dogdays2

Barbara’s heels were too high. She could barely walk. The intro where the sharks walked in reminded me of a beauty pageant. And not in a good way. The whole thing was awful. I have no problem finding cotton underwear. I wash mine and they last for years. I’m not tossing them (or returning them) daily, weekly or even monthly. The guy’s explanation about how their product differed from regular cotton underwear was vague. $20-24 is a lot for plain cotton. The pizza thing was ok but not needed. As someone above said, dish with plastic wrap works fine. I also thinks it’s unfair that, with so many entrepreneurs who want to get on the show, some folks get second shots with mediocre products. I hated the playing to the audience. Hated the women’s dresses (normally, I love what Barbara wears). Not excited about any of the products or entrepreneurs. If this format continues, I may be one and done for this season

Make the live audience go away. Or I’ll go away.

Next season, I want to see them draw for styles each week, if everyone isn’t dancing his / her own That way, it’s luck of the draw vs. TPTB putting the fix in, as they did for Beau this year. And he’s not the first. I almost said it last week and will now. Keaton is a strong technical dancer, and I love watching him. But at the same time, I see him as someone trying to win the competition vs. someone who loves every moment of dancing. I’m not ascribing motive, as I have zero idea what’s in his head. It’s how things come across to me. Still, I’d have been fine had he won.

I liked Keaton best all season until the finale. Alexis was IMO better on the night it counted most. If they it back next year, need a longer season and better judges.

Was watching a rerun from 2020 of the “Kentucky socialite” with the $32k dress. Wondered if she ever got married. I couldn’t find anything on line and she seems the type to have pix all over the Internet. Yeah, there was COVID, but big weddings have been happening for at least a year. Wonder if she ever got married. Or was it just a publicity stunt?

Beau keeps getting contemporary or Broadway. It’s clear they can’t give him hip-hop or disco or jive or quick-step or anything that requires quick, concise moves. I wish they had to draw for dance styles as in the old days. Oh wait - then the fix wouldn’t be in. i applaud Beau for getting as far as he has and it was nice to see someone with a different body shape advance. But he’s no longer asked to do what the others have to do - hasn’t for weeks now. That’s not fair. Nigel may have been cruel, but at least Nigel put talent first. As did Mary. This is a travesty. On the flip side, didn’t thin Keaton was at his best.

I didn’t think it fair that the last couple got to do a modern contemporary routine when everyone else had to do decade dances. If there was no particular dance style in the 90s, then do 1940s. Speaking of which, the 1950s dance was more 1940s than 50s. Military guys weren’t “coming home” in the 50s other than from Korea and that homecoming was very different than what was portrayed in the dance. Why Beau was wearing an Air Force uniform is another question entirely. And the 60s dance didn’t ring true either for that decade. As an aside, can you imagine if Beau had had to do disco? The show is a joke and travesty of its former self. If this is what it’s going to be, I hope it goes away. Soon. For good.

HH rule: they almost always choose a new build.

I do (did, that is) like the judging b/c good judges would point out things, both good and bad, that I didn't notice. Much as Nigel irritated me for some of the stuff he said, I find myself missing him b/c at least he knew dance and at least he gave critiques. Ditto for Mary and some of the others they had over the years. The only one of the current judges who has ANY perspective is Twitch. Asking someone who's ~20 years old to judge isn't fair to her or the contestants. Even if you've spent your entire (short) life dancing, you don't yet have the perspective that comes with a few more years behind you. BTW, the yellow dress looked like something I wore in the 1980s, just saying. The third judge is totally useless. I like having the studio audience vote for two reasons. First, they are experiencing it live in a way that might not come across on the TV screen (like watching a live sporting event). Second, it's not about which contestants can leverage a "network" to get people to call in for them. I always wondered if some folks who were voted off just couldn't or didn't get all of their friends, relatives, neighbors, etc. to create an army of callers. Finally, the show should be 90 minutes. Two hours often felt a bit tedious but one hour feels rushed. Seems like a lot of effort for 12 contestants and I'm not feeling it this season.

The problem with taking water for your dog is putting it in a container that your dog will drink from. Mine get very finicky about drinking out of containers they're not used to (they are used to tap water in a dog bowl). I thought one of the benefits of Springer was that it created its own little saucer as part of the bottle so it kind of mimics a bowl and was small enough so as to be easily portable without having to take a backpack, etc. so it would be good for short walks. But maybe I missed something . . . As for dogs jumping, it has much less to do with breed than training. Being in that environment has to be very stressful for a dog who is not used to such environments (for example, true service dogs would be trained to handle this type of event which BTW is how you can differentiate them from "fake" service dogs). Dogs will either be fearful of all the newness or super-excited / hyped up. Kind of goes with the territory, so to speak.

When I was growing up (age 2-6), our kitchen wasn't much bigger than a large closet. It was at the end of the main hallway. Island in the kitchen?? You have to be kidding me. The kitchen was smaller than most of today's islands! Standing in the kitchen, the only thing you could see was . . . the hallway. The main room (combo living / dining area) was down the hall and around the corner. You couldn't see into it if your life depended on it. I had a small playroom -- it was upstairs. I'm still alive to tell about it (no broken bones, no serious damage to house). I'm also tired of people complaining about how much work goes into pool maintenance. There are companies that specialize in that very thing. They're not super expensive and they will come every single week and do all of the pool maintenance for you. If you want a pool, you can simply factor that into your financial equation just as you have to factor either a riding mower or lawn service if you have a large yard or the cost of a vet if you have a pet . . .

I think the water product is better for people like me who take small dogs on walks -- not large dogs on hikes. I don't want to lug a large bottle and dish for a 1.5 mile walk around the block. So, something small that could be stuffed into a pocket (vs. a backpack) works best for me. That said, there are other options on the market for this product; I've seen several over the years at the local "pet expo." My guess is that it's like most products with competitors -- there's not necessarily a "best" one but probably one that works best for you.

Atlanta woman also rubbed me the wrong way. Those kitchens were nice. Maybe they weren't entirely to her taste, but they weren't something out of the 1970s. The way she immediately declared them as total losses made me think she either: (1) thought saying that made her look somehow sophisticated; or (2) likes to find problems with everything. The cost to completely redo a kitchen that size with the high-end stuff she wants is around $100,000. If they have so much money, why didn't they buy a more expensive house with a kitchen she liked. Alternatively, they could probably have found a cheaper house with a kitchen that needed to be gutted. Here, they are starting with a recently redone kitchen and putting more money into it just to change it. Most people WANT built-ins in their family rooms. Almost everyone has standing pictures, books, or mementoes that they want to display. If she doesn't like the small curves at the top, that would take a handyman 15 minutes to address. If the producers are orchestrating this nonsense, PLEASE STOP!! At a time when many people are scrambling to find homes and many others can't afford to buy one, listening to whiners and complainers doesn't go over well at all. It's one thing to say, "This isn't totally my style . . . but it's very nice and certainly will work for now" and another to say, "This is terrible and has to be totally gutted" when most viewers would be thrilled to have it.

Recently sold and bought homes within 2 months. In selling, what we cared most about was the deal closing. Don’t want to effectively take the house off the market for weeks and then have the deal fall through. We had multiple offers, including one all cash over asking price but they wanted a home inspection. We were concerned that they’d nickel and dime us to a much lower price. We took a different offer who matched the price and asked for an appraisal inspection but not a home inspection. For various reasons, we and the realtor believed they really loved the house and that the deal would go through. No letters. 😀. The deal closed. The buyers were diverse, as is our old neighborhood. In buying, we wanted certainty and not having the drama of bidding and losing on lots of homes. We made an offer very slightly over asking price. There was one other offer but ours won. Not sure why. No letter. We asked for a home inspection but knew that, in this market, we could only ask them to fix things that were major. We identified several and they agreed to fix. Deal closed. Of interest, we originally planned to bid on another home in the very same neighborhood for which there were ultimately multiple offers. Our agent suggested we write a letter. I refused. Just not my thing to beg someone to sell me their house. Don’t know how it would have turned out. Bottom line - it’s been a crazy time for buying and selling so, if you haven’t done it recently, you may not fully understand the current situation. The one point with which I do agree, don’t pay more than you can afford, accounting for some short term setbacks.

WRT the Golden Ticket -- it's getting near the end of the season, so if she didn't give it to someone soon, she'd be stuck with it. I've seen the dog chasing thing at Pet Expos -- most dogs seem to love it and they're no more likely to tire themselves out than they would ball retrieving or doing any other exercise. I would be interested at a lower price point -- not b/c I don't have time to exercise my dogs but b/c I think they'd like it and it's something I can't replicate with other activities.

Actually, colonials were built in the 1970s -- there was two models in our sub-division, which was built in the early 1970s. I lived in one. What always boggles my mind are the buyers who want a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. How many buyers with $200k budgets "can't live" in a house without granite countertops, hardwood floors, fully updated white kitchen, gas range with cooktop, spa bath, walk-in closets, 3-car garage, etc.? My first townhouse had: shared walls on 3 sides (common back wall), laminate floors, laminate kitchen counter-tops, builder-grade carpet, electric range. No hardwood floors, no spa tub, no garage, no fireplace. I actually lived through it. In fact, I was THRILLED that I was able to buy a home of my own. Yeah, it wasn't spectacular, but it was MINE. And, of course, I didn't live there forever. I keep wanting to shout at the TV that these folks either need to find more money or need to manage their expectations. Then . . . I realize it's a TV show and this is probably what they're told to say!

Agree that COMPRESSION socks can be expensive. But I didn't see Apolla being marketed as that -- more as super comfy socks. Part of the problem is finding their market. Are they specialty socks for certain athletes, such as dancers? Are they compression socks? Are they super comfy socks that provide extra support in the arch, etc? Are they what you want to use for a strenuous day (maybe going to an amusement park or on a "fun walk")? For $32/pair, these aren't going to be your everyday socks (because you don't want to have to wash them daily, assuming they would hold upP). But you also need people to buy more than 1 or 2 of them. So, IMHO, it's getting the price down and finding the target audience beyond dancers. Thinking of the seaweed deal, can anyone think of a time the sharks invested in a very early concept, such as this and made it big? (I'm not suggesting it hasn't happened -- probably has -- just curious if someone remembers it.)

I wondered if the clothing line might also appeal to those who are temporarily disabled - in a walking cast, etc. They look like they could also be worn by non-disabled people, so at a reasonable price point, I could see someone buying them for the short haul. For me, this is a product fitting a need vs. the opposite, which is what we’ve seen too much of lately. Really glad she got a deal and glad for the folks her products will help. I’m not vegan, don’t have young kids a, and can’t imagine paying $40 for socks. I did ballet in my youth and could definitely see leggings for ballet dancers, but that’s a niche market. Maybe Lori can help them cut the price point, in which case I’d definitely give the socks a try.

None of us knows the people on these shows. We see little, edited snippets. Also, I'm not going to decide how much house anyone else "needs." Maybe it's not what they need but what they want. A lot people see their house as a sign of financial accomplishment / professional success. It's their money -- if they choose to spend it on a house, that's their decision. Someone above asked about areas between Woodbridge and Richmond -- Fredericksburg is one that comes to mind, 50 miles south of DC and 30 south of Woodbridge. There are also communities directly south of Woodbridge that are cheaper than Woodbridge and viable options if you don't need to commute to DC daily -- a lot of new construction there as well. As someone who lived many years in NoVA, I was VERY surprised that the realtor took her to Richmond (90 miles from Woodbridge). It made me think there was some other reason that maybe we weren't told b/c I don't know anyone who chooses Richmond when they really want to be in NoVA. [Nothing wrong with Richmond -- it's a lovely city in it's own right but it's not generally considered an option to NoVA (sort of like saying you want to live in Washington DC and then buying a house outside of Philadelphia)]. Along those lines, I sincerely hope that she works from home 100% of the time. The I-95 corridor between Richmond and northern VA is a DISASTER traffic-wise pretty much all of the time. Whatever commute time the realtor quoted is accurate -- only if you drive at 3 am on a Sunday morning.

I'm the BeHave demographic, but they didn't appeal to me at all. I don't want something HUGE . . . I look for minimalist bras that still provide great support. I definitely don't want something that I have to pull over my head. I don't mind a wire -- with the right size bra, it shouldn't be uncomfortable. The above said, I went to the BeHave website and they're completely sold out, so some folks are obviously sold.

Looked at Sunflow online. Can’t in my wildest nightmares imagine paying nearly $300 for a beach chair. Don’t care how great it is, it’s a beach chair. I can wear a hat. I can go without a cellphone for a few hours. I can take 5 seconds a to fold up the chair. And pay less than $50 and be very happy.

The part that strains reality is that the whistleblower case was over so quickly. In most cases alleging Medicare / Medicaid fraud, the whistleblower may wait up to a decade to see any money. Also, in real life, if a whistleblower wants to get money, they contact an attorney. Below is a VERY simplified explanation of the False Claims Act whistleblower process. Whistleblower files a case under seal alleging fraud and serves it on the U.S. government. The government decides whether to "intervene" in that case (essentially stand in the shoes of the whistleblower). This has the highest likelihood of success. There is A LOT of back and forth that usually takes several years at a minimum. The government reaches a settlement agreement with the defendant. The whistleblower gets a share of that amount -- usually 15 - 25%. If the government doesn't intervene or dismisses the case, the whistleblower has to pursue the case him / herself. That is a much tougher hurdle b/c the individual (vs. the gov't) has to pay for and do all of the legal work. Such a case is much less likely to be successful but the whistleblower can recover up to 30%. The gross recovery is taxable -- usually around 40%. Some whistleblowers pocket quite a bit of money -- but it's a lengthy process. The idea that they would have the money by now is laughable. But it's TV.

Add me to those who are so happy that Natalie and April are gone. I'm not in love with the Stevie character, but she's an upgrade. I love the Dr. Scott character. Lots of balance and great acting. I too wondered if the iron lung story was based on a real person and found the same link. Think he's one of maybe 2 people still alive on iron lungs after polio. For a moment, I wondered if they'd used the real life person instead of the actor. Why is it that NO ONE on this show can have a stable marital or family relationship? I understand it's TV, but there can be a lot of drama in having to balance life in surgery / the ER / a hospital with a spouse and kids. All we ever see are people hitting on each other or breaking up with each other in the workplace. It's not normal and, when done endlessly season after season, loses any impact. I assume they have decided to ignore COVID for filming purposes. I'm sort of fine with that but, since I have to wear a hospital-grade mask any time I'm in any type of medical facility (even today), a short disclaimer at the beginning would be nice. Maybe it's there and I missed it . . .

Does anyone know what happened to the Kettlegryp founder who died? I couldn’t find anything. He looked great so assume it was an accident.

I’ve never watched a RH show - don’t even know / understand what they’re about. Certainly not “real” housewives, far as I could tell from this show. Usually, the real person challenges highlight / benefit a group of women who normally wouldn’t have access to designers. They are almost always grateful for whatever they get. And the shows have been about those women, in a good way. This episode lacked all of that. As for these RH folks - well, let’s just say that if I never ever meet one of them, my life will be happier. That said, look how much interest this episode has garnered on this board, myself included. So probably a good move for the network. It would be nice, just once, to see a plus sized model win. If that’s not going to happen, give up on the illusion that it will. Or, every season, do a plus-size challenge where the smallest woman is at least a size 16. We all know why TPTB won’t do that. So they pay lip service to being inclusive when they are anything but.