The other requirement should be that theaters showing the movie be required to offer heavily sugared cereal at the concession stand.

Even people who can’t cook can bring stuff. Wine, canned whipped cream, cranberry sauce, desserts from a bakery, etc. And I find that older guests, like parents and grandparents, often want to chip in cash, even if it’s during or after the event. Anyone that won’t participate that way gets cut out of future events.

Either that or ask guests to chip in. Long after my mom hosted our gatherings she paid for the turkey, in addition to making the pies (that could not be purchased at any price).

One summer I had to fly weekly on a small prop plane from MI back home. We jokingly called it the Flying Winnebago because it was shaped like a big RV with an over-wing. The cockpit was separated from the cabin by little more than a closet door (it was long before 9/11). When you sat in the front row of seats you…

I’ve been thinking about the fact that no one seems to think about whether or not the person put into the Speaker slot is able to fill the role of President. I mean, no one really brought that up regarding Pelosi either, but it’s gotten zero consideration lately.

You mention something that I’ve been wondering about: Is the rule still in place allowing a single rep to move to vacate, or did that get dropped with McCarthy?

But then you’re left celebrating alone. Anyone hosting scores of people probably has the means and desire to have that size event. And it’s not necessary to break the bank for Thanksgiving. A respectable meal is entirely possible for less than $10/head. I think the anxiety over cost is really the result of people…

The Palestinians chose Hamas back in 2006 (IIRC), and mostly as a slap to the PA for a lack of progress, with no elections since. I think that both sides have become increasingly radicalized as a result of the constant violence, and select worse and worse leadership in reaction. Both Israelis and Palestinians now have…

I don’t get why people show up to drop their kids off at daycare in a freaking Yukon or Wagoneer

The fact that they were on bikes has little to do with this incident. It’s very unlikely that they in any way caused the load to shift, and they could just as easily been killed riding in a car.

Maybe point her to Poe’s Annabel Lee for some variety.

I’ve started to think that endless war and suffering have become an integral part of both Israeli and Palestinian identity. They don’t know who they are without it.

Israel is going to have to accept the 1948 borders

A real, honest, two state, diplomatic solution is the only acceptable outcome

I suspect that you are underestimating your niece if you think that you can keep a motivated 8 year old girl away from anything in this internet era.

Full House absolutely was a terrible sitcom

The worst part that I knew of was my niece, who had put her daughters to bed election night before the results were known. There had been much anticipation about the first woman president, and my niece spent the rest of the night imagining how she would have to break the news to her girls in the morning.

To me, this would make sense if they were piggybacking on existing GC locations. Basically just using their existing kitchen and packing up food for the grab-and-go customer. But as you suggest, stand-alone operations are going to suffer the fate of BM.

For people from large families, like my wife and me, reducing the guest list means cutting out family. That’s pretty difficult without hurting a lot of feelings. A better option is to cut back on the food spread. Everyone (mostly) wants to contribute something, so assign dishes instead of leaving it up to the guest.…