Friday, November 25, 2005
Day After Thanksgiving
Black Friday is the day after
It's an occurrence that happens once every year and retailers have never been disappointed of the turn out. This Friday is no different in spite of the weather. It was freezing cold Thursday night and people still camped out in front of stores. It snowed the following morning making the roads slushy and the drive dangerous with reports of vehicular accidents and yet people still came in droves. Mall of America was packed. So was Wal-Mart and Best Buy, Inc.
It's understandable. A savings of 50% or higher is a big deal especially for high priced items. Now when you're really decided on buying THAT computer, TV or DVD player as a Christmas present to yourself or loved ones and you know they'll drop the price that day it's an offer you can't refuse. You're suddenly transformed into a shopping addict. "Gotta have it...gotta have it" is the mantra going through your head. Neither rain, sleet or snow will stop you. So don't be surprised if one cold and freezing Black Friday you find yourself in line at 1:00 a.m or 2:00 a.m. in front of a store. Sometimes you just get caught in the spirit of the season. Then you get entangled and just follow the motto: "shop 'til you drop, buy 'til you die, spend 'til the end."
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
FooD WastE AnD HUNGER
Any idea on how much food is wasted daily at fastfoods, restaurants and supermarkets? We're not talking of leftovers from customers who just ordered one too many and decided not to box it. Or those who are picky about what they eat that their plate's hardly been touched. I'm talking about food that were prepared in advance for sale, fresh or frozen food that were bought and returned by customers and expired or soon to expire food items.
What's my beef? (pun intended) I work at the customer service in one of those big retail chain stores. One of our tasks is to process items being returned by customers. Company policy is to throw all produce, (fresh veggies and fruits) fresh meat or poultry and bakery products being returned for safety reasons. I agree wholeheartedly on that. With so many wackos in our midst you can never tell if somebody bought an item just to put substance on it and return it to the store for us to resell. But I still lament the fact that daily we throw out fairly large quantities of food that otherwise could still be eaten or donated. There are instances when we have customers who over buy food for their party or concession stands and they return these items in bulk. You just shake your head as you throw those burger/hotdog buns, beef patties, hotdogs, chicken drumsticks, wings, salad mixes still packaged and unopened. There are also those who change their mind and decide instead to cook chicken instead of beef for dinner.
Last time I looked at the UN's World Food Programme's Death Toll Counter on Hunger , the count was 7,042,037 and rising. Life is full of ironies. Millions of people dying because of hunger yet a lot of food are just being wasted. We don't have to make a sample of developing countires because here in the US alone research shows that "one in ten households experience hunger or the risk of hunger" .
In our store, customer service is located at the front. Mentioned above is how food is wasted in our end. At the back end of our store more food items are being thrown out daily. These are expired, soon to expire and excess prepared/cooked food that were not consumed for that day. Items would include beef, pork, chicken, fish, bread/pastries, salads, vegetables, fruits and eggs. Sometimes we throw them by the boxes. Did you mention donation? No multi billion dollar company would risk donating their excess food for goodwill just to end up being sued for food poisoning no matter your assurance that the food is safe. There is just no guarantee. In so called third world countries it is common to see scavengers scrounging for food at fastfood and restaurant dumpsters, food poisoning takes a back seat when your stomach is gnawed by hunger.
Back to my opening question. Just to give you an idea, the store I work for have hundreds of similar stores spread across the US. Some of them have bigger floor areas. Just think, what happens in our store is exactly what is happening in other stores every single day of the week. Go further, it is just not the store I work in but other similar retail stores, restaurants and fastfood. In a perfect world, if we have a "central collecting point" for all these excess food I can only imagine that the quantity would be so vast it would be more than enough to feed the hungry in the US and then some for developing countries. In a perfect world...but then where would life's ironies be?
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Snow
Old man winter just announced his arrival. After enjoying those 50 to 60 temps in early November the temperature just suddenly dropped in the twenties bringing with it the first few inches of snow with gusty winds in our neck of the woods (watching too much weather forecast makes you sound one) .
Snow is nice to look at in pictures: pristine white, serene landscape and it evokes a thousand memories of white Christmases. But "up close and personal" it can be downright harsh and nasty. For one I'm not looking forward to tomorrow's drive for I know it's going to be messy. The road will be slick with melting snow mixed with salt and sand. I'm praying that overnight there won't be much accumulation or I would have an early exercise shoveling snow in the driveway. For those who park their cars in the streets they have to find another parking area or they'll discover in the morning that they have to pay a high parking fee to recover their vehicles in the impounding lot. Parking in most streets are prohibited during winter.
Coming from the tropics I was fascinated by snow but my "honeymoon" with it ended after my first year in the States. The reasons are cited above. I almost got into two vehicular accidents. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the more years of experience I gain from winter driving the less chances I'll be involved in one, but you can never tell.
I still enjoy watching the snow fall but in the comfort of our home where its safe and warm. You don't hear a thing when it comes unlike rain that pitter-patters on your roof.
You wake up one morning with the sun still peeking, weather stations forecast winter storm coming. You do your morning chores, sit on the computer and surf. You take a break and you look outside the window and everything is blanketed in white with snow flakes falling and swirling by gusty winds. The snow storm has started without you even realizing it. You look in awe. You see its beauty but you don't want to be in it. You just don't want to be in the middle of the road experiencing it.
At home you put on a classical music, sit down and relax by the window to relish the wonder of nature. And you thank Him for allowing you to experience the beauty of His creation.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Week Activity Highlights
For now I'll note down my Activity highlights for the Week to remind me in the future of what I did in the past. When you're getting old and starting to show signs of senile dementia (it's a fact that alcohol can damage brain cells but how can you refuse an ice cold beer?!!? cheers!!!) it's a good idea to have footnotes to shake your memory:
1. Dropped off W at the airport (10 Nov, Thursday) for her business trip in Manila. Late for work, supposed to leave for the airport at 6:00 a.m. but was able to 20 minutes after. Aaarghh!! Be back on the 23rd (Wednesday), day before Thanksgiving. Lucky I'm off that day so no problem picking her up. Got the whole house by myself...hoohah!! time to Par Tay...yeah right...think like the exact opposite...
2. Get a life...what friendly persuasion can do, I finally decided to join an "informal" Filipino choir for St John Neumann Catholic Church's musical concert in Eagan... after attending four practices and listening to the computer (ahhh what technology can do) for the tenor part on wav file sent by our "informal" musical director Randy, we made it on Friday, 11 Nov...we did two songs: Aba Ginoong Maria (Hail Mary) and Humayo't Ihayag (Go Forth and Proclaim) ...there was this harmonica player and pianist who did "Amazing Grace" jazz style and I think the harmonica player got carried away... you know how they do it in jazz stretching those notes and the pianist just played along matching him note by note... clap, clap, clap, clap ...standing ovation.
3. What happened last Halloween? Party at home...or rather they had a party at home...mostly former officemates, current officemates and friends of W. Had work that day and decided to go to the Y afterwards. Party was about done when I arrived home since it's a weekday and there's work the following day. Said hello and goodbye to some departing guests. Downside of coming late...there was almost no leftover food (and after coming from the gym!!!!) and if that's not enough you're faced with the task of helping clean the house. My only consolation is I have the day off the following day...heck with the cleaning, got the whole day tomorrow, might as well enjoy what's left of the evening and watched recently bought DVDs... at least there was still some chocolates left from the trick or treat thing to satiate my sweet tooth...now who says Halloween are only for the kids?
Sunday, November 06, 2005
The Beatle$' $uccess
Ever wondered how the Fab Four became a success? 
Majority would attribute it to their talent and luck. I definitely agree on talent, but luck...uhmm... maybe for Ringo Star.
Majority would attribute it to their talent and luck. I definitely agree on talent, but luck...uhmm... maybe for Ringo Star.Aside from people that worked closely with the Beatles nobody would have thought in the 60's that behind their youthful looks (they were in their early twenties) and carefree ways they had the commitment and vision of where and what they were going to be in the world of pop or rock n' roll. They were astute businessmen who did their homework to ensure that their venture would be a success. When they did their first recording they insisted on their own interpretation and composition.
Before Ringo Star was Pete Best the drummer who did not quite blend with the band. Manifesting their (John, Paul and George ) "business acumen", or "ruthlessness" as some view them, they had him fired and replaced by Ritchie Starkey aka Ringo Star. That was how he was considered to be the Luckiest Man Alive. In fairness to Ringo, he was considered one of the best if not the best drummer in Liverpool at that time and John,Paul,George saw that.
Like Michael Jordan in basketball and Tiger Woods of golf, the Fab Four were natural with their musical instrument and songwriting. It is what they love to do. Now mix that ingredient with their desire to be on top...the rest as they say is history. It is sad that they had to break up in the 70...
as they say all good things must come to an end.
If you want to know more about the Beatles "inside" story read 
as they say all good things must come to an end.Top photo courtesy of
Bottom photo courtesy of
