I agree with most of the commenters of yesterday's post... Good for him.

The reason I brought this topic up was the numerous articles and blogs that I had read that all included comments from various doctors and nutritionists that commented that Wheaties is a far more healthful product than Frosted Flakes, like this and this and this and this and this and this.

Thank you to everybody who expressed their concern.

Before I get into my rant on the Olympics, let me first, the wrap-up my State Fair commentary.

On the last day of the Fair on Sunday, we were able to park 15 cars... the first 13 (my yard's capacity) were parked in about 90 minutes.  All told for the Fair, we parked 128 cars in 11 days, and we increased our revenue by 40%.  State Fair officials reported a 9% increase in attendance, and I think that perfect weather had a lot to do with it.

When My-Sugar-Na returned, I promised her anything she wanted for dinner.  She chose a return trip to the State Fair, so after parking the last blue Nissan Sentra in our garage about 6:00 PM, we headed northeast, knowing that - at best - we had three hours before closing.  With (Sponsor's Name Here)'s Official Son, Mitten and Official Stepdaughter, Sloppy, in tow, My-Sugar-Na had three things in mind for dinner; onion rings, corn and a hamburger.

When we were at the Fair on Thursday evening, we stood in one particular spot and could smell a heavy dose of onions.  We could see Miss Katie's Diner and a sign for onion rings, so we assumed that was the place.  Although the rings from Miss Katie's were good, I think we figured out that the onion smell was coming from Charlie's Italian Sausage stand.  Smelling them, Mitten decided that was his dinner instead of anywhere else.

Next was a stop at the traditional New Berlin Lions Club corn stand... for corn.  Then we made it to the Beef trailer for My-Sugar-Na's hamburger while I had a surprisingly tender ribeye sandwich.  At that point, she said it was time to go.  Mitten and Sloppy were allowed to stay there while we headed home.  While headed out a little after 7:30, and they had stopped selling tickets.  There were still plenty of people at the Fair - with more coming in - and it made me wonder why the Fair ends at 9:00 on the last Sunday.  Would two more hours hurt anyone?  Based on the number of people that I saw, I would tend to think that there would still be money to be made for vendors and restaurants.

All in all, it was a great Fair... for both the residents of the area as well as the folks that brought you the Fair.  Bring on 2009.

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Which brings me to the Olympics.  I could - and want to - go on and on about what is wrong with the Olympics (side note, I still have a week to rant about them, so stay tuned.)  But my biggest complaint is that the Olympics is about anything BUT the athletes. 

I know that NBC spent a kajillion dollars in television rights fees, and a few bazillion more on all of the technical folks and talent to be on-site in Bejing to bring us the sights and sounds.  And sponsors pay untold amounts to be the Official-this or Official-that.  Then you have the equipment providers that want the athletes to win, only so they can say that their equipment was used by the medal winners.  (You may be saying "But Mr. Freemarket, if NBC and Speedo think they can make a buck, what is the problem?")  The problem is that this is an athletic competition.  But that doesn't seem to matter to anybody.

For example, Michael Phelps will win all those medals.  Neither Phelps the person nor any of his dozen competitors even matter... just the "Michael Phelps brand" does;  the world records, Mark Spitz, his mom hugging Cris Collinsworth, etc.  In every one of the races there are from seven to 31 other competitors.  Not one of those other swimmers matter, basically, they are just ballast to the story.  Did, say, the Swiss swimmer have a recent injury to overcome?  Is the Japanese swimmer in Lane 7 upset that in a previous race there might have been some preferential treatment?  We'll never know, because the "Michael Phelps brand" is in the race.

Another big picture example is that in the telecasts, coverage is slanted to only one opponent.  For the Teenage Girls Gymnastics Team event, it was the USA vs. the Chinese.  Period.  Was anyone else competing?  The only way to find out is outcue to commercials, when the graphics of the current standings are shown.  Near the end, NBC showed a graphic that China was leading the USA by one point.  Then during the floor exercise, Johnny Sac's relative choked, and in the final standings the Chinese won by a couple of points.  A graphic then showed that Romania took the bronze medal a full 7-1/2 points back.  The USA teeny-boppers were falling, fouling and dropping all over the place... in terms of covering the event, it sure would have put it in perspective to see how awful those other teams were.  But nope, no objective broadcasting here.  The brand was the super-cute American girls (who weren't expected to win) against those mean, underage Chinese.

When the world stops adoring the Olympics for something its not (an athletic competition) and accepts something it is (a made-for-TV, infomercial), then maybe I can get into watching them.  Until then, I am banished to the bedroom TV waiting for the Brewers to start their west coast games.

No traffic in the neighborhood last night.

But I am intrigued by the scamming of State Fair tickets.

A little backstory... I have spent parts of the past 15 years as what many incorrectly call a "ticket scalper".  In the mid-90s until about five years ago, my good friend (I'll call him Pete) ran a legitimate business called Wholesale Tickets & Tours with his partner Jeff.  Pete is a stand-up guy, but Jeff was always a little shady, and the business collapsed when Jeff died unexpectedly.  As Pete got out of the business, my good friend (I'll call him Scott) basically took his place in the marketplace by starting Brew City Tickets (based in West Allis, by they way).

So having worked with my buddies on the acquisition and sale of tickets (less so in the last few years), I am quite aware of how the business works.  That's why it is so disturbing to find that almost 5000 people have tried to enter the State Fair with used tickets.  For lack of a better term, illegitimate ticket people are hurting those that do this for a living... and do it the right way.

And don't think that any - ANY - venue or promoter doesn't want legitimate ticket brokers.  If Ticketmaster wanted to, they could CRUSH all ticket brokers.  But they don't want to.  In the case of Ticketmaster events, almost all brokers buy tickets from Ticketmaster (either in person or on-line) and Ticketmaster gets their "convenience charge" on every ticket.  They don't always collect that charge if attendees buy their tickets from the box office.  Also, promoters LOVE the buzz of the media when a newspaper story mentions that "Scalpers are getting $400 a ticket".

State Fair is equally complicit.  They get into bed with the Brewers, for example, for marketing tie-ins.  Thousands of other tickets are distributed, and group sales are pushed.  All ticket brokers - real ones and scammers alike - buy State Fair (and Summerfest) group tickets to make a profit.  And State Fair takes their money happily, because that money is important in advance of the event. 

And here is where State Fair folks are in their glory.  They've sold all of these tickets in advance.  They have that money.  Now a few nogoodnicks start screwing around, and now State Fair is telling patrons to only buy from their ticket window.  They are basically trying to sell the same ticket twice.  I would love to be in that kind of business.

Putting my cards on the table, State Fair can do what it wants.  It has the supply - tickets for a ticket only event - and there is demand.  And although it sucks that the legitimate brokers, like Scott, are hurt, they are also parts in the free market cog.  They made a business decision to buy bulk blocks of tickets, and some bad guys are screwing it up for them.  But the blame lies squarely with the morons who are selling already used tickets as new.  They didn't pay anything for the tickets, and they are hurting the ticket brokers.

Feel free to contact Brew City Tickets and help Scott get rid of his inventory that is now poisoned by some crooks.

A record setting day in the mobile child delivery system industry.  22 cars parked beat the record (of 21 cars set yesterday).  However to be fair, My-Sugar-Na and I made more money yesterday, as the "Demand is more than supply" theory set the pricing.  And to prove the free market works, today "Supply was more than demand", so pricing needed to be adjusted accordingly.  However as of tonight, we are 60% of what we made last year, with a full week to go.  My theory that more folks are taking local vacations seems to be bearing out. 

However, I did park two cars with Illinois plates today.  They were both good sports, however, none agreed to pay the "The Cubs can *** my *** tax.  They also wouldn't pay the $20 exit fee to leave my driveway.  Typical Cubs fans.

So my lovely bride and I park 22 cars (with a yard capacity of 12) from 11:00 AM through 6:00 PM, and I fire up the ol' grill for dinner.  We eat, I shower, then flop exhaustedly onto the couch with the intent of flipping mindlessly through the channels, while thinking of how I can get to a craps game with my parking take (before My-Sugar-Na blows it all on bills and school supplies).  The plan was to fall asleep on the couch around 8:00 PM, wake up when the missus goes to bed, then get on-line and make this blog entry. 

I start flipping the channels at 4.  Then 5.  Then 6.  Then I drop my remote control.  There is a camera pointed at some clouds in Green Bay, and within seconds, a private plane lands at Apple Struedel airport.  Brett Favre has made it to terra firma in Wisconsin.  But why in the hell are we now watching his car drive to his house?  Why is the camera in the helicopter (why is there a helicopter?) following Favre's SUV OJ-style until he pulls into his garage.  Did Favre kill his former wife and her current lover?  Does he have a gun to his head?  Does this mean the Houston Rockets are about to win the NBA title this week?

No.  It means three things.  It means that (1) it is raining in Green Bay and they are delaying the start of the Packers Family Night exhibition (which in it self is a reason to be upset... we are missing a Simpsons rerun); (2) that some TV station in Green Bay is justifying the use of their station helicopter, and (3) Brett Favre is God... actually bigger than God, as I don't ever recall a helicopter following God around as he puts the Virgin Mary's face on a tortilla in Mexico.

On Steve's blog, I joked that lots of people are currently better QBs that Favre.  In reality, I contend that CURRENTLY, he barely cracks the Top 10.  Whatever the case may be, I got sick of this drama a month ago while I first saw it while in a hotel room in Albuquerque watching My-Sugar-Na sleep.  Favre is a legend, check.  The Packers believe that Aaron Rodgers in 2008 is a better option than Favre, check.  Favre (whether coerced or not) retired, check.  Favre didn't make it through one off-season before unretiring, check.  Favre will be reinstated into the NFL tomorrow (Monday) morning, check.  Favre either will play the 2008 season for the Packers or not-the-Packers, check.

Everything else is garbage and speculation.

Yesterday, the NFL Network announced that Favre would accept the Packers $20,000,000 bribe personal services contract.  At the same time, ESPN's Ed Werder said that Favre would play again this season.

When the NFL's own mouthpiece can't get it right, you know that nobody knows what the F-bomb is going on.  Now its time to watch Law & Order: Criminal Intent.  Too bad its not a Mike Logan one.

As I stated last year at this time, it was a pleasant surprise that there were no unauthorized cars parked in our driveway when I left for work.  However, I wasn't at work an hour when (Sponsor's Name Here)'s Official Stepson, Grizzly, called and asked if an exhibitor could park in our driveway at no charge.  Since Grizzly has been volunteering with this organization, I had no problem with it.

I don't foresee me being as gung-ho about parking as I was last year.  In hindsight, I spent a whole lot of lonely hours for not much money.  I think timing is more the key.  Sure, my neighbor one door west may sit outside all day long and park two cars, but to me, all day long isn't worth $10.

I have also re-visited my pricing strategy.  When full lots are expected (like both Saturdays, the first Sunday and the second Friday), I will charge the full rate.  But I'll be frshniggled if I sit outside for four hours and not park a car when the guy a block away is filling his lot at the same price.  Clearly, that affords the opportunity for a non-prime (read: El Cheapo) rate.  It may take me 8 or 10 cars at a cheap rate to make the same money I can with 6 cars at full price, but I'd bet that I can get those 10 cars more quickly.

I know a neighbor a few doors down was more than frshniggled last year when I lowered the my rate so I could get out of the sun and humidity.  I portend six days of darts coming out of his eyes.

Another reason for the lack of gunghoedness is because we have some plans over the next week or so that would chew up some prime parking time.  Unfortunately, Grizzly is working at the Fair this year, and (Sponsor's Name Here)'s Official Son, Mitten, also has a job this year so the free labor pool isn't as deep.  I picture coming home from one such event with cars parked on every lawn in the neighborhood... except mine.

But we'll see.  I know that the whole scenario would brighten up with a couple of days of 75 and breezy instead of 85 and humid.

Long version (with photos), see next post. 

Short version, see below...

Thursday - Grayline Downtown loop.  Cool.  Lombardi's.  Where's toppings?  Great crust.  First pizza place in USA.  Gray's Papaya.  Read long version.  Grayline Night Loop.  Way, way cool.  Double decker. Lights. Brooklyn Bridge.  Peep show on walk back to Penn Station?  Nope.  My-Sugar-Na was along.

Friday - Raw windy rainy yukky day.  Statue of Liberty. Not exciting.  Ellis Island. Very interesting.  Too Long.  Tired.  Sore.  Cold.  Wet.  Hungry.  Gray's Papaya.  Read long version.  Dave & Busters is adult Chuck E. Cheese.  Meh.

Saturday - Nice day.  Missed train from Central Islip.  Only 2 hours in Manhattan.  Run, My-Sugar-Na.  Run.  Labor dispute on Grayline bus.  Zip through M&M Store.  Gray's Papaya.  Read long version.  Back to Long Island.  Mr. Uncie's wedding got in the way.  Long ride to boat.  Cold appetizers.  Nice boat ride.  I was Belle of the Ball.  Great time ('xcept for food).  Back to Dave & Busters w/ sorta-sister.  Had foo-foo drink in stem glass.  Stem broke.  Free drink!

Sunday - $70 per couple for Mother's Day brunch?  Back to Manhattan.  My-Sugar-Na.  Shoe blow out.  Payless is there.  New shoes $13.  No tax.  Went to OTB.  Lost $4.  Peed at OTB.  Sopranos tour through NJ worth $44 each.  Pic taken with Vito.  Stood on steps where Christphuh gets shot.  Satriale's torn down.  Will become "Soprano Condominiums".  Had onion rings at Halston's.  Ordered Cookie Dough ice cream at Halston's.  Got vanilla with hint of Oreo.  Sat in Tony's seat at Bada-Bing.  Back to Manhattan.  Top of Empire State Building.  Nice view.  Gotta buy map or audio tour.  Sucks.  But love capitalism.  Carnegie Deli.  One pound Reuben sammich $22.  Finished 3/4 of it.  Back to Long Island.  An hour to pack?

Monday -  Gotta go home.  Last trip on Long Island Railroad.  Bus to LaGuardia.  Plane late.  Will miss connection to Des Moines.  What?  Read long version.  Home at 2:00 PM.  Got dogs from kennel.  $200 for boarding?  Anyone wanna buy a dog or two before July?

Tuesday -  What?  Vacation ended Monday.  Connecting flight to Des Moines the next day.  Why Des Moines?  Read long version.  My-Sugar-Na watching Survivor.  Yawn.  Another Yawn.  Blogging instead.  You're up to date.

Belated Happy birthday Sis, two years younger than me, but somehow she is quite old, while I am quite distinguished... Can someone explain that with the prices of corn and wheat, fuel, steel and copper - as well as a down housing market and scads of homeowners nearing foreclosure - how we aren't headed for a massive recession?... The Michael Buble concert on Tuesday night was way cool... My-Sugar-Na really liked Buble's opening act, Naturally 7, an a capella soul group... Since my January surgery I have been cold a lot... My elbow isn't at 100%, yet (gettin' a little worried), and thanks for asking... Derrick saved the day Wednesday... All four of my kids are well past middle age if they don't get their schtick together... My home computer won't let me blog.  Mark?... Speaking of New York City, I am flying into LaGuardia and staying in Central Islip on Long Island and just learned that Long Island may as well be on a different planet than Manhattan... No, My-Sugar-Na won't let me eat my way through New York; "The Port Authority Bus Terminal is just ONE of the sights I came to see"... I am more excited at going to Albuquerque in July... XM Radio doesn't play enough Metallica, but they are too giddy about U2 and Lenny Kravitz... If NASCAR didn't have sponsorships, left turns or sheep, it would be a park and ride... This is underrated... So is this... Guess what, Time Warner's new Navigator software stinks... Eight more months until Christmas...  The office biddies are fretting about the IBM Selectric that isn't working right, apparently it is 1978 in that end of the office...  In February, I had a trivia question and nobody even hazarded tried to guess the answer of Henry Aaron and Warren Spahn... I couldn't have said it better myself... I broke the driver's seat in my car, I now have a rocking chair... Check the playlist, then get yourself Paul Anka's "Rock Swings" CD... I'd like our dogs better if they didn't bark... The last night of bowling league was last night, I haven't bowled competitively since November and I finally get paid.... Ciao.

I joined my first Fantasy Football League in 1993 (while I was working at the now-evil USBC, then called the American Bowling Congress).  One guy in the league had a wife who owned a business, and his team was named for his wife's business.  Seeing that, when asked what name I wanted, I said that I didn't have a corporate sponsor, yet, so I would take (Sponsor's Name Here).  Nobody much got it then.

Fast forward 15 years, and for a few days last winter, as a gag, I had asked the editor of the MyCommunityNOWs to change my blog name to Tomassino Italia' Presents Michael James' Blog.  It was cute and got a few comments for me, but I don't know if my blog reaches enough people for the full message to sink in.  Now, nobody notices it.

In the span of 15 years, we have gone from a society in which product placement and corporate sponsorship's happened and were a big deal, to a society that doesn't even notice that most school cafeterias get money from Coca-Cola or Pepsi to install a vending machine.

Years ago, TV shows had the corporate sponsors in the name of the show, for example, the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports.  In the '70s, TV movies were often preceded with "Hallmark Hall of Fame Presents:...". 

Remember in 1992, when the Milwaukee Brewers (along with the Montreal Expos and Detroit Tigers) put rotating advertising boards behind home plate in their stadiums?  Such was the outcry!  People were horrified because these stadiums were desecrated with this advertising.  Now, such teams with licenses to print money like the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees also have this type of advertising.  It is so commonplace that the FOX network superimposes advertising in the studio.  At the games, you see a green screen.  On TV, however, might be an advertisement for the all-new Simpsons this weekend.  It is now expected.  Neilson even monitors that.

And stadium naming rights, don't get me started.

When will it end?  At what point will people wake up and see that the world is being overrun by advertising?  Now don't get me wrong... I am all Mr. Free Market, and I wouldn't stop MLB from selling advertising on baseball bats and home plate.  But part of that free market is the possibility of going too far and screwing up a good thing.  Americans (without the help of government) can start fighting back, if they choose, and start boycotting the companies with the offending advertising.

In researching the links, I came across this.  I don't even know what to say, but if this happened four years ago...

Until that point, my blog name - as always - is for sale to the highest bidder.

I will hold my comments to a later post.  I am curious what y'alls think of this (from the Cape Cod Times).

Major League Baseball plays hardball with Cape League

var isoPubDate = 'March 07, 2008'

By Rob Duca

STAFF WRITER

March 07, 2008 6:00 AM

The annual operating budget for the Cape Cod Baseball League is between $1.5 million and $2 million — not much more than the yearly salary of a backup infielder in Major League Baseball.

Yet the volunteer-staffed Cape League and the multimillion dollar MLB are locked in a struggle over money in what could be labeled a David vs. Goliath battle, with the Cape League's $100,000 annual grant from MLB hanging in the balance.

According to Cape League sources, the six teams in the 10-team Cape League that share nicknames with major league franchises are facing a choice: Purchase all future uniforms and souvenir merchandise from more expensive MLB-licensed vendors or lose the annual grant.

MLB is also requesting an 11 percent royalty on sales next summer of existing inventory from the six affected Cape League teams. Non-clothing items such as coffee mugs and teddy bears that are not available through MLB vendors could no longer be sold.

The affected teams are the Chatham A's, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, Harwich Mariners, Bourne Braves, Orleans Cardinals and Hyannis Mets.

All six teams are considering changing their nicknames rather than shutting out local merchants, according to sources. But it is too late to adorn uniforms and merchandise with new logos before the June opening of the 2008 season.

Cape League Commissioner Paul Galop and league president Judy Walden Scarafile refused to comment on the trademark dispute.

Currently, the Cape League purchases a portion of its merchandise and uniforms from local vendors, some of whom also provide sponsorship. Those merchants would be cut out of the new arrangement.

Originally, the Cape League had until 5 p.m. today to sign the agreement. The deadline was extended to March 21, allowing Cape League officials more time to research the issue.

The Cape League hopes to reach a compromise with MLB that will allow local merchants to remain involved in sales of uniforms and other merchandise. The league is also seeking to delay a new agreement until Sept. 1, thus avoiding losing revenue in the 2008 season.

The league also would no longer be allowed to use the MLB logo on its programs and yearbooks. Recently, MLB granted approval for usage of its logo, but that could prove temporary. Originally, the Cape League paid a token $1 fee for use of the logo. That agreement ended more than five years ago.

Negotiations are ongoing. But a source, while hopeful a compromise will be reached, said the league was not going to "roll over" or be "strong-armed" by MLB.

Cape League officials have been told that failure to comply with the terms of the new agreement would place their MLB funding in jeopardy.

MLB has provided an annual grant to the Cape League since the late 1960s, originally contributing $10,000.

Loss of the $100,000 grant would constitute a major hit to a league that relies largely on volunteers, sponsorships and the generosity of local communities. A source said expenses would need to be reduced, and the league could be forced to cut its budget for umpires.

The Cape League has long been a breeding ground for future major league players. There are currently more than 1,000 former Cape Leaguers in pro baseball, including more than 200 playing at the major league level.

MLB has made the same demands to eight other summer baseball leagues to which it has been providing grants. But none of those leagues includes more than two teams with nicknames of major league clubs.

Staff writer Rob Duca can be reached at rduca@capecodonline.com.

In other words, its another Blogger Clip Show.

First, Mary Ann (from a couple of blogs down) blogged that the Pick-N-Save on 67th & National stopped carrying the official West Allis recycling bags.  She writes...

"I walked to the other end of the store where I usually saw the bags stocked. Nothing there. HHMMM! There was a young man stocking so I asked him. He called "someone" in the office and was told that this Pick and Save would NO LONGER be carrying the West Allis recycling bags and would only be carrying the Roundy's brand. I was furious!"

And in a later paragraph "Shame on the new manager at the Pick and Save on 67th and National!  Your decision to stop carrying the 'official' recycling bags was a bad one. If anyone in this area needs the bags, I'm told that Walgreen's carrys them and a small grocery store on 59th and Lincoln. These are the closest stores in the east end of West Allis that has them. I sure hope that this problem can be resolved as I surely don't want to be chasing from store to store to store for the bags. So, dear readers, we'll see what happens. Maybe I'll have to stop shopping at Pick and Save.

On her blog, I responded with...

Why is it up to Pick-n-Save to carry a product because the city has decided to only allow a particular product for its recycling program?  Answer, Pick-n-Save is a business that has every right to (or not to) carry the items that they choose as a business decision.

Your issue is with the city making you buy one particular bag, not with a private business that is in business to make a profit.  A profit which, by the way, allows it to pay TAXES to the city of West Allis, and thereby limiting the property tax increases.

Actually, I applaud Pick-n-Save for their decision.  Besides the fact that I feel that recycling programs are a WASTE of resources and expend more energy than they save, I also feel that governments should stay out of business.  Maybe if more stores stop carrying the blue bags, then West Allis may be dragged into reviewing their onerous recycling policy.

I have my own issues with Pick-N-Save, but this is not one of them.  Way to go, Pick-N-Save.  I am actually going to thank the manager for choosing to carry any product in which they can make a larger profit margin."

Then last night, I was reading Don Walker's blog on the main JSOnline page.  Walker blogged about the pending move of the USBC from Greendale to Dallas.  Although the USBC board voted to move pending the resolution of land and building issues in Dallas, Walker writes...

"The U.S. Bowling Congress' board of directors will meet Monday night to make a final decision on whether to move its headquarters from Greendale to Arlington, Texas.

The organization, the governing body for bowling with a membership of 2.6 million people, is looking to move to Arlington to partner with the Bowling Proprietors Association of America. The USBC is negotiating to buy land and a building near the BPAA in order to create a "bowling campus" for the two organizations.

Since that plan surfaced, the Milwaukee 7, a group formed to grow, expand and attract business to the region, has made a run at keeping the USBC in town. The Milwaukee 7 has since sent the USBC a detailed proposal, which USBC officials said they would review."

On his blog, I responded with...

It's too late to save them.

About five years ago, the USBC was already looking to get out of Milwaukee when central-Flordia was working on a bowling villiage which was to include a stadium for national tournaments and the headquarters for all of the national bowling groups.  That plan never happened, but the Milwaukee-area did nothing to sweeten the pot to prevent the then-ABC/WIBC from continuing to look around.

Last summer, Channel 12 for sure (and possibly Channel 58) had stories about how the new USBC president, Jeff Boje, had planted a seed about the area taxes being too high and that something had to change to help keep the USBC in the area.

That wasn't a trial baloon, that was a warning.  One that was not heeded by the city, county and state leadership.

Those people that are active in the local bowling community saw this happening months ago.  There is no secret that Boje is a proprietor at heart, and he actively stated that the USBC needs to work more closely with the BPAA.  The Dallas area has been rumored almost the entire time.

A couple of months ago, the USBC Board approved the move to Dallas based on getting the land and building issues lined up.

Lo and behold, here are Johnny-come-lately government groups waving their hands and saying "Hey, what about us?"  Where were these guys five or six years ago when Orlando was wooing them?  Where were they last summer when Boje took over?  Nowhere.  Where was their aggressive plan to have the BPAA move to Milwaukee instead?

All the Milwaukee 7 are doing right now are trying to save face.  When their proposal gets the thumbs-down, and when that beautiful building across from Southridge sits empty, the government bodies and the Milwaukee 7 will say 'We gave them a better proposal and the left anyway.  There was nothing else we could do.'

And I'll know the truth.  I'll know they were a year too late. "

Finally, a couple of months ago, Julie from a few more blogs down from mine, had written a blog about the good job done by the city plows.  A week or so later, she followed that up with this, which unfortunately, was prior to the early-February blizzard...

I'm sure you read the response from Boxster.  I, for one, had no idea that the same guys who collect our trash and recycling are also trying to keep up with the plowing.  That just makes me want to give them an even bigger pat on the back.  I watch my maintenance staff out there shoveling until their arms fall off, changing clothes 3 times a day because they are soaking wet with snow, only having to then carry a new dishwasher up a flight of stairs.  I see the hard work and I see others not noticing the hard work.  The city is pretty big.  Just because they aren't on your street right now, doesn't mean they aren't out there working overtime.  What would happen if they weren't out there all all? 

It's impossible for plowing to be perfect with all the factors out of the guys' control (like parked cars to name just one).  It's not about the job being done perfectly -- it's about respecting the folks out there who are breaking their backs and giving up valuable sleep or time with their families, doing what they can to keep us safe on the roads.          

I struggled with the decision about responding (or not responding) at the time.  The plowers are civil servants, and when they took the job they knew part of the deal was sleepness nights and time away from the families.  That is what they are paid for.  But I didn't respond right away... rather, I first read a comment from "Boxster", who identifies himself as one who moves snow around...

"Wish more people were as understanding as you are about what DPW does for the city. Though most people look at how much money public employees make it is what you mentioned at the end of your blog that is often overlooked. One is the loss of sleep. This winter I have lost about 5 nights of sleep working on snow removal. With the snow we had on Monday I worked 25 hours straight! Sorry, but the workers in the Sanitation Dept. didn't have enough energy to go out and pickup garbage today, that means we will be working Saturday to get caught up. Put even more than the lost sleep is the time away from your family. Can't say I have alot of fond memories playing with my kids in the snow. Was either working or to tired after working long hours.

I see that there is an article about how much money the city spends in overtime. That $865,000 could be spent on more policeman. Well if it wasn't for overtime being worked your street would not be nice and clean when you wake up in the morning to go to work. Or your water working because a crew spent all night repairing a water main break. Funny, those that complain about how much is being spent on overtime are the first ones complaining when their street isn't plowed perfectly or on their timetable."

But I still didn't respond (not that I didn't want to) until a few days after the blizzard.  Our street was almost unpassable at the time, and that particular morning was the time to say something...

"This is a disgrace.  It is now 9:15 AM on Sunday 2-10, and it is -5 outside.  The city had almost 4 full days to take care of this.  Lapham (between 73th & 84th) and Orchard (between 84th and 92nd) has 6" deep tire treads, and ice under that.  Now that the temp has dipped, it is all frozen.

My taxes are too damn high to pay for this lack of service.  News flash to politicians and Boxster... winter in Wisconsin can sometimes be ugly (like this winter).  Get money in the budget for this (and take stupid spending out of the budget) for street cleanup FOR AN ENTIRE WINTER, and don't whine about being too tired to do your jobs.  It wasn't my decision that you drive a plow or garbage truck, so don't tell me to be understanding."

Boxster did reply, so in fairness I will also post that reply...

"It was one of the worst storms I have worked through. Plowing was made difficult because of the moisture content of the snow. It packed down from the traffic early in the storm and then when it really started to snow we could not keep up with it. I spent 12 hours on National Ave. alone.  DPW is not asking for sympathy, just understanding. We are working around the clock.

Don't confuse whining with frustration and outright exhaustion. We are people not machines. I worked 21 hours on that storm. If you have never done it you will never understand how difficult it is. The city has cut back so much through the years to keep your taxes down that this is the result. We don't have shifts of drivers coming in to relieve others. When we have a storm it is all hands on deck. We don't go home till we have attempted to plow every street. We can only do so much with the amount of people we have. If your street is not being plowed tell people to get their cars off it. Plus Mother nature has not been very helpful. We haven't had warm temps to aid in the melting of the ice pack on the roads. Believe me plowing is being done each and every day."

That was a fair enough reply from Boxster, however I need to reiterate that if the city hadn't cut down on the budget in the wrong areas, this mess would have been avoided.  We need more money without raising taxes, how about reading this.  Steve wrote that blog.  Read some of the comments (especially the ones from Stubbornoldman) and tell me we couldn't have made sure there was enough city money available for an entire Wisconsin winter's worth of snow removal.

I have to pay for gas, too, so I don't want to hear about it from anyone else. 

What galls me about people is the same thing that galls me about listening to people who comment after watching the weather on the local “bleeding heart or scare people needlessly entertainment program”.  One dufus says something idiotic, then the sheep all take it as gospel.

Take this story from the New York Times.  It is a typical, liberal "waa-waa" story about how the rising cost of gas will affect family budgets.  I LOVE this part...

For ordinary Americans like Phyllis Berry, a 31-year-old factory worker for General Motors in Cleveland, gasoline costs are starting to hurt.

She said that she used to take her four children to the movies four or five times a month. But with the cost of gas, tickets, popcorn and soda adding up to $70, they now go only once a month.

Accompanying the story is a photo of Phyllis pumping gas, beating her breast and looking warily at the pump display.  Woe is her, ain'a?  And her poor, forlorn looking daughter.  Those comments and that photo make a strong statement... to people who accept newspaper stories at face value.

Think about it.  I don't know what part of Cleveland she lives in, but the cost of gasoline can't possibly be the reason that she has to reduce the number of trips to the movies from four times a month to once monthly.  The cost of tickets, popcorn and soda is what is causing her to limit her movie going.  This comment belongs in an article about the cost of movie concessions, not gasoline.  Gasoline prices have hovered around $3.00 a gallon since Hurricane Katrina - 2-1/2 YEARS AGO.  I am pretty confident that movie ticket prices have gone up faster in that time frame than gas has.

But there is that photo.  That sad, sad face.

(I've edited this before publishing it because I can't help myself.  Even if - when Phyllis took her family to the movies every week - gas cost $2.29 a gallon.  And let's say that in Cleveland, gas now costs $3.29 a gallon.  And let's say her SUV [no affordable car for Phyllis] gets 10 miles to a gallon, that makes her M/$ at 10 more than it had been.  And let's say that the movie theater is ten miles from her house.  That means it costs TWO DOLLARS more to go to the movies now over then.)

Logic like that makes me wonder how certain people (like Phyllis) have lived so long.  Wouldn't natural selection have taken care of her years ago?

Last night in a speech in El Paso, Hilary said she would raise the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour.

So much for being friendly to businesses.  (Disregarding the issue of illegals for a moment...) If a business can hire a person for $6.00, then that job is worth $6.00.  If an employee feels that he or she is worth more, then that employee should improve themselves so that they can be hired for a job that is worth more. 

Hypothetically, if a business has 10 employees at minimum wage, they would get about a $4.00/hour bump (or $40.00/hour to the overhead cost of the business).  Then the 5 people currently at $7.50/hour would get at least an extra two bucks, but that would make them minimum wage and not make 5 happy employees.  So add that $20.00/hour bump to the business, and Hilary has now cost this company $60.00/hour just to stay in business.  And who would that business pass their costs onto?

Right.  You, me, and the guy now making $9.50 an hour who still can't afford the product because the cost of goods has (at bare minimum) gone up the cost of the labor.

Speaking of me, lets say that in my hypothetical situation, I make $11.00 an hour.  I don't get a raise.  But my expenses on EVERYTHING I BUY goes up.  Has my life improved?  I had improved myself to make double minimum wage, but the economy has just kicked my rear end.  I am a loser in this scenario.  My budget for groceries, clothes, home items, etc., goes all kittywumpus and now it may increase my debt (or at minimum, it kills my discretionary income).  So now I don't have money for the food, the clothes, the ball games (stadium workers make minimum wages, too), the movies (ushers and concessionaires) which are now more expensive.  Because less people will have money to pay for those items, business will suffer and either cause layoffs and go out of business.  I think that is called a recession.

Do these politicians think before proposing dumb ideas?  How about no minumum wage.  If I am a businessman that wants to offer a job at $2.00/hour, and if I can't get any takers, I would have to increase it until I hit a level in which I get a taker.  If that level is $4.25/hour, then that is what the free market dictates, and now I have a lower cost of doing business.  My business with lower costs can sell its goods or services at a lower price, increasing my business and improving the economy.

Makes sense to me.

Over the past nine months or so of blogging, I have sang the praises of a few local businesses.  Although sometimes the tone of my blogs can be negative, or it sounds like I am whining, I don't like to call out specific businesses for petty stuff (slow waitress service, a product that is not on time, etc).  Experts can Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah about how customer service should be, but the reality is that some times things just don't work out right.  Does it make one happy?  Usually not, but it also isn't a reason to write about a business that basically says to stay away.

But now and again, a business might do something to blatantly turn away a customer - as if to say "we don't want or need your business" - that needs to be addressed.

Office Max on Hwy 100 & National, you have moved to the top of my naughty list.  I will avoid you like the plague, and probably will mostly avoid other Office Max franchise stores.

Office Max - like Staples and Office Depot - wants your used inkjet cartridges.  They will credit $3 off of a purchase when you bring one in.  Office Max will let you return five cartridges (for a $15 credit per day), while Staples and Office Depot will let you use three cartridges (for a $9 credit per day) on each transaction.

(Side note - before I go on with my Office Max problem, I need to make it clear that these stores are not doing some wonderful tree hugging act of environmental responsibility.  These stores take the cartridges, clean them, refill them, and sell them under a private label.  In effect, these three corporations are buying their raw materials from the consumer for $3 a pop.)

So I have a number of used inkjet cartridges, and I take them into Office Max and Office Depot with regularity.  I use the store credit to offset the cost of a new cartridge.  Sounds OK so far, right?  Apparently, Office Max has decided that I am too regular of a customer, and has begun refusing my cartridges.  Last week (and to be fair, this happened to My-Sugar-Na and not to me, although I am sure that the Office Max store manager knows that we are married) they decided that each cartridge has to pass some sort of "elecrical test".  They take the cartridges over to a machine, press some buttons, and magically, every single cartridge failed the test and were not accepted for credit.

I have been to numerous branches of Office Max and Office Depot, and have never gone through such a thing.  I felt horrible for my wife, embarrased for her, and furious at how they decided to get back at me (why, I am not sure) by screwing with her.  That same day, we took the "rejected" cartridges to the Office Max on 27th & Loomis, and the cashier accepted them with a smile on her face.

I don't know (nor do I really care) what is motiviation the West Allis Office Max to decide not to honor their corporate promotion, but I am taking it personally and I will remember this every time I drive past any Office Max (and keep driving to an Office Depot).

As the Osmonds once sung, "One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch, girl".  While true, if you come across a bad apple, wouldn't you look really, really, really closely at the whole bunch?  And might you choose a different bunch anyway?

Office Max on Hwy 100 & National, you are the first members of the (Sponsor's Name Here) Naughty Business Club.

In my third-ever post back in March 2007 (a brilliant post, by the way) I detailed how the NFL is vigorously defending its marks, and mentioned that the NFL had previously sent letters to Las Vegas casinos stating that the Super Bowl cannot be shown in “public on screens that, according to federal law, are larger than those 'commonly used in private homes'."

Over the past couple of years, My-Sugar-Na and I have become fond of watching Packer games (and a couple of Brewers games, too) from the Northern Lights Theater at Potowatomi.  That appears to be coming to an end with the NFL sending "cease and desist" letters to Potowatomi, the Rosebud Cinema and the Majestic Theater (of course, I am sure this didn't help).  To his credit, Don Walker (the MJS Sports Business writer) did a way better job of detailing this than I could have.  I have tried to find time for days to blog about it, but life is really got me chasing my tail. 

Walker does mention that the Fox Bay Cinema Grill once got one of these letters, challenged the league, and hasn't heard a word since.  They will be showing the game, and I will be down there this weekend, and I hope that Steve "The Homer" True can be there and to find a way to bring the cache of prizes that they normally had at Potowatomi.

But I have good news.  A major point of my blog entry from last March was that the NFL was trying to trademark the words "The Big Game" (used by many advertisers as a euphamism for the Super Bowl, which is trademarked).  As of June 25, 2007, the NFL had abandoned its trademark request.  So go ahead Bartz Display, Best Buy and Karl's Rental... advertise The Big Game on February 3rd all you want to.  Just don't show the game on a big screen in a tent.

Why limit myself to ONE advertiser, when these guys have the right idea?

And it's an Italian team... go figure!