I become irrationally annoyed whenever I see a TV commercial referring to Radio Shack as The Shack. It bothers me on two levels, at least. And I know it’s ridiculous to care so much about something so unimportant, but there you go.
For one thing, I know that some marketing genius somewhere is trying to make Radio Shack seem hip. Radio Shack! There’s nothing hip about it, nothing. They sell bags of fuses, extension cords, Nixon-era TV “aerials,” and Tandy brand CB radios.
Yeah, I know they also offer iPods and iPod supplies, but even that feels false. There’s a modern section near the front door, with fancy-shelving and interactive displays, etc. But the rest of the store still feels like Emmett’s Fix-It Shop, on the Andy Griffith Show. The iPods are as out of place as a hot pink dildo at a Pinewood Derby.
I love gadgetry, but can’t stand Radio Shack. Why is that? I don’t know. But one thing’s for sure, I will not be manipulated into believing the place is cool and vibrant and cutting edge, just because they’re shortening their name in some jaunty way.
The Shack. Ha! They can kiss it.
Companies (as well as people) shouldn’t try to create their own nicknames. It has to be organic, it can’t be forced. I mean, even middle-schoolers know it to be true.
I will never drink a Sunny Delight, because of this. They started calling themselves Sunny D, and that was that. The moment I saw the first commercial where they referred to their product in that way, was when it became dead to me. I won’t even let my kids drink it.
UPS is also pushing their luck, with all that “brown” business. I mean, seriously. I’ve heard people say “I’ll be right back, I need to go take a brown.” Why would you want to attach your corporation to such imagery? I wouldn’t.
It’s OK if the nicknames happen naturally, like Mickey D’s or Fed-Ex. Those don’t bother me, because the companies just embraced something that was happening on its own. I can live with that.
But when they try to stuff it down my throat, like “The King of Pop,” (Michael was a corporation, wasn’t he?) I automatically resist. And develop a deep-seated grudge, as well.
What do you think about this? Do you agree with me, or do you think I’m out of my mind? What other companies have invented their own nicknames? Which ones have I forgotten? Are you OK with such shenanigans?
And if you were an advertising executive, how would you hip-up an unhip product? Like, say, Clabber Girl baking powder? What would you do with that? Heh.
And finally, have you ever known a person who suddenly insisted on being called something completely different than what he or she had previously been known? Toney used to have a friend named Alex, who suddenly wanted to be called Alec. That wasn’t his name, but he was adamant about it.
Do you have anything on any of this? If so, use the comments link below.
And I’ll see you guys next time.
Thanks for reading!
I had to look up this Clabber Girl… I was expecting something along the lines of tub girl, or two girls one cup. Imagine my surprise when it was baking powder… Heh.
For Fonzie: http://www.currywurstmuseum.de/en/
Is this the Clabber Girl on top of a block o’ Velveeta? Perhaps this explains Jason’s affection.
http://www.johnmariani.com/archive/2006/060611/velveeta.jpg
I grew up with a girl we called Toby from kindergarten. Sometime after college she insisted she would only answer to Tobriah. Some people conformed but I still call her Toby and she has to deal with it.
I agree with the forced nickname issue too.
Statistically 50% of surf reporters make up half the opinions on this site!
Fonzie you ignorant slut! In 1756, mayonnaise was invented in France by my great great Grandpappy Monsuier Pagan chef to the King! He sure as hell didnt use soy oil like those lying Bastards at Hellmans!@ Real Mayo my Ass!
The currywurst museum wants 11 Euros for an adult admission! C’mon, I wasn’t born yesterday — I’ll take my business down the street to the Ramones museum for a 3.5 Euro admission price.
And how come the fans of aioli haven’t chimed in on the condiment debate?
WB – Thanks for using my new nickname (Aayy)
@Lee Harvey Ramone
the Spaniards got me hooked on alioli, the bastards.
(picture Gene Hackman in The French Connection 2)
We don’t get Miracle Whip here.
From the comments above, that seems like a blessing.
@Pagan – mayonnaise is from Mahon (hence the name). Miracle Whip is some seriously nasty shit.
“From Port Mahon I’ll soon be gone, laughing or weeping the world will go on”
Ian, you’re lucky. Miracle Whip can best be described (at least, by me) as mayonnaise, seasoned with plain old white vinegar, thus providing its “tang”. If a recipe calls for mayo, I want to be able to control the vinegar myself, especially, if none is called for. It’s like when a recipe calls for unsalted butter. There’s a reason: it’s so that the cook can control the amount of salt which ultimately ends up in the dish. Garlic aioli, on the other hand, is a perfectly acceptable bastardization of mayonnaise. Just my personal opinion.
Pagan – Have you ever had Turkish ketchup? I loved it when I was stationed there. I wish I could have it again.
I have a problem using a condiment that looks like….well never mind. I just don’t like white condiments.
@CBS was stationed in Cyprus the food on the Turkish side of the Island was the BEST!
If you really want to bother:
· 6 large tomatoes
· ½ cinnamon bar
· 2 carnations
· 1 onion
· 2 large red peppers
· 1 green pepper
· 1 teacup of vinegar
· 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
· 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
· Salt and sunflower oil
Chop the tomatoes, peppers, and onion into big pieces. Put some oil into a saucepan. Pour these ingredients into it. Put salt and cook it on low heat until the ingredients are tender. Put cinnamon, carnations, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a piece of cloth. Tie it closely. Take the saucepan out of heat. Drain it and put into another saucepan. Put spice cloth into drained sauce. Boil it on medium heat until it is dense. Add vinegar and granulated sugar before you turn the heat off. Let simmer fo 5 minutes
In the glasss right now: Royal Lochnagar Selected reserve.
@Limey: In 1756, the French under Louis François Armand de Vignerot du Plessis, duc de Richelieu, captured Mahón on the Spanish-held island of Minorca. In honor of this victory, the duc’s chef( Great Granpa Pagan) created a new dressing for his master: Mahonnaise.
Time to quit the Scotch:)
You sluts!
Miracle Whip is not allowed in my house. However, I recently found a jar under my wife’s side of the bed. What do yall suppose is going on?
I’m a big fan of condiments. Salsa, Ranch Dressing, Honey Mustard, you name it.
I plan on buying a laptop sometime this weekend so I can keep up with you guys at work. But I feel like an Amish kid at a sex toy store. I have no idea what’s good and what isn’t. Some help please?
I’m not digging the new job because they expect me to show up and do stuff even when it’s inconvenient for me to do so. Five days a week you need me? FIVE DAYS IN A ROW? Fucking absurd. But I think reading theWVSR while there would help. So again, any advice on the laptop would be appreciated. Or maybe one of those little Apple things or a “smart phone”? I don’t frikken know. There’s WIFI there, whatever that is.
Okay then. I’m going to lock myself in the bathroom with my wife’s Miracle Whip now.
Missed ya. Mean it. Love ya. Mean it.
I only tried mayonnaise on french fries after I heard it mentioned in the dialogue of Pulp Fiction.
At that time, I thought What the Hell?
But then I tried it and surprisingly, it’s actually quite tasty.
Now take a freak like Nostrils.
It’s been said on this site the sick sonofabitch puts mayonnaise on hot dogs. HOT DOGS!
How much more disgusting can one get?
JCIII,
Behold the “Nossydog”!!
http://thewvsr.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/nossydog.jpg
Ooooooh that’s not right!! I can’t even imagine what that would taste like. How does one think of putting mayo on a hotdog when the ketchup and mustard are right there?
What annoys me about “KFC” are the trendy new representations of Colonel Sanders. First they had a cartoon hip-hopping Colonel (“Go Colonel”) and now for some reason they’ve given him a new hairstyle with some sort of cowlick.
And it really bothers me to see Bugs Bunny or Tweety or whoever drawn with hip-hop clothes and crossed arms and a “fuck-you” look on their face.
CBS, I sit corrected. Oddly, I started to write that as “the urban legend that I heard was…”
Lee Harvey “Fonz” Ramone – I first heard of aioli from a James Beard book. It looked good, so I made some. Been a fan ever since. It goes great on a burger, probably OK on a hot dog too now that I think about it. It’s also good for dunking fries, as is regular mayo. “Regular” meaning “real”, as in “Hellman’s”.
Pagan, thanks for the Turkish ketchup recipe. I need to make some soon.
Heard a comedian asking once if it was legal to change your name to ‘The Receiver General’ That’s the knob who steals all your tax related cash in Canada. Good question.
Fonzie – mayo and miracle whip – two different purposes, miracle whip is sweeter. Devils food according to that doctor on Oprah. Good to avoid but still yummy.
Annoying names. Hyphenated first names – you know I am referring to you after I took the time to say the first one.
Lighten up, Metten. Did you ever stop to think that the reason UpNort is so sensitive is because he has his entire 401k invested in Radio Shack stock? 🙂
Happy Day! I shot a huge 10 pt. buck yesterday.
Sad Day! Now I have to come up with $450 to have it mounted.:>(
That’s the problem with Deer and women.
If you’re planning to mount one it’s gonna cost you plenty!
While I prefer to help out my local Radio Shack franchisee than waste my time trying to find what I want at Best Buy (which just has more of what I’m not looking for), they pissed me off the other day. I saw iPod Classics on their website, but supposedly the Classics are only available in the store. When I visited my local “Shack,” I was told that no store in the entire Mid-Atlantic region had them available. Why advertise the damn things to begin with, then? “They’re only available in our stores, but our stores don’t have any.” I think I’m going to advertise Audis and pizzas on my store website, but say they’re only available in the shop.
Oh Christ, Keff Kay…hurry back because this stream of comments contains so much bull shit. Jeff, finish writing your f$%#ing book already
How long does it take to write a friggin’ book, anyway?
Sheesh
Jason…here’s a good place to do some homework for your laptop advice. Brands, features and bucks. Editor’s choice and user reviews. All different electronics. Bought my external HD based on their info..
http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/?tag=hdr;snav
p.s….. I don’t care for ‘Notebooks’. 14″ is as small as I’d go.
Names & nicknames
Pretentious hyphenated names
But, have you ever heard of the Land of the Three Named People?
http://tinyurl.com/ycvsjdq
OK, I’m sorry for posting that. I had forgotten that it’s really not that funny.
As you were.
Jason – my advice on the laptop…. If you plan to use it as a replacement for a desktop, will be dealing with spreadsheets and/or a lot of numbers, or viewing a lot of pictures, you need at least a 17″ screen, which also usually means that there is a separate number keypad to the right of the keyboard. My last laptop was 15″ without the keypad and I had no end of frustration. I couldn’t see much on the small screen and hated having to scroll.
The amount of RAM, HDD storage, and processor speed you need depends on what you plan to use it for. Like DTO, I also consulted CNET and found their buying guide had some good suggestions.
http://reviews.cnet.com/laptop-buying-guide/?tag=resourceLeftContainer.0
@mexico motorcycle – there were 500-600 comments when the Kays vacationed in England. tangent after tangent
Six Hundred Fifty Six to be exact…
http://thewvsr.com/031708.htm
Shiny has fallen out of the top ten commentators! SR, I hope you’re doing great and have been “good busy” as opposed to “there is so much crap going on that I don’t have time to comment.”
Radio Shack in Canada has been converted to The Source but has gained nothing in relevance or utility.
Mayonnaise is my favorite condiment and goes great on cold sandwiches, fries (dipped), burgers, hot dogs, sausages on a bun, chicken fingers, breaded chicken on a bun, chicken breasts, kraft dinner, grilled cheese, fajitas (better than sour cream), hot roast beef and hot turkey sandwiches. Miracle Whip is a weak imposter but still better than ketchup.
Also, I appologize for losing it in the the Tiger Woods comments the other day. I have no problem with men and women who are “players”…but it rubs me wrong when people get married, have kids and remain players. It really gets my goat when those people get away with it because of money and fame.
Maybe we can help KayFC with the book.
You all will probably not like this, but I think Miracle Whip is the greatest thing that ever happened to sammiches. Well, besides mustard and pickles.
Try this out…White bread, Miracle Whip, peanut butter, dill pickles, and lettuce.
EPIC!
Sidney – When is the baby due? You named about the entire content of food in my house with the exception of salad dressing and bbq sauce, but no amount of desperation will ever make me eat that sandwich.
If it’s yellow, let it mellow,
If it’s brown, flush it down.
Yo check it…Clabby G! Get yo bake on!!