Phil Taylor's Blog: The Phil Factor, page 103

Throwback Thursday! The Ten Worst Pumpkin Flavored Ideas

Yes, it’s that time of year again. The time when pumpkin invades anything and everything that can be eaten or drank. Ugh. I love pumpkin pie, but I hate the flavor in anything else. Of these ten abomination to humanity pumpkin flavored ideas, only one is fake. Can you guess what it is? Put your guess in the comments.

10. Burger King Japan’s Pumpkin Bomb Burger:To be honest, I’m surprised this burger only exists in Japan. Also, considering their history of bombing by the United States, it see...

Throwback Thursday! It’s The Great Pumpkin Spice Latte Charlie Brown

I was also going to name this “A Pumpkin Flavored Phil Factor”. It’s that time of year, again. Sigh. It has begun. Pumpkin flavored everything is back in stores! WTH? Seriously, are pumpkins such a wonderful delicacy that we have to flavor EVERYTHING with them? Why pumpkin? Is there any other time of year where a flavor takes over the country for a couple months? Around the winter holidays why isn’t there nog flavored everything? Around St. Patrick’s Day we’ve got our Shamrock Shakes, but th...

Frozen! So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance!

No! Not that stupid Disney Frozen movie! Although that might be Elsa in one of those tubes in the picture. We can only hope, right? Speaking of Disney, did you know that it’s only a myth that Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen so that he could be revived when they discover a cure for what ever killed him. He was actually buried traditionally. Sucker! Death is for quitters. That’s not me of course. By hook or by crook I plan to avoid death. OK, maybe not by crook. It seems like crooking to...

Throwback Thursday! Are The Berenst(e)ain Bears Proof of Time Travel?

(08/15/15) “Hey Dad, I’ve got the coolest thing to tell you about. Do you wanna hear it?” Well of course, after a long work day, how could I turn down that offer? “Yes,” I replied, with as much half-hearted zest as I could muster, which wasn’t much. He continued as if it wouldn’t have mattered what I said. “Ok, Dad, how do you spell (the name of that bear family from those books you read me when I was little)?” He actually said the name. I looked him in the eyes and with as much sincerity as...

Wordless Wednesday

R.I.P. Willy Wonka

Is It Too Soon For 90’s Nostalgia?

Apparently 90’s nostalgia is a thing for kids born in the 90’s. The 1990’s that is, although I can imagine that the folks born in the 1890’s are feeling pretty nostalgic right now, mostly about having a pulse.

My 18 year old son and his friends are all nostalgic about the TV shows they watched as kids 10-15 years ago. It seems like some sort of weird disease or Benjamin Buttons affliction. When you’re 18 you shouldn’t look back at anything and think, “Those were the good ol’ days.” These idi...

Throwback Thursday! Rock You Like A Hurricane!

(Aug. 29,2011) Well it’s hurricane season in the Northern hemisphere. Hurricane Irene ran up the East coast this past weekend and I hope with every fiber of my being that some forward think musician somewhere created a parody song titled “Come On Irene,” based on the 80’s hit by Dexy’s Midnight Runners.

Fortunately I don’t live in an area that ever gets any hurricanes although I felt some of the wind and rain from Irene. In the U.S., our weather people have a tradition of naming hurricanes...

Our House is a Very, Very, Very Fine House

I’m trying to sell my house.

But I don’t have two cats in the yard. If I did, one potential buyer would want three cats and another would want only one.

Apparently house buyers nowadays believe that somewhere there is a perfect house that’s tailor-made to their tastes. Guess what? My house isn’t it, and unless you pay an enormous sum and wait a year to have a house made to your personal specifications and tastes, that perfect house doesn’t exist. I was going to go on one of my sarcastic ran...

What Would Ryan Lochte Do?

How many of you are were aware that the title of this post is the name of a reality TV show that was on E! for 8 episodes in 2013? Apparently we now know the answer. Ryan Lochte would choose to embarrass his country rather than take responsibility for his drunken actions.

Like many world class athletes, Ryan has spent his whole life honing his body for competition while leaving his mind and maturity on the sidelines. Are there sidelines in swimming? I can’t say he left them on the shore beca...

Throwback Thursday! The Patron Saint of Real Estate

I’ve been writing The Phil Factor so long that I’m about to move into my third house. I already have that house. I just need to sell the house that’s been the home to me and my blog for over ten years. In an effort to conjure up some good luck, my Throwback Thursday is from 2005 when I was trying to sell my house so I could move into this one.

(08/30/2005)I’m not kidding. There really is a saint who is supposed to help you sell your house. At this point I’ll take help from anyone. Someone in...