Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Boxing Day Madness
So the economy is in the tank. And maybe you're one of those unfortunate souls who is really struggling because of it.
So does that mean you didn't bother with the Boxing Day sales in your area?
From what I saw in Saint John, not so much.
I went out on Dec. 27 (Boxing Day being a "Day of Rest" in New Brunswick), and went to a few stores. And what I saw were people who were still spending just as much on electronics and clothes and everything else that might have been on sale for ridiculous prices.
For myself, it meant spending $100 on DVDs at HMV. There were some steals in that store. My friend Kyla found a collector's edition box set of E.T. The set has two versions of the movie, a book with photos, annotated script pages, and a frame from the film itself. Regular $100. Kyla picked it up for $6. I can't even fathom how it came to be reduced by that much, but there it is.
There were deals everywhere, and I was surprised to see so many people out spending money in these tough economic times. But then something crossed my mind.
Maybe everyone waited until after Christmas to buy the really nice gifts for friends and family members.
Think about it. My youngest brother got an XBOX 360, which cost around $300. Toys 'R Us was selling the unit on Dec. 27 for about $240.
So why wouldn't you wait until after Christmas to buy yourself a brand new video game console, or a giant plasma television? Why not wait to buy some movies or music until they're on sale for a couple of bucks.
Sure, retailers lose money on merchandise when it's on sale for the crazy reduced prices seen during Boxing Day sales, but it almost has to balance out in the end. They had less business leading up to Dec. 25, when prices were more or less what they'd be any other time of the year, but then they sell boatloads of merchandies between Dec. 26 and New Year's. Granted, it's at much lower prices, but they're selling more.
So maybe the economy is struggling. And maybe some of those who bought brand new, 50" LCD televisions will see them repossessed in six months. But for now, it seems the consumer mentality is alive and well in North America.
Long live the credit card!
-BT
So does that mean you didn't bother with the Boxing Day sales in your area?
From what I saw in Saint John, not so much.
I went out on Dec. 27 (Boxing Day being a "Day of Rest" in New Brunswick), and went to a few stores. And what I saw were people who were still spending just as much on electronics and clothes and everything else that might have been on sale for ridiculous prices.
For myself, it meant spending $100 on DVDs at HMV. There were some steals in that store. My friend Kyla found a collector's edition box set of E.T. The set has two versions of the movie, a book with photos, annotated script pages, and a frame from the film itself. Regular $100. Kyla picked it up for $6. I can't even fathom how it came to be reduced by that much, but there it is.
There were deals everywhere, and I was surprised to see so many people out spending money in these tough economic times. But then something crossed my mind.
Maybe everyone waited until after Christmas to buy the really nice gifts for friends and family members.
Think about it. My youngest brother got an XBOX 360, which cost around $300. Toys 'R Us was selling the unit on Dec. 27 for about $240.
So why wouldn't you wait until after Christmas to buy yourself a brand new video game console, or a giant plasma television? Why not wait to buy some movies or music until they're on sale for a couple of bucks.
Sure, retailers lose money on merchandise when it's on sale for the crazy reduced prices seen during Boxing Day sales, but it almost has to balance out in the end. They had less business leading up to Dec. 25, when prices were more or less what they'd be any other time of the year, but then they sell boatloads of merchandies between Dec. 26 and New Year's. Granted, it's at much lower prices, but they're selling more.
So maybe the economy is struggling. And maybe some of those who bought brand new, 50" LCD televisions will see them repossessed in six months. But for now, it seems the consumer mentality is alive and well in North America.
Long live the credit card!
-BT
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas, or whatever other holiday you may celebrate at this time of year, to you and yours.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
My country's leader is a chicken
Stephen Harper is a wimp.
Harper managed to put off his political death at least until the end of January. He asked Canada's Governor-General to prorogue, or suspend, Parliament, and she granted his request. So rather than facing a confidence vote on December 8, now he gets to hold on to power while our country's economy goes to hell. Hopefully he spends the next two months figuring out how to fix it rather than how to screw the opposition parties.
Harper has gone from being the bully to the victim. All of a sudden, the nerdy wimps he's picked on for the last three years have decided to stand up and fight back. Too bad they didn't do it during the election campaign, but better late than never.
And to those of you who say the proposed Liberal-NDP coalition wouldn't be legitimate, I suggest you take a look at our constitution. This country doesn't elect a head of government the way the United States does. In a minority government, if the majority (in this case, the opposition parties) can show they have the support of the house to govern, then they should govern. What Harper is doing is what is illegitimate and undemocratic. He's running from the people's representatives. He's so afraid of losing his job and losing his grip on power, he's decided to take his ball and go home, and hope the other kids will lose interest in the meantime.
All the prime minister has done is delay the inevitable. Come January 2009, he'll still be out of a job. And then we'll either see a coalition government, or we'll have yet another election. Either way, Harper's days as prime minister are numbered. If the opposition can't get rid of him, his own party will show him the door.
Harper managed to put off his political death at least until the end of January. He asked Canada's Governor-General to prorogue, or suspend, Parliament, and she granted his request. So rather than facing a confidence vote on December 8, now he gets to hold on to power while our country's economy goes to hell. Hopefully he spends the next two months figuring out how to fix it rather than how to screw the opposition parties.
Harper has gone from being the bully to the victim. All of a sudden, the nerdy wimps he's picked on for the last three years have decided to stand up and fight back. Too bad they didn't do it during the election campaign, but better late than never.
And to those of you who say the proposed Liberal-NDP coalition wouldn't be legitimate, I suggest you take a look at our constitution. This country doesn't elect a head of government the way the United States does. In a minority government, if the majority (in this case, the opposition parties) can show they have the support of the house to govern, then they should govern. What Harper is doing is what is illegitimate and undemocratic. He's running from the people's representatives. He's so afraid of losing his job and losing his grip on power, he's decided to take his ball and go home, and hope the other kids will lose interest in the meantime.
All the prime minister has done is delay the inevitable. Come January 2009, he'll still be out of a job. And then we'll either see a coalition government, or we'll have yet another election. Either way, Harper's days as prime minister are numbered. If the opposition can't get rid of him, his own party will show him the door.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Some thoughts on football: NFL vs. CFL
I find myself watching the Grey Cup game this evening. For those not in the know, the Grey Cup is the trophy handed out to the champion in the Canadian Football League.
I find myself watching this game, after watching a barn burner of an NFL game this afternoon between New England and Miami, and I find myself really thinking about the differences between the two games. Of course there's the obvious things, like the different rules (Canadian football has three downs instead of the NFL's four) and the odd scoring plays (rouges anyone?).
But there are some subtle differences as well, and Americans and anyone who prefers the NFL-style game might overlook, whether by choice or because they choose to ignore them.
The Canadian game is faster, with more agile players. It's a rare NFL quarterback who can scramble and pick up a first down. There are at least eight or nine of them in the CFL who can do that, and there are only eight teams! You see much more competitive games. Blowouts aren't as common, which makes for more exciting games.
Most importantly, it's a game that truly belongs to us as Canadians. Except for a brief foray into U.S. expansion (which failed spectacularly), all the teams are in Canada. Sure, there are Americans in the game, but it's still ours. And these teams, especially those in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and I suppose the one in Montreal, have some of the most loyal, rabid fan bases in professional sports. Hockey may be Canada's sport, but 24 of 30 NHL teams are based in the United States.
So as I watch the end of the game, with the Calgary Stampeders leading the Montreal Alouettes 22 to 14 with a minute to go, I'm proud of the fact there's a game and a trophy that's in Canada, and will always stay that way.
I find myself watching this game, after watching a barn burner of an NFL game this afternoon between New England and Miami, and I find myself really thinking about the differences between the two games. Of course there's the obvious things, like the different rules (Canadian football has three downs instead of the NFL's four) and the odd scoring plays (rouges anyone?).
But there are some subtle differences as well, and Americans and anyone who prefers the NFL-style game might overlook, whether by choice or because they choose to ignore them.
The Canadian game is faster, with more agile players. It's a rare NFL quarterback who can scramble and pick up a first down. There are at least eight or nine of them in the CFL who can do that, and there are only eight teams! You see much more competitive games. Blowouts aren't as common, which makes for more exciting games.
Most importantly, it's a game that truly belongs to us as Canadians. Except for a brief foray into U.S. expansion (which failed spectacularly), all the teams are in Canada. Sure, there are Americans in the game, but it's still ours. And these teams, especially those in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and I suppose the one in Montreal, have some of the most loyal, rabid fan bases in professional sports. Hockey may be Canada's sport, but 24 of 30 NHL teams are based in the United States.
So as I watch the end of the game, with the Calgary Stampeders leading the Montreal Alouettes 22 to 14 with a minute to go, I'm proud of the fact there's a game and a trophy that's in Canada, and will always stay that way.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
To boldly go...
Apologies for the different fonts over the last posts. Blogger has been rather unco-operative with me the past few days. Hopefully, this will be the standard from now on.
Anyway...
I watched the new trailer for the upcoming Star Trek film. The Movie Blog (www.themovieblog.com) had a link to a recorded copy of the trailer. I guess it's playing in front of the new Bond flick. In any event, the quality was pretty good, and I took a peek. If you want to watch the high quality version, it'll be posted on www.startrekmovie.com sometime tomorrow.
I'm a pretty big Trek fan, though not on the level of the people who dress up and attend conventions all over the world. I'm a fan of the various series, and the films. And I'll admit, when I heard J.J. Abrams was taking on the newest film, and it would be based in the time of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, I was intrigued. Once I found out it would be a reboot, I was sold. I'd felt, like many others, the franchise had gotten a bit stale, and there wasn't much room to grow. The latest series, Enterprise, had begun to renew my interest when it was cancelled in 2005. I thought Enterprise was taking the franchise in an interesting direction, but it didn't get a chance to really get going.
So I guess you could say I'm a bit excited about the new film. Even more so with the new trailer. Hopefully the film won't disappoint. And hopefully it'll be welcomed by the hardcore Trekkies, who might be a little miffed with someone other than William Shatner in the role of Kirk.
Live long and prosper.
Anyway...
I watched the new trailer for the upcoming Star Trek film. The Movie Blog (www.themovieblog.com) had a link to a recorded copy of the trailer. I guess it's playing in front of the new Bond flick. In any event, the quality was pretty good, and I took a peek. If you want to watch the high quality version, it'll be posted on www.startrekmovie.com sometime tomorrow.
I'm a pretty big Trek fan, though not on the level of the people who dress up and attend conventions all over the world. I'm a fan of the various series, and the films. And I'll admit, when I heard J.J. Abrams was taking on the newest film, and it would be based in the time of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, I was intrigued. Once I found out it would be a reboot, I was sold. I'd felt, like many others, the franchise had gotten a bit stale, and there wasn't much room to grow. The latest series, Enterprise, had begun to renew my interest when it was cancelled in 2005. I thought Enterprise was taking the franchise in an interesting direction, but it didn't get a chance to really get going.
So I guess you could say I'm a bit excited about the new film. Even more so with the new trailer. Hopefully the film won't disappoint. And hopefully it'll be welcomed by the hardcore Trekkies, who might be a little miffed with someone other than William Shatner in the role of Kirk.
Live long and prosper.
Friday, November 14, 2008
'Tis the season?
So I've noticed something recently. Christmas. You know that holiday on December 25th? The one where you give and receive gifts wrapped in shiny paper. Where you gather with family and friends and eat turkey and pie (lots of pie). In the case of some people, it's a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Of course, the most important thing in all that is the date. December 25th. So how is it I find myself on November 15th, a full 40 days before Christmas, covering events in Woodstock relating to that holiday? 40 days out, there is now a town Christmas tree. 40 days out, there are lights and decorations up all over town. And 40 days out, local merchants are selling Christmas knickknacks. Some (like that behemoth Wal-Mart) have been selling Christmas-related items for even longer.
I was talking to my mom the other day. She told me the mall in Saint John has already started piping Christmas music through the sound system.
The holiday seasons are running right together now. And it's not a recent phenomenon. I just finished reading a collection of columns by former CBS anchor Dan Rather, and one of them lamented the way holidays just run one into another. There's no gap. The Christmas "season" starts sometime in late October-early November. In my mind, the season should start in the first week of December. No Christmas specials should be permitted to air on television, no holiday music should be allowed on the radio, no decorations should be allowed, and no Christmas merchandise should be on display and for sale, until that first week of December.
Maybe that makes me a scrooge or a grinch, but I think people would enjoy and appreciate the Christmas season more if it didn't drag on for so long. I know I'm starting to get a little sick of it by the time the 25th rolls around.
So let it be known, here and now on this blog. The Christmas season should be limited to the month of December. Enjoy the fall, watch some hockey or football. Once December 1st hits, then you can go nuts to your heart's content. Don't force it down our throats so early.
Of course, the most important thing in all that is the date. December 25th. So how is it I find myself on November 15th, a full 40 days before Christmas, covering events in Woodstock relating to that holiday? 40 days out, there is now a town Christmas tree. 40 days out, there are lights and decorations up all over town. And 40 days out, local merchants are selling Christmas knickknacks. Some (like that behemoth Wal-Mart) have been selling Christmas-related items for even longer.
I was talking to my mom the other day. She told me the mall in Saint John has already started piping Christmas music through the sound system.
The holiday seasons are running right together now. And it's not a recent phenomenon. I just finished reading a collection of columns by former CBS anchor Dan Rather, and one of them lamented the way holidays just run one into another. There's no gap. The Christmas "season" starts sometime in late October-early November. In my mind, the season should start in the first week of December. No Christmas specials should be permitted to air on television, no holiday music should be allowed on the radio, no decorations should be allowed, and no Christmas merchandise should be on display and for sale, until that first week of December.
Maybe that makes me a scrooge or a grinch, but I think people would enjoy and appreciate the Christmas season more if it didn't drag on for so long. I know I'm starting to get a little sick of it by the time the 25th rolls around.
So let it be known, here and now on this blog. The Christmas season should be limited to the month of December. Enjoy the fall, watch some hockey or football. Once December 1st hits, then you can go nuts to your heart's content. Don't force it down our throats so early.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
...And awaaaaaaaaaaaay we go!
Well, I'm going to try this out again.
I started a blog about four years ago, right around the time the 2004 presidential election was getting underway. I started out with the intention of writing commentary on news items of the day, and for awhile, that's what I did. But it gradually evolved, and became something more personal. I found out a girl I had a crush on felt the same way. I wrote about my goals in life, and about family trips.
But sometime in the last year or so, it tailed off for me. I'm not sure why. I don't know if it was a case of losing interest in writing, or if it I just simply couldn't put the time into the posts I wanted to. It came to a head when I promised to write a detailed post (or posts) about a family vacation to Florida last Christmas. Well, June rolled around, and I'd been pecking away at it for months. I finally got the first half posted. As for the second half...well, let's just say it finds itself in that blog purgatory known as the draft post.
I just stopped writing. And now I find I miss it. Not the exercise of writing per se, since I write everyday in my job. I'm a reporter with a local weekly paper in New Brunswick. I write all the time about all sorts of things, but none of it is for myself, or necessarily about what I want. I've missed that simple pleasure of writing about some random thing. But this time, I'm going to try something a little different from before. Rather than trying to write long posts two or three times a week, I'm going to write short blurbs several times through the day. Whenever the mood strikes me, whenever I'm exposed to some interesting piece of information I feel like sharing with whoever reads this blog, I'll write a post. All the blogs I read on a regular basis, or have read in the past, seem to find success this way. "Short snappers", as one of my journalism profs was fond of calling them.
As for my old blog, I feel I owe it to myself to finish off the final post, about a trip to Florida that took place almost a year ago now. It's unfortunate it had to die the way it did, but I just took it in a direction I couldn't sustain any longer. So as soon as I finish that final post, I will probably shut The Readme File down. I don't want to say it's a definite thing. I may post to it at irregular intervals, and maybe someday I'll be able to bring it back to what it was four years ago.
So welcome to this new verbal journey I've decided to embark upon. I hope you'll enjoy it, and maybe even learn something along the way. If nothing else, it will offer a mindless distraction for you throughout your day.
-BT
I started a blog about four years ago, right around the time the 2004 presidential election was getting underway. I started out with the intention of writing commentary on news items of the day, and for awhile, that's what I did. But it gradually evolved, and became something more personal. I found out a girl I had a crush on felt the same way. I wrote about my goals in life, and about family trips.
But sometime in the last year or so, it tailed off for me. I'm not sure why. I don't know if it was a case of losing interest in writing, or if it I just simply couldn't put the time into the posts I wanted to. It came to a head when I promised to write a detailed post (or posts) about a family vacation to Florida last Christmas. Well, June rolled around, and I'd been pecking away at it for months. I finally got the first half posted. As for the second half...well, let's just say it finds itself in that blog purgatory known as the draft post.
I just stopped writing. And now I find I miss it. Not the exercise of writing per se, since I write everyday in my job. I'm a reporter with a local weekly paper in New Brunswick. I write all the time about all sorts of things, but none of it is for myself, or necessarily about what I want. I've missed that simple pleasure of writing about some random thing. But this time, I'm going to try something a little different from before. Rather than trying to write long posts two or three times a week, I'm going to write short blurbs several times through the day. Whenever the mood strikes me, whenever I'm exposed to some interesting piece of information I feel like sharing with whoever reads this blog, I'll write a post. All the blogs I read on a regular basis, or have read in the past, seem to find success this way. "Short snappers", as one of my journalism profs was fond of calling them.
As for my old blog, I feel I owe it to myself to finish off the final post, about a trip to Florida that took place almost a year ago now. It's unfortunate it had to die the way it did, but I just took it in a direction I couldn't sustain any longer. So as soon as I finish that final post, I will probably shut The Readme File down. I don't want to say it's a definite thing. I may post to it at irregular intervals, and maybe someday I'll be able to bring it back to what it was four years ago.
So welcome to this new verbal journey I've decided to embark upon. I hope you'll enjoy it, and maybe even learn something along the way. If nothing else, it will offer a mindless distraction for you throughout your day.
-BT
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