I'm extremely surprised that anyone found any entertainment value in it at all. That's why I thought it might have been staged. If a friend of yours was standing near a fire and their pants leg caught on fire, and you were filming, and the fire got larger and larger until most their leg was engulfed, and efforts to snuff it out with a blanket were unsuccessful, would you really stand there filming it, cracking up the entire time? It really is unbelievable, when you think about it!

Okay, Doran... I'm beginning to think we're not talking about the same thing. The only thread I saw was when people were talking about whether or not they wake up in the middle of the night and have sex. When it comes to talking about what we do in private, I just ask myself if I would feel comfortable if my dh were joking around about it with his friends and if not, then I shouldn't do the same. On the same hand, if my dd had a sensitive, embarrassing problem, I would NEVER discuss it in public. This is a public place, not a private living room with just a few invited friends. If I needed to talk to someone I would talk to a trusted friend in private, just out of respect for her dignity. But you seem to be talking about either 1) serious questions about serious issues, or 2) the topic of sex in general, not about any one's specific sex life. I think those are both okay, as long as in the case of #1 you aren't saying anything that wouldn't embarrass someone else (just because Ive talked about it with my husband doesn't mean he wouldn't be embarrassed if I talked about it with someone else). I didn't think the threads I've read were anywhere helpful to anyone... just more for entertainment. Maybe I missed something? And they were funny, so that's why I think they're fine. And I don't think that just because you're tight lipped about private issues like sex means you have an unhealthy attitude about them. I actually think our culture puts WAY too much value on talking about everything. There is actually some dignity in not verbalizing one's every thought. I'm not saying that others shouldn't talk about what they want to (including sex), I'm just saying that there's nothing wrong with the people who *don't* want to do the same, and one way is not really better or healthier than the other.

Oh, Abbey... I'm not so sure that comforts me much!! Which is worse? Laughing at another's misfortune out of bad taste, or laughing at another's misfortune for pay? :) I'm with Debra - my closest brush with fame yet!

I am so glad I haven't watched this in on so long... if all they have to offer these days are people getting hurt, that would be depressing.

CLARIFICATION!!! I actually used to like this show quite a bit... Funny animals, funny babies... I don't remember there ever being anything so awful, though, as a man on fire fighting for his life. I was just *extremely* surprised that this video found a slot on AFHM. It does NOT fit with the sort of videos I remember chuckling at in the past. That's why I was wondering if they aren't starting to stage some videos and perhaps this was supposed to be understood as some sort of slapstick humor. Robin

I just caught one of the clips, and it was a man standing near a campfire and his pant leg caught on fire (I think it happened when he had tried to step on a flame that had escaped the ring). Anyhow, before the clip is over, this guy's whole leg is practically on fire, everyone is trying to help him put it out with blankets, you can tell he's freaking out (and probably hurting) the way he's flopping around... and he ends up falling/rolling/jumping over a bluff into a body of water. He's lucky he had access to water, because he was going up in flames pretty fast. I can't imagine what sort of burns he suffered. I find it hard to believe someone submitted that as a "funny" video, and even harder to believe the audience laughed so hard the whole time. Is this stuff for real, or do you think they manufactured the video? Please, reassure me that we don't, as a society, enjoy watching others get injured like this.

I'll admit that I voted, "I don't discuss it IRL." But there was no place for me to check to say that I don't mind if others do. I skimmed the other threads and chuckled... I don't mind the conversations, but you probably won't catch me participating. I even have friends who discuss it with me, I just don't discuss *my* personal life. I don't know why this is... I guess I'm just very, very private... if my dh and I have a problem, I don't discuss it with others. I work it out with him. I do not air my dirty laundry, nor do I share my intimacies. It just feels so private, kwim? I feel like I would be betraying a confidence if I were to discuss our intimate life with others, much less in public. That's just me, though, and I don't ever mind someone else discussing what they're comfortable with. Robin

I know what you mean. I would like to get excited about a candidate. Any candidate. I've spent WAY too many elections feeling like all I was doing was comparing the cons. One thing about presidential candidates, though... they always pander during the nomination process. They pander a little less, usually, during the general election. And then they forget they ever pandered once the election is over. This does have the potential to become an interesting election. I'm actually looking forward to watching both conventions.

Thank you for the update, Jackie. I am so thankful her home was spared! Tell her we're thinking about her and hope her services are all restored soon. Robin