Whenever this time of year rolls around and all the "Back to School" sales, ads, mentions, etc. start popping up everywhere, I still get the willies.

I totally know what you mean.  I can't let go of those butterflies in the stomach, even if I don't get the severe depression/dread I got all through elementary and high school. Of course in my case I just think its connected to time passing, unwilling to let go of the past, etc. I love autumn, and football, and leaves changing, but its all too connected with that end of freedom feeling from school.

Actually Target setting up for these seasons like 2 months in advance makes it humorous and gives me some lead time to deal with it.

So here's my two cents 

I'm with Morbug, I worked in a lot of restaurants while I was in school and after, and as a consequence I tend to tip pretty well. But I feel they need to earn it too, and don't automatically deserve it. I'm just pretty easy to please in that regard.

Sit down dinner it always 20% unless the service was bad (not the food), if there was attitude, etc.

Take out is a case by case basis. I usually throw in a buck. I know a fare share of restaurant workers/managers, and I feel compelled to tip just because I know what its like, and I'm picking up some slack for someone who didn't tip earlier when they should have. I don't expect everyone to, nor do I think its required in most cases. I can see why people have tip jars for take out. Some guy who splits the tip is still putting together a to-go order in place of an order of someone who may be sitting down for full service. Sure restaurants are set up for both take-out/sit down, but some people are doing the same work for either one. Again, I don't this is a requirement though. Maybe just a little token of appreciation if someone was prompt, helpful, etc, because we know how rare that can be.

I usually tip a buck even for a cup of coffee, if I sit down in the place.

Not all receipts have a tip line. It just depends.

Of course there are good reasons for not tipping.  I really can't stand attitude, so that right is the deciding factor.

Apparently Target pulled a toy section wide clearance yesterday, and from all the reports around here, toy hounds were filling up multiple carts of all lines. VTSC dissappeared along with Demise of General G for around the 3.98 price. They didn't drop all the prices at once, so while the Skirmish Battle Packs scanned for 13.98 at midday, I was able to score 4 for $4.98 by late afternoon.

This has probably been covered at some point in this thread... but I ******* can't stand it when I'm trying to buy one or two toys that I picked up at a Wal-Mart and some jackass with 600 things in his shopping cart is holding up the line at the garden center.

Paying with a check, naturally.

I like this review too Jesse, and like most reviews here, I like reading this much deeper analysis than I ever think about even when I have the figure already.  Good points about the reuse of parts I wasn't aware of. (I don't have all the astromechs).

I really like astromechs though as something to play with. Move around, throw at the cat, or just something to pick up and twist around. That's something I like about this one is that it feels solid. The clicking motion of the dome has a good satisfying play value, I think, because it feels solid like you could do it hundreds of times without it breaking.

The pop-up is a good reference to the movie, but I do wish it was a "pop-up" in that it shot up in one quick motion up for the range it has now, but not out.  The dome could be like a pop-goes-the-weasel thing, where you turn it, and then it suddenly pops up after a bit.   As it stands, this is still one of my faves of 2006.

Very hard news to hear, after reading about her up and downs, and always being inspired by the way she approached her illness and talked about it. I'm sorry for her family's loss, and everyone here who knew her as a friend.

Likewise, Happy Birthday, HMI.