Supersize That Stoli, Please.

Before I talk about what McDonald's is doing in Russia, I should say that I am a fan of the company, here's a few reasons why:
1. They are and always have been profitable and have had only one quarter with a net operating loss. Not too many restaurant chains can make that claim. Probably none. The sooner Burger King is put out of its misery the better. In Texas, the only hamburger chain that shows more promise is good old Whataburger. In the northeast places like 5 Guys are doing well at copying the McDonald's methods (and they do make a good burger).
2. Until the last 5 or so years, they have always been at the front of the trends. Recently, they have been blindsided by the boomers' health trend, the low carb diet, and by the Starbucks juggernaut. That's their fault, but they have responded.
3. The food is not bad. Their new coffee is good. I actually like the Quarterpounder, and their fries are the industry standard.
4. My grandkids love the play area. In the morning for $3.00 we get pancakes, a drink and 30 minutes of fun for them. That's not too bad. Bring earplugs.
5. The stores are almost always clean and stylistically up-to-date.

But what they are doing in Russia is business remarkable. A few numbers from yesterday's WSJournal:
1. Opening a single McDonalds store in 1988 required 200 official signatures.
2. The first store in Moscow had 27,000 job applicants who had replied to an ad that ran one day in the Moscow newspaper. There were openings for 630 crew jobs.
3. On the first day of business 5,000 people stood in a line -- before they opened.
4. McD's had to build a $43 million plant in order to supply buns and burgers. The country had no existing infrastructure to supply them.
5. The average store serves 850,000 people a year. Twice the American average.
6. The largest store is 24,000 square feet. Over 5 times the American average. The Pushkin square location in Moscow has 900 seats.

Like it or not America has exported efficiency and value when it comes to food and dining. McDonald's did to food service what Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson did to the travel hotel. Americans in the 50's and 60's loved it and for good reason, and the Russians and Chinese love it now. My generation decries the loss of the personal in these massive institutions but what we forget is that the USSR in 1980, except for their military, was not much more than a 3rd world country. They were broke and failed. They could advance by conquest or start over which in a sense is what they did. I'm going to be blasted here for sounding like a Randian, suggesting that market forces turned the evil empire into a prosperous, benevolent state. I am not saying that. I simply find it ironic that places like McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Starbucks, symbol and reality of American Corporation, are so successful in countries that had what they thought was a better way.

If you get a chance read how the Canadian businessman got started in Russia. Great story. Yesterdays (10/16/2007) Wall Street Journal.

Kobe for Dirk. Yes or No?

I have been a Mavericks fan since the very early days of the franchise. The last two years have been as disappointing "sportswise" as any I can remember.

Kobe is supposedly looking to be traded. Would you trade Kobe straight up for Dirk? I would. Would the Lakers? Not a chance.

Mavs fan -- Kobe for Dirk. Yes or No?

Alias Talk ... yes, I said Alias.

I'm watching the first season of Alias. Charlie's Angel meets Jack Bauer. I am about 5 0r 6 episodes in. So far: This is written for girls, right? I can't imagine a guy getting into it.

Here are my problems:
1. The good guys are too gay.
2. The Mission Impossible style, "here's your mission" at the start of each show is stupid and unbelievable. Plus, at least half the episodes have started with "oh, the last mission where you almost died was a setup by the bad guys, the real mission is this..."
3. Mr. Gadget guy is getting real, real old.
4. The main character girl is attractive and likable but a little more heaving breast, a la Michelle on 24, would be nice.
5. Wait a minute . . . they kill your fiance' and and then they believe you when you say you want back in. Hmmmm? This super smart leader doesn't suspect anything, he listens to every conversation in L.A., hears the word "spy", nabs the doctor boyfriend and doesn't listen to main girl and dad talk. Oh, he trusts them.
6. The father: nobody is that big of a jerk.
7. The Leader: somebody shoot his ass and end the whole miserable thing.
8. If the black girl friend and the main character say, "I love you" to each other one more time I'm out for good.
9. Is it campy? Am I missing the joke? What's with the Bruce Lee sound effects after each karate chop?

My wife and I like watching a TV series on DVD. 24 was the last success, since then we have tried:
Rome, HBO edition: I liked it too much for the wife.
Battlestar Galactica -- probably good, but couldn't find the first year, so I couldn't figure out who was good and who was bad.
The Shield -- the end of the decline of the cop show. Too bad. Starting with Dragnet where the good guys are always good, to Kojak and Hill Street Blues and now this. The only difference between the good guys and the bad guys is that the good guys have bigger guns. Machiavelli would be happy. I had hoped that things weren't this bad.
Lewis & Clark, Ken Burns documentary -- I had never seen this. Love it.
Foyles War, BBC -- this looks promising

Andrew, I know you have a comment . . .
Becca, you were 2 for 2, now just 2 for 3 . .