Justin Case: This'n'That;May 26th[ACORN;HomeDepot;EmpireCollege]

ACORN-Thorough Teacher

[Fluffy obama, as a community agitator for ACORN, learned their lessons well. As does ACORN-reducing the electorate's Constitutionally guaranteed choices of representation, Der Fluffmeister put pressure on Steve Israel not to oppose Senator Gillibrand of New York in her upcoming primary. Apparently "Chuckie-Cheese" Schumer wasn't successful in his pressure of Israel. Being a DINO, I don't give a crap who the democRATs run-or if they run any opposition to Gillibrand, but the Constitution guarantees the voting public the RIGHT TO CHOOSE!! Gillibrand has already proven she's suffering from a depletion of calcium-SHE HAS NO SPINAL COLUMN!! In the House of Representatives, she was infavor of lawful gun possession. About twenty minutes after she was chosen to fill the {very wide} senatorial seat held by Hillary Rob'em Clinton, she mysteriously converted to "Chuckie-Cheese's" way of thinking!!]

If a strongly-worded recommendation from Chuck Schumer wasn't enough to discourage Congressman Steve Israel from challenging Kirsten Gillibrand in next year's Democratic primary for Senate, party brass brought in the big boss to make sure he knew how serious the sentiment was. Israel announced that he had decided not to run yesterday shortly after receiving a call from Fluffy obama. Israel said, "When (the president) asked me to take a leadership role in fighting for his agenda, I wasn't about to say no. He believes that at this critical time...that party unity is important." Carolyn Maloney may be next potential challenger pushed to the side, but it doesn't appear that there is any sign of retreat from Gillibrand's most visible foe since entering the Senate, Carolyn McCarthy. She may also have to face labor activist Jonathan Tasini, who told Politico, "Had the party leadership sought to “clear the field” in 2008 and control a vigorous debate about the direction of our party and our country, Fluffy obama would not be president today."

Home Depot Sucks!

[Long before I had my run-in with Home Depot's version of "customer service," I held that opinion! I was an over-the-road truck driver for years; for several of those years, I was an owner-operator {Owner-operators own their own tractors, many pull the company's trailers}. During that time, I needed some steel to make repairs on my battery box. I {sadly} chose Home Depot, primarily cuz they were the closest. As I approached SEVERAL EMPLOYEES, they all either turned their backs on me or gave me incorrect directions, OR BOTH!! After nearly an hour searching, I found what I needed, paid, and left Home Depot-FOREVER!! Since then I've become a delivery driver for their main competition-Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse. Lowe's is unique to the entire retail industry in their interpretation of "customer service!!" Lowe's policy is to "never point" but to walk the customer to their desired item. As a delivery driver, I spend very little time in the store, hence I know very little about the placement of the various products in the store-but even so, I walk the customer to the item they're searching for {and bless 'em, they follow me around the store while I'm attempting to help them with my limited knowledge}.]

Home Depot Inc., the largest home-improvement chain in the U.S., is waiting to see if its latest attempt to improve customer service pays off. All 300,000 employees took a mandatory crash course in helping customers earlier this year. The company is also on a two-year push to improve merchandising and modernize distribution. In the University of Michigan’s customer satisfaction survey, Home Depot comes in last place among specialty retailers. Any plan to improve will have to overcome economic challenges, said Laura Champine, an analyst with Cowen & Co. in New York. The recession is in its 17th month and the U.S. housing market is in its worst slump since the Great Depression. Home Depot forecasts a 9 percent sales drop in 2009. Lowe’s reported first-quarter earnings today that topped analysts’ estimates as it curbed discounts and boosted sales of more profitable plants and flowers. Home Depot reports first- quarter results tomorrow.

Empire College-Proposed Move

Empire State College's Genesee Valley Center is planning to move from North Winton Road in Irondequoit to a new, 30,000-square-foot building on the edge of the Monroe Community College campus in Brighton. Two committees of the Monroe County Legislature will review the lease agreement for the two-acre parcel where the new building will be located. Empire State College would build and own the facility; the county holds the land in trust for MCC. The full legislature is expected to vote on the lease at a June meeting. If approved, construction of the $9.5 million, three-story building could start in the spring of 2010 and the new center could be open in the fall of 2011, said Empire State College spokesman Kirk Starczewski. The Genesee Valley Center opened in 1972 on Prince Street in Rochester and relocated to 1475 N. Winton Road in 1999. The State University of New York's Empire State College has 35 locations across the state, including seven regional centers. It was founded in 1971 and focuses on academic programs for working adults.