Engage. Enrage. Enjoy.

One Day Alice, One Day.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The set was a single bedroom apartment house in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City in the ’60s.  It was 328 Chauncery St. to be exact.  The Kramden’s and the Norton’s lived there.

Outside, in the real world 1960’s, there were marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots for civil rights for minorities across the nation.  In space, America flew and eventually landed on the moon.

On the set, and more than once, Ralph had had it with Alice.  “You’re a riot Alice,  You’re a regular riot.  Hope they like those jokes on the moon, ’cause that’s where you’re goin.'”

This past Saturday America launched two astronauts into space with some fanfare.  This past Saturday “regular” riots broke out across the nation for civil justice and the like.

It’s been 50 plus years and nothing has really changed, has it?  We want to go back to the moon all the while the nation’s (pick from any or all of the following) “oppressed,” “underserved,” “prejudiced against,” “minority,” or “African Americans” are yelling that they are being targeted and/or left behind.

The George Floyd killing is another terrible reminder of how far we think we have come and how far so many think we have to go.  We wonder if both groups are right on some level.  But does the looting, the burning, and the violence from coast to coast lose the real message in the tear gas?

Friday night two looters tried desperately to balance five flat-screen TVs on a Target Store pull cart. They must share an apartment bigger than the Kramden’s had in Bensonhurst.   Saturday night a woman helped herself to an entire cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory in Seattle.  She didn’t even bother to put it in a to-go box.  Last evening in Austin, thugs (what else do you want to call them?) set fire to a homeless man’s possessions right before his eyes. Once lit, they threw his mattress in just to stoke the flames.

Speaking of stoking the flames, the Minneapolis mayor threw gasoline on the situation calling what he saw on the video “a murder” and suggesting that “the cop should be arrested right now.”  Does anyone disagree?  No.  But if ever a case needed to be sure that “t’s” were crossed and “I’s” were dotted, it’s this one.  No mistakes in the procedure to secure an arrest warrant could be made.  If the case was ever thrown out on a technicality, lookout.

But he jumped the gun, and it swung the door wide open to take to the streets.  He told the cops to stand down.  And, when he pulled the cops from the Third District Station, that was subsequently burned down, he effectively gave the keys to the city to the inflamed.  The subsequent arrest of the rogue cop is lost as an afterthought now.

The very noble cry of ending unjust acts of violence on the innocent was drowned out by people committing unjust acts of violence on the innocent.  Ninety-nine point nine percent of America watched.  It’s the 0.1% that should be tossed in jail.

The wash, rinse, and repeat reminds us of “gun control.”  Somebody shoots and kills way too many people in a school, church, or club.  “We need gun control reform in America!”  “No, we don’t.”  After a week, the noise dies down, and we go back to what we were doing.

If America is that bad to live in, maybe some who feel that way should leave?  We aren’t suggesting it.  We wonder why they don’t.  People from many walks of life walk to our border to get in, not out.   If you want to stay, burning it down isn’t the answer any more than putting your knee on someone’s throat is.

Will this time be any different?  We can hope, but that won’t do much.  Before you know it another 50 years will have passed by.

“One day Alice, one day.”

The Corner of Government Rd. and Individualism Ave.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The “too big” government overreach is at it again.  It’s mad because a “too big” social media platform named Twitter is at it again.

When you attempt to censure President Trump, you’ve poked the proverbial bear.  Twitter made the mistake of “fact-checking” him one too many times coming out of this weekend.   “Fact-checking” is a nice word for censure.  Twitter’s version of what the facts are seems to be more of an opinion than grounded in fact.  It also seems like it chooses who to “fact check” and who not to.

“Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices,” Trump tweeted. “We will strongly regulate, or close them down before we can ever allow this to happen. We saw what they attempted to do, and failed, in 2016. We can’t let a more sophisticated version of that happen again.”

So with that, a spat has turned into an all-out trending Twitter war on the very platform most in question.

Twitter is a public company.  Like it or not it should be able to choose what it sells, and to whom, however it chooses. Don’t you like it?  Start your own platform after you quit tweeting.

But, alas, our world has evolved into a virtual mess.  And Twitter, Facebook, Snap, and a few others (Pinterest anyone?) are collectively the virtual mess.  “Freedom of speech,” the right yells.  So the FCC will attempt to censure Twitter who is attempting to censure people whose opinions they disagree with.  Does Twitter get to have its own freedom of speech?

We’re at the corner of Government Rd. and Individualism Ave. again.  We’ve actually been stuck in this traffic jam for a while.  We stopped driving for about two months so we temporarily forgot our whereabouts.  Our government overreached and told us to go home.  It was for our own good they said.

The Dallas city government arrested a hair salon owner.  The NOLA mayor signed an executive order banning the sale of firearms during the stay at home order.  The NY mayor said that if you go in the water last weekend “we’ll pull you out.”  The governor of Michigan said that the longer the protests continue, the longer the lockdown will be enforced.   In other words folks, the beatings will continue until the morale improves.

In Minnesota, the government went beyond beating its citizens, or at least one citizen.  The available video of the George Floyd apprehension looks like a few government employees went way too far.  One, in particular, might have(likely) committed a homicide. Social media, the same platforms under scrutiny, quickly organized the people.  Protests formed in Minnie and LA.  Meet on the corner of Government and Individualism it screamed.  And, rightfully so we add.

The problem in Minnie is that a few of the assembled (your right under the Bill of Rights) decided to loot. “Looting” is a nice word for stealing.  It’s reserved for stealing while under the influence of civil unrest we guess.   It’s like what “gaffe” is to “senility.”  It’s reserved for incoherent thought in an election year we guess.

The problem in LA is that they decided to get on the 101 Freeway.  No stores are on the freeway.   Maybe the government that overreaches that gave them their stimulus money as well as unemployment money, as well as small business payroll money kept them from wanting or needing to loot.  Still, it’s but a few blocks from the crossroads of Government and Individualism.

Times were so much simpler when all we had was social media Russian interference in our election, a little quid pro quo or no, and to impeach or not to impeach.

Maybe when Biden stops hiding and Trump stops tweeting we can have a civilized debate about all of this.  We kid.

We wonder if we’ll need to do it from a social distance.  We don’t wonder if social media will try to have a say.

 

 

 

Hindsight, Foresight, and Throwing Darts.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

One unlucky BBR staffer was assigned a project that wound up lasting well into the evening.  The loser of the coin flip had to research the states’ stay at home orders, easing of same, and restrictions imposed on both.

The project mercifully was called off around 11:30 pm.  Why?  It’s because there are nearly 50 different answers from 50 states in place to either stay or not in place.

We wonder.

  1.  Have we all put too much trust in elected officials that know next to nothing about viruses blindly throwing darts at a wall?
  2.  Have we all put too much trust in many doctors(experts) who are in government positions for too long as the politicians are, somewhat blindly throwing darts at a wall?
  3.  We were only supposed to be flattening the curve.  Los Angeles County, “with almost certainty,” will extend the stay at home until sometime in July.  Does LA (and Oregon) know something that most of the other 48 states do not?
  4.  Will someone please inform BBR when, barring a vaccination that all agree to inject, the risk of spreading the virus will go to zero? Or when it will go to a manageable number?  What is that manageable number?
  5. Will someone please inform BBR when the “cost” of catching it is outweighed by the cost of not catching it?  Georgia and Texas amongst others have said that day has come and gone.
  6. Wasn’t the time to lock down two weeks before we did?  Easy to say in hindsight you say?  Correct.  Yet some called for it loudly and repeatedly back on March 1.  But it seems like the time to stop a spread is before it starts spreading.  How do you know when?  You don’t.  So, if you think you are going to need to do it, isn’t sooner better than later?
  7. To those suggesting we should test everyone every time they enter an establishment that “we” think they should get tested we have a question.  When does that need to subside?  When the virus goes away?  When the vaccine arrives?  How do you pay for what you just proposed?  Isn’t it a violation of one’s rights?
  8. To anyone who says anything is too soon?  Is it not your individual decision to do or not do what you wish?  Stay home as long as you wish, but the money to take care of everyone has long ago run out.  Are you listening, Nancy?  Are you listening, Mitch?  Are you listening, Donald?
  9. Can anyone let us know when the Federal Reserve printer runs out of ink?  BBR’s low ink printer notification is on more than it’s off it seems.  That must be one big printer with one very big green ink cartridge.
  10. Why in the world is the stock market going up?  Does Wall St. know that we have to go back to work in order to survive?

Hindsight is indeed 2020.  We already cannot wait until 2020 is indeed behind us.

Ten Piece Nuggets-Only in America

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

You’re returning to work.  Your appetite is naturally increasing.  We’re here to help.  Our supply chain, unlike Wendy’s, never runs short.  We’re here to serve.  Nuggets follow.

  1.  Jailed Dallas hair salon owner Shelley Luther is free at last.   One day after a judge sentenced her to 7 days in jail and 7k out of her pocket, sanity got in the way of insanity.  The Texas AG, followed by the governor, quickly acted.  They both suggested that there were better ways to handle a business owner solely interested in reopening.  It was a bad look for the state to say the least.  Maybe a quick trip to the beauty salon will help.
  2.  A Texas judicial watchdog group previously had labeled the judge as “left-leaning.” And, supposedly, people in the system have heard him say that he likes to be extra tough on people with “conservative principles.”  Remember, justice is blind.  In this instance, it was indeed, unfortunately, blind.
  3.  Consider the terrible irony that is a result of an overzealous government wielding it’s power from the start of the Coronavirus till now in this situation.  We let criminals out of taxpayer-funded penal institutions for fear that the virus would spread like wildfire inside.  We told people when they could and could not work.  We told them who was essential and who wasn’t.  A salon owner wanted to work, pay her employees, and stop taking money from our government.  In fact, they would resume paying those same taxes.  When she went in seven days early (tomorrow salons may reopen in Texas) she was arrested, jailed, fined, and sentenced.  She was put in the very same place (jail) that we let criminals out early to reduce the virus’ transmission thereby increasing the chance of transmission to her, her employees, her customers, and her loved ones.  Only in America.
  4. We mentioned yesterday that a good thing happened during this bad thing.  A GoFundMe page to help out Ms. Luther was created.  We even speculated that it would zoom (sorry) to over 100k by nightfall yesterday.   It did.  It did by an additional 400k.  The tally as of late last evening was nearly 500k. Only in America.
  5.  Meanwhile, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo rejected the idea of waving the state income tax levied on workers who voluntarily answered the call and flocked in from out of state to help during the worst of the worst times.  The good governor said that he would like to do a lot of good things but his state was facing a 13 billion dollar budget deficit.  He added that he could do some of those things if the federal government would give him some money.  It sounds like he is asking for a handout, not a hand up.
  6. New York was ill-equipped at the state level as were most.   It had a few ventilators.  It had a few masks.  It has more than a few citizens.  The federal government retro built the Javits Center into a temporary hospital.  It docked one of it’s two floating hospitals in Manhatten.  It retrofitted the ship to handle Coronavirus patients only at the request of Cuomo.  And, now, if it gives NY some money it would be helpful.  And, the national media is handing out plaudits for how “presidential” Cuomo looks, sounds, and acts as governor.  Hmm.  You mean they are thinking Joe Biden doesn’t?   Only in America.
  7. Does any state put any money or supplies away for a rainy day?  Too few.  Does any citizen?  Too few.  If this economic watershed moment doesn’t teach the public and private sector to live below its means, what will?
  8. The rise in the suicide rate caused by lockdowns in Australia is predicted to exceed deaths from the Wuhan coronavirus by a factor of ten, the Australian reported Thursday.  You should reread that sentence.  Australia fears a 50% rise in suicides this year and predicts that the increased rate could linger for years from the fallout of the lockdown.  Let’s hope their models are as inaccurate as the spike, curve, mortality rate, and infection rate models have been so far.
  9. The Washington Post is running a series of articles about POTUS’s decision to get quotes to paint the border wall.  Cost estimates range from $500 million to over $2 billion (if two coats of powder coat are applied).  Trump wants to paint it black.  Why?  It would make scaling it in the summer months significantly harder as black absorbs the sun’s heat making the “The Wall” quite hot to the touch.  Only in America if you can get here.
  10. The Post is outraged at the cost.  Wait until they see the infrastructure proposal tab.   Nevermind that we just appropriated over $3 trillion to assuage the historic economic hardship and fallout from this enemy that we cannot see.  There are too many government initiatives that hand out too much money.  What’s another $500 million to paint a wall?  Planned Parenthood gets $500 million a year and then some.   Would it be better if the wall was called “Planned Immigration?”

Get back to work when we tell you.  Only in America.

Need a Haircut?

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Meet Shelley Luther.  She very politely refused to apologize for reopening her North Dallas hair salon.  The judge sentenced her to seven days in jail and a $7,000 fine.

Technically she didn’t break a law.  She refused to obey an executive order.  Then she opted for jail rather than apologize.

This is where we are in America today.  It’s even more shocking that this happened in Texas, and in Dallas.

You can go to a liquor store and practice social distancing, but apparently, if you go to a nail salon you don’t yet know how to do so.

But wait, you beg, “we have to do this because some people might get sick.”  Who said that you have to go to the nail salon? No one.  It’s the ones that said you have no choice that are worrisome.

Small, individually owned, clothing stores have been shut down for two months.  Walmart has been selling groceries(essential) and $14.99 slacks made in China(let that sink in) for those same two months.  One is essential.  The other not.

It’s your individual choice.  It’s your right to go or not to go just like it’s your right to stand in line to buy beer.  If you can stand six feet apart for a badly needed six-pack, you can sit six feet apart for a badly needed trim.

This judge could have easily chosen a less ridiculous route.  It’s all about power, and therefore control.   If you have the power, you have the control.

Her explanation was her desire to feed her kids and pay her employees.  Now she’s out another 7k.  A GoFundMe page has already started for her.  Our guess is it’ll top 100k by end of the day today.

And, that is a good thing to help offset a dumb thing.

If this were an isolated incident it would be one thing.  It’s not.

Stop giving up your rights.  It’s your right.

Let’s Hope So.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Yesterday CNN ran a story that we feel has not gotten near enough attention.  For our sake, we hope it isn’t as Donald Trump labels it, “fake news.”

We quote CNN.  “373 employees and contract workers at Triumph Foods in Buchanan County, Missouri, have tested positive for coronavirus. All of them were asymptomatic, according to a press release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.”

Testing at the plant began last week with results coming in over the past few days, the release from DHSS said.  As of April 30, at least 1,500 had been tested, a previous release said.  A first test a week earlier of 707 of the now nearly 1500 resulted in 92 asymptomatic positives.
So what does this all mean?  We hesitate to speculate as there are no health care professionals on BBR’s burgeoning staff, but we will anyway.  The ball bounces a bit below, but stay with it.
1.  In a week’s time the positives went from 92 of 707 to now 373 of 1500.  That’s a pretty aggressive acceleration.
2.  Yet every one of them, we repeat, EVERYONE of them, are asymptomatic.
3.  This almost seems impossible.  373 people of various ages, races, gender, and health conditions, all living near each other are positive asymptomatic.  Unless it isn’t impossible.  And, let’s assume for a minute that it isn’t.
4.  If you believe the CDC’s RO, (pronounced r naught) a mathematical term that indicates how contagious an infectious disease is for Coronavirus, then you can buy into the rapid spread in a contaminated closed environment where many come together.  It’s unfortunately why nursing homes and hospitals are incubators for it.
5.  So, how many other environments that are similar have had a similar spread?  We won’t know that of course until tests are repeatedly and readily available.
6.  But, strong logic would make an argument that its more than a few and likely way more than a few.
7.  So, how many Americans are positive and were asymptomatic in the past or present?  As stated above, we won’t know that of course until tests are repeatedly and readily available.
8.  So, now go back to the first documented case to hit American soil.  On January 19, 2020, a 35-year-old man presented to an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington, with a 4-day history of cough and subjective fever tested positive.  He wasn’t asymptomatic.  But how many before him were?  We’ll never know.
9.  But if 373 and counting can all hand it off to one another asymptomatically, how many handed it off prior to the above positive symptomatic case?  We’ll never know.
10.  Which begs the question?  How many people in America today are positive?   If you buy into the snowball downhill theory loosely outlined above it could be many.  It could be many as in tens of millions.  Are we speculating?  Yep.  That makes us almost as accurate as the experts it sadly seems.
Dr. Deborah Birx, the U.S. coronavirus response coordinator, dropped the following comment on Fox News on Sunday.  “I think we underestimated very early on the number of asymptomatic cases,” Dr. Birx said. “And I think we’re really beginning to understand there are people that get infected that those symptoms are so low-grade that they don’t even know that they’re infected.”

So if you’ve bought in this far, we have but one more small leap of faith to ask.  How immune then is the herd at this point?  Probably way more than we realize.

Nearly 70,000 deaths in the U.S. is nearly 70,000 deaths too many, make no mistake.  Of course, we hope that the CDC has made no mistake when counting as well.

The country is “reopening.”  If the asymptomatic headcount is way higher than thought maybe the “second wave” or “next spike” will be far less than even the most optimistic projections.

Let’s hope so.

 

Zoom this!

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The BBR staff is offsite today enjoying a rigorous, but fun, team-building exercise.  We decided as a group that these difficult times no longer need to be so difficult.  Today we reacquaint ourselves. Tomorrow we come together at work in our good old sanitized world headquarters office.  Together.  Not apart.  

Therefore, today’s pearls of wisdom will be short.  We have but a few thoughts and questions.

To those that are screaming that you can’t do anything until we can test everyone, are you going to test everyone every day?  Otherwise, yesterday’s test isn’t worth the swab that went up your nose.

To those that are screaming that we can’t move until we have a vaccine, are you actually going to get the vaccine?  What if one never comes?

To those that say it’s too soon, when is it not too soon?

When was it not a good idea that if you are sick to stay at home?

When was it not a good idea to cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing?

When was it not a good idea to wash your hands regularly?

Most of us would like to have been six feet or more away from most of our coworkers every day prior to this anyway.

If you’re going to a restaurant this weekend you can go to work Monday.

It’s our “new”  new normal.

Pivot this! 

And while you’re at it, Zoom this!

 

 

Together. Apart. Enough.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Together.  Apart.  We are a family.  We’ll get through this.  Thinking of you during tough times.  Together.

The emails started it.  Now the tv commercials are overrun with it.

Today’s ad agencies sure do have a herd mentality.  Because of that maybe some will fall victim to the thinning of the herd as the economy recovers.  Queue the soft caring music while we deliver a soft and caring message.

Some of the below are real.  Some you can imagine.  We can’t imagine why some are real.  Enough already.

REAL

Burger King

They have a real one.  “Stay Home of the Whopper.”  They are waving their delivery fees right now and they are giving a free Whopper to over 250,000 nurses.  If a Burger King delivery van pulled up in front of your house would your neighbors still talk to you?  And, can you use the words “health care” and “Whopper” in the same sentence with a straight face?

CARMAX

A forgettable car commercial is offering interest-free loans for up to 84 months.  With interest rates nearly zero percent, what are they offering?  Nothing.  Also, you can have curbside pick up.  Skip the test drive, we’ll be sure this car is running great for you.  Can’t you close your eyes and picture Chevy Chase picking up the “family truckster” for the coast to coast Vacation?

Verizon

Verizon “wants you to know during these tough times that “we’re one phone call away.”  Thank goodness.  Can’t you hear it now?  “During this COVID-19 crisis, Verizon is experiencing an unusually high volume of calls.  Your expected wait time is 42 minutes.  Or, if you prefer, please leave your number and a brief message and we’ll be sure to have someone never call you back.”  Queue the terrible “on hold” music.

United Airlines

“Because we are all in this together.”   Really?  Two months ago when my luggage weighed 52 pounds I was on my own.

 

IMAGINED.

Weight Watchers.

Are you struggling with a few extra pounds from being housebound?  We’ve been flattening curves for over 50 years.   Special note-Tampa residents you can get your first week of meals free just like our schools do year-round.

NFL.

We believe in social distancing.   In fact, our rules have insured social distancing by defensive players from our quarterbacks for years.  Apart.  Forever.

Nine Lives Cat Food

Time to take advantage of one?  Enough said.

China

We are the manufacturer and supply chain leader to the world.  What you need when you need it.  And what you don’t need when you don’t want it, too.  Together, unfortunately for us.

Camel (unfiltered).

Time to burn one?  Why not?

Planters

Let our experience going nuts help you through yours.

Life Cereal

Do you even have to ask?

Charmin

We’ve missed you.  Have you missed us?

Hallmark 

We’ve been writing these syrupy hollow lines on cards for years.  Thinking of you during these times.

 

Time for a Zoom meeting.  Friday is only four short days from now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Respect Even Way Back When

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Last week we lightened it up a bit on Friday.  The audience was howling in the aisles.  We offered a few examples of how tough life would have been for Rodney Dangerfield to have lived through these times.

Are you kidding?  It was tough to be Rodney during “normal times.”  A dozen examples of how tough it was to get respect way back when are below.

  1.  I come from a stupid family. During the Civil War my great uncle fought for the west!
  2.  I could tell that my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and a radio.
  3.  I remember the time I was kidnapped and they sent back a piece of my finger to my father. He said he wanted more proof.
  4.  My uncle’s dying wish was to have me sitting on his lap. He was in the electric chair.
  5. This morning when I put on my underwear I could hear the Fruit of the Loom guys laughing at me.
  6. My wife isn’t very bright. The other day she was at the store, and just as she was heading for our car, someone stole it! I said, “Did you see the guy that did it?” She said, “No, but I got the license plate.”
  7. A girl phoned me and said, “Come on over. There’s nobody home.” I went over. Nobody was home!
  8. If it weren’t for pick-pocketers, I’d have no sex life at all.
  9. I met the surgeon general. He offered me a cigarette.
  10. I went to see my doctor.  I told him once, “Doctor, every morning when I get up and look in the mirror I feel like throwing up. What’s wrong with me? He said, “I don’t know, but your eyesight is perfect.”
  11. What a childhood I had, why, when I took my first step, my old man tripped me!
  12. I worked in a pet store and people kept asking how big I’d get.

    Unless it’s the NFL Draft turn off the TV.

 

 

E Learning Leads to E Commerce

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The BBR staff consumed adult beverages during a Zoom virtual happy hour last evening.  While doing so it kicked around potential topics for this morning’s article.

One drink led to another.  We had almost decided that it was time to lower the boom on Zoom.  Our business section editor was going to wax eloquently about how there “are people who work, and there are people who get things done.”  She was going to suggest that you get out of the virtual meeting place (isn’t it just a water cooler right in the middle of Al Gore’s internet anyway?) and spend some time strategizing, writing a to-do list, sending a handwritten note to your favorite customer, etc.

Then someone extolled the virtues of it and asked: ” yes, but where would our educational system be without it right now?”  Everyone took a stab. “Good point.”  “Hmm.”  “Let me Google search ‘education news, Zoom, and success.'”

What popped up?  Hillsborough County Florida popped up.  Except it wasn’t about success.  It was about excess.  The county, ever concerned about nutritious meals for its “young uns” doles out “free lunches” for its students.  Who knew that in home schooling didn’t also mean in-home meals?   Drive your car to the drive-through location, wait in line, get handed a bag of food.  It sounds a lot like McDonald’s, except for the ” drive to the first window please” for payment.

“We want to make sure that children actually get the nutrition they need to be successful during the e-learning process,” said Hillsborough Schools Superintendent Addison Davis.

“We had some individuals who made undesired behaviors last week, but we stand ready with new organizational controls you know hats off to operations and the IT department for helping us with this process,” said Hillsborough Schools Superintendent Addison Davis.  Good thing Mr. Davis is a superintendent and not an English teacher during this e-learning process, or any learning process for that matter.

District officials found parents selling the food online and parents who had the food stockpiled in their cars.  Did anyone go to jail?  We digress.

Parents now have to provide their child’s name and school ID number before they can pick up food, and they are not allowed to pick up more than once.  Those are smart thinking additions to the program.  Would it be cheaper to just give them some money?  It would be more efficient, too.  Or, what if the parents actually fed their kids?

So let’s review in an e-learned sort of way.  The government takes in tax dollars.  They use some of it to pay teachers to do their job.  They also buy lunches with it for kids.  They give lunch away.  Parents steal “free lunches.”  Parents sell the food online.  That last step is actually e-commerce.

Maybe there is no such thing as a free lunch, especially if you buy one online.