Amanda is an awesome person

I am frequently inspired by Amanda. Here's one example:

Amanda is extremely busy preparing for finals for her last semester in law school. She is working part time, volunteering with multiple orgs, helping my business, and interviewing for other jobs. She rarely gets enough sleep and I know that her workload has been immense.

Even with all that, she decided to organize a dinner for the cleaning staff at the law school. These fifteen or so people come every evening and work till around midnight vacuuming, sweeping, etc. Most law students don't even acknowledge their existence. Tonight Amanda honored their work by providing a tasty tamale dinner.

banana response

Yesterday I posted an open letter regarding Del Monte's packaged bananas but apparently I emailed the wrong Del Monte. Here is the response:

Dear Truman,

Thank you for your e-mail about packaged bananas.

The story you are referring to involves Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc, not Del Monte Foods. Del Monte Foods is one of the USA's largest producers, distributors and marketers of premium quality branded consumer foods and pet products. Our line of processed fruit products includes canned fruits, as well as premium processed chilled fruit sold in the produce section of your store. For a full list of our chilled fruit products, visit http://www.delmontechilledfruit.com/fruit-products/

Del Monte Foods is not affiliated with Fresh Delmonte, a company that markets fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and fresh produce under the Del Monte brand. The product you contacted us about is not made by our company, but instead is a product of Fresh Del Monte. Their website is www.freshdelmonte.com, and their contact information is:

Del Monte Fresh Produce Co.
P.O. Box 14922 2
Coral Gables, FL 33114-9222

email: Contact-US-Executive-Office@freshdelmonte.com
Consumer toll free number: 1-800-950-3683

I appreciate the opportunity to respond and hope this information is helpful.

Cathy, Del Monte Foods Consumer Affairs

Open Letter to Del Monte: Why you are no longer top banana

Thanks to Adventures in Denver (aka Amanda) for this bit of news regarding Del Monte's plan to sell packaged individual bananas. Oh and did you know that this move is being touted by the company as green? You can read blatant attempt at doublespeak in an article posted by Daily Mail. The only thing green about this bogus new plan is the banana itself. Ahem,

I'm writing in response to the unveiling, or should I say the repackaging of your flagship product, the banana. I won't bore you by stating facts that you already know, that the banana comes off the tree clad in a perfect wrapper already, etc.

What is upsetting is that you are touting this wrapper as green. It's not green, it's wasteful and unnecessary. Telling us, your consumers that it's green is simply insulting because it implies that we're stupid.

Selling bananas at gyms and gas stations is a great idea. But please don't  waste this planet. Please consider a return to naked fruit.

When you do, I'll consider buying your brand of products again.