Tag Archives: economics

The Rise & Fall of the Columbia House Record Club — and How We Learned to Steal Music

An article about the decline of mail-order record clubs claims that it was the “12 for a $0.01” record clubs that conditioned consumers to pay little to nothing for music (and though they don’t phrase it this way, the related joy of having a large “download” of music provide (relatively) instant gratification too.) There’s probably […]

Meanwhile, in an alternate universe…

No one in the convention hall at the Queensbury Convention Centre was more surprised than Ryan Meili.  It was June 6, 2009 and the Saskatchewan NDP were choosing their new leader from among four candidates.  After Deb Higgins had been dropped off after the first ballot and Yens Pedersen had conceded, Meili knew there was […]

Movember: Getting Men To Grow Porn ‘Staches Like It’s The 1970’s All Over Again!

Three years ago, my dad underwent treatment for prostate cancer.  I also have an uncle (my dad’s brother), one of my dad’s best friends and a few others who I know who’ve underwent treatment for this disease. So this year, I’ve decided to join the Movember cause to raise funds to help find a cure […]

Wisdom Wednesday – Is YouTube Killing Television?

And the answer (at least according to this infographic) is yes. Bonus: here’s a wise prognosticator on the same subject back in 2006… (Okay, it’s me but I’m pretty proud of this one – not just that it was my highest mark of library school but also because I really kicked ass on my presentation […]

Libraries and Crowdsourcing

A great article giving a few examples of how libraries have used crowdsourcing to manage large projects that are beyond the scope of their regular workforce and/or which take advantage of the “Wisdom of Crowds”.

Sad Sunday – “We all — in the end — die in medias res. In the middle of a story. Of many stories.”

Steve Jobs’ sister gave a eulogy at his recent funeral with many insights into the life he lived, how he dealt with his illness and even his telling last words.

Saturday Snap – Michael Jackson – The Immortal World Tour

[Edit: this post got linked to by a MJ Fan Community.  Visit that page for more news & reviews of the Saskatoon and other shows.] I’m sitting in a hotel room in Saskatoon having just watched “Cirque Du Soleil Presents: Michael Jackson – THE IMMORTAL World Tour” show. This is my third Cirque show (I […]

The Intersection of Oil & Sex in Williston, ND

We went down to Williston, North Dakota at the end of summer and it was clear that this small American city with a population of about 10 000, like its Candian counterparts, Weyburn and Estevan, was booming due to the oil economy and various related industries. One industry that’s not available in the Canadian cities […]

The End of the Canadian Wheat Board…maybe?

Probably one of the best (and worst) things my dad ever did for me was when he didn’t push me to follow in his footsteps by becoming a farmer. My great-great-grandfather homesteaded in 1883, taking advantage of the famous Dominion Lands Act that offered 160 acres for $10 which drew so many settlers to the […]

Music Monday – “I’m putting all my fears down/I can hear the cheers now/See peace signs when I look around”

X-Factor is the new Simon Cowell owned-show he’s imported from the UK to compete with American Idol, the top-rated franchise he left last year.  Although both shows have similar formats, X-Factor allows groups, a wider age range for contestants and holds auditions in front of an audience instead of just the judges’ panel among other […]