Death by commercialization.

Has Haydel's turned into freaking Hallmark? Please stop whoring out this Mardi Gras tradition. I don't want a King Cake candy cane or Easter egg.
These sugary sweet confections -originally gifts to the magi- are meant to be eaten and celebrated only during Carnival ... It's tied into the allure of the season. Will everything henceforth follow the vain of Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving?

I can't imagine any turnaround this year, for Rex's sake. At the rate this economy is sagging, retailers might begin the Christmas push (or really, pushiness) just after July 4th. This rush and overanticipation is bleeding into our societal values and is putting immense pressure on the future of our country, our children.

My 9-year-old Godchild received a cell phone for Christmas, complete with her own phone and texting plan. And she already is waiting for a good grades check to cash in for an iPhone. I wonder what she's got to look forward to. At this rate, she'll have a laptop by 11, a car by 13, her own condo by 16 and will have been having sex since she's 10.

And what will the leaders that come from this generation do? Begin a war in anticipation of one? Is that what we have to look forward to?