We’ve crossed into February and are about to hit the most brutal month of winter. Fortunately for me, I’ll be toasty warm thanks to my old Starter jacket! Read on as I reveal the secret to its long life! Now to be fair, I don’t have one of those super flashy ones with a thousand different colors that only look good with a pair of Zubaz pants. But, a decade and a half later, mine still looks as pristine the day I got it! Starter jackets were all the rage in the 1980’s & 90’s. Kids in my generation would beg their parents to pony up $150 for one, to show allegiance to a sports team, that in most cases, they aren’t even a fan of. There were several different designs of Starter jackets and all were popular. There are the satin baseball button up style, the heavy winter parka ski jacket style, and the pullover with a large front fanny pocket style. While some were mainly sold in simple team colors, others had neon, or loud patterns, and giant logo designs. Some varieties had one giant team logo covering the whole jacket.  Most also featured a half side zipper that allowed for easy access to your front jeans pocket. Some game officials would also use that opening to clip on a microphone battery pack. They were available for pretty much every team, in every sport, from pro to college. The popularity of the jackets hit their height in the early 90’s, when big time rap stars could be seen sporting them in music videos. It didn’t matter if it was 100° and they were lounging by a pool, it was still cool to be sporting their Starter jacket. At one point during the 90s, the jackets became a major status...

“A guy don’t walk on the lot lest he wants to buy.” Glengarry Glen Ross That quote is from one of my favorite plays written by one of my favorite writers. It concerns the lack of production a certain sales force is facing and is a poke to motivate them. I’ve always appreciated the quote from the other side, you know, the guy on the fucking lot looking to buy. In the internet age, if that’s what this is, it is easier to window shop than ever before. It’s also easier to buy over the web for less money than the physical store. Most of this is due to online retailers like Amazon not collecting and paying sales taxes due to some legal loopholes. Thanks dickheads. I think of you every time an LAUSD student graduates without the ability to read because our high schools are underfunded. But, that’s not the point of this article. I have a question and I don’t know the answer. Maybe you do. And if you do, please leave it in the comments section. Why does customer service suck? I’m trying not to name names here, but I make no promises. Like me, you’ve probably needed to actually buy something in the past six months. My typical experience goes something like this. I walk into a store where I’m not greeted. (Yes, this even happened at a Wal*Mart in Paso Robles where they supposedly employ seniors with a second career in greeting. I won’t go into them not having the camera battery charger I needed, although they did have it online.) After walking into the store and not being greeted, I look for the merchandise I intend to buy. More often than not the store has been “rearranged” in...