My friend's two year old daughter passed away suddenly last January. I am planning to send flowers on the anniversary of her passing. But before doing so, I wanted to make sure this is an appropriate gesture to mark the day. If yes- should the flowers be lilies? What kind of lilies? If not lilies, what other flowers are appropriate? If it matters, they live in another state, and I sent a donation to their designated charity on the child's birthday, along with a note. thank you
posted by mrmarley at 4:42 PM - 27 answers

My father says that a decline in morals and standards is a particularly modern occurrence. What argument, quotes or sources can I use to persuade him that people have been complaining of societal decline for thousands of years? [more inside]
posted by Petrot at 1:32 PM - 42 answers

Singing Christmas squirrels toy - what's the name of the song?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 10:17 PM - 5 answers

Help me find resources that can help me decide if I'll actually be happy moving to a smaller town. [more inside]
posted by Sustainable Chiles at 3:35 PM - 14 answers

How do I restore my reputation after a drunken public display? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:04 PM - 22 answers

How to spend NYE in or around Montgomery, Alabama? What's the best way to celebrate the new year in or within a reasonable drive of Montgomery? Mrs. D and me are roadtripping through the south this holiday season and will be in Montgomery on Dec 31. My Lonely Planet describes Montgomery as the arm-pit of America (seriously, it says that) so I'm fearful. More detail and bonus credit questions inside. [more inside]
posted by dismitree at 10:55 AM - 5 answers

I socialize almost exclusively with friends who are politically liberal, spanning the spectrum from left-of-center progressive to the more radical fringe. Frequently, among ourselves, political conversation drifts inevitably toward variations on this theme:

"The history of our country has always proven liberalism correct and conservatism incorrect. The principles of those on the left have been validated over and over again, while those on the right have been proven wrong by the progress of history."

While I admit that this hypothesis is selfishly pleasing (I'm a liberal too, after all), it seems to me that it can't be completely true. But I don't have a strong enough grasp of American history to prove it wrong. So what am I missing? What have liberals been proven wrong about? [more inside]
posted by AngerBoy at 9:24 AM - 63 answers

What non-Christian religions and cultures have traditions comparable to Christmas carols and caroling? [more inside]
posted by small_ruminant at 4:43 PM - 11 answers

How long does a couple usually wait before announcing a pregnancy? My cousin's wife just miscarried after announcing the pregnancy about a month ago (she was just under 2 months along at the time). It is my understanding that until the third month or so it's not a sure deal as to whether the baby will stick, if you will. Cousin says he deeply regrets telling people now (he went so far as to announce his to-be daddy-ness on facebook) since he'll have to announce the miscarriage now too. Is there a social norm for how long to wait before telling the world?
posted by kthxbi at 3:24 PM - 24 answers

WHERE IN L.A. CAN I BE LOUD ALL THE TIME? (FOR CHEAP) [more inside]
posted by defmute at 12:56 AM - 9 answers

Need help finding a really unique wedding/reception venue in Southern California that melds cultures! Although my fiancee and I are very similar culturally, we are also very different. Neither of us are religious, but she comes from a Muslim background, and I Hindu. She is of Pakistani origin, and I Indian. And of course, in the end we are both American. So we are trying to find a unique California venue that captures all of that. [more inside]
posted by copernicus at 4:47 PM - 14 answers

What's it like to be a member of The Union League Club? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:40 PM - 2 answers

Latitude Filter: So, today is the Solstice (shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere; longest in the Southern), with all its cultural significance, which got me thinking about what's it's like living near the equator, where the days are all (more or less) the same length throughout the year? [more inside]
posted by 5Q7 at 8:13 PM - 17 answers

My kid has a much beloved playdate buddy. Problem is; playdate buddy's mom is a drunk. A clingy, needy, whining, status-symbol addicted, country-club, drunk. I wouldn't mind if she was a fun drunk, or if she only drank after her husband got home, or if she didn't call me and want to come over when she was drunk...but suddenly, I've got this drunken crazy woman in my sphere. I don't much care for her, but our kids adore each other. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:57 PM - 43 answers

Anyone have any information about how good World Education is as a charity? What about Ashoka? [more inside]
posted by springo at 12:07 PM - 4 answers

I don't wear deodorant, wash my hair, or run in shoes. What else can I stop doing? [more inside]
posted by cmoj at 3:19 PM - 84 answers

Christmas in Boston - where to go to Mass, where to volunteer? [more inside]
posted by raztaj at 1:12 PM - 6 answers

Is Copenhagen really as awesome as it seems? [more inside]
posted by photoslob at 10:13 AM - 23 answers

"Sweatshops"? Overseas labor. looking for pros and cons; discussion on how to define/evaluate whether work done overseas is beneficial or harmful for the workers and country involved. [more inside]
posted by ebesan at 9:02 AM - 24 answers

Where should I go in London or Southern England to see Shakespeare performed live in early 2010? [more inside]
posted by BrokenEnglish at 2:58 PM - 8 answers