Pi’s Room

Posted on March 7, 2012 | 3 comments

Did you just get home?


Until yesterday I have been ashamed of the condition of the upstairs guest room. But after receiving an email from my San Diego cousin with photos showing the destruction some pets do while their owners are away, I decided my cat’s efforts (see photo) are worth a blog post. They represent months of work and, in my view, surpass many of the messes attributed in the photos to a series of guilty-looking dogs and one pair of large tri-colored cats.
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Posted in Home, Pi

Tallbucks

Posted on March 3, 2012 | 5 comments

Are they building a venti?


Do we really need another coffee place on Kitsap Way in Bremerton? That was my first thought when I read that a Starbucks will be located in the Walgreens parking lot at the intersection of Kitsap Way and National Avenue. As the new building began to take shape this week (see photo), another question arose: does it need to be so tall?
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Posted in Business Beat

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Market Price

Posted on March 1, 2012 | 2 comments

This sign can be simplified.


The Mud Bay blog should know better than to make predictions or write about a trend. In Springing Ahead I observed that the slow torture of steadily climbing gas prices started early this year. Forget slow torture. This year it’s more like waterboarding. The price for a gallon of regular hit 4 bucks today at my local Shell station (see photo)—up 46 cents per gallon since February 11th.

The oil companies ignored my earlier suggestion about just making one big price increase in mid-April. That’s OK as I’m offering a new suggestion to save them some work. Instead of posting a new price every couple of days why not just put “Market Price” on the sign? That’s what some seafood restaurants do when they don’t want to reprint the menu every time the price for lobster or fresh fish changes. I mean, at this point do you really care what the sign says? The tank of gas you buy today is going on a credit card. By the time you get your next statement, today’s price could well be a bargain.

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Posted in Business Beat, Economy

Cheeseburger Deal

Posted on February 24, 2012 | 4 comments

Almost a free lunch


The coupon (see illustration) came in the mail this week with a pile of advertising circulars. “This can’t be right,” I thought, “Surely it’s the drink that’s free and not the sandwich.” I stand corrected. After all, who am I to questions “Jack”? In fast food circles many consider him to be a marketing and culinary genius.
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Posted in Business Beat

Dancing Man in Silverdale

Posted on February 20, 2012 | 3 comments

Just in time for President’s Day


First Silverdale took much of Bremerton’s retail business away. Now they are copying our advertising ideas. Today I noticed a new dancing man (see photo) boogying for business in front of Mattress Depot on Silverdale Way across from Arby’s. Judging by the dancing man’s enthusiastic moves and the like-new condition of his svelte balloon body, I don’t think he’s been on the job for long.

Silverdale is by far the biggest retail center in Kitsap County. And it’s growing. But a business needs to do more than just open its doors there to make money. With at least three other mattress stores in Silverdale—one of which advertises itself with a giant cow—Mattress Depot has plenty of competition. Plus it’s in a retail sector where success is based almost entirely on marketing. The dancing man is going to attract the attention of some passing motorists. Whether they will return later for a mattress upgrade is another question.

For the record I bought my last new mattress at Arnold’s Home Furnishings in Bremerton. A dancing man was not involved. You would probably see the pope in a tank top before you saw a dancing man at Arnold’s.

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Posted in Business Beat, Other Local Places

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Springing Ahead

Posted on February 17, 2012 | 3 comments

A price that's oh so 6 days ago


Officially, spring isn’t due in rainy Western Washington for more than a month, but you might think it is already here if your only data point is the cost to fill your gas tank. Along with all of the welcome things that are coming soon like longer days and warmer weather, there’s the slow torture of steadily climbing gas prices. My local Shell station (see photo), starting a bit early this year, hiked its prices four times this week. As of today, it is charging $3.619 for a gallon of regular, up $.08 since last Saturday.
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Posted in Business Beat, Economy

Senator Sheldon’s Legislative Survey

Posted on February 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

Late and out-of-date


Senator Tim Sheldon (Democrat-Potlatch) represents Washington’s 35th legislative district in the state senate. He’s also holds a full-time elected post as a Mason County Commissioner. The legislative survey from Senator Sheldon that I got in the mail yesterday made me wonder if he is on top of things.
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Posted in Government

Super Bowl Luck

Posted on February 6, 2012 | Leave a comment

Luck had nothing to do with New York’s 21-17 victory over New England in yesterday’s Super Bowl unless you count the Mud Bay Blog’s coin flip, which correctly predicted the game’s winner. Instead, this post is about the off-the-charts results in the Super Bowl numbers pool a friend of mine runs every year.
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Posted in Sports

Patriots or Giants?

Posted on February 4, 2012 | 2 comments

This year’s Super Bowl quiz consists of one question:

Which team will win Super Bowl XLVI?
A. New England Patriots
B. New York Giants
C. I don’t know
D. It doesn’t matter

Let’s try to find the answer.
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Posted in Sports

North Shore Art

Posted on January 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

Taxi!


There’s always something interesting to see at the corner of Beck and North Shore Roads in Belfair. For one thing the owner is a car collector so in good weather you can usually catch a glimpse of some of the vehicles in his collection, which includes a beautiful 1955 Ford Crown Victoria. But old cars aren’t the only decorations in the big yard that’s across the street from Belfair State Park. On my bike ride today I noticed a new metal sculpture (see photo). It wasn’t named, so let’s go with “Balancing Act.” The torso is fashioned from an old water heater. The statue’s hard noggin looks familiar, but I can’t place it.

There’s another sculpture after the jump.
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Posted in Other Local Places

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