I didn’t blog this, but it could easily be one of my road rage rants. People are ridiculous, especially this blue truck driving Jagoff Yinzer:
Some people just need a swift kick in the ass, even if it’s only figurative. So, please, read the post, enjoy, & add YaJagoff.com to your reader or follow them on Facebook or Twitter something. You won’t be disappointed!
YaJagoff.com | Jagoff Super Hero In Action!
So, it’s finally online with decent quality. It popped up all weekend from poorly shot cell phone videos coupled with audio that sounded like a garbled speaker-blowing mess. It was quickly taken down each time it popped up.
Warner Brothers must have had an army of geek-zombies patrolling the web, or one hell of a search-bot going. They stuck down with the fury of an angry deity and swiftly removed any infractions.
It’s official & super high quality at Apple’s site, but it’s also elsewhere with a quick Google.
Will Bane break the bat once & for all?
It was awesome to be a part of filming at Heinz Field that day for “Magnus Rex”, I owe many thanks to the people from BeInAMovie.com. Bethany & I had a wonderful time. I know my friend Erin & cousin Melynda were also elsewhere in the crowd in attendance that day. Erin even got a badass Gotham Rogues T-shirt. A lot of people snuck in cell phones & cameras that day. I apparently naively did as we were instructed & didn’t bring anything like that for fear of being kicked out.
It was awesome that a Batman movie was filming in Pittsburgh. I’m obviously a big Batman fan, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to attend. It was a long hot day to be sitting in winter coats. I can’t wait until this hits theaters!
Maybe when the Bluray comes out and we can pause it 8 bajillion times, we’ll be able to pick ourselves out.
Check out: Batman Movie Night
People consistently drive incorrectly, illegally, and dangerously at more than a few intersections that I travel through on a somewhat regular basis. I’d like to deal with them all eventually, but let’s just start with one at a time. I’ve talked about this kind of stuff before, and I’m not saying that I’m the perfect driver or never do anything wrong with my vehicles… but this kind of stuff is covered in the PA driver’s manual, isn’t it?
The first intersection that I’d like to deal with has a clearly marked right-of-way, but it’s apparently not clear to all drivers licensed by the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. First a description of the intersection in question thanks to Google Maps & my mad paint.NET skills:
Can you find all of the STOP signs? ( Hint: There's just 1.)
Does this really need any explanation? Of course it does, or I wouldn’t be here ranting about it. The green arrows are the path I usually take. I chose green for my arrows, because I’m obviously always right.
Red arrow path people… I’m talkin’ to you. I’ve seen you all try to pull out in front of me, no matter which green-arrowed path I’m taking. You sit there, eking forward as if to tell me you’re interested in playing intersection chicken, or simply that you don’t quite comprehend that I don’t also have a stop sign. To channel Dr. Seuss;
I don’t have a stop sign going up the hill,
I don’t have a stop sign going down the hill.
I can spot stop signs with such skill,
It must make you very ill.
I don’t have a stop sign going around the bend,
I don’t have a stop sign like you, my friend.
In case it’s unclear, the stop on the sign indicates that you are to sit there until all others in the intersection (with the right-of way) have gone though. Which unfortunately for you, in this instance, is everyone except you.
...but YOU do.
Maybe they need an “opposing traffic does not stop” sign or something to the same effect there (if there isn’t one already). Maybe we need someone to stand there, and hand out printed copies of instructions on how to navigate the intersection successfully …or even just a copy of this blog post.
Please, stop crowding forward when the tiny section of road gets backed up at that light in the morning. Please, stop making faces at me and throwing your hands wildly into the air like I have wronged you in some way as I come up the hill around the bend to the left. Please don’t cut me off as I’m waiting in the backed-up traffic to get to the light. I don’t have a stop sign. You do. I didn’t cut you off. I’m driving correctly, you’re an anus.
(We don’t use that word nearly enough.)
Should this be the new municipal building?
I must admit, I don’t generally get all fired up about local politics… and I’m not involved much, so I guess I really have no big voice in complaining until I get off of my ass and vote next local election. From what I read in the papers, the Patch, & the quarterly newsletter it’s all some sort of goofy circus in Dormont anyway. (Does that quarterly thing live online anywhere?) If you’ve read a paper (in print or online), I’m sure you’ve seen the chaos in the little borough on the hill just outside Pittsburgh proper.
It’s a very odd pissing contest between the mayor, the borough manager, the city employees, the police, and the counsel. I’d love to know where/why/how it all started. A comment on a recent article from the Dormont-Brookline Patch sparked local editor Erin Faulk to reply with some links to try & help me sort things out.
I’m going to try & ignore all of the comments, as they appear to be mostly inflammatory statements. (The dates are article dates, not event dates.) Let’s see if we can all follow along…
“If this were a case about whether or not Phil Ross is a nice guy or a good man or someone people like, we wouldn’t be here … But being chief of police is a big job,” he said.
Within Ross’ first year as chief, he said, council began noticing problems.
Testimony by Rizza, Assistant Manager Ian McMeans and council President Kim Lusardi painted a picture of man who didn’t have control of his department.
Rizza testified that during a meeting with him and Lusardi in November 2010, Ross said he didn’t want to be chief, but others in the department wanted him to be.
Ross, Rizza said, “felt they threw him under the bus” and wouldn’t listen to him.
Lusardi testified Ross had told her his men wouldn’t listen to him and that he was unhappy.
According to testimony:
- Ross couldn’t control overtime, which exceeded the 2010 budget of $93,000 by about $50,000. This was in part because Ross would not use his ability to deny officers from taking comp time in some cases. At the time, the borough had a minimum shift requirement of a sergeant on all shifts and at least one officer.
- Ross did not notify Rizza of an attempted child luring in October. Instead, Rizza said he learned several hours later from the school superintendent. The delay, he said, prevented prompt notification to borough residents using the borough’s reverse 911 system.
- Rizza learned from another officer in November that police cars weren’t being well-maintained and that cameras in two of the cars hadn’t been working for about a year.
- Officers were also not walking beats as required by borough code. In 2009, officers walked 126 foot patrols, and 83 in 2010 and one in the early part of 2011.
Lautner also suggested the police may have had reasons for not coming forth with information about the attempted child luring. Rizza and McMeans said public safety should take precedence.
Lautner also said vehicle maintenance wasn’t in Ross’ job description. And, he suggested, police were walking more beats than those that were logged.
In his cross-examination, Lautner asked Rizza why he sought to demote Ross by holding a Loudermill hearing—essentially a due process hearing at which a public employee facing discipline can present his or her side—on Feb. 18, just six days after council had given Ross 60 days to comply with its latest directives.
Rizza said that was because Ross’ reactions during the hearing indicated he had no intentions to following council’s instruction, saying “Bull—-. Council is not my boss.”
At the end of the hearing, Rizza said, Ross complained of shortness of breath. He left the meeting and was taken by ambulance to the hospital and went out on sick leave until about early April.
Gabriel characterized that as a “panic attack,” to audience groans. Lautner objected and was sustained.
Heh, “under the bus” thing.
Ross said the area Rizza walked through contains sensitive police documents and file cabinets and also a juvenile holding cell.
Ross denied that the citation and ticket were in retaliation for his demotion, which he is appealing.
Sgt. Jim Burke, who issued the trespassing citation to Rizza, was placed on paid administrative leave for an unspecified amount of time Thursday afternoon by Assistant Borough Manager Ian McMeans, Ross said Friday.
However, Mayor Tom Lloyd said he reinstated him.
Asked if he had that power, Lloyd said, “I think I have more power to reinstate than the assistant manager had to suspend him.”
Placing Burke on administrative leave was authorized by council.
Ross said Burke was on his regular day off Friday.
Really?
Lloyd and others have suggested the GPS units were installed in the five cars so Rizza could spy on police.
“They were installed for safety purposes and they were not used that way,” Lloyd said Tuesday. “The way I look at it is, (management has) abused the use of them.”
Rizza has denied using the units to spy on police.
Lloyd said as mayoy he is in charge of the police department and that the order to disconnect the units is within his powers.
Rizza and council maintain that the police ultimately answer to them because they set policy. The struggle over who has authority over the police department has been ongoing.
“They’re certainly not in charge of a lot of things they think they are,” Lloyd said of council and management.
“I just believe they’ve gotten some bad advice,” Lloyd said. “I don’t know how it’s ever going to get resolved. But it’s got to because we’ve had an excellent department for years and years and years. And they’ve done everything they can to destroy (police) morale.”
But Councilman Drew Lehman said Lloyd has been giving bad guidance and said ordering the GPS units to be disabled wasn’t the mayor’s call to make.
These are grown-ass adults. This is not a prime-time drama plot line. The last line of the article makes me giggle; “Rizza contends he is entitled to use the door.”
Disagreements over who has ultimate control over the police department have festered for some time, with both Lloyd and Rizza—through council—claiming authority.
Tensions escalated after Rizza was ticketed last month for parking in a spot at the borough building lot designated for another tenant.
Officer James Burke issued the ticket. After getting the ticket, Rizza entered the police department through a door inside the building for which he has an electronic key pass, Burke cited him for defiant trespass.
Ross contended Rizza wasn’t allowed to enter that way, saying sensitive materials were in the area and a juvenile holding cell was visible. Rizza should have waited for an officer to meet him at the door and escort him, according to Ross.
Burke was suspended, then demoted to patrolman instead of being fired over the incident. The trespassing charge has also been dropped.
Rizza said he needed to get to a meeting and all other spots were taken, and that he only intended to park there until another spot opened up. He has paid the parking ticket.
A related statement signed Thursday by a police union representative and a police union attorney acknowledged Rizza is permitted to enter the station, the trespassing charge was inappropriate, and that council has the “ultimate authority to hire and discipline its police officers, subject only to the collective bargaining agreement and the Pennsylvania Borough Code.”
The statement also acknowledged the mayor cannot direct police officers to disconnect or damage the GPS units or other equipment the borough owns.
Dwyer will not have arrest powers, but can carry a gun.
Heh. Nice line there at the end. It would look great on a movie poster.
Lloyd provides no accounting to council of dismissals and and his reasons.
“Nobody but except a few people here have even brought it up as a question,” he said of council members who’ve questioned the practice. “I’ve been doing it 18 years and most people have understood that process.”
The issue has come up several times this year. In February, council said it was looking into the matter, and recently, acting Chief Richard Dwyer told officers that certain tickets should be issued as state violations, not borough violations.
Lloyd defended his practice during Monday’s meeting when Manager Gino Rizza asked him how many tickets he thought he dismissed. More than 300, Rizza said.
Lloyd pressed on with an example of tickets issued during street sweeping on July 11. During holidays, street sweeping is postponed. Lloyd said they shouldn’t have been written.
“Now, if you come in here and say, ‘Look, I wasn’t around, I wasn’t aware of it.’ What would you do?” he said. “I’m not asking you to give me an answer, I’m saying, ‘What would you do?’”
“We should be the protector of the residents,” he said after the meeting. “We should also be showing compassion to the residents.”
Crazy.
Despite the numerous issues swirling in the borough, Dwyer has tried to stay focused on his mission of improving the police department.
“He has exceeded all of the goals we set when he was originally hired, and he helped to implement and correct many things we were told were lacking in our police department,” council Vice President Laurie Malka wrote in an email to Patch on Tuesday.
Dwyer detailed some of those changes he feels have benefitted the borough.
Walking the beat
In an effort to make officers more responsive to community needs, Dwyer has instituted walking patrols.
“I’ve got them out of the cars, walking in the business district,” he said. “The average officer probably walks two times on each shift. It gives you an increased feeling of security when police are visible in the community.”
In addition, the officers check on bars at closing time and, when pharmacies in Castle Shannon and Mt. Lebanon were hit by robberies, Dwyer asked them to talk to Dormont pharmacy managers to let them know there would be additional patrols.
Police cars
Dwyer said to make Dormont’s patrol cars more visible to the community, he changed the color on three of the five vehicles to a classic black-and-white paint job. He also has put a new police car in next year’s budget as two of the cars are “in bad shape.”
Cutting overtime
Dwyer said, upon his arrival, police overtime pay was “out of control.”
In an effort to cut those costs, which have resulted in some officers having annual incomes of more than $100,000, Dwyer implemented a 12-hour schedule. He has the officers split into three-man platoons working the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift or 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift.
Within a 14-day period, the 12 officers will work seven days and have off seven days and the shift length results in less overtime pay. The average officer has 182.5 pass days and, with sick and vacation time added in, that adds up to about 208 days a year.
“Every second weekend, you have a three-day weekend,” Dwyer explained. “What this tends to do is cause less sick time abuse.”
He had told police that if the new scheduling didn’t work out, they could switch back. Since the new schedule has been in effect, a few officers who were turned down for overtime have filed grievances, Dwyer said.
But when he sent an email to officers last week asking if they want to return to the old schedule, half replied that they want to keep the 12-hour schedule, he said.
ID cards
Officers carried their weapons certification cards with them, but Dwyer felt that police should have a Dormont Police Department identification card.
“All public employees should have ID cards,” Dwyer said, including school and hospital staffs and all borough employees.
Though the cost is generally about $35 a card, Dwyer was able to have cards made at the county police academy at no cost to the borough.
Tickets
Council voted on Monday to overturn Lloyd’s veto of the new parking ticket ordinance. Dwyer said he discovered that citations for state violations were being written up as borough tickets so the borough obtained the revenue. He accused Lloyd of supporting the practice.
Equipment
Early on, Dwyer was shocked to open the trunk of a police car and find it empty, devoid of safety equipment he said should be standard in all police vehicles—flares, fire extinguishers, gas masks, helmets and safety vests.
“I’m not faulting previous people, but that’s what you’re supposed to have,” Dwyer said. “You’ve got to be prepared.”
Since then, the department received a federal grant to purchase all new bulletproof vests for each officer.
“Nobody was worried where the safety equipment was in the police car,” Dwyer said. “But they were worried about badges?”
The future
While no one knows the outcomes of Ross’ suit against council or the final ruling on his civil service case in Common Pleas Court, Dwyer has his future planned.
Because his wife still works, he’ll go from being interim chief to the “house guy.” But he plans to spend more time fishing, meeting up with friends and spending time with his grandchildren, who range in age from 2 to 21.
And while he might have taken the heat in Dormont, it won’t deter him from vacationing in tropical Jamaica next year.
For real. So he expects Chief Ross to be reinstated?
I’m not picking any sides… I just would really like to know the whole story. I’m sure most residents would. The whole ordeal seems like a waste of time & resources for everyone involved, the losers ultimately being Dormont residents & business owners. I also find it odd that a police blotter isn’t published regularly with easy access & complete information for all citizens.
Sadly, to me, all involved look like fools at this point. It appears that no one involved has taken the high road, and any further defense of their position will just sound more ridiculous. I’m amazed that there is no clear-cut chain of command outlined anywhere for the local government.
I don’t like parking tickets. (On-street parking is such a royal pain.)
I do like the strong visible police presence in the neighborhood. It makes me feel safe, & like there will be a very quick response should I ever need them.
I don’t care if the cars have GPS units. Isn’t Dormont less than square mile? What reason other than monitoring the cars would they have for installation?
I do care that Dormont is wasting money on these counsel meetings, demotions, appeals, and comparing pee-pee sizes. I’m sure the money could be better used elsewhere. (Almost anywhere else – like defining — in writing — a clear Borough chain of command.)
Am I missing anything? Is this the whole ordeal?
Can someone make an info-graphic or Lifetime movie about this, please?
So, I like movies. I’ve blogged about some childhood favorites. I’ve blogged recently about the Hollywood Theater and In Person Productions. Here I’d like to express my thoughts on what movies I’d like to see on the big screen in a little room over at the Hollywood. All of these could only be enhanced by In Person bringing in a related actor, writer, director, producer, etc. I don’t know if they take requests, but that’s not gonna stop me from blogging about it.
Wolfman's got nards!
Monster Squad ⚡ Duh. This movie is perfect for the Hollywood Theater in Dormont. It’s got a cult following. I hear other theaters are doing it. Wolfman’s got nards. (I’ve never seen Dekker‘s other movie, Night of the Creeps… maybe that would be cool too?) At any rate, this movie is fantastic. The monsters come alive, they’re so evil and scary.
Boodie twaps!
Goonies ⚡ Who wouldn’t wanna see this? I want to say this was the movie for my generation. It had a pirate’s treasure, kids as heroes, Sloth, and asthma. I’m sure I wore out the local video store’s VHS when I was younger. I’d love to see this on the big screen, in all of it’s sweeping epic glory.
C64
Explorers ⚡ I don’t think that I ever saw this film on a big screen. I just saw it on VHS. I’d love to see it in full-size. I’d also like to know how many others dig/remember this film. I mean, it had a Commodore 64 in it… and the kids made their own spaceship. They made. their. own. spaceship!
Would you like to play a game?
War Games ⚡ I still want to try that payhone trick. How cool was that? Talking computers? So futuristic! Reminded me of SAM. Global thermonuclear war was kind of scary, but I was too busy trying to figure out that modem.
Can't rain all the time…
The Crow ⚡ This movie is incredible. I saw in on VHS for the first time. I’d love to see it in the theater. It’s a story of revenge, it’s a story of love, it’s a story of some things being stronger than mere mortality. The images & ideas from James O’Barr’s graphic novel were transferred quite well to the screen here, the violence was actually played down. Making Eric a guitar player instead of a dancer is probably the only time I’ll ever say “yeah, good move” to a movie changing a comic book or graphic novel story. T-Bird said “There ain’t no coming back. This is the really real world, there ain’t no coming back.” But, we all know T-bird was wrong. So, let’s bring this one back to the big screen.
Slimer!
Ghostbusters double feature ⚡ OK, just the first one. They came, they saw, they kicked some ass… and should have stuck with the cartoon instead of Ghostbusters II. Maybe we shouldn’t cross the streams. I think I did see this in the theater, but I don’t remember it. I wanna see a life sized Stay Puft marshmallow man, please. (Yes, I actually had a plush one when I was a kid.)
Great Scott!
Back to the Future marathon ⚡ A perfect trilogy. Goofy adventure, faulty science, crazy hair, the old west, 50’s cars, cowboys & Indians, hover-boards, poop jokes, futuristic home-faxing, temporal paradoxes, a Star Wars reference, a Chuck Berry song, ZZ Top in the old west, & Huey Lewis. What’s not to love? Oh yeah… the AMC DeLorean is the coolest time machine ever, and there was a sweet guitar.
We named the DOG Indiana...
Indiana Jones marathon. ⚡ Or maybe Indiana Jones month. Four weekends, four films. Or, only 3. It’s OK if there’s only 3. Unless they hand out Crystal Skull Head Vodka at the event. These stories are too epic for your TV, they need to be shown on a grand scale. I can hear the music in my head as I’m typing. Now you can too, can’t you? I’m not sorry. Maybe I can just bring the Wii over & play Lego Indiana Jones while no one’s using the theater? Please?
Siskel & Ebert... or Eborsisk the dragon.
Willow ⚡ I think I did see this on the big screen, but I’d like to see it again. I feel like it’s an underrated movie. It had great effects, a great fairy-tail type story with a literal little guy taking on the evil establishment, and a world in which you could easily get lost. Also, the villain, General Kael was incredibly scary & awesome, even if he shopped at the same store as Skeletor.
STAR freakin’ WARS marathon ⚡ I mean, come on. Do I even really need to even state a case here? We have the movies proper, the animated feature film, the Ewok specials. Play ’em all! Please, play the Star Wars Holiday Special. It may have to be some secret underground invitation-only thing so George Lucas doesn’t hunt us all down & destroy us, but it’d be totally worth it.
|-o-|
Never tell them the odds...
Fanboys ⚡ See above. It’s a fun movie. I’d like to see it on a big screen, it never got a proper release. I bet you could get more than a few of the actors to come down to the Hollywood. Let’s do this. There’s a kid named Windows. Windows, I tell you. This is a great film for geeks & nerds of all kinds.
Want to go to the Winchester?
Shaun of the Dead ⚡ Zombies, zombies, and more zombies… in a romantic comedy? Yes. Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, & Nick Frost are geniuses. This movie is just absolutely incredible. I bet people would be all about seeing this on the big screen. We could watch the regular movie… or the one with pop-up trivia. How fun would it be to see this with a room full of like-minded humorous zombie film fans?
Ever fired your gun in the air and yelled, 'Aaaaaaah?'
Hot Fuzz ⚡ Yes. And, whatever the 3rd movie is gonna be. OK, the movie is a little slow in the beginning, but it’s absolutely necessary for the ridiculous pacing later in the film. This is the buddy cop film of all buddy cop films, that unleashes ridiculous action like no other. It’s great to see a movie that celebrates & pokes fun at an entire genre.
These guys are at the movies every time we go...
Gremlins double-feature ⚡ I think I saw these in the theater too, but I wanna see them again. A mogwai would be the coolest pet ever, as long as you don’t feed it after midnight, or let it near your office supplies.
Batman night! ⚡ Any/all of them, please. Why not play some of the serials or Batman: Dead End too? Batman is the coolest comic book character ever. He’s smarter and more cunning than all of them combined. Sure, he’s just Zorro with ears & more toys… but it’s such a great story & way easier to relate to than something like Superman or the X-Men, unless you’re an alien or some sort of mutant. I mean, there’s a plethora of cartoon movies too. It could be Batman movie day every day.
Batman Evolution
The LONE Rangers? There's 3 of you...
Airheads ⚡ Some day, I’m going to write a letter to Santa, and my wish list will be as follows: Radio Airplay, a football helmet full of cottage cheese, naked pictures of Bea Arthur, A Zon walnut bass, a PRS guitar with dragon inlays, 67 copies of Moby Dick, and a six-foot baby bottle. You dig? Who has ever picked up a guitar, bass, or drum sticks & didn’t love this movie? If you just thought “me”, you might as well just quit reading now.
He was the patron saint of quality footwear.
This is Spinal Tap ⚡ This movie goes to 11, and has incredible sustain. Why wouldn’t we all want to watch & laugh together? In 1984, everyone in a band thought this was poking fun directly at them. And, while it was… that’s why it’s hilarious.
It Might Get Loud
It Might Get Loud ⚡ Great movie. I’m not a U2 fan, and I thought that Jack White was slightly annoying before this… but it was just a cool tale of the evolution of the guitar and the individual players. It gave me insight into the three guitarists and their influences. And really, who wouldn’t want to be in a room with the opportunity to jam with Jimmy Page?
Actually any rock docs or even concert movies being regular would be quite cool. I just missed Purple Rain, damn it. Anvil! The Story of Anvil and Lemmy would be great movies to see in the theater. Why not a whole series of Kevin Smith films? I love the adventures of Jay & Silent Bob. Even stand-up comedy films might be cool as long as they don’t involve any of the Blue Collar guys. Maybe even The Princess Bride, The Last Dragon, Flight of the Navigator, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure & Bogus Journey, & any of the Star Trek movies.
He ain't no cornball! He's my brother. And he's the master.
A bad movie night with Leonard Part 6, The ‘Burbs, or Howard the Duck would be excellent. Maybe even Pluto Nash? (I’ve never worked up the courage to see that one.)
She's Out of My League
What about Pittsburgh set or filmed movies, like She’s Out of My League, Adventureland, & so many more?
Would you like to see any of these at the Hollywood or a theater near you? What have I missed? What do you wanna see on the little big screen?
“Someday” if I ever get the time, energy, & resources… I’d like to record a CD of some of my favorite songs with whatever kind of band I can pull together, or maybe even a varied assortment of musician friends. Some of them are by bigger bands, some by locals, some by bands I’ve been in.
I’m sure there are more I’d want to include. There’s no real reason to this, other than I think they’re all solid songs and it would be all kinds of fun. Well, add any of the songs from my Ramones/Misfits/related bands list, really.
If anyone has better audio links for any of these… or any link at all for ones that aren’t click-able, I’d really appreciate your sharing of such things.
(I’d actually like to re-record most of the AiXeLsyD & Gasoline Dion catalogs, just because I think a little more attention to production could really polish some of that stuff. – Reunion gig or 2 anyone? Ha ha.)
What songs do you dig enough to cover? Any of these? Ever hear of any of these? Ha ha. What would be on your album were you to do the same thing?
Support local small business owners, get some Christmas shopping done this weekend at Commonwealth Press, and help fight a senseless boycott. Get $5 off in exchange for a stupid mailer, or a receipt from one of the listed local businesses…
common wealth press is literally a mom and pop shop.
Dan is good people. Commonwealth makes a great product. (Like both rounds of Ernie and the Berts T-shirts!) Check out the political side of things at the bottom of this page. Don’t uselessly rail against any of these businesses, especially if you don’t understand the policies in question.
Insanity.
http://twitter.com/#!/W_a_L_D/status/136910586947715072
That’s right. Boston Market not only reached out via my contact form thanks to Facebook, but also had the cojones to do this…
Boston Market RT!
I still haven’t received a reply to my email to Mr. Wakabayashi, but what now Panera Bread? What now? Clearly, this will pan out to be a bigger rivalry than Neil Young vs. Skynrd, or East Coast Rap vs. West Coast Rap. Maybe even bigger than me vs. the people that think I’m McDonald’s. (At Least Mr. Wakabayashi used my contact form correctly!)
http://twitter.com/#!/W_a_L_D/status/137169033266077696
http://twitter.com/#!/bostonmarket/status/137212008138424321
If you have no idea what’s going on, or if you work for Panera Bread. You can catch up here…
In other news, did you know that they both cater? I wish someone would have told me.
I actually stopped at the local Panera the other night because the wife was sick and wanted some of that cheese-broccoli soup. I went in to get some to go, and got myself a half of a turkey sandwich and a cup of the chicken noodle.
The employee (a young girl, of course) at the counter was quite friendly, asked if I wanted lettuce tomato or onion on the sandwich, and even asked if I wanted mustard and/or mayo. Clearly, someone went over new procedures. Sadly, I asked for lettuce & tomato… and got neither, but I did get mustard and mayo. I applaud the effort, and shame on me for not checking before I left the store.
I have to say, after my initial complaint, they have totally stepped it up service-wise. I still call shenanigans on the new soup. They ought to let sales do the talking… OFFER BOTH. It’s certainly a popular item. Let the consumers decide if they want a great-tasting soup… or the crappy flat-noodled healthy soup. Clearly, as a leader in the Fast Casual industry, you can afford to test the proverbial waters? I think more changes have been made, but it’s still not the old soup. Shenanigans.
Also, I counted 3 signs within a span of about 8 feet on the counter where you wait for your order advertising the catering… and the pop machine still does it too. I think the receipt may have even said something about it.
I spend far too much time contemplating fast food & fast casual dining. If only I could save time buy purchasing already prepared meals. Does anyone out there do that?
I can’t wait to make stuffing again. It’s ridiculously tasty. I love the carb overload. Maybe I will get those goggles, and I need to pick up some Yuengling. A week from tonight, I should be in the process of creating this awesomeness.
I’ll show you my stuffing recipe if you show me yours.
How do you do it?
Maybe this year, I’ll try to make some Potato Filling too. There are a bunch of recipes for it out there. Maybe stuffing balls would be good… Now I’m hungry.
STUFFING!
Beer
In this corner...
Look out Panera Bread, Boston Market has your number! I was out of town this weekend, and didn’t check email much. I didn’t have the time & energy to properly respond to this until we came home. I find this to be incredibly awesome. Dennis “The New Guy” Wakabayashi from Boston Market is ready to put his company’s catering services to the test. The line between my lunacy in email writing and reality is ever increasingly blurred. Perhaps my preposterous idea will turn into a real happening.
Insanity.
Sparked by some snarky postings of various blog post url’s on Facebook…
Sent: Friday, November 11, 2011
Subject: W(aL)D FeedbackMessage / Comment:
Hi, I’m the new guy here at Boston Market, just brought on, to engage with awesomeness like yours. I loved your article and definitely interested in the catering battle royal at your place…count me in! Not only that my friend your band has some T-shirt coming your way!
Send me a list of sizes, and a couple videos of your music, so we can be sure you’re rocking the family friendly vibe that we know and love….
If you want to reach out to me directly DO IT. dwakabayashi@bost.com (Senior Manager of Digital Marketing)
How’d you find my blog?: You posted on our Facebook page!Time: Friday November 11, 2011 at 6:23 pm
IP Address: 000.000.000.000
Contact Form URL: https://aixelsyd13.wordpress.com/contact/Sent by an unverified visitor to your site.
So, of course, I wrote back…
From: Waldo Lunar <world.and.lunar.domination@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 14, 2011
Subject: Re: W(aL)D Feedback
To: engage@bostonmarket.com
Cc: dwakabayashi@bost.comShalom Dennis!
I see that more companies are hiring people in your position to figure out the best ways to use social media to their advantage. What a great thing! I have had some excellent interaction with Nate Riggs of Bob Evans. I have even had great dealings in the past with Lori Smelt at Boston Market.
I have a goofy email sending online persona, now named Waldo Lunar… that keeps clashing with the real me. It’s ever more impossible to separate the real from the absurd. Ha ha.
I have asked for the T-shirt sized of the other dudes in my band, but I’m not sure if their ideals would support such blatant corporate sponsorship. We are, after all, a punk rock band at heart. Then again, what’s more punk rock than doing the exact opposite of what a good punk rock band should do? Also, I’m just a Bert, so I must clear things with Ernie.
I’m not sure that the band, Ernie and the Berts, is family friendly. Despite this perhaps somewhat misleading name… we’re prone to spew forth occasional potty humor, sexual innuendo, and movie-Tourette’s-like bouts of profanity. Also, don’t ever eat Ernie’s soup. This has not stopped the interest of other yet-to-be-named possible corporate sponsors.
For your review and entertainment, I do however submit the following videos:
- Ernie and the Berts “Toybox” (Official Video)
- Ernie and the Berts “Ikea” (Live at Sheffield Lanes)
- Ernie and the Berts “Toybox” (Live at Sheffield Lanes)
I trust that you’ll laugh, cry, and share with friends.
I’m glad that they have someone with some wit and intelligence monitoring Facebook for Boston Market. In 2011 (soon to be 2012), I feel that it’s extremely important for a company to use social media for important feedback regarding the perception of their brand & service.
I’m quite glad that you’re interested in the catering battle-royale! Unfortunately, I haven’t had any takers from the Panera Bread camp. In fact, I believe their policy is to ignore my emails from now on, or that I have been perhaps stifled by their in-house spam filtering system. I haven’t received so much as a “thanks for your interest” or even a “please stop emailing us.” They haven’t used Facebook to the advantage that you now have. Although, they did reply (uninterestingly) to a tweet. Do you perhaps have any professional colleagues at Panera that you could cajole into action? Since Batman Movie night has come & gone, my wife & I have discussed the possibility of a Back to the Future or Indiana Jones movie night.
(I assume that your interest is in a catering battle, and not the literal scuffle for a single dollar?)
Perhaps, with the lack of interest from Panera Bread, we could involve Bob Evans? Surely, your meal offerings are more in line with them, rather than some paltry soup and sandwiches? How would you feel about your chances against them? Maybe Panera needs to lie low in the media, in light of recent events that happened nearby.
You can send a goodwill token of appreciation for my new adventurous advertising ideas, if you end up using any of them. A commission check would be nice also. I excel in the ridiculous, but am unsure how to make a profit from such ridiculousness. Following the model put forth by advertising within the walls of where one is currently doing business, I figured it would be OK to ask in this email.
How do you feel personally about unabashed advertising for catering service while you’re currently in the place, already spending your hard-earned dollar? Let’s face it, at the brisket meal hovering around $10, I can go to a local diner for less and not be slapped with advertising while I sup. I go to Boston Market for the tasty meals, (perceived) speed of service, and glittering hope of consistency.
Imagine picking up a bottle of Coca~Cola at a convenience store, and on the label, it tells you to go buy a 24 pack of cans, 2-liter, and/or six-pack of bottles. At the moment, you’re interested in quenching your thirst… not stocking your ‘fridge or obtaining a caffeine high. Not a perfectly parallel predicament, but food for thought nonetheless.
I would like to thank you for your interest and the response to my insanity. I can’t wait to see how this plays out. Can you think of any other catering battle participants? Perhaps we can put together a rock n’ roll show rather than just a small movie night…
I’ll let you process all of this, and get back to me on your own time with your thoughts.
Excelsior!
-ERiC AiXeLsyD (a.k.a. Waldo Lunar)
In this corner...
Now, how to get Panera Bread to bite? This isn’t rhetorical. I’m actually looking for your advice.
If you’re confused here, you may want to check these out:
World (and Lunar) Domination 