Tucker Taplett aka "TNT" Makes a Snow Angel

McDonald's Getting Sued - Toys Cause Obesity

Here's another one that fried my noodles. This nice watch dog group is keeping such a great care of the American public.

They are claiming McDonald's is participating in unfair and deceptive marketing practices because they use toys to entice children to eat a Happy Meal. Well, duh....that's the whole point of a freakin' Happy Meal.

Yes, Tucker gets a Happy Meal...he doesn't eat a Happy Meal every day. We have a Happy Meal as a special treat because they have a toy.

I wish people would just stay the hell out of my life. The government needs to stay out of my business and this watch dog group needs to stay out of my eating habits.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/22/news/companies/CSPI_sues_McDonalds/?iref=NS1

Let me know your thoughts.

Tales from the Tapletts

Afghans Go Missing From Air Force Base

WTF?

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/17/afghan-military-deserters-missing-air-force-base/

You gotta read it to believe it.

Emminent Domain

I can see this story turning very tragic.

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/06/03/last-stand-battle-against-eminent-domain/

Can't Help But Laugh - Recent Arizona Political Cartoons

Warning: If you are a democrat, don't read any further because you are going to be upset with me that I posted these really funny but anti-democratic stance cartoons and I really don't want to hear from you because I just thought they were funny.

Woman Loses House Over Unpaid Water Bill

Here's a story that fried my cheese this morning. A woman in West Baltimore lost her house when she failed to pay her city water bill of $362.

The mortgage on the house was paid but she wasn't working and incurred a hefty water bill. The city actually sold her $362 debt to investors in a tax sale. A tax sale supposedly helps city governments recoup its losses. Valentine's costs, with legal fees and charges, grew to $3,600. So these investors kicked her to the curb. They say they are working with her but probably wouldn't have if this story never went to press.

What is interesting is the ability of a government to sell a lien on the property. In the old days, 20 years ago, cities would shut your water or utilities off until you paid the balance plus some interest. Now some cities keep it running allowing you to rack up huge bills. The other part of this story is that in Baltimore, these investors and people in the government are being investigated for bid rigging. It looks like Baltimore may be in more trouble than they bargained for.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/18/the-other-foreclosure-men_n_579936.html

Taplett in the News

Even though I promote companies for a living, from time-to-time, I like to promote myself. I recently gave an interview for CBS Money Watch on job negotiations during a down economy. Not only am I mentioned, but they named Tucker as well!

Here is a link to the article. Let me know what you think!

http://moneywatch.bnet.com/career-advice/article/pay-negotiation-how-to-get-a-better-offer-at-your-new-job/420352/?tag=content;col1

Tales From the Tapletts

Waste Management Strike - Are You Freakin' Kiddin' Me?

First, let me state, I don't oppose the Union. They have their time and place (God knows, I loved Norma Ray) but this one just pissed me off.

So the problem is that garbage truck drivers for Waste Management went on strike in the Pacific Northwest yesterday at 10:30 am (Great timing - my garbage gets picked up at 10:30am). I wanted to understand more so I read further. Here are a few of the reasons I found for the strike:

• The company refused to bargain, this is now the third attempt they've had in trying to bargain a fair contract
• Sanitation worker is the fifth most dangerous job
• Waste Management is on a public relations campaign to create labor disputes so that King County and the public perceive the union as being a difficult player.

After this strike is over and the union workers get what they want, drivers will be making close to $110,000 a year (salary +pension+health benefits).

I've been trying to figure out why I'm so mad over this whole deal and it comes down to these guys being so freakin' selfish.

First, it is a down economy. I was out of work for more than a year and would love to have been pulling in these kind of wages. I can't believe they are so ungrateful that they would really risk a strike. The sheer audacity makes me furious.

Second,  the union workers are affecting the general public. Not only is my garbage not being picked up but who in the hell do you think is going to pay for this pay raise they are going to get? I already pay too much for my garbage pick up as it is. And for what? I don't get special treatment, my cans are still all screwed up when I come home. I even found my can turned over in the street (can't officially blame this on WM drivers but I think he was mad when he didn't get a Christmas present).

Third, over a $100K a year for what? The truck does all the work. It is a rare occassion when I see the dude get out. Maybe when cans are too close together or there is extra garbage to throw in the bin. Maybe it's too hard to push a button and make the big arms lift the bucket into the back of the truck. Ohhh, while still sitting on my ass, I push another button and the garbage gets compacted. Ok, I drive to the dump and wait for it...I lift my pinky and hit another button to dump the garbage out. Seriously? Seriously? I am going to raise Tucker to be a Sanitation Engineer. He'd make a great living and wouldn't need to go to college.

I understand that they feel overworked and underpaid but they are not doing anyone any good by being selfish during this economic downturn. There are still thousands of people out of work and people losing their homes every day and they are concerned about making more. Give it up, guys. This just isn't right. Waste Management - fire them all and start over.

Let me know what you think.

Tales from the Tapletts

Jon Stewart and Goldman Sachs

If you guys are having a tough time understanding the whole Goldman Sachs story, you need to watch Jon Stewart. He really breaks it down for those of us who aren't as financially savvy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/jon-stewart-takes-on-gold_n_544102.html

New Million Dollar Idea

After dealing with a puky sick kid over the last couple of weeks, I've come up with the best invention. How about washing machines that have a few big holes to get rid of the chunks? Anyone? Doesn't that sound like a brilliant idea?

Who the Hell is Justin Gaston?

Just got done watching American Idol and am sitting here wondering who is Justin Gaston? I did a little research and saw he's better known as the Miley Cyrus' boyfriend. As I dug further, I discovered this guy is an underwear model, reality TV star and media hooker. Not only was his performance on American Idol horrible but he brought down Brooke White, one of my favorite past contestants.

I am having trouble understanding this generation. I saw recent articles on Heidi Montage's plastic surgery. She was a beautiful girl who went through ten plastic surgeries to completely alter her appearance to keep herself in the limelight. She is right there with the Kardashians, Hiltons and the entire cast of the Jersey Shore. How do these people get idolized in the first place? Most are famous for doing absolutely nothing.

How can our society idolize these people? There are so many great Americans our youth can look up to. And I'm not talking about sports people or movie stars but someone like these kids from Horsman, PA

Paying It Foward - - Very Special Children … Horsman, PA


Last February my daughter and I moved to a new home and I started a new job and in those first few weeks one of my colleague’s had a horrible thing happen to her sister and family….. their home burned down and they lost everything. Even though we did not know this family, my daughter Erica who was 8yrs old at the time, was having a birthday party coming up and asked all the guests to bring gifts and clothes for this family instead of for herself this year. I was truly amazed and very proud of my daughter. Never in my life did I imagine that same thing would happen to us exactly one year later. Two months ago our house burned down and we were devastated. A few weeks ago, we received a donation from three very special 8 year old boys from my daughter‘s school- Dillon, Joe and Brady who celebrate their birthdays the same week. They did not know about what my daughter had done, and they came up with the wonderful idea of raising money for us instead of themselves at their birthday party this year. I was so touched and overwhelmed by the generosity of these young children, who care so much about their friend and helping others. They are very special boys, and there are no words to express how thankful we are for what they have done. All of these children are very special and they are making the world a better place. They have shown the true meaning of “Pay it Forward”.

Come on, people! Get it together. Let's concentrate on providing our kids with role models who make a difference in this world.

Tales from the Tapletts

Douchebag Driver of the Day Award and Deeper Thoughts on Cheating

It rained yesterday on my communte and that, of course, caused the traffic to snarl up. The freeway backed up as we all waited to get onto I-5. While some of us were waiting patiently, I saw others darting into the carpool lane. Now this didn't bother because I've been there. I've used, and been caught using (go TixNix), the carpool lane.

Now what bothers me are the guys who waited until the last minute and jammed from the left lane into mine. Now that bothers me. The Douchebag Driver of the Day Award goes to the silver Corvette that cut in front of the nice, patient people who had been waiting in line for the last several minutes.

This one really upset me. I called JeffyT almost crying. I couldn't believe the gall this ass had. I thought "Wow, cheaters really do win in the end."

That got me thinking. Do cheaters really win? I see people getting ahead by cheating all the time and it really ticks me off. Look at the financial industry, the banks and brokerages who damned near bankrupted this country. Not a darn thing happened to them or the people who ran the companies. Most of them still saw over six figure incomes. Players who use steroids in professional baseball, college coaches who have others take exams for their star athletes, high school students who cheat on the SATs, scientists who fake the results of their research...nothing seems to happen to them.

I grew up with pretty strict values and knew right from wrong but things were different in the 70's. There wasn't the media proliferation or exposure you have now. How do I teach Tucker to do the right thing when so many out there don't play by the rules?

Being a parent holds a lot of responsibility. I thought the naming process was tough but the idea of trying to teach Tucker certain values, scares me. He is going to see that people cheat and win all the time. He will then regret what his mommy and daddy taught him and then cheat. He will get caught, get in trouble and then lament over why he's always the won who get the short end of the stick. Worse, he will cheat and not get caught and go onto a life of crime and serial killing. There is a delicate balance that I'm really scared of here.

Any thoughts?

Tales from the Tapletts

I Hate People Who Drive Like Douchebags - May Contain Offensive Language

Can you tell from the title that this morning was a rough commute? I always said that if I started blogging I would definitely use it to tell certain people off who couldn't drive. When available, I will post license plate numbers to warn others on the road that this person's driving sucks.

To start, I found this great definition of douchebag on Urban Dictionary.

Douchebag: Someone who has surpassed the levels of jerk and asshole, however not yet reached f***er or motherfu**er. Not to be confuzed with douche.

Use it in a sentence:

Rob: He kept hitting on my girlfriend at the party, he just wouldnt leave her alone!!
Sam: God, what a douchebag.

I now drive to Everett every day for work. That requires a roundtrip on Woodinville-Duvall road, I-405 and I-5.

This morning's offender was found on I-405. He or she was in a blue Honda Civic traveling north. Traffic was fairly heavy compared to other mornings. It started at the merge point, where 522 hits 405. Most people move into the left lane to let traffic on because they of the construction and short merge lane. This guy decided to stay in the right lane and bottled every thing up. I was further down in the queue so I watched from a distance. Not only did he slow down the merging traffic but also the people behind him.

Unfortunately, this wasn't my last encounter with this guy. I got stuck behind him and watched him drive 55 while everyone in front of him was going 60 and then speed up when a car tried to get around him. It was rather entertaining only because I wasn't directly involved...this time.

Rule of the road: Move over for merging traffic and drive the speed limit when on a freeway.

I wasn't able to get a plate number but this guy gets my Douchebag Driver of the Day award.

Scarface School Play - Harmful to the Kids?

I know I should be offended and say horrible things about this but I just can't because it's too funny.

A director out of Los Angeles (of course) directed this little two minute reinactment of Scarface with little kids. Now he posted this to YouTube.com under the guise of a mother of one of the actors. The scene opens with little Tony Montana sitting at a table piled high with popcorn. For those who have never seen the movie (which is brilliant), the popcorn represents a pile of cocaine. They insert the word "fudge" for the f-word and "son of b" for son of a bitch (oooh, mom, I said bitch).

Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uovMpapeCJQ

I say this is a brilliant marketing move by this director. Posted yesterday, there are already a quarter of a million hits and radio show around the country talking about it. And people think it's a real school play. That is the hilarious part of all of this.

It sort of reminds me of the movie Bugsy Malone in the 70's with Scott Baio and Jodie Foster. This movie was a takeoff of gangster movies and kids shot each other with marshmellow guns and whipped cream. Look at Jodie Foster's career, she was only 13 when she filmed Taxi Driver and played a prostitute.

What do you all think? Is it bad to put these young kids in these situations? Are these kids scared for life? (no pun intended) when I don't think they even understand what they are saying.

Tales from the Tapletts

Top 50 Best Viral Videos of all Time

JeffyT and I caught this show the other day that had the top 50 most viral videos of all time. It had several of our favorites including Star Wars Kid, Numa Numa and Dancing Baby. There were a lot on their list I'd never seen like David after Dentist. I just know I haven't laughed that hard in quite awhile. Most are hilarious, some are "oh, not again" and some are "wow, people are freakin' nuts."

BTW, we love the Techno Viking!!

So JeffyT and I wanted to weigh in on the top virals so here's a link to one we think will be on the top of next year's list—http://www.break.com/index/two-girls-one-cyst.html 

I am including a disclaimer that this may make you really sick to your stomach but you can't help but watch :)

Here is a link to the show—http://current.com/groups/50-greatest-viral-videos/
Here is another great list of videos—http://www.urlesque.com/2009/04/07/the-100-most-iconic-internet-videos/

Tales from the "sick and twisted" Tapletts

American Idol - Seriously? Seriously?

It's official. I'm old. I sat down to watch American Idol tonight because I am rooting for one of the best throwback singers I've ever heard, Crystal Bowersox. But watching Miley Cyrus, Joe Jonas and the chick who sang with him, I remarked...these guys can't sing. That's when I realized, I'm old.

What happened to this show? Idol used to showcase real talent, not these teeny-bopper goobs they've been highlighting. Miley Cyrus as a judge? Seriously? The girl has some talent coming from her father who's biggest claim to fame was Achey-Breaky Heart. Beyond that, not much in the way of a good voice. I guess it pays to be Hannah Montana with a built-in kiddie audience.

Joe Jonas and this girl I've never heard of before sang the most obnoxious song and you could actually hear his voice breaking up. Go back with your brothers, Joe. Back to your brothers.

It's just sad that I've gotten so incredibly old, so quickly. I do hope that Crystal keeps up the incredible performances. Her rendition of Bobby McGee brought tears to my eyes. It was absolutely fantastic.

Let me know what you think. And not about me being old, please, but about the talent showcased on the show.

Tales from the Tapletts

Role Models - Ain't It Scary?

I'm not one to claim I would be a good role model. In fact, I'm a terrible role model. I have deep seated issues I could blame on my mother and father but since I don't go to therapy, nothing is wrong with me. With that said, I am definitely better than two of our current politicos; Vice-President Joe Biden and Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn.

Let's start with the man in charge of our children's education.

The state's Superintendent of Public Instruction was arrested over the weekend for suspicion of driving under the influence. Randy Dorn was stopped by police around 1:30 a.m. Sunday in Orting. Police cited Dorn for driving under the influence and he also received a ticket for driving 10 miles over the speed limit. He wasn't booked into Pierce County Jail but recieved an onsite breathalyzer test which registered at 0.11, 0.03 above the legal limit in Washington. A police officer administered the test twice at about 3 a.m., roughly an hour and a half after the officer pulled Dorn over.

I know my sister will read this and say that I'm a hypocrite because I've driven while drinkingshe knows I've driven while drinking. But I don't hold a public office, I was in my early 20's and extremely stupid. Dorn is in his 50's, with his family in the car and in charge of teaching our children how to make good decisions.

Also on the list of, "is this guy really a role model?", Vice-President of the United States Joe Biden. As he introduced President Obama after signing the health care reform bill, you can hear Biden say to President Obama "This is a big f-ing deal." Go ahead and spell it out because it was caught and went over live television. What I want to know, will the FCC fine one of their own? Or is this reserved for celebrities and radio talk show hosts?

Yes, Joe Biden, it is a big f-ing deal. As Vice-President of the United States of America there is a certain amount of decorum that goes along with the office. I know you have a history of trouble with your mouth and I have no doubt that behind closed doors in the oval office, there is probably a lot of swearing and tantrums. But you are Vice-President of the United States on live television. I also don't propose that I am, by any means, a saint when it comes to my language. My words have been known to make truckers and pirates blush. But again, I don't claim to be a role model nor do I hold a public office.

Role models are very important for children growing up. I have a hard time with kids looking up to terrible politicians, movie stars and sports players. I think we need to help our kids understand what makes a goood role model. What are those citizenship characteristics we want them to have? As a matter of fact, as parents, we should strive to be the ones our kids look up to. I know, Tucker could be in real trouble if he looks up to me so thank goodness for JeffyT. I have things that I need to personally work on but I recognize them and embrace them. I don't poke my head in the sand, I stand up to my foibles and constantly work to fix these things. I have set a goal of wanting my son to be the cool kid who stands up for the underdog. The kid who doesn't care what other people think. The kid who has enough self-confidence to let it all go and just be himself. I hope that we can teach Tucker the values and characteristics necessary for him to become a good man. And if not, here's hoping he's not a serial killer.

Tales from the Tapletts

The Story of Bad Customer Service from Brooks Shoes

I have a bad customer service tale to tell.

The background: I have been a loyal Brooks shoe fan for the last ten years. When I first moved to the Seattle area, JeffyT took me to Nordstroms where I met a great shoe salesman. He looked at the way I walked and closely analyzed my feet. He chose a Brooks shoe for over pronation. Pronating is where the foot rolls inward more than the ideal fifteen percent. Over the years, I've bought every itteration and version of the shoe paying more than $100 each time. Three years ago, I found the Brooks Outlet in Bothell. I was able to find my shoes a little cheaper, usually saving $20-$30 a pair. I would usually buy two.

My dissatisfaction with Brooks started last year at their annual parking lot, tent, big lot—whatever you call it—sale. I got there early, right after they opened and was one of the first in the store. I knew what I wanted and in what size. I looked for someone to help me. I made several attempts to get help but was actually ignored. When I finally got someone's attention, I asked for my "make and model" of shoe in my size.

Now here is the salt in the wound, they didn't have my size. It was 15 minutes after the store opened, I'd been there the entire time. That many shoes could not have been sold in that amount of time. I asked the lady why they were out of that size and she said they didn't guaranteed sizes. I thought to myself, "this was the biggest sale of the year and they didn't have shoes in one of the most popular women's sizes." That just didn't jive with me plus the crappy entitled attitude of the sales clerk, made me write a letter to the manager. I did get a nice reply that said sorry and some usual rhetoric that I would write if I were a marketing manager.

It didn't go over very with me. I had it with the sales person's attitude and really felt the tone of the letter was way off the mark. I went ahead and bought a pair of New Balance from Sports Authority. They have been a good shoe but after about six months of wearing them, my feet started hurting. I thought that enough time had passed that I would stop by the Brooks Outlet and try again. I walked in the store and—surprise—someone was right at the door waiting to help me. I said I wanted what was on my feet in an 8.5. She told me the Addictions wouldn't be available until the end of the month. I asked if I could have someone save me a pair, she told me know no. She did say I could call the day of the 30th and they might be able to save me a pair. I really didn't want to wait until the end of the month. The conversation went something like this:

Do you have an 8.5 in the Adrenalines.
No 8.5s.
How about the Ariels in an 8.5?
Nope.
Do you have any 8.5s in the store?
No.
Really?
It is the most popular women's size.
But you don't have any?
Hey, we're an outlet and don't guarantee anything.

I walked out the door.

I have such a bad taste in my mouth for Brooks after all of this. I love the shoes but I sure can't handle the sanctimonious attitude of the personnel working at the store, the holier than thou answer from the manager and what seems to be a prevading cultural philosophy from Brooks that our crap doesn't stink because we make great shoes. I would love any recommendations for great support shoes. Let me know your thoughts.

Tales from the Tapletts

Squish Squash

I don't know how many of you actually love squash but I really hate the stuff. My mom and dad used to eat a lot of Acorn squash. I remember mom cutting it in half and baking it in the oven with a little butter and brown sugar. In theory that sounds delicious but in reality it tasted like butt. I don't know if it was the texture or just that whole pumpkiny smelly thing when she cut it but I could never stand it.

Every time I've been on a diet, you hear them say to try Spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash is always listed as one of those things that mimics spaghetti when you put sauce on it. It is a higher carbohydrate vegetable but it does count as a veggie.

I love to collect recipes from Rachel Ray, Real Simple, Family Circle, etc. and put them in my binder to try later. I ran across one for Spaghetti squash and said this is the one to try.

I really didn't know what I was doing at the store and the 12-year-old stoner they had stocking produce didn't look like much help, so I went to what I knew about picking out other gourds. I looked for one that was even colored, not too many spots and sounded a little hollow when thumped.

In this recipe, you cut the squash in half and put it in the microwave to cook it. That didn't sound too appealing so I looked up recipes for roasting it in the oven. I just thought, if I'm going to eat squash, then let's try and get some good flavor. After a little bit of a hard time trying to cut in half—I had to stab it and push the knife down and repeat all the way around—I put on some salt and pepper, put it on a pan shell-side-up and roasted it for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. While this was cooking I cooked some spicey italian sausage and chicken sausage together in a pan, drained the grease off. When the squash was done, I let it cool a bit and then I held it in one hand with a towel and took a fork and shredded the pulp with the other. It shredded out just like spaghetti noodles. I took a little taste and it really didn't taste like much of anything. I mixed the shreds with some herbed butter, salt and pepper and parmesan cheese—the good stuff, not the stuff in the green can. Then I took about 2 cups of spinach and mixed it with the sausage. The recipe said to wilt it for two minutes but I hate cooked spinach even more than squash so I just turned it once and then scooped it on top of the squash.

When I set it in front of JeffyT, the look on his face was priceless. He looked at me like I'd slapped his face. He took his fork, picked some up, smelled it and sort of ate it with his eyes closed. Then a look of surprise registered on his face. He took another bite. I asked him how he liked it and he said the spicey sausage really made it.

I would cook the squash a little longer but this is defintely a keeper and I will eat spaghetti squash again. I'm going to try recipes with tomato sauce and other veggies too. We liked it so much, I think I'm going to plant some. Looks like we have a keeper.

Tales from the Tapletts

80's Icon Corey Haim Dies

Let's have a moment of silence for one of my favorite 80's actor: Corey Haim

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/10/corey.haim.obit/index.html?hpt=T2
 
Haim had been a self-destructive path for several years as seen on the A&E series, "The Two Coreys".
 
The Coreys were a great team. It was fun to watch the dynamic between them. Great actors? Not really. Fun to watch? Yes. Definitely. The Lost Boys is one of my favorite, all-time movies. This is yet another "child star" who couldn't deal with the fame and subsequent loss of it. Case in point is the recent death of Andrew Koenig who played Boner on Growing Pains.

Fame is hard for these guys. You seem to get handed everything on a silver platter with easy access to harmful substances; booze, broads and drugs. Then the phones stop ringing and the fame goes away and what are these guys left with?

It seems like the child stars who make it are definitely the exception. Drew Barrymore had her problems but came through it; Christian Bale has a bit of a temper and foul mouth, but who doesn't?; and Jason Bateman...don't you just love him? Even though they never fell completely into the trap, they still have their problems.

Any thoughts on this?

TNT Down for the Count

The Taplett household is under a sickness watch. The little man came home from daycare yesterday very sick. We came home and ate dinner—tuna fish, pickels and grapes with two Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies for dessert—and snuggled in for Curious George 2: Follow that Monkey (BTW, awesome movie). While laying on top of mommy, my son promptly puked the aforementioned dinner and dessert combo all over both of us. I'm sure you are asking yourself, why the heck is she telling me this?

From June 2009 to February 2010, Tucker and I were pretty much by ourselves, except when the next door neighbors came over or we went to preschool. Since I've been back to work and Tucker is back in daycare, we've been living in a giant petri dish. I sit in my cube and I hear people coughing up second and third lungs. I hear noses sniffling and being blown. Then I go to the restroom and I hear people leave without washing their hands. I mean WTF? Yes, mom, I said WTF. (side note: she called me a dirty word the other day, Liberal. That is a whole 'nother blog).

No wonder Tuck Tuck is sick. I mean come on, people. I never used to be a germ-a-phobe but after last year when Jeff was sick with a mysterious flesh-eating virus I've invested heavily in germ-fighting products like Purell or Clorox wipes. I actually get the oogie-boogies from shopping carts which are the dirtiest, yuckiest things on the planet. And don't get me started on things people forget to clean like the caps and pumps of the Purell bottles littering the office.

I harken back to a movie I saw when I was a kid (this one's for you, Toni), Creepshow. One of the episodes was called "They're Creeping Up On You!" and told the story of a man whose Mysophobia (look up the word of the day) has him living in a hermetically sealed apartment, but is helpless when he becomes overrun by cockroaches. Now I will spare you the gorey details—one of my favorite, all-time movie scene endings—but the point is, I can see myself holed up in a sealed house in the near future.

Point of the story, we are being overrun by germs and ookie things that are wreaking all kinds of havoc on our immune systems. Let's work together to keep the germies at bay, clean your carts, stay home from work and for goodness sake, wash your hands when you go to the bathroom.

What Economic Crisis?

We need this guy to help get the economy back on track. He's obviously doing something right.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/mar/03/yacht-island-why-hermes

Gas Prices Going Up...Economy Getting Bad, Again?

I drive a two-lane road to work every day with some of the worst drivers Woodinville has to offer--that may be its own post sometime. But on this two-lane road is an AM/PM gas station that has great, cheap gas and even with the 45 cent service fee is a great deal compared to its neighbor, Shell. I noticed that in the last week, gas prices rose by 20 cents. So I wondered what was going on.

I asked my husband, JeffyT, if he'd heard anything about it. Now, I often listen to him and make it through about 30 seconds and then is starts to sound like Charlie Brown's teacher. That is only because I married an incredibly smart man who likes mathematics and economics, most of which my right brain won't process. He was telling me that he's been reading in the Wall Street Journal about some Greek crisis that is causing the price of gas to go up. Again, I only listened for about 30 seconds and then zoned out.

So here is an article that helps explain what is going on.  It is a long one, but if you can get through it, it might help. I pulled an interesting excerpt which I put in below.

For the last two months the dollar with the help of insiders Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup, who knew the Greek problem was on the way, has had an unusual rally that is about to end. They obviously knew the IMF would announce another gold sale and that the Fed would raise the discount rate. How could they not know with Goldman controlling the Treasury and Morgan the Fed?They also knew like any other observant economic professional that M3 was being reduced to almost no expansion as was happening simultaneously by the ECB and England, an event that would tend to strengthen the dollar. Doing this they all are playing a very dangerous game. If they lose control deflation will overwhelm inflation and a deflationary depression could begin. That will happen eventually, but the elitists would like it to happen on their timetable. The US has to find a way to end monetization and they have run out of options. The only possibility is for government to steal Americans’ retirement plans. The trouble is almost all sovereign debt cannot be avoided. Now the only question is when will the big conference begin to revalue, and devalue currencies, settle debt default and form a new international currency-trading unit in part backed by gold? All nations have been well aware for a long time that sovereign debt and some corporate and individual debt will never be repaid. That is why nations have reduced dollar holdings from 64.5% of foreign reserves to 61.4%. With the exception of four nations sovereign debt is not worth the paper it is written on. They are Switzerland, Canada, Australia and Norway.

 

     



 

Senate Breaks Unemployment Log Jam

Woke up this morning to some good news. It looks like the Republicans were tired of Senator Bunning, the esteemed Senator from Kentucky (see earlier post) making an ass out of himself and the Republican party. Through some back alley negotiations, they allowed the Senator to save some face while keeping the 1.2 million people, who were close to losing benefits, happy.

Read this article from Reuters—http://tinyurl.com/yzsf4j8 .

One of my favorite lines from Senator Bunning, "I don't think I've spent this much time on the floor in any one week, period, in my life." Really, Senator? Really? Maybe that was the whole problem. If you'd bothered to spend more time on the floor working for your state, then maybe you wouldn't be such an ass now.

Missing Paula

As I sit here watching American Idol, I can't help but wonder where my sweet, daffy Paula Abdul went. I sure miss her erratic contestant feedback and berrating of Simon Cowell. At least Paula had the cajones to stand up to him when he was being a beast.

I love Ellen but I just don't think she brings anything to the show. Her show is terrific and her humor is terrific, when she is in her element. However, I don't think this is her element.

I just plain don't like Kara D. Oh FCOL (older people translation—for crying out loud), what's with the freakin' hair? and the gushing over Casey James? Yuck! Cougar? More like old mountain lion. I just can't stand that broad.

This season's crop of contestants have few bright spots. I know we are only into week 2 of performing and it takes a bit for them to settle in but man, there are some duds, mostly on the male side. Let's get them culled out and let the cream rise to the top. My two favs thus far are Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox. Both have a little different vibe than what I would normally go for. So good luck guys!

Tales from the Tapletts

Will the Senator from Kentucky Please Explain?

What is the problem with Senator Jim Bunning, a Republican from Kentucky?? He has repeatedly blocked a 30-day extension of unemployment benefits. Now, more than 200,000 laid-off workers will lose their unemployment benefits.

As I read it, Senator Bunning's objection is because he doesn't want to add the $10 billion bill to the deficit. The Senator from Kentucky is the only hold out on this 30-day extension, which also includes funding for highway projects, improved Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors and other provisions. 

I've read a lot of divisiveness on this issue. You either think this guy is a hero or cantankerous old goat. I am not sure what to think so I wrote a letter to the office of Senator Bunning. In the automated response, I was told I would receive a reply in writing to my home address.

Wow! that was technology at its best. I copied Senator Patty Murray on the letter and got an email later that night that said she appreciated me copying her on the letter and that she "appreciated the opportunity to hear my views on UI".

In my letter to Senator Bunning, I explained that I was one of the many thousands of people being helped (saved) by unemployment benefits and wanted to understand why he was holding up the vote. If I ever get my letter, I will update this post.

For now, here are a couple of interesting links on the issue. Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Huffington Post

NPR

CBS

Google News


Tales from the Tapletts!

Pain in the Craigslist

When I was laid off last year, I had the time to start doing projects that needed to be done. This included downsizing the garage. I started by posting a few things on Craigslist. This proved pretty successful. I was, however, surprised at the number of people that would drive more than 20 miles for an electric toothbrush.

At the height, I had more than 100 items listed, a lot of small things and some bigger ones. As my postings increased, I started to notice a trend. Right after posting things up, I would get a response from someone, usually all in lower case letters asking if the item was still available. I would reply and, almost instantly, recieve an automated reply that said something about how they used to sell things on Craigslist but it wasn't safe to do it anymore and how they now make extra money. They send you to a link called googleandmoney.com. The server for googleandmoney is in Nassau, Bahamas. In case you didn't know, this is a scam.

A lot of these auto-responses come from Yahoo but you will see them from a variety of places depending on where you live in the country. Google is aware of them and has taken action in the past - http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/fighting-fraud-online-taking-google.html

But it really is a nuisance to wade through some of these but they are mostly harmless if you don't click on the link within the email, or God forbid, sign up for the Google and money stuff.

Craigslist is a great way to sell things in your local area but you do need to stay safe - http://www.guidetocraigslist.com/staying_safe.html

Scams & Swindles: Phishing, Spoofing, ID Theft, Nigerian Advance Schemes Investment Frauds: How to Recognize And Avoid Rip-Offs In The Internet Age

Eating Organic - Really Worth It?

Since starting back at work a few weeks ago, I don't get to go shopping during the weekday. I need to wait until everyone else is shopping too, on the weekend. So we made a Costco run today and picked up the big stuff; lettuce (6 heads of Romaine for $3 bucks!!), asparagus (cheap, cheap), tomatoes, milk, etc. We are Costco shoppers because my husband's family lived in Kirkland (Kirkland brand--ringing any bells?). The produce is so cheap. I picked up one head of romaine for $2.49...$2.49 at Safeway. That is highway robbery. That is why we shop at Costco.

Field Guide to Produce: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Fruit and Vegetable at the Market

Afterward, we headed to PCC, partly because Tucker was asleep and we wanted to keep him that way, and partly because they actually carry the Shiratake noodles we love. When I walked in there, it was like a bright light shown from the heavens and the harps started playing. This place is beautiful. I have that feeling everytime I walk in there. The produce looks like it is brought straight from lovingly-cared for fields out back.

I have been having a bit of an internal debate--whether or not organic is really worth eating or not. I guess it all stems from having a kid and wanting him to eat the right stuff. I grew up in the 70's when canned food and preservatives hit its stride. We never cared about any of that stuff. Preservatives...bring 'em on. I think that is the only thing keeping my skin looking like I'm in my 30's--shut up, JeffyT.

Peter Rabbit Organics Apple and Grape 100% Pure Fruit Snack, 3.5-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 10)

Eating organic is definitely an expensive lifestyle. There is a definite price tag to eating organic. I almost said healthy but is it really that big of a difference in "healthy" between organic or non-organic? I know the produce looks fresher sometimes but not all the time and it doesn't seem to last as well.

So tell me what your thoughts are? Is organic really worth it?

Appropriate Birthday Thank You

So I had a brilliant idea for our son's birthday thank you notes. I thought I would pick a couple of the best birthday pictures and do notes from Costco Photo Center. Costco's Photo Center has great cards that include text, they come all printed with the return address on the envelopes. All I need to do is address the envelopes, put on a stamp and go.

I am getting a little pushback from my husband who thinks we should really hand write the notes. I don't really know if there is an etiquette answer to this question. Oh well, it's too late now anyway because I ordered them and they are shipping as I speak.

Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Tales from the Tapletts!

Spartacus: Blood and Sand

So we are about six episodes into the Starz series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand. I have to say, we love it. However, a warning. It is not for the faint of heart. There is everything my husband loves; blood, gore, nudity, sex, violence, political manuvering, etc. It is a mix of 300 styling with a little Sin City, Ultimate Fighting, Rome and Gladiator thrown in.

As I said, it is not for the faint of heart; there is vivid blood spatter, full-frontal male and female nudity, graphic sex scenes (male and female and male and male), dismemberment and obscene language. I even closed my eyes a couple of times because it was too much for me.

Underlying all the graphic debauchery is an incredible love story of a man and his wife who were brutally attacked and taken into slavery by the Romans. Spartacus must fight as a gladiator under promise of seeing his wife again. I won't spoil anything but the bad guy, played by John Hannah, is a really bad guy and things don't go as planned for Spartacus.

We are addicted now after watching the first five via OnDemand. We definitely have to see how the rest of the series plays out.

Tales from the Tapletts!