9th
July
2008
Three big announcements in the media today. Not equal, but the same; the consumer isn’t ready to play the game in the old ways, and it’s time for business to take notice. Yesterday, we learned that two of the larger players in the Canadian cellphone oligarchy (I know, it’s not le mot juste, but it’s really hot and I’m tired) have decided to charge their clients for incoming text messages. Pretty small apples in the larger salad of life, but still vexing. Paying for spam, disadvantage to young people who pay as they go, etc.
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posted in economy |
6th
July
2008
How much does it cost to make a good cup of coffee? The calculation in my own kitchen is complicated enough, given the fluctuation in world bean markets from warfare or striking monkeys, but I can smooth out the equation by storing huge quantities of my favourite blend in the back of the freezer compartment. Similarly, although Timmys and Robins and Starbuck probably keep a whole team of economic wizards on retainer to assure that a cup generates profit, my cost is simple (I never shop there).
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posted in economy |
26th
June
2008
Banking machines are one of the better conveniences of the last quarter-century. In fact, they rank right up there with the microwave oven, if you want to rank things by time saved per operation. Usually. Back BC (before children), banks had tellers and lines and no interbranch capability for those of us in the pay envelope class. Cash ruled, and if you ran out you were poor folk, or someone with a chequebook and lots of trusting acquaintences. Now we stand before the altar, make hand signals and wait for a set of almost identical banknotes to deslot.
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posted in economy |
24th
June
2008
This house is paid for, time to start dreaming of something bigger. Tonight, somewhere in the “Oil Patch”, someone has realized that their house just isn’t fancy enough to reflect all that money coming in. But, seriously, how do you decide that you need this property? From the report on CBC, the mortgage alone might be enough to “make you want to kill yourself”.
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posted in economy |
17th
June
2008
The wise consumer ALWAYS reads the fine print. At least, in a perfect world; if you watch TV, you have “briefly seen” what some call mouseprint. Texts that try to make perfectly misleading statements into mistruths. Not exactly lies, but gone by quickly enough that you can’t be sure. Could be the aged eyes, could be the rapid delivery; the whole story is over and done before you realize you’ve been “sold” a false bill of goods.
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posted in economy |
10th
June
2008
I have always believed in free telephone service. I’ve spent a lifetime pursuing the principle. Some examples of my frugality in the personal telecommunications area would have to include the following,
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posted in economy, technology |
9th
June
2008
First of all, a new personal high today; that barometer of economics that “sets the tongues a waggin'”, the price at the pumps, hit 1.51$/litre. It doesn’t bode well for unlimited travel this summer. I know, in the world view the price isn’t very much, but a 13 cent jump for no apparent reason shows me that my bus pass is a precious commodity.
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posted in economy, environment |
5th
June
2008
Yesterday began with an exceptional situation for me, because I was on the road during rush hour (a very precise period of the day locally that lasts about one hour), actually driving a car. Doing the parent-taxi, if you must know. The odd thing is that by travelling to and fro in public transit I haven’t paid much attention to how the other 99% get to somewhere else each day. Frankly, it’s a depressing sight.
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posted in economy, environment |
24th
May
2008
Given that I awoke before the rest of the house this morning (well, pretty much any morning), it only seemed fair that I take the car by myself and go off to the malls. Time to purchase a few pairs of pants that aren’t made from blue denim, in recognition of the approach of summer. It didn’t take long; by now I know what size I wear and what the price point should be, which left colour as the only variable. I was home again before they even missed me.
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posted in economy |
20th
May
2008
Without any reason to cross an international border, I’m always a little bemused by some of the things that I hear about. You know, the coffeemachine/watercooler stories about how things went for someone else as they crossed through that zone of turbulent weather. The hot/cold divide where thunder storms are likely to develop. The special place where the Canucks are armed with clipboards and the Yanks with automatic rifles. Is the border a line between cultures, a line of defence, or a place to pay yet another round of taxes to governments with deep pockets? It seems to depend on the day of the week.
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posted in economy, travel |
