Assorted Flotsam

Assorted flotsam: the hate edition.

• We know Blogger screwed up and blew away all but one comment on my last post and that this general screwing up happened to a lot of people. If people comment and the comments disappear, does a tree fall in a forest? And if Blogger is at the heart of deforestation, should we be angrier about that or about Canada foisting Celine Dion on us?
  

• It was the 10 year mark so we had no choice. We sent our passports in for renewal. It'll likely take about 6 weeks. Meanwhile we have no passports. And I hate this. HATE this. Suppose I want to do some crimes and flee the country? Then what? There is no box on the renewal form that has "I'm keeping the old passport until you send me the new one because I may want to do some crimes and flee the country" and this is what's wrong with the U.S. today. The terrorists have won.

• Can I tell you how much I hate the mylife.com commercial where the lady says "Seven people?!" *giggle* "...looking for ME?!" *giggle*giggle* Yuh, because I want to be hassled by more people. Right. Lady, people looking for you isn't always a good thing. Sure, it could be that sweet Jimmy who picked a daisy for you in third grade but more likely it's that weird guy from Accounting who always stares at your breasts. Is the mylife.com target demographic the same demographic that asks telemarketers to put them on a "please call" list?

Yeah, okay. I'm embracing my inner-curmudgeon. Tomorrow, unicorns and double rainbows.

Maybe unicorns barfing double rainbows. Baby steps.

A New Warning Re: Passports

Good information from the Washington Post's Post Points:

Everyone knows how critical a valid U.S. passport is for traveling abroad, but a passport is not always enough. Many countries and/or airlines now require that travelers’ passports be valid until six months after the planned return date for your trip, a requirement that left one of us on the staff scrambling to renew his passport at the last minute. (If you find yourself in a similar situation and have a confirmed airline ticket, call the passport office at 877-487-2778 and schedule an emergency appointment for renewal. Under certain conditions, you can get your passport renewed in just a few days. Further information is available at www.travel.state.gov/passport.)
And don’t assume that the country you’re traveling to won’t require a visa. Since 9/11, the United States is requiring travelers from more and more countries to have visas to enter the U.S. In response, many of these countries, quite understandably, are requiring Americans to have visas to enter their countries. To find the requirements of the country you’re traveling to, make sure you check the Web site of the country in question well in advance of your departure date, as visas often take time.
Finally, make sure you request the correct kind of visa. Processing times often vary depending upon whether you’re looking for a tourist or business visa.

— Scott Vogel, Travel section