Tale of Two Couriers

FedEx and Purolator Courier both offer on-line tracking of your shipments. Only FedEx delivers a service with real value.

FedEx tracks your package at each point that someone handles it such as pickup, first and every transfer point, in-customs and on-the-truck for delivery. The information appears to be up-to-date. The little hand-held computers send signals to a satellite and then to the FedEx computers.

So to the best deliveries in the business, FedEx ads the best customer service as in “where is my package?”

Purolator Courier has the same system by appearances but it doesn’t work. The only thing you can find out is that the shipment is picked up. On the 22nd, they are giving me information from 2 days ago in Vancouver. Their phone tracing system is worse.

Whether Purolator is slower than FedEx I can’t tell. What I can tell is their computer system isn’t worth checking. The information is out of date. Amazingly bad service.

ears a ringin

ears are ringin
a ling ding dingin
arms are sore
body’s wore
head is poundin
the band astoundin
slowcoaster rules
next day we’re all fools
get some good pills
t’ cure all those ills
cause we’ve been rockin
ain’t gonna be no stoppin
dancing bodies were tight
grooved all night
oh god
what a night

Beware of eBay on Gibson Robot Guitar

Anyone buying the new Gibson Robot Guitar on eBay or another non-dealer source is in for a rude surprise. You have no warranty on a highly technical musical instrument unless purchased new from an authorized dealer.

Gibson’s Robot Guitar is a hot axe this year: made in a limited edition with flashy blue and silver paint, the Robot Guitar can tune itself in both standard and non-standard tunings.

The guitar is so hot it has become a scalper’s dream on eBay. People are trying to get premiums over retail since the guitars are sold out across North America and Europe.

When announced, some commentators scoffed at Gibson for making a guitar that would tune itself. Essentially the owners were called musical wussies. However professional guitar players know how great it would be to quickly re-tune a guitar on-stage. Critics -10: Gibson +10.

eBay can be a fun way to buy used items and sometimes new items that are hard to find. eBay has become a storefront for many merchants who are not authorized dealers. That means no warranty – no matter what you are told.

Some manufacturers limit the warranty on musical instruments to the original purchaser. Martin has done this for decades. Gibson changed its warranty to make it non-transferable original owner only. This may not be a problem with traditional guitars but this new fangled computer guitar combination is almost certain to need warranty repairs. If you buy it used you are out of luck.

Aykroyd Wows Metro

Actor enjoys stay in Hub City, says he would welcome invitation back

By ROD ALLEN
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
Published Thursday December 13th, 2007

After four tempestuous days, ‘Aykroydmania’ finally blew out of New Brunswick yesterday afternoon and was last seen bearing down on Prince Edward Island at high speed.

At NB Liquor’s Paul Street outlet yesterday, word had obviously spread far and wide about Aykroyd’s 11 a.m. gig there, since the line-up started when the store opened at 9 a.m.

Inside, as he has done all week at NB Liquor outlets in Fredericton and Saint John, the world-renowned Canadian comic actor of Blues Brothers fame signed just over 1,000 bottles of his Aykroyd Cabernet-Merlot and Chardonnay wines.

It would have been more had the province not run out of bottles — NB Liquor spokeswoman Norah Lacey said yesterday that outlets in the other two cities sent all their remaining stock to add to Paul Street’s horde — and Aykroyd out of time.

Unfortunately, concern over making his next gig in Charlottetown yesterday afternoon, a very long lineup of 500 people at opening time and some confusion at the door resulted in some people not getting an opportunity to have items signed.

The signing was supposed to go two hours and conclude at 1 p.m., but Aykroyd and his band stayed an extra two hours to meet as many people as possible.

Lacey explained that the actor’s stays in Fredericton and Saint John could be extended a little longer than Moncton’s because yesterday’s schedule was the only one that had two stops, and those stops stretched over two provinces and the Northumberland Strait.

Lacey added that Aykroyd’s bus was moving at a pretty good clip when it left town.

One can only speculate that the actor’s close relationship with police officers — he’s a badge-carrying honorary member of a municipal police department in the United States — might stand him in good stead.

But if Metro Moncton was not able to top its sister cities in the number of bottles they could convince the affable and ever-accommodating Aykroyd to sign, they at least came up Number One in the department of body-part signatures.

Aykroyd signed a Blues Brothers tattoo on a man’s leg in Fredericton and a pregnant woman’s belly in Saint John but managed two in Moncton, a woman’s butterfly shoulder tattoo and a reporter’s follically-challenged head.

For the record, it is a time-honoured tenet among journalists to avoid becoming part of the story, but there’s another one that says rules are meant to be broken.

Also for the record, Aykroyd remarked that the proffered pate was “better looking than some breasts I’ve signed,” eliciting peals of laughter from the adoring crowd and furious blushes from the crustiest of scribes, now at last able to live up to the generic title of ‘ink-stained wretch.’

There was much, much, more: movie posters, CDs, DVDs and a United Church minister’s clerical collar among the mix.

Aykroyd also led the house in a cheer for Moncton-stationed soldier Darrell Zinck, who made the news last year as the beneficiary of a local kindergarten class’s Christmas sock sent to Zinck on one of his tours in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, let it not be said that Aykroyd, very much a man of the people who loves to mingle, merely stopped in Moncton, signed his bottles of Aykroyd wine and Patron Tequila and moved on.

Aykroyd blew into town Tuesday night and true to his word, he did the town right, staying at the Delta Beauséjour Hotel and visiting several of downtown’s finest establishments, including the Old Triangle ’round midnight.

“He heard Van Morrison playing on the outside speakers and that’s what drew him in,” said Steve Gallagher, owner of the prominent Main Street venue.

“He grabbed a snug in the back of the pub and invited me and a few friends to join them. They stayed until the wee hours and left a three-figure tip.”

Earlier, “Dan showed up about 8 p.m. and stayed for nearly four hours,” said Steve Gallant, proprietor of Rouge Resto-Club on Robinson Court.

“We had a live band and Dan actually got up on stage and sang a song before a fully packed house. Our guests were blown away.”

After the Island, Aykroyd continues his Atlantic Canadian tour for a few more days before heading back home to Kingston, but he might be back in Moncton some day.

The co-founder of the House of Blues bars, which are usually affiliated with casinos, says he’s open to an invitation if Metro sees a casino project this year.

“I’d be interested in bringing my band, the Blues Brothers Formal Classic Revue with the blood brother of Jake Blues, aka Jim Belushi, to Moncton for the opening of your casino,” he said yesterday.

“I would love to come back and do that.”

Aykroyd puts movies aside for new role: wine promoter

Comedy star in Charlottetown to advance his investment in Ontario wineries

SALLY COLE
The Guardian

Dan Aykroyd is best known for his characters in The Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters and Saturday Night Live.

But Wednesday he was starring in another role — wine promoter.

“This is business, an investment that I want to pay off so that my children don’t have to kiss directors’ asses for a living like I did,” says the movie star who was in Charlottetown to advance his investment in Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits.

He has invested $1 million in a group of Ontario wineries and wants to promote the country’s vintages abroad. He’s so serious about it that he’s turned down five movies in the past year.

“I have eliminated the film projects completely. I just don’t have time to do them anymore. Now if Spielberg calls me I’ll be walking out the door right (now),” he says, laughing.

Hundreds of fans lined up to meet him during an in-store bottle signing at the Oak Tree Place Liquor Store in Charlottetown.

“Everyone has been wonderful. There’s been a lot of reminiscences as people brought me memorabilia to sign. Every movie has a memory, you know,” says Aykroyd, autographing a Ghostbusters videodisc.

Kier Kenny was impressed with the attention he gave people waiting in line.

“It was fabulous. After being there all that time, signing all the autographs, when I told him that the photo wasn’t in focus, he said, ‘Let’s do it ‘right now.’ Then he put his arm around me while someone snapped a picture. I immediately went home and put it up in Facebook. It was fabulous. It was great to meet him. I love his work.”

Aykroyd says there are similarities between promoting wines and films.

“You meet the people. You sit down and sign DVDs or books. You meet the press. I’ve been promoting things ever since I was in the movie business, so really it’s the same duty.”

Dan Aykroyd on The Blues Brothers in Charlottetown

Today at a Charlottetown liquor store hundreds of adoring fans of the comedian and actor Dan Aykroyd stood quietly in the snow anticipating seeing the star.

Aykroyd, known for Saturday Night Live, The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and 38 other movies, was in town to promote his investment in Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits.

In a relaxed and casual mood, Aykroyd admitted turning down 5 movies in the past year to promote the winery. “I eliminate the film projects completely. I just don’t have time to do films anymore,” Aykroyd said. “Now if Spielberg calls me I’ll be walking out the door right,” he deadpanned.

He has a $1 million dollar investment in wine. “This is an investment I want to pay off so my children don’t have to kiss director’s asses for a living like I did.”

Fans hugged him, mugged with Aykroyd for the camera and looked on with awe as the star signed bottles of wine faster than dealing cards at the black jack table.

The wine bottles were selling briskly with PEILCC employees whisking them in front of Aykroyd who could sign them and improvise dead-on Conehead dialogue at the same time.

Aykroyd related a story about the filming of Blues Brothers when they were doing the shopping mall scene at 3 am. John Belushi was nowhere to be found. Aykroyd began to follow a trail of bent grass that led to a housing development off the mall lot. Only one house had a light on. On a hunch, Aykroyd went up and rang their bell. The man said Belushi had walked in, raided the fridge and fell asleep on the sofa of a complete stranger. “He was the guest who wouldn’t leave.”

Aykroyd said working on Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters was a pure pleasure, especially with Bill Murray on the set. Aykroyd spoke glowingly and fondly of his cast members and Ivan Reitman of the Ghostbusters movie.

Aykroyd seemed pleased to sign CD’s and movies. He mistook my laserdiscs copies of Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters for records! “Oh cool! Every movie has a memory.”

Aykroyd’s interest in wineries followed his successful importation into Canada of popular tequila. “They suggested I put my name on a line of wines. I kinda backed into the whole thing really.”

Speaking on the vagaries of Hollywood and the Oscar process, he talked about “Driving Miss Daisy. “Everyone got an Oscar nomination and it won 4 Oscars including Best Picture but nothing for the director Bruce Beresford. What did the movie direct itself?”

“The Blues Brothers played just recently with Jimmy the blood brother of John. We just had a gig in a club in New York City, not with the movie band. The Blues Brothers Revue tours 20 to 25 times a year for a casino. It’s not the movie band. They’re all players who used to be with Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and the Stones.”

Then Aykroyd’s handlers said he had to go. He posed for a blurry picture and went off into the snowy night to a private party. The liquor store was playing Aretha Franklyn singing “Think”.

Today was a good day.

Shopping local is not the best advice

Thank goodness consumers will read the Octavian Group (Blake Doyle) article in the December 12th, 2007 Guardian and laughingly ignore it.

It was pure business tripe, sort of “support poor us we’re your wealthy merchant class.”

First Doyle argues a Deloitte and Touche study proves the trickle down effect of shopping locally. The Deloitte study is highly questionable. D&T have a long history of business association. Why should consumers trust their opinion?

Second, our economy is based on capitalism – the best use of capital. Governments and businesses source their products and services at the best prices possible. This is of course why so much manufacturing has moved off-shore.

Why should consumers, the lowest people on the economic totem pole, pay more for things than they could otherwise?

Third, the big-lie that supporting local merchants is good for all in the community has been proven false over and over. Merchants are capitalists trying to get rich on the backs of low priced local labour. Wages rates in the retail sector are some of the lowest in our economy.

Merchants do not invest their profits in the local economy any more than they have to. The wealthy pay proportionately fewer taxes and invests its profits in the stock market or personal consumption like expensive travel, none of which benefit the local economy.

If consumers can save a buck, they will. Voting with their dollars is the only way to force merchants to price their goods competitively.

Sorry Blake we’re not with you. Of course, I’ll bet dollars for donuts you shop at Amazon.com too.

Manufacturers Erect Barriers to Cross-Border Shopping

Manufacturers are erecting barriers to cross border shopping trying to protect high prices in Canada. By restricting where dealers can ship goods, they can make shopping from Canada more difficult.

These non-tariff barriers protect high prices Canadian by telling dealers not to ship to Canada. Amazon.com has been strong lately in refusing to ship brands like Sony to Canada. All the best deals are in the US. Canadians continue to be hit with high prices.

Impulse buyers are always at risk of spending too much. Determined Internet shoppers can find vendors willing to ship to Canada. As well there are agents on the US side of the border who will trans-ship goods to Canadian destinations for a small fee. Sometimes bargaining based on the US price works.

The rise of the Canadian dollar has exposed the canard that things cost more in Canada because of the dollar. The new lie is cost of doing business in Canada. The real story is profits: Canadian branches, distributors and dealers are raking in record profits.

They don’t want Canadians looking at the US price on books, music or electronics.

Canadians have free access to the Internet and can research the lowest price, which should be the Canadian price. But it isn’t. I checked a set of Shure headphones: at Future Shop $399 and $269 on Amazon.com. Obviously I don’t care what sale Future Shop puts on until their price is the same as the US.

Profit margins at US owned Future Shop are being fattened along with Walmart and Home Depot. The amazing thing is Canadians can research prices on both side of the border for the same chain like Home Depot but are asked to pay the higher price.

John Lennon Tribute Raises Money for Charity

Charlottetown, Saturday December 12th 2007, Baba’s Lounge in Charlottetown hosted the John Lennon Tribute Show. Organized by Dave Nicholson as an annual event since 2000, this year’s show raised over $1,300 for the Upper Room Ministry.

It was a night of love, peace and rock and roll. More than 20 local artists volunteered their talents to entertain the overflowing crowd and raise money for charity. Organizer Nicholson led the house band of Shayne Coady, Jason Rogerson, Thomas Mears and Chris Coupland.

The music of John Lennon and the performers left the audience with the belief they had attended one of the best shows in some time. The crowd were entertained until the last encore and the lights were turned on.

A few of the more than 20 performers included Andrea MacDonald, Ashley Gorman, Chris Roumbanis, Laura Oakie, Steve Gillespie and Stephen Pate who drew on “Imagine” and “Give Piece A Chance” to inspire the audience.

The Upper Room Ministry, which provides free meals for anyone in need, has been operating for more than 20 years in Charlottetown. The Ministry is entirely voluntary and relies on donations of food and money to help those in need of food. Baba’s Lounge, located above Cedar’s Eatery, has been a haven for local musicians, visiting artists and their fans for decades.

The circus

I think of life as a little boy sitting on the curb watching the circus parade.

There is a constant cavalcade of men and women dressed in costume, freaks, outrageous and wild circus animals – the tigers, lions, monkeys – birds of every color.

Once in a while the elephant dumps and you have to clean it up.

When I was a kid I hung around the circus. One day a carney let me shovel a little elephant dung. Then I got to feed the elephant some hay.

While I was feeding her, the elephant put her truck on my arm. It was hot and moist and felt like a hand. She moved the trunk along my arm. An exciting moment began with shovelling manure.

You never know where the next thrill is coming from.

And then the circus is gone and all we have are memories.