Newspapers Dying - Blogs Taking Over

Chrystal Ocean over at Challenging The Commonplace brought to my attention the plight of Canwest Global Communications. I live in the Greater Toronto Area where there are 4 daily newspapers: The Globe & Mail, The Sun, The Star and The National Post. Newspaper wars are constant in this part of the country as publications fight for readers. My daily choice is The Sun, but I've noticed it shrinking of late, which isn't surprising in this digital age.

I'm 42, which puts me at an interesting nexus. I'm a bit of a dinosaur I guess in that I still like reading 'the paper'. I also get news and commentary on line, but I've grown up with a daily newspaper as part of my routine. I suspect that most 20 and even 30 somethings though aren't as accustomed to reading an actual paper, not in this information age of ours. I actually don't get much 'news' from print journalism though. With the Internet, TV and radio the stories being reported are already old by the time I drop my 50 cents in the box.

With all this competition it isn't surprising to see newspapers suffering. In the U.S. The Tribune Company, owner of he Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, has filed for bankruptcy. Others like the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press are cutting costs by eliminating home delivery. Its a trend I think we'll see continuing, and I for one think its extremely healthy.

One of the biggest problems with our "Free Press" is that it long ago ceased being "Free". I don't mean free in the sense of no cost, but free in the sense of free from influence. Because mainstream media is so often subject to corporate ownership I don't think the public at large is being well served by an unbiased media. You can't buy a newspaper in New Brunswick that isn't owned by the Irving family for example.
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Into the void steps blogs, opinion and commentary that doesn't have to first pass through corporate filters. Americans upset that there isn't the same reporting going on now with the war in Iraq as there was during the Vietnam War can find bloggers willing to talk about the things our corporate masters would rather we ignore. Countries like Canada and the U.S. are still democracies of course, but that doesn't mean Corporate news outlets should be able to frame debates and only report on stories that fit the views of their owners.

Would Barack Obama have been able to win the Democratic Party's nomination without the power of the Internet? Its a question worth pondering, I for one don't think so. Hillary Clinton was the candidate of choice from the start, but by using utilities like FaceBook Obama was able to steal momentum and carry right through to a triumph at the polls in November.

I won't be crying if more newspapers start to fold, I actually think it will make for healthier and more open debate about the issues affecting us. Corporate Canada/America will just have to get used to the new rules of the game.

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Compact Fluorescent Lights = A Potential Bio-Hazard

Ever broken a light bulb? I have, and I'm sure I'm not alone. If its the old incandescent variety just sweep or vacuum it up, end of story. But if its a Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) be prepared for a lengthy clean up. CFLs contain mercury so extra precaution needs to be taken. For those unfamiliar mercury is toxic, and can lead to serious health complications for people, pets and even a fetus. Obviously mercury is something to be avoided, but I'm betting there are many people who aren't even aware that mercury is a key component in Compact Fluorescent Lights.

So what do you do if a CFL breaks inside your home? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) there are several steps you need to follow:

1. Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
2. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
3. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

These steps are crucial because mercury can become airborne and you don't want to be inhaling a toxin. The next steps depend on whether the bulb broke on a hard or carpeted surface.

Hard Surfaces

1. Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
2. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
3. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
4. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Carpets and Rugs

1. Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
2. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
3. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
4. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

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You might think that would be enough, but its not. There's still more procedures for what to do with clothing, bedding and any other materials that might have come into contact with the broken bulb. On top of that they list procedures for disposing of clean-up materials and give further instruction on future cleaning of the affected area.

You can view the entire article here: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/

I was aware that CFLs contain mercury, but I was not aware that so much was required to clean up after breaking one. I have my brother, a father of two young boys, to thank for putting me onto this. I also have two kids, so I've given serious consideration to chucking all the CFLs in the garbage! Oooops, not so fast. They have to be disposed of properly, thankfully Home Depot has a repository for them. Wouldn't want that nasty mercury leaching through the soil in a landfill, finding its way into the ground water and then later possibly the food chain.

I'm not chucking them though. I'm just going to be smart about where I place them. Not in the kids' rooms, or in places where a stray ball or toy could break them.

It never fails, whenever a new "green" technology comes out there always seems to be some potentially hazardous side effects.

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Economy Hanging by a Low Interest Rate Thread

Concern over the economy is likely to dominate the thoughts of Canadians for at least the next year. And well it should considering the average Canadian is carrying about $30,000 in personal debt according to Statistics Canada, and that includes children. Put another way that equates to household debt of about $150,000 for a family of 5. And with that being an average it means many people are carrying substantially more.

Money fortunately is cheap right now, as it has been for the better part of the past 2 decades. In fact a large part of the reason Paul Martin and the Liberals were able to eliminate the annual federal deficit is due to this on-going climate of low interest rates. But how long can rates remain low?

A scary indication in available HERE. CIBC rates for their Tax Free Savings Accounts go from 2% in year one to 8% in year five. If the banks are committing to paying 8% interest in the 5th year of a TFSA GIC, well you can expect that the interest they'll be charging to borrowers will be at least a couple of points higher. Imagine what will happen to many Canadians who see their mortgage payments double and triple over the next 5 years.

Canadians used to be savers, but no longer. In fact the average saving rate for Canadians was somewhere around just 1% in 2007 according to StasCan. There are many Canadians who now actually spend more than they earn, that is to say that for every $100 earned some are spending $101 or more.
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What effect will this have on our economy?

We've already seen the fallout in the US sub-prime mortgage market. Consumers were able to take out mortgages at incredibly low interest rates, including people whose credit histories would have normally seen them declined for even a credit card. When the introductory low interest rate period expired, and rates were jacked up...people began to walk away from their homes. This kicked the tar out of real estate values in the US, which were already incredibly inflated by all the buying going on due to these shady lending practices. Now as the economy worsens everyone is feeling the pinch as housing values plummet amid fears of job loss.

We're hearing from almost every level of government that Canadians need to get out and spend money. At the same time our Federal Government is doing all it can to ensure that we have access to cheap credit. But is this a good idea? Should Canadians be heading into debt to help keep the economy afloat with the spectre of double digit borrowing costs heading our way in the not too distant future?

The Conservatives are plunging this nation into massive debt, projected at over $100 billion over the next five years...and more if the economy doesn't perform up to expectations. They're cutting taxes, hoping that those lucky enough to avoid unemployment will keep the economy rolling.

If things look bleak now, they'll be far worse if interest rates start climbing substantially...and given the direction the banks are moving its hard to avoid that conclusion. Rather than spending Canadians in my opinion need to start saving, and big. Those that do will be far better equipped to handle an environment of high interest rates than those that kept bellying up to the cheap credit bar. There's a hangover coming that no aspirin will ever cure for those that over indulge.

If you're looking for some ideas on ways to economize I posted some strategies back on December 8th, 2008: Surviving The Coming Financial Storm.....

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January's Poll - The Economy Trumps All - Feb's Poll on Late Term Abortion

It doesn't come as any surprise that my blog poll about Canada's biggest issue for 2009 had the economy winning out with 30 out of 54 votes, or 55% of the total. Pick up any newspaper and financial news is frequently on the front page. Already there are fears that U.S. protectionism could lead to another depression, something Canadians will be watching closely as Barack Obama visits Ottawa on February 19th, his first official out of country journey.

Already I'm reading that Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) are offering in the neighbourhood of 8% interest in the 5th year. That should scare the bejeebers out of anyone with a significant debt load, including a mortgage. If that's what our banks expect to be paying depositors, then you can expect them to be charging borrowers even more. With interest rates at or near historic lows this should be a huge concern. Typically there's about a 2% spread between rates for depositors and borrowers, which suggests that within 5 years we'll be seeing interest rates on debt more than double.

Next up from last month's poll was Abortion, which I don't think is truly reflective...but rather the product of me posting 5 blog entries on the subject in January, mostly on the issue of Late Term Abortion or LTA for short. Being one who considers debate both healthy and progressive, I've decided to make LTA the poll question for the month of February. My own view is pretty much in line with that of President Obama, that LTAs should be legislated as to only be permitted when a woman's health is in question. I would also add to that instances where the child's health is affected to such an extent she/he might not survive in any case.

Political Unease - Election came in 3rd with 8 votes or 14% of the total. Obviously there's a ton of speculation going on with regards to our current parliament and how long it will survive. Like many I correctly predicted that Ignatieff's Liberals would support the budget, with reservations. While that was my prediction I would have preferred to see it voted down, even if the result was an election call. Ignatieff had his party endorse a thoroughly horrible budget, presented by a finance minister who couldn't forecast what he's having for breakfast tomorrow.
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The environment and the war in Afghanistan were well back with just 5 and 1 vote(s) respectively. I don't think its that people are unconcerned with the environment or our military's role in Afghanistan, but with increasing worry over unemployment and the economy in general other issues get pushed to the back burner.

I'm hopeful that Canadians will come to understand the futility of seeing our brave soldiers killed over pipeline routes for natural gas and oil. Britain is finally waking up to this reality, so hopefully we won't be far behind.

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