I don't often post about politics or issues cause I just don't see the point. It's like chasing your own tail for your own amusement. The only people listening are other people chasing their tail too.

I was thinking this morning about the up and coming raise to minimum wage. It's going to go to $10 an hour as the standard. I forget just when, next year I think. Some people think this is just grand, an answer to all their problems. But, I think, it's going to cause massive unemployment and prices on everything from your toe nail cutters to your car insurance are going to go way up.

Think of it as the retail store selling gizmos. They now have to pay their employees an extra $2.something an hour. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Under water that iceberg includes the services the retailer uses to get the gizmos they sell, the services the retailer uses to present the gizmos to the public and the services the retailer uses to be allowed to stay in business. We can call them insurance companies, electric power companies, transport companies and window display small business companies for short, though there is a much longer list. Ask your local retailer about the services and businesses they use for their business and services. All of those companies are also having to pay the new minimum wage and have put their prices up.

So how does the gizmo seller stay in business? In order to stay in business they have to raise the price of gizmos, quite a bit likely. Just to try to pay for their increased costs and their employee wages. If they can get rid of a few employees they will. They will have to. Likely they will struggle awhile. Then the company that mass produces the gizmos for the retailer begins to get greedy and offer them at wholesale prices from some warehouse instead of going through retail. So now the retailer is cut off. They can't compete against that.

The politicians who started this are trying to throw a bone. Thinking that the public will think this is just great. Hoping that we will be so overwhelmed by their generosity and concern for our welfare that we will actually feel we should get out to vote for them. There has been a huge lack of turn out for elections. I haven't voted for a long time myself. Not that I don't care. I just don't see anyone I'm willing to pay the cost of gas for to go out and vote. No one stands out as someone worth my time. Whichever party put this through is just hoping to get the support of the huge amount of the public who work dead end minimum wage jobs and those who have less than that but aspire to more.

In reality, we've just been royally screwed over. Once this whole things starts within a year there will be tons of unemployment. Which will be a drain on government support services which comes from the average person making minimum wage at a dead end job. So taxes will go up too. Which means your grand minimum wage raise will be sucked right back up by the government. Thank you very much.

Don't worry about the politicians though. Even if only a handful of people vote they give themselves another raise, take a few months off. Just pay them in margaritas and send them to the summer cottage in Muskoka.

Light the fire. I'm done.

Mummified Times Five tagged me. She has one of the most colourful blogs on EntreCard, I have always liked pink and orange together. :)

Seven Random Things About Me:

1. I'm more girly and romantic than I would admit to anyone face to face. I really do like pink, yellow and orange, though red is still my favourite.

2. There are days when I get to work and realize I forgot to brush my teeth... and my hair. Luckily I carry a comb in my purse or usually a clip I can stuff it all up into.

   3. My favourite reading at the moment is paranormal romance though I would never pass up a good science fiction. If you're looking for a good paranormal author try: Michelle Rowen, Kelley Armstrong, Lynsay Sands, or Kerrelyn Sparks. Life or Something Like Bit can give you the real scoop on paranormal romances.

3. I seldom buy a new book from the bookstore, usually get them second hand. But when I do get a brand new book I always go back into the pile for the third one on the shelf. I want to make sure it still has that new book smell and no dog earred cover.

4. I started colouring my hair this year. It's still weird to catch my reflection and see myself with a hair colour different than the one I grew up with. Almost like having a different face. I tried to match my real colour but it doesn't seem to come out exactly as it is shown on the box.

5. I have my bedroom fully set up now. Messy, but fuctional. I've got the computer on my desk, the TV on my bookshelves (radio too) and my bed in the corner. It's like my own corner of the universe in here. I never leave for hours at a time.

6. If I won the lottery I would not take another job working for someone else. I understand why the rules are there but I'm really tired of trying to follow all of them when some of them just don't make sense in day to day practical situations. People need to listen to and think about marketing less and people more.

I read an article about buzz (word of mouth marketing), how people are turning themselves into commercials. This goes far beyond the guy walking around as a human billboard. How can you trust a friend who has her mind on how she can work selling you insurance and hair gel and a pyramid scam into the conversation more than she is actually listening to you? That whole buzz thing just makes me feel kind of sick. Like the worst of the Internet and weblogs is coming out of the computer and into the real world now. How would you react if you were spammed by your friend over coffee one day?

For one day, no matter who he is (dead or alive, married or singly or gay) you get to be romantically involved with the actor or other really scrumptious celebrity of your choice. Who do you choose and how does the day go? Is there anything happening in the evening or will you be sick of him by then?

I'd pick Keanu Reeves and, no, I'm not sharing.

I am looking forward to my first week off work in a very long time. I've had weeks and months off but not while actually keeping a job. So this is going to be nice. Plus St. Patrick's Day is coming. I will treat myself to breakfast out and maybe a jot over to the liquor store for a bottle of that caramel Baileys that was so nice at New Years Eve. I also bought myself a new book. Really new, not just new to me. This one came from the big bookstore. All the pages are new, untouched by human hands. I can't wait to start the book. It's the latest from Kelley Armstrong, a Canadian writer.

Smiley Saturday: Post about something that made you smile or might make your readers smile.

How was the whole peanut butter and jam phenomena started? Don't look for the facts, write the story as you create it. What can you come up with?

I'm not a peanut butter fan.