Pan Handlers

They have always been around but as the economy has gotten worse they seem to be around even more. You can't seem to get gas, step out of your car at the store or drive by any corner anymore where there is not someone asking for money. I was approached twice in the last 3 days. I do not give these people money(maybe once or twice I have but no more). You don't know if they are scamming, if they are going to buy drugs and alcohol or what. If I have food on me I will give them food and have driven through the drive thru at Taco Bell and got someone a taco once.

I have a feeling though the numbers of these people are just going to increase. Just yesterday I had a woman approach me with a sign "3 kids no money" she was pushing a child in a stroller. This was at Costco and she was approaching everyone in the parking lot. I can honestly tell you I tell these people " I don't carry cash" and I don't that is the convenience now of ATM/Debit cards.

Best of Mrs MM.... Part 2

Cows Can't Really Talk posted on June 2, 2005

Protesters...... give me a break. Yesterday, I was listening to the radio on my way home and heard about the protesters downtown again. This time it was P.E.T.A. "The CA dairy farmers are lying to you." "CA cows are not happy." O.K.! Did we really believe that they were? They were protesting the CA happy cow commercials. I swear people will protest about anything. OH NO the wind is blowing south instead of north like the weather man said. Let's protest! Hurry quick we got to get to the TV station. You think I am exaggerating. NO! Can you tell me how many of those protesters drink milk? Guess what, it comes from CA. I think it was Rick Stewart yesterday that said something really funny after that story and they had broke into traffic. "Wait till P.E.T.A. finds out cows can't really talk." That made me laugh so hard. I really enjoy the CA Cow commercials and what do you mean Cows can't talk? Really? Since when? The point is give it a rest people. If you really want to protest quit buying cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream made with milk and any other dairy product that you come across. If you are buying it in CA, there is a pretty good chance it is from CA. I love milk and beef so P.E.T.A, take that.

Best of Mrs MM

For lack of something to say today(no wise cracks either Mr MM) let's visit post from July 26, 2005

Chocolate

Oh the allure of it! The enticing aroma and taste as it melts in your mouth. How can anyone not love it. I actually know people who do not like chocolate. That is just weird. Ok on to my comments for the day.I work in an office of about 175 people(and getting bigger), spread out over 3 suites and 2 buildings. I work in a suite of about 60 people. The funny thing is there are only a few people that come by my desk when they have a question about something. Those are the same few all the time. Alas, put chocolate on your desk and you have people coming in droves by your desk. People you don't see very much of, unless passing in the hall or passing by their desks, come to visit. You are all of the sudden very popular. They can not miss the tantalizing packaging of a little gold Snicker's mini, or the silver of the 3 Musketeers mini. The aroma of someone opening the foil of a Reese's Peanut Butter cup mini as it wafts through the suite and can not help but touch the nose of someone that rarely ventures by your desk. How about the sound that travels as someone is dropping M&M's into a bowl. That little tinkling sound as the plain ones call to you, "here I am come get me." So let it be known that if you are feeling a tad bit lonely and would like visitors, just put a bowl of chocolate on your desk. If you pour it they will come....

...and today, this still happens at my desk as I have candy on it now. I think it is funny the ones that walk up and ask "oh, can I have a piece" Duh people, that is what it is there for.

Will you live as Long as a FruitCake?

Not likely.....
I like to watch this show on the History Channel called "Life After People" as the beginning disclaimer states this is not how we might disappear, but what happens to the world we leave behind. The first segment is "one day after people." I love this show, and on the last one I just watched it talked about the food and things we eat and about how they decompose. One thing they talked about was a Fruit Cake and why it has such a long shelf life. Example was a story of a 130 year old Fruitcake that some Grandma had made and right after it was made passed away. The family kept the fruitcake until some Great-Great grandson took a bite of it 130 years later and he said it tasted fine. I thought to myself, gross! Do you really want to eat something that lives longer than you? This brings me to my topic of discussion.

I came across this article and don't know if I really want to buy my son anymore McD's Happy Meals.

McDonald's food not only tastes like plastic, it lasts as long as plastic.

A Denver nutritionist kept a Happy Meal out for a whole year just to see what would happen, and was shocked when the popular fast-food item hardly changed at all. Instead of decomposing like normal leftovers, the Happy Meal aged like a Greek statue, said Joann Bruso on her Web site BabyBites.com.

"It sat on my shelf for a year as a silent witness to our fast-food industry," she wrote. "It NEVER smelled bad. The food did NOT decompose.

I am not sure if this will ever stop me from eating McD's, but I will always think about this article when I do.

Technology is not an Excuse

Someone sent me an email said it was a quote from Jay Leno. Who knows, who cares, but it did have some valid points in it. Basically in point to why we have fat and lazy kids in this generation. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of those from my generation. Can we blame technology? No, as I have always said and stood by; media, music, movies, and technology are not to blame.

When I was growing up in the 70's in Phoenix my brother and I were always outside, granted we did not have MTV(but the mid 70's did see video games, and we had them), we had bikes, skateboards, and a pool. We were always outside even in the 100+ heat days. We loved to be outside, today there are still kids out there that do, but a lot less and people want to blame kid obesity on technology. Bikes, skateboards and good old fashioned fresh air(yes it is still fresh is some places) still exist. I blame parents, kick your kid outside and get their butt off of the computer and away from TV. It is what parents do that influence a child. You say it's not safe, well it wasn't then either but you have to be smart about it. Fewer and fewer parents show interest in their child's lives and what they are doing, less communication. This is what is causing obesity, delinquency and just plan out and out rudeness and lack of respect. I am not saying all parents are like this.

How do I know this, from experience. I have a soon to be 21 year old and a 4 year old and made those mistakes with my oldest. I won't with my youngest. I make sure I pay every bit of attention and take an interest in everything my 4 year old does when he says "mama watch this," you bet I am. Sad to say I learned that lesson late. I definitely make sure I take interest in my oldest now. I can't change how she was raised though. I made it a point to learn from that mistake.

You can't blame technology and junk food, blame the parents for giving it to them. My daughter and my son don't struggle with their weight, my daughter always loved to be outside and so does my son now. I am lucky enough to own a house with a screened-in back porch and he is out there as much as he can be. As he says "go out there?" I will always encourage that and keep the communication going. Don't get me wrong my son loves french fries and he does get them, but not daily.

Seaweed now?

As someone who has struggled with their weight for many years(didn't use to be that way) I have tried many diets and many ways to lose weight. The proverbial "they" are always coming up with new fangled diets and new fangled exercise equipment to pump us up and get us excited about dieting. Yeah, right, well I came across this article today about seaweed.

Seaweed could be the answer to the obesity epidemic, potentially reducing the body's fat retention by more than 75 percent.

A fibrous material in sea kelp called alginate was better at preventing fat
absorption than most over-the-counter slimming treatments, researchers at
Newcastle University in the U.K. found.

Check out the article here and make your own opinion, but personally I am not running for the nearest ocean for a kelp dive.

Note: Mrs MM is currently again on a diet and I am really liking this one. I will let you know how it works out.

Healthcare Reform

What do you think this means for our country? No matter what side of the fence you are on it is one ugly debate and now it is upon us.
I Mrs MM being in the healthcare field and being in a self-funded and self-insured business knows that this is not a good thing for us. I have been with the same company for over 10 years and have seen many changes in our healthcare coverage. I am not a supporter of Obama and his 2 year old temper tantrums he throws because he doesn't get his way. I do believe there are fixes needed in our healthcare coverages and benefits but forcing a deal and laws down the peoples throat because you as the President have to throw your weight around is not the answer. I am sorry, but how do you people of this nation that voted for him, think that "hope and change" is working out for you? The taxes are coming and those of us that already owe taxes do not wish to pay more! Thank You Obama and libtard Pelosi