"Same Time Next Year"

It may not be "Casablanca," "Citizen Kane," or"Gone With the Wind" but it's one of my favorite movies. Maybe because there is a Casablanca type sequence and perhaps because they show a clip of Perry Mason, my favorite tv show of all time.

P.S. Methinks I saw it at the drive-in circa 1979 on a double bill as the second feature. What a treat because for the most part the second feature was always a bomb.

"John Lennon"

It's hard to believe that John Lennon would be 70 years old in October. Where did the time go?

Recently I saw where Mark David Chapman,the maniacal madman who killed John, had also targeted Johnny Carson and Elizabeth Taylor. But John was more accessible.

In observance of his birthday a new 11 box cd is out. Here are the details:

The John Lennon Signature Box

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The John Lennon Signature Box is a deluxe 11CD and digital collection of John's eight remastered albums, a disc of rare and previously unreleased recordings, and an EP of Lennon's non-album singles.

The CDs will be housed in digisleeves within a deluxe box including a collectible limited edition John Lennon 70th birthday art print, personal essays from Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Julian Lennon written especially for the collection, plus a 60 page hardbound book featuring rare photos, artwork, collages, poetry, and new liner notes by respected American music journalist and author Anthony DeCurtis.

Fans buying the Signature Box will also have access to premium interactive content in the immersive John Lennon 'Universe'. Further details to follow.

"VH-1's Top 100 Artists of all Time"

I watched some of the 4 hour show which featured the top 100 artists of all time. They were voted on by 200 artists which included Ozzy Osbourne ( no relation ); Alicia Keyes; and others I can't remember as of this writing.

I was more interested in seeing who would be number 1. Of course, I knew it would be between Michael Jackson, whose recent death would give him a big boost, and the Fab 4 from Liverpool. If you have ever read my column, then you know who I was pulling for.

The Beatles burst onto the scene in the USA in 1964. Life as we knew it-and particularly mine-would never be the same.

Who won the contest? The winner is shown below in a video from youtube.

"For the Love of the Game"

I have always loved baseball. Loved playing and loved watching.

In high school we played home run derby on the tennis court at Fulton High School, my old alma mater. You only needed 4 players-2 on each side. A pitcher and a fielder.

What games we had, some memorable. A ball that hit the fence on the ground was a single; a ball that was misplayed by the fielder was an error; and a ball that hit the fence was a home run; but a ball hit over the fence was an out. And slowed up the game because we had to look for the ball. If there was water on the court, our rubber ball could be a potentially deadly missile when it was stroked.

And I played home run derby with my friend Steve W. whose front yard yielded many enjoyable games, some marked with tension and drama. Our game was played with plastic balls and bats, both full of tape to add weight. A ball hit halfway across the street was a single, and a ball hit into the neighbor's yard across the street was a home run. Me and Steve, even well into our teens, loved playing our little game.

And I have enjoyed watching professional baseball on tv and in person. Once in L.A. when my sister, mother and me were on a 3 day vacation, circa 1962, we went to Knotts Berry Farm and Disneyland among other places, but a quick glance at the local newspaper heralded the arrival of the N.Y. Yankees for a weekend series with the L.A. Angels. Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, and the Mick were gonna be in town. How I would have loved to see the men in pinstripes, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be. And whatever happened to Elston Howard, Gil McDougal and Bill Skowron?

And I will never forget seeing Willie Mays patrolling center field in 1966 in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium; and Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers being beaten in that same year on a home run by Eddie Mathews in the bottom of the ninth. 50,000 delirious fans, of which some left because of the one hour rain delay, went bananas. Sandy didn't lose many games that year, but he lost 2-1 on this night. Sadly, 1966 was his last year.

I've watched the Braves since '66. When they resided in the outhouse, and when they ascended to the penthouse ( 1991 ). From Rico Carty to Hank Aaron to Biff Poccaroba to John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Chipper Jones to Troy Glaus, Rick Ankiel, and Omar Infante I've been there.

Yep, I'm a baseball fan. Have always loved to play the game and to watch.

"Woman Goes into a Rage over McNuggets"

This is good stuff. Another great story from the food biz.

"Ten Creepy Ads from Yesterday"

This site is cool. Many things to choose from.

 

 

"You Can't Beat the Axis If You Get V.D."

 

"Limbaugh on Steinbrenner"

"That cracker made a lot of African-American millionaires," the radio commentator said Tuesday on his show after the New York Yankees owner died at age 80. "He fired a bunch of white guys as managers left and right."



Needless to say a lot of people are upset. Duh, what was he thinking?

"Mr. Trivia"

Just call me Mr. trivia. I know J.C. Flippen, Andrew Duggan, Ward Bond, and that Vitto Scotti was in a Rock Hudson movie entitled "Blindfold."

With that being said I went to "Big Daddy's," a local suds and brew here on golden pond, for adult trivia night.

I knew the first three answers:

17 is the age that most girls lose their virginity. ( simply a guess on my part-I think I was 25-or was it 30-for me ).

Opium was the reason for a war between China and some other country in the 1800's.

Can't remember the 3rd question but I aced it.

You also got bonus points if you knew the song ( actually the artist ) that was being played with each question.

That was the rub....for me. No Beatles, Stones, Lloyd Price, Spooky Tooth, Vanilla Fudge, Cream-not even Mott the Hoople.

I did know two of the songs. Kiss and Guns N Roses. 2 outta twenty is pathetic for Mr. Trivia.

Maybe next time Vitto Scotti will be the answer, or perhaps I should try being blindfolded!

P.S. No Byrds either!

Hall and Oates

 

"Al Gore Invented the Internet....and Groped A Massage Therapist....Allegedly"

A close friend of a Portland massage therapist who accused former Vice President Al Gore of groping her says the therapist told her soon after the 2006 encounter that she'd been violated and assaulted by "someone in the higher ups."

Poor Al seems to be joining the list of men who have cheated on their wives. Welcome to the club: Jesse James; Tiger Woods; Bill Clinton; et al.

P.S. Did anyone notice the long introductions to Hall and Oates' songs.

Florida If you tie an elephant to a parking meter, you must pay the same parking fee as you would for a vehicle.

I’m Under Arrest for What? Fifty Bizarre U.S. Laws

llinois
It’s illegal to take a French poodle to the opera (Chicago).

Alaska
Whispering in someone’s ear while he’s moose hunting is prohibited.

California
You may not eat an orange in your bathtub.

Georgia
It’s illegal to change the clothes on a storefront mannequin unless you draw the shades first.

Indiana
The value of pi is 4, and not 3.1415.

Iowa
One-armed piano players must perform for free.

The list goes on and on....

"Ketchup"

The Atlanta Braves are in first place. Shades of yesteryear. From 91 to 2005 the Bravos won 14 straight division titles. Only one World Championship, so Bobby Cox, our manager, catches all kinds of flack from the fan base. Bobby is retiring at the end of the year, so it would be great to see him go out a winner via the World Series.

John Wooden passed away yesterday at the ripe old age of 99. And whatever happened to Bill Walton?

Tipper and Al Gore have decided to separate after 40 years of wedded bliss. No affairs have been chronicled ( as of yet ) but Tipper has been depressed. The official decree is they just drifted apart.

The oil spill in the gulf can't be stopped. And "drill, baby. drill" has probably been tabled for a long time. The ecosystem has taken a hit as well as the cities on the coast and its citizens.

Daniel Craig, the latest James Bond, was seen allegedly making out with his male friend outside a gay club in California. Shades of Rock Hudson, a heartthrob of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. The Craig rumor was reported by the National Enquirer so....

President Obama is catching hell. Especially from the citizens of Louisiana. And from the right wing factions of our country. But he still finds time to entertain Paul McCartney ( my boyhood idol ); and to encourage Lebron James to come to Chicago [ Bulls ].

Armando Galarraga pitched a perfect no hitter, but Jim Joyce, the 1st base umpire blew the last out of the game by calling the batter/runner safe at 1st base, and all hell broke loose. Calls for more instant replay became blogger fodder, along with every sports commentator in the world. Not sure if President Obama weighed in on this one or not.

I wrote "Going to my Grandma's" and somehow erased it. At the last second before posting. The writer has not been inspired to recreate it at the present time.

The Beach Boys ( or what's left of the original band ) played at the Ted after the Braves game on Memorial Day. I wanted to go but couldn't get anyone to go with me. The appeal of the "all you can eat" tickets were especially appealing. Even tho you have only until the 7th inning to gorge yourself on hot dogs, nachos, hamburgers, sodas, and the like.

I'm still unemployed but have been enjoying staying at home with no deadlines and no passive aggressive types to deal with. "You can't take it with you" is my motto.

Ketchup. And buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks; I don't care if I never go back.

"Going to my Grandma's"

"No More Happy Meals"

I personally think this is a joke. 1 out of 4 kids in this sleepy hamlet are overweight, so the government steps in and outlaws toys at restaurants aka fast food emporiums.

I also think that fast food is crappola. But for the government to step in is ridiculous.

Vatican finally over Beatles' 'Bigger than Jesus' claim

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican has finally made peace with the Beatles, saying their drug use, "dissolute" lives and even the claim that the band was bigger than Jesus are all in the past — while their music lives on.

"Academy Awards Revisited" and "Sandra Bullock"

Apologies to Sandra Bullock, who after winning the ultimate prize in Hollywood, met the agony of defeat when she learned her husband, Jesse James, had been cheating on her. At least she wasn't married to Tiger Woods.

Here's a foray from years ago where the author of G.P. put his spin on the best movie Oscar nominees. Not sure whence it came but it was on my desktop. So without further delay here it is:

1) "The Squid and the Whale": New CEO of a cafeteria chain decides to shake-up the menu by introducing sushi. Zany hijinks ensue as rowdy guests balk at the new fare. "We want the old favorites," says the President of the AARP Snobird Organization. Another classic line from the film: "Don't count the black eyed peas," muttered by one of the independent factions.

2) "Derailed" : Spellbinding! Exhilirating! Riveting! Another Big Business moviedom romp, based loosely on "Brave New World, " "The Jungle," and "Animal Farm." Mayhem and chaos on "The runaway nite train. Ready to crash and burn. It never learns" is the movie's hook and tag line.

3) "Prime" : A documentary from the Dilly Brothers as they romp across 13 states in search of the perfect dining experience. Bill Dilly gets pissed at one stop where most of the food items are empty, cold, and tasteless. "At least one of the servers smiled," Will Dilly remarks to his brother is a memorable line that will stay with you forever.

4) "Get Rich or Die Trying:" "At the end of the day what will you hang onto?" Leroy "50 Cent" Piece decides to hang it up after 40 plus years of cooking fried chicken. After many foiled attempts at franchising his popular fowl cuisine, "50 Cent" Leroy becomes a serial killer. "A psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seats," says "The New York Times." Cameo by Miss Bessie, who is Leroy's first victim. "I always hated that bitch," '50 Cent' mutters rhetorically in one of the more distressing scenes.

5) "Chicken Little:" "Hilarious" says Bob Wire of People Magazine. Reviewer Cal Esthenics of "The Washington Post" reports, "I 'bout fell out of my seat when the guest told the manager, ' you oughta be ashamed of taking them baby chicks away from their mother.'"

6) "I Walk The Line:" A new recruit in the wonderful world of show biz walks up and down the serving line. Day in and day out. He gets weary of saying, "Change this pan. How long on fried chicken? Whaddaya mean you've got to go home?" so he decides to write a song. Instant suckcess follows, and he becomes a country-western legend. His name: Johnny Cash! "Spellbinding" claims Siskel/Ebert.

7) "Harry Potter and The Giblet of Fire:" Based loosely on "Animal House," this zany comedy takes place on the campus of "Truck U.," during the Thanksgiving holidays. When a blizzard engulfs the campus and the students aren't allowed to leave, Harry conjures up a 'giblet of fire' and saves the day by making cornbread dressing in bain maries.

8)"Jarhead:" A marine heads to Northern California to debunk the theory that "rice au roni" is actually "the San Francisco Treat."

9) "The Legend of Azzwhole:" The swashbuckling hero returns after a rousing suckcess in the fast food and cafeteria bizness. "All hail, Caesar" is a recurring line spoken by the plebians.

10) "Capote:" This foray into the infantile is capote. Fini.' You may now disembark the night train....

"Waxing Nostalgic"

New From K TEL Records: Piccadilly 5-Aug-01 01:07 am
Managers sing the hits.

You loved their earlier collection. You waxed nostalgic as they sang "Can We Serve You." And other timeless classics.

Piccadilly Managers sing the hits from K TEL sold more copies than Slim Whitman ever imagined selling.

More chart toppers than the Oak Ridge Boys.

And here they are again by popular demand.

You'll hear them sing: The Eagles'

Welcome to the "Cafeteria Piccadilly." Such a lovely place, such a lovely place, such a lovely place....
We haven't had that spirit here since 1969.
You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.

You'll salivate at their remake of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge over Troubled Waters."

Your taste buds will flare as they sing Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll."
It's been a long time since we made some honest-to-god rolls,
It's been a long time since we had some good bowls.
Carry me back, carry me back.
To the place I came from.

The Piccadilly Managers sing disco, too. It may be a dinosaur today, but who can forget those liesure suits and gaudy hair styles.

The Mgrs. get funky as they bellow:

The BeeGees, "Stayin' Alive." And Gloria Gaynor's classic, "I Will Survive."

Some of the mgrs. have left the band since the first record. But who cares. You'll never notice as they continue the disco portion with Rod Stewart's "Da Ya Think We're Sexy?"

They'll segue way into the early seventies with Lynard Skynard's "Free Bird."
If I leave here tomorrow?
Will you still remember me?
Cos I'm as free as a bird now.
And this bird you cannot change.

And you'll revel in their rendition of Skynard's, "Ooh That Smell."

PIC Mgrs. do instrumentals, too. You'll pray to your own personal God when they recreate Mike Oldfield's, Theme From The Exorcist." You'll love those tubular bells.

You'll creep closer to 1969 when the mgrs. sing Crosby Stills Nash and Young's classics. "Our House," and "Deja Vu." Have you been here before?

Of course, you have. K TEL's first. Pic Mgrs. sing the hits.

They play to the Yahoo Message Board, too. Love letters to their fans. ibbq4u2, nelore1,
superdilly 2000, A2FAY, and more.

Yahoo. You'll never forget the mgrs. singing Captain and Tenille's "Hoots Will Keep Us Together."
And K.C. and the Sunshine Band's "Shake Your Hootsbuddie."
Ah, Shake Shake Shake
Shake Shake Shake
Shake your hootsbuddie.

They'll close the show with CCR's "Bad Moon Rising," Jimi's "Purple Haze" and Joan Baez's "The Night They Closed Old Piccadilly Down."

Have your credit card ready. Operators standing by. Available on cd or cassette. Dinosaur mentalities, ones who long for the return of drive-ins, discos, and cafeterias, must purchase 8 track only.

You loved them once. You'll love them again.
Call 1-800-DEJA VU. If lines are busy
keep trying. Everyone will want a copy of Piccadilly Mgrs. sing the hits. Volume two.

If lines continue to be busy, dial 1-800-Forgot How To Make A Roll.

Must be 18 to order. Even accept posterior retentive orders.

New From K TEL. Order today.

"Millionaire Made Grave Error"

She bought her clothes at rummage sales, didn't own a car and worked most of her life as a secretary for a pharmaceutical company.

Yet after her death at age 100, Grace Groner left Lake Forest College a gift of $7 million to be used for scholarships. The money came from three shares of stock she bought -- and held on to -- in 1935.

As David Roeder of the Chicago Sun-Times points out: "It is a grave error to put your nest egg behind a single company, and it is worse when the company is your employer. Groner had a winner, but others have done this with Enron, General Motors or Bear Stearns."

The all-in-one basket strategy was, of course, a grave error for employees of Enron and others. And financial advisers love to herald diversification, which didn't turn out so well for many investors during the financial crisis.

P.S. They forgot to add Piccadilly to the list! My pal, Bronco Billy, diversified his stock and came out smelling like a rose. But his boss and my mentor lost his shirt!

P.S.S. This is post 2000. Where do we go from here, eh?

"Ways to Increase Business"

The proprietor of the Pond was perusing old posts from back in the day ( 2001 to be exact) on my ex company's message board via Yahoo. Me and others had a ball extolling our opinions. We became engaged-a popular word during the heyday. Here's one of my earlier forays into the infantile. Submitted for your approval.

And thanks to one of the engaged who recently asked me if I had archived my endeavors. I did but don't know into which black hole they have absconded. And without further adieu, here it is. [ damn, has it been almost 9 years ago? ]


Bring back the old tried and true recipes for
success. They worked quite well in the past.

Number one: Charge for butter. Strip search customer if necessary.

Number two: Charge for crackers. Strip search customer......

Number three: Continue child's policy. No bread. Kids don't like bread, especially rolls.

Number four: Do away with tip wage. People don't like to tip in cafeterias. Floor staff can hide more, like they did in the good old days.

Number five: Draw a line in the sand when it comes to customers returning food.Just because they ate all the food doesn't mean they enjoyed it.

Number six: Bring back those scales that never worked. For the counter. That way we can weigh everyone's order. Especially roast beef, ham,
and chicken tenders.

Number seven: Charge for tartar sauce. Why should some have to subsidize others. Tartar sauce has too much fat, clogs arteries, which makes health premiums skyrocket.

Number eight: Don't discount anything. If we charge less for a large ( jumbo ) chop steak and you sell one hundred a day times 230 cafeterias times 365 days a yaer we'll lose x amount of dollars. We can't have that.So let's keep the price high.

Number nine: Have all the staff say, "Can I serve you?" to the customers.Managers, too, when handling complaints. Customers will love it.

Number ten: Use catchy jargon for the products.
Typical scenario. "Can I serve you?" "Uhmm, what kind of fish is that?" Server: "That's our delicious, farm raised catfish, farmed on the banks of Saigon. It's our TET offensive special of the day." Customer: "You sold me.And I'll have tartar sauce."

Number eleven: Go back to two scoops for vegetable servings. A 12 scoop for regular, a la carte orders, and a 16 scoop for best value or combo.After saying, "Can I serve you," server differentiates-quickly- what scoop to use. Must use your best servers here.

Number twelve: Bring back small glasses for tea. Rack tea like we did in the old days.Be sure and keep hoses cleaned, however. Bleach works great.

These worked in the past. And they will work today.