free food (or drink)

[KeithK]

[quote RichH]I was having a conversation with a friend about this yesterday.  She reminded me to go to Starbucks for the free coffee.  When I told her that I didn't like coffee, her reply was, "but...it's free!"  "Yeah, they could be giving out free kicks to the head.  I still don't want one."  It's a funny aspect of our  society.  So obsessed with getting something...anything for nothing.  I always laugh at the people at sporting events who frantically wave their arms trying to get the sponsored t-shirt cannon to fire their way. They could be giving out bags of poop, and there would still be people climbing over each other to get one.[/quote]
I always knew you were un-American Rich!  Free stuff is free!  I got a canon-fired tee shirt at a Diamondbacks game that I have always worn inside out because I can't stand the team.  But by god it's a free shirt!

(To some degree I agree with you.  But if the free thing has at least some utility for you and you don't have to put much effort to get it then it makes sense to go for it.  It's a net positive.)

[KeithK]

Earlier today a friend said that giving free stuff in return for voting is actually illegal.  If that's true then Starbucks, et al. are just giving out free stuff on election day regardless of whether you claim to have voted.  It's a distinction without difference since they're not requiring proff of voting.  But interesting (to me) nonetheless.

[Rita]

[quote KeithK]Earlier today a friend said that giving free stuff in return for voting is actually illegal.  If that's true then Starbucks, et al. are just giving out free stuff on election day regardless of whether you claim to have voted.  It's a distinction without difference since they're not requiring proff of voting.  But interesting (to me) nonetheless.[/quote]

There was a story about this on today's (11/4) NPR's Morning Edition.

[Beeeej]

[quote KeithK]I always knew you were un-American Rich!  Free stuff is free!  I got a canon-fired tee shirt at a Diamondbacks game that I have always worn inside out because I can't stand the team.  But by god it's a free shirt![/quote]

Back in 1999 or 2000 or so, at Dartmouth, I caught a Dartmouth t-shirt thrown from the ice during an intermission.  I promptly threw it back - then everyone nearby made me feel bad for not giving it to one of the little kids sitting near me who might actually have wanted it.  :`-(

[billhoward]

See, Starbucks is known as a tool of left-wing liberals and so is Ben and Jerry's, so if people of that un-American ilk try to bribe people to go out and vote with a free coffee or ice cream, then it's going to lead to more votes cast for that black feller, to coin a phrase used by my in-laws, since God-fearing conseratives would be less likely to be sucked in by a free Starbucks coffee. They're not comfortable saying things like vente mochachino. Maybe if Denny's gave out free waffles, more McCain supporters would turn out and it would be an evenly balanced election.

In the days before newsmen and women had to blog 7x24, we'd just sit around the office drinking coffee (cheap coffee) until around 10 pm, then write like crazy for a couple hours, then go out and get drunk. Now there's more airspace to fill up and you've got dumb stories like this.

[Scersk '97]

[quote KeithK]
I always knew you were un-American Rich![/quote]

Oh, Rich has been in the tank for the Leninists ever since he started riding that darn velocipede.

[Josh '99]

[quote RichH][quote BCrespi]It wasn't meant as a criticism.  These things always remind me of a friend from high school who would drive around to something like 7 different 7/11's around our county on July 11th to get free $.79 Slurpies.  I would always yell at him if he just bought the next 6 at the first 7/11, he would be spending way less money than the half-tank of gas he burned traipsing around the county!  And this was before we were thinking about C-footprint![/quote]

I was having a conversation with a friend about this yesterday.  She reminded me to go to Starbucks for the free coffee.  When I told her that I didn't like coffee, her reply was, "but...it's free!"  "Yeah, they could be giving out free kicks to the head.  I still don't want one."  It's a funny aspect of our  society.  So obsessed with getting something...anything for nothing.  I always laugh at the people at sporting events who frantically wave their arms trying to get the sponsored t-shirt cannon to fire their way. They could be giving out bags of poop, and there would still be people climbing over each other to get one.[/quote]What about free hats?

[RichH]

[quote KeithK]I always knew you were un-American Rich!  Free stuff is free!  I got a canon-fired tee shirt at a Diamondbacks game that I have always worn inside out because I can't stand the team.  But by god it's a free shirt![/quote]

Oh, don't get me wrong.  If a shirt lands in my lap, I'll keep it and wear it.  I have a Polaroid shirt that I got outside a Virginia Tech football game because someone handed it to me in one of those super-compressed wad packaging.  But I'm not going to expend energy cheering or jumping up and down and waving at the t-shirt canon tool.  I even have a Florida Everblades shirt that they gave jmh and I for agreeing to push each other around the ice in a recliner.  But I did that for fun, not the free shirt.  A free hat, however...

Free Hat! Free Hat!

[RichH]

Thanks to Guns N' Roses, we all get free Dr. Pepper.  Coupon available on Sunday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081120/ap_en_mu/guns_n_roses_dr_pepper

[French Rage]

[quote KeithK][quote RichH]I was having a conversation with a friend about this yesterday.  She reminded me to go to Starbucks for the free coffee.  When I told her that I didn't like coffee, her reply was, "but...it's free!"  "Yeah, they could be giving out free kicks to the head.  I still don't want one."  It's a funny aspect of our  society.  So obsessed with getting something...anything for nothing.  I always laugh at the people at sporting events who frantically wave their arms trying to get the sponsored t-shirt cannon to fire their way. They could be giving out bags of poop, and there would still be people climbing over each other to get one.[/quote]
I always knew you were un-American Rich!  Free stuff is free!  I got a canon-fired tee shirt at a Diamondbacks game that I have always worn inside out because I can't stand the team.  But by god it's a free shirt!

(To some degree I agree with you.  But if the free thing has at least some utility for you and you don't have to put much effort to get it then it makes sense to go for it.  It's a net positive.)[/quote]

I think it's more winning the competition against other spectators for whatever is thrown.  For example, the candy at hockey games in near worthless, but I'd rather be the guy who got the worthless candy than the guy who lost out to the person next to me for it.  (Actually, I don't think I ever got the stuff thrown by the scoreboard people or the bears, but I occasionally got the candy thrown by Jim.  Thanks Jim!)

[judy]

I think everyone missed posting the Denny's free grand slam day today.

Upcoming:
February 24, 2009 7am-10pm - IHOP National Pancake Day.
http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/
One free short stack

[Josh '99]

[quote judy]I think everyone missed posting the Denny's free grand slam day today.[/quote]I wouldn't say I've been MISSING it, Bob.

[judy]

Reminder bump on the IHOP free shortstack tomorrow.

[judy]

This year's Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day is April 21, 2009. That would be next week.

http://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops/feature/free-cone-day/

[Chris '03]

Free cookie at subway tomorrow for tax day.  
http://calendar.boston.com/boston-ma/events/show/86360265-subway-free-cookie-day