Et tu, Bobby? But not to worry. A council raise will make up for lost revenue during Harvest Homecoming, right?

Some downtown businesses spend time and money securing their properties against the influx.

Even the city tries to protect its landscaping ...

... from being .. that's right ...

Sometimes the ones trying to play the game according to Harvest Homecoming's business model overlay find that their money isn't very well spent, as with Tijuana Philly (is that a local business, Mr. Cummins?) completely obscuring Comfy Cow's facade.

But it's like the Orange Shirts say: "We're showcasing your businesses." Or at least charging for access to it, with the grinning complicity of city government.

However, the truth is that lots of businesses simply shut down. No one knows how much this lost commerce is worth in terms of money, primarily because Harvest Homecoming has spent the better part of 50 years insisting that its commerce is more important than whatever else it displaces.

Because this this business model constitutes "tradition," no one ever questions it. However, some among the newer generation of businesses are willing to speak truth to power.

Here are a few signs o' the times.

By the way, the non-local chain newspaper's Chris Morris thinks all of this is hunky dory.

So, why mess with a good thing?

You know, I'm not even a stenographer ... but perhaps it's because not everyone regards it as a good thing.

You'd think that thinking is easy. You'd think wrong. After all, this IS Nawbony.