Starbucks is adding new tea drinks to its menu on Saturday.

The company said today that its new Full Leaf Tazo Tea Lattes and Tazo Tea Infusions “are a continuation of the company’s commitment to offering better-for-you options.”

Most of the tea offerings are less than 200 calories for a 12-ounce tall.

Starbucks also says most of the drinks provide more antioxidants than an 8-ounce glass of orange juice.

Here are the three varieties of tea lattes (descriptions come from Starbucks):

Black Tea Latte, a bold, invigorating combination of black tea and freshly steamed milk.

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State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s office is out this week with a list of tips for consumers in trying times.

"Now is the time for consumers to get smart about their insurance and take advantage of the opportunities to maximize their coverage, minimize their costs and protect themselves financially," Kreidler said.

For instance:

— Review your homeowner’s policy. As home prices drop and equity dwindles, it makes sense to review your homeowner’s insurance. To wit:

&bull Insure your home, not the land. Policies do not provide protection for your land, so make sure the value of the land is not included as part of your coverage amount.

&bull Make sure you are receiving all the discounts you are entitled to. Discounts are typically given to people who have more than one policy with the same insurer; have security or safety systems, such as smoke detectors, deadbolts and fire alarms; or are 55 or older and retired.

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And so the East-West Candy War begins again.

The Associated Press is reporting today that Wenatchee Rep. Mike Armstrong plans to "introduce legislation to name Aplets & Cotlets the official candy of Washington" during the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 12.

Aplets and Cotlets, made of apples, apricots and, I’m assuming, some kind of gelatin, are produced in Cashmere, not far from Wenatchee.

"The bill is likely to revive the battle with backers of Almond Roca. In 2001 a state candy bill was introduced to crown the crunchy chocolate almond treat made by Brown & Haley

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It’s been one of those years, but there’s a new year on its way. It’s so close you can almost taste it.

But have we learned out lesson? Will we take the hard-earned answers of 2008 into the questions we’ll face in 2009?

It’s all about resolutions. Are you making any business-related resolutions for 2009? Anything about investment strategies? Spending? Saving?

If you’re a business owner, what changes will you make in 2009 in light of 2008?

And beyond work and money, are you making any personal or philosophical resolutions that will go into effect on

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Weyerhaeuser no longer will try to sell its Westwood Shipping Line.

The Federal Way-based company said today that the weaker shipping markets and tight financing conditions for potential buyers made this a bad time to sell.

Weyerhaeuser had announced in May that it was exploring a strategic alternative for Westwood, a wholly-owned subsidiary that operates a fleet of seven ships used by customers to ship forest products, containerized and oversized cargo.

“We did not feel that the current market conditions would allow us to recognize a reasonable value for our assets and operations,” Guy Stephenson, Westwood

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I’m no expert on judging how busy things are at Tacoma Mall, but Mary Hilton is. She shops there twice a week, and she was there this morning with her two daughters, Marne and Michelle, and husband Wayne.

"I don’t think it’s too bad," she said, with "bad" being so crowded you wouldn’t be able to walk around freely.

"I think it’s like a regular Saturday," she said.

You could easily walk around on the day after Christmas.

Michelle had come with the family to return one item, a pair of pajamas, and "get a good

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Phuket, Thailand — There’s a waiting line to rent elephants for treks to the top of the mountain today above Patong Bay and the weather is a steamy 85, but that doesn’t mean that here in Asia that the recession is not a concern.

On a Christmas trip to Southeast Asia, we’ve not escaped the worries about economic malaise that grips the U.S.

On Orchard Road in Singapoore and on Nathan Road in Hong Kong, the shoppers are out in throngs, and the casinos in the Las Vegas clone of Macau are shoulder-to-shoulder with gamblers, but the papers

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After the snow comes the slush.

If you were out shopping today, then you know it was tough enough getting around in the South Sound, what with the snow-compacted washboard streets. And good luck trying to find a place to park that wasn’t flooded with puddles or peppered with ankle-high hillocks of ice.

Consider the people responsible for clearing those parking lots.

"It’s not very easy, trying to find someone to do it," said a woman, who asked not to be named, at Hogan Enterprises. "We just don’t get this very often."

The company manages shopping

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