What Is With That Smell?

A couple of questions have come up recently:

1) Why has the scent of all retail locations of The Body Shop gone from nothing in the atmosphere except the occasional testing spritz to totally gnarly? What is with that putrid stank? Is it the competition with Bath and Body Works? Has my nose gotten more sensitive over the years? (Note: this could be quite possible. There are times when I smell the sulfur in the NYC water system so clearly I have to opt for bottled H2O).

2) Why is it that Broadway musicals went from special, wear your "Sunday-best" events to slap on a pair of jeans for the matinee? Disney's stranglehold on 42nd Street? The evolution of the US into a more "casual" culture (read: the slacker movement)?

I ponder these thoughts with you, my wee bonnie lassies and lads. Tonight I attended a NY Press Club event with a discussion revolving around blogs and blogging so I got the itch and reminder that I needed to reach out. Talk amongst yourselves - discuss - and leave me a comment. I've gotten some great ones recently that have lead me in some good directions here on the interweb.