Month: July 2004

Blast FronThe Past

While searching in her purse for something, Donna found a Free Appetizer card we received from a manager at a restaurant from way back in June. We didn’t run right out and get our free food because the chain restaurant doesn’t have a local location. We were coming back from Connecticut back in early June and as we were zipping south on I-81, just into northern Virginia, it was time for some lunch. As we looked at all the signs along the side of the road for the eateries that we could agree on, I spotted a place that we had never really heard of, but I had seen a positive review of on the net by a world renown restaurant critic, so we decided to give it a whirl. We weren’t real hungry so we agreed to order just an appetizer and a burger to split. As we looked over the menu to finalize our choice we could hear the folks at the table behind us say, “You are just getting this to us now?” Apparently they had just gotten their appetizer when they were halfway thru their entree. Undaunted, we ordered something (I can’t remember what it was two months ago almost) and emphasized to the waiter to be sure and get the appetizers order in first so we got it first. He said he would. We never saw him again.

A waitress smilingly and unsuspecting dropped off our hamburger. We immediately asked her where our appetizer was. She, not being our primary server and just helping out, had no idea but went off to check. We cut the sandwich in two and it was very tasty. The fries were good, but would have been a lot better if they were actually hot. The next staff person that came by we flagged over and complained about the fries. She promised to get us some more that were hot. Donna and I started our own little pool to bet on which would show up first, fries or appetizer. The fries came first, delivered by the manager. He apologized and asked how he could make it up to us, could he get us our appetizer. We told him we didn’t want it at this point. We told him that he could give us our meal for free, but he couldn’t do that. To make him feel better we accepted his little card for a free appetizer. We told him it was probably worthless as that particular chain didn’t exist where we lived, so he wrote inside good at any location and N/A in the expiration date spot.

For all we know the restaurant had just opened yesterday, it was in a very new shopping center. They were probably like a lot of things these days, just getting the product to market without working all the bugs out of the system. Beta testing on the public as it were. We will probably try another Red Robin Gourmet Burgers at another time if it happens to fall into place that there is one where and when we happen to be hungry.

Promotion?

This memo was forwarded to few folks at our plant today. It concerns a staffing change at our main plant in Florham Park. Why I got it I’m not sure, but I’m glad I did because I found it entertaining. The Name has been changed to protect the “innocent.”
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I am pleased to announce that Fred Flintstone has accepted the position of Procurement Commodity Manager beginning 7/19/04. Over the last 6 years, Fred has held various roles in Engineering with increasing responsibility. Most recently, Fred held the position of Project Manager with direct responsibility over the RHNG project. Fred has played an integral role in managing this project through a successful design freeze. Due to the critical nature of this project, Fred will continue as Project Manager until the electronic version is successfully in production.

Fred has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Really Smart Guy Institute, an M.S. in Engineering Management from Cheesy Online University, and an MBA in Strategic Management from Snotty Nose University.

In Fred’s new role, he will manage several key commodities including machined parts. Fred will be responsible for developing and implementing the strategic direction of these commodities in an effort to drive negative net inflation, globalization, and supplier performance. Fred will be reporting to me.

Please join me in congratulating Fred on his new assignment.
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RHNG stands for Red Hat Next Generation which going to be our latest and greatest valve if it ever comes to fruition. It has been stuck on one thing or another for couple three years now. So is this a promotion or a demotion? Before, top dog engineer on the company’s valve of the future, now, buyer of bitsy valve parts, you tell me. Just what is a successful design freeze anyway? He got the design so screwed up we are frozen with no chance to go back or forward in any attempt to make this a viable product? Whatever, here is my hearty congratulations to you Fred, salute!

Front Lip Spoiler

Been thinking about getting a front spoiler to make the front a little more aggressive looking and a touch lower to the ground. I don’t care for either Mazda offering as they look way too tacked on for my tastes. Really looking for one that looks like the one Mazda used on the 99-00 models. I always keep an eye on the interior/exterior section of the miataforum for leads. about a week ago some posted about a spoiler he saw on a Swiss web site and wondered if any one could get it for him. When I went to the link, there it was, what I have been looking for, the ATH Hinsberger Comet.

I wrote to the contact email and asked if they shipped to the US. The answer came back no, but I should try the spoiler company’s US distributor. I emailed them and heard nothing back for 3 days. An inauspicious start to our business relationship. I did a little searching on the company and found a forum that they sponsor, it is for Tiburons, but from what I read not too many people are pleased with them. More research was required. Went to the spoiler manufacturer’s web site and found they have a distributor in Canada and Scotland that I thought I’d give a try. The Canadian’s replied to my email in a matter of minutes (more like it.) They do ship to the US, but the price was about $50 higher than the relaxed and dodgey Californian. They also mentioned that this was a new product that they don’t stock so the lead-time could be as much as 2 months. None of this was mentioned by the CA company. I wrote back to both with some more questions and I’m waiting…
The Scottish fellow replied to my original request and he said, “ATH Hinsberger has a distributor in USA and asks that we respect the distributor territories.” Which may be correct, but seeing as Mr. Canada said OK, I figure this was a polite brush off and that he didn’t want the hassle of overseas shipping (and something that can be a pain in the a$$.)

The Canadian has already replied to my further questions, so you can guess where I will be spending my money. If I pull the trigger. With painting this little mod will be in the middle 400 dollar range. This is not chump change for me and sounds like a major investment for something that will occasionally be scraped on parking lot dividers. The Mazda unit I put on the old blue car was like a hundred and a quarter. Stay tuned.

Stuff That Is Getting My Goat Right Now

Putting a microphone on Jason Giambi at the All-Star Game. Don’t we get enough grunting from our sports figures with women’s tennis?

Making fun of Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez’s affection for Yanni music. Can’t we just focus on the fact that a grown man doesn’t mind being called Pudge?

What happened to the Clemens/Piazza feud? Or did Mike get his revenge by telling the American League hitters just where Roger was going to throw?

My clothes dryer. The last one we had had a very hard to clean lint filter. So when we bought this new one several months ago I made sure that we got a flatter one that would be easier to clean. Well the joke is on me, no one is east to clean, but the design has gaps at the end of the fins that help tumble the clothes. These gaps are just big enough to get a sock or pair of skivvies wedged in them, so that they don’t dry. This is usually discovered when removing the 98% of the load that is dry and there is absolutely no way to dry one sock.

Tour Dee France

I’ve had quite enough of Bob Roll. The guy is annoying for TV. I’ve read some of his stuff and enjoyed it (although now that I’ve seen and heard him, I may have trouble with this in the future.) The gap between his front teeth is a distraction and all those exaggerated hand gestures are a distraction too. It is pronounced Tour Duh France not Tour Dee France, that may be OK at home, but when you are doing a nationwide television show at least try and pronounce it right.

He’s Everywhere, He’s Everywhere

Not only is he all over every cycling publication, but now he is hitting the mainstream mags. Yesterday when we left the gym I spied an Esquire magazine on a table in the waiting area and can you guess who was on the cover? My Men’s Journal came in the mail today, guess who is on the cover? To add icing to the cake he even has a cool rockstar girlfriend. Oh yeah, OLN is back up on cable tonight, so I watched a couple of interviews with him and a few minutes of him riding today, some footage of him leading the team yesterday and a couple more interviews of people who knew him or coached him or cleaned his pool. Plus, there are all those contests running….enough already! He is going to suffer from the Hootie Syndrome* soon.

*Hootie Syndrome: Become so poular that it is hip to hate you. Named after Hootie & The Blowfish that early 90’s music sensation that had like 5 of their songs in the top 10 at one time.

This Is An Enticement?

I can’t see how the latest join the Army commercial, that is running during the Tour de France coverage, can make anyone want to join up.

Your mission is to track enemy movement from deep cover. You have supplies for 5 days. It is day 12, do you have what it takes?

What it takes to go willingly on mis-planned and ill-equipped missions? Am I that gullible?