There is a new and uppity place in the Huntsville, AL area called Providence.  Everyone who is anyone is moving there and a lot of businesses are trying to cater to them.   And to get to work every day, they have to drive past Phuket.  I can't even imagine how funny it'd be getting directions from someone saying "turn right at Phuket".  Either way, Phuket - Extraordinary Thai Experience is a real place.  Here's as much proof as I can offer over the internet.  This is the original picture Keith sent me that gave me a good chuckle:

I'm not normally one to complain, but I've gone through about 3 headlamps in the past 6 months.  I know I have a Jetta and it's electrical system is questionable at best, but the original headlamps lasted a couple years, I would hope to get at least a year out of a replacement.  When I needed to replace one, I decided to go with the nicer "Nighthawk" GE brand.  They supposedly lasted longer and gave 20-30% more light, which should help in cutting through the layer of grime my headlamps always seem to have on them.  Anyway, I was unhappy with their very minimal survival rate, so I figured I'd take a queue from Laura and let the company know their product wasn't up to par and that I was switching to Sylvania.  Here is a copy of my original complaint email:

When one of my original bulbs went out on my Jetta (3 years for some standard Sylvania's - not too bad, eh?) I purchased two GE nighthawk bulbs from wal-mart since having the headlights a little brighter might help me at night.  Three months later, I'm operating on my fourth nighthawk bulb and I put the extra original Sylvania back in the car since I refuse to purchase yet another set of nighthawk bulbs.  The first one I wrote off as "it happens" but now that I've lost three of them (and they're not cheap!) I think I'll be finding out which retailer carries Sylvania bulbs.

Here is the email I got back:

Hello Richard,

Thank you for contacting the GE lighting web-site.
I will be glad to help.

I am forwarding your concern to our product manager for consideration of
replacement. Someone will respond to you with further instructions via US
Postal Service in the next 15 days. Please hang onto the product since
they may ask for its return. If you have already disposed of the lamp,
please wait for the letter for further instructions.

I apologize for the inconvenience, and hope you will continue to choose
GE products.

Thank you again for contacting GE.

Sincerely,
Jacquelyn
GE Internet Response Team

And low and behold about 2 weeks later, I received four brand new Nighthawk bulbs in the mail.  I might not ever buy another Nighthawk bulb, but if I end up needing to, at least I'll know for sure they are a little sub-standard.  Honestly, I'm hoping the next set I need to put in the car will last until the wheels fall off.

Something I might not have told all of you yet...  Massachusettes has even more bizarre liquor laws than Alabama.  Only three (3) stores in any company (read as supermarket chain) in the state can sell beer/wine/liquor.  It was a law enacted back in the 1930s, but it's still in effect today.  And I'm sure the smaller mom-and-pop liquor stores don't want it changed.  Here is a link to the initiative to get it changed.