Are you able to watch the stock market lose 1,200 points during the course of the day and not experience the teensiest bit of nerves?
Be honest.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Video...and what it killed...
So.
The ABC movement is heating up. I’m starting to see a lot of anti-Conservative YouTube footage making the rounds on the net.
Here’s one, and another, one more and finally this.
The first two vids are clearly Liberal party sponsored. I think its worth noting that while the Conservatives and the NDP are all over television delivering their election party platforms, the Liberals have largely retreated, reduced to delivering their message online. If I was being generous I would say it’s because they’re attempting to reach younger, more technologically developed voters. However I doubt that’s the case.
It’s more likely that budgetary constraints have restricted the party’s ability to compete at the same level as some of their other political counterparts. And while I’m not discounting traditional media, I think the side effect of the Liberal funding crunch has accelerated the shift towards moving the whole political communications process online. Which is a good thing.
I don’t recall seeing nearly this kind of online exposure in the last election. Maybe people are more dissatisfied with the current government, or perhaps in the two years since the last federal election the net has permeated our lives that much more. That’s a question for bigger brains than mine.
But just look at the number of protest videos out there. Anyone with some basic editing software and access to the internet has just as much of an opportunity to make their political POV known as the biggest media outlets. (More if you consider that media advertising buys are usually done on a regional basis and not all areas are covered equally.)
Joe or Jane blow who’ve got a beef to pick with, say, the Green Party, can slap together a video in Montreal and the next day they’re talking about it in Kamloops. It’s exciting stuff and opens the doors of the electoral process that much wider. And while the concept of viral video, or protest videos, is nothing new, I’ve never seen it used to this extent in a Canadian election before.
The ABC movement is heating up. I’m starting to see a lot of anti-Conservative YouTube footage making the rounds on the net.
Here’s one, and another, one more and finally this.
The first two vids are clearly Liberal party sponsored. I think its worth noting that while the Conservatives and the NDP are all over television delivering their election party platforms, the Liberals have largely retreated, reduced to delivering their message online. If I was being generous I would say it’s because they’re attempting to reach younger, more technologically developed voters. However I doubt that’s the case.
It’s more likely that budgetary constraints have restricted the party’s ability to compete at the same level as some of their other political counterparts. And while I’m not discounting traditional media, I think the side effect of the Liberal funding crunch has accelerated the shift towards moving the whole political communications process online. Which is a good thing.
I don’t recall seeing nearly this kind of online exposure in the last election. Maybe people are more dissatisfied with the current government, or perhaps in the two years since the last federal election the net has permeated our lives that much more. That’s a question for bigger brains than mine.
But just look at the number of protest videos out there. Anyone with some basic editing software and access to the internet has just as much of an opportunity to make their political POV known as the biggest media outlets. (More if you consider that media advertising buys are usually done on a regional basis and not all areas are covered equally.)
Joe or Jane blow who’ve got a beef to pick with, say, the Green Party, can slap together a video in Montreal and the next day they’re talking about it in Kamloops. It’s exciting stuff and opens the doors of the electoral process that much wider. And while the concept of viral video, or protest videos, is nothing new, I’ve never seen it used to this extent in a Canadian election before.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Strategic voting
So,
I’m finding this website very interesting.
Basically an Anyone But Conservative site it attempts to advocate for strategic voting, under the guise of promoting environmental issues, in ridings where the race is close enough that Conservative candidates can be defeated.
Quickly plugging in my postal code revealed that my riding is evidently a lock for our NDP candidate and therefore I’m encouraged to ‘vote with my heart’.
All of which raises some very interesting questions.
How many people currently vote with their hearts and how many already vote strategically? If you’re a dyed in the wool NDP supporter, but feel you have a chance at stopping a Conservative candidate from being elected by voting Liberal, do you do so?
How flexible is your political ideology?
I wonder if this site also has the unintended side effect of discouraging voting. If I see that the NDP is almost guaranteed to win my riding, why vote at all? If I’m against the NDP clearly my vote won’t make much of a difference and if I’m pro-NDP I don’t need to worry because, apparently, we already have this one in the bag. There may be better ways to spend my time on election night, like going home and reading my new comic book purchases.
You should vote in support of something you whole heartedly believe, as opposed to voting out of fear and making deals with the devil.
But, lets be honest here, political ideology changes. There are four national parties that are politically left of centre to one degree or another (yes I’m including the Greens and Bloc here) and only one party that has staked out a claim to the right of the centre. Which means, between these four parties, there is clearly some sort of common ideological ground that voters might be able to relate to. It could mean holding your nose when you mark the X on your ballot. But, to you, a little principled slippage may be a small price to pay for keeping the Conservatives in check.
Since my riding is considered to be locked these aren’t really questions that I have to seriously ask myself. I have the luxury of voting how I want...secure in the knowledge that unless I'm voting NDP it may not be worth a damn. But what about those living in swing ridings, what’s going through their minds?
I’m finding this website very interesting.
Basically an Anyone But Conservative site it attempts to advocate for strategic voting, under the guise of promoting environmental issues, in ridings where the race is close enough that Conservative candidates can be defeated.
Quickly plugging in my postal code revealed that my riding is evidently a lock for our NDP candidate and therefore I’m encouraged to ‘vote with my heart’.
All of which raises some very interesting questions.
How many people currently vote with their hearts and how many already vote strategically? If you’re a dyed in the wool NDP supporter, but feel you have a chance at stopping a Conservative candidate from being elected by voting Liberal, do you do so?
How flexible is your political ideology?
I wonder if this site also has the unintended side effect of discouraging voting. If I see that the NDP is almost guaranteed to win my riding, why vote at all? If I’m against the NDP clearly my vote won’t make much of a difference and if I’m pro-NDP I don’t need to worry because, apparently, we already have this one in the bag. There may be better ways to spend my time on election night, like going home and reading my new comic book purchases.
You should vote in support of something you whole heartedly believe, as opposed to voting out of fear and making deals with the devil.
But, lets be honest here, political ideology changes. There are four national parties that are politically left of centre to one degree or another (yes I’m including the Greens and Bloc here) and only one party that has staked out a claim to the right of the centre. Which means, between these four parties, there is clearly some sort of common ideological ground that voters might be able to relate to. It could mean holding your nose when you mark the X on your ballot. But, to you, a little principled slippage may be a small price to pay for keeping the Conservatives in check.
Since my riding is considered to be locked these aren’t really questions that I have to seriously ask myself. I have the luxury of voting how I want...secure in the knowledge that unless I'm voting NDP it may not be worth a damn. But what about those living in swing ridings, what’s going through their minds?
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Canadian Leadership Debate
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF%ck yah!
Now this is a leaders debate!!!
Stephen Harper is getting dog piled from all sides. He's holding his own, getting in the little knife twists and rib digs where he can, but essentially he's letting all the other party leaders talk over each other and drown out his responses in a babble of noise.
It's great to see Elizabeth May at this debate, of the five of them she's the only leader with an effortless gift of gab. She's smart, witty, great with a sound bite and she knows how to make the most of the time she being given.
Dion is doing all right. His English is still spotty and unfortunately some of his points are getting lost in translation. But he's avoided the wrath of the group as a whole and he's had a couple oppurtunities to make some solid points on the national stage.
Jack Layton. Solid, effective debater. Attacks Harper more than he sells his party. Needs to push the NDP a little more.
Duceppe. Strangely enough he's doing a really good job at offering Canadian solutions and identifying universal Canadian issues. In the English language debate he's doing the smart thing of not making regional based arguements. If I didn't disagree with the entire basis of this man's party I'd be impressed at how he's handling himself.
In my mind. May and Layton have done the best at this debate. All the rest have held their own.
Now this is a leaders debate!!!
Stephen Harper is getting dog piled from all sides. He's holding his own, getting in the little knife twists and rib digs where he can, but essentially he's letting all the other party leaders talk over each other and drown out his responses in a babble of noise.
It's great to see Elizabeth May at this debate, of the five of them she's the only leader with an effortless gift of gab. She's smart, witty, great with a sound bite and she knows how to make the most of the time she being given.
Dion is doing all right. His English is still spotty and unfortunately some of his points are getting lost in translation. But he's avoided the wrath of the group as a whole and he's had a couple oppurtunities to make some solid points on the national stage.
Jack Layton. Solid, effective debater. Attacks Harper more than he sells his party. Needs to push the NDP a little more.
Duceppe. Strangely enough he's doing a really good job at offering Canadian solutions and identifying universal Canadian issues. In the English language debate he's doing the smart thing of not making regional based arguements. If I didn't disagree with the entire basis of this man's party I'd be impressed at how he's handling himself.
In my mind. May and Layton have done the best at this debate. All the rest have held their own.
This just in...
Ok. Newsflash.
Two things about Australia that should strike fear in the heart of anyone thinking of making a trip to the land down under.
Giant spiders
Sharks
(AKA Chris and S repellent.)
If I see a giant spider, or S a shark of any size, expect hysteria in mass quantities. I’ve got my eye on you Australia.
In other trip developments my vay-cay time has (narrowly) been approved, the tickets have been purchased, we’ve got someone lined up to look after the cat, made touch with our B.C. relations during our brief stopover and begun to hammer out the deets of what we’re actually going to do when we’re out there…including lots of Outback experiences and annoying the locals by re-enacting ‘that scene’ from the Simpsons.
Coffee?
Beer?
Co-ffee?
Be-er?
C. O…
B. E…
And so it begins.
Two things about Australia that should strike fear in the heart of anyone thinking of making a trip to the land down under.
Giant spiders
Sharks
(AKA Chris and S repellent.)
If I see a giant spider, or S a shark of any size, expect hysteria in mass quantities. I’ve got my eye on you Australia.
In other trip developments my vay-cay time has (narrowly) been approved, the tickets have been purchased, we’ve got someone lined up to look after the cat, made touch with our B.C. relations during our brief stopover and begun to hammer out the deets of what we’re actually going to do when we’re out there…including lots of Outback experiences and annoying the locals by re-enacting ‘that scene’ from the Simpsons.
Coffee?
Beer?
Co-ffee?
Be-er?
C. O…
B. E…
And so it begins.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Pull List: 1 October 2008
Batman #680
Doktor Sleepless #9
No Hero #1
Invincible #25
Justice League of America #25
Trinity #18
Doktor Sleepless #9
No Hero #1
Invincible #25
Justice League of America #25
Trinity #18
Heavy spending months
With the arrival of October we’re officially into my heavy spending months. From September until January, this is the time of year where I have to work a little harder at scrounging the cash to cover expenses.
Over the last three years, during this time period, I’ve had to contend with…
Three birthdays
Tuition
Anniversary (First date)
Film Festival
Christmas
It comes across as a mighty short list, but tuition, the film fest and Christmas alone are usually enough to reduce my wallet into leathery tatters.
This year I have the added economic hangover of…
Wedding
Honeymoon
Pending Australia trip.
But strangely enough, if you discount the recent free fall in the marketplace, my finances look pretty good. (In the sense that I’ve managed to keep my credit card zeroed and don’t have any massive debt) I guess fiscal prudence has finally paid off.
In fact, things look so good, I’m finally going to tackle my outstanding student debt. With only $2500 left to go and so many other expenses to worry about it hardly seemed worth the effort to set aside the cash to polish this baby off. But the recent worldwide financial turmoil has convinced me that I’d be better crossing this off my ‘To Do’ list. It may not be a lot of money but in case of unexpected financial emergencies I don’t want to have to worry about covering this nut.
Thus I have developed a system to help be achieve my goal of student debt elimination.
1. After all monthly bills, RRSP deposits and ongoing investments have been take care of I will…
2. Divide all outstanding monies in my bank account three ways.
a. 1/3 to credit card payments (whenever applicable, when credit card balance is at zero, outstanding monies will be divided in half.)
b. 1/3 to student debt repayment
c. 1/3 roll over into next month.
That 1/3 rollover into the next month may be extravagant, but that is the cash I’ll be using to pay for all those birthday’s and such.
I’ve been using this system for a month and so far its been working out really well. So well that my Christmas gift to myself may be being debt free by Jan 1st, 2009.
Over the last three years, during this time period, I’ve had to contend with…
Three birthdays
Tuition
Anniversary (First date)
Film Festival
Christmas
It comes across as a mighty short list, but tuition, the film fest and Christmas alone are usually enough to reduce my wallet into leathery tatters.
This year I have the added economic hangover of…
Wedding
Honeymoon
Pending Australia trip.
But strangely enough, if you discount the recent free fall in the marketplace, my finances look pretty good. (In the sense that I’ve managed to keep my credit card zeroed and don’t have any massive debt) I guess fiscal prudence has finally paid off.
In fact, things look so good, I’m finally going to tackle my outstanding student debt. With only $2500 left to go and so many other expenses to worry about it hardly seemed worth the effort to set aside the cash to polish this baby off. But the recent worldwide financial turmoil has convinced me that I’d be better crossing this off my ‘To Do’ list. It may not be a lot of money but in case of unexpected financial emergencies I don’t want to have to worry about covering this nut.
Thus I have developed a system to help be achieve my goal of student debt elimination.
1. After all monthly bills, RRSP deposits and ongoing investments have been take care of I will…
2. Divide all outstanding monies in my bank account three ways.
a. 1/3 to credit card payments (whenever applicable, when credit card balance is at zero, outstanding monies will be divided in half.)
b. 1/3 to student debt repayment
c. 1/3 roll over into next month.
That 1/3 rollover into the next month may be extravagant, but that is the cash I’ll be using to pay for all those birthday’s and such.
I’ve been using this system for a month and so far its been working out really well. So well that my Christmas gift to myself may be being debt free by Jan 1st, 2009.
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