This final note today, just to prove not all mergers and acquisitions are mercenary and money-grubbing.

The Wall Street Journal reports today Mattel is in talks to buy Thomas the Tank Engine. If you’ve had small children, been near small children or basically seen small children at any point in the past, what, 20 years, you’ve probably heard of Thomas, and Gordon, and Percy and all the rest.

OK, here comes the mercenary part. Mattel’s going to pay almost $1 billion for the company, Hit Entertainment, over in the U.K.