Moo! The Musings of a Plaid Cow

Greg (For the H*ll of It) quotes a news story about remote order taking (which is quite a bit different from Burger King’s Subservient Chicken:

Remote order-taking at drive-throughs, the latest trend in restaurant technology, is part of a broader effort by the industry to migrate some communication duties from in-store workers to off-site proxies. McDonald’s and Pizza Hut are testing it, and Chuck E. Cheese’s franchises use a central call center to book reservations and parties.

Unlike him, I think this is a stellar idea. Perhaps if you make it someone’s only job to pay attention to what you say, they might actually be able to do it. And maybe (if the jobs are transferred offshore), the order takers will be able to speak English. Due to service at the local Dunkin’ Donuts, I am thinking of learning a second language… I just need to learn what it is that they speak (cause I know it isn’t English). * I was asked if I wanted a cough. * I couldn’t understand any of the bagel flavors that were read off. (They don’t put them on the menu for some reason.) * I was unable to have them understand the phrase “cut in half” without a chopping hand gesture.

At least I don’t try to order two things at once there.

My computer at work is being rolled-over to a new model since the three year lease has expired. During this process, the admin tried to delete one of the printers that the old computer was attached to. The computer dutifully told us that the printer could not be found on the server and therefore could not be deleted.

Perhaps I should ask the IT department to hookup this printer again so that I can delete it from my machine.

…in the Superbowl. No doubt this headline will be used in your favorite newspaper tomorrow morning. (Or on your favorite news site in just a few minutes.)

The inventor of the all Swiss Cheese diet, when asked to comment on ending his two month bout with constipation, had just two words to say: “Holey Shit!”

Without much fanfare, more of the license plates that I have seen out on the road around here: * GODSND * SYSADM * YELOBUS (On the back of a bright yellow Xterra)

According to a story on Yahoo! News, a Romanian couple has named their new son Yahoo. You can’t be serious.

ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has had a good history of helping families that, though no fault of their own, have run upon very hard times. But not the Dore family. Their house burned down–while they were not at home–from a space heater that they left plugged in. Insurance could have helped build a new house, but the insurance policy on the house was out of date and lapsed.

What kind of message is this sending to people? Do something stupid and we may give you a new house?

A hotel that was off the beaten track decided to offer guests a look at the lighter side and so installed a room that had laughing gas pumped into it. After this, however, their occupancy rate dropped to zero.

Why?

The answer (with a holiday theme) was that everyone was told there was “NO” room at the inn.

Due to the buyout of the naming rights by Bank of America, the Fleet Center (in Boston) is scheduled to get a new name. They say they are looking for a local company to step up and fill the bill.

Perhaps we can end up with the Raytheon RayDome or even The Biogen BioDome.

Who are you hoping will buy he naming rights (for an estimated $2 million per year)?