When I was a kid, fast food chains were typically associated with a marketing persona. I remember ads featuring Ronald McDonald, the Burger King, Long John Silver, Wendy and A&W’s Rooty the Root Bear. One of the best characters, however, was a real person. Colonel Harland Sanders began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant […]
Shrinkflation was a hot topic during this year’s presidential election. The trend of offering less product for the same price began during the pandemic and was magnified as costs rose due to the ensuing inflation. I recently wrote about a Subway customer who sued the chain for putting less meat on her steak-and-cheese sandwich compared […]
Last month, my wife and I went to Aruba. My uncle generously let us use his timeshare, and we had a great time. We got to see some beautiful beaches, ate delicious meals, and relaxed and read by the pool. We flew there on American Airlines. Thankfully, our flights were uneventful and went smoothly. Unfortunately, […]
When I was in junior high, my buddies and I would walk to McDonald’s after Friday night dances. On one occasion, my buddy, Tree, ordered a hot fudge sundae. The person taking his order asked if he wanted his nuts crushed and he immediately replied, “Good God, no!” She turned beet red and rushed off […]
While watching TV recently with my kids, I lamented today’s commercials. I said ads from the ‘80s were clever and funny – today’s are just boring. Of course, my kids rolled their eyes at yet another of my elderly tirades. So, to prove my point, I shared with them some of Wendy’s ads featuring Clara […]
While channel surfing a few weeks ago, I came across ‘Up in Smoke,’ the cult-classic movie starring Cheech & Chong. The comedy duo met in Tommy Chong’s native Vancouver after Cheech Marin moved there from L.A. in 1969 to avoid the draft. ‘Up in Smoke’ was the first of seven movies featuring the pair, in […]
While shopping at Kohl’s a few years ago, I bought a lightweight winter quilted jacket I found on the clearance rack. With my 30% off coupon, the price came to less than $5. It was perfect…other than the fact that it was a University of Minnesota coat. Apparently, my loyalties can be bought. The Democratic […]
This past weekend, we went to my buddy’s house for a Packer Party. The only thing more plentiful than Timmy’s smorgasbord of delicious smoked meats were all the political ads. It seemed that every break was littered with spots denouncing one of the presidential or congressional candidates. Instead of promoting the platform of a candidate, […]
When I was a junior in college, the internet was starting to gain traction. In 1993, there were 130 active websites. Today, there are over 2 billion. During my summer clerkship at our office in 1997, one of my tasks was to compile a list of helpful websites that our attorneys might consult, along with […]
When I introduce myself to a new person, many of them ask me if I’m related to Adrian Wydeven, “the Wolf Guy.” I proudly say that yes, he and I are distant cousins. Like me, Adrian grew up in Kimberly. After getting his degree in Biology and Wildlife Management, he worked for over 30 years […]