When the marginal consumer gets tapped out, non-essential toys will be the first item stricken from the list.
The future is uncertain for dozens of employees at Arctic Cat in Thief River Falls.
The snowmobile and specialized vehicle manufacturer’s parent company, Textron Specialized Vehicles, announced layoffs on Wednesday, Nov. 13, citing difficult business conditions for the industry in general.
Last week we drove on Old Highway 2 along the north shore of Lake St. Francis – a man-made widening created by the damming of the St. Lawrence at Beauharnois. The amount of watercraft in yards and driveways and empty lots “For Sale” was a sure sign that things are not as they were.
Yep – check marketplace, its definitely a buyers market for boats, snowmachines, 4 wheelers. even aircraft.
It is good that Mother Gaia will receive this chance to heal. This is going according to plan. Now we, their betters who govern them, can enjoy the lakes in peace. (/sarc)
Slightly off-topic but related to luxury items. I am appalled at the cost of Taylor Swift tickets in Toronto – a good friend who lives there says that the tickets are $ 3,000 and the T-shirts and other merchandise are in the hundreds of dollars. People are also flying there, staying at hotels, eating out, taking transport to the venue- so HUGE sums of money being spent.
When these same people start to complain about the cost of living, the cost of food and gas, I would like them to STFU! I truly hope they enjoy the concerts, because I think Taylor Swift is no Ella Fitzgerald, no Billie Holliday, not even Celine Dion. I will probably be dead, but when she is in her 50’s, I wonder if she will be able to command the same amounts of money.
Big Momma,
You forgot Sarah Vaughan in your list of the great jazz women.
As for Swift, she isn’t even close to Mother Maybelle Carter, or pretty much any women singers I can think of, including a few amateur buskers I’ve heard.
As for those who spend huge money being “Swifties,” I suspect they aren’t the demographic that whines about the cost of living. They are likely the spawn of the well heeled, is my guess.
Stevie – exactly. The Swifties whose parents are in THAT income tax bracket are coastal “elites”. Cake even wrote a song about it … yeah … a much more talented band than the whiney female angst singer.
https://youtu.be/ILRpRv57H0g?si=-HKoQXNAvlKit6r6
My niece worked hard at a diner, got 4 tickets, 1 for a friend and sold 2 at a modest profit to acquaintances so she goes free. I hope she enjoys the concert. Good for her.
It was always thus. Cabbage Patch Kids. Beanie Babies. Air Jordans. Conspicuous consumption on THE BIG THING! at the cost of weeks of effort to gain some measure of social standing.
Freedom to earn and to spend as you see fit means that many will make choices that look ridiculous to others. As long as you earned it in the first place, spend it as you see fit. I don’t know if she’ll turn into another Barbara Streisand in looks and stridency, or will die young from stupidity (as so many suddenly rich and famous do), but I hope she finds something higher than herself in which to believe.
Big Momma, no disrespect meant here, just another opinion.
As C_Miner said: you earn it, you spend it.
Been known myself to spend several $hundreds to go to see some great blues bands in a small town in Ontario (The Cove Inn, Westport) including overnight stays, dinner and bar tab(!!!). Put out some good bucks to see The Eagles, Eric Clapton (heard Derek Trucks for the first time), Phil Collins, Roger Waters and others locally. Also support local blues bands through the Ottawa Blues Society, helped crowd fund a local band (HOROJO) record an album.
Not a Swift fan, sounds whiney, better when she was country. Admire her business acumen though, she has done a lot regarding song ownership and streaming payments. The ERA’s tour is a huge business success.
To each their own. They should complain about the cost of living! The more pressure the better.
PT Barnum would probably admire some of the schlock businesses making excessive money off some of these fans.
How many snowmobiles a year are bought for Indians and Eskimos by Gubmint?
Richfisher
Bombardier has the lock on that graft.
Too olde for that damned schiff any whoo, so won’t be buying a sled no how.
I have a 1981 Arctic Cat you can buy. Stored indoors all these years, could be up and running with very little effort. I kept it because I knew the company I worked for would never send me back north if it was likely that I would be happy there.
“Luxury” normal food from Stats Can: this is what they think we need/want. This is a menu of stuff that they use to make up the CPI to calculate GDP.
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/statistical-programs/document/2301_D68_V1
Personally, I rarely buy most of the stuff on the list.
Who buys Almond milk? Answer: women with fake allergies.
Who buys canned peas or fruit cocktail? Say no more …
Who buys frozen fish sticks or any frozen fish or chicken wings? Yuck!
Who buys bran muffins from a grocery store? Taste like cardboard.
Who buys frozen plant-based crap or a frozen cake? Girls who will be fat.
Who buys rotisserie chicken? How hard is it to roast a fresh chicken?
Seriously, does anyone need martial arts lessons?
How often does your home need new linoleum?
Who actually NEEDS a Smart watch?
Who wants a package holiday or a cruise? Both are usually bad news. Try them once and book your own trip after that.
No car needs premium oil unless you live outside of cities.
The wardrobe costed for all age groups would be horrible. I just spent over $1500 for a basic, good quality wardrobe, while continuing to wear my15 year-old stuff. My favourite jeans have holes from usage, not buying trendy jeans with holes included.
I admit to buying rotisserie chicken on occasion but my wife also roasts one from time-to-time. She does it spatchcock style with a dry brine that is outstanding.
Herbs de Provence, olive oil, seasoning, garlic, lemon juice.
Muy bien sabor
Employees there will likely be back to work this year, and they will be shipping snow machines north across the border – until they hit the border again and then the machines will be purchased in Alaska.
Little canadians believe luxury taxes are more important than luxuries like food or home heating.
Luxury beliefs in canada are well funded by tax dollars, so it will take a long time for them to disappear.