Monopolies are just a bad, bad thing.

Customers get the short end of the stick every time.

Regardless of how much sunshine and PR spin a corporate raider likes to put on his big deal, the elimination of competition will maximize prices and limit choices.

The only people who manage to get anything out of these deals are the companies and individuals who can ignore the market in favor of their own interests.

A plan is currently in the discussion phase by Cinemark — “the best seat in town” — to purchase all of the theaters in Ames from Central States Theater Corp.

From the best seat to the only seat in town.

Vice President of Marketing and Communication for Cinemark Randy Hester said the purchase would have little effect on ticket prices or the variety of movies that come to Ames. This seems unlikely.

Though no one wants to confirm the deal as done, The Varsity II and North Grand Five theaters are listed on Cinemark’s Web site.

Anyone going to Cinemark this weekend also would have noticed a sign stating that several films were playing at the North Grand Five.

How often do competitors advertise for each other?

The North Grand Five already is being touted as a dollar theater.

While this may sound like a great idea for folks wanting to save a buck or two, it definitely means that our choice of first-run films is going to be drastically cut.

As soon as “Dudley Do Right” tanks at the 12, be sure to run right over to North Grand to catch it cheap.

Didn’t see “The Iron Giant” when it cost $5.50?

How about now for a buck?

This is a great plan to make sure every possible dollar gets squeezed out of the movie-going market in Ames, and no matter what anyone says, film buffs are going to suffer.

It’s hard enough to get decent movies in this town as it is with two companies competing with each other.

But no matter what anyone tells you, if one big company owns everything, they don’t have to care what customers think because customers will have no where else to go if they don’t like the way things are going.

Unless driving to Des Moines sounds like a viable option.

The art house crowd is already stuck driving to Des Moines to see anything more challenging than “Shakespeare in Love,” a film which, even at the height of competition in the Ames market, had to be seen in Des Moines the first week it was in national release.

This town needs another option.

As for students, take advantage of the free SUB films.

It may soon be your only chance to see a decent movie at a reasonable price.