The pill saved me from horrible HORRIBLE menstrual cramps which were making me psychotic for days at a time when I was 16. After I quit taking it at 18 (got an IUD) the cramps never came back. Thanks, hormonal birth control!

If the photograph is correct, the wheels are solid.

You're either an Old like me or you've been listening to some oldies.

I've waited almost a hundred million years to tell this. Monday, February 16, 1970, 10:07 AM, 6th grade earth science class at Catholic School with the green and gray plaid uniforms. OMG, WHAT IS THAT CRAMP? 10:20 AM, bathroom break and my OMFG red-spotted underwear, I know what that is and I'm the first girl I…

And I agree with you that Clive O. is one sexy hunk of manstuff. I think all women who are into men, regardless of political affiliation or other differences, should be united on this one issue. ;)

This is apropos of nothing, but the name Clive always weirds me out a smidge...seems like it should be something you put on food, as in a cross between a clove and a chive. OK, thnx, I'll see myself out.

Oh I know and she was at that again today, but I've got a soft spot for her.

Gail Collins at the NYT, although hers is mostly a humor column.

Yeah, this was back in the 90's and I had a boyfriend who had tarantulas (he was also the person who got Wolfie all set up in the fishbowl). Tarantulas were boring as hell, just squatted in their cage all the time and really didn't do anything. Wolfie would hold really still under the furniture in her fishbowl…

I used to have a pet wolf spider who lived in a fishbowl. I captured crickets and grasshoppers for her for a year while she was my pet and I was genuinely sad when she croaked. She did make a couple of egg sacs in her fishbowl but since she had no mate they never became baby spiders. I thought about capturing a…

I see my primary care physician once a year and her office keeps track of what I need. The only one I was even aware of was tetanus, but last year (it was the 10-year anniversary) they gave me the DPT and I was, like, diptheria? Whooping cough? They said yep it 's all together in one shot now. Not sure what to…

You'll probably get a DPT shot — it covers tetanus, pertussis and diptheria. Best thing you can do for yourself every 10 years.

Here I am, saying it again: Adults need booster shots every 10 years. To prevent your situation exactly. Also tetanus. Thanks for sharing your experience; I appreciate someone with an actual encounter with whooping cough posting here.

Good comment, Ari. And I just want to point out that adults such as everyone posting here need to get booster vaccinations every ten years for tetanus, pertussis and diptheria, usually bundled together and called a DPT shot. I get mine once a decade and I never have to worry about the odd rusty nail or barbed wire. …

Just a couple of observations here. I am no big fan of Downton Abbey, and have only watched it a few times, but I never got the impression that it "celebrates" the class system. Very much the opposite in my humble opinion. Also, this guy is yawnsville.

Here's a hangover mitigation — NOT prevention — technique that I have sworn by for many years (I'm in my 50's): Take a couple of vitamins before going to bed. It really helps, although if you are truly polluted, nothing can really save you from the inevitable. Just don't get drunk unless you are prepared to sleep…

I propose Jennifer Alone and everybody in the band has to actually be named Jennifer.

Is it just me, or does he kind of look like Benedict Cumberbatch?

From the 23andme website:

Genetic testing (for example, the $99 basic one at 23andme.com) will tell you whether you have this gene. It's called "alcohol flush reaction" and it's at the top of the Health and Traits list, which means they're very confident that the test is accurate. Lucky me (?), I'm a Does Not Flush. Or was that when I had…