Christmas Shopping Shanannigans

Why the fuck are retail stores so goddamn greedy? Around August or September, I bought myself some new clothes, which was something I haven't done for myself in about 2 years. I found some really nice thermal long-sleeved shirts, and some front-striped casual shirts. Back then, they were $9.99. What is the big deal now? Kevin expressed interest in acquiring some of those very shirts for his wardrobe. I go to JC Pennies, and lo-and-behold, those very same shirts, the shirts I bought for $10, are now $15! Umm...aren't clothes supposed to get cheaper the longer they stay on the shelf? Double-U Tee Eff, mutherfucker.

Of course, it took me an hour to get to the mall since public transportation scales back its routes after 6PM. I left the house at 6:20, and I didn't get to the mall until just about 7:30. Of course, it is one of the coldest nights of the winter so far, so I froze my ass off bicycling to the bus stop in 10° to catch a bus. I eventually make it to the mall, only to realize the very objectives I went there for increased in price by 50%. Now, I still have 90 minutes and I really didn't want to head back to Urbana empty handed, so I window-shopped until I found some really sweet deals.

And I did. I found some shirts, and a really nice sweater, on sale. I think I scored sufficiently well. Of course, I know that those very same items will decline in price right before the holiday. Then, those prices will drop precipitously after the holiday. I told Kevin that I would finish my Christmas shopping after Christmas. He understands.

I know those retail stores buy clothes for dirt cheap, and then mark them up a couple thousand percentage points. It also sucks that I have a "No China" clause, because some of the nicest items I found that Kevin would like were made in China. Whatever. I don't want to support a communist regime. Of course, buying clothes that were made in some Pacific rim country isn't any better: They use child labor. What option do I have? Do I spend money on merchandise from a country that will eventually use military might to take over the world and impose a New World Order, or do I spend money on merchandise from a country that uses slave child labor? Decisions, decisions.

I may have a "Buy nothing from China" clause, but I don't have a "Steal nothinig from China" clause. Since those greedy retail stores knowingly buy their stock from those unscrupulous countries, I would really like to steal from them. I would really like to curtail those profits since those retail stores actively support child slave labor, and communism.

My new digital camera was made in China. Should I return it?

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