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Sunday Thoughts
Dec. 28th, 2008 05:30 pmI'm back in Chicago from Westville. I came up Saturday, and was home in time to watch the massive rainstorms produced by a cold front. For those not following Chicago weather, we had a 60-degree (Fahrenheit) morning, and a cold front rushed in over the afternoon bringing 30-degree weather. This is what global warming looks like - active and at times extreme weather. (All standard disclaimers about climate not equaling weather apply).
While driving up, I found myself wondering about the economics of adult bookstores. On my route home, there are two such establishments, medium-sized barnlike structures, both visible from the highway and reasonably well marked by signage. They are on the outskirts of small towns, the kind where everybody knows what kind of car you drive, so I don't think the locals visit.
More to the point, I never see any cars in their lots. How do they stay in business? (No, I'm not going in one and looking.) Somebody's paying for heat, lights and at least one staffer, supposedly to judge by the sign 24/7. Is there that much markup in adult entertainment products, or am I missing something?
On the writing front, I have decided to exercise my unpublished writer's prerogative to not work on the Taken to Mars trilogy or a sequel to Space Rescue but rather on the post-apocalyptic Those Who Hide Survive. There will be a short (3-5 chapters) of Book One, detailing how Earth-based humanity lost the AI War, and the rest will be how Mars-based humanity starts to help out.
While driving up, I found myself wondering about the economics of adult bookstores. On my route home, there are two such establishments, medium-sized barnlike structures, both visible from the highway and reasonably well marked by signage. They are on the outskirts of small towns, the kind where everybody knows what kind of car you drive, so I don't think the locals visit.
More to the point, I never see any cars in their lots. How do they stay in business? (No, I'm not going in one and looking.) Somebody's paying for heat, lights and at least one staffer, supposedly to judge by the sign 24/7. Is there that much markup in adult entertainment products, or am I missing something?
On the writing front, I have decided to exercise my unpublished writer's prerogative to not work on the Taken to Mars trilogy or a sequel to Space Rescue but rather on the post-apocalyptic Those Who Hide Survive. There will be a short (3-5 chapters) of Book One, detailing how Earth-based humanity lost the AI War, and the rest will be how Mars-based humanity starts to help out.
