Launching Soon

I wanted to recommend a new business. Something I believe many of you would enjoy:

Expanding Into Emerging Markets

From this morning's WSJ - here's a news item I loved - "Coca-Cola reported a 55% gain in profit amid strong soda sales in developing economies...". Reminds me of cigarette companies expanding their sales in the same way - at the expense of the health of the rest of the world. Mark my words, these markets will become more and more important as, with the help of Michelle's new anti-obesity campaign, sweetened sodas will go the way of cigarettes in the U.S.

I Told You So!

I've believed from the outset that anti-microbial hand creams are a bad idea - just as overuse of antibiotics is a bad idea. I even blogged about it. But I didn't have any hard facts. Until now. Have a look at this article. I read it with a certain amount of glee...

Pop Up Stores

If you live in L.A., you may have noticed new activity in the many "For Lease" stores dotting chichi shopping streets. For a week or two these stores are transformed with big discount signs (e.g., 75% Off Designer Clothing"), and industrial style racks of clothing. I've had some good luck shopping at these stores. Truly cool clothes at great prices. Now I can finally name the phenomena. This weekend, when I truly stunning Mad Men style skirt, I asked the saleswoman whether the store was permanent.

"Oh no" she said. "We're just a pop up store. It's a great way to move merchandise. No lease."

Another sign of the times.

Manohla Dargis

Before she became a movie critic for The NYTimes, Manohla wrote for our own local LAWeekly. She had the distinction of being the wittiest movie critic I'd ever read (not an easy feat), but unfortunately also the least predictable. Meaning that I could never tell, by reading her review, whether I'd like the film or not.

When Pulp Fiction came out, Manohla promptly panned it. Her comment was that it "has too much dialogue", and (I'm paraphrasing) that moviegoers these days don't like that much dialogue. Well, so much for that insight. At the time the LAWeekly had a policy of running an excerpt of the original review for as long as the movie was in theatres, so it was stuck with running the same tin eared review for the 4+ months of Pulp Fiction's stunning theatrical run.

But this posting is actually intended as an ode to her wit. I just read her review of Amelia. I haven't seen the film, so I have no knowledge of its merits, but kudos to Manohla on the way she expresses her opinion that the movie is all smiles and no substance. A direct quote: "The movie is a more effective testament to the triumphs of American dentistry than to Earhart or aviation".

Which reminded me of what she said about Pierce Brosnan when his first James Bond movie came out: "The future of a franchise is resting on his slender shoulders, and the strain shows". Does it get any wittier, or more vicious, than that?

Dear Mr. Geithner

So Geithner was confirmed today. And unfortunately I think it was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, because I'm completely miffed about his tax thing. Whatever he may say, it's pretty clear to me that he intentionally decided not to pay that employer portion of his social security taxes, and the reason he did it was that he figured in all likelihood he would get away with it. And in the worst case he would pay it. And in fact it kinda worked out that way. He didn't pay it for 4 years, but by the time he was audited, the statute of limitations had run out on the first two years. So he paid the second two years, and congratulated himself on managing to evade half of his due. Note that at the time of the audit he was head of the New York Fed. And then he was nominated secretary of the treasury, and the transition committee figured this out and said "Hey!!!". So he paid. Poor dear.

So what does this say about Geithner? And what's bugging me about this? Is it the moral issue? Or is it that I feel that I'm too much of a wimp to do the same, and I envy him his daring? Or actually, maybe it's that I envy his knowledge of what he can get away with? I which I were as competent? I think that's what it is. Because frankly, if I knew I could get away with it, wouldn't I do it? Maybe I would. Or maybe I'd feel it's sleazy. Which it definitely is. Tough to say.

Hmmmm.

Pregnancy Does NOT Cloud the Brain!

This just in: Pregnancy does not cloud the brain, says Australian study. No kidding. The idea that pregnancy adversely affects mental function is just like the story that menopause clouds the brain: An urban myth, partially propagated by women (I think we're sometimes our own worst enemies), and with no basis in reality IMHO.

On the other hand, lack of sleep due to an infant in the house does kinda cloud your brain...

The Elephant in the Room

What I can't understand about the Biden-Palin debate - help me here - is why "Gwen" never asked Mr. Grey and Ms. Cheerful about their opinions on abortion. Isn't that a swing issue? It is for me. I want to hear...