If you didn't see this coming, I have no idea where your head has been stuck up for the last few years. I guess Great Economic Minds and corporate types just don't mingle enough with us Po Folk. Too bad they supported Republican policies that killed the middle class golden consumerist goose:

By Martinne Geller

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain stores, reeling from the slowest holiday shopping season in five years, got some more bad news on Sunday: 2008 will not be any better and could see changes that may shift the retail playing field forever.

As the National Retail Federation kicked off its annual convention in New York, two retail consultants offered negative outlooks for the U.S. retail industry, which has seen consumers pull back amid higher gasoline and food prices, a credit crunch and a prolonged housing market decline.

"It's anarchy," said Wendy Liebmann, chief executive of WSL Strategic Retail, frequently repeating the word she used to sum up the latest results of her company's bi-annual shopper study.

(Lambert is going to kill me for all this improperly titled late night posting, but let's don't wake him just yet, ok?)

Dear DVD Makers:

It's really rude, lame, and annoying when you only put two episodes of the show on one DVD. I know you make more money when you sell "The Complete 8-Disc Series" vs. the 7-Disc version, but really- only two? Some of us have short attention spans, and you should keep in mind that there is stiff competition for our limited viewing time. Package correctly, or lose your place in the queue, and likely my interest, forever.

Love,
CD

Since I've outed myself at KosVegas, I have no problem tossing this picture of myself (in the black wig, I'm currently a bottle blonde) out for general consumption in the blogosphere. I am 36 years old, and I'm sorry but you just cannot tell me that I look 17. I'm so angry right now, and I'm not even angry at the store owner who balked at selling me a pack of American Spirits; I understand that there are stings and undercover cops and that they exist for no other reason than to make his life hell. But having just wasted some soldier's blood in the form of the extra gas to come back home and get my ID, I'm just a little pissed at how complacent we've all become when it comes to Showing Our Papers.