Pizzle and gel

The other day I bought my dog a treat at Trader Joe's. I'd never seen this particular variation of leathery chew-thing. He's had his share of pig ears and cowhide "bones"; this was funny looking. There were three skinny strips braided together, each one round in cross-section. Puzzled, I scrutinized the label: "Ingredients: Steer pizzle."

Steer pizzle? That has to mean penis, right? What else could it be? Let me guess. A serious-faced censor board somewhere has decreed that the word "penis" is inappropriate for public consumption, but "pizzle" is just fine? I wonder if "pizzle" is okay for personalized car tags as well. Presumably a whole series of more familiar euphemisms such as "dick," "willie," "johnson," etc., were rejected, as well as scientific terms such as "copulatory organ." I'd love to have been a fly on the wall during this meeting. How did they settle on "pizzle"?

Am I the last person in the universe to learn that I should be using powdered dishwasher detergent instead of liquid gel? I had a service guy come out today because my dishwasher (which came with the house when I bought it over six years ago and has never been all that great) had started making a funny noise and leaving more white scum on everything than usual. He couldn't even take the thing apart because the parts were plugged up and cemented together with hardened liquid gel dishwasher detergent. He said the plastic would break if he tried. Great. I wanted a new one anyhow, so I consider this a Christmas present. But it pisses me off that the supermarket shelves are packed high and wide with plastic bottles of this crap that no one should be using. There oughta be a law, or at least a warning label! Using cold, mineral-rich water is certain slow death to gel-fed dishwashers, and I use both. The genius who designed my house put the hot water heater about a mile from the kitchen, so if I want hot water I turn on the tap, then go off and do something else for a while. By the time I return the water might be warm. Service-guy says the dishwasher heats the cold water about one degree per minute, at great energy cost. Well, live and learn. This is my first house ever. I always said I'd never buy a house because I didn't like complications. My husband talked me into it because of tax benefits, so for the first time in my life I had to use the long form. I also always said (in my youth) that I'd never get married or have kids. Hah!