Saturday, February 23, 2008

Another Reason Why You Should Only Eat Humanely Raised Meat

I was just reading (or rather trying to read about - it's a horrible story) about the recent beef recall. Really - if you can watch this video: without tearing up and still have an appetite for anything other than grassfed, humanely raised beef (or any other kind of meat) you're one tough cookie. You know what they say, 'garbage in, garbage out.' But besides us, what about these cows. It's shocking that anyone could treat animals that are in such bad shape so cruelly.

Next time you're in the supermarket remember the choice is yours - Niman Ranch, Prather Ranch (etc) - OR mass produced, inhumane, sick, abused but yes, cheap beef.

Monday, February 11, 2008

It's Time to Consider Refinancing

We chose an ARM type mortgage when we bought our house a couple of years ago because our mortgage banker kept saying, 'no one keeps these mortgages for 30 years any more, you'll be paying too much for a 30 year fixed.' Maybe that's true in some cases, but we do want to keep our house and we don't want to get stuck paying more than we're paying now for the monthly payments.

One thing that's definite - mortgage rates are going down. It's the perfect time for California Refinance to lock into historically low rates. I am looking at DollarBlvd because they offer 5 free comparison quotes at no obligation. And right now they have special deals for California residents. It will give us a better idea of what our options are.

this post sponsored by: dollarblvd.com

The Slowest Tacos in the West

We were on our way back from Tahoe the other day and ended up stopping at Grass Valley for a something to eat - something fast because we wanted to get home. The first thing we saw on Main street was a tacqueria - perfect!

Things went downhill from there. All my best efforts could not get the attention of the waitress. We ended up grabbing some menus and seating ourselves at one of the dirty tables. While perusing the menu I had time to survey the restaurant and realize how dire things really were. Even though there were only about 12 people in the restaurant, no one seemed to be getting any service - or food. A couple of people who had been waiting for food-to-go, finally left empty handed. The three people at the table across from us looked like they were sharpening their plastic knives in preparation for a revolt.

Finally the waitress arrived to take our order. 'We're in a hurry,' we told her. 'It's going to take awhile,' she advised us, 'some people have been waiting 20 minutes.' The optimist in me took hold and I went ahead and placed an order. I mean really, how long can it take for a couple of tacos?

A couple of bowls of chips and 20 minutes later we received a status report that it might be another 20 minutes. The odd plate of food was arriving at tables here and there - nothing together. One person at the table was eating while the others looked hungrily on. The waitress herself seemed to be advising us to bail and if we did she wouldn't even charge us for the coke.

We did and spent part of the drive back wondering - what was going on in that kitchen? Two cooks in the kitchen, yet no food seemed to ever appear? Mysterious.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Want to Lower Your Auto Insurance?

Looking for a better rate on your auto insurance? If you think you might be paying too much with your current policy and want to drive insurance lower, check out Cost U Less Insurance. Cost U Less is an insurance broker with a focus on cheap rates. They've been around since 1980 and are currently expanding their California presence. They already have 70 locations state wide, with ten locations in Southern California (serving cities in and around Anaheim, Palmdale, Long Beach, Whittier, Pomona, Torrance, Santa Ana, San Bernardino, Victorville, Tarzana and Lancaster).

No time to for an in person visit to their office? You can also reach them via their toll free number: 1-888-884-4443, or visit their web site, where you can email them, request an online insurance quote or chat live with a customer service representative.

There are many factors that can put you in a higher insurance bracket, such as the number of accidents you've had, your age, your zip code, the car you drive and so on, so sometimes it’s helpful to discuss your situation with an insurance professional. And what better company to talk to than one that says their aim is to get you the lowest rate possible on your auto insurance.


this post sponsored by: costulessins.com

I'll Miss This Crazy Building

According the SF Chronicle, the Hugo Hotel, that 'decrepit landmark on Sixth street' is enjoying its last moments. Redevelopment plans are underway. I know this area of the city can use all the help it can get but I'll miss the inside out look of that building with all its Dr Suess furnishings stuck to the outside.