Giving Thanks

I suppose that I could be described as easily (insert choice of word)  entertained/impressed/amused/mollified/etc. but I thought I would share my own little mix of things to be thankful for this year. 

There are all the usual blessings – health, family, just enough income to live in reasonable comfort – but this year, I’m also thankful for Black and Decker, Google Street View, and Dancing with the stars.  Here’s why:

After having a coffee pot like the one above for almost a year, and dribbling coffee every time I used it, I finally emailed the company.

Date of Contact	11/5/2010
Model Number	CM1010B
Date Code	939X0
Comments:
I have enjoyed having your CM1010B coffee maker. It works well, and I am generally satisfied. HOWEVER, it has the most poorly-designed carafe of any model, yours or others, that I have ever used! It is IMPOSSIBLE to pour a cup of coffee without dribbling some on the counter/table/floor. I have to pour my coffee over the sink!

I was amazed when they wrote back

Thank you for contacting Applica Consumer Products, Inc. We value you as a customer and appreciate your patronage.

A replacement order for part number:   CM1010B CARAFE  has been issued on order number:  07 719774                  

Your part is currently In Stock ______X____ Out of Stock __________. Please allow up to 10 days for all in stock items to arrive. Out of stock items will be placed on order and shipped upon arrival in our warehouse.

If we can be of any further assistance, we ask that you please contact our Consumer Service Department at 1-800-231-9786. Our hours of operation are Monday thru Friday from 8:30am ET to 8:00pm ET. You can also elect to e-mail us at applicaconsumeraffairs@fox-international.com, or you can go to http://www.prodprotect.com and fill out a contact form. A representative will be happy to assist you.

 and I was even more amazed when the new carafe (which looks exactly like the old one) didn’t dribble a drop!

I’m thankful for Google Street View because they keep coming up with shots that seem to show dead bodies in the streets of South America and this naked guy in the trunk of a car in Mannheim Germany.

German laws allow residents to demand that views of their property be blurred if they wish. Someone who shares the building with Google’s German headquarters requested, so Google had to blur the shots of their own building. 

And finally, I’m grateful that after being wrong most of the season, Dancing With the Stars got it right last night.

Bristol Palin, who should have been gone weeks ago, was finally declared the worst of the three remaining contestants.  She displayed more grace in her one minute loser’s interview than she did in all season’s time on the dance floor. 

I’ll admit I didn’t see all of last nights show – we were channel surfing back and forth between ABC and CBS – but I didn’t see Sarah Palin last night.  That made me wonder if, after being very visible on Monday, and after it became obvious that her guy is going to lose the Alaska Senatorial race, she decided she didn’t want to be seen backing another loser.

It was satisfying, but almost an anticlimax when Jennifer Grey, who was far and away the best dancer all season, was declared the winner.