I wouldn't necessarily say things are going any better than they were, but I'm finally learning how to cope with life. At least 20 years late...

But thanks!

This is not at all new. Go listen to the radio ads of the 1930s and 1940s, or watch some of the sponsored programs of the 1950s. Look at newspaper ads from before those eras.

Advertising has been about manipulating people into buying things for much longer than you seem to think. Why else do you think breakfast cereals have had mascots for so long? Manipulate the kids into begging for it enough, and a lot of parents are going to break down and buy it.

No, it's more like when the first SSL offload chip was introduced into the network card market, said company did not have a "monopoly" on secure communications. If your computer doesn't have the power to run uber realistic physics models in real time without PhysX then you don't have any reason to belly ache about anti trust.

To make people aware of what they don't necessarily know about or necessarily need/want

Actually, I'd wager at least half, if not most advertising is really all about brand recognition. After all, when you're in the grocery store looking at a wall of paper towel, you're far more likely to pick brand X if you saw it on TV recently.

Java is not the best of any world.

the problem with targetted marketting is the same problem that all marketing has. It only presents the products of the vendor who paid for the ad. There's a difference between you needing a tool, and then presented by ACME's tool-o-matic 5000, and you going online and searching for all possible solutions to your tool's needs. Targetted Ads give the illusion of being helpful but they don't care about better products, or even if the solution they propose is mistaken or if there's a competitor that has a better product. They only provide help in context of what they have been paid to advertise.

You are being completely unfair. First of all, many of those programs are known for installing without the user's permission. Secondly, they are rather tricky. They produce screens that are very similar to screens that Windows and Security Suites use. Someone good with computers will quickly spot the problems, but fairly intelligent people that just browse the web a bit won't. This is not just happening to knuckle dragging mouthbreathers or something. I'm sure there are subjects where you would look like an idiot too (Cars, Plumbing, electrical, etc.) We can't all be proficient at everything.

The obvious solution is to run high voltage lines directly to houses for charging EVs, which would improve efficiency and lower costs (lower I^2 heat loss, and no need to add more pole transformers to handle the extra load).

We survived. Puppy is pretty much back to normal now, except for minor panic attacks when we start putting shoes on to go someplace. She was like that when we first got her though, so I imagine she'll be able to calm down about us leaving again when she realizes we will come back. Poor thing. She does seem to be more loving/cuddly now. I'm glad to have her back.

Aww, I

Puppy pretty much went straight back to normal. No biting/poopy problems. She does follow us around the house more than usual, and gets super whiny when we start putting our shoes on, which is kind of annoying. Still, I'm really glad to have her home, and she is glad to be home too, I can tell. Going to try harder on her training now. She's enjoying having more structure.

Also we got her a little wading pool yesterday because she needed a bath. She's having a great time in it.

It was like this: http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/funny-dog-pictures-wet-dog-is-going-on-your-bed.jpg except she looks more like this: http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/lol-dogs-funny-dog-pictures-daleek.jpg. Also, she likes licking the scuzzy pool water leaking hoses.

Think about what your needs are - emotionally and otherwise. Then think about how you are going to make sure that they are met. And take good care of yourself. That's important.

I wouldn't even know how to begin defining them. All I know is that something isn't working quite right. I kind of think it might just be me. How else could I have everything I ever wanted and still not be happy? Functioning has always had to be enough.

Sorry, depressing reply. Bad queen. I survived the week, though, and already half the weekend. Puppy is doing ok, which is a relief.

I guess I'm just frustrated that he and I have completely different priorities, and things to do with the house are a really big example of that. More frustrating is that we seem to have a complete inability to communicate with one another. I feel like I have way more responsibility for this house than I should.

Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on that sometime. Although it seems easier to publish something like this to the whole internet than write a personal note. Ironic. For someone that shy I'm awfully not shy.