I have a friend who married into big money. A few years ago, he and his wife joined his IL's to a company "convention" in Laguna Beach. My buddy, his wife and MIL went shopping. MIL bought a designer jacket, nothing fancy he assured me, that had a traffic jam on it. Hotsy totsy local designer. Price tag: $10,000. Reportedly, it was one of a kind.

Sorry for the t/j but something is really bothering me. I just watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with G and the DDs. Do you remember Clarice - Rudolph's girlfriend? Remember how she always had on that polka dot bow on her hed? How did she make bow that without opposable thumbs?

Who says she had to make the bow?

She does live among Santa and his elves...

Cinders,
Congrats on the key discovery...sorry about the cervical disc discovery...do your homework and find out if the surgery is necessary/risk/benefit/improvement in quality of life etc. Sounds like you need to find out what caused all of the stenosis and ossification and prevent further occurrence as well. If there is risk of cord compression my guess is that surgery is necessary but get a second opinion and do some research first!

Pio and Todd,
You got me, I am sucked into the dress dilemna. IMHO, for what it is worth (coming from a woman who happily wears combat boots but cleans up amazingly)...I think it is repulsive that anyone would pay that amount for a dress...I said it, it's out there now... Shall I start with, how many people could that feed, how many munitions, protective garments could be provided, how much good could it do in other avenues...I think not.

My philosophy on fashion is that the label is not important. The material and quality of the garment are important but the most important thing is it needs to make you look spectacular. Why pay anything for something that detracts from your appearance. If a garment does it's job it should enhance your best features and hide/minimize your challenge areas. Some designers pull this off and others are carried by their label. I'm sure in high political and economic circles it is all about who they are wearing but it just makes me sick to think of the wasted $. Lastly, if I were her I would return the dress and get my $ back b/c the sole benefit of having a designer garment is b/c it is supposed to be one of a kind...maybe the others were wearing lower priced designer dummies...if they were, at least they were more budget minded! Simple, timeless, quality pieces...if I had a boutique that is what I would sell to the real women of the world.

Aren't you glad you asked!!!

I had stated that federal spending on education has increased dramatically over the past few decades. At the linked website are the facts to back this assertion. The federal government now spends over $22,000 per household on education. That does not include state and local spending. States spend, on average, $8,022 per student. Assuming two students per household, this equates to $16,044 per household. This still does not include local spending on education, typically at the country or town level. Between federal and state spending, on average, we spend over $19,000 per student. The best private school in Atlanta charges tuition of $14,000. What's wrong with this picture? I also postulate that "help" from the federal government has been a causative factor in declining education quality.

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g42/ToddAC/?action=view&current=S-3.gif

BTW, linked below are images of the four womens who wore the identical $8,500 Oscar de la Renta dress. Is it just me or do they all look like a sack of potatoes in that dress?

http://www.waleg.com/archives/006083.html

Well the photo was a surprise. I admit I was expecting something else. This probably is a DJ but I have seen that sometimes WW has been attracted by price tag. She has shown me some clothes or shoes that really weren't all that nice or flattering but were expensive. She has asked my opinion with a sparkle in her eye. If I tell her it is ugly, she reprimands me, thinks about it a minute and then agrees - it really is ugly. I don't know if other woemn do that or not. There is a mentality that, if it is expensive, it must be good.

I just have one word for those four women - Sears.

Yes, in fact, the economist Thurston Veblen coined a term for it: Conspicuous Consumption.

No doubt Mr de la Renta's sales were in decline with all the new upcoming designers so he knew this would get him some free publicity. I think that changing outfit was the wrong thing to do. She should have embraced the moment, laughed a lot and just carried on IMO.

TT,

Sorry. No offense intended but...are you sure you're a woman???

My first boss was a smart guy. No taste in clothes whatsoever. His wife was an artist and she chose his clothes every day. Even so, it didn't help much because of what she had to work with. Once every three years he would empty his closet and go out shopping with his favorite two aunts - Polly and Esther. 100% JC Penney.

I was thinking that Laura reacted wrongly. With her Texas roots, I think it would have been great if she had gotten the other three ladies up and done a C&W line dance. Then I would have taken the dress back to Oscar and demanded my money back (after having accidentally spilled some wine on it of course).

TT, BTW, How is your R going? Personally I am having trouble reconnecting. Do you have any secrets?

Hi TKO,

I'm a little concerned, I turn my back and the men start talking fashion! I had to check into TKO twice to make sure I was on the right thread! I spent some time at Home Depot yesterday and purchased some great new power tools.


Actually I am on a buying trip at the moment and this subject of Laura and "the dress" is the talk of the town. Horrid dress anyway, she should return it. You are right Todd it didn't look good on any of the ladies.

Just wanted to check on everyone. Am on a borrowed computer so can't stay. Hi to everyone.

Beth.

"..how Oscar pays la renta"

LMAO

I love it Pio!

Todd, you'll never find the Christmas spirit fussin over governmental spending & incompetence even if it is to better out educational system.

If you roasted chestnuts on an open fire do you think the fire dept. would come a knockin?

The issue is moot. First, all chestnuts now come with a surgeon general's warning label on the shell stating the dangers of open fire second-hand smoke. Second, the EPA has completely banned chestnut roasting as an environmental hazard. lastly, the increased risk of wildfires from open roasting chestnut fires due to drought in the southwest and west has made it a felony in 11 states (in additional to the federal crime).

Sadly, those days are gone...

BTW, are chestnuts allowed on the Atkins diet?

What if Hazel is really nuts?

Power tools? eeeek!

Did you see the pics of Jennifer Aniston in that gray skirt? Made her look fat. And those platform shoes? What was she thinking?

Oh what was she thinking??? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> That skirt added 10 lbs to her figure! And gray is definitely NOT her color. Now I know what Brad must have been thinking. But seriously, Angelina? A fashion faux pas just waiting to happen. Ans did you see Jen's shoes?!?!? Ross Peurot at his worst had better platforms! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

The amount of money our combined governments spend on one student could pay the tuition for almost three students at Atlanta's finest private school. It is alarming when you think about it.


No question. Two weeks ago, they installed a CCTV camera in my suite so they keep a close watch on me.

I understand the govt is putting "border cams" on the internet now so everyone can help keep watch. Maybe you should go with a web cam and make a live feed to the WWW. At least you might make a profit.

I almost never watch Conan O'brien but I did the other day and he was talking about a website he had made up and some funny broadcasting law, etc. Anyway, they decided to really make the website he mentioned. It was a funny concept on the surface but really quite perverse. I did go look at it just to see if it could get past the proxy server. Unfortunately it did.