*And another bites the dust.
Women's apparel chain The Limited on Sunday began closing all 250 of its stores across the United States and is slashing 4,000 jobs, the latest casualty of shopping's move online and the growth of fast fashion chains.
And just like Chico's, Ann Taylor and other women's apparel stores struggling with big drops in sales, The Limited has been struggling with shifts in consumer behavior and interest, a greater number of rivals and longer store leases.*

The informal economy (or underground economy) has always been in operation in The Bahamas. In fact shortly after the Mall at marathon opened, the government sort of gave legitimacy to back trunk and home vendors by allowing them to operate on R.M Bailey park during peak seasons because 'dey only trying to make a living.' But if you drove pass the park this Christmas, you would have noticed that very few vendors had clothing. Most were toys and knock off bags and shoes. That is how brutal the apparel has been, not only here in the Bahamas but worldwide. The ladies fashion stores are suffering and closing doors the most, while a new nieche market seems to have been created for the discount/clearance stores like, Dress for Less, Marshalls, and the other discount stores. Bahamian stores have the odds well stacked against them with the popularity of online shopping, increases in taxes and operating expenses, the lean economy with many people not working in years, the ability and love of Bahamian Shoppers to travel to Miami and New York to shop and the difficulty of doing business in the Bahamas. One would question why clothing items costs more than in the US. A store operator in Miami can order goods from a warehouse or factory and the only thing he pays to get the goods in the store is the cost of the goods plus the freight (which is sometimes included in the price. In addition to what the Miami storekeeper pays, the Bahamian merchant must pay a second set of freight, plus duty, plus vat,plus custom brokerage and trucking fees. So a shirt costing a $6.00 to get in a store in Miami, may cost $10 or $11 to get into a store in The Bahamas, even more if it goes to a Family Island. The Miami merchant does not pay taxes until he sells his goods. Since most taxes, including VAT is paid at the boarder, the Bahamian merchant pays on goods he may not even sell.

Maybe Loretta did not draw the support of the masses when she did her karate kick after a stint on a power hungry binge that leaves her the one seatless wonder. If she joins the green tent under Bran, he will definitely not tolerate the stabbing and jabbing

Loretta seems to want to have her cake and eat two (or is it too)? She wanted to become leader of the opposition but now she doesn't want to accept the consequences of the actions (mostly hers) that catapulted her to that position. How can you overpower your leader in a public place and have him removed from that position then expect everything to be nice and cosy at home in the party? Smt.

If you look at some of the people who are working for the parliamentary registration department they are dressed the same way Bahamians dressed when the PLP won the elections in 1967. Polyester and garbardine. Plaids and stripes mixed with polka dots. If you don't believe me go look at some old Nassau pics, then go visit one of the registration centers.

If you look at some of the people who are working for the parliamentary registration department they are dressed the same way Bahamians dressed when the PLP won the elections in 1967. Polyester and garbardine. Plaids and stripes mixed with polka dots. If you don't believe me go look at some old Nassau pics, then go visit one of the registration centers.

That is why it is so very important to register to vote and take this government out of office by May 2017. That is the only way all the underhanded dealings with the Chinese (and others) will be revealed. As the local economy continues to dry up and more and more Bahamians continue to fall below the poverty line, this government still see the need to pander to foreigners and lick their boots. Then they try to hide it from the people. Bah Mar is a good project and that's why the Chinese went to the extremes it went to to take it over. Bahamians should not have to pay for it out their ears!

"Authorities say multiple people have died." I know every English teacher cringes when the word multiple is used. "Multiple people?"

What an eventful time to be alive. Keep your soul right and your sanity intact. No weapon formed against you shall prosper

The people in Mexico are rioting because of the high prices of gasoline and other fuels. When will we reach the point in the Bahamas that the murder rate is too much. When will we as a society start chasing after sick, murdering, animals and make them feel they are the ones unsafe in this country. But NO, we tearfully and broken-heartedly bury the murdered victims then sit and watch the news to see who is the next victim. Pathetic sissies?

There was always a problem attracting Bahamians to become masons. They view this as hard and tedious work. Young men feel they will fare better getting into electrical, air-conditioning and carpentry. Not only do they consider these to be more 'cleaner' jobs but the opportunities for doing side jobs or eventually launching out on their own is greater. But the number of unqualified and under qualified males in this country is still alarming, and no doubt, directly related to the high incidence of crime. There is a very little safety net for young men when they fall through the cracks, small opportunities of second chances and an overbearing demand for them to perform at an early age and become a bread winner. Many do venture out on their own and start a family, only to have to return home a short time later because of economic reasons. So the lure and enticement to become gang members and drug dealers become more attractive and many young men are losing their lives or going to jail because of it. When a young mother cannot support her child, she goes to Social services and get assistance. When a young man cannot take care of his child in this country, he is taken before the courts and may be sent to jail. Successive governments have bypassed the young male, discriminated against them even (except for the chosen few). They focus more on the young women so many of them are more educated and more qualified to get better paying jobs. So many young men find it easier to drop out of society and eventually become criminals or drug addicts..Until this is fixed then the country will continue to experience the problems it does, including high crime, dysfunctional families, high incidences of alcohol and drug abuse and fatherless children.