Random

• Start stocking up on "forever stamps." The US Postal Service is raising the cost of a first-class stamp to 44¢ on May 11th -- a 2¢ increase. But it's still a great deal -- considering how much energy it takes to move a letter from one place to another. ~ link

• More site trivia from Google Analytics -- 51% of my blog visitors use Firefox; 32% use Internet Explorer; 13% use Safari; 2% use Chrome; 1% use Opera -- and there is one person who still uses Netscape (the browser that started it all -- congratulations on holding out -- whoever you are).

• The economy isn't totally stalled out. Walmart is pushing for expansion into urban Chicago. And in suburban Phoenix, both In-N-Out Burger and Chick-fil-A are setting up in Queen Creek. Intel has announced that they are spending $7 billion to set-up for the production of the next generation 32-nanometer chips -- including $3 billion in the Chandler, Arizona factory. There's still some chump change floating around out there.

• The sons of Mervyn Morris, the founder of the now defunct Mervyn's department store chain, have purchased the name "Mervyn's," the house brand labels, and "all its Internet-related intellectual properties." Apparently they are thinking of reestablishing the chain. That would be an interesting comeback. I unloaded trucks for Mervyn's for awhile when I was a university student. ~ link

• Meanwhile, Mervyn's arch nemesis, Kohl’s, has acquired 31 of the former Mervyn's buildings -- recently closing the deal on five of the properties. ~ link