i'm an auntie again!!!

we have a new member of the LP family. please welcome:

COOPER WYATT GRAY

he was born sunday night and he is perfect!

congrats jamie and darin!

ahhhnold does it again

okay, i try not to get all political on this blog, but seriously, has anyone seen what the governator is proposing to tax in an effort to deal with the budget issues? i hadn't paid much attention to this until a friend told me about the potential 9-10% tax on veterinary services. what?! anyway, i made a quick trip to the governor's website and this is what he is proposing:

A Temporary Sales Tax Increase: A temporary increase in the state sales tax (from 5 percent to 6.5 percent) will generate additional sales tax revenues of $ 3.5 billion in 2008-09 for the General Fund. It will also effectively protect significant education funding. At the end of three years, the state sales tax would revert to 5 percent.

Broadening the Sales and Use Tax to Include Certain Services: Effective February 1, 2009, the sales and use tax rate will be applied to appliance and furniture repair, vehicle repair, golf, and veterinarian services. Effective March 1, 2009, the sales and use tax rate will be applied to amusement parks and sporting events. This is expected to generate additional General Fund sales tax revenue of $357 million in 2008-09.

Oil Severance Tax: Effective January 1, 2009, impose an oil severance tax upon any oil producer for the right to extract oil from the earth or water in this state. This brings California in line with other states. The tax shall be applied to the gross value of each barrel of oil at a rate of 9.9 percent and will generate additional tax revenues of $528 million in 2008-09.

Increase Alcohol and Excise Taxes: Alcohol excise taxes are proposed to be raised by five cents a drink beginning on January 1, 2009. This increase is estimated to raise $293 million in 2008-09. Revenues from this tax will be used to fund critical drug and alcohol treatment and prevention services. Alcohol taxes were last raised in 1991.

...............................................

so, yeah, we'll see if it comes to fruition. the decision will ultimately come from a legislative "special session", explained (in a somewhat biased manner) HERE, by the california veterinary medical association. (i'm on their side on this one, so i'm all about bias. ha ha ha!)

gee, i hope you don't like to drink beer while you golf...

craigslist!

okay, seriously, i love craigslist. in one week, i was able to sell 3 pieces of furniture for 10 times more than i ever would have been able to at a garage sale, and i didn't even have to get up at 4 am and sit out in the sun for 12 hours haggling with crazy people.

anyway, i took my profits from the sale of my old furniture, and turned right around and bought someone else's old furniture. ha ha ha! i was going to spend nearly $1000 at ikea on a wardrobe system, and instead, i spent $350 on 2 really neat matching cabinets that sell new for $500 each at cost plus.

(added bonus: i didn't have to pay shipping, or put the cabinets together! i just had to con my dad into driving up to LA for one and down to san clemente for the other. good ol' dad.)

i'll have to spend a few more bucks on storage baskets and what not, but i'll still be spending half of what i was going to at ikea, and the cabinets actually match the rest of my furniture better. score!

can i get a few barrels to go?

so... the falling gas prices provide daily entertainment for me. i drive by a particularly cheap arco (in cerritos) every day on my way to work and it's always exciting to see what they are charging. today, 87 unleaded had dropped to $2.15 9/10 a gallon. what!? i had to take a picture.

anyway, i used to pop onto orangecountygasprices.com (a part of gasbuddy.com) every now and then to see where the cheap gas was, although most of the time, i ended up buying gas where it was convenient and not where it was the cheapest. still, it is interesting to find out where the cheap gas is waiting for you. looks like costco is a perpetual winner. i'm just too lazy to wait in line for it there. guess i wouldn't have done well during the last crisis...

so... roadtrip anyone?