Matt Stooks

Unsubscribe

Posted on by Matt Stooks

I subscribed to a variety of newsletters at checkout through the years. Hoping to score big savings from a variety of online vendors, I allowed constant assault on my inbox.

I needed to ween myself off e-newsletters.

Upon unsubscription, most online merchants politely complied. The remaining merchants complied and bid adieu, but warned it might take 7-10 days before my request takes effect.

We agree to exist in this world because Internet gives us everything we want, immediately.

If I sent my unsubscribe message through the postal service, and included a self-addressed stamped envelope, then I’d understand the delay.

Roadside Memorials

Posted on by Matt Stooks

Why erect a roadside memorial?

Typically a cross with flowers and a photo, the roadside memorial marks the life of a loved one at the exact death spot.

Is the intention to honor the dead? To promote safe driving? To protect the highway via the deceased souls?

Regardless of the intent, the roadside memorial distracts motorists and causes further tragedy.

Important Message from Target

Posted on by Matt Stooks

Dear loyal Target customer,

Did you hear? Criminals broke into our system and might now own your debit and credit card data.

I thought I should tell you they might have also stolen your name, mailing address, phone number or email address. Possibly all of those things. Probably.

I am writing to tell you that if you will simply click on any link in this email, we can rectify the situation. Target is offering one year of free credit monitoring.

Before proceeding, make sure you have scans of your social security card, fingerprints, both retinas, DNA, mother’s maiden name, and your first born’s name and social security number. And dental records. Almost forgot.

Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve this matter.

Target takes your personal information very seriously. We will work on the “holding” part next.

Sincerely,

[CEO name here]

Microwave of the Future

Posted on by Matt Stooks

My microwave’s display flashes “FOOD IS READY” when the timer hits zero.

How does the microwave know the food is ready? It doesn’t know. It’s a liar.

If you place a chicken breast in the microwave, and set the timer for 30 seconds, does that mean the chicken is done when the microwave beeps three times and “FOOD IS READY”?

You and I understand “FOOD IS READY” means the microwave successfully microwaved your item for the requested number of seconds, not that the food is indeed “READY”.

But what happens when I upgrade to a computerized model in 2033, and kick the 2008 model to the curb? What if some poor fool stumbles upon it and makes it his own?

Will this young “Man of the Future” be sophisticated enough to know there was a time when microwaves didn’t cook all items to perfection? Simply type in the number of seconds you want it to take to cook your chicken breast, and boom, the microwave cooks the food in the desired time. Microwave assures “FOOD IS READY”.

Consumer digs in and suffers from salmonella.

Toilet Training

Posted on by Matt Stooks

I’ve struggled with the toilet at work since I arrived four months ago.

It took me a few weeks to figure out the proper sequence and timing of flushes to evacuate the bowl. I would flush, wait a second, add an additional flush, and then a final flush a second later to finish it off. The flushes would overlap, in effect.

Well someone tweaked the flush, and now I find myself struggling to evacuate the bowl again.

The toilet flush is so intense initially, it obliterates the feces into a million bits, rather than gently coaxing the log through like you would expect from a proper toilet. After doing this, the flush weakens rapidly and simply scatters the feces around the bowl, necessitating the additional flushes.

Bacon shortage business boom at Porky Expresso

Posted on by Matt Stooks

After a five year break, I’m back on the radio. Afternoons 3-7 on K-Jo 105.5 in St. Joe.

Anyway, how about a show clip? Woo.

Rumors swirled about Bacon Shortage of 2013. It’s hoaxish, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have mass hysteria.

Stooks Reporter Steve Schnell caught up with Hanna Illbean from the Porky Expresso Coffee and Bacon Shop to discuss the rumor.

The Porky Expresso Coffee and Bacon Shop (2:18 mp3)

Play

Podcast: Download (1.1MB)

Caps askew

Posted on by Matt Stooks

Have you seen the teen who runs around with his ball cap askew?

The bill is perfectly flat. It’s in the two o’clock position.

Why not point the bill straight ahead? It would give equal shade to both eyes.

If the sun were at two o’clock, it would make sense to point the cap that direction. I doubt this particular teen has that much sense.

A bear ass

Posted on by Matt Stooks

If Charmin’s toilet paper is good enough for a bear’s asshole, it must be good enough for mine.

Bears have notoriously sensitive assholes. While camping, one should take care to hide any and all deluxe toilet paper and baby wipes. In the event of an attack, wipe the bear asshole with leaves.

Spare change and cigarettes

Posted on by Matt Stooks

Dear bum,

Stop asking me for spare change.

I don’t have spare change. I have change that I’ve yet to spend. If the monetary system collapses and my change ceases to have worth, I will have spare change.

I also don’t have an extra cigarette for you. I don’t have cigarettes for myself. And, if I did, what causes a cigarette to become “extra?”

“Yes, I was planning on smoking exactly six of these cigarettes, yet I have seven. This one is extra. Enjoy.”

Do you hope that a random person walking by just might happen to be quitting and looking to get rid of extra cigarettes?

You give bums a bad name.

Matt

Tip the drive-thru beggar

Posted on by Matt Stooks

One type of homeless creates a drive-thru for begging. The homeless will choose a high-traffic intersection with rare pedestrian traffic.

A drive-thru begger has a tiny cardboard sign with illegible writing. If you give him money, he could buy a Sharpie, make a better sign, then get high off the Sharpie. Or maybe he should get high off the Sharpie before making the sign. It’s really up to the individual homeless to decide whether to influence his art with Sharpie sniffing.

What is the business model for drive-thru begging?

While we all enjoy the convenience of ignoring a freezing beggar from the comfort of our climate-controlled vehicles, I don’t think we’ve been rewarding this premium service by throwing change out the window.

Drive-thru beggars deserve higher pay. Next opportunity, throw some coins out your window at a beggar as you drive by. That’s change we all can believe in.

Dog lovers

Posted on by Matt Stooks

A jewelry store had this ridiculous sign outside their Plaza remodel job.

“He loves dogs as much as I do” seems to be the winning answer for “How do you know you are loved?” Just look at the giant text.

I find this answer twisted.

You know you are loved because he loves dogs as much as you do? That only makes sense if you are both loving dogs in a way that only two, lifelong poodle-screwers could.

Sick.

Uglyface

Posted on by Matt Stooks

Every time I see someone with a mangled face, I nod in appreciation of their courage to show that face in public.

If I had a disfigured face, I would never leave the house.

I would have everything delivered. I would wear a ski mask when I answered the door.

I’m not sure how I would make money. I bet I could get on disability with a face like that.