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Jon Mark Beilue: Gift cards will stop the insanity

Experience is a great teacher, and experience taught me to give up when trying to surprise someone like my wife with a Christmas/birthday/anniversary gift. If I'm told the store, the aisle, the table, the color, the sales associate, the brand - and it's written down - it's even money I'll get it right.

If I strike out on my own for that something that's a surprise and they like it, it's an absolute fluke if they do. Such as a very recent birthday when I bought a jewelry box from Penney's for my wife because (a) it would have been perfect on the dresser, and (b) it was the first thing I saw in a nice display when I walked in the store.

"Would it hurt your feelings if I took this back and..."

No, not at all. In fact, it just reaffirmed I should have bought a gift card in the first place so you could go and shop and take your time and find the perfect item.

Joe Garofoli

It flicked Shuster off the bottom of its shoe before sundown Friday, saying he "has been suspended from appearing on all NBC News broadcasts, other than to make his apology (Friday). He has also extended an apology to the Clinton family. NBC News takes these matters seriously, and offers our sincere regrets to the Clintons for the remarks."

Ouch.