From Monroe Milstein to the Met Gala: Madness

Send us Fan MailA towel with TWO buttons (and any "adjustable" belt) for $925? Welcome to the strange world of Balenciaga and high fashion absurdity. The passing of retail legend Monroe Milstein at 98 reminds us of a more grounded approach to business. The co-founder of Burlington Coat Factory built a $3 billion empire while remaining refreshingly down-to-earth – riding the subway daily, calling store managers personally, and embracing his first coat sale at a $10 loss as his "lucky break." His journey from a young man with "bad acne and greasy hair" to retail titan offers a striking contrast to today's celebration of excess.Speaking of excess, this year's Met Gala theme "Garden of Time" brought us everything from Zendaya's gothic bouquet warrior ensemble to Doja Cat's controversial wet T-shirt look. While celebrities paraded in renaissance fair and Game of Thrones-inspired costumes, we can't help but question the tone-deafness of such lavish displays of wealth in our current economic climate. Is there beauty in this spectacle, or just increasingly desperate attempts to stand out? We think you may know the answer already.Our journey through the absurd continues with classic Florida Man stories – including Reza Baluchi's attempt to float to London in a homemade hamster wheel before being intercepted by the Coast Guard. When stopped, he threatened to detonate a non-existent bomb and brandished a knife, all while claiming to promote "peace and love." Meanwhile, another Florida man's strategy for handling a six-foot alligator in his driveway involved simply sitting in a lawn chair until help arrived. We also share local Cape Cod news, from tropical birds appearing where they shouldn't be, to the poor restaurant that's been crashed into by cars twice in two months. Join us for these stories and more, including a touching tribute to American-Israeli peace activists whose lives were tragically cut short.Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/