Two very contests were held recently that may shatter your worldview: 

In an international wine competition, Nyetimber's Classic Cuvée 2003 produced in Sussex, Enguhland beat out French Champagnes in the Sparkling Wine Category. Keep in mind this was a blind taste test done by winemakers, oenologists, sommeliers, and journalists. More here. 

On its own, I wouldn't have posted that as news, had it not been for the headline I read earlier in the week that a Taiwanese Whisky -- Kavalan -- won a blind taste test in England that was organized to celebrate Scotland's Burn Night festivities. Ouch. More here.

We're living in a global marketplace, and the days of thriving based solely on historical reputation are over; the product must still be superior. And even if it's superior in any given year, or for ten years running, one must innovate even if it's only to ensure that no innovation is required. While some may heed the business advice of a Michael Porter, Geoffrey Moore, or Jack Welch, I always remember the words of Big Tom Callahan from Tommy Boy: "You're either growin' or you're dyin' -- there ain't no third direction."

I wish I knew how most men stored their belts. I hang mine on a couple of spinning belt hooks that hang from my closet rod. Due to my unfortunate shoe fetish, my belt collection resembles a box of crayons. So each hook is holding at least 2 belts, sometimes 3. As a general rule, I've got dress belts on one hook, and casual belts on the other.

The problem is that I have some belts that go both ways. Sometimes, if I'm trying to dress down a suit or dress up khakis & a sweater, there are a lot of options. A medium brown belt day could result in a solid medium brown belt, one with contrast stitching, or a matte crocodile belt I've got. And because they are at least 2 deep on spinning hooks, it's almost impossible to carefully weigh each option and still leave the house. 

So...I spend a significant chunk of my day fearing Sub-Optimal Belt Selection. In other words, the belt I've got on is fine, but there may have been a better belt in the closet.

On The Fly hopes to introduce a solution to this problem later this year, but until then, I'm exploring pharmaceutical solutions.

• Apple Tablet announcement¹ 
  
• On The Fly email announcing Sale discount increased to 50% off Fall merchandise
  
• SOTU
• Dinner & Cigars at very exclusive Club that would never have me as a member²

1. If Apple ever wanted to make it up to people that bought an Apple TV, they'd livestream their events to owners through the device. Otherwise...most. expensive. paperweight. ever.
2. No, it's not because I'm Jewish.³
3. Yes, it is. Regardless, I am armed to the teeth: Kiton suit & 7-fold tie, Michael Toschi Vecchia Mano shoes, great-uncle's pocket watch, Davidoff guillotine cutter, S.T. Dupont Limited Edition 007 Lighter in Gunmetal, and Montecristo #2's from an island off the coast of Florida.

At the beginning I looked around, but I could not find the car I was dreaming of. So I decided to build it myself.

- Ferdinand Porsche 

In difficult economic times like these, there seems to be a natural tendency amongst our customers to "Buy American". It just feels better to buy something made in the U.S. when everyone knows that millions of Americans are struggling. We certainly sympathize, and try wherever we can to buy, and promote, products made in the ol' USofA.

Today, we had two gentleman enter in the store, and the first question out of their mouths was: "What's on sale?" Which is a perfectly fair question when we have Sale signs in the window and we're trying to get rid of the last pieces from Fall before Spring starts shipping. We want sale shoppers --

Specifically, they asked about Bills Khakis since they knew everything they do is made in the U.S. There is a veritable plethora of items from Bills Khakis marked down 50% right now, from pants, to sportshirts to outerwear, all made in the U.S., and a steal at half-off. Nothing on sale seemed to suit them, but they asked about the year-round stuff, which I explained does not really go on sale, which seemed to take the wind out of their sails. They lamented the fact that not much is actually made in this country anymore, while at the same time sounding unwilling to spend on anything that was.

I can understand someone not wanting to pay $100 for khakis, and I can understand someone that turns their nose up at goods made in China, but I have a tough time with someone that says they only want to buy stuff that is "Made in America", but is unwilling to pay for it. There is no possible way for an American-made clothing item to compete with a comparable Chinese product when seamstresses in Asia are making $1.00/hr. It's impossible.

So how does a company like Bills Khakis stay in business? There's lots of ways, but first and foremost, it makes a better product than what it is available elsewhere. They believe in 100% customer satisfaction. They don't change their core products that have built up an extremely loyal following after 20 years, but they introduce just enough new stuff each season to satiate their fanatics (of which I am one). Theoretically, a company could try to do what they do in Asia, cheaper, but I can guarantee they won't do it as well.

Postscript: For those keeping score, brands like Bills Khakis, Agave Denimsmith, M-Clip, Ike Behar's TAILORED Collection & C.E.O. shirts, Mulholland's Alligator & Deerskin collection, Martin Dingman belts, and Wolverine's 1,000 Mile Boots are all made by craftsmen and craftswomen in the United States of America.

P.P.S. So as not to create the impression that everything not from the above vendors is made of a lesser quality, keep in mind that many of our other brands are made in countries that take a great amount of pride in their craft, including England, Spain, Italy, and France. 

I may be a little late to this, but it appears that Amazon.com had offered Kindles to some of its best book customers with a money-back-but-keep-your-Kindle offer. That's right -- for specific customers: buy a Kindle from Amazon.com by Tuesday and try it for 30 days, and if you don't like it, they will refund you in full and you get to keep the Kindle (which I guess isn't that big of a deal since you don't like it).

Now, I know there are some consumers out there that hate this kind of promotion because it wasn't offered to them, but as my Dad used to say all the time, "Life is not a picnic." Amazon.com can't afford to offer that deal to the entire world, but it's genius to offer it to loyal customers that purchase a lot of books from them but haven't yet ordered a Kindle. I wasn't offered it, but I haven't bought a book from Amazon in 3 years (I most recently bought Guy Kawasaki's The Art of the Start from Barnes & Nobles with a gift card from said Dad).

I've been craving a Kindle for months now, but with Apple introducing their Tablet on Wednesday, and given the sheer joy of my 3-week-old MacBook Pro, I'll wait and see what's coming before committing to an e-Book platform.

A little more on the Amazon.com promotion here although it will probably just make you envious of those that received it.