Company hopes hot dogs will spark investors’ interest

Grumpy Editor figures the PR meeting, after a stirring discussion, probably concluded with something like this:

“Hot dog!” exclaimed the boss, emphasizing those words with his fist pounding on the conference table.  “Let’s do it.”

So next Monday through Wednesday, Famous Uncle Al’s Hot Dogs & Grille, Inc. --- which will be exhibiting at the Las Vegas Money Show --- will be passing out 5,000 coupons good for free hot dogs to visitors passing by its booth.

The coupons will be redeemable at any of three Famous Uncle Al’s eateries in Sin City and one in Phoenix.

“Distributing 5,000 free hot dog coupons is a great way to introduce many of the attendees to our product,” says president Dean Valentino, president of the franchise operation based in Danbury, Conn.

Yes, there really was an Al who started things.  From Brooklyn, he opened the first Famous Uncle Al's Hot Dog restaurant in 1985. 

Up to 12,000 attendees are expected at the Money Show that will showcase various opportunities for investors.

Grumpy Editor’s end-of-week leftover notes:

Confusing time:  Wall Street Journal stories now use day of the week (i.e. Friday for the current issue) rather than the traditional today…More confusion:  Two separate stories on Monday gave contrary reports of western mountain snowpacks.  The Los Angeles Times raised fears of water rationing in California communities with a piece about a bleak snowpack report raises “strong possibility of water shortages” while a wire story reports Colorado mountain snow is the deepest in 25 years…It was refreshing to see a master showman via vintage TV clips with “Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music” on the TCM channel last Sunday.  Footage was from 1965-1966 telecasts, complete with modernistic sets and a roomful of musicians.  Noteworthy for today’s singers to observe, Sinatra held the microphone 12 to 15 inches from his lips, rather than the current method of bumping it under the nose…What struggling economy?  NBC-TV is informing deep-pocket advertisers that running a 30-second commercial during next year’s Super Bowl will cost $3 million…A new (at least for mainland residents) word for Hawaii’s volcanic smog when it is mixed with dust and sunlight is vog.  It stems from sulfur dioxide from the Big Island’s Kilauea volcano which has been erupting since 1983… Future journalists hit:  A planned shuffling of schedules at Newton, Mass. middle schools would eliminate journalism classes at one middle school that produces award-winning The Daytime student newspaper.  However, all four Newton middle schools will offer Chinese language courses next year.