Ask Uncle Sal: gator gumbo and zip ties

Well, folks, I gave you the opportunity to ask me anything and you responded. Without too much prelude, here is the first edition of Ask Uncle Sal with questions from real Salcoholics.

Uncle Sal, is Florida or Ohio State going to win the Gator Bowl? BB in Florida

Hmmm...I was thinkin' I might get some questions I could pontificate on, but since ya asked...I'd say the Gators. Sure, the Gators were 6-6, but at least they lost ta good teams. Just don't tell Schwind I picked against the Buckeyes.
Say, speakin' of gators...ya ever had gator gumbo? A plate o' that washed down with a coupla cajun martinis is pretty darn near ta heaven.

Uncle Sal, why do packaging engineers feel the need to involve so many plastic ties in child toy packages? BW in Michigan

This here's a good question, BW. Just so happens I was in a boardroom of a toy manufacturer when sump'n like this here came up. Them ties was added to the packaging of toys because too many toys was either bein' damaged in shipping or stolen from stores. The ties kept the toys from rattlin' around too much in shipping. And as you've noticed, it's a lot harder to get them toys outta the packages with all them ties holdin' 'em down.
The trouble is one of the bean counters in the company mentioned that buyin' all them ties drove up the cost.
Well, no CEO ever likes to think his money's bein' spent on sump'n like zip ties and you can imagine this caused quite a stir in the boardroom. I myself brought up the fact that customers is smart enough to figger out if you're selling them the same product at a greater cost. Long story short, the CEO tells the marketing guys, "You better put something on the packaging that tells customers the product is new and improved somehow because I cannot sell a tie."