Archive for January, 2013

North Georgia Tornadoes and Repeated Weather Patterns

Earlier today on January 30, 2013, northern Georgia experienced an intense squall line associated with a strong cold front sweeping through the Great Plains, upper midwest and southern part of the country.

The region had been experiencing unseasonably warm weather for the past couple of days, and the Atlanta area flirted near 70 degrees Fahrenheit before today’s storms arrived.  Considering that it’s the end of January, that kind of a high temperature is quite impressive.  It also tells you that something big with the weather is about to occur.  You don’t reach high temperatures like that in the winter without “paying” for it.  As of right now the storms have passed and we’re dropped twenty degrees in temperature with our low tonight expected to be around freezing.  In other words, we went from an early spring back to winter in the course of a few hours.

WSB-TV news footage of the Adairsville, Georgia, tornado

The deadliest part of today’s weather occurred when an estimated EF-2 or possibly EF-3 tornado ripped through the Adairsville, Georgia, area, destroying parts of the town and shutting down interstate 75 for a brief period of time.  One person was killed and fourteen others were injured.  About 100 cars have been reported to have been tossed around and flipped over by the tornado.

Just north of Adairsville, the outskirts of Calhoun, Georgia, was also hit by a tornado.  Eight people were reported to have been injured and local damage includes homes and poultry farm buildings.

As an avid storm watcher, it’s interesting watching the formation and progress of these supercell thunderstorms and how many of the thunderstorm cells tend to hit the same areas of town.  Keep in mind what I’m about to discuss is just a theory based on general observations made over the past few years.  I don’t have solid facts in front of me right now. Read more…

Movie Review – Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

“This time it’s personal.”

Everybody’s favorite giant killer shark returned for a fourth film in 1987 entitled, Jaws: The Revenge.  Although this is the fourth film of the Jaws movie franchise, Jaws: The Revenge skips over the material from Jaws 3-D and basically continues the story from Jaws 2.

Can Jaws: The Revenge live up to its predecessors and scare the audience out of the water?

Set about 15 or so years after the events in Jaws 2, Jaws: The Revenge begins on Amity Island.  Sean Brody is killed by the shark while trying to remove some debris in the water.  Traumatized at the loss of her son, Ellen Brody travels down to the Bahamas to spend time with Michael Brody along with his wife and daughter.  The shark follows her down to the tropical waters and stalks Michael Brody and his young daughter, Thea.  Ellen decides enough is enough and takes her fight to the shark, ending the battle with the beast once and for all.

Directed by Joseph Sargent, Jaws: The Revenge stars Lorraine Gary as Ellen Brody, the only main actor to reprise her role from the first two Jaws films.  Supporting her are Lance Guest as Michael Brody, Mario Van Peebles as Jake, Karen Young as Michael’s wife, Carla, and Michael Caine in the role of Hoagie Newcombe, a pilot who tries to romance Ellen Brody.

Jaws: The Revenge (1987) – (c) Universal Pictures

Jaws: The Revenge begins on Amity Island a few days before Christmas.  Police Chief Martin Brody died from a heart attack a while back (Ellen claimed it was from the stress and fear of the shark attacks), and Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary) now lives with Sean Brody (Mitchell Anderson) and his fiancée Tiffany.

Sean Brody is a deputy sheriff and following in his father’s footsteps.  One night he has to go out on the water and clear some debris in the harbor.  While leaning into the water, Sean is suddenly attacked by a giant great white shark.  The shark rips off Sean’s arm and leaves him bloody and in shock.  Then the shark returns and finishes Sean, killing him and sinking the small boat.  Ellen Brody later goes to the morgue to identify her son’s body.

Michael Brody (Lance Guest) and his wife Carla (Karen Young) and their young daughter, Thea, fly up to Amity to attend Sean’s funeral.  Ellen is convinced that the shark targeted Sean on purpose and that Michael needs to quit his job as a marine biologist.  It’s a tearful process as the family and town says goodbye to the deputy sheriff.  After the funeral, Michael and Carla talk Ellen into joining them down in the Bahamas for a few days. Read more…

Movie Review – Jaws 3-D (1983)

“THE THIRD DIMENSION IS TERROR.”

The early 1980s saw a brief revival of the 3-D movie craze that started back in the 1950s.  A few classic horror film franchises such as Jaws, Friday the 13th and Amityville each had a horror film created with 3-D effects to give the audience a truly terrifying experience.

Creatively titled Jaws 3-D, the third film in the Jaws franchise was shot with 3-D effects to create a new experience in the movie theater.  Jaws 3-D was something that people could only experience in the movie theater as the technology at home did not allow for the 3-D effects.  When this movie was later sold on VHS, it was simply titled as Jaws 3.  It’s the same film but without the 3-D effects.

Jaws 3-D is the only Jaws film not to have at least some scenes on Amity Island.  This film takes place entirely at SeaWorld down on the Florida coast (note – In reality, the only SeaWorld in Florida is located in Orlando, about 50 miles from the coast.)  Jaws 3-D features a grown Michael Brody working as a marine engineer in the SeaWorld park.  The supersized great white shark enters the park and wrecks havoc, even trapping park guests in an underwater structure at one point.  Jaws 3-D was directed by Joe Alves and stars Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Louis Gossett, Jr., and Lea Thompson.

Jaws 3-D (1983) – (c) Universal Pictures

Jaws 3-D begins with shots of a water-skiing acrobatic team practicing their routine out in the ocean.  Unfortunately, the water-skiers attract the attention of a massive great white shark.  The shark follows the skiers as they return to the lagoon at the Florida SeaWorld theme park.  The gates close on the shark, but the shark forces its way through them, damaging the gates in the process. Read more…

Movie Review – Jaws 2 (1978)

“Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water . . .”

. . . another great white shark decided to visit Amity Island and eat some people.

1975′s Jaws was a spectacular and horrific film that scared beach goers and cast great white sharks, the deadliest fish in the oceans, in a new light.  That film went on to become one of the greatest horror films of all time.  From the characters to the setting to the famous soundtrack conducted by John Williams to the killer shark itself, Jaws was an all-around solid movie.

Naturally, Hollywood asked the question, what if there was a sequel to Jaws?

Directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary and Murray Hamilton, Jaws 2 continues the story on Amity Island a couple of years after the infamous great white shark attacks.  A series of attacks on Amity’s beaches lead Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) to believe that another great white shark is back in the waters off Amity Island.  The problem is that he doesn’t have solid evidence and the town doesn’t believe him.  After being relieved of duty, Brody takes it upon himself to rescue his son and his friends after the great white shark attacks their group of sailboats.

Jaws 2 (1978) – (c) Universal Pictures

Jaws 2 begins with two scuba divers swimming in the Atlantic Ocean off Amity Island.  We later learn that the sunken boat they explore is the Orca, Quint’s boat from Jaws.  Out of nowhere a massive great white shark attacks and kills both divers.  One of the divers’ cameras captures photos of the shark attack.  On the surface, the divers’ boat drifts aimlessly towards Amity Island.

Meanwhile, on Amity Island, Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) is late to the dedication of a new resort hotel on the island.  Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) gives a short dedication speech and the high school’s band plays more music.  We learn that Martin’s wife, Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary), has a job working at the resort.  We’re also introduced to Mike Brody, the teenage son and eldest of the Brody boys, and his teenage friends. Read more…

Movie Review – Beetlejuice (1988)

Back in 1988, Hollywood director Tim Burton presented the world with Beetlejuice, a horror-comedy film that takes a humorous look at ghosts, the supernatural, and life after death.

Using a combination of stop motion animation, puppetry, blue screens, and a TON of fantastic make-up work, Beetlejuice is a classic 1980s film that tells a tale of a recently deceased couple who are upset with the new residents of their home.  At first the Maitlands try to scare away the new occupants, but their efforts fail miserably.  They’re forced to hire a freelance poltergeist named Betelgeuse (pronounced as “Beetlejuice”) to rid their home of the occupants despite the warning from their case worker.  Betelgeuse’s efforts quickly spiral out of control and the Maitlands have to find a way to stop Betelgeuse before he becomes too powerful and corrupts the Deetz’s daughter, Lydia.

Beetlejuice (1988) – movie poster

Beetlejuice stars Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis as Adam and Barbara Maitland, a quiet couple who lives in New England.  Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder play the roles of the Deetz family, Charles, Delia and their daughter Lydia.  Glenn Shadix plays the role of Otho, Delia’s high-profile interior designer.  Sylvia Sidney has the role of Juno, the afterlife case worker for Adam and Barbara.  And finally, Michael Keaton is the title character Betelgeuse, a rude and disturbing poltergeist who helps the Maitlands remove the Deetzs from their home.

Beetlejuice (1988) – (c) Warner Bros.

Beetlejuice begins with Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara Maitland (Geena Davis) spending a week at home in their small, picturesque New England town for their vacation.  The happy couple has a list of projects that they want to accomplish around their home.  Adam is also an avid model builder and is trying to finish his detailed recreation of their town. Read more…

The Clueless Restaurant Owner, Part VI – The FIRING of the NGM

It’s been only eleven days since our last tale of the new general manager (NGM) at a certain pizza buffet restaurant in the metro Atlanta area, but things have already taken a major turn.

As you can tell by this article’s title, things have gone from bad to worse concerning the NGM.  The restaurant’s owner finally became aware of the guy’s numerous shortcomings and flaws, and today the NGM was fired.  Once again the heroic assistant store manager (ASM), the person who has been bailing out the restaurant’s owner numerous times since being hired last summer, is left as the sole person in charge of actually running the restaurant and doing all the paperwork and other headaches.

Ever since the NGM was hired to be a manager a few weeks ago, the restaurant’s owner claimed that the guy was just there to run the front part of the restaurant.  The ASM was still there to run the back part of the restaurant including the kitchen along with handling all the problems that arise.  The NGM, however, kept telling the members of the crew, including the ASM, that he was hired to be their new general manager.  That part sounds true as A) the restaurant’s owner never had the ASM sit down and help interview the NGM, something that clearly should have happened if they were supposed to run the restaurant together, and B) the restaurant’s owner has a history of lying to the workers and the ASM.  Why should the ASM believe the restaurant’s owner when it’s obvious that the guy was being trained to have overall control of the restaurant?

Anyway, the past week has been entertaining as the NGM refused to do any actual work in the store.  He would be assigned to work various crew positions since he would need to know EVERYTHING to be an efficient restaurant manager.  Instead of actually working, the guy would frequently disappear to the office or whatever and spend a great deal of time on the computer or sending messages on his phone.  The jerk insisted that the ASM keep telling the restaurant’s owner that he really was a team player despite him not lifting a damn finger to help the team.  In reality the crew members hated the guy’s guts, and I don’t blame them one bit. Read more…

Movie Review – Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

In 1984 James Cameron released his science fiction marvel, The Terminator.

We were introduced to a world where machines launched an all-out war against human beings.  The humans eventually won the war at a cost of several billion lives.  One-way time travel was invented, and to try to stop the humans, the machines sent a killer cyborg back in time to kill the mother of the future leader of the human resistance.  The Resistance was also able to send a soldier back in time, and The Terminator focused on the soldier stopping the Terminator from completing its mission.  The soldier won at the cost of his own life.

We know that there’s much more to the story.  It was just a matter of time before the technology would allow for James Cameron to give us a proper sequel.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released on July 3, 1991, and it quickly broke ticket sale records.  James Cameron would continue this massive blockbuster trend in later years with Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009).

Terminator 2: Judgment Day returns Arnold Schwarzenegger in the title role as the Terminator.  He’s a Series 800 Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 cyborg, but instead of hunting John Connor this model has been reprogrammed by the Resistance to protect the child.  Linda Hamilton reprises her role as Sarah Connor, now an energetic woman locked in an insane asylum who still fears for the future war with the machines.  Robert Patrick plays the role of the Series 1000 Terminator, a liquid metal, shape-shifting machine sent back in time to kill the child version of John Connor.  Edward Furlong has the role of John Connor, a 10-year-old boy being hunted by the T-1000 Terminator.  Earl Boen reprises his role as Dr. Peter Silberman, Sarah Connor’s psychiatrist in the asylum.  Joe Morton has the role of Miles Dyson, the engineer at Skynet responsible for reverse-engineering the technology left behind from The Terminator.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) – (c) TriStar Pictures

Terminator 2: Judgment Day opens with a horrific vision of the future.  We’re told that the machines launched an all-out war against mankind on August 29, 1997.  The initial round of battle and nuclear fire cost billions of lives.  The battle against the machines would last for another thirty years before a man named John Connor would lead the Resistance to ultimate victory.

Like in The Terminator, the machines send an advanced cyborg back in time to kill the leader of the Resistance.  This time around the killer machine is sent to the year 1995 to kill John Connor as he’s just a 10-year-old boy. Read more…

Book Review – Clive Cussler’s “Pacific Vortex!”

First published in 1983, Pacific Vortex! is the sixth book in the Dirk Pitt adventure series written by author Clive Cussler.

It’s noted that while this was the sixth book published, this was actually the first Dirk Pitt book that was written.  Pacific Vortex! is more simple than the previous stories and moves along at a fast, but still very interesting, pace.  There isn’t a problem whether you read this book first, as number six in the publishing order, or even later at your own pace.  As far as I’m aware, none of the events or characters in Pacific Vortex! have an impact on later adventures.

Pacific Vortex! begins with a prologue telling how the Navy’s latest submarine, the Starbuck, is going through its sea trials north of Hawaii.  Things are going well until one of the crew members spots a mysterious fog bank ahead on the horizon.  What makes the fog mysterious is that according to the meteorological conditions in the area, there’s no way that fog should be able to develop.

The Starbuck‘s captain decides to risk his submarine to investigate the fog.  While cruising towards it, another crew member discovers that the sea floor is rapidly rising.  According to the charts, that area of the Pacific Ocean is supposed to be clear of underwater obstructions and seamounts.

And then the Starbuck disappeared with all hands on deck.  An extensive search by the U.S. Navy revealed nothing.  It’s as if the ship just vanished off the face of the Earth.  The area where the submarine disappeared is nicknamed the Pacific Vortex as some thirty or so ships have been vanishing there for the past thirty years.

Fast forward to several months later.

Dirk Pitt is relaxing on an isolated beach in Hawaii when he spots a yellow object floating out in the sea.  Recognizing it, Pitt risks a strong rip tide and swims out and retrieves the yellow capsule.  Back on the beach he opens it and makes a startling discovery.  In his hands are the last few days of the logbook belonging to the captain of the Starbuck.  Listed in the paperwork are the submarine’s final coordinates along with a chilling description of what happened during the sub’s last few days.

Pitt takes the capsule to the naval base at Pearl Harbor and gives it to Admiral Hunter, the man whom the paperwork in the capsule was addressed to.  Admiral Hunter doesn’t believe Pitt’s story at first until somebody in his office recognizes Dirk Pitt and tells the admiral his credentials.  He’s the son of Senator George Pitt, and Dirk Pitt himself is the special operations operator with NUMA, the National Underwater and Marine Agency. Read more…

Movie Review – Twister (1996)

When it comes to Hollywood making movies about meteorological events, whether it’s large or small scale, it’s often hard to find that right blend of real science and movie magic.

Sometimes you just need to shut off your brain, sit back, and enjoy a Hollywood blockbuster movie.

This is the case with 1996′s hit movie thrill ride, Twister.

Directed by Jan de Bont, Twister stars Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt as Bill Harding and Dr. Jo Harding, two storm chasers in the process of getting a divorce while trying to implement their new data-gathering weather instruments in the path of a tornado.  The technology will allow them to accurately record the wind speeds and other aspects of the tornadoes, giving scientists better data to study and make more accurate warning systems.  The problem, however, is that the data-gathering instrument, nicknamed Dorothy, has to be placed directly in the path of an oncoming tornado.

Cary Elwes plays the role of Dr. Jonas Miller, a rival storm chaser out to make money instead of pursuing the storms for the science.  Jami Gerz has the role of Dr. Melissa Reeves, Bill’s new fiancée who happens to work as a reproductive therapist.  Some of the fellow storm chasers are played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Ruck and Jeremy Davies.

Twister (1996) – (c) Warner Bros.

Twister begins in June of 1969 out in the Great Plains.  An ordinary night at Jo’s parent’s farmhouse turns into a disaster as an F5 tornado (the strongest class of tornado on the Fujita scale) bears down on their home.  Young Jo and her parents rush outside to the underground storm shelter.  The powerful tornado arrives and Jo’s father tries to hold the door closed to protect the family.  The tornado’s winds rip off the door and carry away Jo’s father, killing him. Read more…

Movie Review – The Terminator (1984)

Imagine a near-future where computers have complete control of the country’s military power.

Then imagine those computers deciding that humans, all humans, are a threat to the computers.  The computers declare war and a worldwide nuclear war wipes out most of the human population.  The surviving humans are enslaved as an army of robots tries to take control of the world.

But the humans fight back and ultimately defeat the robots.  Time travel has been developed, and to stop the humans the robots send a hunter-killer, a Terminator, back in time to kill the mother of the leader of the human Resistance.

Back in 1984, visionary director James Cameron presented the world with The Terminator, an action-adventure and science fiction film where a robotic Terminator is sent back in time to kill the mother of the human Resistance.  To combat it, the human Resistance sends a soldier back in time to protect the mother from the Terminator.

The Terminator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a hunter-killer cyborg sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor, the future mother of the leader of the human Resistance.  Michael Biehn plays the role of Kyle Reese, a human soldier from the Resistance who travels back in time to protect Sarah Connor.  Linda Hamilton is Sarah Connor, future mother of John Connor, leader of the Resistance.  Rounding out the cast are Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen and Earl Boen.

The Terminator begins with a quick telling of the future war between humans and the machines.  It explains that while the war was fought in the near future, the ultimate battle for the future of the war will be fought tonight (remember that we’re back in 1984 in a modern day version of Los Angeles, California).

The Terminator (1984) – (c) Orion Pictures / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

It’s night time as a massive power surge electrifies an area.  Out of the blasts of electricity steps a naked man (Arnold Schwarzenegger).  He walks naked to a group of street punks (one of them is played by Bill Paxton) and kills one of them for his clothing. Read more…

Colonizing Mars — A One-Way Trip To The Red Planet

The Netherlands-based nonprofit company Mars One is looking for people to help colonize and pave the way for future settlement on the planet Mars.

The catch?  It’s being planned as a one-way trip.

A few days ago Mars One released its basic requirements for future astronauts heading to Mars.  The requirements don’t seem to be too strenuous.  You have to be at least eighteen years old, intelligent, and in good physical and mental health.  You don’t need to be the top of your class in test pilot school like the old days of NASA.

And of course, I’m sure you need all of your affairs settled here on Earth before blasting off to Mars.  After all, you’re never going to see any of your family and friends ever again.  You’ll probably be able to send and receive video messages to and from the Red Planet, but that’s about it.

I’ve heard of this one-way-trip concept discussed for a while now when it comes to future space exploration.  The problem is that when you consider the extreme distances, travel time measured in years, and costs that will exceed billions of dollars, it’s hard to convince governments to send astronauts outside of the Earth’s orbit.  Through in the development of future spacecraft plus all of the necessary testing and re-testing to make sure it’s as safe as possible.

That’s just getting the astronauts and equipment safely TO the destination.  Bringing them home safely is another task and significant expense.

But what if you found volunteers who would make the one-way voyage knowing full well that they’ll most likely never return to Earth?  Think of all the work and research those volunteer astronauts could accomplish as long as they keep receiving resupply ships along with fellow colonists.  We’re talking about leaps and bounds of advances without worrying about bringing the astronauts back home.

It sounds cruel but it’s just part of the exploration and colonization process.  Plus, is it really that cruel if you have an all-voluneteer crew? Read more…

Movie Review – Looper (2012)

Movies involving the concept of time travel are always interesting.

From the ability to jump back and forth through time like in Back to the Future and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, or one-way trips backwards through time like in The Terminator or Looper, time travel movies can be great tales of science fiction.  Of course, many time travel movies also require a mandatory discussion about whether or not the events in the movie could occur with respect to the time line and changes made during the past.

That’s where Looper comes into play.  Looper is a story in the near future involving executioners in the mafia and the killing of people sent back in time from the future.  Things seem well until a target from the future survives the execution and tries to change the future.

Looper stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Joseph Simmons, a 25-year-old executioner for the mafia.  Bruce Willis plays Old Joe, Joe’s future self sent back in time from thirty years in the future.  Jeff Daniels plays the role of Abe, a man from the future and Joe’s boss in the mafia.  Rounding out the cast are Emily Blunt, Noah Segan and Piper Perabo.

Looper (2012) – (c) TriStar Pictures / Alliance Films

Set in the year 2044, Joseph Simmons (Joesph Gordon-Levitt) works as a special executioner (known as a “looper”) for a mafia in Kansas City.  His job is simple:  executing targets as soon as they appear in a designated area.  The targets are always bound and blindfolded, and he knows exactly when they’ll appear in his target area.  All that Joe has to do is shoot the target, dispose of the body, and then collect the pieces of silver as payment.

It’s explained that time travel is invented about twenty years from that point in time, but as soon as it’s invented time travel is outlawed.  As a result only the outlaws use time travel.  Supposedly it’s very hard to dispose of bodies in the future, so the mafia sends the targets back in time to be executed and disposed of.  A payment is sent with each target to ensure that the target is killed.

At some point the looper will ultimately kill the future version of themselves and receive payment in gold.  The execution is known as “closing the loop” and it frees the looper of their duty in the mafia.  They can then run around and spend the money and live for the next thirty years.  But in thirty years time, the mafia is going to capture them and send them back in time to be executed.

As we see, Joe is a skilled killer and collects a small fortune in silver bars.  Seth (Paul Dano) is a fellow looper and friend of Joe.  Seth likes to show off his telekinetic ability, something that one in ten people can do in the future.  The two of them cruise the city’s streets and visit the showgirls.  One of the showgirls, Suzie (Piper Perabo), is involved in a relationship with Joe. Read more…

The Clueless Restaurant Owner, Part V – Adventures of the NGM

Troubling times are ahead for a certain pizza buffet restaurant franchise in the metro Atlanta area.

Today’s posting deals mostly with the new general manager (NGM) that the clueless restaurant owner hired just over a week ago.  The NGM supposedly has industry experience and he’s certainly capable of talking a big game.  But as far as actually working and running a restaurant of this caliber, the NGM is clearly inexperienced.

The NGM still has quite a ways to go with his training in running this restaurant.  Instead of actually observing and learning the various crew positions and all the paperwork associated with being a manager, the NGM instead walks around and acts like he already knows everything.  This guy’s EGO has already been causing tensions between himself and every single worker in the restaurant.

This past Sunday the NGM was scheduled to work in the restaurant.  However, as he was driving there that morning he came down with some sort of stomach illness.  Whether it’s related to his excessive amount of flatulence is unknown, but he was sick enough to turn around and go back home.  This was one of the assistant store manager’s (ASM) shifts, so naturally she was down a person since he didn’t show up to work.  This actually wasn’t much of an inconvenience as she didn’t have to babysit and put up with the NGM’s bullshit, and she and her fellow co-workers could actually work as a team.

The next day the ASM received an early session of text messages from the restaurant’s owner.  The ASM wasn’t scheduled to be there until 3 pm that afternoon, yet the jackass was harassing her starting at 7 am.  Despite being knocked down TWICE from being salaried to an hourly worker, the restaurant’s owner still expects her to be on call at ALL hours of the day.  The restaurant’s previous general manager was nearly impossible to get in touch with on his days off or whenever he was outside of the restaurant.  We’re clearly dealing with the restaurant owner’s DOUBLE STANDARDS here.  More of this will be discussed later. Read more…

The Clueless Restaurant Owner, Part IV – New Workers And The Schedule

It’s only been a few days since our last discussion about a CLUELESS restaurant owner in the metro Atlanta area, but so much more has been added to the story.

Our favorite characters from the first few postings are still around in the restaurant.  Our heroine, the assistant general manager (AGM), is still in charge of most of the restaurant’s operations, headaches and problems.  She’s really acting the role of the general manager, but she doesn’t have that title, nor does she have anywhere near that much pay.  The AGM is the true leader to the workers, she’s smart, she works the hardest and she attempts to hold her co-workers to similar standards.  Almost all of the workers love having the AGM as their boss because of her intelligence, hard work and goofy sense of humor.

Blackshirts #1 and #2 are still around.  Blackshirt #1 is still a poor worker who has an excuse for everything, and Blackshirt #2, a hard worker and smart guy, is planning on resigning from his position as a shift manager.  He’s tired of dealing with the restaurant owner’s constant berating of him plus all the bullshit associated with it.  Besides, he’s still making minimum wage as a shift manager, so it’s not like he’s going to be taking a pay cut to move back down to one of the other positions in the restaurant.  The restaurant owner is a firm believer in not paying the good workers anywhere near what they’re really worth.  Apparently it’s an advanced style of leadership and morale control.

The restaurant’s owner recently hired a handful of new (and more importantly, CHEAP) labor for the restaurant, including a person who keeps saying that he was hired to be the new general manager (NGM).  This new general manager has management experience in the restaurant industry, though not in this exact style.  His previous experience was in a much simpler environment, so there’s a LOT that he needs to learn about this style of restaurant and all the problems associated with it.

From what I’ve heard, the NGM is already making quite a name for himself, and so far it’s not exactly a good one.

For starters, this guy apparently has a severe flatulence problem.  He’s constantly walking around and letting loose quiet farts that stink the restaurant and annoy the workers.  It’s one thing to “release some pressure” in the privacy of the office or in the restroom, but constantly doing that around your new co-workers, especially when YOU are the new guy, is certainly NOT the way to earn their trust and respect.  This guy needs to shove a cork up his ass and stop farting around his co-workers.

Supposedly the NGM also has a problem of not exactly working around the restaurant.  He’s more of a social butterfly like the restaurant’s previous GM.  Sending him on a quick errand to deliver product across the street to a client will take him 20-30 minutes to complete.  He’s busy socializing with the client and also exploring the local area.  After one of his delivery runs the workers caught the NGM with some kind of dip on his mouth.  Apparently the guy took the time to walk the neighboring grocery store and sample some food products while he was out.

Just wait until the NGM is scheduled in a crew position next week and he suddenly disappears for 20-30 minutes at a time when his co-workers really need him there.  That’s not going to go over well with his co-workers. Read more…

Ice Cream Magic (home made ice cream) – A Marketing Review

The kids are growing impatient.

One moment they’re complaining about being hungry.  The next they’re bored.  And then they’re hungry again.  And then the cat has explosive diarrhea outside of his litter box.  And then the kids complain about that, yelling that sight looks horrendous, smells atrocious and it nearly makes them vomit.  And then the kids complain about something else.

Just when you’ve had enough and you’re about to lock the kids in the dark basement for a few hours to play hide-and-seek with the cockroaches, a quick thought races into your mind.  Suddenly it’s clear.  There’s a solution that may keep the vermin quiet for a few minutes.

They can make ice cream!

Ice Cream Magic website — www.IceCreamMagic.com

Pausing for a moment, you try to remember the TV commercial you saw the other night.  You know, the one where kids got to make home made ice cream.

Ice Cream Magic TV commercial

Didn’t that just look so cool and fun and awesome?

Let’s take a closer look at the Ice Cream Magic TV commercial and try to see just what they’re selling us.

Ice Cream Magic TV commercial – Pay attention or I’ll keep whining!

We’ve heard it all before.  “I’m hungry!  There’s nothing to eat!  The toilet is overflowing again!”  Blah, blah, blah.

We know that ignoring the kids doesn’t always work as they’re prone to just becoming louder and even more annoying.  Nor is pouring cat treats into a bowl and telling them that it’s a special snack.  Junior finally figured out it really was Mitten’s food the third time he tasted it.  The cat, meanwhile, is still angry that somebody else was eating his food. Read more…

The Clueless Restaurant Owner, Part III

The ongoing struggle against a heartless, soulless and yet clueless restaurant owner continues yet again.

Let’s resume our tale from part 2 of the story.  Last we knew the CLUELESS restaurant owner was hiring back the store’s former general manager (GM), a person who was fired from suspicion of theft.

Things were looking quite bleak for our story’s heroine, the store’s assistant general manager (AGM).  Despite all of her hard work running the restaurant, keeping the place clean and well stocked, making sure the customers were happy and satisfied with their experience, and keeping the store’s labor costs under control, the AGM was being demoted to an hourly position complete with a drop in her pay.  Way to go, restaurant owner!  That’s how you reward the best worker in the store!  /s

The AGM was informed on a Monday that the former GM would be returning that Wednesday.  The store’s owner then told most of the other workers on Tuesday that their old boss was coming back the next day.  Well, Wednesday arrived and no GM.  Apparently the restaurant’s owner changed his mind and decided AGAINST hiring the old general manager.  That position was eliminated from the restaurant so the former GM couldn’t try to claim any unemployment against it for wrongful termination.

As we see, not only is the restaurant’s owner CLUELESS, but he’s also INDECISIVE with his own workers.  He’s also a CHEAPSKATE who pays MINIMUM WAGE, but that’s another story.

The remainder of December progressed with the AGM being bumped back up to the salaried manager level, although her rate of pay was made less than what she was making when originally hired as an assistant manager.  Oddly enough, her number of hours being scheduled to work was still in the 45-50 a week range.  Looks like the restaurant owner found a huge way to save money.  Fire the GM who was making around $65,000-$70,000 and then reduce the AGM’s pay to next to nothing (even smaller when you divide the total number of hours versus what she was really paid). Read more…