Mock Turtle

Even hoppy Dogfish Head beer won’t be enough to get some people through the next bumpy year. And so, the return of Depression-era cocktails:

The industry has seen a resurgence of drinks that hark back to the prewar eras of Prohibition and the Great Depression, such as the Sidecar, the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan.

Let the markets fall, production shrink, and unemployment rise. If it leads to me being able to order a Sidecar and receive it made with something other than ReaLemon, there’s hope for us all.

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We have become distracted on the way home from singing at SMM on a regular basis by a small bistro on Harbord at Brunswick. Formerly known as Dessert Trends, now they go by DT Bistro. They have excellent sandwiches, quiches and the like for around $10-13. Not to mention desserts…

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California Republicans borrow a good idea:

Dec. 19 (Bloomberg) — California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today ordered all state workers to take two days of unpaid leave each month to conserve money amid a record budget deficit and a legislative impasse over how to fix it.

The furloughs will begin in February and will last through June 2010, Schwarzenegger said in an executive order. He also ordered all departments to cut 10 percent of their workforce costs, through firings if necessary.

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Now, not only can you watch live coverage on CP24 and the Weather Network, check out radar maps on Environment Canada’s website, and look outside your window, but you can also follow the storm through a live blog on the National Post website…

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Another helpful headline:

TSX expected to reopen after stall

Was there any question about that? Gigantic Hound’s recommendation of a year-long prorogation of the market aside, the TSX isn’t really designed to stay shut.

Here, by contrast, is an informative headline on the same topic:

TSX to resume trading Thursday

And for bonus points on the same subject, which of these statements would you recommend a TMX official make to restore confidence in the exchange after a full-day shutdown on one of the last trading days of a volatile year. Would it be:

a. “Obviously, we regret that this occurred. We hope people understand that this is very complex technology, and despite our best efforts you’re not going to be able to maintain 100-per-cent availability.”

or

b. “We understand that our clients rely on us to carry out their business and we deeply regret that today they weren’t able to do that. We have been working hard to find the source of the problem and will review what happened to ensure this situation does not recur.”

Vote in the comments.

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I can’t really concentrate and there’s only a week to go until Christmas. What better time to grab some of the low-hanging fruit that headlines present. Here’s today’s:

BoC chief says economic crisis will ‘end’

Insightful. End, he says –as all crises eventually do. What I really like are the quotation marks around “end”, which introduce doubt where, as far as I can tell from the story, there really shouldn’t be any.

Over to you…

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Oddness may ensue for the next ten minutes or so. Go make some tea.

edit — all done! Writers, you’ll notice the back end looks different. Look for the New Post button in the top menu bar.

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Move bravely into the last two decades of the last century!

One small step for the TTC is likely just that — one small step. But it’s nice to see anyway! And who knows what one-off goody 2009 may bring…

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From a Financial Post story on how consumers are using non-cash rewards to buy Christmas gifts:

Of those polled by Air Miles, 40% said they were redeeming their points to get Christmas gifts for others, and more than 65% of those polled deemed it socially appropriate to give friends and family gifts that have been purchased with miles or loyalty points.

And the other 35%? WTF? Let me assure you, friends: if you present me with a gift — or, say a bottle of wine — how you happened to acquire it is of absolutely no concern to me…

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Diane Francis gets on the sales tax cut train:

3. The GST and PST should be eliminated immediately for purchases of cars that are fuel efficient. This would reduce consumer prices and help enhance demand for cars.

Great idea. Of course, we already have a rebate program for buyers of fuel-efficient vehicles, it being one of the very few initiatives on the environment the current government has bothered to implement. And the rebates on EcoAuto range from $1000-$2000, which, depending on the make of car you’re buying, eliminates the cost of the GST or most of the GST and PST. While the program is quite successful, there’s no evidence it’s enhancing demand for cars overall, so it’s of very limited use as a stimulus to the auto industry. In fact, year-over-year vehicle sales were down by double-digits in Canada in November, bargain pricing, rebate, and all.

Next?

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