burrito day 4/29/05

(btw -- see the 1st ever "Lazy" Kyle summary at the bottom if you are astime-strapped as our fearless leader)

The BDC chairman is back. No more short 1-liners for BDE (Burrito Dayemails). Rumors of hostile takeover of Burrito Day were abound, but tono avail. The committee remains as it is, at least for one more month!

Speaking of sensational rumors, William Randolph Hearst, the builder of Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA, is the man who effectively coined the term. Hearst dominated the publishing scene early in the 20th century as his hand-me-down publishing company owned many publications such as the San Francisco Examiner, New York Morning American Journal, Chicago Examiner, and Boston American. He became synonymous with the term"yellow journalism". Believed by many to have initiated the Spanish-American War to encourage sales of his newspaper, he also advocated political assassination in an editorial just months before the assassination of President McKinley. Full of personality and a zest for a top-quality social scene, Hearst eventually built quite a mansion in San Simeon, CA to host whomever he damn well-pleased. While his empire may have been adverserial, Hearst used this popularity to lure top-notch guests, such as Winston Churchill, Calvin Coolidge, Cary Grant, Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes, to his mansion in San Simeon. Having toured Hearst Castle (which it only came to be name after the house was donated to California Parks & Recreation in 1955 by the Hearst family) this past weekend, I can assure you that there are many eccentric stories that are consistent with a man of his character. Examples --

1) guests were allowed to stay as long as they like as longas they followed HIS rules (jpresent for cocktails at 6:30; dinner at7:30; no more than 3 drinks per night -- YIKES!);
2) men must wear woolshirts while in the pool -- what? ,
3) Hearst set up two phone lines at each end of the pool so that one could call down to the other side if he/she saw something interesting -- Fantasic idea! ..and remember, this was in the 1920s-> 1940s.

One story appeals to the BDC more than any other however -- guests had assigned positions at the large rectangular oak dinner table every evening with Hearst sitting in the middle of the action. If you had something interesting to offer then you were offered a seat closer to Hearst himself the following night. However, if you were boring or lacked personality, you were moved down to the end of the table by the end of your visit. Simple really -- come to the table with an interesting story, and let your personality shine! The BDC is whole-heartedly behind this concept, and will enforce this at upcoming burrito day outings. HA!

The 1st "Lazy"- KYLE SUMMARY (newly invoked as the result of hissheer laziness, preventing him from reading brilliantly crafted emails)-- Hearst was an eccentric, talented businessman who built a mansion;invited popular people to his mansion; if you had something interestingto offer during your visit then you were offered a closer position atthe dinner table to Hearst himself and eventually invited back; the BDCwhole-heartedly backs this philosophy!

burrito day 4/14/05

Leadership is a beautiful thing! We here at the BDC have recently been fascinated by various forms of leadership, whether it be in the politiical realm or the business environment. Whether it involves courageously leading a country into battle (see Winston Churchill), or resurrecting an average company into an efficient empire (see Jack Welch), leadership can mean everything when trying to accomplish a lofty goal. In politics, one man stands above all others in recent years however -- Rudy Giulani. From the years 1993 - 2001, Rudy organized various teams to attack seemingly insurmountable problems within the city. He would not expect the simple answer -- "That is just the way it is". He wanted answers! Many people remember him for his outspoken efforts after 9/11, but Rudy's true accomplishments were well-established before he ever entered the national spotlight.

How did he do this you may ask? Simple really -- he asked each one of his department leads (crime, road improvements, etc.) to take responsibility for their performance. This sounds simple in words, but holds great meaning when forced into action. Rudy would meet with his department heads on a weekly basis and hammer out the details of the city. In his words, 'while these meetings were often confrontational, they were invaluable in getting to the truth". His focus on responsibility, along with weekly meetings where department leads were forced to defend their performance, lead the most diverse city in the world from the cellar of turmoil to a clean, safe place to live. Look only at the following three statistics for his successes

Violent crime reducecd by 80%
Overall crime reduced by 75%
Inmate violence reduced by 93%!

Undoubtedly, if he chooses to run, he has my vote for president in 2008!

burrito day 4/8/05

Aaaaahhh -- the pinnacle of the golfing season is upon us. So early in the year you might ask? Well, while most other professional sports save the best for last, the PGA schedules its first, and arguably most important, major event relatively early in the season. The MASTERS is simply a thing of beauty. Whether you are a golf / sports fan or not,the MASTERS offers everything that is great about sports, and especially golf -- an impeccable golf course w/ a fair but incredibly challenging layout, ultimate prestige, and more than anything else, the overwhelming pressure of a Major tournament. For those that are more familiar with the sport, some intriguing stories come into play for the 2005 edition-- will Tiger build upon recent momentum and continue his march towards Jack Nicklaus' seemingly insurmountable record of 18 major careervictories? Can Lefty (or Lumpy) defend his 2004 title and solidify his position as contender in the Majors? Will this year's early weather conditions allow a new championship to rise to the top? This weekend will answer all...

Golf fan or not, the BDC strongly recommends tuning into this weekend's tourney, if only to watch the leaders play the back nine on Sunday afternoon. Having walked the fairways of Augusta (home of the Masters)last spring, I can assure you it will be time well-spent.

...and one more thing -- while the BDC nominally chooses not to endorse any one team or player (this is an absolute lie of course!), it is inevitable in this case -- Go TIGER! YOU THE MAN! Go on with your BAD self! The ultimate athlete -- in Robin Williams' words, "Black athleticability combined with Buddhist concentration -- SSHHIIITAAH! -- not even a German geneticist could thought that one up!"

burrito day 4/1 -- APRIL FOOLS!

The BDC (Burrito Day Committee) would like to welcome several newcomers who have recently expressed interest in Burrito Day, and have therefore been added to the Burrito Day invite distribution. Many of these newcomers are trying to understand what Burrito Day is all about. While it's certainly impossible to explain Burrito Day in a few short paragraphs, those who frequent the deck at Chipotle on Friday afternoons may characerize Burrito Day in terms of the Rage - level .....but it's more than that! It's also a matter of respect. Here are a few examples from this past week which clearly illustrate this point:

1) A few members of the BDC had the privilege of attending GLR training this past Wednesday morning at 8 am! In true BDC form, these members began socializing at the beginning of class, as there were many important stories to share. One of these members, who along with sharing a name similar to that of a former Iraqi dictator also experiences a high level of RAGE, was in classic talkative form early in the training. The instructor was clearly annoyed by this behavior, and presumably wanted to set a quiet standard early his presentation. During one outburst, the instructor immediately turned to our favorite Department Manager, and gave him an immediate 'SSHHHH' in one sudden movement. I immediately feared for this poor man's life. The ACS dictator's eyes drifted in my direction, and I could immediately sense the gallons of flaming HOT rage boiling from deep within. This instructor had obviously crossed the line......

2) A few other members of the BDC also had the privilege of attending SCCB in the afternoon of this same day. SCCB's have recently become quite heated as many difficult decisions have come to a forefront -- this is no problem, as everyone wants to do what is right. However, at this specific SCCB, the line was certainly crossed. One heralded member of the BDC -- i.e. the newly-named Sledgehammer -- was presenting a controversial SCR, which people were respectfully discussing. Out of nowhere, a disrespectful tone abruptlty shot out from the end of the table. Like talking to his own 10-year old son, this individual attacked the Sledgehammer, implying that this BDC member's knowledge was less than adequate. Was this young individual serious? Did he know who he was messing with? Somehow, the Sledgehammer managed to keep his wits about him, but I fear that if this SCCB attendee raises his voice again, the consequences could be much more dire! God rest his soul.....

Clearly, these two stories demonstrate a certain level of disrespect directed toward the BDC community. This is unexpectable! ..and should be considered rule #1 when dealing with the BDC.