Fear Not the Future

I know most of us clear thinkers are worried about the future in this age of indifference to global warming and genocide, countries arming themselves with nuclear weapons with no intention of using them "responsibly" as all WMD should be used (do i have that right, President Bush?), civil rights stripped from our laws, the majority of the U.S. population confusing "excess" with "necessity", Britany bringing another Federline into this world, and Denise Richards stealing Heather Locklear's husband because hers is off his rocker.

BUT: if movies have taught us anything (which my book club turned movie club doth believe), the future will not leave us Taco-Bell-less (see definition of "necessity"). Seb directed me to wikipedia's site, to read more about this movie, Demolition Man, in which Taco Bell is the only fast food franchise of the future. I had NO idea this movie, which i'd scorned simply because of the name, had such a redeeming quality!

Wikipedia's description:

The Hollywood futurist movie Demolition Man has several references to Taco Bell as being the only restaurant franchise in the future after the franchise wars; presumably there are different levels of Taco Bell restaurants but "all restaurants are Taco Bell". However, in the German-language dub of the movie, all references to Taco Bell were changed to references to "Pizza Hut"; scenes displaying the Taco Bell logo or signs were either replaced or digitally edited to show a Pizza Hut logo instead. The most likely reason for this change is a cultural difference; in German-speaking countries, Taco Bell is hardly well-known or established, meaning that few viewers would understand the joke about Taco Bell, a modern-day fast-food chain, becoming the high-class exclusive restaurant of the future. For the purposes of the movie's joke, Pizza Hut was apparently chosen as a more representative well-known fast-food chain for the target demographic.


So now i can't move to Tokelau or Germany.

Another fun fact from Wikipedia which exhibits the website's ability to laugh at the world:

under "Notable Employees":

José Padilla, suspected terrorist


Yeah, he probably spit in the food.

A Decision Revisited

Yesterday I started reading an article on Tokelau. I'd never heard of these little islands, a colony--of sorts--of New Zealand. 1600 people live on about 6 islands--islands which are TINY. one is the size of one and a half ikeas and the others aren't considerably bigger. they don't like tourists--the one hotel has six rooms and even when not full still sometimes sends people away. there are no restaurants or bars. some people get restless because there's very little to do. but it is gorgeous and sounds like a peaceful, deep breath meditating place to me. that's what i would make of it, anyway. well, i guess that's what i would make of living in any place where i didn't have the responsibility of working/making money. new zealand pretty much hands them their budget, and they get along just fine with that. this place sounds tribal and unique and relaxing so i decided, before even finishing the article, that i wanted to move there--nevermind that they wouldn't want me.

then i realized: no restaurants=no Taco Bell.

Yikes.

No can do.

I love you, Tokelau, and maybe i will see you one day, but it looks like i will not be able to rest these weary bones of mine in your hammocks.

Peace.

Apologies to my friend

This morning I google-chatted with Ganga (see links) who is currently in Tanzania for a 6 month stint. I am going to paste lines she wrote at the beginning of our conversation as part of my apology for posting a song yesterday, written by a stranger in the land of Amsterdam who had no access to Taco Bell. I didn't even think about the pain of my dear friend who certainly has no access to it in Tanzania. Though, to be fair to myself (i am good at that), I hadn't realized the intensity of Ganga's love for Taco Bell. Sure, I knew she had been to the only Taco Bell in Vermont, at the Burlington Mall, whilst in college, but that doesn't indicate a particular devotion.

SO without further ado, some lines from Ganga, on the Taco Bell (i asked her to put her feelings to song/poetry/autobiography but was not granted that request this morning):

1. hey, i had to stop reading your blog today because the song that someone wrote made me want to eat taco bell soooo much that i had to stop
2. my roomate got a package and in it there was a taco bell enchirito kit, and it was sooo good!!! [this happened last night]
3. but i only took a small portion of one of the enchirito/burrito things but it was soooo good... i lied and said i was full 'cause i didn't want to eat a whole one of her precious surprise, but you should buy that kit and make it... it's soooo good.
4. i think you can find it at the grocery store
5. they give you real tb tortillas. taco bell pushes me over the edge
6. enchirito is a good name for a kid
7. I LOVE TACO BELL
8. no, i want to EAT taco bell
9. that's all i want to do after i ate 1/4 of that beautiful enchirito last night
10. i played that game with my housemates that i told you about [this is a game in which everyone writes down a number of things people would/wouldn't do/who knows. they mix all of the entries together and then the group votes on who present would be most likely to do such and such] and most of them voted me most likely to eat a spoiled burrito not for money; originally the question was eat it for money, and the votes were different

Just because...

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ain't Happenin'

Anyone who's had a crunchwrap in her life knows that this woman is not walking away from this meal with a clean shirt. Look how she's holding that crunchwrap! no plate, no napkins. Hell, I don't even see any sauce packets in her vincinity! I mean, I can't even eat the burritoes or tacos one-handed and this little lady is going to one hand a crunchwrap!

Where oh where is the "after" picture?

A taco bell song...

this man, Omar, tells a heartwrenching story of lost love--a story that caused him write a song about his feelings of loss and sadness. Please read. Have tissues within reach. (I'm pretty sure this song is sung to the tune of the theme of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, given the similarities in the first line. that and i just sung it. it works.)

It's not uncommon for a young man, overflowing with exuberant lust and apprehension, to write a love song to a woman who has captured his heart. It is very uncommon for a young man to do the same for an international fast food establishment.But I'm getting ahead of myself. For the sake of continuity, I'll start at the beginning.

My love affair with Taco Bell started back in high school. I know I annoyed a lot of my lunch time friends by wanting to go to Taco Bell for lunch every single day. Sometimes the urge to get my hands on a fifty-nine cent bean burrito was so strong that I would totally forget the fact that I was supposed to be in Mr. Eggert's second period algebra class. To cover my tracks, I never turned in my math homework and often times got in arguments with the teacher and said mean things about him outside of class. To this day, my parents never discovered the true reason behind my insolent behavior.

The relationship only got stronger when I went off to college. And, no, I'm not talking about my high school algebra teacher. Taco Bell franchises were located on both sides of the CSU campus. The pinnacle of my love for Taco Bell occurred when my girlfriend at the time moved into an apartment that was directly across the street from the Bell. I would ride my bicycle over to her place, get enough tacos and burritos for the both of us, and walk up the stairs to her apartment. It was an entire evening of fun for six dollars. If I only realized at the time how perfect my life was back then, I wouldn't have let it change so drastically. *Sigh*.

Well, back to the story. I finished up with college and my girlfriend and I went on to get a job in my slice of the real world. I was molded into a computer geek which gave me the financial resources to eat fast food at will. In retrospect, I suspect I started to take it for granted. Taco Bell was always there for me and I no longer had to sacrifice anything to enjoy it. But gone too was the anticipation of another reunion. The fire burned less brightly.Everything changed in 1999 when the company I worked for at the time decided to send me to work in Amsterdam for six months. I moved everything I owned into storage and got on an airplane with nothing more than a backpack and two suitcases. When I got there I quickly discovered some shocking facts about world travel. The weather in other parts of the world is not comparable to Colorado, the customs officials don't care what you bring into Holland, and, most importantly, Taco Bell is not keeping up with other fast food establishments in their plans for world occupation. During the worst of my withdrawal period, I wrote the following song expressing my feelings:

"Taco Bell, Village of the Damned"

Here is the story that I've got to tell
About my favorite place to go and eat-- its called Taco Bell

One day I got on a plane and flew across the sea
Unaware of the fate awaiting me
You see they have BK and they have Mickey Dee's,
But Taco Bell has still yet to be.

So now I'm a long way from home and I just don't see
That plastic tacky bell calling out to me

Taco Bell, you're my water in the sand
Taco Bell, the franchise promised land
Taco Bell, you're my favorite one night stand
Taco Bell, the village of the damned

And so I just can't sleep at night
Knowing that I'm a world away from that drive through open twenty-four hour culinary delight


Despite the obvious pain of being away from something so near and dear to my heart, I survived my trip to Holland and came back to Colorado with a deeper and more mature understanding of my relationship with Taco Bell. We started off young and giddy-wanting to be together every day and talking to each other until all hours of the night about anything and everything that came to mind. Things cooled down a bit after that, and the shock of moving half way around the world from her put everything in perspective. These days I take comfort in knowing that when I'm having a bad day I can invite her over, make a big bowl of popcorn, and watch a movie on the couch with my arm around her. We have known each other for so long that we don't need words to communicate. Taco Bell will always be there for me.

A lesson learned

Taco Bell employee faces charges for allegedly spitting in customers drink

STAFFORD VIRGINIA - An employee at a Taco Bell is facing charges after she spat in a customer's drink.

Shaleesheya Ford, 18, was fired from her job and is charged with adulteration of food, obstruction of justice and making a false report.
Police say the incident happened April 14 at a Taco Bell along Garrisonville Road when a customer couldn't get some tea. The 35-year-old victim says it happened after he complained at the drive thru that he didn't get the drink he ordered.
When he received the drink he took the lid off to take a sip and that is when he saw a strange substance floating in the cup.
If Ford is convicted she could face up to 10 years in prison.


10 years!! whoa. that's some harsh punishment. the newsreels need to publicize this a bit more so that those who always wonder if people spit in their food can throw in the prison threat along with whatever insults/demands prompt them to think "they so are going to spit in my food/drink."

Check it

so this guy, Taco Bell Champion, commented on on my blog last week--I've linked his blog to mine as he too is devoted to blogging about all matters Taco Bell.

Ashley also found this blog last week: http://tacobellblog.blogspot.com/
however, this blogger hasn't blogged since January so maybe he quit his day job (i.e. master fryer at TB).

So I can no longer pretend I am the only person in the world to ever blog about Taco Bell, but I won't let this knowledge embitter me towards my fellow (wo)men. President Bush got elected (okay, not legally) on his promise to be a uniter, not a divider. Lies. However, Taco Bell thrives on this motto--for it unifies humanity with a universal love of beans, cheese, tortillas, and mild sauce.

Which brings me to this realization: Iraqis and American troops should have week long Taco Bell extravaganza. Insurgents would put down there weapons for tacos; Americans, seeing Iraqis' appreciation for TB, would realize that Iraqi citizens are, indeed, real people even though they aren't American and will finally start showing them some respect; American troops would insist that Bush "support" them by sending them home to the land of freedom to Taco Bells in every town (except in Vermont); and ultimately, when the Americans leave the country, Iraqis will forget about the impending civil war and instead realize that if Sunnis and Shiites both love Taco Bell, then surely some religious and political truce can be reached.

That's right, folks. Taco Bell could bring us world peace. We just have to accept the simplicity of the solution.

Williamsburg circa 2006

Where to begin? I am honestly feeling a little overwhelmed by the weekend: there's much to tell and not all of it involves Taco Bell.

But I'll begin with TB.

Hope and I stopped at a Taco Bell in Fredericksburg on our way home yesterday. Hope gave me a valuable tip: request the shredded cheddar cheese instead of the nacho cheese with the crunchwrap. the cheese is placed on top of the beans instead so it still melts. there's an additional charge (.35 cents) which is annoying and puts the crunchwrap over the $2 mark, but it's well worth the price. At least I wasn't charged extra for the beans this time.
Now I'd planned to take pictures of the crunchwrap for the blog. maybe even before, during, and after pictures but, alas, once i was sitting in front of that crunchwrap, all matters of time, space, cameras left me and didn't return until I had finished the crunchwrap, bean burritos, and pink ice water. It was a successful trip.

Now, i was surprised that this TB did not have the sauces out for the taking at ones leisure. Perhaps because Fredicksburg, MD is a collegetown, the managers see the inhabitants as poor, theiving students. Perhaps they are right. And to this venue's credit, when we asked for A LOT of mild sauce and then again, A LOT more mild sauce, it granted our wish--something not commonplace in DC.

Now onto Williamsburg (we did see a Taco Bell there--it didn't look like it'd been there since 1607--or the 1960s, for that matter, but nonetheless, there is one though it's probably done itself a disservice by not locating itself closer to the college).

Here are the reasons we didn't like Williamsburg (or, to quote Leighann, why "it sux delux"):

1. $62/ adult ticket to see the sights and sounds of Colonial WIlliamsburg. Walking around the fake-looking oldest town in the country is free. That is, going into stores to buy overpriced soap balls and wooden spoons is free.
2. $8 per car to drive through Jamestown (what city charges admission simply to drive through its streets?)
3. There was NO educational materials/signs throughout the town of Colonial Williamsburg.
4. Colonial Williamsburg looked new or fake old.
5. Condominium Plantations are a big thing in this area--their wording, not mine.
6. Outside of the Colonial fake old Williamsburg, Williamsburg appears brand new
7. THe College of W and M is surrounded by shops.
8. Kids were packed on the Winery tour we took. Who takes kids on a tour of a winery? they don't want to be there and those without kids certainly don't want them to be there.
9. Banks, banks, and more banks. The citizen to bank ratio is probably about 10:1.
10. bad sewer system
11. 4 p.m. on a saturday: students at the campus are dressed to the nines. why?
12. RVs all over the town and campsite.
13. All in all, no wonder the colonists couldn't survive.

Now, to be fair, the good parts of the town:

1. great radio station, 89.5, out of Norfolk. Far better than any of the crappy ones we have in DC.
2. Winery was informative and fun. Its restaurant was great, too.
3. surprisingly, the college kids at the Wilco concert, weren't god-awful. The ones who went to the show--at least the ones on the floor of the auditorium weren't dressed to the nines and seemed decent and really into the band. and the show was really really good.

SO, let me emphasis that despite the complaints about Williamsburg, colonial and otherwise, and the rain which soaked our tent Saturday and sent us to a Motel 8, the trip was a roaring success, topped off by a crunchwrap and a nap.

Slowing down...

Well, I haven't done significant reading on Glen Bell. The Sound and the Fury has consumed me this week. Usually, it's not difficult to have a number of books going at once, but when one of those is as intense and sad as Sound and the Fury...well, I'm afraid the Taco Titan has remained on the nightstand since the initial intrigue. Truth be told, I read the first (short) chapter. There were a few good passages, but basically it focuses on Glen's parents and who the hell cares about them?

I did get to the part wherein he sells his first taco to a salesman. He sees the taco innards dripping onto the salesman's tie and thinks "that's the end of the taco business" BUT the salesman, instead, said, "that's good. i'll have another." SUCCESS for Glen. Said salesman probably didn't notice the sauce and cheese on his tie until he arrived at his sales gig, only to be turned down, what with looking like he ate off his tie and all. So maybe he never ate another taco before work, but at least he gave Glen the confidence to keep on keepin' on with the tacos. by the way, the main item at this stand was the hot dog. i guess that's important knowledge. even back then (the 50s? i don't remember), you didn't have to be mexican to make a good taco--just had to have a cool hat.

I feel the need to confess: I haven't been to taco bell in awhile. i have my reasons. none of them good (pants that don't fit, swimsuit season and a reunion approaching, tank top weather etc etc etc. LAME. less lame: i haven't left the city in awhile and there's only so much dingy taco bells a girl can visit). HOWEVER: i will be traveling this weekend to colonial williamsburg. that's right--i'm going to immerse myself in american history and eat sludge and play that "let's force the indians off their land and pretend it's ours" game. camping and concerting and winerying will be sides. BUT this means that we'll have 3 hours in the car twice in three days to pass by clean taco bells. and that means monday, i will post pictures of at least one, if not two, taco bell visits. which, when combined with the new grey's anatomy on sunday (finally!), means i don't have to read about Glen Bell for awhile. I'm afraid I'll have to wait until page 300 to find out what Bell Gardens is and how's he's using it to cure all disabilities.

Clever or lame?

the "wisdoms" on the taco bell sauces. i like them. yeah, some of them are trying too hard but i like to think that Pepsi Corp. is really paying someone big money to sit down, and, day after day, think of genius sayings to imprint on sauces that will be emptied and thrown away within minutes of human touch. And i like to think that one day this job will be mine.

Here are some of them: (i will comment)

• Bike tires scare me (lame)
• Hello. (okay)
• I M A HOT T R U 2? (really lame)
• I’m in good hands now (lame)
• It’s okay, you can say it. I love you too. (clever)
• Mmmmmmm….Sauce (okay)
• My sauce is an honor student at Taco Middle School (clever...sorta? i like)
• Not to be used as a flotation device (eh...)
• Pick me! Pick me! (lame. clearly i did)
• When I grow up I want to be a waterbed (clever)
• Where are you taking me? (what?)
• You had me at taco. (clever)

so yeah, consensus seems to be on the side of lame.

The "one too many burritoes" feeling

Mexican Restaurants

So I have a point of contention to discuss.

Last evening, I went to a popular downtown Mexican restaurant. This is the only good Mexican restaurant with a large and inviting outdoor seating area in a three mile radius. We arrived before six to snag a table--but obviously we didn't want to finish our meal by 6:30.

So: we ordered margaritas, ate chips, and I took my time in deciding on a menu item. Our waiter was NOT pleased. Finally, feeling pressure, I ordered, scared that he might kill me (and surely he spit on my food). I understand the faster people order and eat and leave, the more money he makes, but waiters must understand that if our main goal is to stuff ourselves silly with beans and cheese, we'd go the cheap route via Taco Bell. Unfortunately, Taco Bells in DC don't have rooftop dining or margaritas so if we patrons want to enjoy a relaxing dinner with good company at an outdoor tables, we cannot spend the evening at Taco Bell.

I don't think this is an demanding request. I don't believe that having a long dinner should be reason for the waiter not to look us in the eyes by time we are actually ready (forced) to leave. I've never been eviled not-eyed out of Taco Bell.

Solution: more outdoor seating in Taco Bells. In cute neighborhood (urban) settings. Is this a no-win situation?

Someone is in love with Glen Bell (not me)

Prompted by Ashley's comment to the last post, I returned to amazon to read some of these positive reviews of the book. I found this one particularly amusing:

A great role model!, April 8, 2003
I was developing my business plan for my brokerage firm, I looked up various autobigraphies of others in the financial industry to get inside their head. One day I stumbled across this book. I was not convinced by the cover to read it, but I grabbed it anyway. Boy was I NOT disappointed!
From reading Glen Bell's story I discovered a lot of trivia about the taco business, like Glen Bell's invention of the taco ;)
But more importantly I took away five guiding points for my life and more importantly for my business.
1. Stay ultimately focused on your vision.
2. Keep expanding on your vision, as you grow so should it.
3. Don't be afraid to scream from the rooftops by promoting your business big.
4. Never let a little thing like money get in your way.
5. Those that can't see your vision, needn't be in your vision.

Great book for entrepreneurs who think they have it bad and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, its there, Glen Bell proves it.

I am glad this fellow found himself a role model and inspiration in reading this biography. Unfortunately, the book didn't help him with his grammar and writing skills. Guess you don't need that to run a business or enjoy tacos.

This is just the beginning...

I received the "Taco Titan" yesterday. That's right: the long awaited (okay, a week awaited) biography about Glen Bell, the founder of Taco Bell. There's a picture in the book of Glen with his wife (well, a woman) at the dinner table wherein he is wearing the crazy hat he's wearing on the cover of the book (see blog entry "Holy Taco" for a refresher). I didn't have a moment to skim the book any further, but the knowledge that Glen wore this sombrero at dinner, not just for book covers, is worth the shipping and handling charge.

That said: Today, I'll discuss the backcover of "Taco Titan".

Back cover first: (i am going to copy the best bullet points)

• At 16, Glen Bell rode the rails across America looking for work.
• He built an innovative restaurant near a drive-in owned by brothers named McDonald, who borrowed his ideas (boo-ya!)
• His early partners were entertainer Phil Crosby and L.A. Rams football stars.
• And today at Bell Gardens, he uses his wealth to benefit children, runs his own train, and battles disability with the same determination he used to build Taco Bell.

WOW! That last bullet point is a gem. We'll cover "what is Bell Gardens?" another day (and surely a field trip will be required). But most importantly we know that he is using his passion for taco making to battle disability!!! What a guy! The cure for disability (all disabilities, i assume) has been found. Dare I say--Mission Accomplished. And on top of battling disability, he runs his own train.

I'm a little overwhelmed by just this one page so I must end this post. Before I do, though, let me leave you with the author's biography: Debra Lee Baldwin is an award-winning writer who specializes in profiling people who have made outstanding contributions to our culture.

One can only imagine what other biographies she's written. I think very few others fall into this "outstanding contribution to our culture" category.

Can this post be true? Seriously?

Steve Johnson wrote this announcement on a google group 3 years ago. It's a preposterous story. Unbelieveable, though? I like to think not. I've highlighted the parts that make me think it's a joke and yet, these are the same parts that make me want to believe this is entirely fact.

After 35 years of almost continuous employment at Taco Bell, I've decided to fill my last Taco shell, and wear for the last time with pride the Taco Bell apron and hat.
It started for me back in 1968, early in college, working at a company-owned Taco Bell in Southern California. I was the cashier, while also preparing the food from the tray and steam table behind me. My starting pay was $1.60 per hour back then, with no benefits. But through the years, I kept the same position the entire time, and earned increases in pay that got me up to $8.00 per hour today (also with no benefits).
My only break in Taco Bell employment was when I joined the U.S. Military. I quickly rose through the ranks and made General, but the challenge was just not there. After becoming General, I left the military and returned back to my roots, serving customers at the same Taco Bell. Taco Bell was so generous when I came back, not only did I get the same position (cashier) my pay was even increased! Some told me the increase was just because the minimum wage went up, but it had to be because Taco Bell values their employees with regular wage increases.
As the years went by, I got married and had six children. With my Taco Bell salary I raised six fine kids. All six have graduated college, going to major colleges in the Southern California area which were Cal Tech, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, Pepperdine, San Diego State University, and Cal State Northridge. My kids are now putting their educations to use, all working as cashiers at different Taco Bells. I am extremely proud of the career paths all my kids are now taking. And to think, if it wasn't for all the support Taco Bell has given me over the years, including raising my pay from $1.60 to $8.00 per hour, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this, and everything else my fine Taco Bell salary has given me. I have been truly blessed.
I now plan to take it easy, enjoying being semi-retired, while collecting my Government guaranteed minimum Social Security benefits. Having no pension doesn't bother me the least, for all the good memories I have from Taco Bell over the years will make up for that. And if money gets tight in the future for me and my wife, I can always get some part-time job helping out at a neighborhood Taco Bell during their rush hours, while collecting bottles and cans out of neighborhood garbage cans.
To conclude, thank you Taco Bell for a wonderful 35 years. It has been great!


yeah, reading it for a second time put serious doubts in my mind, and yet...and yet i can understand such a devotion to taco bell.

As promised...

Oz, getting some snugs from Itz. Should there be a next time, I'll thrown some mild sauce packets in the pictures with the boys. You know, for the purity of the blog.

Michael Jackson isn't completely insane

He may look inhuman and be 99% nutz BUT:


NY POST/By DAVID K. LI ------------------------------------- (from May 2003)

A mask-wearing, Taco Bell-craving Michael Jackson popped in to see his local congressman in California, demanding to know why there's no fast food restaurant near Neverland, published reports said. The King of Pop, wearing a Spider-Man mask, and his bodyguards went to the Solvang, Calif., district office of U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly two weeks ago, asking why Solvang doesn't have fast food, according to yesterday's Santa Barbara News-Press.
All the congressman's staff could do was tell Jacko that Solvang has a Subway sandwich store, to which the Gloved One replied: "I love Taco Bell."
After signing autographs, Jackson and his entourage took off for nearby Buellton, Calif., and hit a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut drive-through and scored two cheese pizzas, breadsticks and three soft chicken tacos, the paper reported.
Steve Lavagnino, deputy director of Gallegly's Solvang office, confirmed Jackson's visit to The Post. He also confirmed the details of Jackson's visit, as reported by the Santa Barbara paper, but refused additional comments.
"It was interesting," Lavagnino told The Post.
A kitschy Santa Barbara County tourist town, Solvang is about six miles south of The Gloved One's Neverland Ranch. The Danish-themed Solvang has no fast food other than Subway.
Lavagnino said his boss in Washington, D.C., got a laugh out of the close encounter.
"Elton laughed," he said. "He said, 'Everything's downhill. Who else can come in now?' It's very hard to top that visit. My first week in the office, and I get the most famous person on the planet."

Not Taco Bell or Grey's Anatomy but...

No, this won't be a slippery slope to all things not Taco Bell. I am not renegging on my promise, but it's the end of the working day so in the spirit of posting something instead of nothing, here's my cat Itzie. Tomorrow: Taco Bell and my other cat, Ozzie.

No Sauce for YOU!

Anne took this picture: this is the location where you have to fight for napkins, sauce, seats, ice, etc. It looks innocent enough. BUT it's not. It's in the city and therefore the managers of this "restaurant" think all residents of Greater New York City (okay, just Manhatten) hope to get rich from stealing sauce and getting too many refills. It doesn't appear
to be a KFC as well so it has that going for it. I guess the Liberty Cafe
resides above it. Well, I have to say, even though I'm currently talking
smack about this Taco Bell: their prejudices, cheapness, ghettoness, I can't imagine walking down this street and choosing the "Liberty" Cafe over Taco Bell. Maybe, though, they are attempting to win customers
by emphasis this liberty thing. This TB doesn't believe in life, liberty, and the persuit of sauces.

Heaven Wrapped in Pink, Green, and Purple

Today, Erin dined at Taco Bell for lunch...as you will see from the pictures below, it's clearly a suburban TB. Look at the bar! This is much like the one in Mt. Vernon only the fake plants keep you from watching what people are ordering and staring longingly at the menu even while you indulge in your choices for that day. But don't you wish you were here now??




Where there's a sitting bar, there's a sauce bar. Look at all that sauce! Don't you love how there is twice as much mild sauce as hot and fire? I hear there is green sauce too but they keep that under wraps. It might be as dangerous as McDonalds' coffee.

Holy Taco!!

This is really a book!! And only $3.76 on amazon. It's not even 10 am, and I've accomplished a day's worth of work simply by finding this gem. I will buy it. Think I'll get a discount at Taco Bell if I bring this book in with me?

Another Taco Bell Devotee.

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/tacobell/index.html

I thought about writing this guy, saying something like "hey firegorditahotpants with a website on Taco Bell, let's swap TB stories and secrets" being that we love Taco Bell more than EVERYONE ELSE." Then I delved into his website a little more. I think it's sorta lame. Too much advertising and exclamation points and italics.

Boise States Takes the Choco Taco

Looks like MIT and Kenyon can't hold a candle to the love Taco Bell feels for Boise:

http://www.tacobellarena.com/arena.cfm



However, here are the concession stands in the arena:

Moxie Java
Papa John's Pizza
Pronto Pups
Pretzel Time

ALong with food made by Aramark (this company served the cafeteria food at Kenyon. It was bad. They also serve the food at RFK Stadium in DC. Also bad).

SO: Do they really not have Taco Bell concession stands in the Taco Bell Arena?

Competing with MIT

After seeing what a jolly time the MIT students had at Taco Bell, I recalled my college days: those happy times when we'd make the 10 minute drive to Mt. Vernon, Ohio. So i googled image this location. This guy is the only image the search produced. He's happy too! i don't blame him. This Taco Bell has something few locations possess: a bar. not a alcohol or condiment bar but a bar at which customers can sit and watch people order their food or stare at the menu and comtemplate the next order.

Now, i know this picture doesn't capture the spontaneous moment of joy as did a photographer for MIT but -- well, i guess Kenyon can't compete with MIT on yet another level. However, truth be told, i'm returning to Gambier, Ohio in May for a reunion, and we will be spending the night after the reunion ends (officially) in mt. vernon at a motel next to the taco bell. pictures aplenty will flood this blog.

Smarties Dig TB

Google Image search Taco Bell. This photo comes up on the first page of thumbnails. The best about it: it's a picture from mit.edu. That's right: MIT is proud to have their students, while they aren't studying, indulge in some Taco Bell goodness. Look how happy 3 out of these 4 boys are! Okay, the one looks confused but he is probably thinking: "whoa, dude, the crunchwrap looks the same as it does on the tv! how do they do that?" engineering, my friend, engineering.

A Murderer's Last Meal

Posted: Monday, 03 April 2006 12:05PMNH Woman Charged with Killing/Burning MA Man
Boston (WBZ Newsroom) -- A New Hampshire charged with killing a Wilmington man and burning his body is headed to the Granite State to face a murder charge.Sheila Labarre of Epping made a brief appearence this morning in Chelsea District Court. Authorities say she killed 24-year old Kenneth Countie of Wilmington and burned his body. Labarre's attorney says she is "shocked" by the allegaton.
It was learned at today's hearing that Lebarre had $30,000 on her when she was arrested yesterday at a Revere shopping center.Labarre owns a hundred acre farm, and a neighbor, Tom Sutliffe says he met her once, and she sat in his kitchen for two hours and told him her life story. Sutliffe tells WBZ he thinks Labarre was meeting young men over the internet, inviting them up to her farm.Now he's worried about the welfare of another young man, who Sheila said was from South Boston,and was at the farm about the same time Kenneth Countie was killed, according to the neighbor.


The other night, before the Grey's Anatomy preview for next week, Erin saw a preview for the upcoming local news, briefing the above story whilst showing a Taco Bell in the background. Though she's not normally a local news viewer, obviously she had to watch. murder? taco bell? oh my! So the story begins with the camera focusing on the sign for the Revere Shopping Center, listing all the stores in this dingy shopping center. We know this sign well. The Taco Bell in this shopping center is the one we visited after my arrival to Boston a few weeks ago. In fact, because the dining room was closed, we ate in the car, staring at the sign, discussing it.

The news story continued: after focusing on the sign, the camera slowly swirled around to focus in on the Taco Bell just as a voice is heard: she was found here.

was she apprehended in the Taco Bell? Did a woman who had 30,000 cash on her pick a meal at Taco Bell over a more pricy dinner? One can only assume. She's probably crazy but this choice might deny her the insanity plea.

What do you want on your tombstone?

Grey's Anatomy: Back to Basics

Finally!!! After a few disappointing episodes, last night’s Grey’s Anatomy reminded me why I like this show so much. I’d begun to think it was just a passing infatuation.

I’ll dissect:

Meridith: okay, what was the reference she made at the beginning of the show to mark? She said to Derek and Addison that she’s picking celibacy (and knitting) over mistakes—i.e. married men, mark, and george. Mark? What??????? Did she just say that for Addison’s sake, perhaps to cause a little discomfort between Derek and her? Last we saw him, he was waiting at the bar for Addison…with Meridith. They lamented over being the naughty mistresses. Whatever: she didn’t even know Derek was married. So what happened? I think the only way we’ll find out for sure is to bring old Mark back. I think all the ladies watching would appreciate that. Anyway, speaking of eye candy, I’m glad I saw this vet in the preview for next week. I’m ready for the Meridith/Derek thing to be over for now. They think they’re friends, it’s lame, let’s move on.
Meanwhile, Meridith has a sister and her dad wants to be reconnect with her. It had the possibility of being cheesy, yes, but both of their hesitations and ultimately not confronting each other made it more realistic. Much appreciated. And hey…good for the chief stepping in and trying to find some support for Meridith.

George: okay, so he makes Callie’s “world stop.” alright! Hopefully we’ve seen the end of him whining about Meridith although there was some of that but it’s waning…maybe. I liked Izzy’s dislike of Callie. For what reason? Who knows but it’s good. By the way, Erin named her new cat O'Malley.

Izzy: is the heart patient not dying now? Still in the hospital but for how long? I thought we were to believe he was going to die this week. Well, maybe next week. The show isn’t real world—he’s gotta get a new heart or die soon. We’re losing our patience with the bedside scrabble games.

Alex: Hey! I liked him last night. He stood up to Burke and was right to do so…maybe he was going against his doctor protocol but he was going with his heart…and so we are reminded that he does have one though we rarely see it. I still think it’s going to be the intern who leaves this year. I don’t want him to, but if someone has to go…

Christina: background story. Entertaining, funny, she’s still great.

Bailey: hey, she didn’t bring her baby to work! Maybe that’s why the chief wasn’t putting her on the board. The interaction between among Derek, brain surgery speller, and her was quite funny and touching. I love it when they make the hard-asses momentarily and believably sensitive.
Well, I think that about covers it. I have some Taco Bell research to do now.