I think my mother's slow cooker never worked. We used it a few times, but instead of slow like "Roast cooked all day!" we got slow like "Slowly, the Cretaceous period ended," it must have been defective.

My last crockpot was "slow? how about well-done?".

I thought that if you ordered something from a retailer that did not have a physical location in your state, you were not charged tax. I was going to order the printer, but if they are charging me tax, I might as well just get it from the store.

I think that may have recently changed? i am vaguely remembering hearing some news about that, though I also vaguely think it was a state by state thing.

t /vague-ing it up

I don't think the rule per se has changed, but I think many states have tightened their rules on what constitutes "out of state". If you have any business tie to the state even a weak one, other than selling to the state you have to pay sales tax. Why Amazon cut the affilate link.

In truth I see no reason internet and mail order should be exempt from sales tax. Either you have a real advantage over local business that make up for shipping costs or why should you be subsidized by being exempt from a tax local businesses have to pay. An argument could be made for revenue being directed to the state where the business is located, but not for not paying anything.

Right now if Amazon sells outside Washington State neither Washinging State nor the state where the book is bought gets the revenue. "I might as well buy local" is the point of the change.

Vortex, I ordered job search business cards from VistaPrint, and they have been a hit. Interviewers have been very impressed, as well as folks I've been networking with. I'm sending you front and back pics via SMS.

I included my name, address, email, cell, LinkedIn profile address, and professional twitter handle on the front. On the back, I put my tagline, and repeated my LinkedIn profile addy in smaller print. Spring for the heavier paper. It's totally worth it.

I also ordered a second set without the LinkedIn profile info, to use in non-job search situations. They've come in handy too.

One tip I'd offer about Vistaprint...I totally agree with the recommendation of the heavier paper but I'd warn you off the glossy coating. It looks great, but ensures that no notes can be made on the card.

I used the glossy coating for my first set of doggy lama cards and immediately regretted it. No pen can defeat it!

bonny, did you get my rambly voicemail yesterday?

I did! No worries, no hurries.

OMG, if those bread things are like the cheesy bread balls at the Brazilian carnivore heaven restaurant, where they bring you skewers of meat, I'm not sure if I'm thrilled or horrified that I've found a recipe.

figure out how to shore up a bldg so it won't fall on us while we're taking it apart so we can salvage the wood and sell it.

Oh, yes. I've heard too many stories recently about people thinking "I'd love to sell those pipes that are holding up that large tank, I think I'll get some wrenches and some friends and start disassembling it." And then they get all annoyed because the tank falls on them when they take out the support pillars.

Well, taking it apart top down is a basic rule (as is last on, first off) but this house is. But unsound in places. Like, the back wall is coming off, but there's a middle wall that is likely structural, so the back wall isn't taking too much load.