News of the Week: Burger Bots, Tea Animals, and Saying Goodbye to Mr. Clean

Have It Your Way

Now artificial intelligence wants to make your restaurant experience better.

Burger King’s AI chatbot Patty (Patty – get it?) will now be live inside the headsets of employees, gently nudging them to remember to say “please” and “thank you” to customers.

Look, I’m all for workers saying those words to customers. I’ve noticed a decline the past few years. I just think it’s sad that companies feel they have to use artificial intelligence to get their employees to do it. It feels like the next step is having AI replace those very same managers at some point. Don’t forget to say please and thank you. Please tuck in your shirt. Hey, you missed a spot over there. I can withhold your paycheck from you, you know.

Goodbye, Mr. Clean

Hey, I guess when you’ve been at the same job since 1958, you’re due for a change.

His first name is “Veritably?” I DID NOT KNOW THIS.

Something I Haven’t Thought About in a Long Time

I was minding my own business the other day, surfing the web aimlessly as I often do, when I came across a picture of something I hadn’t thought about in 35 years.

Red Rose Tea animal figurines!

Does anyone else remember those? They were little ceramic animals that came in every big box of Red Rose tea. I don’t know why Red Rose would include animal figurines in their tea, but my mom used to collect them. I kinda wish I had a set.

Do they still make them? I’ll check the next time I go to the store. I used to drink Red Rose, but I drink Twinings now.

Headline of the Week

“Man Accused of Using Taco Seasoning Packets to Steal $40K from Target”

RIP Neil Sedaka, John Hammond, Dan Simmons, Sondra Lee, Ted Nichols, Bo Gritz, and Dan Duckhorn

Neil Sedaka had such hits as “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” “Laughter in the Rain,” “Oh, Carol,” “Calendar Girl,” and “Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen,” and wrote the Captain & Tennille hit “Love Will Keep Us Together.” He also co-wrote songs performed by Andy Williams, The Carpenters, and The Monkees. He died last week at the age of 86.

Uploaded to YouTube by Neil Sedaka

John Hammond was a blues guitarist who influenced people like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and George Thorogood. He died Saturday at the age of 83.

Dan Simmons was an acclaimed science fiction and horror writer who wrote such popular novels as Hyperion, Song of Kali, The Terror, and Summer of Night. He died last week at the age of 77.

Sondra Lee was in the original Broadway casts of Peter Pan and Hello, Dolly. She died last month at the age of 97.

Ted Nichols composed music for such animated shows as The Flintstones, Space Ghost, Josie and the Pussycats, The Herculoids, and Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! He died in January at the age of 97.

Bo Gritz was the Green Beret and Vietnam War vet who inspired the character of Rambo. He died last week at the age of 87.

Do you drink merlot? Well, you can thank Dan Duckhorn for that. The winemaker died last month at the age of 87.

This Week in History

Charlie Chaplin’s Body Stolen (March 1, 1978)

Don’t worry, authorities got it back a couple of months later.

Alexander Graham Bell Born (March 3, 1847)

I bet he never could have envisioned that his invention would someday make people ignore their dinner companions and walk into water fountains.

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Bell Telephone (March 5, 1938)

 

And they said “please” and “thank you” without the help of AI.

March 13 Is National Ginger Ale Day

Sure, ginger ale is a refreshing drink (my go-to is Canada Dry), but it can also be used in cooking.

Like Pam’s Gingerale Chicken from Food.com or this Texas Style Chili and Ginger Ale from Cartoon Cuisine. Paula Deen has a Ginger Ale-Glazed Ham, while Sarah DiGregorio at the New York Times has Pressure Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork. It calls for Coke or Dr. Pepper, but she says you can use ginger ale too.

You can wash any of those down with The Kitchn’s Boston Cooler, which is a variation on a root beer float, only made with ginger ale.

Ginger ale is also the official drink for when you’re sick, and the drink that hospitals offer you after you’ve had an operation. I don’t know why that is. Maybe because it’s caffeine-free?

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

Daylight Saving Time Begins (March 8)

It’s time to set your clocks ahead an hour before you go to bed on Saturday night. Or if you want to live your life an hour behind everyone, you don’t have to do anything.

Another Friday the 13th (March 13)

Hey, didn’t we just have one of these last month? We did! (In fact, this month’s calendar is the same as last month’s, except for the number of days of course.)