IllinoisDave

I had a fairly soft padded mattress before my wife got here. She didn't like it at all. After a few months of her complaints, we had to go mattress shopping. I would lie on one in the store that felt hard as hell and she would lie on it and say "Too soft." We went to five different stores before she finally found one that was firm enough. I'm getting used to the new one and she complains now that she sleeps TOO well. Go figure.

I hate to tell ya tsap but all these enviro problems and more are gonna foller ya right over to Chinatucky.

Saw it at the Dentist's office. Stopped at Barnes and Noble on the way home and bought one. Pretty cool.

CONGRATULAIONS!!

I'll echo everyone else's sentiments David and welcome you back but add how nice it was to read about your adventures in Baoding.

That's pretty cool. Congrats to all of you.

CONGRATS!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

I guess that depends on your definition of "wisdom","myth" and "lame." Is it a myth that China has been around in one form or another for 5000 years? Is it a myth that during those 5000 years they've accumulated a certain,even vast amount of wisdom? Unless you're sitting in a cave and you're blind,deaf and dumb, you're accumulating some kind of wisdom no? Now not every bit of that wisdom may rise to the level of what some consider to be "useful" wisdom. But it's wisdom nonetheless. wisdom n. 1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight. 2. Common sense; good judgment: 3. a. The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge: b. Wise teachings of the ancient sages. As for being "lame"? What's lame? Suggesting that other people/cultures/governments could learn from that 5000 years of accumulated "wisdom"? Or that we/they could even emrace SOME of it? Sounds pretty reasonable to me. Could it get any lamer? :roll: By your definition, not a country on the planet has wisdom we could learn from. First of all, it's not my definition: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wisdom Second of all,are you reading another thread and then commenting here? Because your comments make NO sense based on what I've written. I'll spell it out. China, and EVERY OTHER COUNTRY on the planet has accumulated a certain amount of wisdom just by virtue of the fact that they've been around for however long they've been around. We/others can learn SOMETHING from ANY country based on the fact that each country's history/culture is different from our own. The point I think credzba was trying to make was that since China has FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OF HISTORY maybe,just maybe, we could learn a little something from their accumulated knowledge. Neither he nor I claimed that ALL of that learning or knowledge is useful. Roger pointed out the folly in someone making that claim, and we weren't trying to. You said: "The "5,000 Years of Wisdom" myth is lame." I took issue with that for the reasons I've explained a couple of times now. Care to elaborate on why it's a myth and why citing it in the context credzba did is "lame"?

Then you could work for your son.

Congrats on the interview! B) We'll be wanting all the details. Oh, you can tell us about the interview too if you want.

Ya think they'd still give me the nickle if the bag's full of dog poo? B) You can't light those on fire like they used to. Speaking from experience by chance Randy?

I know they're not very PC, but I love the old Toler/Oland Chan films. I hope they show a bunch of 'em.

Ya think they'd still give me the nickle if the bag's full of dog poo?

What Randy said. Get a supervisor or go to another office and print these docs out and take them with you: https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx...33;opendocument http://www.kamya.com/ssn/em00154.pdf And check out this page on VJ for more info: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...om&page=ssn If you haven't already, fill out this form ahead of time and take the instructions with you that include the section on Page 3 about showing the I-94 as proof: http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf

Congrats and good luck!

I guess that depends on your definition of "wisdom","myth" and "lame." Is it a myth that China has been around in one form or another for 5000 years? Is it a myth that during those 5000 years they've accumulated a certain,even vast amount of wisdom? Unless you're sitting in a cave and you're blind,deaf and dumb, you're accumulating some kind of wisdom no? Now not every bit of that wisdom may rise to the level of what some consider to be "useful" wisdom. But it's wisdom nonetheless. wisdom n. 1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight. 2. Common sense; good judgment: 3. a. The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge: b. Wise teachings of the ancient sages. As for being "lame"? What's lame? Suggesting that other people/cultures/governments could learn from that 5000 years of accumulated "wisdom"? Or that we/they could even emrace SOME of it? Sounds pretty reasonable to me. There are civilizations that have been around much longer than 5,000 years. With your logic, China will have to wait in line for another 6,000 years to become the world's sage. Saying China should be viewed as the world's sage would be a silly thing to say if I'd said it. I didn't say that at all. And neither did the post your myth/lame comment referred to. I was just pointing out,and I'd bet he was too, that with 5000 years of history there just may be something others can learn from them. And that's why I qualified my comments with words like "could" and "some" and "certain" instead of making a declaration like: "The "5,000 Years of Wisdom" myth is lame." Do you really think there's NOTHING anyone can learn from China's accumulated wisdom? Do you really think their wisdom is mythical?

I guess that depends on your definition of "wisdom","myth" and "lame." Is it a myth that China has been around in one form or another for 5000 years? Is it a myth that during those 5000 years they've accumulated a certain,even vast amount of wisdom? Unless you're sitting in a cave and you're blind,deaf and dumb, you're accumulating some kind of wisdom no? Now not every bit of that wisdom may rise to the level of what some consider to be "useful" wisdom. But it's wisdom nonetheless. wisdom n. 1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight. 2. Common sense; good judgment: 3. a. The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge: b. Wise teachings of the ancient sages. As for being "lame"? What's lame? Suggesting that other people/cultures/governments could learn from that 5000 years of accumulated "wisdom"? Or that we/they could even emrace SOME of it? Sounds pretty reasonable to me. If you look at the insanities of Mao's "Great Leap Forward" and the Cultural Revolution it would be difficult to make the arguement for your "wisdom" definitions Dave... I agree for sure Rog. There are multiple definitions. I included more than just the one,3a, which made my point. They don't all apply to China all throughout it's history,but I think 3a does. They do have a large sum of knowledge from learning through the ages no? Some of it is wise and shows common sense/good judgement etc, and some of it doesn't.

I guess that depends on your definition of "wisdom","myth" and "lame." Is it a myth that China has been around in one form or another for 5000 years? Is it a myth that during those 5000 years they've accumulated a certain,even vast amount of wisdom? Unless you're sitting in a cave and you're blind,deaf and dumb, you're accumulating some kind of wisdom no? Now not every bit of that wisdom may rise to the level of what some consider to be "useful" wisdom. But it's wisdom nonetheless. wisdom n. 1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight. 2. Common sense; good judgment: 3. a. The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge: b. Wise teachings of the ancient sages. As for being "lame"? What's lame? Suggesting that other people/cultures/governments could learn from that 5000 years of accumulated "wisdom"? Or that we/they could even emrace SOME of it? Sounds pretty reasonable to me.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! B) To you and your family Roger. You've been a rock for anyone who's needed help here and obviously a rock for your gals. Great job on the prep! Sounds like you both really wowed the VO. Now get those visas and bring those ladies home.

Congrats to all of you!

CONGRATULATIONS Michael and Fang!

Hmmm...I wonder if other border states,with Canada anyway, will follow suit.

Skip is the magic word for some people, as in "Don't skip anything." As Dan alluded to, it's rarely needed/asked for in cases without divorce. Most people here are of a mind that you should be prepared for ANYTHING and would suggest you type one up and have it just in case you're the 1 in 10,000 who may need it. Like you, neither of us had been divorced but I typed one up anyway to have just in case but did not get it notorized. It really depends on your comfort level. If you're comfortable playing the percentages, go for it. If not, go ahead and do it if for no other reason than your and your fiancee's peace of mind. Good luck.

Thank you Dave and all!!! Pretty exciting here!!! Is this daylight I'm seeing at the end of the tunnel or just someone with a flashlight messing with my head!!!!! : ) Pure daylight me thinks.