Man thinks looking like Jordan worth millions
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Now I?ve found a lawsuit that I feel comfortable in saying is the most ridiculous lawsuit on earth. It?s from an Oregon man who says he?s been cursed with a face that looks remarkably similar to Michael Jordan?s. Even though the man, Allen Heckard, admits the similarity is pretty cool, he?s still suing Jordan and shoe company Nike for ?pain and suffering? and the ?defamation? he has endured because of the likeness.
The man is seeking $416 million from both Jordan and Nike. He says he came up with that figure because he claims he is confronted almost daily by people who ask if he?s Michael Jordan. And those questions have caused emotional hardship worth $832 million.
What I can?t grasp is how Michael Jordan, or Nike, are in any way responsible for the way Heckard looks. To have a legitimate lawsuit, there has to be some form of negligence or wrongdoing and there?s no proof Heckard and Jordan have ever even met.
Based on the side-by-side photos below, it appears Heckard is trying to copy Jordan?s look more than anything. If it?s so emotionally traumatic to look similar to Michael Jordan, why doesn?t Heckard grow some hair, lose the earring, and do something different with his moustache.
As for other news of the odd, strange and curious nature, I wanted to bring you a Business Pulse update. You may recall it was several months ago I wrote about Kyle MacDonald, the man who was trying to trade a large, red paperclip until he received a house in return. I?m now pleased to report MacDonald was given that house.
The amazing feat shows MacDonald actually found a better use for a paperclip than MacGyver.
The 26-year-old Internet trader from Montreal finally pulled off the stunt on Wednesday when it was agreed he would receive an 1,100-square-foot home from the town of Kipling, Saskatchewan. MacDonald and his girlfriend plan to move there in September.
The small town agreed to the deal as a publicity stunt with the hopes it will draw tourists to the area. Said MacDonald, ?It will literally put them on the map.?
MacDonald originally traded his paperclip for a fish-shaped pen. Then his trading went in this order: a ceramic knob, a camping stove, a generator, a beer keg and Budweiser sign, a snowmobile, a trip to the Canadian Rockies, a supply truck, a recording contract, a year?s free rent in Phoenix.
Disregarding sound economic sense, MacDonald traded the year?s rent for an afternoon with rocker Alice Cooper. Then in a move that really confused his blog readers, MacDonald bartered time with Cooper for a snow globe depicting the band Kiss. The town of Kipling then traded MacDonald the house for the globe in a rather one-sided deal.
Believe it or not (and I?m finding this hard to believe), there is apparently a movie deal in the works to tell MacDonald?s story. Don?t ask me how someone will be able to make a 90-minute movie from the seven paragraphs I have just written about some Internet weirdo. If the movie should do well, I guess it will prove people will watch anything.
And to bring a close to this week?s introduction, I want to provide this public service announcement. For all the folks out there who have a really fast lawnmower, there is finally a competition for you.
Lawnmower racing will take place this coming Saturday, July 22, at the Grundy County Fairgrounds in Tracy City. The gates open at 3 p.m. and races start at 6 p.m.
It may not be Daytona but organizers promise a night of fun that will still allow you to make your house payment next month. It?s being touted as a real mowdown on the mountain.
This is information I felt compelled to pass along because so seldom does an event of this magnitude take place so close to home. Personally speaking, if guys want to ride around on lawnmowers, I wish they would do so in my yard.
Mt. View Cemetery has a new owner
When it comes to business opportunities, owning a cemetery isn?t something that pops in my mind. But when you think about it, a cemetery is probably one of the safest business ventures around, at least until the medical world comes up with a cure for death.
Scottie Keel, of McMinnville Lawn and Garden fame, has been around cemeteries since he was a teen. As a lawn care professional, cemeteries provide a good deal of work during the summer.
?The first thing I ever mowed for money was Liberty Cemetery,? said Scottie. ?I?ve always been interested in cemeteries and keeping them looking nice.?
It was through his mowing business Scottie came to know longtime Mt. View Cemetery owner Fox Moffitt. When Scottie learned Fox was thinking about getting out of the business, he expressed interest. After some discussion, a deal was finally laid to rest.
Scottie does, however, want to clear up one misconception.
?I?ve had some people ask me why I bought this property because they thought it was filled up,? said Scottie. ?It?s not even close to being full. I have 9 acres and about 6,000 more lots that are available. There?s enough space left to last probably for the next 60 years.?
Scottie owns the cemetery with his wife, Margia, and his son, Zachary. They have hired Josh Moore as the cemetery manager and he?ll be on the property daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Scottie says the plans are to begin selling stones to move toward ?one-stop shopping? when it comes to your burial needs.
?We don?t want to change too much right off the bat,? said Scottie. ?Right now the goal is to make it look better and I know we can do that.?
For anyone who would like more information about lots available at Mt. View Cemetery, located on Mountain Street, the phone number is 473-7332.
Kirby and Hale to build new shopping center
The empty lot located next to Eckerd is best known as a gathering place for political signs. But in the coming weeks, developers Jewell Hale and Bobby Kirby will begin construction on what will be McMinnville?s newest shopping center.
The plans call for a 4,000-square-foot building that will likely feature four, 1,000-square-foot spaces. However, that plan could be modified.
Bobby told me he already has one of the spaces leases and that spot will belong to ? drumroll, please ? Cash Express. OK, so that announcement didn?t require a drumroll. In fact the only businesses that seem to be thriving in this town are all the stores that offer high-interest loans. They?re everywhere. I guess there?s money to be made by offering loans at 370 percent interest.
I?m not going to say any more about Cash Express other than to say that business has signed a lease for 1,000 square feet in the building. The remaining 3,000 square feet can be grouped together or leased separately. Bobby said he hopes to have the building ready by January or February.
Title Max buys building in Northgate Shopping Center
Here we go with another high-interest loan business moving to McMinnville. Savannah, Ga.-based Title Max has purchased the building in the front corner of Northgate Shopping Center called Northgate Manor.
Since you can no doubt tell I?m not a fan of these high-interest loan businesses, I don?t want to say any more about Title Max. What I do want to accomplish is to dispel a few rumors.
?It?s not going to be a Ruby Tuesdays,? said Libby Bewick, who previously co-owned the building with her husband, Kent, and Butch and Lynn Bullen. ?I?ve heard some crazy thing.?
Dr. Bewick?s dental practice is the only business which is staying put. It will remain at its familiar location on one end of the building. However, Title Max will fill the rest of the space.
Former Outdoor Shop spot is divided and conquered
When the Outdoor Shop left Northgate Shopping Center, there was one big hole to fill. So shopping center owner Harold Martin decided to divide that large space into six smaller spaces and what a plan that turned out to be. Four of those six spaces are now leased and the two that aren?t leased aren?t finished.
Nationwide Insurance has taken one of the window spots after being located at Northgate Manor for 23 years. ?We figured this was the best move to allow us to stay in this area,? said agent Butch Bullen.
OK, so insurance isn?t the most exciting Business Pulse topic so I also talked to Butch about another of his businesses, the Baskin-Robbins located at Northgate Shopping Center. Butch says he?s still trying to sell the ice cream shop and believes he has the perfect combination.
?Some people have been asking me about putting a Quiznos on one side of it,? said Butch. ?If someone is serious about doing that, it?s something that can be done. They can give me a call and I can help them do it.?
As you may recall, Butch used to have another sandwich shop, Logan Farms, on one side of the building but he sold that portion of the business several months ago. Butch says Quiznos and Baskin-Robbins are two businesses which are commonly grouped together and he says it makes a successful combination.
For anyone who would like to talk to Butch about ice cream or insurance, his number is 473-3344
New restaurant opens Monday
It used to be Eva?s Restaurant. Then it was a karate studio. Then it was Halftime Sports Bar.
Misty Brumley hopes to stop the revolving door and become a permanent fixture on Sparta Highway with her new restaurant called Misty?s Place. When she opens tomorrow morning, Misty?s Place will be open seven days a week from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. In other words, if it?s time to eat, you can pretty much count on Misty being open.
?We have 12 employees and we have all the hours covered,? said Misty. ?I think we?ll do well. We?ve already had a bunch of people stopping to ask what this place is going to be next.?
Misty says she wants to be known for her steaks, catfish and shish-ka-bobs. But she has a full menu of everything and by that I mean everything.
The breakfast menu includes omelets, pancakes, waffles, and 10 different biscuits. There will be three types of gravy ? sausage, tomato and chocolate ? offered every day.
There are salads, plate lunches, sandwiches, and dinners that are served with a salad and baked potato. There?s even BBQ and fried bologna.
Misty has two partners, her mother Sharon Mason and Kenneth Nuss. Her mother used to operate the Doyle Cafe and Misty has been anxious to open her own restaurant all her life.
She?s done a good deal of remodeling inside and the place really looks clean. Unfortunately, the outside isn?t as immaculate as the inside and I hope that doesn?t prevent people from stopping in to give Misty?s food a try. The phone number for take-out orders is 474-2721.
That?s all folks
Let me know your business tips by giving me a call at 473-2191.