Friday, November 23, 2012

1 oclock news

I heard a story this afternoon on the one o'clock news.  A man went out with his toddler during the night hours of Black Friday to buy a flat screen tv.  His wife was working somewhere on the night shift. The deal for the tv, I am assuming, was too good to miss. The bargain would expire before the spouse would get home.

The man gets the tv.  He drives home with the flat screen.  Later he is called by a representative from the store because while he has the tv home and secure, he neglected to bring home his toddler. "Oops," or something of that sort, the proud owner of the tv says.  He goes back to the store to get his child.

I went out today to do some errands.  I did not go near the malls, but overheard chatter at the supermarket that the stores are packed with frenzied shoppers.

A)  How bad can the economy be?
B)  What is the big deal about this day?
C)  Is there a shrine somewhere in the capitalist hall of fame for the marketers who created this idea that the Friday after Thanksgiving should be designated super sale day.

I could barely lift the paper on Thanksgiving off the sidewalk. It was fatter than the Sunday Times.  Advertisements for all sorts of things one does not need spilled out when I removed the brick from the plastic wrapper.  You want sweaters, you got it. And if you want to get up at 3 in the morning some are 50% off.  How bout some candles that smell nice.  Haul yourself out of bed at 1 a.m. and there are three for the price of one.  Mini box sets which I could not possibly live without are regularly 12.99 but today--and just today--you can get a set of 3 empty boxes for 9.99.  Instant Rebates are available on cameras.  Lots of FREE items are available as long as you drop a couple of C notes on other items concurrently.

There is nothing that could get me to a mall today.

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