And the record for slowest lunch ever goes to...

Smithers, which is located in downtown Dover. Although this entry is not exactly fair because I have not discussed restaurant service in Dover other to provide a general overview of a few places that are worth going to, I can state without hyperbole or exaggeration that Smithers on State Street (downtown Dover) broke the world record for slowest lunch ever. Total time from entry to exit? Almost 2.5 hours. And this doesn't count the drive over there. This also breaks Smithers' previous slow record of 90+ minutes, which was set in a different lunch a couple months ago.

I'm not joking, and perhaps I am unlucky in lunch. The previous record for slowest Dover lunch was clocked at 2.15 hours at the Loockerman Exchange, which has since gone out of business. Maybe it's just that part of town that is slow. I've been to other places around there though (Lobby House, 33 West, Irish Mikes, the pizza place across from Loockerman, TGI Fridays, to name a few in that area), and while all of these places are slow sometimes, they are never that slow.

In this particular experience, it took almost an hour to get our first drink, and while my description may imply that the place was hopping, it was not: I saw maybe five or six groups there, mine included. As I mentioned, the food is decent, the wings are great, and you can get a lunch under $10, but who can afford to take more than an hour for lunch? Even La Tolteca and the Olive Garden can get a group of six or seven in and out in less than an hour, so I'm not sure how these local chains can't figure out the concept. Or maybe that's why I only saw five groups there, who knows.

The food Smithers serves is good, don't get me wrong. The outside deck is a good time otherwise also, and I've been to their happy hours several times and they are fun. But for lunch, I highly doubt I will go there again. You don't have to take my word on it, though - check it out yourself. Just be sure to block off a two hour schedule in your day in case your service is as slow as mine was.

In the meantime, I'm going to stick to places on 13 for a while and see if that keeps my lunch hour to a more reasonable length. I think I've been to just about all of them now, but am always open for suggestions as to more.

Tags: smithers restaurant dover

Ravens climb on the Blue Hen train and take Joe Flacco in the first round

Unlike the Eagles, who ignited a media frenzy in last year's draft when they decided not to trade up to get Derek Anderson's backup and Notre Dame alumni, Brady Quinn, and instead chose to get Kevin Kolb, the Ravens decided to pull the trigger and trade up and secure a new franchise quarterback, University of Delaware's own Joe Flacco. Guess the Eagles are still confident with McNabb, with their future resting on the shoulders and arm of Kolb. We'll see who gets back to the Superbowl faster.

In the meantime, Baltimore fans can order a Joe Flacco Ravens Jersey today!

Tags: ud's flacco drafted by ravens in first round, joe flacco ravens

Out of state travels limit my internet access

I have a brief chance to hop on the internet this morning, but haven't had time lately to see what is going on back home in Delaware. I am due back Sunday. Maybe this budget crisis will be resolved by then.

Like your tunes? Better make sure someone has paid for them - copyright crackdown in Delaware bars

The News Journal recently posted an article regarding the enforcement of musical copyright in some upstate bars. Basically, the copyright owners of certain music acts and groups have decided that these delinquent bar owners have ignored their calls for a license to play their music long enough. Because of the importance of copyright and paying for things that people worked hard for, businesses that feature music need to be aware that the copyright man cometh. And you thought the tax man was bad.

These licenses, according to the article, run a business between $1,400 and $1,900 each to the respective copyright groups. Granted, for how much profiteering these companies probably have made in the years they failed to get a license, the cost is minimal. In these hard economic times, however, the licenses may be cost prohibitive. While I've never given any thought to who pays for the music at a bar, it does make sense given the adage that "nothing in life is free."

Can some sort of medium between the copyright owners and the barkeeps be found? Probably, but the answer isn't going to please these bar owners by any means. Is this going to have an effect on bars, such as Lobby House or Irish Eyes that feature weekly trivia games and DJ-hosts playing music from their laptops in between questions? One would think. Are the bars going to react positively or negatively to the threat of having to actually pay for entertainment? I think the answer to that one is pretty clear.

So what results? Either these bars pony up for the license and pass the costs onto those who frequent the establishment (or those who set up those fun karaoke nights) or they are going to have to figure out another way to attract the young and entitled MTV generation. Some things may work, such as setting up Guitar Hero nights and hope that Gibson doesn't bring a lawsuit against them. Other ideas might work, such as hiring more live bands (unlikely beyond the beach zones and the shortage of local bands that can be a draw), forcing the DJs to pay a percentage of the license costs (which will in turn force DJs to have to show that they are properly licensed and pass those costs onto the bar), installing more jukeboxes (that do not have burned CDs in them), or switching to some sort of satellite radio system (that may or may not be covered by these laws). In all likelihood, though, I foresee drink specials becoming even stingier than they already are if these bars are boxed into the corner of the first option.

The final score of this battle? Wasn't there a similar outcry when the smoking ban went into effect? I think the edge goes to the copyright owners.

Tags: copyright crackdown in delaware, de bars facing copyright infringement liability

UD wants to start a satellite in Sussex County - why not merge with DelTech?

I admit I haven't read the article in full nor the proposal, but I would hope that the fact that University of Delaware wants to open a Sussex County campus includes the suggestion to merge with Del-Tech. As a matter of efficiency, I highly doubt that the population down here can support one Wesley-type college, let alone two. I proposed as much a few months ago, but the fundamental idea remains the same given UD's interest in expansion: Expand Deltech into having 2-year and 4-year degrees, and make it like the Penn State satellite campuses. Deltech already has some sort of arrangement with the main campus, and now the credits would simply have to translate 1:1 instead of into whatever algebraic rip-off formula that currently is in place.

Penn State created its satellite campus system over twenty years ago and it has worked out fine. There is no reason for UD to reinvent the wheel on this one by creating a separate University of Delaware Sussex Campus, which would only serve to compete with Del-Tech, and quite frankly, would fall flat on its face. I caution these comments with my caveat that perhaps the proposal has this idea as an alternative, but if it does, the news certainly did not do a good job of reporting it.

Besides, what is the fiscal note that comes attached with this new campus as opposed to some sort of merger agreement? If UD is really anxious to create some sort of new school, why not open a med school? There certainly are enough shortages of them around Delaware.

Tags: university of delaware wants to open a sussex county office, university of delaware terry campus, deltech

Pontiac BMW ad - would someone in the market for a BMW actually make the switch?

I saw a rather odd commercial on tv the other day; it essentially pits the Pontiac against the BMW. At least one version of the campaign is available on YouTube. Another article writes how the Pontiac G8 embarrasses the BMW 5-Series in this commercial. Well, that's what the spot advertises, but does it really accomplish the goal? I think not. The only thing I thought when seeing this commercial was "who would ever mix up a Pontiac with a BMW?" Further, who in the market for a BMW would trade down for a Pontiac? It seems to be targeted at two very different consumer groups.

But maybe I'm a snob when it comes to this type of ineffective advertising. Or Pontiacs. For me, the spot was too long and too cluttered to follow. But maybe the spot is designed for those who pay close attention to television commercials. Or it hopes to gain some sort of viral status that will increase Pontiac's market share by a half of a percentage point over BMW. Sometimes I have to wonder about who approves these ad campaigns and what they are hoping to accomplish. This particular campaign misses the mark.

Tags: pontiac v. bmw ad, pontiac bmw commercial

These funeral stickers on the back of people's cars - enough already

Certainly people mourn in different ways and they can mourn in any way they want. I fail to understand, however, how these car stickers with "in memory of..." accomplish this task. Personally, I see them as pretty tacky. To each his own, I suppose. My point is simply to ask rhetorically, at what point do these memoriam stickers extend their stay? I would answer that if you had to order these custom stickers, the time has passed before you've even put it on the car.

Speaking of other ways you can devalue your car, I also saw a questionable sticker ad for some toy company while I was sitting behind some car at a light the other day. It seems to be for a kid's toy company, but the decal was a skull and crossbones. To me, this sends a mixed message, unless the sticker was operating to generate negative advertising. I can't remember the name of the company other than it was a toy company in Delaware, so it obviously wasn't that effective.

Enough with the bumper stickers/rear windshield stickers "in memory of" someone the driver knew. I can't be the only person who would rather be remembered in other ways when my time on the roads of 13 are passed.

In other news, I hear the General Assembly broke even on their gambling venture of which I mentioned yesterday. Probably the best they could hope for.