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How you may not use ATT’s Create-a-Code:

You may not use or allow others to use the Service, directly or indirectly through your Device or wireless number, nor upload, distribute, transmit, communicate, link to, publish or access any Content through, using or otherwise in connection with the Service, that: Is a commercial product or service, advertises or promotes a commercial product or service, or allows, solicits, or facilitates the sale or purchase of a product or service.

Kickboxing remains the sport of the future.

Kotatsu Cat Party

Maru has fun under the Kotatsu, and the linked Wikipedia entry indicates that “However, cats frequently sleep under kotatsu and are small enough to fit completely underneath.” I would think the average kitty would try to remain in the convenient heated cave as much as possible. If you had multiple cats, you might not get to use it yourself.

Home Fires Review

Home Fires, Wolfe. Yes. My usual fear with Gene Wolfe books is that I’m going to have to work harder than I want to. For Wolfe, then, this was relatively light reading, meaning I think I missed only about a third of what was probably going on. I admire Wolfe’s skill and economy with language, and enjoyed this book greatly. It certainly didn’t hurt that I was reminded of Dollhouse, though it did make me miss Topher.

Perhaps not funny ha-ha

I’m browsing through a collection of historic photos of prisoners on McNeil Island, 1875-1906 (through Ancestry Library Edition). The prisoners are photographed in pairs, probably to save on film, but it leads to each picture looking like a solemn portrait of a pair of friends or a promotional picture of an unfortunate comedy duo.

Zero History Review

Zero History, Gibson. Yes. I got less of a Clancy vibe off Zero History than I did from Spook Country, so that was pleasant. I enjoyed it sufficiently, though it was certainly not the most compelling book I’ve read in the last year or so. As is sadly common, the editing is pretty sloppy, with offenses varying from the use of “comprise” in a way Strunk and White would never have countenanced to the just flat wrong “…whom Inchmale said had more brains in his little finger…”
Notwithstanding the mechanical flaws and the sedate pacing, Gibson delivers with the ideas and story we have come to expect.

I would have to buy classier pickles

I have just learned of the existence of a thing called an epergne! A drawing and suggestion of how wonderful a word it is is available from the lovely Cul-de-Sac blog.
OED says:

A centre-dish, or centre ornament for the dinner-table, now often in a branched form, each branch supporting a small dish for dessert or the like, or a vase for flowers. (From our quots. it appears that the earlier use was chiefly to hold pickles.)