Hammacher Schlemmer Wish List

Hammacher Schlemmer Wish List 2022

 15" Inflatable Rudolph with blinking nose $399.95 

10" Dragon Kite  $129.95

A Piece From every MLB Ballpark $349 

The Amphibious Sub-Surface Watercraft  $3,000

The Flying Hovercraft $190,000 

The Life Size Tyrannosaurus Skeleton $120,000 

This museum-quality replica is expertly crafted using GI-1000-grade silicone molds that impart stunning, authentic detail to the polyurethane resin casts that faithfully preserve the healed injuries Stan suffered during life, including a broken neck and ribs as well as puncture wounds in his skull and lower jaw. Supported by a cleverly concealed steel structure, Stan can be customized into any anatomically possible pose desired by a complimentary assembly crew, whether vertically at 15' tall as if surveying the landscape or horizontally at 12' tall as if lunging for prey. Special conditions and guarantee limitations apply.  40' L x 5' W x 15' H. (1,500 lbs.)

Porsche 917 Le Mans Raceway $125,000 (This is the full-sized Porsche 917 replica that conceals a 1:32-scale working wooden slot car track faithful to the iconic Le Mans raceway.) 

Zoltar $9,000 

Mini Monster Truck $185,000

(custom-built to 1/2 the size of the real thing) 

Amusement Park Dragon Pedal Boat $5,000 

National Parks Viewing Scope $5,000 

Human Bowling Ball $5,900 

Can't wait until the holidays ! 

Neiman Marcus 2022 Holiday Catalog

The 2022 Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog hath arrived and I'm busy circling what I want ( or maybe a gift for that special person) under the tree this year.

The 2022 theme is Make The Moment and there are some good moments to be made.

For starters at $3.2 million dollars is a  A Regal Moment: A Cartier tiara, which may be converted to a necklace, of over 600 diamonds circa 1935 

"Created by the esteemed Parisian jewelry maison in 1935, the extraordinary halo head ornament is crafted with platinum and composed of graduating palmette motifs set with 520 brilliant, single-cut diamonds of approximately 42.15 carats, as well as 92 baguette diamonds of approximately 8.03 carats. In this visually captivating Art Deco design, the peak of the tiara is tipped with an approximately 1.05-carat collet-set, half-moon-shaped diamond. A unique aspect of this breathtaking masterpiece is a versatile mechanism that allows the tiara to transform into a necklace. After being acquired in Italy, the mesmerizing work of art has been locked away in a private vault for 12 years and has never been offered for sale—until now."

 

A Dream Moment: A custom Maserati Grecale Trofeo SUV rendered in collaboration with Mattel's Barbie (including a Barbie pink paint scheme for $330,000. 

"Combining the superior technology, performance, and design of the new Maserati Grecale Trofeo SUV with the power of pink, Neiman Marcus has partnered with the luxury Italian car manufacturer and Mattel’s Barbie™ brand to create a bespoke, one-of-a-kind version of the Grecale Trofeo—a work of art you can take on the road. With only three of these custom automobiles in existence worldwide, this gift is the U.S. exclusive and the only model that will include Neiman Marcus–branded finishes. Make Mattel’s philosophy “You Can Be Anything” a reality, and don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have your very own dream car."

A Sweet Moment: A custom space-themed mini-golf course installation at home by the experiential art maestros Sweet Tooth Hotel for $200,000. 

"Delight your inner child and entertain your kids nonstop with the sweetest gift of all, a customized mini golf course by Sweet Tooth Hotel—the immersive and experiential art installation experts. Sweet Tooth Hotel will bring the joy and wonder of outer space to your doorstep and install a space-themed, nine-hole mini golf course on your property. Start your intergalactic journey with a sparkling shooting star at the first hole, the astronaut experience at holes two and three, then blast off with a seven-foot-tall rocket ship at hole four. Holes five and six will have you navigating your way through antigravity and a mysterious black hole, and as you reach the other side of the galaxy at the final three holes, a new planet awaits your discovery! Giving you the opportunity to truly personalize your putting green, you’ll be able to name the four-foot-tall planet structure and have your chosen name engraved on the flag. You’ll also receive 20 custom putters and 20 golf balls and then be able to share with friends that you know exactly where the center of the universe—and the best mini golf course—is." 

An All-Star Moment: Shoot hoops with none other than NBA legend Scottie Pippen and his son, Lakers guard Scotty Pippen Jr. ($333,333).

"The ultimate sports experience, this is your exclusive opportunity to shoot hoops with the legendary Scottie Pippen and rising star Scotty Pippen Jr. in Los Angeles. Thanks to the Neiman Marcus Concrete Runway and Talent Resources Sports, now it’s your and a friend’s turn to play with this dynamic father-and-son duo and learn a trick or two on the court. Following the shootaround, unwind and recap with a private dinner hosted by Pippen and Pippen Jr. As a final slam dunk to your day, sample Pippen’s premier bourbon whiskey, Digits, and then take home an autographed copy of his best-selling book “Unguarded.”"

Other goodies in the catalog include:

An Equestrian Moment: An exclusive trip to Aspen to participate in private polo lessons with Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras and Melissa Ganzi (while staying in the ultra-luxe St. Regis and attending the Aspen Polo Tournament, $295,000).

A Festive Moment: A custom curation of holiday decorations by Jim Marvin, the beloved master of special-occasion staging ($190,000). 

A Connoisseur Moment: A Hestan Napa Valley luxury weekend, including intimate cooking classes with renowned Chef Thomas Keller. To also include a round of golf with Chef Keller and Hestan CEO and Founder Stanley Cheng, dinner at the French Laundry and other exquisite dining experiences, and an exclusive Hestan CopperBond cookware set ($175,000)

A Bespoke Moment: A personalized reinterpretation of a signature fragrance and Parisian escape with the perfumer Maison Francis Kurkdjian ($65,000).

Can't wait for the holidays 

CHEESE

Some interesting stuff

As of August 2022, the U.S. had 1.5 billion pounds of cheese in cold storage across the country. That’s around $3.4 billion worth of cheese.

Using data from USDA, the graphic below looks at just how big the U.S. cheese stockpile has gotten over the last few years, and compares it to notable landmarks to help put things into perspective.

But before diving into the data, we’ll take a step back to quickly explain why America’s cheese stockpile has gotten so big in the first place.

Over the last 30 years, milk production in the U.S. has increased by 50%.

Yet, while milk production has climbed, milk consumption has declined. In 2004, Americans consumed the equivalent of about 0.57 cups of milk per day. By 2018, average milk consumption had dropped to 0.33 cup-equivalents.

In response to this predicament, the U.S. government and dairy companies have been purchasing the extra milk and storing it as cheese for years.

So, where does one store such a large amount of cheese? A sizable portion of the stockpile is stored in a massive underground warehouse (a former limestone quarry) outside of Springfield, Missouri.

Apart from a small dip in 2021 during the global pandemic, America’s stockpile of cheese has increased steadily over the last five years:

Between April 2018 and April 2022, U.S. cheese holdings increased by 130 million pounds to reach 1.48 billion pounds. After climbing up to 1.52 billion pounds in July, the stockpile settled once again at 1.48 billion pounds at the end of August 2022.

Now, the U.S. cheese stockpile weighs more than the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Tower of Pisa, and the Great Sphinx of Giza—combined.

Attempts have been made to get rid of the cheese stockpile. Over the years, the government has established federal food welfare programs and encouraged milk consumption in schools throughout the country.

Yet, despite their best efforts to decrease the surplus, America’s cheese stockpile continues to grow.

As domestic consumers continue to decrease their milk consumption, and switch out their dairy milk for milk alternatives like almond or oat milk, how much bigger will this cheese stockpile get before the government comes up with an alternative solution to deal with its surplus of dairy?

Thank$giving 2022

I'm all in favor of chicken this year ( as if that's any cheaper) or maybe something in the crockpot.  

I have the receipts for your oh, duh thanks moment: Thanksgiving  2022 is going to cost more 

Take a look according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the typical Thanksgiving dinner includes the staples of a 16-pound turkey, a gallon of milk, potatoes, ham, and dinner rolls - you guessed it up.  

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data (pdf) show that an 8- to 16-pound turkey costed $1.99 per pound last week, up from $1.15 a year ago. This represents almost a 75 percent increase. 

Boneless ham has increased 13.6 percent in September from a year ago to $5.50 per pound, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show. White potatoes have spiked 27.7 percent to $1.02 per pound, while white bread has climbed 10.7 percent to $1.75 a pound. A gallon of fresh whole milk has surged 16.6 percent to $4.18. 

The wide range of miscellaneous ingredients has also increased at a significant rate over the last year, including butter (26.6 percent), flour (24.4 percent), spices and seasoning (13.8 percent), sugar (17.1 percent), sauces and gravies (16.3 percent), and coffee (15.7 percent). 

Overall,  suprise ,food prices have soared over the last year, with the BLS food index climbing at an annualized pace of 11.2 percent. Grocery store prices spiked 13 percent year-over-year in September, while the cost of visiting a restaurant has risen 8.5 percent compared to the same time a year ago. 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone !!! 

Bezos Redux. Maybe I Was Right

Bezos is officially rebating advertisers for Thursday night football.  Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football viewership continues to trend down.The latest edition of NFL Thursday Night Football (Saints-Cardinals) averaged a season-low 7.82 million viewers on Amazon Prime, marking the third-straight week that TNF has posted its smallest audience of the season. The previous low set a week earlier was 8.79 million (Washington-Chicago) and the low before that was 9.70 million two weeks ago (Colts-Broncos). Amazon has 'guaranteed' viewership of at least 12.5 million per game to advertisers. If the game doesnt hit that then the advertisers are made good on a variety of levels not necessarily a cash refund. TNF started off with a bang ( Kansas City- Buffalo) and has hit the skids since. $13 Billion Bezos paid. That's with a B. $13 billion over 11 years for Thursday Night Football. That's $1.18 billion per year and there are 15 TNF games per year. Long story short they are paying about $78 million to broadcast this dreck. 

From Showbuzzdaily: 

Bears Color vs Color 10/30

Oh dear. The bears will don their orange helmets again this Sunday versus America's Team and it looks to be a color against color tilt on the gridiron. God help us. 

Jim Nantz End Of An Era

Im getting old when news like this hits me. 

Longtime voice of the men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament Jim Nantz is stepping down from the position after this coming season and will be replaced by Ian Eagle, per the New York Post.

Nantz has been the lead voice of the men’s tournament since 1991, replacing Brent Musburger. This season’s Final Four is taking place in Houston, Texas, where Nantz attended college and literally began his broadcasting career. The Final Four won't be the same. Good luck Jim

Walmart Joyspun

Walmart is sunsetting their Secret Treasures line of intimates and sleepwear in house brand( it is a billion dollar business by the way) and replacing them with Joyspun. As their press release says: 

" The intimates category is undergoing a significant transformation, shifting to an era of inclusivity, body positivity and styles that prioritize comfort and confidence. "

I am all for it. In the real world real women have mom bods, and curves and shapes. Nothing wrong with that! 

And this:

"Walmart.com, customers will discover over 300 styles of sleepwear, bras, panties, socks, hosiery and maternity priced between $7.98 for a super soft sleep shirt and $34.98 for a plush, quilted robe. Bras start at just $11.98 – a truly incredible value compared to the industry standard."

Let me just say this, underwear is relatively expensive and I think $11.98 is a great starting point. What is the starting point at Pink ? 

Good for Walmart... 

Halloween Scavanger Hunt

The Suburban Mom is on yet again. (When is she not?) 

She has a Halloween Scavanger Hunt for the youngin's HERE. Great idea. Can they find them all ? 

Netflix Pepsi Where's My Jet ?

The legendary tale of the kid who sued Pepsi for a fighter jet, and became the hero of a new generation.

The year was 1996, and the cola wars were raging. Pepsi needed something huge to compete with Coke so they rolled out their biggest campaign ever: "Pepsi Stuff" It featured a soon-to-be infamous commercial that claimed for 7,000,000 Pepsi points you could win a Harrier Jet (one of the most advanced military jets of the time). Pepsi execs assumed the astronomical "price" of the military plane was set high enough to indicate it was a joke, but ambitious & cunning college student John Leonard saw it as a challenge. Enlisting the help (and funding) of mountaineering buddy Todd Hoffman, the 21-year old hashed out a plan to score the grandest prize of all. What ensues is an outrageous goose chase for the infamous Harrier Jet and a legal battle with Pepsi that changed advertising forever.

Drops November 17th on Netlflix 

Disney+ The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Disney+ has released the trailer for The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special dropping November 25th. 

In the "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special," the Guardians, who are on a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Quill, head to Earth in search of the perfect present. ( Spoiler it's Kevin Bacon played by himself) 

The Marvel Studios' Special Presentation stars Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot and Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Sean Gunn and The Old 97's with Michael Rooker and Kevin Bacon.