Journey Through The Market Economy

It's a gorgeous Saturday. You are circumambulating the Beltway, cruising along at a reasonable 63 miles per hour. Suddenly, without warning, brake lights flash and the right lane screeches to a halt. What do you do? Being the clever Beltway Bandit that you are, you throw on the blinker, glance over your shoulder, and jump over two lanes where the traffic is flowing like boxed wine at a spring sorority formal on the south lawn of your grandmother's estate in the Hamptons.

This, my friend, is the most tangible, immediate example of the free market. John Q. Supply and Roger P. Demand at their most obvious. You, the driver, demand to get from Point A to Point B in as little time as possible. The Beltway supplies an efficient means to your end. The faster a lane moves, the more you want to be in it (assuming, of course, you know how to drive like a true DCer). The comparisons between unadulterated market behavior and driving are endless. Looking for a black market? Consider the wahoo that cruises on the shoulder during bumper-to-bumper traffic. In the most basic form, driving is as individualistic an act as you can find. It's all about getting where you need to go without hurting yourself. And I think Adam Smith would agree. If everyone drove as fast as they wanted to, all the while feeling safe, traffic would be at it's most efficient.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

What about lanes, traffic lights, stop signs, and crosswalk guards? Aren't those, in effect, market controls? Doesn't that obnoxiously bright red stop sign prevent you from getting to where you need to go as quickly as possible? It's not like you need it. You are intelligent, and you know that hitting stationary objects hurts. Similarly, you don't need lanes because you know that the shortest - and therefore fastest - distance between two points is a straight line. The Beltway, after all, is round. So why do we have speed limits and other "traffic calming" mechanisms?

The answer lies with the inherent flaws of a strict interpretation of laissez-faire economics. People do not always act in their best interest, nor do they always act as rational beings. I've driven tired and fallen asleep behind the wheel - only to be safely awoken by a rumble strip. You see, Mr. Smith's suggested "Invisible Hand" will not lead us to an economic Mecca, free from poverty and financial disaster. Government intervention into the market is absolutely necessary, and, in fact, beneficial to society as a whole.

If you don't believe me, I suggest an easy test: implement a free market approach to driving for one hour and try not to hit something. Even the most provincial economist would call you a fool.

Motivation

Here you go, Mr. Lee:

White Boards

Does the cubicle white board offer any real use aside from a primitive message box? I, like most of my fellow cubicle monkeys, have a white board in my cubicle...and I never use it. Occasionally, to look busy and/or important, I will write a bunch of names, numbers, or tasks on it, but that is rare and only when I have nothing to do. Otherwise, it's reserved for [insert coworker's name]'s drawings, [insert other coworker's name]'s random messages, words of wisdom, or other forms of nonsensical banter.

Just this morning, I arrived to find "HELLO, HELPDESK" scribed in black ink across the middle of my white board. I don't know who* wrote it - I can guess why - but I am glad they did. It gave me an early morning chuckle. It made me smile. It made me feel special.

I would equate the anonymous white board message/drawing to the From: Secret Admirer Batman Valentine in third grade. You don't know who sent it, but you don't really care why. The message lets you imagine that Sarah Brunn actually has a crush on, on, dare I say it, you. After months of wondering if Sarah ever notices your lunchroom glances, you received a valentine from her! Oh, joy! But I digress...

The white board is just another item in one's cubicle to make it feel a touch less like an anti-productivity box. I really enjoy it when people write on my white board, leave post-it notes, or shoot a pointless email. If only for a moment, these little gems melt my cubicle walls.



*Did I hear you, Angry Roommate?

Ten Tips for Staying Happy At Work

If you find yourself longing for greener work pastures, don't immediately go looking for the first exit ramp off of your chosen career path. The Balance Team, which specializes in professional- and personal-growth seminars for administrative and executive assistants in Fortune 1000 companies, suggests these 10 tips for staying content at work:

1. Don't Worry: When you're preoccupied with personal issues, it's difficult to concentrate or be happy at work, says Alison Rhodes, a founding partner of The Balance Team. "By all means, make sure you have your kids covered in the event of an emergency, but realize that nobody's personal life is ever going to be completely problem-free." Just as you need to let go of work to enjoy your time at home, it's important to leave personal worries at home so you can focus and be productive at work.

2. Create an Office Nest: "You are at your job for at least eight hours a day, which is more time than you probably spend in your bed," says Jennifer Star, a founding partner of The Balance Team. "Make your space your own, decorate your area as much as your company policy permits, and make yourself as comfortable and relaxed as you can be in your office."

3. Develop an Office Support System: "Gathering a circle of colleagues who share similar backgrounds or lifestyles can take a lot of pressure off you at work," says Rhodes. "When you are able to voice your feelings to people who understand, it can really help minimize stress."

4. Eat Healthy and Drink Lots of Water: "Maintaining a good diet and keeping yourself properly hydrated throughout your workday can really make a big difference in your energy level and attitude," says Shirly Weiss, a certified holistic health and nutritional counselor and consulting expert for The Balance Team. "And if you can manage to maintain a diet of whole foods, as opposed to refined foods such as sugar and bread, then you'll really be ahead of the game."

5. Be Organized: Create a manageable schedule to handle your workload, suggests Stacy Raden, a founding partner of The Balance Team. "A sense of empowerment stems from accomplishment," she says. "When you feel overwhelmed, it tends to intensify dissatisfaction. By being proactive and taking control, employees can feel a sense of satisfaction, enhanced confidence and motivation."

6. Move Around: "Working in an office can be a very sedentary job, so it's especially important to your overall sense of health and happiness to take a few minutes during your workday to get up and move a little," says Jason Bergund, founding director of Dancetherapy, a dance class, and a consulting expert for The Balance Team.

7. Don't Try to Change Your Coworkers: "You can't change anyone; you can only change the way you react to them," says Star. "Don't let other people's actions affect you. Just figure out a way to resolve conflicts and avert uncomfortable situations."

8. Reward Yourself: "Identify a reward outside of your job, and indulge yourself," says Raden. "Whether it be dinner with friends, a movie, exercise or a manicure, treat yourself every once in a while. Just as stress from home can interfere with work, the positive aspects of your life can influence mood at work as well."

9. Take a Breather: "In yoga, we practice the breath of joy, in which we inhale a long breath and then exhale laughter," says Sarah Schain, founding director of Yoga Tales studios for children and a consulting expert for The Balance Team. Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Inhale deeply, then exhale laughter and bend forward. Try to do this movement 10 times.

10. Focus on the Positive: "Identify the things that you like at work, even if they are as simple as your coworkers or the nice view from your office window," says Raden. "You create your own mind-set. If you stress the positives, you will make your job more enjoyable. Worrying about the negatives may cause you to become overwhelmed."

Shad

Instead of going to work today, I chased shad up and down the Potomac River. Consequently, I am now horribly sunburn, and I am loving every minute of it. I mean, c'mon, seriously, you can't get sunburn in an office....

Forgive Me?

Dear [Insert Your Name Here],

I apologize for not writing in quite some time, it's just that I've been exceptionally busy lately. It seems that every time I sit down and grab a pen - or keyboard, as it were - the phone rings, my Inbox swells, or the bossman walks by and stares over the cubicle wall. No matter what I do, I can't seem to find but a moment's time to write you.

It's not that I don't care to write, or even that I forgot - I just can't put my thoughts into words. Please don't think it's something you did. It's me, honest. Maybe it's the weather, the soaring housing costs, or the ongoing insurgency in Iraq, but there's been too much on my mind lately.

No, no - please don't think I am forgetting about you! In fact, it's quite the contrary. Knowing that I can come home everyday and pour my heart out to you is the only thing that keeps me sane. You complete me, [insert your name here]. I guess, at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, I don't always write you because I know you are the only person who will always be there for me, no matter what. It's times like these when I know I can go through life with you.

I hope you understand, and, more importantly, that I did not hurt you. I promise to write more often, and always afford you my undivided attention. You are far too important to me.

Love,
Dr. Cook

A mac walks into a bar and tells a racist joke. The bartender looks at him and says, 'Buddy, if you want to drink in here, you have to be pc.'

Dr Cook, I completely agree with your assessment of computer-related injuries. While at work I stare at a computer screen for the majority of my day. I then go home and spend another 2-3 hours on my pc responding to emails, reading the news, writing a clever entry for The Recipe. When that is done, I find it hard to read other printed material (ie books or newspapers). I find that the only solution is to make a concentrated effort to spend time not looking at a computer. Refuse to turn your computer on during the weekends. Denote 1-2 evenings a week as email-free. Will this have an impact on one's corporate ambitions? The answer is an undeniable yes. However, the relief that it might give your eyes, not to mention you sanity, is ultimately worth the price. The computer is an addictive tool, but under no circumstances should it be allowed to control you.

Friday!

Darn you, Mr. Lee, darn you and your "office optional Friday." Your so-called "Congressional recess" is no match for my glorious Friday, which, I am proud to say, includes a slight hangover, intermittent email connectivity, conference calls, and (drum roll) the anticipation of breaking a single-day Help Desk issues resolved record. Wooooooooooooooooooo!

The current mark, set by Corporal Felix P. Hollingberry on July 1, 1916, stands at 2,498 following heavy British engagements at the first Battle of the Somme. CPL Hollingberry, who by no coincidence is my Help Desk hero, single-handedly received, routed, and addressed over 3,000 calls that day. A memorial stands to this day in honor of his courageous efforts.

On a more serious note, I think the optional Friday is a brilliant idea. Two weeks ago, following a couple of hard days in the office, I decided to skip out early and "work from home," which, for those of you beyond the realm of corporatia, means you go home, drink beer on the couch, and keep the cell phone within arm's reach. Much to my surprise, however, I was incredibly productive! Without the relentless distractions commonly associated with a Friday (power lunches, paper airplanes, et cetera), I knocked out a significant amount of work. I was able to catch up on a number of back-burner items that are usually sidelined by more pressing tasks - and Friday fun.

But we all know that working from home is generally frowned upon. Oh well.

New Diseases

The computer, as we all know, is a fairly recent invention, the product of a new generation of thinkers. For the past twenty-odd years, computers, or some variation there of, have slowly trickled into nearly every aspect of daily life, and, more significantly, professional life. I would say they have transformed the way we live.

But to what extent?

Do we know the true toll that computers will eventually have on the working man? I, for example, spend 7-10 hours a day staring at a computer screen. That, my friend, is not healthy. I don't think there have been too many jobs in the history of man that required an individual to stare at a stationary object for hours on end. I have to wonder what the implications are. Glasses? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? A general weakening of one's constitution? I think people should be scared and start beefing up their health insurance options. I wouldn't be surprised if insurance companies, who are always ahead of the game, gradually insert clauses into their coverage about computer-related injuries.

I would put money on it that we are in for a big surprise as the first generation of computer-based workers age beyond their mid-thirties and fall susceptible to the power of time. If you asked me, a pandemic is just around the corner.

I Have New Picture Mail!

Another rewarding day in the office...

We Now Serve 4-6!

We here at The Recipe are flattered by our growing daily readership and the comments and positive feedback it entails. To us, every reader is a friend.

To return the favor, Mr. Beerman and I believe that The Recipe should constantly offer more for our reader's enjoyment, so we are expanding our media base. As of this week, The Recipe will host an assortment of photographic gems compliments of our resident photojournalist, Kevin "Dr. Ralph Bellefonte" Dietsch. Although Mr. Dietsch is immediately unaware of his gloried appointment, I am sure he will happen upon this post soon enough. We shall assume he will take the wheel from there.

As an initial sampling, I have offered a recent piece below.

The Old and New

The Washington Nationals open at home this Tuesday against the Mets of New York, once again proving that baseball and DC can, in fact, happily coexist. Assuming I can sneak out of work, I plan on attending the game with a few colleagues and cheering on the local boys. It's going to be a day of great weather, tubesteaks, sunburn, and Budweiser - all in all, a memorable day at the yard.

That said, Tuesday presents me with a problem. Born and raised in Baltimore, I've always cheered on the Yard Birds regardless of opponent or venue. Now, however, as a resident of the DC area and a regular Nationals attendee, I have to wonder: who is my team? I went to more Nationals games than Orioles games last season, and I suspect I will do the same henceforth. I want to hold steadfast to my Orioles roots (despite my many grievances with the program's management and ownership), but I'm also enticed by the local bandwagon. At this point, it's probably too early to make any drastic decisions, but I figured it's time I afford the issue serious thought.

There are three angles from which I can approach the Orioles vs. Nationals decision, so let's play Rock-Paper-Scissors, best 2 out of 3...

1. Likelihood of Sustainable Success - According to Sports Illustrated's preseason power rankings, the Orioles, stuck in the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox, are predicted to finish in the basement. The Nationals, on the other hand, aren't supposed to accomplish a great deal more, but they are looking to win a few more contests. So from a strictly wins/losses perspective, it's best to stick with the Orioles since I already own plenty of their apparel. [ Orioles 1, Nationals 0]
2. "Coolness" of the Team - The Orioles have always enjoyed a relatively clean, celebrated image - Cal Ripken is their poster child, for creep's sake. Their not hated like the Yankees nor laughed at like the Padres, but Raffy surely put a hurt on the Orioles' image when he pointed and said, " I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never." The Nationals are young, fun, and "so hot right now." Walking around the District, it's hard not to see the Nationals insignia. [Orioles 1, Nationals 1]
3. Accessibility - The Nationals are a few metro stops away, they never sell out, and my company offers free tickets to all home games. The Orioles are at least an hour's drive (no heavy drinking) and I have to pay for their tickets. [Orioles 1, Nationals 2]

So, based on our brief exercise, the Nationals are the probable top horse. But no matter what happens, I can say without reservation that if the World Series is ever dubbed the BW Parkway Bash, I will throw on the ol' orange and black.

Murat (et al)

Eplorbus
Unum
Shroomus
Shrum
Mutar
Shroom
Shrim
Tarum
Murray
Mustard
Columbo
Moooo-rat

Happy International Consultant Day!

If you are at all cultured, you would have noticed this morning that Mr. Lee is off work. Although he does not provide a specific reason as to why, a little bird tells me that today is International Lobbyist Day. You are right to find that ridiculous.

In response, from this point henceforth, April 7th will forever be known as International Consultant Day! To celebrate:

1. Put on a party hat.
2. Grab a calculator.
3. Divide your salary by 2080 (number of hours in a standard working year).
4. Determine your hourly billing rate (what the company charges for your time).
5. Subtract your hourly wage from your billing rate (remember this value - we'll call it "X").
6. Divide X by 2 (remember this value - we'll call it "Y").
7. Read this blog until 5:07 pm.
8. Check your email one final time.
9. Go to Happy Hour.
10. Consume "Y" adult beverages.
11. Rinse and repeat.

license to (be) ill

Anyone that bothers to take the time to explore the costs of medical or dental work to people without health insurance will come to one undeniable conclusion. Simply put, healthcare is completely unaffordable to anyone that does not have health or dental insurance. A six-month checkup at the dentist's office will cost well over $100; minor surgery, over $2,000. The cost for major surgery or the treatment of a long-term illness is unfathomable. Couple this with the fact that millions of Americans do not have health insurance. Private plans are expensive, not all employers provide benefits, and the requirements for Medicaid/Medicare are so strict that only the poorest sections of society qualify. This leaves millions of lower class (but not low enough) and middle class Americans without the financial means to cure themselves of illness.

While I haven't revealed any astonishing secrets here, I will say that I find it morally disgusting that a person should be forced to look at financial considerations when weighing their treatment options. A sick person's thoughts should be centered on how to get better - not whether they can afford to get better.

I am not going so far as to say that universal free healthcare is the answer. In a country of 300 million people this is not very practical. What I am suggesting is there should be upper limits on how much treatment - any treatment- will cost. These costs should also be heavily subsidized or free for the lower echelons of society, with anyone that cannot comfortably pay for their own insurance qualifying.

Massachusetts yesterday became the first state to require all its citizens to have health insurance. The advantage of this is obvious; everyone will have health insurance. However, the problems from before remain, as it still places the financial burden of health treatment on the individual, with no caps on how much treatment or insurance can cost. True, more companies are required to give their workers benefits. But this does not help those employed in small businesses, the self-employed, students, and the unemployed. And as General Motors shows us, corporations providing benefits to employees and retirees run the risk of bankruptcy.

In light of this, the Massacusetts law likely will not cure the problem of unaffordable health care. State legislators should be complimented on attempting to tackle a problem that President Bush and Congress seem incapable of doing. But the real problems of the American healthcare system have yet to be addressed, either at the federal or state level.

Medicine

Getting Drunk With Co-Workers: A Guide to Embracing Alcoholism While Enjoying Your Job

Thank you, Mr. Beerman, for an insightful post. Your contribution disrupted my writer's block and put me back on track.

That said, I would like to take this opportunity to unpack another common pitfall associated with boozing with the co-workers that, if overlooked, can prevent a young "go-getter" from "embracing alcoholism while enjoying [his] job." The problem I am referring to, dear friends, is one most of us have probably encountered in our yuppie days: the morning after.

Without proper planning, Thursday's happy hour (or "HH" in email lingo) can quickly evolve into a nightmarish Friday morning. Let's explore a hypothetical. Worker A meets Workers B, C, D, E, F, and - to everyone's surprise - Worker C's three roommates, Roomies 1, 2, 3. Everyone meets at the local pour house for "a few drinks after work." But, as is often the case, a few drinks graduates to pitchers, car bombs, and that squirrelly guy we call "Jack." Fast forward 3 hours, and the group is over-served.

Here is where the trouble begins. Worker E has his eye on Worker D, but he knows he should not dip his pen in the company ink. So what does he do? You probably guessed it: he shys away from Worker D and buys a round for Roomie 2. Clever, right? Nope...

Now as we all know, alcohol impairs your judgment. There is simply no way around this infallible truth. So Worker E goes home with Roomie 2, and therefore also goes home with Worker C. I should emphasize that Worker E and Worker C are good friends, but that does not improve the situation; if anything, it makes it far worse. You see, Worker C, in a joking manner, tells the ENTIRE OFFICE on Friday morning about Worker E's less-than-professional behavior. Emails circulate, rumors spread, and, well, you know the rest.

Again, I have to emphasize planning because Worker E did nothing blatantly wrong. Had Worker E planned ahead better, he would have been fine. Worker E should planned to go home alone, or pursue Roomie 2 under more suitable conditions. But now it's Friday morning, he clothes are wrinkly, he is late for work, and he is suffering through a hangover.

Passwords

I promise to follow up on Mr. Beerman's excellent discussion of work-related alcohol consumption, but I must first comment briefly on passwords.

I work for an IT consulting firm. In case you didn't know, IT consulting involves lots of passwords - too many passwords, in fact. This morning I took the time to count how many password I have. At present, I use 14 work-related passwords on a daily basis. I have another 9 or 10 that are for personal use. My work requires that I change my main password every 40 days (I think), and I did so this morning. And now, for the rest of the day and possibly well into tomorrow, I will incorrectly login with my old password. I've done it twice already; I hope to break twenty-three by close of business.

To make both of our lives more interesting, we shall play a little game called Password Hunt. To play, I will tell you my login information for some website, and it's your job to find out which one.

• Username: JUMPMAN23
• Password: Skillz4R3al

The first to login and tell me the website wins the grand prize, which is an appointment to The Recipe's forthcoming DC Society Desk.

Getting Drunk With Co-Workers: A Guide to Embracing Alcoholism While Enjoying Your Job

Thank you for the floor, Dr Cook. As a young go-getter myself, I have, on more than a few occassions, gone out drinking with people from work. While this can be enjoyable, there is one pitfall. Conversation inevitably becomes work-related. Not necessarily about ongoing projects, etc., but office gossip and the like. If you go out consistently with your coworkers, you end up having the same discussions about work over and over and over...

To remedy this situation, I suggest that anyone who chooses to see his coworkers socially implement the following ground rule: No discussion of work-related subjects. This includes both substantial and non-substantial topics. No talking about assignments. Or supervisors. Or even gossip about attractive co-workers and office romances.

I understand that this ground rule may result in a lull in the conversation. To stop this, and to also help Dr Cook's plan's to democratize our readership, Please use the comment section of this posting to place potential discussion topics for social gatherings with coworkers. I've also listed a few fail-proof topics for emergency situations. Feel free do use them at your next out-of-work booze-up.

-Is vegetarianism acceptable under any circumstances?
-Why people who know a lot about wine are pretentious assholes
-Coco Crisp may be a good outfielder, but he sure has a funny name
-My dog is smarter than your president

A Hole In Which Hopes Are Buried

I highly suggest you take a look at Richard Cohen's article from this morning's Post. There is decent chance you will love it or hate it. It leaves little room for the middle ground.

Getting Drunk With Co-Workers: A Guide to Embracing Alcoholism While Enjoying Your Job

After an overwhelming response to our call for blog suggestions, I have selected one of the many outstanding ideas from the guileful Mr. Lee - Getting Drunk With Co-Workers: A Guide to Embracing Alcoholism While Enjoying Your Job.

If it suits Mr. Beerman, I will let him provide the first response...

#4

I was raised a Green Bay Packer fan in a Green Bay Packer family. My mother, who was born and raised in Cheese Town, always tells the story of sitting next to Vince Lombardi in church on Sunday mornings (in the off season, of course). "He would wink at me and other kids. He was just another guy in the neighborhood." If she was lucky, the dreamy Bart Starr would accompany Mr. Lombardi.

My grandmother, who has never ventured beyond America's Dairyland, believes the Green Bay Packers step onto the field with a God-given Right to Victory. To her, the Packers' record is, in fact, a direct manifestation of the ongoing battle between Good and Evil. When the Packers won the Super Bowl in 1998, the Devil suffered a serious blow to the kidneys. To highlight my grandmother's love for the Pack, I should tell you that she owns a framed piece of stock in the Packers - that's right, an actual piece of the original stock you got with season tickets- and asked that she be buried with it. And if you are really curious, she has 10 kids and 49 grandkids she could easily will it to.

My father, when he took the Grand Dive, accepted the Packers as his team - his only team. Any previous affiliation with another squad became part of a hushed, sordid past. To this day, we do not watch the Kansas City Chiefs unless they are playing the Packers.

As a young man, I was perpetually indoctrinated by words such as, "The Packers are the only real team in the league, you cannot like anyone else." If the Packers happened to be on television "back east," then you bet I was watching them. At present, I own the following Packer items:

1. Authentic Cheese Head
2. Don Bebe Jersey
3. Vince Lombardi Bobblehead
4. 2 Brett Favre Jerseys (1 purchased at Lambeau)
5. 3 Title Towels
6. 2 Dresser Drawers Full of Assorted Packer Memorabilia
7. 4 Packer Christmas Ornaments
8. Packer Blanket and Matching Pillow
9. Packer Hat, Gloves and Sunglasses

And so, as a devout Packer fan, I am undoubtedly a Believer in the man who was not birthed from a woman, but cast from granite drawn from the Earth's core: Brett Favre. Call me crazy, but if Favre and Jesus got into a shouting match, I would put my money on the man in green.

On Friday evening, CBS Sportsline reported that "the Green Bay Packers had pushed back a retirement decision deadline for Brett Favre to an undisclosed date." I have thought long and hard about Favre's retirement, and quite frankly, I just don't know. I would love to see Favre suit up until his jersey doesn't fit over his wheelchair. I would love to see Favre tack on another ring. In the simplest sense, I would love to see him play forever. There is something special about watching an athlete who exposes his truest self on the field; the part of an athlete that normally only comes out in the closing seconds of a championship game. If you watched the Chicago Bulls or Baltimore Orioles in the '90s, then you are lucky enough to know what I am talking about.

At this point, the question is not can Favre play, it's should he play. Favre has put on a helluva good show, and I know he can do it for years to come. Players, coaches, and fans alike still recognize his continued embodiment as the power of the individual against seemingly insurmountable odds. And this, an enormous part of me regrets to say, is the exact reason that he should retire. Continuing to play would be taking the easy way out - Favre would be giving in.

He has shown that the honorable professional athlete still exists, and his legacy would be complete if he gives another young gun-slinger a fighting chance.

An Idea!

As you probably noticed, The Recipe has remained unusually quiet over the last few days. I, for one, have been suffering from a lasting bout of writer's block; I cannot speak to Mr. Beerman's inactivity.

Regardless, to ensure The Recipe's continued success, I have come up with an idea: democratize the internet! Now that we've exchanged pleasantries, I think it's time that our loyal readers contribute to the course and content of The Recipe by offering suggestions via the 'Comments' section of our blog.

Here, gentle reader, is what you do:

1. Go to The Recipe.
2. Click on the 'Comments' link for this post (Sorry, I don't know how to link to a post that doesn't exist).
3. Type what you would like Mr. Beerman and I to discuss.*

*Note: Due to time constraints, we cannot guarantee that all suggestions will be discussed. Therefore, we ask that you review other comments and weigh their merits before submitting your own. Moreover, we apologize in advance for any topic that remains undiscussed (but not overlooked).