the jimmymac attack!

Tonight I was in a big department store at closing time around 10:00 pm. By chance I was going down ten floors on the escalator at closing time. Some music started playing and I was greeted at the bottom of the escalator at each floor by store clerks standing, bowing and greeting me. It seemed like a bizarre ritual. I don't know what the music was. Probably a Chinese 'good night my darling' or maybe the national anthem of Taiwan. I'm sure they probably do this every night. I doubt it was just for my benefit.
There was a famous department store in Canada that was in business for over 100 years. They also had many customs and rituals that were passed on through generations. In the 1970's and 1980's they began to cut back on the old ways. They cut back on staff and other things. Staff were laid off and they complained bitterly at the treatment they received after many years of service. Some of the fourth generation of the family running the store preferred to spend time at the race track. Customers began complaining there were no clerks to serve them. In the 1990's the store went out of business after over 100 years. The owners blamed competition.
Last week Toyota announced they are going to raise prices on their cars sold in America. Why? They are killing the competition Ford and GM. Toyota hybrid vehicles are selling second hand for more than they cost new. Just last year Ford finally decided to build a hybrid car. Last year Toyota overtook Ford as the number two auto maker in the world. But Toyota and the Japanese know it's better to try to appease the Americans. Even after raising prices they will probably still sell very well and maybe have more profit.
There are department stores in Taipei that have uniformed girls operating the elevators. The old store in Canada used to have the same. They cut back to save money. The old store in Canada has gone out of business while the stores in Taipei are doing booming business. What does it tell you?