While attemping to watch the evening news, I was subjected to ELEVEN political ads.  One was shown twice in one commercial break, with an ad for her opponent in between. These people are running for Congress in a different district than the one that I live in. They are arguing over whether Darcy Burner’s computer science degree with a specialization in economics from Harvard  counts as a degree in economics or not. Don’t get me going on the vindictive ads that governor Gregoire and Rossi are running, but at least I had a say in that election. I have no say in that other congressional district. Yep I could change the channel but there are just as many ads on the other channels. I am frustrated because I want to watch the news, there is a lot going in my city, state, country and the world that are independent of the election that will thankfully be over tomorrow. 

I sent in my absentee ballot in last week. Shouldn’t I get a reprieve from the bickering, backstabbing and often ridiculous ads?!?!

I love to cook. I mean I REALLY love to cook! Last winter, I was able to make some modifications to my kitchen to make it easier to manage. One of the things that would make things easier is a good quality cook book holder. I need something sturdy that would hold the book up and keep the pages from flipping willy nilly. I was delighted when I found that Happy to Be Home was doing a giveaway on a gorgeous cookbook holder.

You can enter to win too (as long as I am the one that actually wins that beauty). You get one entry by typing a comment on the post at Happy to Be Home. You can enter a second time by posting about the contest in your own blog. Hence you know why I am letting you in on my secret desires!

I am in love. I found a new foodie site full of gorgeous images and delicious and diverse recipes. Later on, I will move the widget to the side bar but I want to make sure that you have a chance to browse through it here first. Think of it as a tantalizing tease.

Clara Meadmore of Britain is not the first centenarian to attest to the benefits of staying single. She is the first one that I am aware of that also swore off sex!
Born in 1903, Clara Meadmore decided at the age of 12 not to get married and for her that meant no sex.

“I imagine there is a lot of hassle involved and I have always been busy doing other things…”

I have to agree that sex can be a hassle. It can be confusing, messy and obsessive. But like most aspects of life it has a flip side. It can be pleasurable, exciting, invigorating, connecting, fun and a celebration. 105 years of virginity? No thanks, I prefer the hassles even if might cut my life expectancy to under a 100.

Our bail out dollars are hard at work, saving the economy! I am so glad that my tax dollars are helping the insurance industry executives relax away their cares with luxury spa treatments. AIG executives took a $440,000 retreat in a luxury spa. The House Government Oversight Committee showed copies of invoices showing that the AIG spent more than $23,000 on spa treatments and nearly $150,000 on banquets at the resort.I am sure that the executives that got their company in such a mess were under a lot of stress. I guess a $85 billion bail out wasn’t enough to alleviate those sore necks.

Since the news broke, our law breakers are up in arms. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa. wrote a letter Thursday to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, Kanjorksi complained about AIG’s $443,000 tab for the weeklong, late September stay at the St. Regis Monarch Bay resort and asked the Fed to take “immediate action to reclaim every penny” spent on the event.

In addition, the Federal Reserve agreed to provide an additional $ 37.8 billion credit line to AIG and its subsidiaries on Wednesday. I guess they need more money to cover their retreat costs.

AIG spokesman Joseph Norton said earlier this week that the California trip was a “recognition event” for independent insurance agents and their spouses, along with 10 AIG employees.

That is no excuse or rationale for that exorbitant spending. Have a pizza party at work or give them a plaque to recognize their sales. Obviously, they still aren’t selling enough insurance policies or the executives haven’t figured out how to manage the policies they do have. Yes, we had catastrophes world wide that are a blow to insurance companies. That means it is time to tighten belts, not loosen them after a huge extravagant meal!

In the Geek and Gaming world, FAIL can bring cries of frustration and a stream of colorful language. it isn’t just in the gaming world that we fail.  The Fail blog is an assortment of screenshots, images and videos that represent failure to communicate, to reason or in some cases use any common sense!
It may not be nice to laugh at the confusion of others but it is compelling some times! And it can be a fun way to de-stress for a minute or two as you browse the epic fail of mankind.

A little foresight can go a long way in effectively communicating with your customers with truth and integrity.
see more pwn and owned pictures

Columbia Crest Reserve wines are usually winners but I think the Columbia Crest 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was an unfortunate victim of global warming. As the environment has been heating up so have the grapes leading to more sugar and more alcohol. This 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon  had silky smooth tannins and a lovely complex finish. I would have loved to really have sipped it through out my dinner. But, if I had, I wouldn’t been able to get up from the table. The alcohol content was just too high. Instead of bringing out the rich flavors of a yummy Italian beef stew, the booze started to mask it.  Not what I envisioned when I had selected this bottle to accompany dinner!

I am used to expecting higher alcohol contents in some wines, especially the zinfandels, but this surprised me. At 14.2% alcohol, a single glass was plenty in terms of alcohol but the smooth fruit flavors, balanced with the oak begged to be drank. I wanted to enjoy the flavors and not necessarily get a buzz!

Gas prices are painful. They have limited me but not as much as Sean Diddy Combs. Gas prices cut into my food budget and other expenses. No summer road trips this year. I consider myself lucky though that I am not pawning grandma’s ring to get gas money.  My sacrifices, and those of my community pale in comparison to Sean Diddy Combs.

I am concerned about gas price fixing but I am more concerned about gas shortages and how our gas abuse has impacted the environment. Although far from perfect, I have been making a concerted effort to conserve fuel. This video disgusted and angered me on so many levels. He needs to fly to California on business but the $200-250,000 per round trip is challenging his budget. So, he is flying on a commercial jet liner instead of using his private jet. Poor guy. I wish I could afford to fly to California, but that is me. What angers me is that his gas guzzling private flights could buy a pretty decent home for a family in many parts of this country. The outrageous carbon foot print is bad enough but the money wasted disgusted me. Part of me is delighted that he is flying commercial, he said coach but they don’t have seats like that in coach! As soon as the prices decline he will be back to polluting the air and wasting precious fuel, but right now the poor guy is suffering along in his “carpool”.

After listening to the pundits prepare and obsess before Hillary Clinton’s speech at the Democrat’s National Convention, I thought there was no way she was going to pull this off. I was pleasantly surprised by the grace, enthusiasm and conviction that she displayed. I have never thought of her as an engaging speaker and believed that it was a big reason behind her loss. Tonight, she engaged the crowd, especially with her tales on women’s voting rights, Harriet Tubman’s instruction on the Underground Railroad to keep going, and the No way, No how, No McCain declaration. She even injected humor into her speech with her traveling pantsuit line among others.

Although she was upbeat and repeatedly stated her support for Obama and Biden, she did not abandon her own platform for health reform. I definitely felt that she was throwing down the gauntlet when she said how proud she would be when Obama signs into law, health care coverage for everyone. I got the “OK I am doing this speech for you to rally the team, this is what you need to do now” vibe. Although her enthusiasm seemed sincere, at least for a politician, she did not reverse her prior criticism about Obama not being ready. Her speech wasn’t about him being the best man for president but it was all about the Democrats doing what it takes to take back the White House. McCain supporters are all over her that she didn’t say that he is the one you want to call at 3am that but I actually have more respect for her for that.  She focused on his strengths instead of reversing her opinions on his weaknesses. If she had, the Republicans would have jumped on her just as fast for that.  I thought it was a very generous speech, one that engaged the crowd and one that maintained a high degree of integrity for a political rally speech.

Talk about your birthday beer! I started with an African spicy mead, which was good but not as good as I had remembered it. Ed started with Silver City Whoop Ass. A bright and hoppy beer, designed for the “IPA lover”, Silver City Whoop Ass Double IPA was a great choice for a delicious summer brew. They say

More than 50 lbs. of Washington State Cascade and Columbus hops are infused, injected, or otherwise inflicted…

Well, thankfully that was per batch and not per keg! Although Ed may disagree, I do believe a beer can be too hoppy. But this one didn’t cross the line. It had a bite but it didn’t take a bite out of me!

For my second beer,

Read the rest of “Uber Bier: Sweet, Sour, Spicy and Hoppy” »