http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com One woman's decaf-laden thoughts Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:08:31 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This morning I saw a news report that really alarmed me. Restaurant Lemons Tested Positive for Fecal Matter and E-Coli 'GMA' Uncovered Germy Garnishes at Some Large Restaurant Chains By ELISABETH LEAMY and VANESSA WEBER June 12, 2008 It may be tempting to take a twist of lemon along with a refreshing summer ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2008/06/13/lemon-wedges-from-restaurants/ The other day I went to a grocery store to stock up on hamburger. They had a sale on 93% lean hamburger, which is the only one I'll eat. $2.69 a pound, and I generally pay twice that amount. Sl, I was all ready to stock up. In ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2008/05/23/grocery-store-employees-who-have-no-mathematic-ability/ I've noticed this trend and it seems like almost every new show is some sort of reality television show. I guess Survivor was the leader and everyone else followed after that. I've never watched it. I do watch American Idol but that's it. I remember the days when ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2008/03/07/reality-tv/ Sometimes I wonder about the media and what they do. When actor Heath Ledger died, they milked everything they could out of it. I liked Heath Ledger, and only saw him in one movie, Brokeback Mountain, but he nailed that character perfectly and really impessed me. The day he died ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2008/02/09/the-media/ JACKSON, Miss. - A state lawmaker wants to ban restaurants from serving food to obese customers — but please, don't be offended. He says he never even expected his plan to become law. "I was trying to shed a little light on the number one problem in Mississippi," said Republican Rep. ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2008/02/04/mississippi-to-ban-obese-diners-from-restaurants/ Recently in Massachusetts a 13-year old boy was hit by a car and was killed. He was walking down the road at 1 am with some friends, apparently having snuck out of the house without permission. A man was driving down the road and struck him and drove ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2008/01/26/legislating-human-behavior/ This article is pretty scary and if you use Gmail, you should read it. What would you do if a criminal stole something very personal, and very valuable from you? What if they were able to target your business and criple your income? You wouldn’t be too happy now, would you? What if you ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/12/25/do-you-use-gmail-if-so-you-must-read-this/ Did you have a paper route when you were a kid? I did. Got it when I was 14 I believe and had it until I was 16. Back then, papers were delivered after school, and were a way to teach responsibility. Kids would learn about ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/12/12/newspaper-carriers-of-today/ YOU KNOW YOUR FROM MASSACHUSETTS IF.. 1. You've pulled out of a side street and used your car to block oncoming traffic so you can make a left 2. Stop signs mean slow down a little, but only of you want to 3. You know how to cross four lanes of traffic in ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/12/08/you-know-youre-from-massachusetts-if/ Have you noticed that coupon clipping isn't quite the same? I admit I don't bother with coupons anymore, but used to do it quite frequently. Now you'll notice that coupons say "buy 3, save 50 cents" or "buy 6 and save $1.00". Years ago it was buy 1, ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/12/06/coupons-2/ I'm a huge fan of self checkouts at supermarkets. If they don't have them in your area, let me explain. Basically you go to the checkout counter and scan your items yourself, and bag them yourself. You put your money into the self-checkout machine and it can give you ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/12/04/taking-self-serve-checkouts-one-step-further/ Here is one scam. A friend emailed to ask me if the car advertised in the South Coast Craigslist (our area) was fake or not. He's asked before and they were always bogus. How did I spot it? He sent me the link and I ran the email address ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/12/02/spotting-scams-online/ Now, what bothers me about this is she was not a PORN star. She did have an adult website, and she did appear nude, but did not do any hardcore sex. When girls pose on Internet sites, they are "porn stars" yet when they post nude in Playboy, ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/12/01/autopsy-slated-for-secret-porn-star/ Didn't realize it had been SO long since I've written in this blog. Well that is about to change! http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/12/01/wow-how-time-flies/ Apparently the rules have changed. Or, maybe I'm just a throwback to the 50's. What I'm learning is that when people "date" these days, it simply means they are friends. People who are dating are allowed to answer other personal ads, date other people, and have sex ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/08/15/dating-in-this-century/ I think if you did, you'd never eat at a restaurant again! I went to a local steakhouse to buy some salad dressing. Sound odd? Well, I don't like the bottled dressings you get at the grocery store and the homemade never comes out quite right. I ate at ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/06/12/have-you-ever-watched-people-in-the-kitchen-at-a-restaurant/ So, it's over and I thought I'd critique this season. First, it wasn't exciting to me. The auditions featured mostly horrific singers with one or two surprises thrown in. There were a lot of what I felt were good singers who were overlooked. When it came down to ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/06/01/season-six-american-idol/ Do you agree with Don Imus being fired for calling the Rutgers girls basketball team "nappy headed hos?" Is this a freedom of speech issue? I admit, I'm torn. I believe in freedom of speech but I think there should be limits. People are worried our "young people" will hear ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/04/12/don-imus/ Today, when at the grocery store, I saw a display of 16 ounce bottles of Pepsi. They were being sold individually, so I went up closer to check them out. These were not regular bottles of Pepsi, though. Oh, no, this was Pepsi Jazz, and diet Pepsi ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/04/06/remember-when-soda-was-simple/ Well, we're down to the top 10 and I have to agree with a lot of people that this year's talent just isn't as high quality as previous years. Last year we had Taylor Hicks, Katherine McPhee, Elliot Yamin, Chris Daughtry and so many others. This year we have ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/03/28/american-idol-2/ Yes, it's a scam - they charge us for things we don't get, and we let them get away with it. You go to a restaurant and order a chicken sandwich, and it comes with bacon and cheese. So, you say no cheese -- do they give you any money ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/02/26/restaurant-scam/ So, this morning I'm watching one of the morning talk shows and my local news station interrupts with a breaking news story. To paraphrase: "There has been a shooting in the parking lot at the Barnstable Courthouse. That's all the details we have and we'll bring you ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/02/20/the-media-again-local-media/ Yes, it's very sad that she died. But, why is every media outlet covering this story 24/7 without a break? She was a girl from a small town who wanted to be famous, and did whatever she could to get there, from modeling jeans, posing in Playboy, married ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/02/09/anna-nicole-smith/ I have to admit I don't watch a lot of television. I do admit to watching American Idol, The Shield, NCIS and other occasional series, but that's about it. Oh yeah, The Young & The Restless I watch at night during dinner and I try to listen to ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/01/13/reality-television/ NEW BEDFORD — Former New Bedford High School basketball star Brian E. Rudolph will receive no jail time for stabbing another teen in the back last April, a court decision that has angered police who investigated the case. Mr. Rudolph, 18, a New Bedford basketball star who at the time of ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2007/01/06/should-first-time-offenders-get-off-the-hook/ When the mail arrives, do you look at the stamp before you open the envelope? Does the stamp matter to you? I ask because I was stuck in line at the Post Office today when an older woman went up to buy stamps. Oh no, not ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/12/26/do-you-look-at-postage-stamps/ Driving behind a truck today with a bumper sticker that read, "don't like the way I drive? Dial 1-800-EAT SHIT", I realized we're a really crude nation. And, it's getting worse and worse. Been down the candy aisle in your local grocery store or pharmacy lately? They have this ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/12/22/are-we-getting-cruder-and-cruder/ They now want to ban all restaurants from using oil with trans fat because it's so dangerous to your health. Some restaurants say no, it will change the price of the oil they buy from $10 to $35 and they can't afford it. Sports bars will be hit hardest as all ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/12/20/the-food-police-are-attacking/ First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/25/were-you-born-in-or-before-1970/ So, I'm watching TV the other night and on comes a commercial. I ignore most of them, but I heard "fried macaroni and cheese" and thought I was hearing wrong. Nope. It was a commercial for TGI Fridays. Not only that, they now have "CRISPY GREEN ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/20/is-it-no-wonder-our-country-is-getting-fatter-and-fatter/ Yes indeedy, folks, it's almost time for the series to begin again! The wait is almost over. The premiere of American Idol will be a 2-Night 4-Hour event. Don't miss it Tuesday & Wednesday, January 16th & 17th, starting at 8/7c, only on FOX! Since this show has become such a phenomenom, ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/15/american-idol/ So, as you've noticed, the blog has a new look. I joined the masses and switched to Word Press for software. I also found a new theme design and while I loved the old one, I like this one, too. I lost a lot of the old posts but ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/15/changes/ 1. The Doctor - Because he says, "Take off your clothes." 2. The Dentist - Because he says, "Open wide." 3. The Milkman - Because he says, "Do you want it in the front or back?" 4. The Hairdresser - Because he says, "Do you want it teased or blown?" 5. The Interior Decorator ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/15/top-9-most-important-men-in-a-womans-life/ Some days I want to scream and yell when telemarketers bug me. Usually they call my business line, and businesses can't register with the national Do Not Call registry, so I play with them -- when they ask to speak to the person who handles our phone service I ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/15/telemarketers/ 1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning." 2. My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet." 3 My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don't straighten up, I'm ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/15/i-owe-my-mother/ I was reading a local newspaper today about the capture of a fugitive who has been on the lam for 20 years. This man apparently was arrested for smuggling tons and tons of marijuana into the port in his fishing boat which had been specially rigged with false walls to ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/15/should-we-prosecute-after-20-years/ SIDNEY, Neb. - A judge said a 5-foot-1 man convicted of sexually assaulting a child was too small to survive in prison, and gave him 10 years of probation instead. His crimes deserved a long sentence, District Judge Kristine Cecava said, but she worried that Richard W. Thompson, 50, would be ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/14/at-times-our-legal-system-sucks/ "The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all sales of sodas to public schools — a step that will remove the sugary, caloric drinks from vending machines and cafeterias around the country." Huh? They have soda machines in schools? This blows me away! When I ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/14/no-more-soda-in-school/ Hello, My name is Bridget Hall,I am an artist. I live in United Kingdom,with my two kids,four cats, one dog and the love of my life. It is definitely a full house. I have been doing artwork since I was a small child. That gives me about 23 years of experience. ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/14/new-form-of-a-nigerian-scam/ I am tired of dealing with outsourced workers. Now, I understand why industry does this. In America we want a decent wage for our time. We want benefits, time off, paid holidays and more. Other countries are happy with a small amount of money since it buys them so much ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/11/01/outsourcing/ We keep reading how our society is so much more obese these days than when I grew up. They often wonder why and blame it on video games. I'll go a step further and blame it on fast food. Today I saw a commercial for a chain pizza restaurant ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/10/15/our-obese-society/ The food police are back. "A U.S. consumer group has sued the operator of the fast-food Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant over the use of trans fat, which can clog arteries and cause other health problems. The Center for Science in the Public Interest wants Kentucky Fried Chicken to stop using ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/10/15/the-food-police/ I was watching some footage of the 1969 Woodstock concert, and it was mentioned many times how well-behaved the kids who attended were, despite the fact most were stoned on marijuana. 400,000 people were at a large rock concert and it was peaceful. Fast forward to Woodstock 1994. Tens of ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/10/15/when-did-kids-become-so-unruly/ Massachusetts initially passed a law making seat belt usage mandatory. The law was changed and now, if you're stopped for any reason, if you're not wearing a seat belt they can ticket you for that as well, but they can't pull you over solely due to no seat belt. This ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/10/14/mandatory-seat-belts/ Sound weird? It did to me, too, but I heard it on the news this morning. Apparently, as a requirement of graduations, MIT requires that you be able to swim 100 yards. At Cornell, Dartmouth, and Columbia, they also have this as a requirement of graduation. If ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/10/14/if-you-cant-swim-you-cant-graduate/ Did you ever wonder how much it costs a drug company for the active ingredient in prescription medications? Some people think it must cost a lot, since many drugs sell for more than $2.00 per tablet. We did a search of offshore chemical synthesizers that supply the active ingredients found ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/09/15/the-high-cost-of-drugs/ Our world is geared toward younger families with children. First, there are refrigerators. Ever notice how the doors are now made to hold gallons of milk? Uhm, how many senior citizens or single people need gallons of milk? My fridge has a nifty feature called pull-out ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/09/15/we-live-in-a-childproof-world/ So, do you agree with it? If you're unfamiliar with the case, she is the woman who drowned her 5 children several years ago, was found guilty, but the verdict was overturned and she was retried - and the new jury found her not guilty by reason of insanity. I ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/09/15/andrea-yates-verdict/ At the local Old Country Buffet recently, an employee allegedly murdered the assistant manager. He (and I'm not going to repeat the word allegedly, but this hasn't been proven in court) lured her to the ladies room to say there was a problem, hit her over the head with ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/09/15/should-mentally-challenged-people-be-held-responsible-for-their-actions/ Do you remember when new products came into the market and they'd make small samples you could buy for half a buck or so, to try the new product before spending a lot on it? Now, instead, they give you coupons. No longer do they give you "try this free" ... http://www.frenchvanillaicedcoffee.com/2006/08/14/coupons/