Lindt Leaves Meriden

Meriden, Conn. area chocoholics will have to go elsewhere to satisfy their sweet tooth. As of today, the Lindt Chocolate store inside the Westfield Shoppingtown Meriden is closed. I don’t know why they closed today but AFAIK, the Lindt sign was taken down and the store was as good as bare. This turns out to be more bitter than sweet. But I wonder……are all Lindt stores closing their doors forever?

Also, starting Monday, March 8, you can board the bus from Hartford to Central CT State University. CT Transit is extending trips on the 69–Capitol Avenue route from its current terminus at Veterans’ Hospital in Newington all the way to serve Central CT State University in New Britain, while making easy connections with New Britain Transportation’s O–Oak Street and S–Stanley Street routes. These trips will run Monday through Saturday. If only the New Britain buses started running on Sundays…

Mmmm…..Waffle Sandwich

The Dunkin' Donuts waffle sandwich.

It’s baaaaaaaaaack!! Dunkin’ Donuts is currently selling the waffle sandwich (limited time product) in all its stores.

Like us Americans weren’t fat enough. First it was the McGriddles from McDonald’s, now this. And it’s only 390 calories?? I’ll believe it when I eat one of those.

But, um, it’s served with Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, which beat the shi crap out of Starbucks in a taste test. You can’t be around for 60 years and not do something right. Oh, well, America does run on Dunkin’.

Filet-o-Fish from McDonald’s

Sorry, I couldn’t resist. But the Fish Fry special is a serious deal. Enjoy!

What the Puck?!!

And so it begins. . . . .

The battle of hockey supremacy in North America is underway.  Brother against brother. Nation against nation. This time, it’s between Team USA and Team Canada.

Sure, hockey’s a staple in Canada, but the U.S. gots more hockey fans. And let’s not forget about the tolerable climate. It’s gotta be cold — but not too cold — for fans to enjoy a good hockey game. Look, the 2010 Winter Olympics seems weird without the snow. Not a flake of snow in Vancouver; yet, 49 out of 50 states…covered in snow! That don’t seem fair to me.

Anyway. . . it’s all about the red, white, & blue, baby! 🙂

‘Family Guy’ Episode Below the Belt

One of Sarah Palin's sons, Trig, is under fire.

The Family Guy is a quite entertaining animated show, but the latest episode of that show hit below the belt by poking fun at Sarah Palin’s son Trig with Down’s syndrome. And let me tell you, folks — mocking people with developmental disabilities is no laughing matter.

In the latest episode, Chris (a main character) sits down on a dinner date with a mental disabled girl. Although she did not mention Palin by name, she, too, was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome like Trig. “My dad’s an accountant and my mom’s the former governor of Alaska,” she said. It all started with Rahm Emmanuel and his “retard” comment.

It’s bad enough that Sarah Palin had to deal with critics like Rahm Emanuel. But to downplay her son with Down’s syndrome? That’s an offensive foul. So all you stuffed shirts can criticize Palin all you want — I don’t care — JUST LEAVE HER KIDS ALONE. I don’t want to say it, but it had to be said. It’s sad that people with developmental disabilites become the target of scrutiny. And that’s my 2¢.

Burger King to Revamp Menu

If you thought Domino’s Pizza needed a rehab, as I told you earlier, wait till you get a load of Burger King. The nation’s No. 2 burger chain is expected to launch its new coffee line and give its breakfast menu a top-to-bottom overhaul as a result of losing the so-called burger war to McDonald’s.

Soon Burger King chains across the country will add Starbucks Corp.’s Seattle Best Coffee to their menu lineup some time this summer. This move is intended to take on McDonald’s and the ever successful McCafé coffee drinks. Burger King wanted to level the playing field as McDonald’s McCafé was seen as “taking aim at Starbucks.” Um, Starbucks must’ve got them confused with Dunkin’ Donuts, whose coffee is preferred more by Americans than Starbucks.

But in order for it to happen, Burger King’s BK Joe will have to be retired. “We’ll be delivering a better cup of coffee,” said John Schaufelberger, senior vice president of Burger King’s global product marketing and innovation. Hmmm, I wonder what breakfast items are going to be added, what are going to be removed, and what they’re gonna leave alone?

If Burger King didn’t try hard enough to rival McDonald’s, listen to this. The 1/4 lb double cheeseburger, which they have been selling for $1, will soon cost $1.19. McDonald’s took that similar action a couple of years ago. Like McDonald’s, Burger King currently has a breakfast value menu, including coffee for $1. And of course, these coffee drinks will be sold all day.

Well, it looks like you really can have it your way, day and night!

Yanks’ Dugout: Oh, It is On

Spring training with the Bronx Bombers is nice (that mean’s looking right). March is fast approaching. Getting ready for another season. Let the rivalry/ies begin!

One question though, with the Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter’s contracts expiring soon, why won’t the Yankees just re-sign them now and stop playing around? Why wait until the contracts have expired? Plus, Chamberlain is doing what he does best — getting the Joba done! (Inside joke) 🙂  Would be nice to see Jeets go for 3,000 hits, but it would break my heart if he were in another uniform.

As all y’all know….today is Mardi Gras. In New Orleans, white has taken over the traditional colors of Mardi Gras: purple, green, and gold. Give Vancouver some snow ’cause we don’t want it no more!

Say Goodbye to Shaw’s in Conn.

It’s the end of supermarket competition in Connecticut as we know it.

Shaw’s Supermarkets is checking out from Connecticut and selling all of the state’s 18 remaining stores to a small array of buyers. SuperValu, the owner of Shaw’s Supermarkets, will sell 11 of the Connecticut stores to ShopRite and Price Rite and 5 stores to Stop & Shop. The New Haven and Manchester stores still need new owners. The sale is expected to be finalized by this spring.

I can tell you that if anybody buys the Shaw’s store in Manchester, the new owner can neither be ShopRite nor Stop & Shop, in which the town already has both of those. Who do you think should move into the former Shaw’s in Manchester? A&P? Price Chopper? Aldi?

At this point, you have to wonder: how can a grocery chain like Shaw’s excel in other New England states, yet do so poorly in Connecticut? What’s wrong with Connecticut? Remember the olden days (or just a few years ago) when Shaw’s had 26 stores in Connecticut? Last year alone, the latest locations to close were Bristol and Shelton. It’s like Adams, or A&P all over again.

Click here to view the map of the 16 out of 18 remaining Shaw’s locations in Connecticut, and their new owners.

See Something, Do Nothing???

Picture this. If you saw an act of terrorism happen on your bus ride to work, would you report it to the police? Or would you keep your mouth shut and do nothing, for fears of being called a snitch and receiving death threats? Or would you just suck it up and take matters into your own hands?

That wasn’t the case in Seattle, when 15-year-old Aiesha Steward-Baker asked police for help several times at a shopping center on Jan. 28, the day she was assaulted. Surveillance cameras captured three others ganging up on the girl, but the guards did nothing to try to stop the altercation. That’s because they are prohibited from doing so. See video of the attack on KIRO-TV Channel 7’s website.

Haven’t we learned anything from the Kitty Genovese stabbing? Kitty Genovese was stabbed at outside her apartment in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, New York March 13, 1964, and no one did crap. Another example of public indifference — or inaction — occured on the afternoon of May 30, 2008 when Angel Arce Torres was hit by one or two vehicles while trying to cross Park Street in Hartford. Both vehicles failed to stop. Other pedestrians watched Torres lying on the median of Park Street but never attempted to do anything. Torres fought for his life for less than a year, but sadly, he passed away on May 11, 2009 at age 79.

Bill-bored with “50 Sexiest Songs”

Ahhhhh…..February in New England. It’s the most beautiful time of the year……if you’re a fucking deer! If you’ve had enough of winter and can’t wait for spring, be sure to head on down to the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show between February 18th through the 21st at the Connecticut Convention Center in Downtown Hartford.

And on that note, you know Valentine’s Day is this Sunday. If you are single, like me, you’re lucky. Despite the loneliness that may bestow upon singles, the positives include not having to deal with the pressure of finding that significant other a gift to commemorate their love.

Now. I’ve got a bone to pick with Billboard. They completed the list for the Top 50 Sexiest Songs of all time. If you think Barry White made the cut, think again. Instead, Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” tops the list, followed by “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” by Rod Stewart. In third place is “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men, and Next’s “Too Close” and Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On” round ou the top five.

First of all, “Physical” is not sexy. It has absolutely nothing to do with sexual paraphernalia (sic) per se. It’s just a video of Olivia Newton-John in aerobic gear — sweatpants, et al. — doing a cardio. Kinda makes you not want to have sex. Oh well. Happy Valentine’s Day a.k.a. Singles’ Awareness Day, and ummmm, get a room, please.