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American Sports Logos in The Benny Hill Show.

By David G. Firestone
Like many guys, I love The Benny Hill Show. It was silly, goofy, raunchy, politically incorrect, and profane. Needless to say it is a lot of fun. Benny played many memorable characters, including Fred Scuttle, and Mr. Chow Mein. It offended a lot of people in its time. In fact, many of the episodes that were shown on American television were edited for content.

Though Benny frequently played sports fans and athletes on the show, they always wore generic uniforms with no logos. Even when he played American characters and sports fans, they never wore logos or mentioned teams by name. Interestingly, this for no reason changed in 1986. During a sketch called “The Herd” Benny played a number of different cast members. One scene in paticular caught my eye. Benny is playing a grizzled Texas cattle rancher on a golf course. For reason only known to him, Benny can clearly be seen wearing a Baltimore Orioles cap…One of the more risky logos they used was in a sketch concerning jogging. At one point, Henry McGee goes to a park and gets a cigarette, but can’t find a lighter. As he is looking, a man carrying a torch and wearing the Olympic Rings on his shirt walk jogs up. McGee calls him over, lights his cigarette and then proceeds to blow the torch out.
This next part requires some backstory. Richard Whatling was a cast member on The Benny Hill show. The son of Benny Hill cast member Sue Upton, from 1988-1989 he played many child roles on the show, eventually joining “Hills Little Angels.” Hills Angels were a cast of female cast members who were known for their raunchy dancing routines. Hills Little Angels were a cast of children, namely, Joanna Kirkland-daughter of producer Dennis Kirkland, Jade Westbrook-daughter of cast member Jenny Westbrook, Adam Johnstone-son of a choreographer, and Adam and sister Louise Whatling.

By 1988, when Whatling joined the cast, The Benny Hill Show was in the twilight years. Long time cast member Jackie Wright had left the show due to health reasons. The show was noticeably more conservative, many of the jokes had been run their course. So Hills Little Angels came about. Richard played a character who from here on out, I will refer to as “Baseball Boy” because he always wears something with an MLB logo on it. Baseball Boy’s first appearance was in a sketch called “Hill’s Little Angels: Outdoor Games” It starts with the kids sitting in the dark watching TV. As they pan to each kid, Baseball Boy is wearing a New York Yankees sweatshirt. Benny decides to takes them to the park for a picnic. As they leave the house, Benny puts on a scout master hat, and Baseball Boy has added a Yankee cap. One thing leads to another, and Baseball Boy winds up playing..cricket? In New York Yankees apparel? Makes no sense at all, at least to me. Baseball Boy was a trouble maker. He would flirt at other children from cars, play croquet, and insult women.He would never take his cap off, even to have dinner with the local minister.He would also switch from Yankees gear to Mets gear. One of his more memorable appearances was in the next to last episode. In a series of sketches termed “Misunderstandings II” where he not only wears a Mets cap, but a Doc Gooden jersey. Tragically, Baseball Boy and the rest of the show met their end in 1989, when Thames Television pulled the plug on The Benny Hill Show. Benny Hill is one of the most underrated comedians of all time in my mind, and when he died in 1992 at age 68. Benny, you are missed, and you will be missed.

Vintage Item Spotlight-Fransico Grande Pitching Rubber.

By David G. Firestone

Every good baseball team need a home for spring training. In 1959, the San Francisco Giants played their final game at Seals Stadium, a small, crowded, outdated facility in the Mission District of San Francisco. Starting in 1960, the Giants would play their home games at the brand new Candlestick Park. Giants owner Horace Stoneham renovated a large chunk of land near Casa Grande Arizona into a spring training resort named Francisco Grade, Francisco for the San Francisco Giants, and Grande for Casa Grande.

Francisco Grande hosted the Giants from 1959-1979, and during the resort’s early years, it became a desert refuge for Hollywood celebrities, like John Wayne, Pat Boone, and Gale Gordon. Willy McCovey, Juan Marichal and Willy Mays honed their skills at the ballpark, with Mays hitting a 375 foot homer in 1959. After the Giants left for Scottsdale in 1980, the facility wasn’t utilized until the California Angels came in 1982 through 1984. The Angels went all the way to the ALCS before losing to the Milwaukee Brewers. For those three seasons, the Angels prepared for the season, with talent like Reggie Jackson and Rod Carew working on the same diamonds that, 20 years before, Juan Marichal, Willy McCovey, Orlando Cepada, Gaylord Perry, Jose Pagan, Don Larsen and Willy Mays had utilized before their 1962 World Series Title.

When the Angels left, the facility was converted to a football field for the Arizona Wranglers and Denver Gold of the ill-fated USFL. Then it was converted into a golf course, which hosted a number of PGA events. Then in 2003, it closed for renovations. Two years and $8.5 million later, it has evolved into a world-class golf resort.

Most of the baseball equipment from the early glory days has been lost to history. Some of the home plates and equipment used is in a display in the resort. I acquired one of, if not the only remaining pitching rubbers from that resort. To think that Juan Marichal, Billy Pierce, Don Larsen, Gaylord Perry, Warren Spahn, Steve Stone, Vida Blue, or Tommy John used this pitching rubber is just mind blowing! It shows its age, but is still in decent condition. These baseballs were also rescued during the renovations. They have lost their leather covering and red stitches, but they clearly were there for a long time, and one can only dream of who used them… In additon there are also some hotel key tags from the days before plastic cards. When checking in, the front desk agent would hand the guest a key with one of these tags to let them know where their room was. These would be returned at the end of the stay. These were also rescued during the renovations, and many show their age as well.

The days of McCovey and Mays may be long gong, but the resort has risen anew. The success of the golf resort as well as the popularity of warm resort during the winter season has taken the resort from a humble ballpark to a world-renowned destination. The future looks as bright as the Arizona sun for Francisco Grande.

Vintage Item Spotlight-2012 Tony Canadeo Commercial Jersey

By David G. Firestone.

Ok, ok, I get it, this item isn’t really “vintage” but it does have an interesting backstory. In 2012, the NFL in response to the recent concussion lawsuits released the “Evolution” commercial as seen here:

It shows a series of historical players returning a kickoff from one endzone to the other. The field numbers have been replaced by decades, and as one player runs from one decade to another, the uniforms, and equipment adapt. As the 1940’s start, Tony Canadeo becomes the focus, as he runs through the 1940’s and 50’s, moving from leather to hard plastic helmets. Canadeo is, during those 10 seconds, wearing this Packers jersey.

This jersey is made by a company called Sports Studios, who make jerseys for movies and TV shows. They made the uniforms for the epic biopic 42, A League of Their Own, as well as many other commercials. You can see more of their work here. It is made of polyester and is a size M.

The thing that I find interesting about the sequence is that the Packers are at home against the Eagles, but in researching the schedule, I found that at no point during Canadeo’s tenure with the Packers, did they ever play the Eagles at home while wearing that uniform. The Packers and Eagles clashed in 1942, 1943 as the “Steagles,” 1946, 1947, and 1951. The only time the Packers played the Eagles in Green Bay was in 1951, but the Packers had switched to green jerseys in 1950, and the Eagles had switched helmet designs.

The jersey shows some light use, with a small stain present, and is video matched to the commercial itself. It is an interesting item that is very well designed and displays well.

Vintage Item Spotlight-Mish Mosh Edition

By David G. Firestone

My love of vintage sports uniforms doesn’t just extend to the professional and collegiate levels. I find all vintage sports uniforms interesting on some level, and some of the stuff that I own doesn’t really have a traditional category, so I will cover a number of items in this week’s edition of Vintage Item Spotlight.

The first item is this University of Maine track and field jersey. Made of a heavy cotton material with a chenille TMT logo, it dates to about 1929. It is still in good condition, and comes with a track and field program of similar vintage.

This is a vintage baseball jersey for Bolton High School, though I can’t tell were it came from. It is an older Wilson jersey, it feels like a flannel jersey that has been treated with a chemical treatment. It is in great condition. Here is an example of a pull-over jersey. These were popular from the mid 1970’s to the 1990’s. These were designed to be tight as possible. This particualr example is similar to a Cubs or Expos jersey from those eras.

This unique football jersey is a durene treated jersey. Durene is a heavy polyester that has been treated. It was used for many years in the NFL and NCAA. This is an example of the material, and has a #7 on the front and #31 on the back. The last jersey is what is known as a “tear away jersey.” It was used for a number of years in the NFL as a lightweight alternate to durene. It was too flimsy, and would often tear apart under the stress of play. This example shows the heavy use expected from one of these jerseys. I do not know who wore this, or who they played for.

Vintage Item Spotlight-Trophy Roundup

By David G. Firestone

I’m going to do things a little bit differently this week. This week’s article will be done in conjunction with another article I am writing for The Driver Suit Blog both are about the same subject, trophies, but this article will be on trophies, whereas the other article will be on other racing trophies. Let’s get started.

Anyone who plays sports, or competes in competitions does so with one goal in mind…winning. They will say they do it because it is fun, or for the love of the game, but they really just want to win. To the victor go the spoils, and the spoils include pride, bragging rights, and the trophies.

Trophies can come in many shapes and sizes. Many older trophies combine form and function, in that they serve every day functions, such as this tea service from 1911. It consists of a tea pot, creamer, and sugar bowl. It was won by a wrestler for a first place win at an event, and the pot has “1P, alle 83 kg, Hans Van Paini Kilp, V&Us Jyry 1911, 14,15” engraved into it. Kans Val Paini Kilp means Kansainvälinen Paini Kilpailu or international wrestling competition. The handle of the pot has become detached at the bottom, and evidence of repair work is evident . The pot also shows signs of age, with numerous scratches, scuffs, and chips. The matching sugar bowl is in much the same state, but overall is in good condition. The creamer has a dent in it, just under the spout, and shows the same age wear that the tea pot and sugar bowl show. The really interesting thing is that I have an original cabinet photo, taken in Helsinki Finland where Hans can be seen with this very tea service.

This vintage tray from 1915 has a very similar inscription as the tea service, and while I believe that they were won by the same person, I have no proof of this. Form and function combine again in this coffee pot awarded to Chicago Cubs star Don Kessinger for appearing in the 1968 MLB All-Star Game. It was his first of six appearances. It is made by the F. B. Rogers Silver Co. and is engraved with ALL STAR GAME 1968 DON KESSENGER on the front. Time has not been as kind to this pot as it was to the tea service, the handle on the tap is missing, part of the leg is broken off, and the silver is heavily tarnished. It is still sturdy after all these years.

While Don Kessenger was having a great 1968 season, Jose Pagan was having a great couple of seasons, and won this Rawlings trophy for making the Sporting News Puerto Rican Baseball Professional League All-Star Team. The trophy is 18 inches tall, has a batter on a baseball figural which has become detached, two gold eagles sitting on baseballs, and two engraving plates, a large trapezoid which reads “Jose Pagan, Third Base, 1967-68 All-Star” and the second is a smaller rectangle that reads “Presented by the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company for his as a selection as a member of the Sporting News Puerto Rican Baseball Professional League All-Star Team.” The plates show signs of age, and the back has a chip in it, but otherwise it is in good condition.

Albert Elko was the mayor of McKeesport Pennsylvania from 1966-1970, serving only one term. He was not very well liked, having been somewhat corrupt. During his tenure, he gave out these keys to the city. The key is a large heavy brass key, about 4 inches long, and has two black circles, one on each side. One circle has the city seal, the other has a logo with “Greetings Mayor A Elko” etched into it. A key to the city is a unique item to have in any form.

Sometimes a trophy can take an unusual form. Such is the case with this treasure chest from the PYC Regatta in 1973, won by Cotton Blossom II. Measuring 10 inches long by 7 inches wide, by 6 ½ tall, and made out of wood, this black treasure chest has been painted black, had some decorative elements added to them, and has a plaque stating “Davy Jones Locker Regatta Winner Overall PYC 1973.” The inside has been lined with red felt. There is a small chip on the back of the lid. It is a very appropriate design for a sailing trophy. Form and function combine again to create this wine cooler. It is a trophy for the Volney H. Kyle award from the Southeastern Gas Association. Made by Wallace Silversmiths, it was awarded to James J. Chaisson on September 19, 1975. It features an internal bucket to store the wine while cooling, and is a Baroque by Wallace Silverplate model. It is in near perfect condition, still as shiny as the day it was made.

Held annually in Stuttgart, Germany, The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is the oldest women’s indoor tournament in Europe. The winners of the tournament win money, trophies, and a Porsche 911. This trophy is from the 1982 singles final, which saw Martina Navratilova defeat Tracy Austin. This is the trophy that Austin received from that event. It shows some signs of age, with scratches, and the nameplate, and one of the Porsche logos are missing as well. The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 82 logo is engraved into the cup, with “Endrunde Zunch Senioren Einzel 2 Platz” engraved below it. That translates to “final round zunch seniors single 2 place.” It has a classic design, and a classic look. After a long and successful golf career, Arnold Palmer now works with a number of golf courses, owning Bay Hill, and designing others. His group took the Kings Bay Country Club, which has been founded in 1949, and in 1990 redesigned it to form the Deering Bay Country Club. This crystal trophy was awarded to a “Member-Guest” winner in 2001. It is 18 inches tall, is in perfect condition, and is very heavy. The lid can be removed, and is in perfect condition.

Panoptic Studios was an Illinois based multimedia studio that was shut down after the owner, Paul Joseph Cirigliano was found guilty of running a Ponzi scheme. Panoptic had won a number of awards before Cirigliano was arrested, and they were subsequently sold off after he was sentenced to 9 years in jail. In 2008, they won an Ava Platinum Award for a “Motion Graphics Presentation, which was shared with another company known as Proforma. This Ava Platnum award features a woman wearing a dress holding a movie reel, and shows some tarnish on the silver. The engraved plate is still present on the trophy. The trophy as a whole is in great condition.

The next year, Panoptic won a Bronze Telly Award for the “Florida Highway Patrol Safe and Sober PSA” Telly Awards come in two groups Bronze and Silver, silver being the highest award. The trophy itself is a bronze winged human, with no visible features, and a bronze plate stating “2009 Telly Award, Panoptic Studios, Florida Highway Patrol, Safe and Sober PSA.” Like the Ava award, the Telly shows some tarnish on the metal, but is otherwise in great condition.

Vintage Item Spotlight-1980’s Unocal 76 Salesman Sample

By David G. Firestone

Something that I find interesting are what are known as “salesman samples.” Salesman Samples are items that are used by representatives of companies to show buyers a sample of what it is they are buying. These can be anything from championship rings, swatch catalogs, or in this case, a case of lubricant samples from Unocal 76 from the 1980’s.

This interested me from the moment I laid eyes on it. The salesman would bring this case to a buyer, usually a mechanic, or factory that would use these industrial lubricants. The salesman would discuss the various characteristics of the lubricants for the buyer to help them make the right choice. Industrial lubricants are not equal and a lubricant that would work in a printing press might not be suitable in other applications.

This case is in great condition, and the 18 containers of samples it contains are still in good condition, though some of the lubricants have solidified over time.

Vintage Item Spotlight-The Pen is Mightier Than The Sword

By David G. Firestone
One of the reasons I love this hobby is how many unusual things get sold and bought in it. I’ve seen things over the years that are stunning, and I have had the opportunity to buy and sell some of them myself. Autographs are something that might not seem as unusual, but things get sold that most people can not seem to wrap their arms around. I’ve done so many signings over the years and I’ve seen everything from video game controllers to kicking tees autographed by players.
One of the more “mundane” things that are a hot bed for autographs are checks. When he was in his prime, Babe Ruth checks were often worth more for their signatures than they ever were to cash. Autographed checks are a very popular item for collectors. This example is from Lloyd “Lil Poison” Waner.
It was signed on October 16, 1972 to the City of Oklahoma City Water Service for $25.57. This check has been cashed, and the stamp did not go through Waner’s signature. The same can be said for this Max Carey check from 1953. Carey had to cash a check for $40 on October 15, 1953, and signed this check both on the front:
and back:
“Cut signatures” are when a signature has been cut out of a larger item and mounted onto a card. This is a Babe Herman example from Upper Deck SP in 2007. Floyd Caves “Babe” Herman signed a check with FC Herman, and it was cut from the check and mounted in the card. It has no flaws in the signature and looks really good
Leo “Gabby” Hartnett is one of the greatest Chicago Cub players of all time. A Hall of Famer who earned a place in baseball lore with his “Homer in the Gloamin’” in 1938, Hartnett has forever earned his place in Chicago baseball history. Hartnett signed an item, and this signature was cut and mounted to a card. It has not aged as well it could have, but the signature is still in great shape.
Moving away from sports, the political arena is a hotbed for autographed items. This example is a cut signature from Columbus Delano, who was the 11th Secretary of the Interior, under Ulysses S. Grant. He was a big supporter of Reservations for Native Americans, and helped create the San Carlos Apache reservation in Arizona. His tenure was cut short due to allegations of corruption. After leaving the Presidential Cabinet, he became the president of the First National Bank of Mount Vernon in Ohio. He was also a trustee of Kenyon College. This is a cut signature from his time in Mount Vernon. It has been mounted in a small case.
After helping the Allies storm the Beach in Normandy, and help destroy the Third Reich, Dwight Eisenhower went on to get elected to two terms as President of the United States. He dealt with the Space Race, the Cold War, the creation of the Interstate Highway System, and the Korean War, amongst other things. On February 7, 1954, his personal physician, Howard McCrum Snyder was in the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC on his birthday, and Eisenhower sent his a very humorous letter to cheer him up, and initialed it at the bottom.
For a civilian to get into the Senate Gallery in Washington, they need a pass signed by their Senator. On May 10, 1957, Mrs. Everett Hutchinson had such a pass signed for her, by then Senate Majority Leader and future President Lyndon Baines Johnson!
From 1830 to 1837, William IV was King of England. He was the Duke of Clarence, assuming the throne when King George IV died without an heir to the Throne. He discouraged pomp and circumstance, and was the oldest person to ever assume the British Throne. This is a huge cut signature from King William IV, and though the ink has faded a bit, it is still in great shape.The question of who is the greatest President of the United States has one simple answer, Abraham Lincoln. He was the President in the darkest period of the country, oversaw the Civil War, and helped reunite the United States of America as a country after that dark period. He would give his life for his country after that conflict. When he was a lawyer in Springfield Illinois, he wrote a legal document, which these two small words “9+10” and “$10” were cut from.
Union College in Schenectady, New York has a football tradition that extends back to the late 1800’s. This is a set of notes from 1895, written by Captain Beckwith, who was the captain of the team. It has a series of hand gestures that would be used to communicate the play from the coach to the quarterback. For a document that is as old as it is, it is in great shape.
As I like to do, I saved my favorite item for last. When you talk football history, there is no name that comes up that is as respected and revered as Vince Lombardi. Widely considered to be the greatest coach in football history, his legacy lives in the Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl each season. This is a play that was drawn by Lombardi in 1957, during his time as an assistant coach with the New York Giants under Jim Lee Howell and opposite Tom Landry. I will let the item speak for itself.

DGF2099 Productions-2013 Christmas Lights-Sauganash and Skokie

Some of the Christmas Lights from Sauganansh in Chicago and New England Village in Skokie Illinois.

2014 DGF2099 Productions Production Update

DGF2099 Productions will make some slight changes for 2014, and I wanted to give my viewers an update on what I’m planning on doing.

My Thoughs on Shopping Malls…

By David G. Firestone

Admittedly, I do not go to shopping malls all that often. The mall houses the biggest collection of douchebags on the planet, and I try to avoid it at all costs. I’ve gone to the mall 3 times in the last year, and I get annoyed by things every time. This last weekend, I spend the bulk of my weekend at the mall trying to finish my shopping. After spending more time than a human being ever should in a shopping mall, I have a number of observations from my last 3 times…

*To the girl being questioned by security, I hope you have an explanation for the fact that there is a dress clearly visible wadded up under your shirt.

*Jet black pantyhose do not qualify as pants.

*If the pockets on your shorts stick out underneath the end of your shorts, that is proof you did them yourself. I have a hard time believing that stores would sell that

*To the Windows 8 phone display…some free advice:Your display is to sell phones, but you have a guitar leaning on a chair in front of a laser beam background, but you have no phones to be seen…am I missing something here?

*To any store who’s business model is some variation of “Selling things that smell nice,” some free advice:If I can smell you three stores away, or one floor above, tone it down!

*If you pay more that $35 for a t-shirt, or buy a shirt from a store that only sells merchandise with its own name and/or logo on it, please shoot yourself.

*To the dead sea minerals stand, If I walk by you 3 times, and all 3 times, I ignore you entirely, what the hell makes you think anything will change the 4th time? If it was the hot girl with the sexy accent I met last time, I would listen, but a 34 year old man with frosted tips, and an Abercrombe shirt won’t work.

*To the toy kiosk, You know how I can tell you sell knockoffs? The characters names are misspelled on the package. It’s Lightning McQueen, not Lighetning McKween.

*I don’t know where “Hilfiger University” is, but I’m willing to bet it is on the same campus as Douchebag Tech.

*If you are going to go to a mall in a 3-piece suit to get something to eat, aim a little higher than McDonald’s…Go A&W or higher.

*You can get cell phone service on top of Mount Everest, but I can’t get a bar when I am standing next to the Disney Store…

*This one is more of a legit question…To the car dealer(s) who have models on display in a shopping mall…do you do anything to the car after parking it in the mall to keep people from stealing it? I would guess you take the battery out, but anything else?

*To the woman I met outside of Macy’s…if you are that drunk and the sun is out you need help…seriourly.

*If you walk into a Chicago Cubs store wearing White Sox, Brewers or Cardinals gear, please punch yourself in the face as hard as you can.

*To the woman who offered me this new “makeup for men” I really hope you have a backup plan for when this business venture fails.

*”I’m going to the Swatch Store!” said no one in the last 20 years.

*Sears has something called the Kardashian Kollection, because having the Kim Kardashian Kollection doesn’t exactly look good on a sign…

*The Kardashian Kollection…for women who want to dress like skanks but shop at a reputable establishment.

*Cologne sold in a cigar tube…makes as much sense as selling shaving cream in a pink rubber duck.

*Why the fuck does McDonalds have a meeting room? A meeting room at McDonald’s? Why would you ever need a meeting room at McDonald’s?

*Exactly how many soft preztel stands does one mall need exactly? I’m pretty sure 3 is too many.

*Would someone please set fire to the Crocs store?

*Mini golf, with black lights, and spinning flashing strobes…Do they charge extra for getting sick? It must happen a lot.

*To the bimbo who is standing behind me, allow me to answer your question…it is cold outside because it is winter in Chicago. You are the one who chose to wear a mini-skirt so shut up!

*I love how the M&Ms reps handing out samples while wearing NASCAR shirts looked at me funny because I’m wearing a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup NASCAR jacket.

*This mall has 3 pretzel stands, 3 places to get tea, 4 coffee shops, 9 places that specialize in desert, and 35 places in total to buy food, but not one store has a decent big and tall selection.

*3 Sunglasses Huts? 3?

*A used clothing store in an indoor mall? Why?

*To Frederick’s of Hollywood, if you don’t like guys staring in the windows, don’t put pictures of women in erotic lingerie near the windows.

*If I could walk from one part of the mall to another without being asked to upgrade my smartphone, that’d be great.

*J. Crew is still in business? I haven’t heard of that brand in years.

*I love how in the description of Lush there is an asterisk after “organic”

*It’s funny how the laundromat down the street from my house has a bill acceptor that can accept $5 bills, yet the newest, most advanced vending machines this mall has to offer can only accept singles…especially for a $2.25 soda.

*Males should never shop in a women’s clothing store for a wife or a girlfriend. One of two things will occur. Either they will buy something in the wrong size, or something that the owner of the store never dreamed they would sell to someone who has working vision.

*To the youth of America, underwear belongs INSIDE your clothes…that is why they call it underwear. I should never have to see anyone’s underwear in a public situation. Learn how to dress.

*There is nothing illegal about not wearing shorts when it is cold outside. Saturday was 16 degrees outside, why are you wearing shorts?

*To Bath and Body Works, The Body Shop, L’Occitane, or any other store that sells scented things, is there a clause in your lease that forces you to pay to have the space cleaned after you leave? If I can smell your store from the floor above, or 3 stores away, I’m willing to bet the scent doesn’t leave quietly.

*Who’s bright idea was it to have the 10^th largest mall in the United States to only have 4 public bathrooms, one of which can only hold 3 people at a time?

*Free stuff rules no matter how old you are!

*So you brought your elderly mother to a shopping mall on a Saturday during the Christmas rush, and you are shocked she was overwhelmed?

*A group of young teenage girls ran up to a man in his 40’s and asked to take a picture with him because they like his shirt, and they couldn’t understand why he was uncomfortable.

*$300 for a pair of sneakers, $150 for a shirt, a pair of earrings for $200, this is why I don’t shop at Nordstrom.

*Could someone explain to me why Abercrombe and Fitch does not have windows in their stores? Do they want someone to see their clothes from outside and come in and buy them?

*Why does Auntie Anne’s have a Twitter feed?

*Guys, your shirts come with a top button for a reason, no one wants to see your chest. Please start using them.

*Since when did remote control helicopters become a hot item?

*Windows has a retail store? All we need is an Android store and the trifecta will be complete!

*I can upgrade to an iPhone 4 for $35 or buy a cracked one for $65…what will I chose?

*and finally…The Nestle Toll House Cafe has awesome cookies, why aren’t there any more of these in Chicago?