MSN reports 2 million Cribs Recalled

How many million more? I just keep thinking that maybe our great-grandparents were onto something using a FREE dresser drawer......

Somehow the human race had survived for a very long time without cribs....and without the dangerous drop side cribs....and without Pottery Barn Kids!!! Oh the humanity!!!!

MANNING THE RAIL: Manning the rail is a method of saluting or rendering honors used by naval vessels (wikipedia)
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I'm the granddaughter to two Submariners. And daughter of a Submariner. My family was lucky to be somewhat stable, but like mine, many families never had hometowns. Or family reunions. Often way too far apart for holidays, birthdays or even the birth of a child. We didn't see our dads for long periods of time. And we weren't allowed to know where they were. We just knew they were deep under the ocean. I get a bit mushy on Memorial Day because that was very little sacrifice in comparison. And no one in my immediate family was lost in service.

Let's take a moment this weekend to "Man the Rail" for all those who put themselves in harms way. Freedom is not free. And before "Politically Correct" was PC, my 92 year old Grandfather always said "If it weren't for them, we'd be speaking Japanese."

I figure he earns the right to keep on saying that - after all, he sat under the Pacific ocean in a 'tin can' (early diesel submarine) and weathered depth charges. There were no "submarine rescues" in those days....and it really doesn't exist now....

He often recalls - there were no aethiests down there either.

Unfortunately, we have many new soldiers to memorialize this weekend.

"They fought together as brothers-in-arms. They died together and now they sleep side by side. To them we have a solemn obligation."
— Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

First, click on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's "Hallelujah Chorus"



Ok, while they are vocally expounding.....it's time to announce the news.

I have begged. And begged. AND BEGGED the ketchup companies to have mercy on me and take the friggin' High Fructose Corn Syrup (syrup of the devil I call it) out of our ketchup. FINALLY, years and years and years of complaining have paid off.


Hunts has taken the High Fructose Corn Syrup out of their ketchup. And used plain good old fashioned sugar (hopefully not too much of it).

Thank you HUNTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The day I saw your awesome product looking out at me from the ketchup shelve you HAD ME AT HELLO. I perhaps have never been so happy. I hugged the darn bottle.

Dear Heinz -- I have no words for your slowness to market. Booooooo. Sorry Hunts beat you to the punch. You are slow. Not consumer friendly. And I never before bought Hunts - -but now I do. With gusto.

Hallelujah.

Cheers to the peeps at ConAgra -- its a good thing.

Photo: Slightlynorth, Flickr

This may be a Northeast thing - but once a year, these delicious "ferns" appear in Maine. They taste crunchy and grassy, but like Egg Nog in autumn, when Fiddleheads hit the markets it means that Spring has SPRUNG!

Click here for more info.

I'm wondering how far away they travel, since I've only seen them in New England - have you seen them? Where??

Happy Military Spouses Appreciation Day!

I don't know what it's like. I was the kid. But my mom and both my grandmothers were Navy Submariners Wives. How they raised families with their husbands off at sea, underwater for months on end is awe-inspiring!



Here's to you, the one who waits, no matter the distance, no matter the time.

Here's to you, the one who fights your own battle at home, between the tears and sleepless nights.

Here's to you, the one who will never give up, even when everything around you seems to be falling down.

And here's to you, because while people may think they know how tough it is to be a hero, no one but us will ever know how tough it is to love one...
(auhor unknown)

Don't know why the little saying does not mention packing, moving and unpacking over and over again -- but I have to imagine that is the least of the hardships perhaps!??

Here's to the women and now many many men who man the homefronts. No small duty.

I met my husband at a mall today for lunch, and found a new place that FILLS CUPCAKES WITH ICE CREAM. They had at least a dozen cupcake flavors, but I HAD to go for the red velvet. With frosting (optional - but why get a cupcake with no frosting??).

That's my husband's finger, tsk tsking my choice (on my behalf).

Yum.

I hope they have one of these places near you!

Here she is- the "Omarosa" of public school cafeterias as seen on Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.


photo: Herald Dispatch.com

There she is on the far right, Ms. Alice Gue. As one of my facebook friends put it, she's a "challenge" (bless her heart.. right???)

It sure could be good editing - but how can anyone be so darn negative as to give that much nasty footage?

How many reality show contracts you think Miss Alice is fielding now?

If you have no interest in healthy food or feeding the nation's kids any better --- not to worry. Just tune into Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution JUST so you can see if they got themselves some more footage of Alice the "challenging" cafeteria lady!! It's a hoot!

We're at the tail end of Passover, the holiday that observant Jews skip eating bread (and other foods with yeast in them - like BEER)...I found the only way to keep choking matzo down this year was to cover it in Nutella (no, it's not kosher for Passover, and no, I don't care, and YES I ate almost an entire jar of it over the last week).

Bring on the half-price Easter candy!

Ah, the office bathroom, where etiquette enters a grey area like no other. Don't you love hearing the stories of weird things that happen there? I can only imagine the awkward encounters that happen in the men's room - it's nerve-wracking enough to be in the women's room! I've found myself in the stall next to my boss's boss, who wanted to chat. And shared make-up with my managers. And picked up on killer office gossip. And watched people floss.

Women's Health magazine has a great "Top Ten List" of rules to follow. The fact that we need that list tells me something - weird uncomfortable stuff happens in the office bathroom!!

The weirdest thing I've done in the office bathroom is take an emergency hangover-induced nap. On those mornings that a greasy egg sandwich and huge coffee didn't conquer pounding headaches, I would lean my head against the cool metal stall wall and close my eyes for about 10 minutes. Did the trick every time.

The weirdest thing I've seen is a senior exec manage to walk into a crowded ladies room on the phone (bluetooth), and continue her conversation throughout the entire experience. Ew. The person on the other end MUST have noticed the sounds of flushing and sinks being used, right???

What's the weirdest thing YOU'VE done (or seen) in the office bathroom?

From Fox News:

Federal health experts say more restrictions are needed to protect teenagers from the cancer risks of tanning beds, including a potential ban for people under 18.

A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration recommended Thursday that the agency put tighter controls on artificial tanning, ranging from requiring parental consent forms to banning the practice in younger teens.

"Given the absence of any demonstrated benefit, I think it's an obligation for us to ban artificial tanning for those under 18," said panelist Dr. Michael Olding.

Wow -- who lets their teenager go to the tanning salon beds? Really? I wanted to go when I was 16, but no way was Mom going for that. I barely got by with highlighting my hair (chemicals) at 18 years old.

Really? The Federal Government has to tell you it isn't safe? That's sad. They should never be regulating stuff like this.....sad they see the need to.

This isn't anything new....I had friends whose parents lied and sent fake excuse notes to let them skip school on sunny spring days to "Lay Out" in the backyard with baby oil and burn to a crisp. I'm no sunscreen freak - I believe in the power of vitamin D to help ward off cancer. But missing school and baby oil? Combo gone too far me thinks.

I guess we could look at it like Darwin? Survival of the fittest.....

(and you just want to ask them why they wasted all that time slathering their baby with number 30+ sunscreen only to let them fake and bake as a teen!)

Did you read "Eat Pray Love"? Didn't it take forever to get through? I loved it but it was work.

As far as the movie goes - yes please, I'm in! I want to see all those places, even though Julia Roberts is Elizabeth. Like Renee as Brigit Jones - not a perfect fit, but will do just fine.

Are you in??

Michael Lynton, chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures, wants to introduce fresh fruit, yogurt, and other healthy food to the snack bar at the movie theater. Read all about it.

NO! WRONG! NOT COOL! FAIL!!!!

So what if the average bucket of buttered popcorn has a ton of fat - the equivalent of six McDonald's cheeseburgers - and 1,100 calories? I needs me my movie theater popcorn! Diet on your own time, people! Stop the madness!!

Season after season we watch starts from 'the past' and some not so famous folks try their "hand" at dancing.

Sometimes it works (Apolo) sometimes it doesn't (Tucker Carlson).

The new season debuts on March 22, 2010.
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The full lineup here.

TOP 5 REASONS TO WATCH SEASON 10 of DANCING WITH THE STARS:

5. Edyta Sliwinska: the only pro to do all 10 season, and yes - HOT.
4. Niecy Nash from Clean House - just watch her talk.
3. What kinda trouble can a much older Shannen Doherty stir up?
2. Can Pamela Anderson Dance?
1. Kate Gosselin. That's all I need to say

I'm the only one I know "watching" American Idol this year. I say "watching" because I'm just fast-forwarding to hear everyone sing and to hear some of Ellen's comments. Using this strategy, I watched 5 hours of Idol in about an hour last night. So I can tell you that Crystal Bowersox (the chick on the far left) SHOULD be crowned winner, and everyone else can go home.

I love it when the stylists get their hands on the contestants - and Crystal is so obviously rejecting their advice. She out-quirks this years' collection of quirky singers (see the rest of the girls above - SO quirky!), and has DREADLOCKS. What more can you ask for? Oh yeah, she has an amazing voice.

Are you watching? Care to make an early call on who will win??

Like you, I am sickened by stories like the lastest on Chelsea King who was murdered by a known violent Sex Offender.

I don't know what is creating these monsters in our society - but it scares me.

A few years ago, when Lara still lived in New York we compared notes. I had three sex offenders in my zip code....I think Lara had 3 on her block in NYC !!! (ok, perhaps I exaggerate, but it was at least 20 in her zip code).

How Many Sex Offenders are in YOUR Zip Code?

Super easy to find out. And easy to send links to your friends also... The reports do say if they are violent or not.

Search the United States Dept of Justice sex offender registry site - it starts with search of name, but request "advanced search" and type in simply your zip code!


Or, each state has registry, and just google "(your state or county) Sex Offender Registry" - and click on only gov't websites (some are scams asking for your info and to send you reports etc etc).