Notes from the news

Costco Selling Caskets
This story is being so widely reported, you'd think there was something inherently interesting about it. We ought to know by now that Costco sells everything, the only stipulation being that there has to be some question whether the item will fit in your car. That's why the toilet paper comes in the handy 84-pack.

Cable Loses to Satellite TV, Plans Aggressive Marketing Campaign
The latest industry figures show that while cable TV is losing customers, satellite TV is gaining them. Customers cite cost and service as reasons for making the switch. Cable TV companies plan to respond with a new aggressive marketing campaign—I hope a better one than their currently-themed "satellite sucks" effort. Obviously it's easier for them to attack the competition than to address their own price and customer service issues, the ones that drove customers away to begin with.

Healthy Diet More Expensive
Some people-and by "people" I mean "conservatives"-will try to tell you that poor people tend to be fatter and less healthy because they're lazy, and that they're poor for the same reason. Doesn't it cost MORE to eat too much? Well, according to this morning's NPR report, a crummy junk food diet can cost around three or four dollars a day, while the ideal fresh produce and lean meats diet will run you something like 10 to 15 dollars a day. Couldn't find a link for this after I heard it on the radio.