I have about had it with major retailers screaming "foul" over slumping Christmas sales, and whining to anyone who will listen about "disappointing numbers" and "profits below expectations." It happens year after year, despite the economy or political landscape. Some years, the whining is particularly loud, only to be followed in January with a footnote on page A7 in the newspaper that Holiday sales broke previous records. I have found that regardless of gas prices, food prices, household wages or any other economic consideration, it's never enough for these crybabies, who seem to feel that we - you and I - owe them increases year over year.

Continue reading "12/18/2007 - CRYBABY CHRISTMAS RETAILERS" »

Posted by Jim W Coleman at 6:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

HOLY COW! The American Cancer Society has a $15 MILLION annual advertising budget. Our community, South Kitsap, has a Relay for Life every year that in 2006 raised about $200,000. That means that to fund ONE YEAR of ACS advertising, every dime from the South Kitsap Relay for 75 YEARS would be required and not one cent would have gone toward finding a cure. And, as an aside, does ACS really want to find a cure? They all would lose their jobs if that were to happen. I have moved all my American Cancer Society contributions over to the United Way, and urge you to do the same.

Posted by Jim W Coleman at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

While driving to our Thanksgiving feast yesterday, we passed the Kitsap Mall and I saw the large "Going out of Business" sign on the Mervyn's store. Personally, I am glad to see the big-box store, Mervyn's going away. That said, I do feel for the employees who have been displaced.

Continue reading "11/24/2006 - GLAD TO SEE MERVYN'S GO" »

Posted by Jim W Coleman at 8:03 AM | Permalink

Happy Thanksgiving. I mean it.

I hope we can all appreciate what we have, and what we've earned as a society and culture. We have it so good here in the United States - no wonder overseas dictatorial regimes are so jealous and envious of us. Sadly, we squabble, point fingers at one another, assign blame, refuse any responsibility and, often, fracture our own selves and those we love with anger, bitterness and animosity. Our Mid-Eastern adversaries must get quite a kick over watching us trip over ourselves to apologize for and lament over that which we have in such bountiful plentitude - that precious gift they spill blood with wanton disregard to deny the same to their own people.

Continue reading "11/22/2006 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING" »

Posted by Jim W Coleman at 7:59 PM | Permalink

Tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 13, 2006, committee members for the South Kitsap Relay for Life will hold a meeting at a local business. I will be joining them as Chairperson of the committee. I am very excited to have this opportunity. Having never really been involved with the Relay for Life, it will be a new challenge - one that is very personal to me.

I've been to a few Relays and have had a good time raising money for a good cause but the older I get, I'm finding that cancer is no longer a vague concept but a real, deadly-serious disease that affects us all. I lost a dear friend, Sarajean Taylor to breast cancer several years ago, and I miss her daily. My mother-in-law is now fighting cancer. A good friend at work goes in for his second operation next month to remove cancerous material from his brain. And I, against all common sense, am a smoker.

Continue reading "11/12/2006 - SOUTH KITSAP RELAY FOR LIFE" »

Posted by Jim W Coleman at 8:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Paul, I want to wish you a happy Veterans Day! I have known you since you were a long-haired hippie kid. Now you're a short-haired hippie kid. You have served our country well and despite our differences in the past on Gulf War I, you have honored America and honored me with your bravery. You are one of my very dearest friends (you and Paul Funari, to whom I also owe gratitude for his service) and I look forward to many more years of friendship and that "zing" we seem to have. I am honored to call you "Feller 2" and have always been in awe of you for doing something I never chose to do - put my life on the line to protect the principles of America. You are, in my book, the brightest and best. (Okay, now you owe me some of those Viagra pills you deal... ;)

(Don't give up. It seems like you squandered your efforts in the Middle East after the last, most recent election but look at the bright side - can't wait to see all the funny pictures of Nancy Pilosi in drag, doing elephants, sucking chrome, etc.)

Posted by Jim W Coleman at 2:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)