I mentioned on the air a website where you can find the "code" to key in to save some money when you shop online…

retailmenot.com

you can also check

currentcodes.com

keycode.com

The new TV season is underway…and my DVR is working overtime…
Dancing with the Stars
Desperate Housewives…and
Dexter…

I love Michael C. Hall…

I watched the season premiere of Showtimes "Dexter"  It’s gonna be another year of cat and mouse for Dexter with the brilliant Jimmy Smits on board with a major role in this years cast…hmmm, the clot thickens!

Is told in photos…I finally got thru them all and have a Comcast Snapfish slideshow for you…

Laurie’s Italy Trip 2008

Monday morning trivia on KOIT:

             We walked into the grand ballroom of the Ritz Carlton hotel.   Wow……what a crowd.  And what a wonderful cause.  A wine tasting and auction  to raise money to help find a cure for two painful diseases…..Chrohns and Colitis; two illnesses that affect millions of Americans.
          One of the first people we saw was Koit’s own Sherry Brown, our talented news director, and the vice president of the Chrohn’s  disease and Ulcerative Colitis foundation.  She was beaming.  The evening had "success" written all over it.
               Joy and I took a stroll around the ballroom.   There were wine tastings from most of the Bay Areas leading vintners.   And food.  Lots of buffet style goodies.   Joy and I bumped into my boss, the revered "silver fox."  He  had bid on a couple of items and was checking them out.  We decided to get into the silent auction mode.  We bid on a couple of weekend trips, and a dental treatment  from a San Francisco dentist.   And then we got some munchies and sat at a table, and were enjoying the music from the live quartet.

Your’s truly, Joy David, Dr. Heejay Chung, and Luci Figueroa
 

                 Two ladies asked  if they could join us.  There were introductions all around.  The charming women were Dr. Heejay Chung, and her assistant Luci Figueroa.  They had donated a dental procedure.
Hmmmmm.  Yes, it was the same dentist.  We told them that if we were the high bidder, they would be seeing us again.    And, yes, when the bidding ended, we checked, and we-in fact-were the high bidders. There were high fives all around.
             All in all, it was a huge success.  Congratulations to Sherry and everyone associated with the "Chrohns and Colitis" foundation for a wonderful evening.
                

Friday morning trivia on KOIT:

This is the big weekend for the opening of the new California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. Saturday’s the big day. Traffic and parking might be a hassle, so your best bet will be public transit. Click here  for transit info. I visited there a couple of weeks ago, and it is awesome!  Much of what you remember from the old Academy, plus lots of new features and a new environment will make your visit a completely new experience.

Across the bay Berkeley will strut its stuff. The tree sitters are gone, but there’s still plenty things to be Berkeley about, so enjoy the 13th annual "How Berkeley Can You Be?" parade and festival on Sunday. Last year 90 organizations participated. The parade starts at 11 at California and University. The festival starts at noon at Civic Center Park. Click here for info, and have a wonderful weekend!

My 11 year old’s math is more complicated than this…

I didn’t write this, it came to me as an email from a friend…and I can see the logic amongst the chaos!

I’m having a hard time with the $85 BILLION bailout of AIG.  
 
Instead,  I’m in favor of giving 85 Billion dollars to America in a ‘We  Deserve It’ dividend.  
 
To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200 million bona fide U.S. citizens, aged 18+.

Our population is about 301 million counting every man, woman, and child. 
 
So, 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.  
 
Now, divide 200 million, 18+ adults into $85 billion – that equals $425,000.00 each!   
 
Yes, this plan is to give that $425,000 to every adult as a ‘We Deserve It’  dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free.

So, let’s assume a tax rate of  30%. Everyone would pay $127,500.00 in taxes.  
 
That  sends $25.5 billion right back to Uncle Sam! It also means that  every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.  
 
 A  husband and wife would have  $595,000.00!

What  would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00?
·         Pay off  your mortgage – housing crisis solved
·         Repay  college loans – what a great boost to new grads
·         Put away  money for college – it’ll really be there
·         Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs
·         Buy a  new car – create jobs
·         Invest  in the market – capital drives growth
·         Pay for your parent’s medical insurance – health care improves

Remember – this is for every adult US. citizen, 18 and older  (including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehmann Brothers and every other company that is cutting back) and of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.
 
If we’re  going to do an $85 billion bailout, let’s bail out every adult U.S. citizen!!

As for  AIG – liquidate it.
·         Sell off  its parts.
·         Let American General go back to being American  General.
·         Sell off the real estate.
·         Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.  

We  deserve the money and AIG doesn’t.

Sure  it’s a crazy idea, but can you imagine the resurgence in faith in America?

How do you spell Economic Boom?  W-e   D-e-s-e-r-v-e  I-t   d-i-v-i-d-e-n-d!  
 
And  remember, The plan only really costs $59.5 billion – because $25.5 billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

 .

and still fending off jet lag and allergies…maybe it’s because there is no cigarette smoke here in the Bay Area, or at least not like there is in Italy…that was a surprising realization. 

I apologize for not blogging while I was gone, but my wi-fi internet connection was sketchy at best, so I gave up after the 2nd day.  But I did take plenty of pictures…

I’ve been sifting through all my photos, all 642 of them and trying to write captions for a quick photo re-cap of my amazing trip to Rome, Ischia and Florence…stay tuned as we say….I’ll have the link up in a day or so…PROMISE.

(Where’s Waldo?)

So I come back home to give away money…how nice is that?!

The "KOIT $25,000 Workday payday song" is back! 
I feel like it’s Christmas everyday where I can put $1000 in your pocket…and in these uncertain times, a thousand dollars or even $25K can really make a difference…I hope you’re on the other end of the phone when I give the money away. I wish I could make you all winners! 

What’s on my radar?  The new season of "Dancing with the Stars, "
the political race, stock market, the economy, the beautiful weather here in the Bay Area, and walking…
I was doing 15+ miles away when I was wandering the streets of Rome – I would like to maintain something healthy from my gelato filled vacation!

Wednesday Morning Food Trivia on KOIT

Clowns. Have you noticed that people either love them, or are frightened to death by them? The San Francisco Clown Conservatory Class of 2008 is engaged in a PR blitz that they hope will make clown lovers of us all. First of all, yes, there IS a San Francisco Clown Conservatory. I think that’s the group that broke a record recently by stuffing 121 clowns into a BART car. Well the SFCC wanted to raise some dough (bread again) for charity. Here’s their idea: A 2009 Naked Clown Calendar. Before you run away screaming, please know that the,um, sensitive parts will be covered up by things like pies and top hats, so rated G this calendar will be. Proceeds will benefit the Judy Finelli Fund. Judy’s a life long clown, a co-founder of the San Francisco School for Circus Arts. In 1989 she was diagnosed with MS, and is now quadriplegic. The Judy Finelli Fund works with the MS Foundation, and provides scholarships to people with MS who want to five circus arts a try. Go here if you’d like to buy. I think i’s a great idea.

Today’s trivia on KOIT – a celebrity quote

This mornings trivia on KOIT