AlmostEverything

I think the world would be a better place if everyone was required to play ‘dress up’ everyday. In related news: my son is really into dogs, like, really into dogs.

You see, I have a friend, who is a friend of many of you too, that is actually a talented writer and has been trying to get movies done in Hollywood for a decade. So when I see this crap (see below), all I can do is shake my head and try not to cry.

There will be a third Baby Mac entering the world some time this November.

My father’s response: “Boy, you gotta tie a rubber band around that thing!”

The World’s Cheapest Dress?

Update: Best headline I’ve read today, “Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) Headed to Jail, Plans Solo Album and Autobiography”. Busy guy.

If one more person asks me “Is this all you have on sale?”, I’m going to rip their faces off. Happy weekend everyone.

: Everyone should read these two articles in the NYTIMES - Wilting Over Waffles and Why Bother?

: Currently in heavy rotation: Sea Wolf - Leaves in the River, R.E.M. - Accelerate, The Killers - Sam’s Town

: Go vote for Habitat for best shoe store/boutique at KCMAG (under retail section at bottom).

A disturbing trend?

Exxon has been in the hotseat with Congress. Why? Well, for one, thier profits are soaring each quarter into the tens of billions. Secondly, Congress believes that Exxon isn’t reinvesting enough of their profits back into development of alternative energies. Probaby true too.

But as a capitalist (it’s not a bad word), I cringe a little at a company being persecuted and penalized for making a profit. Where do you draw the line? Can you draw the line? If a company is successful, and operating within the law, shouldn’t their profits be as high as they can make them?

And to tell a company how to spend it’s profits? Yikes. Granted, the situation is more complicated with oil companies getting govt subsidies, tax breaks, etc. But for some reason, as a businessman, seeing a company getting nailed to the tree by congress is a little disturbing.

I think about my own industry, and hypothetically, let’s say I owned a shoe company that had a profit of $50 billion last year. Awesome. I was one of 12 companies selling shoes. You needed shoes every week. Shoes become such a hot commodity that investors start speculating the future price of shoes to try and make some scratch. The price of shoes continue to rise. I run a tight ship, so my expertise allows me to make some serious scratch as well.

Then BOOM! Because my company is so profitable, so profitable that it is almost offensive, the govt and public believes that something is wrong. It has to be. It’s just not fair for a company to have so much profit when it’s consumers are spending so much! What? Secondly, congress steps in and threatens me that if I don’t start investing in ways for people not to have to buy shoes, then they will penalize my business. What? What happened to supply and demand?

I have yet to read or hear a good explanation on why gas/petroleum is so expensive. Most of us don’t know. I don’t think it’s just a bunch of old ball dudes sitting around a conference table setting the price.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to see sucessful companies, in any industry, be scapegoated within a much bigger problem. Has the war affected the price of oil? Probably not. It’s supply and demand. Demand is high, supply is low, prices increase.

Basically, I don’t like the government telling companies how much they can make and how to spend. It has happened to railroads. It has happened in technology with anti-trust laws. What’s next, shoes?

In other news: Kanye has a blog and I’m going golfing for three days. See you Monday.

KU wins the Orange Bowl. KU wins the NCAA basketball Championship. What about you Royals? Want to make this a great year for area sports?? About 150 games left.

Articles like this one on chain retailers closing stores to fight bankruptcy can be a little misleading, if not completely false. You can only blame high gas prices, a slowing economy, etc on your business losses. I would love to see the financial statements of the companies the article lists. For some, I bet their market share and revenue have been declining over the last 15 years.

Sharper Image: C’mon. The last time I graced these doors was about 20 years ago because I saw some robotic dog/waiter that I wanted to touch.

Linen N Things: Frrrmmmmpppptt. You got worked by Bed Bath & Beyond about 20 years ago too.

Bombay Co.: You mean the Pier One Imports look-a-like, but just tackier and more expensive?

Foot Locker: Kind of surprising, but I guess Dick’s is ’sticking it to them’. It doesn’t help that their main brands are opening up flagship stores in the same malls.

The media needs to check themselves on why businesses are closing. Even in slow economic times, you can’t forget the number one in retail….competition, and staying relevant.

Later this week I will be defending big oil!!!!

It’s snowing outside. It’s mid-April. It’s snowing outside. It’s mid-April. It’s snowing outside. It’s mid-April.