Shopping as a patriotic duty

My mother is tops at coming up with reasons why we should all get out there and shop our socks off. She refers to retail relaxation as "stimulating the economy," a pursuit that should make both Republicans (Mom's party of choice) and Democrats (I'm in their camp) as happy as folks who don't care about politics.

Veterans Day is another chance to cheer for the red, white and blue (and green). At Macy's, you'll find such incentives to spend as this pendant, a 14k gold loop pendant with the added sparkle of a tenth of a carat of diamonds. Regularly priced at $200 and marked down to $99.99 for the sale, it's now discounted to an (almost) irresistable $84.15.

As Mom says, what's not to like?

Folks who are off from work on Monday -- and that means more than half the work force -- will hopefully head to shopping centers and spend, spend, spend.

It's the American way, right?