Inflation

Nice.

Jewel-Osco Grocery Stores Implement Price Cuts

The Video Wall At The New Digs

Fox news is on.

Blegh.

But so is MSNBC.

And the Weather Channel.

Yay.

The Prison Yard At The New Digs

Seriously, it's gated, and you have to use a key-card to get access.

There's a basketball court and bbq grills, though.

The New Digs

Assistant to boss: I need to leave early today for a dentist's appointment. Would that be okay?

Boss: Sure, is at 2:30?

Assistant: 2:30?? No, it's at 3.

Boss: Well, it should be at 2:30.

Assistant: Why?

Boss (chuckling): Because you're tooth hurty. Get it? Two thirty, tooth hurty.

Assistant: Are you kidding me?

Overheard In The Office

Sexual Harassment

Audio NSFW

Reminds me of the Harassment video we had to watch when I worked at Neiman Marcus.

Thanks to Scootersville!

Wow.

So I don't know what's up with the stars today or what, but it has been a good day financially speaking.

Found out we're going to get a bonus this year [despite the news saying The Corporation had a 50% decrease in profits, our internal info states we actually increased revenue in pretty much all areas WTF?].

And thanks to this financial meltdown, the interest rates on my two mortgages went down again.

The total for both now each month is less than I have ever paid for rent on all my previous places.

It makes me feel weird because I know that a lot of people are going through financial hell right now, but on the other hand, it's helping me out.

[Knock on wood.]

Crazy.

So in the meantime, I am going to keep doing what I have been doing: spend and trying to support mom 'n pop businesses, to try and get things moving forward again.

Shady

All of those ads for Quarter Pounders finally got to me so I had to satiate the craving.

Whilst eating, I noticed on the receipt a charge for 44 cents listed as a 'Eat In' tax.

Whua?

Since when?

I can kind of see how it would maybe go for having to have staff keep the restaurant tidy, but that should be included in the price of food.

I wonder if they charge a drive-thru tax.

Neat Idea

Anti-theft Lunch Bags

Whua?

Egg rolls at Arby's?

By The Biscuits

This Sexy Shopping Bag might put you in Jail - Link A Lil' NSFW

Still Creepy

Appetite for seduction: BK’s new fragrance

Effects Of The Economic Downturn

Down economy means more business for some

KUSA - While business is down in some areas in Colorado, it is up in others.

'At liquor stores, consumers facing tough economic times are not passing up on all the good times. Alcohol sales are up 20 percent in Colorado over the past year, but there are fewer wine snobs in the aisles.

"Instead of a $25 bottle of wine, two bottles for $10 each," said Ron Vaughn with Argonaut Wine & Liquor.

It is the same with beer. Nationally, sales of some pricier brews are down, while brands like Keystone and Miller are seeing sales surge.

Grocery store shoppers are also buying more soup. Campbell sells a meal in a can for as little as 60 cents and the company's sales were up 12 percent last quarter.

On its Web site, Malt-O-Meal says it's having a hard time keeping up with demand. Its hot cereal costs less than other brands.

Cashiers are also ringing up more SPAM. Sales of the cheap canned ham are up by double digits and the company had to increase production.

It might be the cheap food or just the stress that comes with a bad economy, but for some reason laxatives sell well in recessions. This year, sales are up by 7 percent.

Discount stores like Wal-Mart and thrift stores are also performing well in this economy. So are bankruptcy lawyers.'

Telecom

Honestly, this picture is a metaphor for the telecom/interwebs industry.

So....

Had to hit the mall this weekend, and I noticed that two songs dominated the in-store music playlists: Mariah's 'All I Want For Christmas [Is You]' and McCartney's 'Wonderful Christmas Time'.

One or the either was always playing no matter which store I was in.

I feel sorry for the retail workers who must be hating hearing these ad nauseum.

Funny

The fast-food giant is rolling out a new look for the Big Mac and other menu items -- with packages designed to remind customers that the chain's offerings are real food.

Damn.

Now I want a Big Mac.

Found It!

Harvey Birdman - Sebben and Sebben Employee Orientation - Every10Mins.com

Funny, 'Coz It's Almost True

American Airlines Now Charging Fees To Non-Passengers

'FORT WORTH, TX—Cash-strapped American Airlines announced a new series of fees this week that will apply to all customers not currently flying, scheduled to fly, or even thinking about flying aboard the commercial carrier.

The fees, the latest introduced by American Airlines in a continuing effort to combat its financial woes, will take effect on Monday. According to company officials, these charges will include a $25 tax on citizens traveling with any other airline, as well as a mandatory $30 surcharge for passengers who decide to just stay home for the holidays instead.

"Tough times unfortunately mean tough measures," American Airlines president Gerard Arpey said. "It's never an easy decision to ask our loyal customers, as well as thousands of people chosen at random out of a telephone book, to pay a little extra, but that's just the reality of today's economic climate. We hope all Americans will understand this when receiving one of our new bills in the mail."

Arpey said that non-passengers of American Airlines should expect to pay a small fee when making Greyhound bus reservations, choosing to drive to their final destination, or simply being a citizen of the United States with a valid Social Security number.

Arpey went on to note that some additional charges would also apply, including a $15 fee for every piece of luggage customers have inside their bedroom closet, and a one-time payment of $40 for any American whose name is Greg.

"We are confident that these new measures will not discourage customers from flying with American Airlines," vice president Margaret Wilkinson said. "However, we'd like to remind our customers that there is a 'discouraged-from-flying-with-American-Airlines' charge if they do in fact choose not to fly with us."

American Airlines, which posted a $1.45 billion loss in the second quarter of 2008 alone, claimed that the new fees—including the Taking A Shower Fee, the Knowing What An Airplane Looks Like Fee, and the Eating E.L. Fudge Cookies While Watching A Rerun Of House Fee—will help the company rebound. According to internal projections, the airline will recoup $500 million in the next three months alone, with nearly 80 percent of that revenue coming from citizens asleep at home.

"Watching television last night cost me $250," said Baltimore resident Michael Peterson, one of many Americans now forced to pay high airline costs for folding their laundry and going to the ophthalmologist. "It's ridiculous, but what can you do? I guess that's just the price of not flying these days."

"American Airlines charged me for cleaning out my attic," said 74-year-old Samantha Pratt, a New Jersey resident who has not left the state since 2005. "Sure, I didn't have to wait in any long lines, or go through invasive security searches, and I got to clean out my attic, which is something I've been wanting to do for weeks, but come on now."

In response to American's move, other airlines have begun offering more competitive rates. United this week unveiled a new $99 "spend the weekend quietly reading indoors" offer, while Southwest is introducing a $125 round-trip fare for those walking to their corner store for some groceries.

JetBlue, a commercial carrier known for its thrifty rates, has come out ahead of the pack, however, and is being lauded for its decision not to charge non-passengers not to fly.

Despite reduced offers such as these, many remain concerned over the new fees. Some have even expressed doubt about whether they'll be able to afford to see family members they currently live with during Christmas.

"It's just not worth it anymore," said Caroline Huza, an Ohio native and mother of two. "Plus, every time I stay at home, I always get trapped next to some kid who won't stop crying."'

Question....

This post on Gizmodo brings up an interesting query:

Say you're doing some shopping and when you get home, you realize that you weren't charged for some items due to an error on the part of the cashier.

Do you keep the items?

Do you return to the store and point out the mistake?

If you keep the items without paying, is it stealing?

Personally, if this happened to me, [actually it has on a lawn chair], I would just consider it the store's loss and the employee's mistake.

I like to think that I am a morally conscious person, but I don't see it as stealing.

Just a mistake-generated bonus.

What do you guys think?