Dear So and So

At certain after work times of day, traffic could be an issue, too, even here in the suburbs. It is for my measly 2.5 mile commute. I have a go-around, but sometimes I wonder if it's worth it. If I had to go to a presentation at a local business, I would probably think about riding, but most likely I would drive. I really don't feel comfortable riding in regular clothes, although I am better; I have cycling clothes that don't look lycra-ish, so that helps, but generally, I think about this when I go to meetings or other events. My bet is racer types wouldn't think of riding for transportation. I ride for both fitness and transportation at times, but for a lot of people, this is not the case.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

At certain after work times of day, traffic could be an issue, too, even here in the suburbs. It is for my measly 2.5 mile commute. I have a go-around, but sometimes I wonder if it's worth it. If I had to go to a presentation at a local business, I would probably think about riding, but most likely I would drive. I really don't feel comfortable riding in regular clothes, although I am better; I have cycling clothes that don't look lycra-ish, so that helps, but generally, I think about this when I go to meetings or other events. My bet is racer types wouldn't think of riding for transportation. I ride for both fitness and transportation at times, but for a lot of people, this is not the case.

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I work for govn't and we are responsible for public cycling infrastructure, transit in our city..and also roads for building, maintenance. So part of employer's action plan has been to provide some better bike parking facilities for employees in secured areas at same workplace and at bigger, very select buildings, provide a small group of pool corporate bikes. Not exactly a bikeshare but strictly internal for signup and use. So cycling, transit or corporate vehicle is encouraged. Latter is a problem for very small fleet of cars. I have cycled to some internal meetings located less than 6-8 km. away from where I work with approx. 50% of route on pathways, not on road. The meetings involve others who are technical folks (actually GIS, drafting and surveying technical staff) so it's better I don't look overly girly/corporate 2-piece skirt-suited. There are some women in these groups and they are professional casual in attire. I show up at these meetings after biking, wearing black blazer and black jeans (for cycling).

Car, traffic and pedestrian traffic for past 12 months has been noticeably lighter...because there have been over 20,000 worker layoffs (just in our city alone) because of the dropping oil and gas economy in Alberta. Alberta is the lead Canadian province in this industry and our city is where most of such companies' head offices are located.
So yes, cycling is a lot easier along with availability of installed separated bike lanes.

From what one observes at least, in the building where I work (over 2,000 employees), I actually think signals that you are paying to your health by taking noon hr. classes, going for jog, walk or biking to work is viewed as a plus for an employee. Not a negative. While, yes women are still judged more harshly if they look too sloppy at work, overall if she is visibly engaging in any form of exercise outside of office time, it's seen as very good. We do have employee profiles several times per month on highlights of certain work one does, hobbies and....any favourite exercise activities. Yes, employees who do cycle to work have been profiled on our intranet --including myself. This intranet reaches over 10,000 employees.

Dear Farmer's market shopper,

Just because I was making zucchini pancake to sample, a nice large one about 6" diameter to be cut into one inch square, doesn't mean that you can have the whole pancake with Mango salsa. No nada... I'm not running a food cart, restaurant. NOOOO... you can see what can be done with zucchini besides bread and to taste something really different.

Getting PO with me will not get you the whole 6 inch zucchini pancake.

Yes go away all huffy and puffy.

How selfish and rude. And she was an older woman. Don't think she was in any financial hardship or going hungry. Just greedy!!

Dear clueless vendor next to me,

I'm not your honey!! It's bit outdated to say the least and it is offensive to me. I also don't need to know that guys leak or piddle on the toilette seat.

Just my rant for the day.:mad:

I used to patronize a certain nail salon a few times a year; in the last year it was sold and they are steadily losing business. The new owner called me honey one too many times in the late winter/early spring, and I told him I was not his honey. He got all huffy and said "It's hard to remember everyone's name." I went in there last week, and lo and behold, he called me by my name... I also was the only person in there. Nothing else is different, except this guy, so I wonder if others feel the same way.

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Originally Posted by smilingcat

Dear clueless vendor next to me,

I'm not your honey!! It's bit outdated to say the least and it is offensive to me.

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As a new lawyer about fifteen years ago, my very first deposition was of an older real estate agent who insisted on calling me "honey." In fact, he did it 216 times during a three hour deposition. You can bet that all of the quotes I ended up using in pleadings incorporated him calling me "honey." Their main theme was how professionally they'd been during this transaction, and that they conducted their business the same as always, so not sure if the "honey" references helped us win at all -- but it sure made me feel better.

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Originally Posted by Aromig

As a new lawyer about fifteen years ago, my very first deposition was of an older real estate agent who insisted on calling me "honey." In fact, he did it 216 times during a three hour deposition. You can bet that all of the quotes I ended up using in pleadings incorporated him calling me "honey." Their main theme was how professionally they'd been during this transaction, and that they conducted their business the same as always, so not sure if the "honey" references helped us win at all -- but it sure made me feel better.

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My favorite: "I don't know what it is with your women lawyers. Men just hunt to eat. Women hunt to kill." (Right after I and a male attorney demolished his client's case in court - a case that never should have been brought in the first place.)

Dear Universe,

Thank you for facilitating my life as a full-time RVer. Who knew that we might possibly be able to get reservations at Yellowstone in August booking just 11 days ahead? I figured it would be 2017 for sure, but we are in! And a week with my DH's Senior Pass is gonna cost us all of $92 at the campground. Crazy wonderful. I am so very excited! We had planned on heading back to South Dakota's Black Hills, which we love, but we've been there before, and I have never been to Yellowstone (DH went there with his folks when he was a kid). I love my lifestyle and feel so very lucky!

Yay, Emily!! Sounds wonderful!!

Cool, I grew up in Yellowstone and then worked seasonal all through college. I keep telling my husband I am going to work the tailend of the season when I am "retired" He isn't to excited so he'll just have to stay home, HA.
Which campground? The Re-dedication of the Teddy Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance is Aug. 25. President Obama is speaking.

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

Dear Universe,

Thank you for facilitating my life as a full-time RVer. Who knew that we might possibly be able to get reservations at Yellowstone in August booking just 11 days ahead? I figured it would be 2017 for sure, but we are in! And a week with my DH's Senior Pass is gonna cost us all of $92 at the campground. Crazy wonderful. I am so very excited! We had planned on heading back to South Dakota's Black Hills, which we love, but we've been there before, and I have never been to Yellowstone (DH went there with his folks when he was a kid). I love my lifestyle and feel so very lucky!

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Originally Posted by Sky King

Cool, I grew up in Yellowstone and then worked seasonal all through college. I keep telling my husband I am going to work the tailend of the season when I am "retired" He isn't to excited so he'll just have to stay home, HA.
Which campground? The Re-dedication of the Teddy Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance is Aug. 25. President Obama is speaking.

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Oh, how cool. We will be in Bridge Bay campground in our 32' motorhome. Not my first choice of campground, but the only one where we could get a site to fit us -- and a reservation. Although we go many places without reservations, I don't want to chance it at Yellowstone! I read that many of the no-reservation campgrounds fill up by 7 to 8 am, and we'd never get there that early. :eek:. We're hoping to do some cycling and hiking, and we'll take a bus tour around the park one day to make sure we get to see more of it than we could cover from the campground on foot or bicycle. It would hardly be a visit to Yellowstone without seeing Old Faithful!

After a week in Yellowstone, we're planning to head down to Grand Teton NP, where it sounds like the cycling is even better. Super excited!

Love Grand Teton. So beautiful. Yellowstone is pretty too. And since you are there mind as well go to Glacier NP. Visit some of the glaciers before they are all gone. Rent a boat there while there and watch trout swimming in the lake. Something my family did about 45 years ago.

There used to be lot of U-pick orchards nearby or on the way and the fruit were all very juicy and delicious. Can't beat tree ripened fruit (except pear. Pear gets mealy if left to ripen on tree).

Wow!! Enjoy your stay in Yellowstone. Been there number of times but not yet in winter time.

We will not make it to Glacier this time, smilingcat. It's a big destination, and we would want to be there for at least a week. We will be in eastern Montana for a few stops on the way to Yellowstone but just can't get all the way to Glacier and still make it to the other places in time, and do them all justice. We do want to go to Glacier, though - maybe next summer. We had hoped to get there this year, but timeline just wouldn't permit as we didn't want to wait any later to go to Yellowstone. It is getting cold there! We will see 30s at night when we are there, a week from today...brrrrr chilly! Don't want to get there any later as we could not handle lower temps in our motorhome. And we don't carry a lot of winter clothes along, just the basics.

Hope you have a great time. Cycling wise, You can easily ride from the campground to the Lake Hotel (a must see!) You can also cycle over to Fishing Bridge and go to the museum and walk on the "beach" I have always avoided biking in Yellowstone in the summer - to much traffic and very little shoulder. The bike path in Grand Teton is great. We spread our parents ashes in Yellowstone Lake in Sept. of 2013 and had our memorial at the group camping area of Bridge Bay, it was cold and rainy so hopefully you'll have sunshine.

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

Oh, how cool. We will be in Bridge Bay campground in our 32' motorhome. Not my first choice of campground, but the only one where we could get a site to fit us -- and a reservation. Although we go many places without reservations, I don't want to chance it at Yellowstone! I read that many of the no-reservation campgrounds fill up by 7 to 8 am, and we'd never get there that early. :eek:. We're hoping to do some cycling and hiking, and we'll take a bus tour around the park one day to make sure we get to see more of it than we could cover from the campground on foot or bicycle. It would hardly be a visit to Yellowstone without seeing Old Faithful!

After a week in Yellowstone, we're planning to head down to Grand Teton NP, where it sounds like the cycling is even better. Super excited!

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Originally Posted by Sky King

Hope you have a great time. Cycling wise, You can easily ride from the campground to the Lake Hotel (a must see!) You can also cycle over to Fishing Bridge and go to the museum and walk on the "beach" I have always avoided biking in Yellowstone in the summer - to much traffic and very little shoulder. The bike path in Grand Teton is great. We spread our parents ashes in Yellowstone Lake in Sept. of 2013 and had our memorial at the group camping area of Bridge Bay, it was cold and rainy so hopefully you'll have sunshine.

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I hope so too! Thanks for your input/ideas. I am hoping the traffic will be a little lower this late in the summer in Yellowstone, but who knows. We think the kiddos will be heading back to school very soon, and that may keep traffic down (and explain how we could get relatively last-minute reservations too!)

... Imagine my surprise when I looked at your event page to see if I'd missed your event this year and found one of my own photographs from a past year advertising it... Well, no actually, I wasn't particularly surprised at that - too many people don't know how copyright works. I was, under the circumstances pretty nice. I wrote you and explained that I am typically quite generous about allowing non-profits like yourself to use my images free of charge, but it is necessary to contact me and ask first and that I request that I be credited as the photographer. I explained that I was not upset, but that I wanted you to be aware of the rules and that had the image been licensed to someone else, that it could have been a much bigger problem.

Your reply did surprise me.. astonished me in fact... You sweetly informed me that you did have permission to use the photograph in question and that I was indeed correct that you had neglected to give credit where credit was due and that you'd corrected the oversight. You even very nicely sent me a link to my photograph on your Facebook page, now with someone else's name on it. Needless to say I was rather shocked and angered..

This isn't a case in which another photographer may have been there and taken a very similar photograph. It's an image of small candle boats on a pond. I've overlaid the two images (from your page and my Flickr account) sand sent you the results. Not even had this other person been hanging over my shoulder and hit the shutter at the exact same moment, could there be two images that match in every aspect - down to the size in 100th's of an inch, the exact framing and position of everything in the photograph and even the lens flare on the candle flames...

I am now practicing a great deal of patience as I have not heard back from you that you are even looking into this. I am really, really hoping that this is simply a mistake or a miscommunication on your part and I am giving you the benefit of the doubt that it is now the weekend and maybe, just maybe you haven't seen your email from yesterday evening yet, but if Monday comes around and I haven't heard boo from you, you can look forward to my turning a DMCA takedown notice and a complaint in to Facebook and perhaps even sending you an invoice for the use of the image.

disgruntled photographer...

Yeah that’s one of the problems of sharing our images on the net. I figure if you can see an image in a browser there is probably a way to copy it even if a site doesn’t allow it. If they don’t want to give you at least a credit make sure the DMCA takedown order is filled out properly with their whois info etc.

You also might want to change your Flickr ‘privacy & permission’ setting on who can download your images to ‘only you’ or ‘friends/family’ and the ‘largest shared image size’ to 1024. My Facebook can only be viewed by a few friends so I’m not worried about the few images I post there. Those two places, here and two other forums are the only places i post images. I also keep all my original raw files with metadata which can help in a dispute.

I don't post stuff to the web big enough for print, so I'm at least only vulnerable to swiping for other web uses and I do only post in a few places... I know it's one of the risks of putting stuff up, but it's one that I've been thus far willing to take. I totally know, if you can see it, you can take it and so few people really understand copyright so catching a few people swiping photos here and there is inevitable - and it's not like it's some big commercial usage - those people know better (well... usually at least - Getty images did get caught licensing stuff that's in the national archives and designated as Public Domain - and trying to charge the photographer for using it her very own web site...). It's not so much they used the image that bothers me. I'd have let them do it no problem if they'd have asked. The thing that got me going was the snotty denial that the photograph is mine... and I can certainly prove that. I'm a RAW shooter. I keep all of my original images and I keep the EXIF on my flickr files too. I really am hoping it was a stupid mistake.. and that they give me a really nice apology.

Dear Gremlin, It would be awesome if you'd reveal where my new Terry bike tights are! My memory of wearing them last springs recalls them as being quite wonderful. I have torn the house apart trying to locate them, so frustrating! They were not inexpensive and dread having to purchase another pair. crude.

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Originally Posted by Sky King

Dear Gremlin, It would be awesome if you'd reveal where my new Terry bike tights are! My memory of wearing them last springs recalls them as being quite wonderful. I have torn the house apart trying to locate them, so frustrating! They were not inexpensive and dread having to purchase another pair. crude.

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alex just said this morning my sdhc camera card is where i last put it :)...if the gremlin does reveal where the tights are, send it to me :)

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Originally Posted by Sky King

Dear Gremlin, It would be awesome if you'd reveal where my new Terry bike tights are! My memory of wearing them last springs recalls them as being quite wonderful. I have torn the house apart trying to locate them, so frustrating! They were not inexpensive and dread having to purchase another pair. crude.

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Sounds like a case for Santa.

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Originally Posted by rebeccaC

alex just said this morning my sdhc camera card is where i last put it :)...if the gremlin does reveal where the tights are, send it to me :)

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Hmm. I have a mylar blanket that I keep in my bike bag during cooler months, for emergencies. I looked for it recently, couldn't find it anywhere, not in any of the places where I keep bike gear. Bought another one yesterday. OF COURSE this means that I found the first one this morning. Fortunately they're inexpensive and having two is actually a good thing -- now there's one for the car and one for the bike!

Dear AP editor,

You are getting very sloppy with headline. "Trump expands anti-abortion ban to all US global health aid" what is meant by anti-abortion ban?? Des it mean that Trump is banning anti-abortion activities, activists or what?? Or did you mean to say that Trump is banning abortion practices and pro-abortion rights activities and activists.

The "anti-abortion ban" nearly smacks the use of double negative. In fact, when you read the article, the usage is double negative. So confusing. aarrrghhh!!

Yes, his executive order stops all funding for abortion and women's right to choice for all international organization (WHO will be on the list). On slightly different note, he is allowing Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipeline to move forward. BTW, Trump is a big shareholder of Keystone XL.

And yes Trumpster has defunded International Planned Parenthood! not sure how they are related to US domestic Planned Parenthood; but, his executive order is for the world and that would include USA.

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Originally Posted by smilingcat

And yes Trumpster has defunded Planned Parenthood!

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What is the matter with the guy? :eek: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-don...womens-health/ Vey sick. Please let's just talk a little more here with more people.

Dear Medical School:

You have really, royally screwed an entire class of students. We are the second class in the new curriculum. When you realized that the first class tanked the major licensing exam whose score determines many of your career options (or can certainly close some doors), you started helping the third class. What did you do for us? You cancelled the review course and told us to watch it online (where the professors say "too bad for the people who didn't come that they can't hear" because it was intended to be re-offered). You started coaching the students a class below us. Us - you hung out to dry. But made sure to tell us to do well because "it's important for the reputation of the school."

I've been studying for 6 weeks straight. I'm burned out and exhausted, and I'm not doing well on the practice exams. Neither are my classmates. Why am I not doing well? Because you decided to experiment with a new curriculum and didn't teach us about 1/2 of the content. When it didn't work, you threw us to the wolves. I've asked for help - and been told that there is none. The only person who can "help" is a PhD in education and does not understand any of the content. Nor can she recommend any resources. She's given me the same (unhelpful) advice twice now. I'm completely on my own. Oh yes - and you told me I have test anxiety and need help for that. Are you flipping kidding me? Of course I have text anxiety - I'd be crazy not to. It's not the reason I'm doing poorly though - you are. I've taken big tests before. It was never a problem until I had to take one that determines my career options with a half-empty toolbox.

Sincerely,

A Stressed Out Med Student

PS - I probably *do* have test anxiety at this point (given the burn out and the lack of progression and the lack of direction) - but I'm not about to admit it to you. I think it might be time to take up meditation. I'm gonna need it to get through 2 more years of your incompetence.

Wow, Blueberry, I am surprised and saddened to hear this. Very surprising a good, established med school would do this to you.

That sucks! :mad: :mad: :mad:

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

Wow, Blueberry, I am surprised and saddened to hear this. Very surprising a good, established med school would do this to you.

That sucks! :mad: :mad: :mad:

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Agreed, and to eschew responsibility so thoroughly, that truly sucks!

That would bother me too, Sheila! Seems to me that an awful lot of people are relying on gofundme (and similar) these days. In the "old days", families would help out financially if one in the extended family was having a tough time, but in this age of social networking, it seems that some are taking advantage of their social networks for things they should be able to handle on their own or within their families.

Perhaps it sounds cold and heartless, but in many of these cases, I think it's going a bit overboard to expect your friends to pitch in -- especially for something optional like a new bicycle. Hey...we want kayaks, perhaps I should set up a gofundme page! :D :D

We stopped speaking to my BIL and family, when he set up a Go Fund Me page supposedly for his daughter who had leukemia. He had insurance and a good job. They wanted a new house... his daughter is fine after a bone marrow transplant (so we hear), but she got a Make a Wish Trip to "go shopping."
I think that's wrong. Her parents could take her shopping.

This reminds me of a situation years ago with some friends (who are now ex-friends). They had two young children at the time. They believed that vacations were supposed to be for adults only, not children. So they planned elaborate trips to Europe just for the two of them. And expected their family and friends to take care of the kids while they were away. So grandfather took the kids for a couple of days, one friend took them for a weekend, another friend took them for a few days. I was appalled. When we were growing up, sometimes my parents would go away for a weekend on their own, but real vacations included all of us. And we never had much money so the trips were to visit relatives, or to go camping someplace close to a historic site. Anyway. What really got me about these (ex-)friends was when the wife looked me in the eye and asked me, "what days will you be taking our children while we're on vacation?" Not "can you please help out" but "when will you take them." So I said "none." I'm sure the look on my face said much more than that.

(This actually was not the reason they became ex-friends. But that's a story for another day.)

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Originally Posted by Crankin

We stopped speaking to my BIL and family, when he set up a Go Fund Me page supposedly for his daughter who had leukemia. He had insurance and a good job. They wanted a new house... his daughter is fine after a bone marrow transplant (so we hear), but she got a Make a Wish Trip to "go shopping."
I think that's wrong. Her parents could take her shopping.

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Wow. I knew people were taking advantage of it, but that's ridiculous. Don't blame you for cutting them out of your lives. Some people have zero ethical compass and feel no shame!

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Originally Posted by ny biker

What really got me about these (ex-)friends was when the wife looked me in the eye and asked me, "what days will you be taking our children while we're on vacation?" Not "can you please help out" but "when will you take them." So I said "none." I'm sure the look on my face said much more than that.

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On my. That's some entitlement. Don't blame you one bit. We're expecting we'll get a similar request from the BIL one day. He has one, they want more - and they are travel obsessed (while we're been saving money for retirement, etc.). Hopefully her mom will take them (they bought a gigantic house with an extra wing for her) - but nothing would surprise me.

I've also become frustrated by the many, many go fund me pages out there. It seems like half of our local news stories have funding pages attached to them. I realize there's a lot of hurt and need in the world, but at some point, it gets excessive.

Thanks also for the sympathies on the medical school situation. There's not really much we can do - graduate, get the MD, and move on. Doubt I will have forgotten when they ask for donations, though (actually, they already are). Trying to keep the debt down so that I don't have to make a decision based on earning potential - as some of my classmates who will be 200-300k in debt (for a state school) will have to.

NY, that story is terrible. If you want to travel without your kids, then hire a babysitter, like I did, or ASK the grandparents. I was lucky that I had several people who I hired, some relatives, some co-workers, as well as the family of our teenaged babysitter.

Dear 7th grade student who shared the test answers: I don't know who you are but you got at least three other kids in trouble with me and the office and now everyone in all four classes will have their test score thrown out and have to take a new and harder version of the very easy quiz I gave you.

And thank you for the opportunity to stay an hour late after school on a Friday afternoon to rewrite the test for Monday.

Sincerely, your extremely annoyed teacher.

dear weather,

Last week, it was pouring rain and the daytime high didn't even hit 60F. And this coming Sunday, its predicted to hit 100F. It just seem that you do not want me farming.

Back in Mar/Apr time frame, we had several days of 90+F heat. The temperature was enough to bolt my radishes. :( Then it got super cold and most of the kale thought it was winter again... This isn't so bad but when it warmed up again, most all of my kale thought it gone through a winter, a process called vernalization, and it prompted the kale to bolt. Kale is biennial so it flowers the second season. But the heat wave then the cold then the warm weather made it think it had gone through a winter.

grrr. work from sun up around 5:30AM till about 1:00PM. siesta from 1 to about 6:00PM then work from 6:00PM till sundown around 9:30PM. My cats are not happy that they are getting their evening din din around 10:30PM.

The neeve of people. I saw this on FB, your reply was perfect.

Sorry for the typo. I was at work, on my phone.

I did give out some zeros and did a lot of lecturing. I know this year (and my district is a "year round school" so we're actually already in session :eek: - I will not do trade and grade on multiple choice tests. It's pretty sad!

And Muireann, the cheating was actually so widespread- way more than 3 people had the answers. I only caught 3 for sure.

Dear so and so,

I'm planning to retire in about 164 days but who's counting? It's been a good ride, I am grateful for this surprisingly good job all told. Awesome bennies. And I'm not one to complain. But as I prepare to wind down and perhaps go to an encore career I'd like to speak frankly to my audience, you, the customers. Yes, I've worked all manner of customer service for a really beeeeg telco. And you need to know that ...

When you call or chat in or Tweet or however I'm going to need some kinda verification. Your first name is not enough. Have your number, the passcode if there is one and there almost always is and if you don't have that, an immediate plan to get it. Yelling at me, for 15-20 minutes "This is my account, I pay the bill, you sure want your money every month and I pay you hundreds every month .... don't you see that????? I demand to speak to your manager. I know the president of the company!!! I'll have you fired!!" is not enough.

I'm protecting your account. How would you feel if someone called, gave your name and number, we didn't verify anything and they ordered a few iPhone 7's and iPads, had them shipped to another address and you got the bill as is happening with Sprint? Not too good.

You have passcode and passwords. There are apps to save those or even a little book. Use those. Stop yelling at me.

Trek I can help you with that 420