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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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Buddy, Can You Spare $40 Mil?
Buddy, Can You
Spare $40 Mil?
Hunters rise at 4:30 on freezing mornings, trudge hungover into the wilderness, and stare for hours at wooded draws for the slim chance of seeing a buck ripe for “harvesting” (a gentle way of saying “shooting its brains out”). But these hardships are only the beginning of the challenges faced by hunters. For instance, the cost to lease land has skyrocketed as urban sprawl devours the countryside, yet hunters keep digging deeper and deeper into their britches to fund their hobby.
Sadly, even their britches are expensive, especially if they shop at Cabela’s, the Neiman-Marcus of outdoor outfitters that procures ample compensation for its goods (a nice way of saying “charges out the wazoo”). Now the city is clamoring to give $40 million in tax breaks to these gougers. You’d think charging $17 for socks, $40 for scent-free boxers, and $230 for a camouflage jacket would allow Cabela’s to pay its share of taxes. Instead, they beg for handouts, which city officials provide by placing a greater burden on taxpayers — including Cabela’s shoppers, who get it coming and going.
Black Eyes
for the White Guys
Fort Worth’s two top CEOs — RadioShack’s Len Roberts and Pier 1 Imports’ Marvin J. Girouard — were recently roasted. The cocktail of white male power and the illusion of comedy proved hard to swallow for some, especially once gender issues arose.
In front of 600 attendees at the Fort Worth Club, Roberts and Girouard joked awhile before comparing ad campaigns. Girouard said that Pier 1’s latest — “Get in Touch With Your Senses,” featuring Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s “design doctor” Thom Filicia — might be controversial. Then Roberts, according to Static sources, said that he and Girouard are like brothers — “or maybe sisters” — given Pier 1’s new light-in-the-loafers image. Not to be outdone, Girouard, according to attendees, then took a big swig of class-be-gone. A homemaker questioned Pier 1’s commitment to women, to which Girouard responded that five of his 17 vice presidents and senior VPs and most of his store managers are women. Then he reportedly asked the woman to detail her background, “other than being a member of NOW.”
A Pier 1 flak later said that four (not five) execs are women and that Pier 1 apologizes to anyone offended by Girouard’s remarks.
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