Pat gets a 10 gallon no-prize for bringing us news that market forces can act on even the most esoteric of items:

At the Stetson Hat Company in Garland, Tex., the cost of raw materials determines the bottom line, said Gary Rosenthal, a product development manager. "And the raw material has gone up a lot," Mr. Rosenthal said.

At the high end, for hats starting at $800, the felt is made entirely of beaver fur. But at the lower end, for hats in the $250 range, the felt is often mixed with rabbit fur, mostly from Europe, where rabbits are raised for meat.

Growing up in the south, I knew good cowboy hats were expensive, but I had no idea they could get that expensive. Ouch!