When a clothing retailer says, "We want to help the bride plan the wedding," red flags should be raised. (Retailwire.com) March 11, 2010

"Big pharma needs billion dollar drugs to justify supporting their channels. If you think you're going to cash out with big pharma, don't wait for it. Find ways to incrementally increase the value of your company. There was a similar crisis in 2001, but this one is much deeper. It will take much longer to come out of it. Those folks with funds are more reticent. They are looking at a completely different risk-reward equation." ---Forbes, 06/19/09

There's evidence that Amazon has done its homework. "They used insight to refine an offering that would serve this customer base and add more margin to the business. "Be assured, Amazon has been doing the same with all their businesses. They are watching their customers, listening to what they say and then designing their business to meet their customers' needs. Amazon will not lose in this market. They will take business from every other retailer, online or on the street.

If the objective of "Penn Traffic to Further Increase Focus on Its Customers" is actually followed, this should be the perfect strategy for the chain. Let the retailer work on what should be their competitive advantage and the most important part of their business -the customer.

Editor:"Donation To Penn State to Field Div-I Hockey Teams,” 9.18.10: Athletics play a role in the collegiate experience. But when an $88million donation is made to a team to compete in Div-I, there is something wrong with the values of PSU and perhaps the US? This is the largest donation ever at PSU. Could these $'s be better used for nonathletic endowments? It signals priorities at PSU: athletics over academics. Most D-I schools are the same,while the US lags the competitively, but not sports.

It was a bit of serendipity, ... an excellent platform for other women's products.