Yes, it was three years ago that Mars Chocolate North America ran a Snickers ad that showed two male mechanics accidentally kiss, then react with disgust. The ad did not go over well with gay advocates and was quickly pulled by Mars.

The ad did not go over well with gay advocates and was quickly pulled by Mars. They also had another ad that upset the gay community in the U.K. shortly after the Super Bowl that year:

Well, they’re trying again this year with a new ad and a new tagline: “”You’re not you when you’re hungry.” I don’t know if the ad was leaked online, but I don’t want to know. I’d rather see it for the first time during the Super Bowl. Especially since the ad features Betty White and Abe Vigoda. Mars promises no kissing men this time.

A woman in Texas claims she bit into a Milky Way and found a tooth with a silver filling. Gross. She said she bought the candy bar and a Coke on New Year’s Day. She took one bite and everything was fine. It was the second bite that, well, bit back.

“…so I took another bite and bit down on something and thought, ‘Well, it may be a peanut,’” she said. “I thought, ‘Well, Milky bars don’t have peanut or any kind of nuts in it. I looked at it and I thought, ‘Oh, gosh! Gross! How terrible! (It’s a) tooth!’”

She said she called Mars Candy, who wants her to send them the tooth. She’s a bit hesitant, thinking “they could keep the evidence and I’m not sure if I would ever see it again,”. In the meantime, she’s was going to have her dentist look at the tooth. It’ll be interesting to see how this turns out, but most likely, you’ll never hear how it ends.

Construction continues on the 1,800-square-foot expansion project that will feature an interactive Create Your Own Candy Bar attraction. You get to wear factory aprons and hairnets as you select and load the ingredients. Choose from such goodies as caramel bits, graham crackers and crisped rice, while pulling levers and handles to mix your concoction with equipment that’s similar to the machines Hershey uses in their factory.

Your five-ounce creation will be cooled and wrapped in a custom wrapper that you create. All this for $12.95.

Sounds pretty cool and I might dig it as a kid. But I’d probably just dump every possible ingredient into my bar and I don’t think that would taste very good. That’s the tricky part. Plunking down 13 bucks for a candy bar that might taste horrible.

They’ve tried this before and it didn’t pass…and it might not pass this time either as opponents are worried about children being taxed out of their allowance. But like most states, Washington is dealing with a shortfall and it’s estimated a tax on candy could bring in an additional $28 million in its first year.

Supporters of the tax say it might change the minds of some people who buy candy and maybe they’ll make healthier choices. I don’t know about that. If I want a candy bar and it’s going to be taxed, but it’s sitting right next to an apple that isn’t taxed, I’m buying the candy because I want candy. Opponents claim it will cost jobs at the Almond Roca plant because a tax will hurt sales.

There is some movement to use the tax money for health care issues and not to pay down the shortfall. There’s also the aged old question of what exactly is candy. The law may say something like anything made with flour or that needs refrigeration is not taxable, which may lead to confusion. For example, Kit Kats would not be taxed because it contains flour. You’re going to tell me Kit Kats aren’t candy?

By the way, according to the Economic Opportunity Institute, 29 states tax candy and gum.

Anyway, this year’s haul includes the traditional small box of Godiva chocolate, one bag of Hershey’s Mint Miniatures (man, I LOVE these things!), two Terry’s Chocolate Oranges, a box of Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s from Trader Joe’s (think mint Oreo’s with crushed up candy canes…awesome!), and a 6-pack of Reese’s Peanut Butter (make sure we don’t say Christmas) Trees. I notice the wrapper is different than the one I have on the web site, so I’ll have to remember to save one.

Also, for the first time, she got me Dilettante Bing Cherries in Premium Chocolate. I’ve seen the chocolate covered fruits before, but never bought any. I have to say…while the product was good, having these chocolate covered cherries around were very addicting. They were the first things I popped open and Laurie and I went through them kinda quick. Especially when we were laying on the couch watching Christmas specials off the DVR.

I’m trying to slow down, but I think the Reese’s Trees are next.

Famed master chocolatier Fran Bigelow will be aboard, leading a lecture on how she creates gourmet chocolates and conduct chocolate tastings. Plus, she’ll host an exclusive shore excursion to the Gay-Odin Chocolate Factory in Naples, Italy where passengers will have a guided tour and chocolate tasting.

The 7-night cruise includes port calls in Porto-Vecchio, France; Messina, Italy; Sorrento, Italy; Capri, Italy; and Ischia, Italy. Fares start at $1,749 per person, based on double occupancy. It begins May 2, 2010.

Hmmm….if I did go, I bet I could get some cool new wrappers for the website.

I think this is a good idea.  I mentioned before that when I was growing up, we didn’t have vending machines with candy and soda in the school.  We did have a fruit vending machine in the lunchroom that went mostly untouched.  I’ll admit…I have a tremendous weakness for junkfood and if there was a vending machine at school, it would have made it worse with no parent to tell me no.

Now I do realize that schools usually get a cut of the money from vending machines and everybody needs more money these days.  And I know that if they can’t get the money, raising taxes will probably be the next step.  So, in that way, I feel bad and it is a tough spot for schools.  But I think keeping candy and soda away from students during school is a good thing.