Steam Bird

[rain_gryphon]

Western Union has ceased offering telegrams. That's sad, really. I don't think I've personally gotten a telegram in my entire life, although I do recall them arriving at times in the 60s, when I was little. At some point direct-dial long distance became faster and more practical. Like the article mentions, they're fascinating because of their historical associations. Much of the 20th century's history was played out over the telegraph.

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The new Rainbow of Doom!
I'm offended that we're not 'red'.

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"Muslims offended by caricatures proceed to act them out." A magnificent editorial comment.

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Viral Billiards. A mighty time-waster!

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I've got $25.79 left on MediaPlay gift cards, and their stores have packed it in. Fortunately, the website still accepts orders, but they don't have books like the stores did. Pity.

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I got the MediaPlay cards at work, and honestly they're pretty reasonable prizes to give out to a bunch of geeks. Mediaplay's got all sorts of games and geeky stuff.

What puzzles me these days are the number of chains that want you to buy a pre-paid card to shop there. People apparently do buy these for themselves, since they're ubiquitous anymore. The ones I've looked at don't give you any leveraging (ie, you pay $1 for $1) or any special reason to use them, though. You're just committing to spending money in advance. Obviously a good thing from the store's standpoint, but why do people use these?

Comments

[rabbitboy.livejournal.com]

How long until there's porn of the Ready.Gov kids?

I give it six weeks.

[xolo.livejournal.com]

Now that you've identified the need, your social conscience should compel you to action as an artist!

[oliver-otter.livejournal.com]

I think the gift card idea is that "it's tacky to give cash." Of course, the reason for that has been forgotten (it's tacky to point out exactly how much a gift cost the giver), so the fact that the cards aren't "cash" is supposed to be somehow less tacky. Despite them having an exact cash denomination.

IMNSHO it's more tacky. A few crisp and shiny new bills fresh from the bank is better. (Except for those McD's gift certificates for Halloween. Those aren't bad gifts for random strangers dressed as monsters. "Here, this doesn't have any razorblades or poison in it, so your parents won't throw it out," isn't a bad sentiment for these suspicious times. Plus, I think they actually do give volume discounts on those.)

You're supposed to give a gift based upon your impression (formed by actually knowing the person) of what that person would actually like. It's the intimate recognition of a genuine desire of the receiver that makes the gift, not the size of it.