Gimme gimme gimme

At some point in the next few months, Moe and I will start a wedding registry somewhere. At some point after that, we'll send out wedding invitations.

I have, in the past, received invitations with any number of enclosures. Typically, hotel information, directions, and (gasp) a registry card. This has never unduly concerned me, nor struck me as either rude or mercenary. This is useful, wedding-related information. And with stamps closing in on $0.50 each, who wants to afford a second mailing?

But, every etiquette maven out there assures me, including such things - especially the registry card - is Not Done. Including maps and whatnot to local guests smacks of the mass-mailing; easily fixed, leave those things out of the local invitations. But the cards! Zounds, that's like begging for money. Guests shouldn't feel obligated to give gifts.

Well, of course they shouldn't. But something like 85% of them are going to want to know where I'm registered. Is my maid of honor seriously supposed to field the calls of the entire guest list to pass on this information?

I can see the point. Really. But the... inefficiency of the traditional word-of-mouth method grates on my little engineering soul.

Students protest more free time

Iraqi students denounce 'Zionist plot' to extend weekend.

First, it saddens me that something as... mundane as regularizing a day off of work gets polarized like this. "Zionist plot." Yes, because when you all take Saturdays off, the Jews will... will... um... celebrate the Sabbath like they've been doing. Nefarious!

Suggesting Thursday as an alternative was creative, I grant, and perhaps even constructive. Might make international business a little trickier to conduct, though. On the other hand, these are student protesters, so real-world considerations might not be at the forefront of their minds.

Second - Students? Protesting a longer weekend? You're pulling my leg, right?