Insensitive industrial monsters

Philadelphians are having a bad time with the ongoing transit strike (which by the way still isn’t making my butt look smaller, perhaps because the walk from University City to Fishtown contains obstacles such as bakeries, bars, and one or two Auntie Anne’s pretzel franchises).

But did you know that a far more devastating event is happening in Pennsylvania? The Lititz, PA Freeze and Frizz is closing. And do you know who’s closing it? A group of local Brethrens, which has apparently become an “insensitive industrial monster.” Someone must reign in these Brethrens, lest they creep eastward into Philadelphia.

And speaking of Philadelphia again, I would like to extend an invitation to SEPTA management and union officials. Drop by my house tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll have some drinks. No pressure to negotiate—just good beer and good conversation and maybe some cookies. Seriously, my cookies are pretty good, maybe even good enough to be a uniting force.


16 Responses to “Insensitive industrial monsters”  

  1. Gravatar Icon 1 Scott

    I enjoy cookies.

  2. Gravatar Icon 2 Clair

    I seriously doubt that your cookies are that good. But feel free to try to prove me wrong and send some my way.

  3. Gravatar Icon 3 Sassy J

    You’ve been walking home? How long does it take? Would you like to borrow my bike? How bout getting one of those kicky razor scooters all the kids got about 4 years ago? My brother-in-law jokingly packed it into the car the other week when I took my 4 & 6 year old niece and nephew to the track to ride bikes (among other things). Scooters are fun (for about 2 laps as your niece sings “Hong Kong Fuey NO. 1 Super Guy” and almost runs over an elderly asian man because she is 4 and still using training wheels)–and a good thigh burn.

  4. Gravatar Icon 4 Sassy J

    That might be foo-y. I didn’t catch the rerun of a childhood favorite.

  5. Gravatar Icon 5 Type E

    I propose that instead of health care benefits, SEPTA union workers receive one cookie per completed shift.

    Problem solved.

  6. Gravatar Icon 6 yoko

    Oh, I can vouch for those cookies, Clair, but don’t take my word for it– negotiate for your own!

    My question is: how come Philly doesn’t have a Freeze and Frizz?

  7. Gravatar Icon 7 howard

    What’s gotten lost in these last couple comments is the correct spelling of my favorite canine Kung Fu practitioner:
    It’s “Hong Kong Phooey” (thanking goodness, as I type, for the internets).

    In other news, might I offer my expertise as a former union representative in evaluating those cookies of yours (you know, to judge whether or not they’ll have the desired effect on the labor contingent)? While I’m at it, I might even be willing to advise you on the effectiveness of your beer…

  8. Gravatar Icon 8 Linda

    The Freeze and Frizz isn’t closing - yet - they still have next year and they are looking at moving up the road or buying the very first Freeze and Frizz to move there.

  9. Gravatar Icon 9 Dan Roth

    oh, them wild & crazy brethren!

    sure glad you won’t find the methodists in the newspaper over anything controversial!

  10. Gravatar Icon 10 Becky

    Clair, over the past eight years, you’ve had plenty of time to sample the cookies. Thanks, Yoko, for defending them.

    Sassy J, thanks for offering to loan your bike. I’ve never done the urban biking thing because it scares me shitless, even with normal, non-strike traffic. Do you think it would be safe to rollerblade from Fishtown to Market East Station?

    Howard, I never heard of this Hong Kong Phooey before. It sounds hilarious. Phooeymobile? Maybe I should bring some cookies to the next blogger meeting, or would that be as controversial as donuts? The beer is Yards–some nice person filled my fridge with it while I was away in LA.

    Linda, that is excellent news–thanks for the clarification. Still, I’m skeptical of the Brethrens and their insidious agenda.

    Dan, if the local Methodists ever do anything controversial like annexing a good, local food joint, I will be forced to denounce them. Nothing personal, of course.

  11. Gravatar Icon 11 Dan Roth

    No problem, Becky.

    Depending on the food joint, I might join ya!

  12. Gravatar Icon 12 Clair

    Yes, I have had time to sample, but I prefer to be very thorough in my evaluation. I expect my final report to be ready by at least 2012 or so.

    Also, Hong Kong Phooey is a classic so I am not surprised that you never heard of it.

  13. Gravatar Icon 13 Clair

    BTW, I need samples to continue my research. Chocolate chip would be fine.

  14. Gravatar Icon 14 Sassy J

    Howard thanks for the link! I loved Hong Kong Phooey–and wonder why it is not around anymore–and the answer is, what can you really do with only 16 episodes (my 4 year old niece was quite taken with it recently–so someone is doing reruns). My question is does HKP get transformed into Scooby?

    And Becky–I do bike in the city–after living in NYC it seems much easier. But the strike is over. Yeah!

  15. Gravatar Icon 15 Becky

    Clair, why do you need more samples? Obviously my cookies are very effective, since the whole “drink and cookie” plan effectively ended the transit strike.

    Sassy, you’re a braver woman than I.

  16. Gravatar Icon 16 howard

    Sassy,

    The beauty of being a child is that 16 episodes is as good as a thousand — I can’t tell you how many Disney flicks I had almost memorized just from watching them with nieces and nephews. Even thinking back, it feels like I spent years of my childhood watching Hong Kong Phooey on Saturday mornings.

    And on the subject of Saturday mornings, does anyone remember El Kabong? I totally forgot he was Quick Draw’s alter ego…