Ron & Jen’s Great Escape, May 24, 2023 – Ron St. Pierre and Jen Brien

Stop N Shop ticks me off!

I thought it was pretty bad that grocery stores are screwing us as if we didn’t know. Shrinking packages, but charging more. Double and triple charging us for things you can get way, way cheaper at Walmart or Market Basket (and this is true for many items).

Everything at their deli requires a small bank loan, and forget steak tips. Once a month I’d treat myself. Now, you pay $25 for tiny fat laden slices, and if you’re lucky you’ll get super brown meat, ready to spoil, at a discount. Drives me bananas, folks. They make $15.2 BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY. Don’t know if that’s a lot to them, but it seems like a lot. We are talking BILLIONS.

IN ANY EVENT – we now get to the heart of today’s column. 

On April 30th, they have started charging 10 cents for brown paper bags. It’s not enough that they are making MILLIONS MORE for the suits that run the show. It’s not enough that we consumers are struggling to live and PAY FOR everyday living. Now, we are asked to pay for bags that used to be part of the deal. I spend $100 on 6 items from your store, you bag my 6 items with free bags provided at checkout. Well, not anymore. 

You know, when I was a kid, my mom would take me to ALMACS, and we had 2 huge shopping carts full of food and she’d have her S&H GREEN STAMPS BOOKS and her thousands of packages in free brown paper bags as we packed up her orange Cougar at the end of the trip. All told, she probably paid $120 at the time, but the food lasted for at least 2 weeks with 3 kids. A bargain back then for sure. I know, I know, cost of living increase and the economy has changed. I’m hip to that fact, but back then you’d get a box of cereal. Not a half box. Back then FAMILY SIZE was really family size, and you got what you paid for. 

At the end of Mr. Mom, one of my favorite movies, the owner of “Schooner TUNA” reduced the price of his cans by 50 cents to help people along during bad economic times. Howard Humphreys was the CEO of that company and said his company had “a heart”.

Does anyone care about us out here?

What company has a “HEART”? 

Why are you thumping us, while we are already down? It’s bad enough, I have to pay for “air” in my tires. I remember when that was free too. 

Unbelievable. That’s my rant this week. 

Maybe next week I’ll spare you all – and lighten it up. 

Nah. I’d be faking it if I did that AND BESIDES, writing about unicorns and rainbows is lame.

Speaking of rainbows, next month is Pride. How come we Vets get one day, but they get a WHOLE MONTH. Just asking for a friend.

Till next week my friends,

Jen

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LOST MOJO

We all know we should eat better and exercise more, so why aren’t more of us doing it? A poll for the World Cancer Research Fund asked 2,000 adults what’s stopping them from leading a healthier lifestyle. When asked what’s keeping them from eating a healthier diet and working out more often, 35% claim they feel “too tired.” 38% blame it on lack of motivation. Only 25% say there’s nothing preventing them from making healthy lifestyle changes. Other reasons include:

The cost of food – 30%

Lack of time – 26%

Work/life balance – 25%

Lack of confidence – 12%

So, if you’re one of those who have their Mojo, you’re not the Lone Ranger. There’s always tomorrow!

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POTENTIAL STINKBURGER

Early reviews of INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY which premieres June 30^th aren’t great. Digital de-aging of now 80-year-old Harrison Ford to make him look like the Indiana Jones of 1981’s RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARC are clunky and creepy at best. The first 25 minutes of the movie features the digital effects which look good in a still shot but apparently provide a lifeless face that casts little to no emotion. Much of the opening 25 minutes are shot in darkness and fog, just to help out. A VARIETY review asks is there is such a thing as “too old to be de-aged?” After all, the human body certainly navigates physical actions differently at age 80 than at age 40. Will it kill this summer blockbuster’s ticket sales? Of course not, as it plays to ardent fans of the franchise. Hey, it’s got to be better than 2008’s Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, right?… well…

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I’M FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND I’M HERE TO HELP

The Agriculture Department could be moving to ban chocolate milk from school cafeterias! The USDA just closed a public comment period on changes in long-term school nutrition standards to cut down on added sugars in school lunch and breakfast programs. The agency says the aim is to “reduce exposure to added sugars and promote more nutrient dense unflavored milk.” The USDA is leaning towards limiting the amount of chocolate and strawberry flavored milk in high schools and banning it completely in elementary and middle schools. Fortunately for kids, many of the public comments remind the USDA that flavoring is the only reason most kids drink milk… duh.

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Read all of Ron & Jen’s columns, here: https://rinewstoday.com/ron-jens-great-escape-may-10-2023-ron-st-pierre-and-jen-brien/

Ron St. Pierre is a veteran broadcaster whose career has spanned over four decades. Ron has programmed, performed on and managed WHJJ, WPRO, WWRX, 790 The Score in Providence, as well as WBZT and WKGR in West Palm Beach and WABC in New York City. Ron also anchored sports on WPRI Ch 12 in Providence. He is a member of both the Rhode Island Radio and Television and the City of Pawtucket Halls of Fame. He was born and raised in Pawtucket.

Jen Brien has over 20 years of radio broadcast experience having hosted shows on WPRO and WHJJ with Ron as well as her own shows on WRKO and WBZ in Boston, WXTK on Cape Cod and WHAM in Rochester, New York. Jen was born and raised in Woonsocket and served six years in the Army MP Canine Unit.

Hazel, Ron’s dog, makes regular appearances.

“Ron and Jen’s Great Escape” podcast, a more lighthearted look at the events happening around us, can be found on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts, with new episodes premiering each Wednesday and listen to Ron and Jen’s Great Escape on NewsRadio 920 and 104-7 FM, Saturday morning, 7am!