Cut the Deficit, Just Not Anything That Causes the Deficit

I saw this graph attached to this article and immediately wanted to explode in rage. Apparently, people think the deficit is a problem that needs to be addressed either now or in the near future. (Yes, agree!) But, when given specifics with how to cut the deficit, most people don't want to touch anything that would actually do that. (Aaahhhh!) The two things that got a majority of support had to do with evil rich people or federal workers. My guess is that most people polled did not fall into those two groups therefore were able to agree with statements that would not affect them. That seemed to follow the theme of the poll. Yeah, cut the budget, but nothing that affects my life.

Listen people, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, and Defense are a large majority of the budget; two of those have their own tax. If you are not ready to touch those three things then you are not serious about cutting the budget. This why most of the Tea Party people are full of crap. Yeah, it's nice to say you're a fiscal conservative, I'm one, but if your not ready to privatize Social Security, use vouchers for Medicare, and dial down the Pentagon, you are not a budget hawk. America has 11 aircraft carriers in service. Do you know how many the country with the second most has? Two (UK and Italy). We are currently building three. Maybe we don't need a new $15 billion dollar aircraft carrier every four years since we have the only blue water navy in the world capable of projecting and sustaining its force. You know, stuff like that. Plus, terrorists don't have navies (or jet fighters).

Nobody wants real change, they want a nice speech that blames other people for their problems. I am probably going to scream about this until I die with nothing to show for it. America is finished. Buy gold bars and call it a life.

-K

E-mail to J.Crew

To Whom It May Concern:

First and foremost, I would like to preface this email by letting you know that I am very loyal J.Crew shopper. I have yet to find another store that provides such classic, yet still on-trend, well-fitting clothing that can be worn both at work and at play. Seriously, could there be a more versatile cardigan than the Jackie?!

That being said, I'm writing to you today to express my displeasure and disappointment with the utter state of disarray of the models on JCrew.com. When did Jenny Humphrey from Gossip Girl start moonlighting as one of your stylists? I get that you want to establish that your brand isn't just for WASPs from Greenwich, and hey, I'm all for diversifying your demographic! I guess what I am trying to say is, how am I supposed to know if the Taffeta Marvelle Mini (item # 32465) is the perfect addition to my holiday party ensemble when it looks like the model had far too much to drink at the Office Xmas Party the night before, had a one-night rendezvous with Chris from Accounting, and then tried to wear it to work the next day!? That obviously is not the look I'm trying to achieve. Seriously, though, she looks downright slovenly... I'm willing to overlook the unkempt hair and the heroin chic makeup if the models at least stood up straight so I could get an idea of how something fits.

I appreciate your consideration on the matter and look forward to seeing the models looking more "polished" in the future.

Best Wishes,

C

J. Crew gave this f-- off response:

Thanks for reaching out - really appreciate you taking the time to share
your thoughts with us. Will absolutely pass along to the appropriate
team.

Feel free to contact anytime - always available.

Best,
-----

I Want A Coffee

How hard is it to keep a coffee machine stocked?

On the great show Modern Marvels on the History Channel, they showed one of Home Depot's supply centers. It is the size of a one-cop town in the midwest. They execute a just-in-time inventory system. There are trailer loads full of 5/8ths washers, joyce hangers, and washing machines; nothing stays in the warehouse for more than 25 minutes. BUT, I can't get cups, stirrers, creamers and sugars in the same kitchenette at the same f'n time! Seriously, why do all the ingredients to make a cup of coffee come in haphazardly like we're in Bastogne surrounded by Nazis (watch Band of Brothers). This may seem trivial, but it screws up my whole day because now I have to plan a clandestine raid on other kitchenettes as opposed to doing work. Then, when we do get supplies, I have to hoard them like I'm some crazy white shut-in whose sister's death he can't get over so he lives among 8 years of garbage and 7 feral cats. Just keep the coffee supplies readily at hand, so I don't have to celebrate like Captain Planet was summoned every time I want a cup.

Who is the person ordering the flavors also? Do we need 4 rows of house blend? Multiple Columbia and Hazelnut? Yeah, that stuff goes, but give me one drawer of something cool. I mean I work in financial services so every other person is Asian. But, of course we only have two drawers of Green Tea which fly threw inventory to the point where people are clawing at the display case packet. Mix it up and know your demo Admin-who-orders-this-stuff!

-K

C Mailbag

I asked C, "Is this the most pretenious Yelp review ever?"

Timothy M.

Boston, MA

Ok. So I had heard about the charm about Carmen and it's romantic atmosphere in this tiny N. End dining spot. I read Melanie's review as well the others and looked up the Phantom Gourmet's review (which was surprisingly good) but I decided I will give it a try and form my own opinion. I made a reservation as they suggested, since the restaurant fills up fast especially on a Saturday night. The staff was friendly, although you this should be an expectation from everyone where you go and spend your hard earned money. The atmosphere was indeed charming. The dining room was tiny and crammed with small tables. Yet there were many candles giving it a more romantic like atmosphere (although I would not give Carmen the award for romance.) The food - the reason why most of us go out - was disappointing. To say it may be the best restaurant in Boston tells me that many readers hardly ever or never go out and if they do, they don't know what good food is. The truth is the food at Carmen was average or mediocre at best. It might have been better than a Vinny Testa's or Maggiano's but if so it would be a close race. You simply cannot say the food was good when you have other places of comparison such as The White Barn Inn in ME exists (BTW a PG 97 rating http://preview.tinyurl...
Per Se in NYC setting a world wide standard - http://perseny.com/ or French Laundry - http://www.frenchlaund.../ and closer to home restarurants like Clio & Mistral (with only 90 PG ratings BTW.) Before you can comment that the food might be the best ever, you have to first understand the rules. The rules are you must rate experiences on the full range, not in a vacuum. Carmen has not won national or international awards of excellence and it never will. There are good restaurants, great ones, excellent ones and then the very few standing on the top of the pyramid. Those few that do are like the great quarterbacks and athletes of our time. They simply are not that many relative to the population. The simple fact is the food here is what you would expect from the N. End - it was very average. You don't go somewhere and pay north of $25/$30 for a dish an expect mediocracy. You should instead expect excellence. Not here. If you want to try good food then instead of eating out twice or three times wait and save up your money for one of the places above and only then will you experience what true culinary talent can bring to your palete. Sorry Carmen but you are just like alot of other folks- very, very average.

Her response:
I feel like I should write to Tim and be like, honestly pal, great that you threw out two of Tom Keller's retaurants promptly after his new book was published and the James Beard Contenders just came out, but seriously, have you eaten at either of his restaurants???

Also, given his logic, contextually, shouldn't you rate restaurants on their demographic? For example, I loved the wings at the chicken bone, and would've given it 3 stars in that it was a good, convenient wing & beer place and it surpassed my expectations as such. I wouldn't put it up against Mario Batali's restarant in NYC (which PS I have eaten at) or even Strega or any one of Todd English's restaurants because they aren't comparable in their offerings...

I want to go toe-to-toe with Tim. What a dink!

Also, Tim spelt palate wrong. What a tool. I hate him.

She also had some Matt Lauer thoughts/panic attacks:

Matt Lauer cheated on his wife?!? I am more upset hearing this right now than I was over the following (in no particular order):

1.) My bday party invitations being backordered, and subsequently disco’d by the mfr

2.) Big Papi admitted juicing

3.) Tiger Woods train of beautiful, upstanding mistresses

4.) Jesse James cheating on Sandra Bullock. SANDRA BULLOCK!

5.) Britney Spears circa 2007

6.) Jason Varitek getting divorced due to infidelity

7.) Lindsey Lohan’s downward spiral post-mean girls

8.) The package store being closed by time I got home on Monday night

9.) John Mayer’s recent playboy interview

10.) That time you tricked me into watch the NFL draft.

If Matt Lauer (MATT LAUER!) and his hot wife can’t make it work, what are we doing?

...But it’s matt lauer! He isn’t famous really either. He’s supposed to be the all-american everyman! How could he do this?

-K

Artistically Challenged

If TV producers and movie makers could somehow send me promos of shows/movies beforehand, I could save them a ton of cash. ABC is now promoting a new show called Romantically Challenged which looks to be an overproduced, banal-humor-laden, safe, generic pile of crap. It will no doubt recycle lockstep stereotypes, trite, canned one-liners, and ridden into the ground like a Tiger mistress storylines. (But, she's not married, she's divorced!) It's all the same. If ABC had just talked to me, I could have told them, "Stop...stop...stop talking...no it's awful."

There is nothing especially bad about RomChan, (I've never seen an episode, I just know it will be bad. Prejudging? yes Correct? yes) it's just the same lowest common denominator horrible safe humor that network television seems to be all about. It's the same in movies. C gets pissed when I watch the lastest rom-com mad-lib preview and just cannot help myself by finishing the plot. (They fall in love despite the circumstances...every time...without fail.) She almost kicked me out of the theater during He's Just Not That Into You which had promise in the beginning and then turned on everything it believed in half way through. (Don't get married Ben Affleck, you won, she agreed, aaahhhh) I couldn't help but start a social commentary with a quarter of the movie still to go. Everyone of those art bastardizations deadens my nerves a little bit more. (She's uptight, he doesn't play by the rules!) Sometimes a writer will really gamble like author/rebel John Hamburg who pitched Along Came Polly as he's uptight and she doesn't play by the rules. Ugh. It's the same everytime people! Stand up for quality! George Clooney gets his heart ripped out in Up In The Air; oscar-nomination.

Why does it continue to happen? Well, of course money. These are pre-packaged, streamlined, efficient cash cows. Insert name actor and actress here. A self-serving entertainment exec will of course substitute original thought for free cash flow. They don't have any incentive not to. It's the same with actors. Just look at Jennifer Ainiston. She keeps making this same slop every year. At least have the decency to use the film as an elaborate ploy to bang your co-star like Gerard Butler did to you. The producers of these shows are guilty of having sedentary brains as well. Charlie Sheen can not wear a bowling shirt and cargo shorts every day of his life! That's lazy character molding. Do they think if he wears jeans people won't perceive the male fantasy ethos they have bestowed on him? No, don't make them think, aaahhhh.

I'm not an literary elitest snob Slate editor, I own the A-Team on DVD. I just want the entertainment industry to stop rehashing the same tired shit they've been recycling over and over. It's insulting. It's mentally insulting to me. Get some new cookie-cutters Hollywood. But, what do I know The Big Bang Theory is still on television?

At least Lost is on tonight.

-K