Matt Stempeck

2007

  • Reese’s Releases

    reeses.jpgReese’s needs to learn to love itself for the way it is.

    I understand that capitalism pretty much dictates that companies must endlessly increase sales, and this translates to continuously messing with classic products. This is why when you go to buy toothpaste it takes 45 minutes and two copies of Consumer Reports to decide. See, for example, Oreos. Now, granted, innovation has led to undeniably remarkable new products: Double Stuff, Halloween, and mini Oreos being good examples. But look also at the dilution of the brand: The Clorox-colored Spring collection, the bland peanut butter variety (and I’m normally a big fan of all things peanut butter), and congealed Oreo cheesecake.

    But no brand has engaged in as many pointless variations of its base than Reese’s. They realized long ago, probably in the years following ET, that little more could be done with Reese’s Pieces (although the M&M forays into other fillings should serve as inspiration), so they turned to bastardizations of what can best be described as peanut butter Kit Kats. As I drove past a billboard for a Reese’s peanut butter cappuccino a couple of weeks ago, I had to wonder, does this relentless product roll-out really work?

    HERSHEY WILL RELY ON RAMPED-UP consumer marketing spending to bring it out of a slump this year. The nation’s largest candy maker yesterday reported a dismal fourth quarter due largely to aggressive trade promotion to clear out unsold merchandise

    -MediaPost

  • Green Mountains, Boys

    I’m in Burlington, Vermont for the next couple of days. Despite growing up a few hours away, I’ve never been to Vermont. In 7th grade I had to plan a week vacation in the state for social studies class and all I could come up with was a tour of the Ben & Jerry’s Factory followed by helicopter tours of the landscape.

    For some reason, packing for the trip and flying here made me feel like I was going to another country. Maybe it’s because Vermont was the last to join of the original 13 colonies and still talks of seceding. Either way, I’m really looking forward to exploring Burlington and meeting with some amazing people along the way.

    This completely pointless post brought to you by the wonderful folks at Burlington Airport who believe in free WiFi.

    Read about the Green Mountain Boys.

     

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  • Spring in Columbia Heights

    Given recent murders on my street, I decided to go for a walk and refresh my opinion of my neighborhood. Here are some of the colors I found on a beautiful spring day.

    I’ve never been to the UN Headquarters, but this is kind of how I picture it

  • What Subway Considers a Vegetarian Sub

    • 1 tomato slice
    • 1/2 slice cheese
    • 1 cucumber slice
    • shredded iceberg
    • 5 black olive slices
    • 2 pickle slices
    • 1 banana pepper

    I’m not even vegetarian, but for a chain that obsessively promotes how healthy it is, you’d think they’d have more interesting vegetarian options than the ‘everything bagel’ approach.

    Of course, this is the same company that is trying to get people to switch from potato chips to raisins.

  • NESN is better than YES and MASN, Reason 57

    I don’t know how I haven’t posted this yet, but here’s Rem-dawg and Orsillo’s in-depth analysis of a pizza fight in the stands:

    I think I’m going to get a poster made of the guy’s face when Andersen spills his beer.

  • THIS IS SAN DIEGO!!!

  • Lunch of Champions

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    Haribo gummies courtesy of Tom, camera’s Cristen’s

  • Know Your Zones

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    Someone combined Google Maps with the DC taxi zones system, so you don’t have to rely on that 99% blank map in the cab’s back seat to know whether or not you’re getting ripped off:

    DC Taxi Zones

    Courtesy of DCist: Go, Go, Google D.C. Taxi Maps

    Or you can use the government version that looks like it was made in 1995.

    Or they could just switch to timed meters. I don’t understand how they live off of the $8 they receive for 45 minutes in traffic.

  • So it goes

    From the NY Times:

    To Mr. Vonnegut, the only possible redemption for the madness and apparent meaninglessness of existence was human kindness. The title character in his 1965 novel, “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater,” summed up his philosophy:

    “Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies — ‘God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.’ ”

  • Shadow Day

    A sampling of the more interesting career choices offered to the RMHS Class of 2002 for Shadow Day:

    Acupuncturist
    Arborist – Trees
    Administrative Assistant
    Chef
    Computers
    Cosmetology
    Detective
    Funeral Service
    Forestry
    Probation Officer
    Photographer
    Postal Carrier
    Religious Life
    Ranger – Boston Parks
    Recruiter – Army
    Your Idea “With School OK”
    Zoo Keeper

    As Tom Petty once said, the future is wide open.

  • This Used to be My Playground

    Reading’s coolest playground, Imagination Station, is no more. And the Chronicle’s front page coverage was depressing:

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    The community came together to build it, and apparently communities don’t build very long-lasting playgrounds.

    But Imagination Station had a lot going for it, such as the walkie talkie spots and tunnels.

    I remember how excited I was the day I found the secret burrow that gave you access to UNDERNEATH all of the structures. Not long after I was told that the playground had a major rat infestation problem and that that’s where the rats scurried about stockpiling their discarded ice cream wrappers.

    Please, leave your favorite Imagination Station memories in the comments so it can live on through this blog, if not the pile of lumber pictured above.

  • Zim-Zima

    zima.jpgHoly crap. The last time Zima was available, I didn’t even understand the concept of alcohol.

    But like everything else that was once mediocre, it’s been revived solely on the grounds of name recognition.

    So if you’ve outgrown Sprite but aren’t quite ready for anything else, toss me the keys to the Zima.

    The lemon-lime drink was part of the “clear craze” of the 1990s that produced products such as Crystal Pepsi and Clear Tab.

    –Wikipedia

    Thanks to CK for the heads up.