Pic Of The Day - 12.14.14 - And Then This Happened

So this happened.

Yes, for the first time in my life, I got stuck in an elevator. It happened around 7:18 a.m. on a Sunday, in a storage building and no one else was in the building.

I was in there about an hour. Once the service repairman arrived, it didn't take anytime to get me out. It was the convincing the people in the call box that they needed to call him sooner than later but it turns out, it wasn't up to them!

The manager had to be called and then she tried her magic, which didn't work, and then she called for help.

Being stuck in an elevator was never on my Bucket List so it really can't be scratched off.

And then this happened.

So Sunday evening I decided I needed to get that big, heavy box out of the way.  And yes, 80% of it was filled with vodka. The remaining contents consisted of wine.

As I was unpacking the box, I noticed I had a collection of novelty Absolut bottles; worthy of a picture.

Somebody Has Their Panties In An Absolut Wad

In this image released by the Mexican advertising firm of Teran/TBWA on Monday April 7, 2008, an advertisement created for Swedish Absolut Vodka which ran in Mexico, shows a map of the border of Mexico and the United States where it stood before the Mexican-American War of 1848. The Absolut vodka company apologized for the ad campaign amid angry calls for a boycott by U.S. consumers. (AP Photo/Teran/TBWA)

As someone of Mexican descent (grandparents from both sides came from Mexico), I think this is funny. It's not like they were running the ad in the States.

When I was a kid, Frito-Lay had the Frito Bandito who was used as a character to sell Fritos. No one in my family was upset but I guess other people were upset because Frito-Lay ended up pulling the ads and did away with the Frito Bandito. Either I'm insensitive or other people are too sensitive. I know that I don't have a heart of stone because I still cry every Sunday night when I watch Oprah's Big Give.

from Associated Press:
Vodka-Maker Absolut Apologizes for Ads
By MARK STEVENSON

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Absolut vodka company apologized Saturday for an ad campaign depicting the southwestern U.S. as part of Mexico amid angry calls for a boycott by U.S. consumers.

The campaign, which promotes ideal scenarios under the slogan "In an Absolut World," showed a 1830s-era map when Mexico included California, Texas and other southwestern states. Mexico still resents losing that territory in the 1848 Mexican-American War and the fight for Texas independence.

But the ads, which ran only in Mexico and have since ended, were less than ideal for Americans undergoing a border buildup and embroiled in an emotional debate over illegal immigration from their southern neighbor.

More than a dozen calls to boycott Absolut were posted on michellemalkin.com, a Web site operated by conservative columnist Michelle Malkin. The ads sparked heated comment on a half-dozen other Internet sites and blogs.

"In no way was it meant to offend or disparage, nor does it advocate an altering of borders, nor does it lend support to any anti-American sentiment, nor does it reflect immigration issues," Absolut said in a statement left on its consumer inquiry phone line.

Some fringe U.S. groups also claim the land is rightfully part of Mexico, while extreme immigration foes argue parts of the U.S. already are being overtaken by Mexico.

"In an Absolut world, a company that produces vodka fires its entire marketing department in a desperate attempt to win back enraged North American customers after a disastrous ad campaign backfires," a person using the moniker "SalsaNChips" wrote on Malkin's Web site.

A plan for comprehensive immigration reform designed to deal with an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States — the vast majority from Mexico — collapsed last summer under the emotional weight of the debate.

Absolut said the ad was designed for a Mexican audience and intended to recall "a time which the population of Mexico might feel was more ideal."

"As a global company, we recognize that people in different parts of the world may lend different perspectives or interpret our ads in a different way than was intended in that market, and for that we apologize."

Vin & Sprit, Absolut's Sweden-based parent company, will be acquired by French spirit maker Pernod Ricard SA under a deal reached last week.

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 9.5

Something I forgot to show you

Bobby Vanquish snapped this pic of some cool looking Absolut bottles. I had heard about them but had never seen them.

Sh_t Happens

Seriously. It really does! Yesterday I was driving down Memorial Drive, enjoying the beautiful weather and out of the corner of my eye I see something on the front passenger window of The Cal Mobile. It wasn't there a second ago.

I swear. It must have been a really big bird to leave this deposit! It actually kind of made me sick. I lost my appetite. Seriously.

So I went home and got the water hose and washed it off...after I took the pics.

Catching Up

The other day I went to a party and was very suprised to see someone there that I had not seen in years! He is one of those people that I lost touch with and it was good to visit with him. And actually, it was a good mix of people and the guest of honor looked really pleased with the assembled group. (Just wish I didn't drink so much!)

Down Under

Tall Bryan of the ATL is in Sydney right now and he sent these pics. I need to go back to SYD. Looks like they're having beautiful weather.

And Speaking of Things Down Under

With or without the Wolverine sideburns he still looks good. Hugh Jackman was at the beach the other day enjoying the weather Down Under. I wish I had those abs, pec and arms. Thanx to Just Jared for posting the pics.

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