Two Stock Stars

Two of the best performing stocks over the past week and for the past several months for that matter are Halliburton (HAL)and Apple (AAPL). The third star would be Schlumburger (SLB).

As long as Apple continues to make the best products and produce the best TV commercials they will be a stock winner. As long as the middle east and the Arab countries are unsettled oil will stay over $100 per barrel and companies like Halliburton and Schlumburger will continue to thrive.

Hand Crafted

have you noticed how so many things nowadays make the claim to "hand crafted." Now, don't get me wrong, I think "hand crafted" is good for a lot of things. But, in reality, I think there are a lot of things that don't make one iota's worth of difference.

Now, if you are talking about furniture or a piece of art hand crafted is way cool. I can really appreciate that. Sewing and quilting is great for being hand crafted.

But I think the term wears a little thin when we start talking about sandwiches, sundaes, and coffee all being "hand crafted." For crying out loud, even McDonald's sandwiches are hand crafted. That doesn't mean they are tasty (although everything tastes like something). In fact, I'd like to see them make a sandwich without using their hands. Starbucks has a tea that is "hand shaken." I thought shaking hands was reserved for church. Anyway, does shaking the tea by hand make it taste better than shaking it in a paint shaker? really, how else are they going to shake it?

The other day I saw a sign for "hand crafted crepes." We have "hand crafted lattes". I was at a cafe where they had "hand crafted burgers." Isn't it amazing that they have to use their hands to install the lettuce and onion then put the top of the bun on and spear it with a toothpick?

Now my question is this: with all this hand crafted food they are making now, do they wash their hands before they make it? Do they wear those plastic gloves? Can it be like the Subway we went to where the guy blew real hard to open the gloves he was going to wear? That was appetizing. Are these the same hands that they wipe their nose with just before they make my sandwich?

I sure wish we could save hand crafted for our hobbies.

Excuse me now while I finish my hand crafted coffee.

Well, Folks, I was Right.

Well, folks, I was right! I knew we would have a problem fining a place to put our $15 roll of paper towels. It has official (maybe unofficially) land on our plant stand in the TV room. I even caught Audrey taking pictures of it there. She laid the corner back so neatly. I suppose she wanted it to have a good pose. I wonder if she will post the photo.

I have a great idea for it: print a smiley face on in and set it above the soffit above the kitchen sink so it can smile on all who enter the house. We're already doing dishes with those towels. I wonder what's next. I know for sure that bounty won't be getting our business for a while. :)

What Are These?

Audrey is on a vacation visiting her brother for his 40th wedding anniversary. This item isn't about her vacation or the anniversary but about a photo she sent me of some of her relatives in a store. It's actually not about the relatives either but about what they had in their shopping cart. I'm told that they are paper towels. But if they are, two rolls of paper towels filled the shipping cart.... the other two rolls stacked on top would have filled another cart. They look like they could be used for aisle runners for a wedding. Maybe 10 weddings per roll.

The questions I have is: 1) Where are we going to keep them? They are a little big for our paper towel dispenser. 2) What are we going to use them for? Baby blankets? 3) What possessed all these relatives to buy them? and, 4) Did they have room in their cars for luggage?.... you, know, the things people actually use?

I have one final observation: Americans must have way too much money.

I have one final ugly question: Are these actually giant rolls of toilet paper?

With that I'll finish my coffee and go to work.