Catch Up Lady

I'll Have an Iced Espresso - Hold the Dick Punch

Sometimes I really, really love stuff that goes down on the Internet.  The fact that the offline event that inspired the situation I'm about to relate occurred a few minutes from my apartment in DC makes it even better.

Two days ago Jeff Simmermon of And I Am Not Lying published a blog post detailing a recent trip to Murky Coffee in Arlington, VA.  The gist of the post is that he requested an iced espresso only to be told by the barista, “Hey man. What you’re about to do … that’s really, really Not Okay.”  Apparently Murky Coffee has a rather strong policy about not serving any drinks that will dilute the integrity of coffee in general.  So Simmermon ordered an espresso with a side of ice.  He sticks around for some more shennanagans, and hilarity ensues - I encourage you to read his entire post.

So, the real poop started to fly when Simmermon's post, in which he states that the only way he'll return to Murky Coffee is if "I’m carrying matches and a can of kerosene," got picked up far and wide, by blogs like BoingBoing and The Consumerist.  Apparently Murky Coffee has taken issue with their good name being besmirched and posted an open letter to Jeff on their Web site.  You can read it all below, but I encourage you to skip to the last line in which the proprieter defends his estbalishment's policy and threatens to punch Simmermon "in his dick" if he returns.  Classic.  I guess in the world of local coffee establishments any press is good press - I know that I'll be checking this place out.

Dear Jeff Simmermon,

So as you've seen, there's a little blog-thing going around today on BoingBoing and Metafilter about some sort of incident at the shop this past weekend.

(Original blog post here. Also blogged here and here.)

I suppose some sort of two-cents is warranted here.

Okay, we don't do espresso over ice. Why? Number one, because we don't do it. Number two, because we don't do it. Mostly for quality reasons. Also, because more than half the time, it's abused (Google "ghetto latte").

We have some policies at murky coffee. No sleeping in the shop. If you're asleep, you'll be tapped on the shoulder and asked not to sleep in the shop. We've had to ban a customer because of his chronic napping.

No modifications to the Classic Cappuccino. No questions will be answered about the $5 Hot Chocolate (during the months we offer it). No espresso in a to-go cup. No espresso over ice. These are our policies. We have our reasons, and we're happy to share them.

To others reading this I will say that if you don't like the policies, I respectfully recommend that you find some other place that will give you what you want, or select something that we can offer you. David, the barista in question, is respectful, passionate, and cares about making good coffee, and he cares about murky's policies. Nobody's perfect, and maybe David could have chosen different words or a slightly different tack in responding to Jeff Simmermon's request. But that's life. At murky, we try to treat people with common courtesy, and expect the same from our customers. Not in response or in turn, but because that's how people are supposed to treat each other. We're not supposed to go through life looking for reasons to get pissed off. Life's too short for that sort of thing.

To Mr. Simmermon, you overplayed your hand with your vulgar tip-schtick. While I certainly won't bemoan you your right to free-speech, I have to respond to you in your own dialect: F*@k you, Jeff Simmermon. Considering your public threat of arson, you'll understand when I say that if you ever show your face at my shop, I'll punch you in your dick.

Respectfully,
Nick
Owner, murky coffee

Triumph Takes On Spin Alley

Just because I'm already so freaking sick of election gossip and drama.  This is pretty much the only good thing to come out of the 2004 Presidential Election.

What the F**K is Social Media?

I had a conversation with a friend the other day and we agreed that in order to begin to "get" WOM and social media - be it the overarching concept or individual platforms like Twitter - some people really need a little spoon feeding.  Recently there has been a huge proliferation of "_____ for Dummies" social media videos - like this one that explains Twitter using paper dolls and cut outs.  For whatever reason, these sort of presentations really resonate with people.  I see light bulbs go off.  I get the "ahhhhhh, so THAT'S what it's all about."  This one is my favorite so far. Probably because of the F bombs.

| View | Upload your own

Lenovo's Voices of the Olympics Games

I talk a lot on my blog about the basic principles of social media - WOM, community, search, shareability, conversation, ketchup.  What I don't often do here is talk about the client work that I do in this area.  However, that was before two of my favorite things collided - social media and the Olympics.  Hold on to your collectors pins kids...

As a certified Olympic Super Fan and strategist with 360 Digital Influence I was thrilled to begin work with one of our clients, Lenovo, as they launched a social media campaign in support of their Olympic sponoship (which includes the Athletes Village and the Torch Relay.)  After several months of work, today - a month before the Games begin on 8/8/08 - we're officially launching  Voices of the Olympic Games.  The Voices of the Olympic Games site features 100 athlete bloggers from 25 different countries, competing in 28 of the 31 contested sports.

Beijing is arguably the first "Web 2.0" Olympics - where social media (blogs, social networks, and the like) are truly mainstream.  More and more people are using such platforms to get, discuss, and share their news -and this summer social media will allow fans an unfiltered look at the Games through the eyes of athletes, fans, coaches, and anyone else who has a connection to the Olympics.  For a Super Fan like me getting an up close and personal glimpse into the lives of Olympians is an amazing experience that would not have been possible in any previous Olympic year.  No longer do I (or you!) need to wait for a network feature on an athlete - or go digging for information on who is excelling in a non-headline sport. 

If you are passionate (or even mildly interested) in the Olympics I encourage you check out the Voices of the Olympic Games site. Follow someone who you might not have been exposed to passively watching the Games - like Seth Kelsey, a fencer from the USA who is in the Air Force and competing through the military's World Class Athlete Program.  Check out hilarious multimedia assets you never would have seen from athlete like USA hurdler David Oliver.  Get to know Canada's gold medal triathlete Simon Whitfield, and his truly adorable daughter Pip.  Follow world-class kayakers, and training partners, Norway's Eirik Veras Larsen and Sweden's Anders Gustafsson.  Support first-time bloggers like Australia's oldest Olympian, famed sailor Iain Murray or USA Boxer Deontay Wilder. 

Ok, you get the point. Olympics + Social Media = Legen - wait for it - dary.

Heinz #1 in Brand Equity! Angels Are Singing.

In the news I take 100% credit for category, I just read that Heinz ketchup ranked #1 in measure of brand equity by Equitrend, "a 28-year brand-equity study that measures more than 1,000 brands across 39 categories based on six base measures: familiarity, quality, purchase consideration, brand expectations, distinctiveness, and trust."

For the first time ever, the study included a measure of WOM activity and tied it to the brand equity of a product - placing real credibility in WOM marketing's impact, as well as the power of a brand fan or detractors  social graph. (I believe this to be the category in which the Catch Up Lady blog placed Heinz over the top.) 

Other top place finishers included M&Ms, Hershey Bars, Hershey Kisses, Duracell Batteries and Cheerios.  You can either take this as a total validation of HJ Heinz credo, "To do a common thing uncommonly well brings success," or as a total validation of American's being complete fat asses. 

Red Neck Seafood Dinner

Perhaps it's my penchant for processed foods and cheeses - but I couldn't resist posting this gem.  Here's hoping that all of our 4th of July BBQ's feature a little more protein and a lot more ketchup.

*Side note, I can't be sure but I think this would have been my dream meal circa 2004 1994 1984.

Can You Pass Me Some Booty Sweat? Thanks Buddy.

In support of Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr.'s new comedy Tropic Thunder Perez Hilton reports that Paramount will actually be licensing and launching Booty Sweat - an energy drink that appears in the film.

While movie-related food/drink products have been sold following a film's box office success and market studies - this is apparently the first time that such a promotion is being done to pre-condition the market for a film. 

According to AdAge, Booty Sweat is coming to a store near you later this summer, and will be sold in two versions - "urban" and "rural."  While the rural can will ostensibly be sold as is (see image left), the urban version features this easy to remember tag line:  "delicious and bump up struttin' energy drink that will pump up a brotha's ass right-pronto. This swill will crank yo' metabolism up skippin' right over jiggy to straight G-pimp level, word to your mutha. Brothas will be layin' down the 2-3 on the wiggy jig focusing the energy flow into cold-face benjamins that will fill yo' pimp pockets to burstin'. Damn straight! Booty Sweat will keep a brotha pitchin' straight game all night to the baby-dolls." Paramount's director of licensing has tasted the drink herself and claims it is, "more effervescent cherry than Perrier of the derriere."  Several hundred thousand cases have been produced, and Paramount is optimistic that, riding on the success of the film, this could turn into a viable long-term product.

(FYI - For those of you keeping score at home, Sex Panther which Ron Burgandy famously described as, "150% More Awesome Than Any Cologne. Ever.", will hit shelves later this fall.

Finally, Someone Who Gets ME

  Historically, fast food drive-thrus never give me enough ketchup.  I ask for "a bunch" and get like four.  So, now when I go through drive thrus I always ask for an "obscene" amount of ketchup, or "more ketchup than you think would be normal."  This tends to garner me about a handful of ketchup packets, which I can stretch out and survive on for one meal.

Yesterday, at a drive thru in Gaylord, Michigan I did just what I described above.  And this is what was waiting for us when we pulled around.  God bless this woman. 

Hey Michigania!

Tomorrow Swiss Family Catch Up heads up to Camp Michigania for a fun-filled week of Dirty Dancing style family camping.  That's right.  My family is heading up north to Walloon Lake to stay together in a cabin and spend our days swimming, sailing, making chinsy arts and crafts, doing ropes courses, shooting guns, firing bows and arrows, taking nature hikes, eating in a communal dining hall and pretty much having the best time ever.

Camp Michigania is a family camp for University of Michigan Alumni.  Seriously.  (Just picture Dirty Dancing, it's really the only way to explain it.)  My family camped 5th week for 10 years when I was growing up, and I was on staff for two summers while in college.  Words really can't explain how special this place is - but suffice to say it is my most favorite place on this planet.  I would trade in any vacation I've ever taken (tropics, Europe, etc.) for a week at Michigania.  

So, melodramatic post aside - I'm off for the week!  I think we'll all get through this, I mean, it's not like I've been a posting machine lately.  I'll see what I can swing in between trail rides and regattas...

TSA: Simpliflying Our Air Travel.... Or Are They

Alrigggghty folks.  I've been traveling more than my fair share lately, and every time I go through security I am confronted with the MORONIC "Simplifly" your packing poster.  I'm told you can get tossed in the clink for taking pics of airport security (like it's some big secret...), and unfortunately the sign has never been placed in a discrete enough locale for me to get off a shot of it. However, that was before I got my iPhone. No one can tell what the hell you're doing on an iPhone anyway, so I was finally able to snap this beaut.  

Now, let's really LOOK at this thing. Screw packing tight and right, the person with this bag is clearly a terrorist.  I mean, who has a carry-on filled with a man's sized, military green button down, a full sized hairbrush, shitty orange flip flops, miscellaneous unidentifiable electronics, some sort of titanium glasses case, three Sir Marksalot permanent markers, a blackberry with the charger still plugged in, a mouse with no computer and what appears to be a heating pad? REALLY?

Every time I see this poster I just stare and stare.  And, while I still haven't figured out how they put together the bomb together, I'm sure someone knows.  At least TSA is hip to it for some reason or another.