On The Mark -- Lazy Profits, Men Will Die, and Doggie Daycare

“Rebateless” Profits – I’ve always been annoyed by these companies that offer rebates on consumer items such as cell phones, TIVO, computers, etc. Each time I buy a product, I ask the salesperson why they can’t just give me the discount right then and there. Why do I have to go through this process? It’s a rhetorical question, of course, because I suspected these companies made these offers because they know must people are too lazy or forgetful to send in the documentation (like me). It was proven today, when it was reported that TIVO had a better (financial) first quarter than anticipated. The reason the company gave: Most people who bought their TIVO system did not send in for the rebate, saving the company millions of dollars.

“Men Will Die” – I saw a clip of President Bush’s commencement speech at the U.S. Naval Academy this morning. He last gave a commencement speech at the Academy soon after 9/11. In today’s speech (paraphrasing) he said -- the Marines and Sailors who graduated in the class the last time he spoke went on to become hardened battle warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan. Soon you will, too.

Wow, I wonder how many will be celebrating tonight? The only thing missing is that he didn’t say what Mel Gibson said to his troops in the movie “We Were Soldiers” before they left camp to fight in Vietnam – Men will die.

You Live Among Them – First, let me say (or remind) that I have two dogs and two cats. I consider them family when it comes to responsibility for taking care of them, but that’s where it stops. I don’t treat them like kids. On the front page of the Wall Street Journal yesterday there was an article about the challenges people face getting their animals into doggie daycare. The article reported on how animals have to go through “interviews” and tests before the proprietor decides whether or not to admit them (this is for day care, not boarding – yeah, there are some people who don’t want to leave their animals alone during the day, as if they were children). Anyway, people go through quite the trauma waiting to find out if their dog was accepted. One woman, who feared her dog may not get accepted, was quoted as saying, “She’s not gifted.” Please…