Rat Man wrote on Sep 21^st, 2023 at 4:48pm:

I'm with you there.  For whiskey (or whisky ) I usually do neat or an ice cube just to chill it a bit and tone down the flavor with a little water.  I usually pull the cube out before it's melted though.

Anything else (like vodka, rum, or gin) I'll mix.  I actually just had a gin and ginger ale for the first time in my life last weekend.  Just one of those things I never tried.

Everyone knows by now that stupid commercials annoy the fudge out of me.  Here's Jersey Mike's.  Their claim to fame is that their meats are sliced "fresh" right in front of you.  In the first place, every deli I've ever bought from in my entire life has sliced the cold cuts when ordered.  Secondly,  how does slicing something in front of you prove it's fresh? That hunk of meat could have been sitting in the display case for nine months for all you know.  DUH!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzfhvO-2MP4

Speaking of inane commercials, here's Cascade's "dare to dish differently" commercial.  Here they twist their premise that running your dishwasher uses less water and energy than hand washing into sounding like running your dishwasher half full is somehow more economical. 
    Running your dishwasher when it's half full will use twice the water and energy as running it when it's full.  DUH!  They're not interested in conserving anything.  They're interested in selling you twice as much Cascade. 
    The sad thing is that across America there are probably countless millions of brainless morons who now run their dishwasher half full and believe they're somehow saving money by daring to dish differently. 
     I hate stupid commercials. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W522p9vLjHI

What you need is a nice chocolate porter or stout.  One that's really chocolaty.  Then drop yourself a shot of that whiskey in and you've got a chocolate-peanut butter boilermaker!

I did that once with a caramel whiskey.  It tasted pretty awesome.  Definitely tasted way better than it had any right to.

   Yes, this has already been mentioned.  But it's a biggie.  Christmas commercials.  On their own they're obnoxious enough.  But starting them three weeks before Thanksgiving is over the top.  There really should be a law against it... no damned Christmas before Thanksgiving under penalty of beheading.  I'll bet 90% of America would vote for that.  So far I've heard Amazon and iphone Christmas commercials.  The onslaught begins.

Holidays are just too commercialized nowadays.

Pee pads:
Say you just got a new puppy.  One of the first things you'll want to do is housebreak him, for obvious reasons.  Including my current crew I've had eleven dogs so I know about housebreaking them.  Though some dogs are more stubborn than others it's usually not that difficult a process.  Take the pup outside MANY times a day. When he does his business outside praise him lavishly.  When he goes in the house it's not necessary to rub his nose in it and hit him.  That's the old way.  Show him the spot where he went and let him know verbally that you're displeased.  Then immediately take him outside.  When he first wakes up in the morning get him outside quickly.  If he looks like he's even thinking about going then get him outside.  In the beginning you'll be taking him out dozens of times a day.  Dogs are generally smart.  He'll pick it up in a few days.  There will be a few missteps but he'll quickly get it.
     I don't understand pee pads.  I think their use is insane, yet many people use them.  By using them you're telling your pup that it's OK to go inside while you're trying to teach him to never go inside.  What am I missing?

   Vicks Pure Zzzs.  Why bother with bedtime stories or songs.  Why bother parenting at all.  Just give your children drugs every night of their lives to get them to sleep. 
    Vicks will defend themselves by saying that Melatonin isn't a drug.  Below is the dictionary definition of a drug.  Melatonin IS MOST DEFINITELY A DRUG.  "Well, it's all natural!"  So is opium.  Please don't drug your children to get them to sleep.