THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING

Usually there is nothing like the day after Thanksgiving for sales near and far. But this past weekend the biggest Mall in Iowa (in Davenport) was swamped in the parking lot. I finally found a parking place in the Yucatan Peninsula. After earning my hiking merit badge I made it in there and noticed lots of people in the stores. Hopefully stuff like this will help turn things around some... and of course we have to watch out for corporate America because as soon as they get a hint of "buying" they will start price jacking as if the rest of us are too stupid to notice it. I'm already reading complaints about the grocery stores having to raise ingredient prices, etc. because of etc., and etc. Hey guys, do what you gotta do... and we'll do what we have to do and we'll see who is left. The piece of information which is coming out is that many of the TOP guys in these business are making $500K or more and many of the people down the totem pole are scraping to get by. Maybe we will have a Marie Antoinette type of thing.

Point is: the DVD sale info I sent out late last week had a positive effect as I have been selling DVDs like there is no tomorrow. After paying shipping (to me) costs there is basically little left over, and I knew that would happen, but at least I am getting some of my $$$ back for stuff I had already paid for but which was sitting on the shelves... taking up space (and I've been shredding like some people blend!)

The inventory is taking a beating, esp. on things I was down to one of each! I am reminding you that tonight at midnight the special prices on the DVD sale disappear. I will try to send out a reminder with an updated price list.

Kasimdzhanov on Tactics disappeared in a flash... partly because this guy is ultra smart when it comes to knowing what makes the engine move. ChessBase is making stuff left and right to pay for their 16-20 employees.

I am getting asked about the Center Counter (new) from Martin and I just haven't had a chance to work on it yet (only one of me). So let me put it like this, load me up with orders and maybe I can hire some part time help. I doubt it, but it sounds good.

I'll be checking on Cody from time to time to see how the Web Site is coming. I can't announce the name yet because there are those who will check it and then write and tell me it isn't working. It will have a name different from www.thinkerspressinc.com -- so that will be no help. I am also looking for a way to make "automatic downloads" too for my PDFs so I don't have to spend time setting all of those up, dealing with payments, etc. It's all getting there.

More happening all the time including a newsletter on THE CRITICAL SECRET... am doing some book reviews and a bunch of games for this Friday's TCR too. Pretty soon it will all shake out.

I'm hanging tough, how about you?

bob@thinkerspressinc.com