PSoTD

I have to admit, I like watching that show for short periods of time, maybe 15 minutes or so. After that, I get bored unless something comes up that has a particularly interesting story. The main value of the show is to see, by facial expression and response, how the thumbnail appraisal value matches up with the owner's expectation, and our guesses at home.

Looks like the Antique Road Show will be in Chester County this weekend. If only we had something of antique value...

Not sure it's a good one, but it seems like it would be entertaining for a company properly placed in the chain...

If I were running a rock and gravel company, I'd offer the following service - being able to order the delivery of one pound of gravel via the mail to an address, and providing the return address as the same as the sending address.

Then I'd put an ordering end on the web so that browsers could order such an item delivered.

Then I'd market it as something like "I Got A Rock" (stolen from the old Charlie Brown comics) so that people who receive telemarketing calls - particularly the kinds that start out at "surveys" but are really marketing calls - can realize that it's a good way to respond to those calls. This would include political campaigns.

Do Not Call lists are being worked around. This would give consumers another way to drive the point home.

So... what's the scoop on Oppenheimer PA Municipal C (OPACX)? Is little news good news?

Although, it's a pretty strong habit.

This week, Tony Petrone's hand-rolled, freshly baked bagels came with an apology:

"Due to the rising cost of EVERYTHING, we regret that our bagel prices have to be raised," said the blue paper sign, posted on the cash register at Not Just Bagels in the Dongan Hills section of Staten Island, Tuesday.

The word "everything" was underlined twice, but there is really one major culprit: Skyrocketing flour prices.

Last week, Petrone raised the price for a plain bagel from 65 cents to 75 cents, and the unthinkable -- a $1 bagel -- may be around the corner.

Bagelmakers like Petrone have tried to weather the rising costs for as long as they could, but a global shortage of wheat, coupled with rising demand, have caused bags of flour to nearly double in price. "I hope not, but they keep telling us it's only going to go up," Petrone said gravely. "It's over $20 now for a 50-lb. bag (of flour). You can't make the bagel without flour."

As much as some Staten Islanders may feel that their borough is insulated from the larger city, it is not immune to global market forces and the bad weather that has decimated wheat crops and caused the price of flour to skyrocket.

The impact will continue to push prices higher, and bagels are just the tip of the iceberg.

Wheat futures jumped to a record of more than $11 a bushel Monday, on expectations of tight supply of the staple -- exacerbated by growing world demand and bad weather that has pummeled crops in Canada, Argentina and India -- that could be reflected in higher prices in bread, cereal, eggs and pasta.

"It's an unprecedented move in wheat markets," Jason Ward, analyst with Northstar Commodity in Minneapolis, told the AP. "It's going to affect everything -- pasta, bread, cereal. It's a big deal."

Just an update on ochosting.com, who I wrote about in November 2007 as a company to avoid for web hosting. Apparently, and amazingly, they're getting reviews that make it sound like things have gotten worse. Nice job, velocity.net.

Oh, man, this brings back memories. I haven't lived in South Natomas for 15 years, but before we moved spent 5 years living out there. We go back every 3-4 years to Sacramento to visit friends, and it always amazes me, the new development. It's a testament to poorly designed sprawl. Maybe now at least you can't smell the choking odor of the rice fields burning at the end of harvest.

I get a recorded message call telling me there will be changes to our cable television channel lineup starting February 14th, but if I want to know more, I need to go to a Comcast office or call Comcast. Why can't they refer me to somewhere on their website? Lazy, or worse.

In case you are curious as to what will be released when.

Um, when they're not allowed to manage?

The Tokyo District Court on Jan. 28 ordered McDonald's to pay 7.5 million yen ($70,000) in unpaid overtime wages and compensation to one of its outlet managers.

The court ruled the fast-food giant's policy of making outlet managers ineligible for overtime pay violates the Labor Standards Law.

The Labor Standards Law requires employers to pay overtime if employees work for more than the legally stipulated eight hours per day and 40 hours per week. However, the provision does not apply to those in managerial positions.

But the district court ruled that the plaintiff, a McDonald's outlet manager in Saitama Prefecture, was hardly in a managerial post because he had almost no influence on decisions concerning the menu, operating hours or work force recruitment.

I just don't understand why hoodies are so expensive. I wouldn't wear this one anyway, seems too "designer", but seriously, over $300 for a hoody?

If you think this price is high, you should look at some of the sports team logo hoodies. Ridiculous.