Cupcake queen to talk healthcare at White House

Geeky Swedes Ballard

The owner of Cupcake Royale is headed to Washington D.C. to talk healthcare.

As the representative of the Washington Small Business for Secure Health Care Coalition, Jody Hall is one of several small business owners participating in a roundtable discussion tomorrow morning with Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Care Reform. According to the “Legalize Frostitution” blog post, she “will be discussing the need for a public health care option to lessen the burden on small businesses who insure their employees.” With 51 employees, Jody is paying almost the same amount for insurance as she’s paying for rent on her three stores. You can watch the roundtable discussion tomorrow morning live on C-SPAN 8-9:30 a.m. (Obviously manipulated photo from Cupcake Royale.)

Geeky Swedes

The founders of My Ballard

57 thoughts to “Cupcake queen to talk healthcare at White House”

  1. What is with the “Legalize Frostitution” thing. It would seem offensive to woman, in my opinion. It's a play on prostitution I assume? Whatever… it's a free country and it's 2009. I am just old fashioned I guess. I think prostitution is sad personally.

  2. Yes, Cupcake Royale & Verite Coffee have had a “slogan” since it opened on t-shirts and stickers and it says “Legalize Frostitution”. I think it is awesome and very funny. It is a shirt and I own one.

    Prostitution is sad obviously but this shirt is funny. btw, i am a woman and still find it funny.

  3. I don't see how it's offensive to women. In fact, I see nothing wrong with legalizing prostitution. At least it might allow for it to be safer for women.

  4. Why is that so funny to you? Just curious… You probably find the whole prostitution theme of Madame K's a riot too I assume. Like I said, I may be the dummy here and out of step with the times. I never liked the slogan myself. It's no different than saying Legalize drugs or wife beating or some other sad issue we deal with in society. But, I was just throwing it out there. Maybe it's just brilliant and I am clueless. I mean, the whole concept of prostitution is about exploiting woman, mostly who are damged emotionally from severe abuse, sometime sexual abuse. Same goes for porn, which I don't like being so mainstream in 2009. It's just that the entire society has become fixated on this stuff. Just my opinion… Seems every teenager these days wants to be a stripper, Britney Spears or an internet porn star. It's just sad to me, but I will shut up now.

  5. good point, i am talking about cupcakes however. it is what it is folks! i have no desire to talk about prostitution, but i do love cupcakes! someone else can argue prostitution, not gonna be me! :)

  6. I mean, we have the Erotic Bakery too which is wildly popular. I won't get into what they try to make the baked goods into the shape of there. I would get deleted. But, can we just have anything normal in Seattle? I am not from here originally, but find this whole obsession with everything being marketed as either “demonic” or “sexual” weird. This is the only city like this. Trust me, I have travelled all around America. “Death Cake Royale.” they use sometimes too. Why? Why is everything in Seattle marketed like this?

  7. this is so stupid…..comparing cupcakes to wife beating. you guys are on your own with this one. there TRULY are some people that rain on EVERY freakin' parade. BOO HISS IT IS A TSHIRT PEOPLE!!!!

  8. it is called “deathcake” because it is suppose to be so good that you just die when you eat it! do you get it? my God, they are not trying to kill people now with cupcakes. where did you move here from and can you go back anytime soon?

  10. some people like to go to these places for spoofs for bachelor & bachelorette parties, bday pranks, etc…..have you ever done something just for fun or to be LIGHThearted at all?….maybe you should give it a try. this amazes me, truly, arguing over a cupcake slogan.

    Erotic bakery is not Cupcake Royals or vice versa. Totally different markets and shops. You are not from here you stated so please do not try to compare 2 unrelated businesses.

  11. How about if we talk about the healthcare issue of this story, which obviously is ridiculous when it comes to a small business owner like Jody Hall. As much for health insurance as rent? That is sad, man.

  12. Relax Jules, like I said I was just asking a simple question. Sorry, you are obviously friends with the owner. She has the slogan everywhere and I was just curious if anyone in Ballard was also offended. I thought I had a right. Guess not. I just did not care for the message it sent to children.

    Goodbye

  14. i am relaxed and yes, i do love the owner, she is an amazing lady. i do not like the message either if i was wearing my shirt with children all day. however, i don't do that. sorry to offend you, i just think a bit of relaxation may be in store for you, that's all. have a great day and go enjoy a cupcake!!!!

  16. it is very very sad and she is so great to her staff that she makes sure that they are covered. she really takes care of her staff and i hope that things will get improved and easier for small businessowners like her. kudos to her for holding on and trying so hard to do the right thing for herself & her staff.

  17. She is a former Starbucks Executive.

    I wish her luck and hope she creates the next Starbucks for herself. I just did not care for the marketing, but obviously touched on something very sensitive and dear to the people of Ballard. My apoligies, I support local business.

  18. I find it interesting that someone who sells cupcakes is going to talk about health care reform. I get it that she's a small business owner and is talking about the cost of healthcare, but maybe health care wouldn't need so much reform if Americans ate fewer cupcakes.

    just sayin'….

    That picture is funny ! And I love Cupcake Royale.

  19. I'd take a feel over a cupcake any old day. She should have scaled herself a tad larger in photoshop. Obama's head looks HUGE. Or maybe he has a huge head, I don't know.

  22. funny! me too (ha ha) the photoshop is pretty lame, huh? there are a couple more funny photoshops on the cupcake royale website, boardbrown, that you may also find funny. hope your week is going great for you and your family!:)

  24. since you do not even know me how can you so confidently say something about what i “love to do”?

    i encourage talking about anything & everything and love this blog. i just stop talking when it gets too stupid for me to fathom, that's all. talk all you want now, forever….i am not the queen of ballard and have never told anyone to stop talking or stopped talking when a topic seems vaild or interesting to me.

    thank you for telling me what i love to do. you could not be more incorrect.

  25. Jules is actually “Nordic Woman”. She has her pro – shopkeeper/anti homeless agenda and attacks anyone who even questions anything about shopkeepers. They do no wrong and we all need to keep our traps shut.

    I just don't feel Jody puts forth any sort of family values that I beleive in, but I do have a right to say that if she puts herself out there as a news story.

    Not everyone agrees with Jody or her agenda. That's life.

  26. ok, i am jules. i am not nordic woman. there is a jules, a julie and alot of other people on here. i am jules, and am NOT affiliated with any other name but my own.

    please stop trying to tell me who i am because i actually know who i am and am very happy about it. my values, if you go back in other posts and READ THEM, are NOT along the lines of nordic woman or whoever.

    what a load of BS.

  28. Your the one who said you stagger drunk into the Sloop to buy those T shirts that say “Ballard is a drinking village with a condo problem”. Now you love the pro prostitution and questionable anti-family values agenda of Jody.

    I know full well who you are. I also know full well who Jody is. We have different values. There are some here who are not far left, and we have a voice as well and don't need to be attacked as fanatical Christians, which you tend to do.

    You asked, and that is what else I have to say to you Jules. Have a nice day. I will pass on the cupcake, thank you.

  29. this is not me you freak!!!!!!!!!!! i do not stumble anywhere and have never been in the sloop! i simply said i liked the shirt they came up with.

    i would be happy to meet you face to face since you have no clue who i am. my identity is not a secret.

    how dare you attack me personally on this blog? you are representing me TOTALLY wrong and people who follow this blog know that. your opinion matters not to me.

  31. I was simply responding to your attack on me for questioning the slogan and the Erotic Bakery – You asked this above

    “some people like to go to these places for spoofs for bachelor & bachelorette parties, bday pranks, etc…..have you ever done something just for fun or to be LIGHThearted at all?”

    Jules – The answer is no. I don't find the slogan about prostitution or Death Cakes cute. I do not do I find it fun and exciting to see baked goods in the shape of penises at erotic bakery. It is not what I am about as a person. I have a right to my beliefs. I don't find this death culture funny either. It offends me. I don't like prostitution or find it cute or humorous. I don't think t shirts saying Ballard is full of drunks funny. OK?

    Is this page only for attacking the homeless?

    Any questioning of any Ballard business owner is forbidden? I know an employee of Cupcake who can't stand the slogan as well. Is she out of step with the times and should be banished from myballard.com?

  32. thanks boardbrown. i am leaving the blog for the day bc of this idiot. thank you for always noticing my upbeat, happy personality. i have no clue who this joker is but i am done letting him, her, or “it” bother me. have a great night, all, and take care:)

    it really is only about cupcakes…geez.

  33. Yeah, you see, it DOESN'T SAY “prostitution”, though. It says “frostitution”. It's a JOKE, a PUN, a bit of WORDPLAY. you don't have to be a big fan of prostitution to think it's funny; you just have to have a sense of humor. I mean, really, Britney Spears? It's a CUPCAKE.

  35. Banished? No. But I do think you could stand to pick up the Clue Phone; it's been ringing off the hook.

    The slogan is not “about prostitution”. Your humorless assumption that a mild bit of fun is an appropriate target for long mopes about the sad state of human affairs is bad enough; but then you go off on a total tangent and start attacking other posters? Apparently mistaking them for other people in the process? That's just koo-koo, cupcake.

    Now, as to the ACTUAL TOPIC AT HAND, I have to say that I don't like cupcakes, but I wish Jody Hall all the best. It's true: our insane system of tying health care to employment is no only bankrupting us and denying us access to health care when we need it most — it's DESTROYING JOBS.

    People take their businesses to Canada and other countries, where yes, taxes are a little higher — but they don't have to pay a fortune every month for their employees' health care.

  36. Jules – I am just saying, you say things about people like Cathy Casey, among other controversial things. But if anyone disagrees, you attack. Your roomates with the bartender at Connor Byrne. I know… You come from a different life than I do.

    Here is what you wrote. You also wrote you are a regualr at Madame K's and you go to the sloop. We are from different lives. Don't put yourself out as a critic and go mad when questioned…

    Jules wrote about Kathy Casey –

    “she just was a very nasty person to deal with and personally, i think all the nasty people in the city should all go live, bitch & moan elsewhere.
    “

  38. you are wrong. period. i did say some things about Kathy Casey. that was all. i have never even been INSIDE the sloop.

    i never “go mad”

    yes, you live a very different life than me and that is just fine. you just think you know who i am and you have no idea. please stop talking to me.

    just bc i had a roomate that USED TO BE a bartender at CB, who cares? that makes me a bartender by proxy or something? whats wrong with bartenders anyway?

    your statements about me are untrue. the only negative comment i have said on here was regarding kathy casey and IF you notice, i ALSO said, i hope not to offend anyone but this is how i feel about her….

    you are a clueless idiot in my book. good night and good riddance.

  39. Yea, her her Rock Out with Your C***Out slogan is cute too. She is a laugh a minute. Is the place targeted at children or not? Its childish. I'm sorry, but it is.

    Why is everything sexually marketed or having to do with Death at that place?

  41. So, anyway, re the actual topic, I hope for the best in the discussions for better health care options, they are an increased burden to both employees and businesses.
    Overall costs have to be brought back into line, and funding sources have to be clearer, fairer, and more available.
    Best of luck Jody…kick some butt ;-)

  42. How very cool that a small business owner in this crappy economy is providing health care coverage to her employees. How very uncool that Foodbank is being so nasty and overly sensitive. Jules, I don't know you, but your comments always strike me as positive and friendly. Hang in there, ignore FB's negative comments towards you, and keep posting. I, for one, enjoy your comments.

  43. Everybody needs to chill and have a baby cake.

    WARNING: I don't know who started the ugly rumor, but they are not made from actual babies even though they are bite size and yummy.

  48. Anyone that thinks government involvement in health care will make it better, cheaper, or more abundant is living in La La Land. Most will be paying more, much more, and will be getting rationed care.

  49. DQB, this is absolutely NOT the only city that is like this. it is pretty much everywhere. it is human nature. I am not saying that your opinion isn't valid on the matter, i am just saying this isn't a seattle thing.

    i have lived in portland, SF, London and Glasgow and i can think of shirts/slogans etc that fall into this category in all those places.

    if you want, put “erotic bakery” in google, the results will be a bit skewed to seattle b/c google targets certain results to the location of the requestor, but even at that, you will see erotic bakeries in seattle, SF, Denver, NY, LA and Texas. that is all on the first page of results. I am willing to bet you could find one in every city with a pop over 1mm if you looked.

  50. It used to be that full time employment was the best way to have health insurance not only for the individual but for the whole family and little or no additional cost to the employee – wasn't that long ago – less than 20 years.
    Now full time employments means an option to purchase insurance at various price points with plans that change year to year. Spouses and children can be insured at rates that usually equal at least 80 hours of work. Some families with only one full time worker in the family hopes that everyone else remains healthy because the ongoing cost of insurance is impossible.
    I can't beleive that you want to pass off the dinosaur of an idea that government involvement with health care = rationed care.

  51. “Anyone that thinks government involvement in health care will make it better, cheaper, or more abundant is living in La La Land.”

    Do you ANY have facts to back that up? That certainly hasn't been the case in many other countries and that IS a fact. Last I checked we in the USA pay more for health care than any other nation on earth. Despite our huge spending our infant mortality rate is worse than that of Cuba. CUBA! BTW, that stat isn't from Michael Moore or some other liberal. That fact comes directly from our own CIA who hardly qualify as a bunch of touchy-feely liberals. Pretty pathetic when we're coming in behind Castro and his lot on ANYTHING! Infant mortality isn't the only health care stat where the US is starting to seriously lag behind other nations. I challenge you to show me any metric of health care where the US is still #1.

    Most countries that have universal single payer health care do NOT ration care. That's a myth perpetuated by the ignorant. Canada does but they're the exception, not the norm. In France and many other countries you are free to see any doctor you wish (unlike the USA where your options are limited by your insurer) and that doctor can prescribe any care they deem necessary (again unlike the USA). The French model offers better care, more choice and costs the average French citizen less money than what the average American spends. Is it perfect? Hardly but it's doing a better job than the US system by almost every measurable standard. If you think I'm wrong show me stats showing otherwise.

    One last question to those who think a government health care system is a bad idea: do you also support shutting down government run fire departments? If not, why? Keep in mind the notion of government run fire departments is a relatively new concept. Up until the Civil War most cities relied on private fire brigades who were reimbursed by private insurers – in other words the exact same system we currently have for health care. Following a few major fires the government decided it was in the interest of public safety to do away with private fire brigades and make fire protection a government service. Health care is also a matter of public safety. If people don't have access to health care they continue to work while sick, spreading whatever illness they have and infecting others.

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