More Random Observations (non-political)

[traininvain]

Sorry to start a new thread, but it's way too early for me to talk about politics.

The new Burger King commercials where the customers get angry over the fact that they're "not making" The Whopper anymore, are to me downright scary. I haven't eaten a Whopper since I was 12 (actually it was the first & last time), but I can still taste it when I think about it, unfortunately. I don't know which is worst, the fact that people are angry or the fact that these folks should really think about eating a salad occasionally. I know, I know, the people that they usually show in beer and food ads are nothing short of perfect looking, but I'm not sure if I need to see real people in commercials. And, is this really a 'good' ad for Burger King? It makes their customers look like raving lunatics who are ready to bodyslam someone over a burger.

Moving on...

The NY Giants looked like contenders and not pretenders in today's game against Tampa Bay. Eli Manning actually had two, count 'em, two good games in a row, and only looked bad on a couple of throws. But next week will really be a mountain to climb against Dallas.

Again, moving on...

In the last month I've had about a half dozen people say that I look like Anderson Cooper, I have no real problem with this (even after I heard that he was gay), but for whatever reason I'm getting tried of being told that I look like someone famous. I know, better to look like someone famous then to be famous. In the early eighties I looked like Dave Edmunds (OK, not very famous), then it was Rick Astley (blink and you'll miss him famous), then it was John McEnroe (I despise him so much that I can't look at him famous), and now it's Cooper, whom I'm sure will do something to put a black cloud over my features. On top of all this, I DO NOT LOOK LIKE ANY OF THESE PEOPLE!

And again...

If You Tube only existed to show William Shatner videos, it would still be one of the greatest things on the internet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-yy2URAYqU Shatner sings Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWOmHUvKBw Here he sings Harry Chapin's Taxi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0GAjK64 ... re=related Here he takes down It Was a very Good Year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3MGN89 ... re=related And here he lulls an audience to sleep with Rocket Man

And last, but not least...

I am completely hooked on Wii. I actually won a Wii at work on Christmas Eve and then got into a fight with my wife because she didn't believe me, but that's a story for another day. So since then I've been wearing my shoulder bones down to a nub playing the damn thing. And since I hooked it up to the internet and downloaded Super Mario 3 & Donkey Kong, I've been obsessed with them (again) too. Next is hooking up a keyboard and downloading the Internet Channel, and then I'll never have to leave the den.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

[TheCalvinator24]

I'm more than a little worried about the Giants.

[traininvain]

I'm more than a little worried about the Giants.

If Eli plays like he has in the last two games, then it should be a competitive game, if he doesn't, it will be a long night in Dallas for the G-Men.

[silverscreenselect]

The new Burger King commercials where the customers get angry over the fact that they're "not making" The Whopper anymore, are to me downright scary. ... And, is this really a 'good' ad for Burger King? It makes their customers look like raving lunatics who are ready to bodyslam someone over a burger.

The previous set of commercials involving middle aged women trying to run down the Burger King with their car were much, much worse. All these commercials seem to be putting out the wrong message. They are portraying the client and its customers in an unfavorable, even meanspirited way without any humor whatsoever.

The "discontinued Whopper" commercials are supposed to be an update of the ones where the pitchman would offer customers a sum of money if they would quit using a particular product and the loyal customers refusing (I can't remember which product). Those worked much better because the customers were shown in a much better way than here.

Of course, the Wendy's commercials featuring the guys wearing the red haired Wendy's wig aren't much better. By default, McDonalds bland commercials seem like masterpieces.

[peacock2121]

The Subway commercial with the NFL coach saying he made a bad call and will fix it by making a bad call on the other team cracks me up every time I see it.

It is really good because I knew it's for Subway.

[Referee Phil Luckett]

The Subway commercial with the NFL referee saying he made a bad call and will fix it by making a bad call on the other team cracks me up every time I see it.

It is really good because I knew it's for Subway.

Why didn't they ask me to do that commercial for them? Heck, they could have saved some time and just used some of my game footage...

[minimetoo26]

I absolutely love Whoppers. So there. But we're talking maybe two or three a year, so I can indulge. We don't do fast food unless we're on a road trip, or our layover gets squeezed to short for a sit-down meal.

I was thrilled the Giants hung on to that lead. We were at an Islanders game when the gave the game back to the Patriots, and it stunk. After the Mets and the Jets and the Knicks (and the Islanders, even though they creamed the Devils) my husband needs a bright spot.

[Bixby17]

I won't eat a Whopper because the last two I had were horrible. They put so much mayo on it they were unedible (I didn't ask for mayo and I got the drivethru screw down). So I swore I wouldn't eat one unless I didn't have a choice.

When I was at the Super Bowl, we went through the late night drive through at McDonalds because we needed some grease at 4 am. Turns out that the late night menu at McDonalds doesn't feature the Big Mac.

McDonald's without Big Mac's? That is so wrong.

[littlebeast13]

I won't eat a Whopper because the last two I had were horrible. They put so much mayo on it they were unedible (I didn't ask for mayo and I got the drivethru screw down). So I swore I wouldn't eat one unless I didn't have a choice.

When I was at the Super Bowl, we went through the late night drive through at McDonalds because we needed some grease at 4 am. Turns out that the late night menu at McDonalds doesn't feature the Big Mac.

McDonald's without Big Mac's? That is so wrong.

I'm pretty sure the Mickey Dee's around here all start serving breakfast at 3 AM.... which is why it's good we go to lunch at 2:00....

lb13

[Bixby17]

I won't eat a Whopper because the last two I had were horrible. They put so much mayo on it they were unedible (I didn't ask for mayo and I got the drivethru screw down). So I swore I wouldn't eat one unless I didn't have a choice.

When I was at the Super Bowl, we went through the late night drive through at McDonalds because we needed some grease at 4 am. Turns out that the late night menu at McDonalds doesn't feature the Big Mac.

McDonald's without Big Mac's? That is so wrong.

I'm pretty sure the Mickey Dee's around here all start serving breakfast at 3 AM.... which is why it's good we go to lunch at 2:00....

lb13

They had quarterpounders.

I don't like quarterpounders. I don't particularly like McD's but in a pinch (like when they are the only place open), I will eat a Big Mac by taking it apart. I take the middle bun out and eat the top burger open faced. And then I eat the rest of the burger like a regular one.

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why they could make quarterpounders but not do a Big Mac. Hello, more bun, special sauce--I offered to make it myself. The Big Mac is their signature sammich--it was unamerican.

[ladysoleil]

Sorry to start a new thread, but it's way too early for me to talk about politics.


And last, but not least...

I am completely hooked on Wii. I actually won a Wii at work on Christmas Eve and then got into a fight with my wife because she didn't believe me, but that's a story for another day. So since then I've been wearing my shoulder bones down to a nub playing the damn thing. And since I hooked it up to the internet and downloaded Super Mario 3 & Donkey Kong, I've been obsessed with them (again) too. Next is hooking up a keyboard and downloading the Internet Channel, and then I'll never have to leave the den.

I am with you. My right arm is constantly slightly stiff. Super Monkey Ball and Rayman Raving Rabbids are going to be the death of me. Or at least my shoulder.

I have not yet hooked mine up to the Internet, because I am afraid that if I do, I will never leave the house again.

[littlebeast13]

I won't eat a Whopper because the last two I had were horrible. They put so much mayo on it they were unedible (I didn't ask for mayo and I got the drivethru screw down). So I swore I wouldn't eat one unless I didn't have a choice.

When I was at the Super Bowl, we went through the late night drive through at McDonalds because we needed some grease at 4 am. Turns out that the late night menu at McDonalds doesn't feature the Big Mac.

McDonald's without Big Mac's? That is so wrong.

I'm pretty sure the Mickey Dee's around here all start serving breakfast at 3 AM.... which is why it's good we go to lunch at 2:00....

lb13

They had quarterpounders.

I don't like quarterpounders. I don't particularly like McD's but in a pinch (like when they are the only place open), I will eat a Big Mac by taking it apart. I take the middle bun out and eat the top burger open faced. And then I eat the rest of the burger like a regular one.

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why they could make quarterpounders but not do a Big Mac. Hello, more bun, special sauce--I offered to make it myself. The Big Mac is their signature sammich--it was unamerican.

Must be one of those weird Mickey Dee's. Either that, or they had a lot of quarter meat left to dish out at that time. If lunch/dinner is being served, the Big Mac should be available....

I get the double quarter, but it's not like I eat the buns or anything....

lb13

[kayrharris]

I don't eat at Burger King, but I had mentioned to Skoop how disturbing I found the BK commercial with the women running down the BK guy
with their van. What kind of message does that send?

I hate all the BK commercials. That BK guy is just weird and creepy.

[wintergreen48]

Agree about those BK commercials; obviously they want to show that their customers are loyal and really enjoy the product, but these people are nuts.

I've seen a series of commercials from some online dating service that is a rival of e-harmony.com that are so awful that I wonder if they are actually sabotage commercials run by e-harmony.com itself. They basically show some geek or geekette who has been rejected by eharmony.com, 'even though I'm a nice geek/geekette,' and then the voice over goes on about how (I am slightly paraphrasing) 'we don't know why e-harmony.com has turned down a gazillion customers, but sign on with us and you'll get a million free dates in your first week.' All this tells me is that e-harmony.com probably has some standards and tries to avoid bad matches, while the competitor will match anyone with anyone and hope for the best. I don't know if e-harmony.com actually does what it says it does, but why would a matchmaking/dating service want to boast that 'we do anybody,' given that (I suspect) the biggest complaint people have about these kinds of services is that you get hooked up with losers?

[gsabc]

Agree about those BK commercials; obviously they want to show that their customers are loyal and really enjoy the product, but these people are nuts.

Probably the same folks who came up with the latest TJ Maxx ads - the teacher running the school play and thanking ... herself for picking out her mom's dress; the mom taking the photo of the child with the Christmas present and saying how cute ... she is herself for buying her presents at Chez Maxx; and so on. I just want to reach into the screen and smack 'em.

[earendel]

Agree about those BK commercials; obviously they want to show that their customers are loyal and really enjoy the product, but these people are nuts.

I've seen a series of commercials from some online dating service that is a rival of e-harmony.com that are so awful that I wonder if they are actually sabotage commercials run by e-harmony.com itself. They basically show some geek or geekette who has been rejected by eharmony.com, 'even though I'm a nice geek/geekette,' and then the voice over goes on about how (I am slightly paraphrasing) 'we don't know why e-harmony.com has turned down a gazillion customers, but sign on with us and you'll get a million free dates in your first week.' All this tells me is that e-harmony.com probably has some standards and tries to avoid bad matches, while the competitor will match anyone with anyone and hope for the best. I don't know if e-harmony.com actually does what it says it does, but why would a matchmaking/dating service want to boast that 'we do anybody,' given that (I suspect) the biggest complaint people have about these kinds of services is that you get hooked up with losers?

eHarmony does have standards - but they may not be what you think. The company was co-founded by Dr. Neil Clark Warren (the guy who appears in their ads). Dr. Warren has strong ties to the Christian right, and the company was heavily promoted by James Dobson's Focus on the Family organization. Unlike other matchmaking services eHarmony is only interested in people who are looking for long-term relationships and who meet certain criteria (no gays, for instance). Their "personality profile" can trip applicants up also - they are graded by computer and "inconsistent" answers may cause the application to be rejected. People who are currently married or under 21 are not accepted, either.

Now I'm not saying that eHarmony is a bad thing, but "normal" people could end up being rejected and not know why.

[ladysoleil]

eHarmony does have standards - but they may not be what you think. The company was co-founded by Dr. Neil Clark Warren (the guy who appears in their ads). Dr. Warren has strong ties to the Christian right, and the company was heavily promoted by James Dobson's Focus on the Family organization. Unlike other matchmaking services eHarmony is only interested in people who are looking for long-term relationships and who meet certain criteria (no gays, for instance). Their "personality profile" can trip applicants up also - they are graded by computer and "inconsistent" answers may cause the application to be rejected. People who are currently married or under 21 are not accepted, either.

Now I'm not saying that eHarmony is a bad thing, but "normal" people could end up being rejected and not know why.

I know a few who have been rejected by eHarmony and from what I can tell, the common thread seems to be "alternative lifestyles"- if you're okay with same-gender, you get the axe, and if you're okay with relationships that are non-monogamous, you're pretty much doomed.

The party line quote is that it's a "marriage service" so they have the right to deny same-sex couples since they cannot legally marry, or so I have heard. Now that I know that, they're permanently off my list.

"Quirky" people also seem to have a bounce rate, probably because they're harder to match- I have a friend who is just plain odd but is a lovely human being, and he got the "thanks but no thanks" from them. I can verify that being merely separated will get you the "get lost" message.

Then again, I'm not so sure it works. My friend could probably write a very entertaining book about some of the psycho dates that eHarmony sent him out on.

[tlynn78]

I was watching a show on HGTV this weekend - the one with Chayse Dakota. I couldn't believe my ears. She was dealing with a couple who were at odds over the design of their lving room with the wife wanting natural, earthy elements and husband wanting 'edgier' style. She was talking about the stone fireplace, and said, and I quote: The stone of the fireplace really personifies the earth."

Oh yes she did.


t.

[peacock2121]

snort

[fantine33]

And, is this really a 'good' ad for Burger King? It makes their customers look like raving lunatics who are ready to bodyslam someone over a burger.

I was just thinking this last night when every other commercial was a 'whopper freakout'. WTF is Burger King thinking?

Are people really as generally assholish as these commercials make out?

Or as stupid? Because, sure, if I'm handed a Big Mac box at Burger King I would never in a million years think it was a bit. I might be 'not amused' if I was in a hurry or something, but whatever. (More likely I'd say 'yay! I wanted a Big Mac, but McDonalds was way busier than you were and I was running late.' Ha!)

Or as emotionally fragile? Women with tears and a shaking voice: "I...just...want... my Whopper!" (quavering and trembling ensues).

Whatever is true, it appears eating Whoppers with any frequency gives you mood swings, dependency issues and restaurant rage. Yay, beef steroids!

I am completely hooked on Wii. I actually won a Wii at work on Christmas Eve and then got into a fight with my wife because she didn't believe me, but that's a story for another day. So since then I've been wearing my shoulder bones down to a nub playing the damn thing. And since I hooked it up to the internet and downloaded Super Mario 3 & Donkey Kong, I've been obsessed with them (again) too. Next is hooking up a keyboard and downloading the Internet Channel, and then I'll never have to leave the den.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

Then there are those of us Mario 3 Masters still getting by with our 8 bit (or is it 16?) Nintendos and rocking it out old school. Whoo!

[fantine33]

I've seen a series of commercials from some online dating service that is a rival of e-harmony.com that are so awful that I wonder if they are actually sabotage commercials run by e-harmony.com itself. They basically show some geek or geekette who has been rejected by eharmony.com, 'even though I'm a nice geek/geekette,' and then the voice over goes on about how (I am slightly paraphrasing) 'we don't know why e-harmony.com has turned down a gazillion customers, but sign on with us and you'll get a million free dates in your first week.' All this tells me is that e-harmony.com probably has some standards and tries to avoid bad matches, while the competitor will match anyone with anyone and hope for the best. I don't know if e-harmony.com actually does what it says it does, but why would a matchmaking/dating service want to boast that 'we do anybody,' given that (I suspect) the biggest complaint people have about these kinds of services is that you get hooked up with losers?

Speaking for eHarmony rejects everywhere... Dude! I'm totally bummed out now.

Now I'm not saying that eHarmony is a bad thing, but "normal" people could end up being rejected and not know why.

I think I still have my rejection letter saved (I had to show everybody I knew at the time, ha!) and it gave reasons. I can post it if anybody is interested.

And, yes, as I recall, there were a lot of 'family values' type questions. Even though I wasn't doing it seriously, I tried to fill out the questionnaire as if I really wanted to get matched up, so that probably sunk my battleship right there, since I have no family values.

[peacock2121]

since I have no family values.

I am going to be so bold as to call bullshit on that one.

You have them - they just might not match up with many other's family values. You have them.

Really, you do.

[christie1111]

Ummm, fantine?

I hate to admit it, but I don't know who that is in your avatar. Not the bums walking away, the other blond.

[Rexer25]

Ummm, fantine?

I hate to admit it, but I don't know who that is in your avatar. Not the bums walking away, the other blond.

If I dint know the nationality of your husband, I might take umbrage at that description. Given your background, I think that is a more than fair description.

[traininvain]

eHarmony does have standards - but they may not be what you think. The company was co-founded by Dr. Neil Clark Warren (the guy who appears in their ads). Dr. Warren has strong ties to the Christian right, and the company was heavily promoted by James Dobson's Focus on the Family organization. Unlike other matchmaking services eHarmony is only interested in people who are looking for long-term relationships and who meet certain criteria (no gays, for instance). Their "personality profile" can trip applicants up also - they are graded by computer and "inconsistent" answers may cause the application to be rejected. People who are currently married or under 21 are not accepted, either.

Now I'm not saying that eHarmony is a bad thing, but "normal" people could end up being rejected and not know why.

Great, now not only do you have to take a Plotkin's Test to get a job, but you have to take one to get a date too.
Thank God I'm married and work for my wife.