A Visit from the Tire Fairy

Or Guardian Angel (?) visited, in the form of my Brother in Law for Christmas.

OK, it has been one of my regular bits of Social Commentary;  Where was the Private Enterprise Tire Fairy to keep my (absolutely necessary) vehicle in a safe operable condition?  I knew they were dubious, but at $80 (each), well, it's hard to accumulate that much cash.

I've been provide for, problem solved, a very merry Christmas.

I'm VERY HAPPY. 

I'll just have to find something else to complain about.

Thanksgiving at the American Legion

Well, I got though the November Meeting (Tuesday , November 20) without getting in trouble. 

Thanksgiving dinner with the guys... Sort of.

Honestly, the post is the ONLY voluntary organization around here making an actual effort to help the Homeless Veterans in NW Arkansas, and a very creditable effort it is.

Meanwhile, I sat next to two typical members.  Their first conversational offering was, "Did you see that ad where Obama is planning a Third Term."  (Various clueless comments).  (Myself keeping vewy, vewy quiet);  Then, "The UN (and Obama) are going to Take Our Guns!"  You would think they would understand when they are being propagandized with unsubstantiated (And Obviously False) rumors. 

It's their desire to find fault with President Obama and any part of his agenda that I find so disturbing.

And "Hobby Lobby is Going to Close because they couldn't get a waiver from Obamacare."

Oh, BTW, I later overheard part of a discussion that an AK-47 or AR-15 is not really a very practical or useful tool for Deer Hunting. 

At least I had a nice Thankgiving Dinner.

Walmart Self Checkout

Well, it's official;  Walmart now expects everyone shopping after 10:30 PM to self check out.  This is going to save them so much money.  Of course, the people who worked there now will increasingly not even get their 26 hours.  But that is merely a happy side effect for the plutocrats.

The three times I have used the "New" system (Same old self check stands, they are just closing the manned checkout positions).  So what if I have to wait while families with cart loads of groceries navigate the process.  Like those endless customer service phone trees. my time has no value.  So each of the three experiences so far has taken an extra twenty minutes.

Romeney's Lies Exposed

From the New York Times:

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/liberty-to-lie/

I might also mention middle class angst, one commentator complained about them being disengaged, but really, they are complicit and form a large sector of the R/R base.

Many of them are so poorly misinformed by the Ministry of Truthiness (aka Fox News) that they do not realize the very things they fear, Job Loss and Income erosion, are largely the creation of the people behind the curtain.

Suburban Sprawl, the heartland of R/R (Ryan's district is really a middle ground suburb between Chicago and Milwaukee) is it is a low information intellectual wasteland.  They expect all their Children to go to College, with very little comprehension of the nature of intellectual endeavor.  It's all about passing the tests.  Don't confuse us by asking us to learn any facts or connect the dots, we just want to know what is on the magic test we need to pass to have a nice life.

And all those inconvenient poor people, well, give them a bus ticket somewhere else.

What the Election is About (2012)

Krugman & His commentators (637) summed it up (10/28/12)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/opinion/krugman-medicaid-on-the-ballot.html?ref=opinion

Following that one, please read the column by Bill Keller, about the "Lack" of an agenda.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/opinion/keller-the-no-agenda-myth.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fopinion%2Findex.jsonp

We have been so poorly served by the mainstream media this election cycle, and it has become impossible to contest the lies from the Ministry of Truthiness. 

It's enough to make me believe in conspiracy theories.

Wallmart Wage Theft (Chicago)

No surprise there, Wall Mart is being sued over wage theft in Chicago.

I heard it on NPR, a short article in the New York Times (October 22, 2012).

This pattern of behavior is DEEPLY embedded in the corporate culture, if you can squeeze a couple of percentage points out of your labor, that goes straight to the bottom line.  And these are the Minimum Wage/Barely above people, who have least experience fighting these pressures. 

It's what made The Great Satan (of Retail) the dominant force it is.

McDonalds & Public Space

OK, I really don't want to sit there tonight, it's like they are an arm of the Ministry of Truth (You MUST watch Fox News...).  I think it has been over a month since I have stopped there. 

Just accidentally caught a sound bite this afternoon of John Boehner whining about Obama's lack of "Leadership" re the "Fiscal Cliff" and "Sequestration";  Had to comment that hey, he created these problems.  Forgot to check if the agreement was that, yes, it was the Tea Party ideologues (Boehener, et. al.) who created these problems, or the Ministry of Truth has brainwashed them, and it must be Obama's fault.

Not sure if I want to know the answer. 

And a Wall Street Journal Editorial by Phil Gramm (Today, 10/18/12) about how the election might be tipped by people so comfortable with their entitlements, that they are "satisfied" with the Presidents leadership.  Or something like that, like the Financial Crisis (Deregulating fool) doesn't have anything to do with the growth in the use of Food Stamps, etc.

Oh yeah, and I was reading about the economic background of Hitler's political rise last night (Tooze, Wages of Destruction).  Austerity didn't work then, so why would it work now? 

Just rocking in my hammock.

MTG Anniversary

Playing Magic

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to play in the Magic: The Gathering Anniversary Event;  Free, you started with one Booster and three of each basic land, players were matched in the second round, winners receiving an additional booster to play with, losers (Who played each other) did not.  Well, got skunked (2-0) in the first round, my opponent had two card advantage cards he successfully played against me (two in the first game, only one in the second).  But my second round opponent had an even worse draw, and I beat her, 2-0.  My third match (with two boosters) was another 2-0 disaster, I just don’t play enough to know how to weed/tune a two booster deck.

It was a FREE event.  So I got to play a bit and picked up some new cards.  My only complaint, after the tournament was over, everyone put away their new cards, and brought out their tournament decks again. 

Public Space

OK, maybe not the most relevant thing to be writing about on 9/11.  But....

There really isn't much around here. 

Oh, there is a normal assortment of public parks and a couple of public gyms/recreation centers.  But that is about it.  It just feels like there isn't any.  I had this problem a couple of years ago, looking for a space to organize a wargames group.  In fact, that was one of the major complaints of the people who did show up, that I could not find any space besides the public library, where we were kicked out promptly at 8:45. 

The number one request at the "Adult Wellness Center" (Gym for the over 50) is that there be longer hours.  Especially Saturday (Open 8:00 to 12:00 noon);  Just isn't enough city money for it is the story.

Of course, they did issue ($$$$$) in bonds to build a shiny new Sports Complex and Aquatics center, opening next summer.  Which will have to be staffed and maintained. 

And, McDonalds does not even provide a "shared" newspaper any more. Needless to say, I drink far less coffee in the mornings there.  Yes, I could buy one if I had the extra $1 every morning. Which I don't, which is why I used to like to sit there in the morning and drink coffee. 

Once Upon a Car by Bill Vlasic (Review)

Once Upon a Car by Bill Vlasic

New York, William Morrow, 2011. 

Ho Hum, a business reporter writes about the recent near-death experience of the Big 3 (Ford, GM and Chrysler).  Actually, it is pretty through, flawed because it mostly focused on personalities and executive decisions surrounding the bailout, bankruptcy and reorganization.

My biggest complaint is, there is no real background about the Automobile business in North America.  Even short appendices about the "other" players (Toyota, Honda, etc) would have been very helpful in understanding how we reached that crisis. If you are going to write an industrial survey, please give me an overview of the entire Industry.  If it's about numbers, how about a review of them.

Maybe I am too influenced by my recent viewing of the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car' (2005);  GM had the technology, and literally threw it away.   Not even a reference to this as a poor strategic decision.

And the numbers behind the "Stranded Costs" of the US Retiree Health Care that (allegedly) dragged them under.

Wal Mart Sales

Were up a bit this quarter (Same Store Sales);  But the rest of the retail landscape is looking weak, Penney's and Sears are "Dead Men Walking" as far as I can tell.

Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal Friday (8/17/12) about how WalMart is seeing the same kind of "Payday" cycling in it's Foreign stores it already sees here.  Basically, the worlds working stiffs are broke, and have NO bargaining power to gain a bit more pocket money.

Chinese manufacturing

For the last four years I have had a nice little novelty toy item listed as a "Buy it Now" item on ebay;  Averaged about two sales a month at $11.95 each, not to be sneered at.  An extra trip to McDonalds when all is said and done.

BUT, the Importer went out of Stock at the end of May, just when I needed to do a restock.  And while restock was initially promised for the end of this Month (July), has been pushed back to the end of August (at best).  And sales are "seasonal", concentrated in the summer months.

I finally made telephone contact with the product manager, basically he didn't care.  No interest in diversifying the product (It would be nice to have SOMETHING else I could rely on to sell), no interest in holding the Chinese feet to the fire on product appearance or assortment.  Or asking the Chinese (Injection Moulded Plastic- How about new Tools?) to develop new product.  So I'm just kind of hanging in there, waiting for the restock to appear on their website.  With no prospect of "growing" the product line.

Die Cast Vehicles

You know, those $1 shut up toys- Matchbox & Hot Wheels. 

Some basic merchandising comments.

So, I was in GS #1 a couple of weeks ago, and took a cruise through the Toy department;  The Hot Wheels and Matchbox had been marked down to $.88.  I guess this was the end of the Year Merchandise turnover, because what was left (Hot Wheels) ("HW", tm, etc) were a LOT of California Funny Car type items.  Didn't really pay much attention to the Matchbox, other than to note that they had about 25% of the shelf space (Hang Tags?) of the HW.   This evolution (The loss of Merchandise space for the Matchbox) was observed last year;  We're talking the #1-75 (Basic 3" "Shut up" toy) range here. 

This week, it looks like the new Merchandise is in;  Very disappointing, the HW are entirely dominated by California Kustom Kar stuff.  And the Matchbox is only slightly better, a few Trucks, etc, but no vehicles based on Brand Name- some kind of "Urban Wrecker" vs the old GMC Tow Truck, etc.  hat happened to "nameplate" models?  Explain to the manufactures that it is not a "revenue" source, but free advertising.

Let's see if I can summarize:

1. Nothing but WEIRD things in the Hot Wheels.

2. Matchbox only slightly better.

3. Maisto has appeared at a slightly lower price point, as the only thing resembling a prototype line.

4. Matchbox was supposed to be more "Prototype" oriented (Personal communication, ten years ago?). Matchbox ALWAYS outsold Hot Wheels in the "Rest of the World."   Matell seems intent on destroying what was a great global brand.  Kids want cars and trucks to play with.  Or at least my nephews did when they were younger.  Maisto (?) seems to have an equal amount of shelf space (Hang Tags) as Matchbox for their three inch vehicles at Walmart;  A much more "Prototype" range, based on real vehicles.

Games: Empire Builder

Well, I got to play Empire Builder for the first time in Three or Four months last weekend (June 9th);

See my post from last fall about the subjcet.  It ought not to be an unusuall event...
(See 12/13/11)

Spring has Sprung

So much for the New Year's resolution.

After an exceptionally mild winter, we have had spring like weather for the last three or four (?) weeks;  Other than the pouring rain starting Monday. 

Just sitting hear listening to the old people talk about how wonderful Rick Santorum is- ughh, no wonder I am depressed.