I grew up loving Turner’s tea. It was the thing that I bought nearly every time I went to the general store by my house. In fact, I can probably say every time, without the “nearly”. There was always Turner’s in the ‘fridge when I was growing up. It’s still the drink of choice at family get-togethers. The other night, we had a pizza delivered from A’Pizza Badamo, and I had them bring a gallon of Turner’s with the pizza & sub.
I have blogged about Turner’s before. I even wrote to them when I was much younger, asking what the “secret ingredient” was in their tea that made it so addictive. They wrote back. I didn’t get an answer but I did get a sweet Turner’s T-shirt (Tea-Shirt?), and a label from one of the little jugs to stick on my guitar case. I’ve written to Giant Eagle and Market District multiple times asking them to carry Turner’s products. I get the Moos-letter.
Turner
I’m not quite as hardcore as the guy who got a Turner’s tattoo, I guess. But, I think we have successfully established that I enjoy Turner’s quite a bit.
So, do you think I can get Turner’s to endorse an Iced Tea themed guitar? Honestly, I was just thinking to myself that I’d like a guitar that’s painted like a Turner’s iced tea carton. It looks cool on that guy’s arm, and looks really cool on the Tea-Bird, makes a rockin’ T-shirt… so why not on a guitar?
Hmm. Possible encouragement? Perhaps. Who wouldn’t like one that had a tank to a backpack… like a camelbak that shot iced tea at the crowd. Or, I could just get a beer helmet & drink Turner’s myself while on stage.
Yes. They’re ugly. But, the colors are awesome. Why the Les Paul shape? Well, I have a perfectly good Epiphone that I hardly ever play… and it’s got a big chip out of the paint anyway. It needs repainted… why not stripped & done up like this?
Well, sort of like that. I’d like to take apart the different elements & move them around… Maybe even get a scan of a gallon jug label or little jug label. A tea-colored guitar with that little label in the corner might be cool. If money were no object… I’d go for a jug or carton shaped guitar… or maybe even a Telecaster-type kit guitar that could be called the (wait for it…) Tea-Caster. Well if money were really no object, I might even try out an Evertune bridge.
People get sponsored all the time, right? Why not me? Can’t hurt to ask, right? I figured I’d present my case here, then fire off an email to Turner’s, hit them up on Facebook, Twitter(beware the imposter!), or wherever else I can… and ask if they’d be interested in helping me fund a Turner’s guitar. Maybe I can just cover my LP in some Turner’s stickers then throw a clear-coat over it? Ha ha. That’s a lot of stickers…
The next step is to find someone that does this type of work around here. Is there a guitar “body shop” anywhere that would tackle a custom paint job like this (& do a good job)? Any business or artist that may know what they’re doing?
Then, it’s time to get serious with design. Any ideas? Suggestions? Please, submit some pictures of ideas! At the very least, describe ’em! What do you think? Would a Turner’s guitar be fun? I need something goofy to match the square guitar & the backwards guitar, right?
Message / Comment: First, the oatmeal was filled to the top with water and extremely runny. The order taker didn’t offer a mango pineapple smoothie, and when I went back up to order an additional sandwich and small rolo mcflurry, it took 15 minutes to get them. There was only one guy taking orders, while 3/4 of the crew members were over by the drive through just talking and congregating.
Message / Comment: went in Imperial store on Aug. i,2011, the service was horrible . They acted as if they were doing us a favor by waiting on us .There were no napkinks out , no containers for ketchup both myself and another had to ask for napkins, when they gave them to us it was like an effort to do so The management at night is horrible
Really weird. I AM NOT MCDOANLD’S. I think I see what’s happening here, at least with the message up top. See if you can follow along with me…
Where I started my “WTF?” journey was the line “How’d you find my blog?: It was on my receipt.” Um, I highly doubt that https://aixelsyd13.wordpress.com was on your receipt. So, we go to the next step…
What we’ve learned is that Ms. Krebs above has typed “ella.jones@us.mcd.com” into Google, and discovered my blog. Luckily for Ms. Jones, the 1st for things that pop up (today anyway) send people to my blog.
Here is where we have to make some educated guesses.
Ms. Krebs thought that all my ramblings about McDonald’s were some sort an official complaint form.
Ms. Krebs is unable to distinguish a web browser from a mail client (or webmail, as it is a Gmail address), or an email address from a URL, which could break down (even further) to…
She thought ella.jones@us.mcd.com was a url, and the contact form on my site was to contact McDonald’s.
She thought that by typing the email address “ella.jones@us.mcd.com” into the Google or Bing search bar, she was indeed sending an email.
Ms. Krebs thought she was commenting on my blog, & instead of using the “Leave a Reply” box at the bottom, she hit the contact link at the top.
Ms. Krebs has a Smartphone, and no idea how to use it.
That was fun, wasn’t it? Do you think I’m close? I may have to change to look of my comment page to let people know who I am, and that I am not McDoanld’s.
I do love the interaction. As a blogger I feed off of comments, replies, and feedback. I do appreciate & empathize that you were so wronged by McDonald’s that you feel the need to express your frustrations via written electronic communication. I totally get that.
If you have had a bad experience, and want to vent… please, I encourage you to share the experience (hopefully with a humorous bent) here with me & all the other people who’s McDonald’s-related Google and Bing searches have led them to my humble corner of the internet.
A lot of those comments seem to be directed at McDonald’s. I am not McDonald’s. I try to reply to each commenter to let them know where to direct their anger… but they must not have checked the “Notify me of follow-up comments via email” box while they commented or ever check back, because they never seem to get my reply.
Wow. As, I’m typing this blog… I got something in my inbox that is so amusing I’m going to pee my pants:
From: Amber Ross <pastorskid_tiwtc4u@yahoo.com> To: me_at_my@email.addre.ss Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 10:01 PM Subject: W(aL)D Feedback
Website: Message / Comment: Hello, i would like to inform you that i have visited your store twice today and both times the service has been extremely slow and very disappointing. Both times i have waited twenty minutes in line and both times it was for something small. The line had at least eight people in it, that were not helped and the manager (Jeff) was at the drive thru window drinking a pop and not caring that people were waiting. i also would like to inform you that i will not be returning to your store along with my entire family. Thank You.
I was very unhappy with my visit from store 10848 delmont 6526 route 22 pa the servise was the worrise that i ever had and i had only had three things two frys and a fish sandwitch and i had a pice of chees on mu fish and the frys where cold and when i asked for ketchup they said i had to pay for it pleas email me back or i will call and complaine
Jeffrey; I am not McDonald’s. While we’re at it… “sandwitch” & “complaine“? …and “worrise“? You clearly have issues to address, my friend. Best of luck with that.
Wow.
Please, share your experience below (but, note… again, that I am not McDonald’s)!
I’d also love any theories on how/why peopel are using my contact form and comments sections… thinking I’m McDonalds. (Which I’m clearly not.)
So, I’ve blogged about Allergy Eats many times before. You know I think it’s an awesome resource, but can only be useful if users rate restaurants. Now, it’s easier than ever to do… with new iPhone and Android apps!
AllergyEats Apps!
AllergyEats.com
You can read the word from Allergy Eats about the release here or get the app you need here.
Paul from AllergyEats is good people, he recently donated to FAAN for my Food Allergy Walk in Pittsburgh!
I encourage you to spread the word to anyone that you know with food allergies, so we can all take advantage of the awesome ever-expanding database now available anywhere that you can get cell phone service!
I’m not far from getting my name in the “top fundraisers” list on the Pittsburgh walk page. Those people are still getting donations too… so keep ’em coming!
This post is to celebrate the generosity of Sally Wiggin, and to try and get other local celebrities and organizations to step up & donate… for a chance to be awesome like Sally. (I have also received some initial contact from Chick-fil-A, Qdoba, & Giant Eagle… though no donations as of yet.)
You can also donate to my wife, Bethany… she’s not quite as “aggressive” as I am in collecting donations. You can listen to this while you dig out your credit card…
There’s all kinds of stuff going on in the Ernie and the Berts world You ought to check it out…
A while ago we played at a crazy show in Sheffield Lanes, above the Fallout Shelter. It was all ages, it was madness, it was beautiful. This is some of what you missed: “Toybox”: A lot of screwing around, then “Ikea”: Video by Ernie’s mom, Terrie Cobb. This is just a sample of the awesomeness that you can get full-on by supporting our Kicks … Read More
When Bela Mehta’s toddler son was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy, she carefully explained to her parents and in-laws that ingesting even the tiniest amount of peanut could cause a life-threatening reaction.
Yet when the grandparents came over to babysit, Mehta would come home to find that they’d brought over desserts that contained peanuts, or that they were continuing to make dishes containing peanuts using her blender.
“I said, ‘If it was labeled poison, or cyanide, would you still bring it here?” said Mehta, a mother of two who lives in Chicago. “That’s how dangerous it is to him.”
What planet are these people from? Seriously.
Nearly 6 million U.S. children — or about one in 12 kids — are allergic to at least one food, with peanuts, milk and shellfish topping the list of most common allergens, according to research published in Pediatrics in July.
That’s a lot of kids, which will be a lot of adults in a few years.
Peanuts can cause a severe, potentially life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis — wheezing and trouble breathing, vomiting, swelling, persistent coughing that would indicate airway swelling, and a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
No big deal, right? Sounds like it’s worth the risk of just licking a peanut…
Some parents described incidents in which family and friends had deliberately given their child nuts to test if the allergy was real.
Yeah. Read that again:
Some parents described incidents in which family and friends had deliberately given their child nuts to test if the allergy was real.
Jail time. That’s all I’m sayin’. That’s like saying that you shot someone just to see if it would really make a hole in their guts.
There should be no question about that, said Dr. Ruchi Gupta, an associate professor of pediatrics at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago who studies food allergies.
“Peanut allergies are very life-threatening,” Ruchi said. “Kids with a peanut allergy can have shortness of breath. Their throat closes. Their blood pressure drops and if not treated immediately, it can lead to death.“
Go, Dr. Gupta, Go!
Families also reported feeling stigmatized and socially excluded, while children reported teasing. Other kids would say, ‘I’ve got nuts and I’m gonna come touch you’,” according to the study.
I’m going to resist the temptation for a joke about a different kind of nuts.
The article goes on to include the lighter side of things, but I’m ranting. Go read the full thing if you know what’s good for you.
Damn you, George Lucas. I’m pretty sure you could sell the proverbial air conditioner to the Eskimo (is Inuit the correct term now?) without a problem, but I bet you can also amazingly re-sell him the air conditioner that he already has just by cleaning it, maybe adding a new filter, and putting a shiny sticker on it… and repeating that process every few years for the next 30 or 40. You are a genius.
Fanboy rant that you’ve already heard a million times over aside, George Lucas is a creative genius, and no matter how much we love to bicker about changes with new actors/voices, re-releases, re-edits, mis-colored & re-colored lightsabers, flying CGI droids, who shot first, and dancing Yoda… it all comes down to the fact that we love the Star Wars films and feel some kind of connection to them. If we didn’t feel so strongly about them, we (hopefully) wouldn’t waste our time bickering. (Sorry, can’t let it go: I still want “Yub Nub” back, I hatehatehate the new Ewok song in Jedi.)
Of course I’m going to get the Blu-ray version. To have them all in one package? Awesome. Seems like forever-ago that I was pontificating on what I’d like to see on a Blu-ray release. Now that it’s almost here & available for pre-order, I’m getting jittery… like I’ve had too many cups of coffee. Maybe I did that, too.
Bill Hunt is a lucky bastard that got a preview of the discs, and he shares the goods with us. Basically there are a lot of error fixes, clean ups, and a bunch of sound remastering and rebuilding. Some cool bits…
One thing I should confirm for you at this point: The original theatrical versions of the Original Trilogy are not included on these discs. Personally, I never expected them to be. I know a lot of fans want them, but it’s clear that Lucas has no intention of making them available at least for the foreseeable future.
Figured as much.
In addition to these sorts of fixes, significant additional dirt removal has been done, more garbage matte lines have been cleaned up and other little “fixes” have been applied as well. Here’s an example of one such fix done to Episode V. For years, fans have complained that in this shot of the Wampa attacking Luke’s Tauntaun, you could see part of the puppeteer’s arm because the costume didn’t extend quite far enough… Now, that’s been fixed.
For Episode IV, however, “getting it exactly right” required a rather extensive forensic effort, as this material just wasn’t cataloged with future surround remixes in mind. In many cases, Matt and his team went back to original analog tape recordings made in 1976 to get the best quality of all the required elements. As a result, it’s fair to say that the surround mix for Episode IV was almost completely rebuilt from scratch, with Matt comparing his work to the original print master to ensure its creative accuracy. And at every step of the way, director George Lucas and original sound supervisor Ben Burtt were consulted to ensure that the mix reproduced as closely as possible their original intent for the film’s sonic experience. In fact, Matt says he played the film’s reels many times for George, in 15-20 second chucks, to get his feedback.
Crazy. I think I’m going to have to break down & buy a surround-sound system just for this Blu-ray release. Maybe a better Blu-ray player too. Any ideas on how to convince my wife why this is necessary?
Now, you’ll recall that a little bit ago, I said these should probably be best considered new 2011 versions of these films, and not the 2004 DVD versions. All the fixes and corrections alone justify this in my opinion, but there’s another reason too… and you can probably guess what it is: Once again, George has apparently added a few new “surprises” into these films. I don’t know what they are and didn’t get to see any of them on Friday, but I was assured that there will be “new things to notice” when we watch the films. I think we can safely assume that one of them will be the new all-digital Yoda in Episode I…
More tweaks? Hopefully more archive/deleted footage put into the films in lieu of additional background lizards, droids, clones, or new musical numbers. (Although, if more aliens popped up in the background… like the ones from Close Encounters, Alien, Predator, Cowboys & Aliens, or even a Klingon, that would be kind of geeky fun.) I’d like to see the Revenge of the Sith ending that Simon Pegg wrote about in his book.
What the other changes to these films may be, I have no idea, but I suspect there will be no lack of blog posts on this very subject within hours of the first discs becoming available to fans.
Now then, let’s move on to the extras. Is it really worth getting the Complete Saga set just to get the three extras discs? For me at least, the answer here is clear: Absolutely. Yes… I’ve now seen many of the Original Trilogy deleted scenes. No… I can’t tell you much about them (believe me, that drives me as crazy as it does you). But I was pretty surprised by them and in a good way. What I can tell you is that they are substantial – at least for the Original Trilogy. This isn’t just dribs and drabs stuff – it includes long sequences. And they’re extremely cool. Frankly, for me this is the real draw of the entire BD release. As you’ve seen in some of the teaser clips Lucasfilm has released, they’re not pristine, but most of them are in HD – at least the Original Trilogy clips. And trust me, they’re well worth seeing. It’s stuff some of you have wanted to see in good quality since 1977, along with a few things fans may not have known even existed.
What’s more, each film has two audio commentary tracks – the ones that were on the previous DVD release as well as an all-new commentary compiled from tons of vintage and archived interviews with the cast and crew. Finally, I’m assured that there are indeed a handful of “very fun” Easter eggs scattered throughout the set.
OOOH. How will I find these? Ha ha. I’m going to have to set up a Google News alert or something. I’m never good at just finding them on my own.
Go read the main article, it’s worth it if you’re a geek… and there are some killer photos!
In with that, they point to yet another article, that says exciting things like…
On the special features, we spent 3 years sifting and digging through 30 years of material that is in the vaults at the Ranch, it’s been quite an undertaking. We uncovered boxes that hadn’t been opened in over 20 years, it was a very dirty experience! We looked through work prints, we found dailies, we went through behind-the scenes videos, we really uncovered a slew of new gems that we’re really excited to share with the fans.
Oh what I wouldn’t give to dig through those archives.
Q: Is the holiday special on there?
A: You’ll have to wait and see! The holiday special is a challenge, but look for some Easter Eggs – what’s a Star Wars release without a couple of Easter Eggs?! J
I’m guessing not the whole Holiday special, but maybe a clip… especially the Boba Fett cartoon. A clean version of that would be excellent! (If it exists, watch it have overdubs fromTemuera Morrison
If the whole special shows up, that would be killer. No one ever asks about the Ewok movies. What about those? When are we going to get more forest creatures, lost footage, and an all-new CGI Gorax? How about Cindel & Mace running around in Jedi somewhere?
Oh yeah, maybe Troops will pop up as an easter egg!
Thanks to HarrisPoll Surveys, PNC/Visa Points, and a jar o’ change, I was able to pre-order from Amazon for only $2.49 out of pocket.
Sorry if I seem like that guy next to a dumpster outside of a funeral home trying to sell you dead flowers so I can raise “bus fair” lately.
That said, this is a cause that’s obviously near & dear to me… so I’d really like to make a big impact. I’m already a great deal of the way closer to reaching my “goal” of $300, but I’d prefer to exceed that goal for my first Food Allergy Walk if at all possible. I just left the default goal of $300 as I was setting up the page at FoodAllergyWalk.org, and thought it would be a good start. I had no idea that donations would come in so quickly! I think I can do a lot more than $300, with the help of my friends & family.
As of this posting:
The national goal is $3,000,000.00, and the amount raised so far is $822,567.86 with 4 of 43 walks completed overall.
The goal for the Pittsburgh walk is $50,000.00 and they’re currently at $29,150.45.
Keep ’em coming, and pass along the link if so inclined! That’s:
She has to deal with this food allergy crap as much as I do, and she has to put up with my insane ramblings about food allergies & food service in real life, then hear “Yeah, didn’t you read my blog post about that?” from me repeatedly. She reads labels, asks questions, makes phone calls and even taste-tests for me. Perhaps she deserves your donations more than I do!
You can follow the links to either of our names do donate right through a secure connection through the Food Allergy Walk website. I have found out that since my last post about this, the minimum donation online is $10. I’ll take any amount in person. $5 or $1 is still a donation. I’ll have an envelope for cash & checks (made payable to FAAN).
As many as 15 million Americans have food allergies, including approximately 6 million children.
The CDC reported that food allergies result in over 300,000 ambulatory-care visits a year among children.
Eight foods account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions in the U.S.: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.
There is no cure for food allergies. Strict avoidance of food allergens and early recognition and management of allergic reactions to food are important measures to prevent serious health consequences.
Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction.
Most people who’ve had an allergic reaction to something they ate thought that it was safe.
I’m all about raising awareness of the seriousness of food allergies. It’s hard to impress the severity upon some people, especially those in the food service industry. Money raised will go to research and education. In fact, here’s how your donations will be used:
How FAAN Uses Your Contributions
FAAN uses contributions to fund its education, advocacy, research, and awareness efforts. Eighty-one cents of every dollar is spent on innovative research and programs that help give families struggling with food allergies a fighting chance. Since 2004, FAAN has funded more than $4.6 million in research. Education remains the single most important component of staying safe while living with food allergies. Since 2006, FAAN has funded nearly $175,000 in Community Outreach Grants to local support groups throughout the country.
Again, I thank you for your tolerance. I’d like to develop one to shellfish, but I don’t see it happening without your help!
I feel the need to write once more to applaud their cleanliness & friendliness at the BBQ station (OK, the Smoke & Fire Rotisserie). Bethany & I were there for dinner & grocery shopping last night on a trip to get a bunch of stuff and take advantage of the dastardly cult-like fuelperks!®/foodperks!™ programs. (Don’t tell anyone, but Tuesday night is a great night to go shopping there.)
sign for the special sort of Yinzer…
I noticed a few things. First, I noticed a sign above the soups that said that seafood soups would be available in the seafood section. I wish I had snapped a photo. It may not have anything to do with allergies & potential cross-contamination, but I like it. Keep the deadly seabugs in their own little corner.
Next and more importantly, I noticed the employee that handled my order. She told me that she’d be with me as soon as possible while she handled the order for the people in front of me. I had no problem waiting, but the acknowledgement of my presence was a great start. You can’t imagine how many people behind a food counter will just ignore you, and how such a simple thing as a hello makes all the difference.
The big surprise came after I ordered my turkey sandwich with St. Loius style sauce & grilled vegetables (which are so incredibly awesome). I watched my new favorite employee take the carving knife carving, wash it in the sink, then come back to spray/wash/wipe the cutting board, then proceed to carve the delicious turkey for my simple yet tasty sandwich.
Such simple steps, such a comfort for someone with food allergies. I know I go to the Rotisserie station because it’s deathfish free, but hopefully this is an insight to Market District‘s overall food prep/handling policies. If not put in place by training, I applaud this team member’s personal dedication to cleanliness! I wonder if they’ve looked at FAAN’s guide to welcoming guests with food allergies? I was already a fan of the place because of other chefs there that I had talked to regarding food allergies, and this just put it over the top.
I hope to write to Market District to express my awe & thanks. If only they would do a few more simple things, they would indeed be the most awesome grocery store ever:
Carry LaChoy Teriyaki sauce. I’m just sayin’, I have to go to Kunh’s or Shop n’ Save to get it, and I don’t get my crack-addiction-like need for fuelperks filled when I go to either of those places. I have tried to get you to carry this to no avail. Why the hate?
I’ve pointed you to Blurt before. It’s an amusing blog in general, and this is another amusing yet very real story about the seriousness of food allergies. This time, it’s got the perspective of someone who’s not food-allergic themselves, yet understands the seriousness of the situation. I find it to be a fresh take.
It’s also one that’s not in the Top 8, showing us that other allergies exist besides the big ones.
Of course, this is also self-serving, as there’s a shout-out to someone you might know…
A long time ago, I was in college. There was this girl I dated back then. She was a good person. She became a special education teacher when she grew up. In the end, things didn’t work out between us. It wasn’t her, it was me. Seriously, all me. Now in saying it was all me, I do want to point out that the end of the rel … Read More
World (and Lunar) Domination 