Do You Really Need It?

Wanda and I saw a TV ad over the week end for a rent to own Internet company. It's set up listing weekly rental rates for electronics, jewelry and housewares. After three months the products can be returned. For ownership the rentals are one year.

A new I-Pad, the rent option is $317.00 and the purchase option is $1237.00. An HP lap top for rent is $449.00 and purchase $1809.00. 

A fool and his money are soon parted. I understand wanting what the other guy has. I think it's sad the people who have the least, pay the most. 

We had a nice week end. Saturday Wanda and I went to our local Holiday Parade. It was a nice sunny day and the turnout was decent. We're trying to do our part in support of Pittsburg (no H) California. Our downtown has a lot to offer after all the recent renovation.

Yesterday was Wanda's birthday. We went to the new, and very nice, Maya Theater, for an all day and evening showing of "The Lord Of The Rings" trilogy. The first film started at 11:30 AM, the second ended at 7:00 PM. It was a work night so we passed on the third. Maybe tonight we'll pop the disk in? 

Ever hear of the very expensive Kopi Luwak coffee? An animal called the civit eats and excretes coffee beans. Once the beans are passed and processed the coffee is said to be delicious. One of the reasons the coffee is so expensive is the limited ability of the civit. The animal is very small.

Now comes, elephant dung coffee. 

A herd of elephants is being used to produce some of the world's most expensive coffee.

The exotic new brew, trumpeted as earthy in flavour and smooth on the palate, is made from beans eaten by a herd of 20 Thai elephants and plucked a day later from their dung.

A gut reaction inside the elephant creates what the founder of Black Ivory Coffee calls the coffee's unique taste.

"When an elephant eats coffee, its stomach acid breaks down the protein found in coffee, which is a key factor in bitterness. You end up with a cup that's very smooth without the bitterness of regular coffee. My theory is that a natural fermentation process takes place in the elephant's gut," said the company owner who has invested 190,000 pounds (money, not dung) in the process. That fermentation imparts flavors you wouldn't get from other coffees."

I do have a gold Starbucks card but I'll stick to house blend, thank you.

Sometimes even Wanda mis-hears things. While watching the morning weather last Thursday,

They said, "Expect heavy areas of Tule Fog."

She heard, Expect heavy areas of Patchouli Fog.

Tule fog is a thick ground fog that forms in our area of California. Patchouli fog is a thick scent that forms in the Berkeley air here in California. During the 60's you couldn't walk ten feet without smelling Patchouli oil.

But, it's almost always my ears that don't work.

She said, "Peppermint tooth powder."

He heard, Pyramid tour pamphlets.

On our way to Cairo?

She said, "Tell me your day in sequence."

He heard, Tell me your day in sequins.

OK, so maybe I wear a dress and heels every once in a while, so what!

She said, "We dropped off a toy at Lumpy's." (a diner near home)

He heard, We dropped off a toilet monkey. (that's what I heard!)

Will somebody get me a burger and a coffee?