I do agree it was the labels that killed it off. I think MP3's had a bit to do with it but I agree that it's not as much as most people think. Really, CD's never DID come down in price comparatively. Factor in that there are what are called "points" (profit percentages) on any album (CD) sold and it will show you even more that the labels were making a killing.

I remember hearing that of the eight or so points on a album, three or four went to the record company, the artist got maybe two and the others were divvied up between companies like Sony DADC (which makes the disks themselves.)

Once, I took a tour of the Sony DADC plant in Indiana. The PR/Tour Guide said "Well we can't tell you how much it costs to make a disk but it's less than a dollar."

Now, figure that against a $15 CD, which costs fifty cents to make and the label is getting HALF of the profits and the artist is the one really getting screwed in the deal.

The bands that were initially successful in the Napster vs Metallica ordeal (downloads vs artists) were artists who realized they were getting screwed by labels and either started their own (in the case of MANY punk rocks groups) or put their music out for the public to get and made their money on touring.

Best one I've seen that we got in our takeaway: Blessed are the children, for they shall inherit the national debt.

It's a playground and there are children. Do you want your kids playing in goose poop? Having lived near a lake growing up I can tell you how much they can "litter" a landscape with poop. It's unsanitary and can spread disease.

ex-acto makes a metal version with alligator clips

lucky, from what I found it appears that they are stands for action figures, particularly the anime types (which this being Japanese would make sense) I'm trying to find more specifics but that will get you on the right track

Darn, you beat me too it. I was going to say "If you watch it backwards you see how it really happened"

Another Neatorama "Japan is weird" post. At least this one links to a blog that someone who has actually stepped foot in Japan wrote. Frankly, it has been irritating this week that Neatorama has been perpetuating this stereotype. To the effect that the last article was not properly researched. Frustrating. Japan is a wonderful county and it's a shame that the most outlandish (and sometimes false) things are posted to the net. Think about all the wacky stuff we do in America.

I just got to see the Ghibli zoetrope in October. It was amazing. They even stop it so you can see that each model is a slight variation on the next. There's so much going on in it.

Clearly this is the work of the same person who put the wood plank on the iceberg and a sign of the apocalypse.

I agree that your child is what they are, period, end of sentence. You can't change them. I was a mostly a tomboy and I've never changed. Parents should just support whatever their kids tend to gravitate towards. Many children would be a lot better off with their parents not trying to force them into or out of one gender stereotype or another. So your daughter wants to be a princess, encourage the creativity of a fantasy land while trying to downplay the entitlement factor. If she wants to play with bugs and sticks then you need to encourage her independance. If your son wants to play with dolls, let him play with the darn dolls and encourage his caring side while preparing him that the rest of the boys are stereotyped into an aggressive masculine archetype. 

It amazes me in this day and age we are still all weirded out when a child doesn't fit into our projected gender archetype. Can't we just get over it? Lord knows my life would have been a lot simpler if my mother would have been open to the fact that my tomboyish leanings fit into an archetype that tends to lend itself to potential same sex attractions. 

In short if your kids aren't the gender stereotype YOU like, then get over it and work with what you have. Wouldn't most parents rather have a tomboy or a princess or a dress wearing son or an athletic boy than one that wasn't born healthy and happy with their princess, doll loving, dress wearing, football playing selves. 

gay mexican grizzly bears

@Batty face: Having dyed my hair just about every color I have to say that blue is one of the easier ones to have permanently. The trick is to use the same blue the old ladies use! Bleach your hair out and use a straight up one-to-one combination of Clairol's Blue Mix Tone and their Premium Cream developer (get these at a beauty supply store like Sally's) let that sit on your hair for half an hour. I do HIGHLY recommend you use a petroleum jelly on your hairline and ears to avoid staining. You hair will be BLUE and permanently. I had to dye mine black to cover it up.

@Miss C: My local store still carries bluing and I use it on things that are not safe to be bleached. Works wonders.

My primary care physician has his dog in the office. Though the dog (who is a certified therapy dog) usually just sits in the filing area he is more than happy to get a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears.

The thirties something's without kids is exactly my husband and me. In fact I shared this with him earlier today. The whole "here this thing that I didn't wrap cuz you were with me when I bought it" is basically how we work gifts. In fact he helped pick out his gift online with me last night. ; )

Awwww pigglies! There was discussion at our house about dressing our two pigs up and taking holiday pics. My husband pointed out that they would probably 1. hate us forever for dressing them up 2. wouldn't sit still long enough with said costumes.