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Evening Open Thread | 234 comments (234 topical)
Let's see (5.00 / 3) (#2)
by andgarden on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:20:14 PM EST
perfect weather here in DC.

Oh, I negotiated my cable bill way down today--and I got more services. So, go me.

Yikes.... (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:27:19 PM EST
were you talking about your cable bill on the other posts?  

[ Parent ]
no (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by andgarden on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:37:46 PM EST
just what was on my mind.

[ Parent ]
The thread opening (5.00 / 1) (#47)
by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:06:37 PM EST
sounded like me when my kids would bug me when I got home from work and had to make them do homework etc and cook  I would throw them in the tv room with  junk food and say, here, go at it.  Enough with all of you.  

Confessions of mommie dearest.  Maybe that is why both my kids still like me and on their own chose Hillary and they don;t hate women of a certain age.  

[ Parent ]

We have similar philosophies (none / 0) (#130)
by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:05:10 PM EST
and guess what? My kids, ages 22 and 18, are also Clinton supporters.

I was a weird hybrid of permissive and strict.  When they would ask me irritating questions, I would always say, "How the h** should I know?"  My son, at the age of 10, did an excellent Forrest Gump impression saying, "My mom always said to me, 'How the h** should I know?'"

Somebody should get a research grant and do a study.

Maybe I'm a bad mom, but I have two good kids.  :)

[ Parent ]

Bad mom club (none / 0) (#140)
by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:15:17 PM EST
We had a bad mom club.  It was great.  Man, the level of micromanagement that was expected and is expected in raising kids--I don't have the stomach for it.  

[ Parent ]
No wonder many of them are so infantile (5.00 / 1) (#144)
by MarkL on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:18:05 PM EST
at 18.

[ Parent ]
it's ridiculous (5.00 / 2) (#160)
by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:33:42 PM EST
and it's probably gotten worse in the 15 years or so since my kids were little.  I raised my kids in the super-liberal, diverse neighborhood of Park Slope, Brooklyn, where parents would say "Maggie doesn't feel like sharing right now" when their kid was being a brat.  My favorite anecdote from back then was when I took my son to a kids' shoe store.  A 2-year-old was pitching a fit and his mom was trying to "reason" with him, saying, "What is the issue here, Elliott?" Needless to say, more screams ensued.  

Like I said, I was not a strict parent. Never hit my kids, I'm not an authoritarian, but I believe that parents should guide the children and not the other way around.

Which one reason why I have contempt for those silly politicians who say they are supporting Obama b/c their kids told them too.  B**, please!  I went to peace marches in the 60's.  I lived thru the Dem Convention in '68, though I was very young.  The most important lesson I've learned in life is to think for yourself and distrust authority.  I hope I've passed that on to my kids.

[ Parent ]

My moment of losing it (none / 0) (#169)
by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:41:34 PM EST
I was PTA president in a public school that was what shall I say, in transition.   One of the new moms thought that recess was a real mess and her son was not getting picked to play in any of the teams by the other kids.  She thought we should have structured recess.  I lost it.  I went off:  your son has and will have every advantage in life and you now want to stack it for him in recess?  The whole idea of recess is that kids get to have 10 minutes of free from adult structure time.  

I always thought it was fine for a kid to fail a class, they learn that it's not the end of the world and that it happens to all of us.  

[ Parent ]

A schoolteacher friend of mine (none / 0) (#178)
by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:58:15 PM EST
had to deal with a parent who wanted the school resources officer to interview other kids she thought were stealing her kid's fried okra at lunch.  When my friend balked, the woman said she would pay for a private detective.

I kid you not.

Hey, them thar flashing ads for books.  Do you guys ever click through on them?  I'm just curious.  I really enjoyed that Linda Fairstein that was advertised a week or so ago.

[ Parent ]

Another Park Sloper (none / 0) (#172)
by honora on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:51:02 PM EST
I was ready to say something mean to MarkL for dissing Stillife and Stellaaa, then Stillife said that she raise her family in Park Slope.  I lived on Carroll Street from birth until 13--it is still my 'spiritual home'. The Brooklyn Dodgers left the month that I was born, I still take it personally.

 This thread makes me sooo homesick, first TJ moving to Brooklyn, now this.  I have to go compose myself.

[ Parent ]

That's so funny! (none / 0) (#190)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:08:16 PM EST
Saw a similar scene in an ice cream place once, where the mom was reading off the list of 20-plus ice cream flavors and asking the toddler which one he wanted.  All the toddler could do in the face of too much information was start to scream and wail.  Poor guy.  He just wanted some ice cream!

Man, you remember how our generation was supposed to have been raised by such "permissive" parents.  LOL!

[ Parent ]

Every time we try and drop Sprint (5.00 / 3) (#9)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:33:54 PM EST
as our cell phone provider they connect us with a "retention specialist" who makes us an offer we can't refuse.

[ Parent ]
does that come with (5.00 / 4) (#25)
by scribe on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:52:51 PM EST
or without the horse's head in your bed?

[ Parent ]
Cleaned out two garden beds (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by suisser on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:35:38 PM EST
planted lettuce. Showed my 10 year-old daughter the "How Dare Hilary" video.  Tried, really, really hard to believe that I still belong in the Democratic Party, didn't work out so well. Sigh...

[ Parent ]
Since you're talking tv (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:42:16 PM EST
Why is it every show I absolutely love gets cancelled or is in danger of being cancelled?

I loved Firefly, cancelled.
I loved the very very short lived Mr. Sterling, cancelled.
I loved Arrested Development, cancelled.

Now I love The Reaper and I'm the only person watching it. Such an interesting cast and storylines. Bad enough I could not watch it for almost three weeks (I had to DVR it)
because it was on at the same time as my greatest addiction LOST.

Now LOST is off till the 24th and I have no idea if Reaper is on, or when it's on. (did I mention it started out on Tuesday nights, went to Wednesday then to Thursday, now I got no clue.)

This sucks.

[ Parent ]

Tuesday Night (5.00 / 1) (#20)
by katiebird on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:48:44 PM EST
9/8

[ Parent ]
So it's still here? (none / 0) (#32)
by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:54:23 PM EST
And it's not on with LOST?

I am so euphoric right now that it should depress me. I should get a life.

I love the guy who plays the devil. He's good. And he acts exactly as I always imagined the devil would.

THANK YOU.

[ Parent ]

Here is a (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by 1jpb on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:53:29 PM EST
synopsis.

Now you have more free time.

[ Parent ]

that was brilliant (none / 0) (#59)
by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:14:32 PM EST
Just about sums up LOST.

[ Parent ]
Even more so for the occasional viewer like me n/t (none / 0) (#101)
by 1jpb on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:39:51 PM EST



[ Parent ]
What? (5.00 / 1) (#30)
by waldenpond on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:54:05 PM EST
No Lost tonight?  cr@p...sigh..........

[ Parent ]
How come Trader Joe (5.00 / 2) (#38)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:59:56 PM EST
discontinues every product I fall in love with and incorporate as a staple in my diet?

[ Parent ]
Trader Joe (5.00 / 1) (#57)
by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:13:02 PM EST
is coming to my Brooklyn neighborhood at some unspecified date this year.  I can't wait!

I haven't shopped there enough to be aware of the discontinued products, but I've had this problem at regular supermarkets.  My daughter and I always joke that whenever "they" find out we like a product - bam! It's discontinued.

I have heard that TJ's products fluctuate a lot due to availability b/c they always try to get the cheapest price.

[ Parent ]

Don't get me started on TJ (none / 0) (#91)
by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:35:05 PM EST
 
Coulombe sold the renamed Trader Joe's in 1979 to the family trust established by Theo Albrecht, and he retired in 1988.
Business Week

Albrecht, who is he?  German billionaire, owns largest Euro/sort of Wall martish chain that has put out of business loads of small shops.  I avoid TJ's.  Sorry, they are predatory.  

[ Parent ]

Oh, noes! (none / 0) (#100)
by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:38:28 PM EST
In my naivete, I thought it was a "nice" company.  Next thing you're gonna tell me is that he's a big contributor to Hope 527.  That would be the final straw!

[ Parent ]
It's a great parallel (none / 0) (#107)
by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:42:32 PM EST
Just as creepy as big corporate others, but they put out a facade of "change", "hope" etc.  they are privately held, so many think it's owned by a hippie guy in LA.  Albrecht is in the top 20 of Forbes richest people.  They have great PR.  

[ Parent ]
Reminds me of Urban Outfitters (none / 0) (#124)
by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:57:05 PM EST
where my daughter shops.  Ex-hippie, turned Repug. Split with his former business partner under rather dubious circumstances, I believe.  She stayed true to the cause and he sold out.

My daughter's a Kucinich-supporting, left-wing feminista, but she likes their clothes.  :(

[ Parent ]

Yes and no (none / 0) (#153)
by facta non verba on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:24:11 PM EST
The Albrecht brothers are indeed very wealthy billionaires, top 10. They own Aldi which operates in Europe and in the United States. German retailing is very price sensitive and the EDLP format that Aldi and Trader Joe's subscribe to in effect keeps prices low. Labour is minimal at both Aldi and TJs. Aldi stores are very small under 5,000 sq feet and generally carry only one brand (usually a private label) or distressed goods (products that for some reason did not meet manufacturers' quality control). Trader Joe's is a little different. It is also EDLP but the stores are much bigger, 25,000 to 50,000 square feet. TJs works with companies to make products that meet a very rigourous quality control.

TJs and Aldi treat their employees well. They receive a raise after one month's service and benefits after 90 days including health and a 401(k). I wouldn't put the Albrechts in the company of Wal-Mart. They are much more progressive.

[ Parent ]

In the sense (none / 0) (#154)
by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:26:22 PM EST
that they put the smaller shops out of business.  Yes, it's the Euro model, but still, large corporate and monolithic.  

[ Parent ]
TJ's employees (none / 0) (#201)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:16:31 PM EST
are unusually well paid, have first-rate benefits and are treated very well by management. It may be a big chain, but they do pretty much everything right by their customers, their employees and their suppliers, as far as I can see.

I used to live within walking distance of where a TJ's moved in, and ended up buying about 80 percent of my groceries from them.

Now I live a 6-hour round trip away from the nearest one, and I make the trip a couple times a year to stock up.

[ Parent ]

When TJ hit town here (none / 0) (#97)
by Cream City on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:38:09 PM EST
I was anticipating it, as a sister-in-law would bring all sorts of goodies from her town's TJ when she came to visit.  But I wanted more tips -- she is not always as adventurous as am I -- so I googled and came up with sites where TJers in other towns talked about the best buys.

Try it and look especially for the discussion site for the original TJ's in San Francisco.  It's hilarious.  That must be a town full of frustrated novelists, as some of the posts went on for eons and veered off into philosophies of life and the like.

[ Parent ]

Original TJs is in Southern California (none / 0) (#102)
by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:39:55 PM EST


[ Parent ]
Be adventurous! (none / 0) (#205)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:20:10 PM EST
The incredibly cool thing about TJ's is they happily refund your money for anything you try and don't happen to like.  Doesn't have to be damaged or spoiled or anything, just if it doesn't meet your taste.

They also have somebody who cooks up stuff from their ingredients to give away generous free samples pretty much every day around lunchtime, and I've ended up buying lots of stuff I would never even have considered because it turned out to be so good.

Best of all, I've found, all their products use good ingredients, so none of them are overloaded with spices and artificial flavorings to conceal a poor basic ingredient.

TJ FOR PRESIDENT!!! (oops, sorry)

[ Parent ]

Ahh yes, TJ anticipation (none / 0) (#214)
by Virginian on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:28:58 PM EST
I know it well

We moved from DC suburbs to Charlottesville, VA (grad school/med school) and have had to dedicate weekends to driving 2 hours north to stock up...but soon one will be opening an hour away......small victory

[ Parent ]

Have you been to the one on 14th street? (none / 0) (#116)
by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:49:38 PM EST
I keep meaning to go for the wine specials  ;)

Where in Brooklyn?

[ Parent ]

Yes I have (none / 0) (#132)
by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:08:35 PM EST
I live in Boerum Hill, near Atlantic Center.  My neighborhood is subway mecca - I'm near most of the subway lines.  It's not a big deal to go from my house to Union Square on the 4 train, but still it's a schlep carrying shopping bags.

There will be no wine at the store in Brooklyn.  :(  Stupid New York blue laws.

[ Parent ]

P.S. (none / 0) (#133)
by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:09:45 PM EST
Probably in answer to your question, the new TJ's will be at Atlantic and Court which is an excellent location for me - I work on Court Street, so it's on the way home.  

[ Parent ]
Thanks, good to know. (none / 0) (#149)
by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:21:04 PM EST
I'm over in Williamsburg, so 14th is a hop skip. Lucky you that it will be on your way home! I pop over that way on occasion. Prob more often this summer, so I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

[ Parent ]
10-4!!!! (none / 0) (#51)
by andgarden on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:09:37 PM EST
They had this amazing lemongrass chicken rice bowl that hasn't appeared in my TJ for more than a year. I still look for it. ::sniffle::

[ Parent ]
I looooove that soup (none / 0) (#92)
by Cream City on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:35:20 PM EST
and now you worry me.  I could get it at my TJ's until recently, but it wasn't there this week.

Ditto my TJ's chicken shumai, mmmmm.

I think I'm gonna have to hit my local Asian stores again.  Btw, if you have a Noodles nearby, I rec the Thai curry soup, too.  Spicier, though -- good for clearing sinuses in this hay fever season, achoooo.

[ Parent ]

Was it TJ brand? (none / 0) (#112)
by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:47:36 PM EST
They said last summer/fall they would no longer use imported ingredients from China in their products. It was supposed to be phased out by the first of the year iirc.

They were one of the few responsible companies during the pet food recall and stayed on top of things throught out the recalls etc.

[ Parent ]

Yeah, the Chinese (none / 0) (#195)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:11:59 PM EST
ingredient thing is probably what's going on.  Knowing TJ, though, they're likely to eventually come through with non-Chinese makers for the same or similar products if they were popular.  I'm sure that fabulous frozen vegetable tempura is from China, so that's probably gone too. (sob)

[ Parent ]
They were reacting to the customers (none / 0) (#209)
by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:23:24 PM EST
which I like. There was a lot of concern about the imports. Some of us made the mistake of following the refusal lists on the FDA site. OY! We should really be supplying more of our base ingredients. And adopt regs closer to the EU.

They may end up doing some local sourcing. I know that is encouraged here. And while it's more expensive, people are waking up and willing to adjust a bit when it comes to food. Especially if crap food is getting expensive.

[ Parent ]

But, TJs has the BEST (none / 0) (#217)
by suisser on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:39:11 PM EST
reusable grocery bags. They have turned me into a careless, non- pontificating user of myown bags.  Sort of becomes a non-issue when the bags work.
They make it easy to "just do it".

[ Parent ]
discontinues every product I fall in love with (none / 0) (#234)
by BarnBabe on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 11:04:31 PM EST
OK, not food related. But I am a blond. But I need to enhance it and every time I find the right shade of Light Ash Blond, they discontinue it and offer a new product. That ones drives me nuts. No Trader Joe's near here in PA, but I use to go there all the time in San Diego. Loved that store.

[ Parent ]
I thought (5.00 / 1) (#73)
by cloudy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:25:30 PM EST
I was the only person who loved Firefly!  I think it had potential to be Whedon's best show.

[ Parent ]
I was never into Buffy (5.00 / 1) (#83)
by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:29:45 PM EST
it was always Firefly for me.  I loved how sassy Kaylee was.

[ Parent ]
Buffy (none / 0) (#103)
by cloudy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:40:24 PM EST
is my favorite show of all time.  I seriously went on a TV hiatus after it went off the air I was so depressed (except to watch other Joss shows).  But I do think Firefly had the potential to be better.  Joss needs a new show.  

[ Parent ]
I think Buffy started really well, cause I loved (none / 0) (#120)
by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:53:59 PM EST
it but by the end it was so much, allcrammed into an episode. I watched dutifully. I agree that Firefly would have been better though. Great premise, loved River, Kaylee was so naive and honest, such a contrast to a prostitute and mercenaries. Great Cast.

[ Parent ]
I bought the series on dvd (none / 0) (#106)
by countme on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:41:44 PM EST


[ Parent ]
me too and the movie "Serenity". (none / 0) (#127)
by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:01:23 PM EST


[ Parent ]
Ditto. I love the language the writers used. (5.00 / 1) (#129)
by countme on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:04:35 PM EST


[ Parent ]
Everything got all messed up (none / 0) (#27)
by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:53:32 PM EST
due to the writers' strike.  I'm pretty sure I heard that "Reaper" is coming back.  I'm impatiently waiting for "Supernatural" to come back (two more weeks!)  One of my favorite new shows, "Life", has been cancelled but I'm happy that "Friday Night Lights", which was on the chopping block, will be coming back next year.

My problem is not so much with cancelled shows but the writers always kill off my favorite characters.  I still miss Boone on "LOST" and Lem on "The Shield".

[ Parent ]

Life got picked up for next year! (none / 0) (#187)
by eleanora on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:05:23 PM EST
I love that show too. Charlie, Dani and Ted are three of my favorite characters ever, so smart and non-cliche.

They opted not to do more shows this season post-strike, but it'll be back in the fall. Unfortunately, they are moving it to the Friday night death slot, though :\

[ Parent ]

Oh, no you are not! (none / 0) (#29)
by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:54:01 PM EST
I love Reaper!  It's back on April 22nd.  I love the Devil!  And the demons next door are a welcome addition to the show.  I have to know what page was torn out of the contract.  I think it's something to do with Andi and true love and how to release his soul.

Also enjoying Canterbury's Law, which just got interesting so I'm sure they'll cut it soon (the law stuff is so crap, but I love Julianna Marguelese even though I can't spell her name)

And of course Battlestar rocks (but I miss Firefly, too--only the crazy sister is a terminator on Sarah Connor Chronicles, so I'm not so sad anymore)

I think that Lost is in reruns just to kill me.

I am Kathy, and I am addicted to TV and I am not ashamed.

[ Parent ]

It's so nice I'm not the only one (none / 0) (#53)
by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:10:37 PM EST
Now just maybe it'll be on for a while. And I totally agree about the Devil and the demons next door. Not to mention Gladys at the DMV. I have a theory about the page, the devil is Sam's father.

That's what I love about the show, it's original and fun. The total opposite of the wild mind numbing ride LOST takes me on (Though I think Lost has brought my intelligence up a few notches). Like Still up above, I hate that they kill off characters to bring more drama. Can't they find another way?

I watch few other things diligently I must admit. Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters (usually the weekend shows). Torchwood too, just got into it a few weeks ago.

And there's this new show on Wealth TV called Let's Shop, with Cheryll Gillespie, it is really fun.

I'm a TV junkie too.


[ Parent ]

I loved Julianna Margulies on ER (none / 0) (#168)
by Anne on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:41:13 PM EST
and have been really liking Canterbury's Law because she's on it.

Happened to see one of the old ER episodes recently - when Clooney was part of the cast.  Made me realize that the current (and maybe the last 3 or 4 seasons) season is just nothing like those earlier seasons.

Hey - is anyone else shocked that Michael Johns got booted off American Idol tonight?  I thought for sure he would be one of the last three standing.  Really, I was taken aback by it.  Big mistake.

[ Parent ]

Evening Open Thread | 234 comments (234 topical)

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