(It is) hard to please everyone. The decision of CBC to postpone Republic of Doyle with figure skating leaves me perplexed. Isn’t there some late night spot, say just before dawn, when watching people turn in circles and jump is appropriate? I’ll have to keep my patience in check for another seven days.
posted in economy | Comments Off on Rows and rows of chaos | 263 words
Perhaps living in a non-bargaining economy is a good thing. My ability to beat down the price of stuff is not advanced. Example: saw something on a local used item site. Asked if the price listed was firm. An affirmative answer stopped me. On to the next item, (if and) when it comes into view. Not good, in a world where people actually want to argue about the price of stuff. A retailer’s dream, I am, I am.
posted in economy | Comments Off on Inability to barter | 276 words
The next time you purchase a detergent, remember that the odour, colour and degree of foaming are all calculated to enhance your satisfaction with the cleaning property. Nothing to do with reality. Feel better now? I’ve known that for a very long time. My father “made” shampoo in a factory. We received industrial quantities of the batch of the week. All an illusion. You pay to be fooled. The bottom line; check for the bargain.
posted in economy | Comments Off on Soap is soap is soap | 257 words
The Nature Of Things is presenting us with the evolving pattern of wildlife incursion in this part of the world. As we learn about the population of coyotes in major cities, I’m struck by one technical aspect: I have everything needed to track them, except for the frequency of the collar transmitter. Forget fox hunts. Let’s go track a coywolf!
posted in economy, food | Comments Off on Two more shovels in the tool pile | 272 words
Thanks to our frugal ancestors, the phrase “A penny saved is a penny earned” has made good sense for more than four centuries. Alas, inflation and government interference have made this into historical irrelevance. The penny is going, going, gone.
posted in economy | Comments Off on Stretch or shrink your pennies | 276 words
Home delivery is wonderful. Be it the newspaper, bags of milk, posted parcels; all good. Why then, do I have to accept the delivery by proxy of various courier firms? A lot of stuff is brought, almost to the house, by those big trucks with logos. Please pay attention to the “almost”.
posted in economy | Comments Off on The illusion of home delivery | 254 words
One more reason to stay at home: I might get sick.
Simple sentence, complex condition. Today’s news points out that the health insurance you purchase before “going abroad” might not pay the bill should you ever be in need. The insurers will (not might) look for any reason to avoid a hit to their profit margin, and if there is a way to invalidate your status… hey, nobody said insurance was a good deal for anyone other than the insurer.
posted in economy | Comments Off on Poking the shark | 249 words
Attention, advertisers. The use of an asterisk does not remove responsibility.
Case in point. After searching for that eyedrop prescription I received several months ago, and finding it (everything in its place, etc.) I decided to nip on over to the pharmacy for a refill of my witches brew. And, I verified the hours of business, on the web. And I went out (despite the windchill that hovers around -33C right now). And they were closed. Back at home, I re-verified the information on the hours of business. And spotted an asterisk. Effectively, today was not like other days. By tomorrow, the asterisk should be gone.
posted in economy, Wx | Comments Off on Missed the dreaded asterisk | 268 words
With all the new snow, the morning could have been messy, or beautiful. I’ll let you draw your own conclusion.
posted in economy, Wx | Comments Off on The yo-yo train | 253 words
Early morning on the bus. Perfect for daydreaming. What if?
What if I changed jobs? Got back off the bus, and wandered into the small store, where the Help Wanted sign has gone hi-tech: a flat screen TV behind the cash register. I could offer my services, based on a lifetime of buying things in just such a store. A quick outline of my intention to deal with each client promptly, with a friendly air. During quiet moments, I could rearrange the magazine racks, or test new coffee blends that would amaze the regulars. I know how to make change in the metric system, and if we suddenly had a lapse of sanity and implanted the Imperial system (pence, shillings, pounds) I would adjust accordingly.
posted in economy | Comments Off on Changing positions | 274 words
