P-B Advisory Board

Local vs. chain businesses

Reading the business news it seems that any announcement of a new chain operation is greeted with high praise, but seldom do we see the other side of that story.  Came across an interesting statistic in the Mpls/St Paul magazine last week. Chains leave about 40% in the local economy, local business about 60%, so when a new drug store chain looks around the city spends a great deal of effort making room for it, but if we spent the same time working with the existing local stores it would have greater impact.  This extends to the local business news pages.

Ray Schmitz

Sotomayor

Response comment points are noted and appreciated. I personally believe Sotomayor will make a prudent Justice. And in the past some perceived liberal/conservatives Justices have surprised with individual or collective rulings. I am frustrated with the confirmation process with is posturing, politics and convolution. As example, did you notice new Sen. Franken mentioned himself 41 times in his opening, and Sotomayor only 14 times? Others of both parties behaved similarly. And Sotomayor didn't even get to speak the first day! Don Flassing **************Summer concert season is here! Find your favorite artists on tour at TourTracker.com. (http://www.tourtracker.com/?ncid=emlcntusmusi00000006)

"Justice" Sotomayor

Sotomayor will be confirmed as Supreme Court Justice. The hearings are a waste of taxpayer money. Sotomayor, by any account is a liberal Justice. She will replace Justice Souter, another liberal Justice. Souter is one of four liberal justices on the court. There are also four conservative justices typified by Justice Thomas. The ninth, "swing Justice" is currently Justice Kennedy. A role played for many years, with great aplomb, by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Most decisions by the court are (nearly) unanimous where the case is determined to have been properly decided by a lower court, the case considerations are patently obvious, or that the case does not rise to the level of new Court considerations. For those fully reviewed, decisions rest with the "swing" Justice resulting in a 5-4 vote. Which brings me to my point. Why do we need the expense and waste of time with nine Justices? Let's reduce the size to three. One to represent the liberal point of view, one conservative. The third would be elected. But elected only by those who swear under a potential charge of perjury, that they have read a selected 100 summary opinions of two "neutral" contenders being put forth by the political parties. Forget the hearings. Save time, expense and money. Get quicker, better results. Don Flassing **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221323036x1201367247/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Jul yExcfooterNO62)