[Begin your sermon with a stack of catalogs, holding up and naming each one.]

Among the avalanche of pre-Christmas (yikes!) catalogs already clogging up our mailboxes, here is one that manages to distinguish itself from the pack--which of course is it's whole intention. It's put out by the snooty, upscale gadget merchant Hammacher-Schlemmer. The stand-up-and-take-notice quality of this particular edition was not because the merchandise was new, or on sale, or geared towards any particular time of year or leisure-time activity. In fact, the catalog is arranged in a rather odd hodgepodge fashion--with items like toasters and curling irons and outdoor grills all on the same page.

What each product has in common, however, is that it is the "best". Hammacher-Schlemmer has sought out experts i…