Soda Roundup

Over the last few weeks, I’ve picked up a few random sodas. Finally I gave them all a test.
First up was the pair of sodas based on ice cream floats.


The Root Beer Float is a traditional dessert and A&W is well known root beer. The Orange Soda Float? Not so traditional, but hey they are trying something new.
The root beer float tasted like a melted root beer float. The ingredients include things like pectin and propylene glycol alginate to make it taste creamy. Not so much. While the root beer flavor is good, I would rather simply have a root beer rather than try to recreate a float.
The orange soda float was a bit strange. Not quite a melted 50/50 bar, the thickening stuff made the orange soda simply strange. I’m not a big fan of orange soda, to begin with, so I wasn’t impressed at all.

Every year, Jones soda puts out a few flavors for Halloween. This year I picked up Dread Apple and Monster Mojito.
Amazingly, the Dread Apple tasted like carbonated apple juice and the Monster Mojito tasted like a non-alcoholic mojito, a little bitter with a hint of mint. Surprising, I know. Michele enjoys mojitos and gave it a test. She said it tastes “exactly” like a mojito. I’ll take here word for it. Personally I don’t like the whole muddling trend at bars these days.
I guess I was hopping for something strange or extraordinary here, but alas, it’s just soda pop.

Movember – raising awareness and money

Most of the time, Cruftbox doesn’t ask much from you, the Loyal Cruftbox Readers, but today I am.
This month is Movember, a month where I am growing a mustache to help raise money for Prostate Cancer research. Just last month, I had the opportunity to have my prostate tested during my yearly physical.
In Movember, men grow mustaches to help raise money and awareness about Prostate Cancer, a major problem for men. All donations during Movember go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, a non-profit (meaning tax deductible!) organization.
You can visit my MoSpace here.
I know these aren’t the easiest financial times for anyone, but I am asking you to donate a little money to help. Every little bit helps. I’ve have been writing Cruftbox since January 2000, that’s almost 9 years of Cruft for your to peruse. Donating $9 if you enjoy Cruftbox and my fine new mustache would be fantastic. Of course, feel free to donate more if you want!
The donation page is here. Please consider making a small donation now.
Here are some photos of the progress of the facial hair.


Clean shaven in October


Movember 4th


Movember 9th


Movember 10th


Movember 16th

Seven years

Seven years ago I was awaken by a call from my mother-in-law asking “Did you see? Did you see?”.
Seven years ago I was driving to work, to send everyone home, when I heard on the radio that the Twin Towers had fallen.
In those seven years, I have seen the best and worst of America.
I have seen honest debate about the future of our country, and I have seen citizens call each other traitors simply because they don’t share the same politics.
I have seen America respect it’s military and our dead, but I have also seen America abuse other peoples and their dead.
I have seen America unite in joy and in grief together regardless of race, gender, or politics, and yet at other times question the foundational concept of America that “All men are created equal.”
America, we are a better country than this.
Our forefathers deserve a better legacy that an era of personal name calling and character assassination.
Our descendants deserve a better future than an era focused on fear.
I saw this video today and I’m with on Uncle Sam on looking forward, not back.