@Macy's - Cool Minnie Mouse

Huge sales at Macy's today.

They seem to be trying to get rid of all the merchandise built up during Coronavirus.

On line was this stylish lady in an orange dress with a white handbag.

On her arm were happy, playful tattoos, including a Minnie Mouse with her tongue out on her upper arm.

Life goes on with Disney characters cheering us up with or without a global pandemic.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

@Macy's - Cool Minnie Mouse

IMHO Warning: Stock Market MAJOR Correction Imminent

I went to the mall today.

This is a few weeks into reopening phase 2!

I expected people would have pent up demand and be swarming the stores even while keeping their social distance.

They weren't at the mall! 

The stores were nearly void of people.

The shelves were virtually empty of goods.

Whatever merchandise there was seemed to marked "sale, sale, sale" even on the already deeply-discounted clearance items.

It was completely frightening--like the economy is dead or on severe life support!

Most stores had 3 or more associates standing around or sitting twiddling their thumbs.

This while the stock market keeps ticking up and the NASDAQ is reaching new highs almost daily.

Coronavirus is surging again across much of the U.S. and there is almost 140,000 dead in the U.S. after just 5 months even though much of the population was in self-quarantine.

The economy looks to me in sh*t shape, despite the U.S. pumping $3 trillion dollars more of debt to artificially prop up the economy and the fed lending out money at super low rates.

It makes NO sense for the market to be hitting all time highs as if everything is all roses when the economy is still a true mess!

The New Yorker magazine wrote back in May of a post coronavirus "decade of depression" with an L shaped recovery, yet we keep seeing a V-shaped one and no one seems to be able to offer any plausible explanation for it.

Two-months ago, even before the recent stock run-up to higher levels, Business Insider reported that "the Stock Market is trading at its highest valuation in 18-years."

Last month, Forbes reported that "the stock market appears to be reaching unsustainable highs."

Yesterday again, Bloomberg reported that the "economic recovery is faltering."

Almost daily, I read that companies are laying off their workers (in Travel, Transportation, Entertainment, Retail, Energy, etc.) or declaring bankruptcy (e.g. Hertz, JC Penny, Neiman Marcus, Chesapeake Energy, and more).

This while we are still, in the best case scenario, maybe half a year away from the possibility of a tested, approved vaccine. And then it will still need to be mass produced and mass distributed to hundreds of millions of people in this country and billions globally.

In the meantime, we certainly could be up for a second wave of Coronavirus on top of the flu in the fall/winter. And then the Coronavirus may mutate and become more virulent requiring annual vaccines like the flu shot--more hit or miss.

All this while U.S.-China trade war is imperiling our economy further, and arch-enemies Iran and North Korea remain national security threats.

To me this all points to that we are nowhere near out of the woods and perhaps that there is a wildfire raging and no one seems to be paying any attention!

The stock market euphoria is a common trap and is the definition of "irrational exuberance" but comes after investors have been robotically indoctrinated to buy the dips!

IMHO, buyer beware, beware, beware. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

IMHO Warning: Stock Market MAJOR Correction Imminent

Shopping Up A Pole

Wondering if this is also part of social distancing. 

Shopping cart up a pole. 

No one else up there. 

Safe from Coronavirus, hopefully. 

Maybe some illusive toilet paper to be found in the sky mall? 

Desperate times calling for desperate measures or an anxious society is losing its mind. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Shopping Up A Pole

Singing Frankie The Fish

At the fish counter at Seven Mile Market in Baltimore, they had Frankie the Fish singing away.

Give me that fish...if it were you in that sandwich you wouldn't be laughing at all.

(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal)

Singing Frankie The Fish

Buy Right From The Start

This was a funny sign in an eatery:

Our tasting panel samples each item before we buy it.

And the picture is of the guy  ready to dig into the food. 

There was another saying that I heard that I liked:

If you buy on price, you buy twice. 

In other words, never just buy the lowest price item if you don't really like it, because in the end, you'll end up having to buy a replacement for the cheapo, crappo thing you really didn't like to begin with. 

Better to save up and get what you really want to begin with. 

A savvy shopper, indeed. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Buy Right From The Start

Those Were Different Days

Wow, those were different days...

When the stores still had stuff on the shelves. 

And you could go in without waiting outside for half an hour for social distancing. 

With everyone wearing protective masks and obsessively washing their hands, so please G-d not to get sick. 

Then we were happy!

Now we are all just scared. 

Even if some people are pretending they aren't.  

It's more what we still don't know then what we do. 

And how things can unravel so quickly.

Makes us all appreciate what we had, and hopefully what we'll have again. 

Shabbat Shalom!  ;-)

( Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Those Were Different Days

The Truth Hurts

So I purchase some nutrition bars from a prominent online store. 

If you click on 2 boxes (12 bars each), they charge you $30. 

But if you look over a little on the website page, they have 24 bars for $24. 

I contact customer service and start chatting with them about this. 

Basically, I wanted the difference refunded to me. 

Surely, not a lot of money, but more the principle of it. 

They are charging 2 different amounts for the very same thing! 

The lady on the other end of the chat asks me to forward her the link for the product. 

I comply. 

She says, "You see that link is 2 boxes for $30!"

I say, "No, that's just the primary link to the product, and it has 2 different prices for basically the exact same thing."

She says, "On that link you sent it has 12 bars x 2, which is different than ordering 24 bars!"

I'm thinking, Oh really!  What math class did she take in elementary school???

And then for good measure, she adds socking one to me:

"Truth Always Hurts!"

At this point, I couldn't believe my chat "ears".  

Aside from her "truth" not being "the truth" in any universe...

I was in shock and said something like "How dare you.  You are incredibly rude.  Put your supervisor on."

She says: "Well, my supervisor will tell you the same thing!"

I repeated once more: "Please let me speak to a supervisor."

Finally when I got the supervisor, who was a more normal, reasonable person, and also could do simple arithmetic, she immediately apologizes issuing me a refund. 

She asked if there was anything else she could assist with.

I asked, to confirm again, "Are you a supervisor?"

She responded affirmatively. 

I asked her to review the chat with the prior customer service rep and asked, "Is this how you want your company represented to your customers?"

Needless to say, she was flabbergasted by what she saw from their outsourced "customer service" representative.

She assured me she was flagging the chat for review by management and that this outrageous behavior from this company representative would be addressed. 

To me, it is amazing that our companies not only outsource the manufacture of our vital goods, but they also outsource customer service to people that barely seem to speak the language, can't do basic math, and have zero customer service skills. 

This does not bode well for American competitiveness--in the age of Coronavirus or at any other time. 

I believe that this truth hurts much more than any company's horrendous customer service. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Truth Hurts

The Dog Diet

Funny story from a wonderful relative of mine...made me laugh during this coronavirus outbreak.
-------------------
"I interrupt the COVID-19 pandemic to bring you this lil story...

Last night I went to Sam’s Club to buy a bag of food for my dogs.

Already in line, a woman behind me asked me if I had a dog.

I stare at her (those who know me will imagine my gaze 🤔😳) ...but then why would I be buying dog food...right? 😝😝

So on impulse I told her no, that I didn’t have a dog, that I was starting the dog food diet again, and that I probably shouldn't because I ended up in the hospital the last time, but 15 pounds less!

I told her that it was the perfect diet and that all you had to do is carry the kibbles in your pocket and eat one or two every time you feel hungry (I have to mention that practically everyone in line was interested in my story).

Frightened, the woman asks me if I ended up in the hospital because the dog food had poisoned me. I answered...of course not!

I was admitted because I bent down to smell the butt of a bulldog and I was hit by a truck 😂😂😂

I thought the man behind her was going to have a heart attack...he was laughing so hard!

...Let’s continue promoting reading! 😁

I have to confess...I posted this to make you smile. It's your turn to copy/paste it and make someone else laugh.

We need to laugh more! Have a GREAT DAY😄😄😄"

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Dog Diet

The Coronavirus Panic

Fruits and Vegetables...

Bread....

Cereal...

Paper Towels and Toilet Paper...

(Credit Photos: Andy Blumenthal @Harris Teeter)

The Coronavirus Panic

Israel 2020: Day 2

So went to Nahariya today near the Labanon border.

Nice shopping strip and gorgeous beach. 

Had a nice cappuccino at Cofix.

Got a new modern Kiddish cup for Shabbat and a washing cup for Netilat Yadayim.

Enjoyed the train ride up and back on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea shore.

Had dinner at Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv and marvelled at all the shopping and crowds on a Tuesday.

Real contrast between more sleepy resort town, Nahariya and high-tech, bustling city Tel Aviv.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Israel 2020: Day 2

Gucci Bee Bag

Thought this was a pretty nice Gucci bag. 

Large decorated bee with expansive wings on the flap. 

Beautiful pink with white pearl studs. 

Brass chain and red, white, and blue shoulder strap. 

Priced around $1500! 

Small shoulder bag yet plush oversized and ornate make a big statement. 

Nice gift for that special someone or to treat yourself to Gucci! ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Gucci Bee Bag

Happy Hanukah Trader Joe's Style

Trader Joe's has the best food shopping experience, hands down. 

They also have the best edible and good tasting fresh, healthy food. 

On top of it, they have a nice gift card for a Happy Hanukah!

I vote that we replace the other crummy supermarkets with Trader Joes instead. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal) 

Happy Hanukah Trader Joe's Style

Give Me That Fridge Handle

So we got a new stainless refrigerator. 

A cause for celebration!

It get's delivered and afterwards, I notice that the door handles are installed unevenly. 

I call the store and they agree to send their guys out to us again to fix it. 

Well, the handles were on the wrong doors and they switch it so that now they look even, but in the process, they break the handle on one of the doors so that only the top is attached to the door and the bottom is blowing in the wind (and ready to scratch the door). 

With this second installation debacle, I call the store again and not a happy camper!

Three calls later, the store agrees for me to come over and literally take the handle of the fridge on the showroom floor to replace my broken one--which I promptly did!

Third times the charm...no more broken door handle. 

As for the one in the store, let's just say you can only open the left door for now.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Give Me That Fridge Handle

Card Ya

Thought this was novel in the store. 

They have a digital calendar with the date from 21 years ago.

It says:

To Purchase Tobacco Products You Must Have Been Born On Or Before This Date.

 Thank you for showing you I.D.

Ah, easy to match the DOB on the I.D. presented to the date on the calendar.  

Nothing to calculate, no mistakes. 

They raised the age for smoking (cigarettes and vaping) in Maryland to 21 on October 1, so it's the same requirement as for drinking alcohol.

Luckily for me (even though I'm over 21), I don't really do either--definitely not the smoking, and the drinking limited primarily to the Kiddush prayer on Shabbat. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Card Ya

Tyson's Corner Wall Art

Thought this was cool at Tyson's Corner Mall in Virginia. 

Create your own wall art. 

People passing by in the mall, just pull over and start drawing with their fingers in these cool colorful shiny sequin tiles. 

One way moves the sequins to one color and the other direction to an alternate color. 

Some people went up to draw and then took a picture of themselves next to their artwork. 

Everyone loves a little creativity (even in between shopping). ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Tyson's Corner Wall Art

Really Highest Quality

Just thought this was a funny, educational photo.

Vendor is selling jewelry on the corner (outside the Metro).

They're advertising:

Products Of The Highest Quality

But would you even expect to get the highest quality jewelry off the street. 

As nice as these products may be (and he may be), I don't think anyone would really believe this. 

So while the ad grabs your attention and makes you look, it doesn't make you believe. 

Advertising and branding has to be credible to reach their intended audience or else it'll just come off as fool's gold. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Really Highest Quality

Israel - Day 2 - Tel Aviv Downtown

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

Israel - Day 2 - Tel Aviv Downtown

Take Your Head Out of My Shopping Cart

So this was funny today at Harris Teeter. 

I'm checking out on the express line with a few things. 

First some tofu.

The lady at the cash register goes:

Hmm.  Healthy!

Then some Meal Mart Buffalo Style Chicken Wings.

Again, the lady at the cash register comments:

Have you tried that?  Is it good?  It looks good!

Politely, I replied:

Yes, they are really good.

At the same time I was feeing smart-alecy, like what the heck, should I open the package on the conveyer belt and let you taste one--right here, right now.   

Sure privacy is a big issue when it comes to technology, social media, and all sorts of surveillance these days

But even when one simply goes to the grocery store--there is the very basic privacy about what one is buying. 

Yes, I see people looking into my cart, with eyebrows raised eyeing my goodies.  I can hear them thinking:

What is he buying?  Is it marked Kosher? (Uh, actually it is!]  That doesn't seem like a balanced diet!

Another time, the checkout person asked me when I was buying a bunch of something:

Oh, are you having a party? What's the occasion?

While I appreciate the good-natured banter and people being friendly, it seems more than weird in a way to be discussing what I'm buying, why, and for whom.  

Not quite Big Brother, but maybe that's the leftover small town feel in our lonely urban and high-tech living.  ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Take Your Head Out of My Shopping Cart

See You Later Florida

Love coming to Florida. 

Not a far flight.

Sun shines bright.

Water is blue. 

Birds, fish, and animals like a zoo. 

Nature is peaceful.

Shopping is plentiful. 

Activities day and night.

Swimming makes me feel right. 

Go to the beach.

Eat a peach.

Florida is the place to be.

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

See You Later Florida

@Miami Design District

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

@Miami Design District