I opined a few weeks ago about the state of newspapers across our country.  Much has gone into causing the problems faced by most of the major newspapers in the United States.  Increased costs for much of what makes up a newspaper are largely the fault of this dilemma.

This morning the "new" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel debuted in its 'smaller' size.  The Business section has been reduced largely be eliminating the full financial report in favor of stocks of local interest.  The 'B' section that was formerly tailored to various locales has been changed to the "Local" section providing a little news about most of the outlying area.  Other changes have been made but these struck me as the most visible.

Marty Kaiser, Editor, was featured on the cover page explaining the changes and the reasons for those changes.  The essence is that revenues continue to decline while expenses continue to climb.  That combination obviously cannot be permitted to continue if the newspaper is to have any hope of survival.

My intent is not to "pick on" newspapers in general or the Journal Sentinel in particular.  I believe that Journal Sentinel leaders are doing that which they think will help stem the tide of red ink.  I'm not sure they have any other choices.  Two rounds of voluntary buy-outs and involuntary lay-offs have already come and gone.  I suspect that at least one more will come again before this has been finished.  Whether or not those actions will be good or bad ultimately remains to be seen.

Similarly, the reduction in size/content may or may not be part of the solution.  It could prove to have been part of the problem before all is said and done.

This effort is meant to recognize that much of the content has been available on websites for some time.  It recognizes that advertising dollars are moving to where the readers are and leaving those places where readers are frequenting less and less.

I wonder if the latest changes in content on the printed page will help stem the flow or if it will end up exacerbating the problem by moving more people to the Internet more quickly?

We'll not know that answer for sometime, but I suspect that we will ultimately learn the answer.  I am happy about one thing:  I do not have the responsibilities of trying to operate a newspaper on my shoulders.  I would not wish that on my enemy at this point in time.

It is expected that Corsair Capital, a New York based private equity group will sign a deal with National City today that will affect Germantown.  You've guessed by now, if you're a regular reader, that the effect is to keep our newest bank name, National City Bank, in Germantown, at least for the foreseeable future.  Corsair and some other individual investors will put around $6 billion into National City at a share price of some $5.00.

We earlier traced the evolution from St. Francis Bank to Mid America Bank to National City Bank in the first Blog that discussed the plight of National City.  It's shares closed at $8.33 on Friday and that marked a 52 week decline in value of 78%.

So, it appears that my friendly, efficient bankers in Germantown will continue to be there when I need them.  I'm happy for them and for me and the rest of their customers.  Changing banks is a nuisance.  If there are direct deposits, those must be changed.  If there are automatic withdrawls, those must be changed.  New checks and bank cards must be obtained, and decisions as to which of the numerous accounts offered is the right account need to be made.  If Internet banking is involved, there is another level of change, and if telephone banking is involved, yet another level.

We sometimes are oblivious to the things that happen on Wall Street and the world but many of those distant happenings directly involve us in one or another ways.  This whole subject has been one that most of us has not followed...and yet it has an impact on our nice little village.  Our economy has truly become a global economy whether for the better or not.  IBM sold its laptop computer business to a company in China.  The Jaguar and Range Rover nameplates are now owned by a company in India.  GM is building a new engine plant in Brazil.  Medical x-rays are read off shore.  When the Far East markets hiccup, Wall Street flinches.  The demand for gasoline and diesel fuel in India and China have thrown our prices into a seemingly unending upward spiral.

Perhaps more important, these changes have occurred in a relatively short span of time..in decades rather than centuries.

I don't know about you, but I am excited about having our own Sendik's in Germantown.  I only wish it could be up and running in about a month!

My most recent issue with the local Pick 'N Save was finding a huge hole in the self space where minced clams were supposed to be yesterday.  Apparently everyone in Germantown decided as did I that Clam Chowder was what I needed to eat last evening.  That had to be the case since the empty shelf space would've easily held 100 or more tins of minced clams.

The free market is the best solution to any business that doesn't pay close enough attention to its clientèle.  That has been a problem ever since Jewel closed, and, unfortunately, that problem wasn't solved when Wal-Mart opened its new super center on Appleton Avenue.

The Jewel closure saw the elimination of many brand items by Pick 'N Save leaving us to pick from Roundy's or nothing.

I don't know who or what set up the display areas, but those don't bear any resemblance to where my common sense says I'll find something.  It isn't as though the stockers aren't helpful because they are.  But...I want to get in, make my selections and get out.  The grocery store is not my idea of a destination in which I want to lounge.

Maybe that'll change with the opening of Sendik's!  If they were to install a cash or debit only check-out for fewer than 10 items, I'd think I was in paradise!