Holiday Shopping

Just in time for the holidays: SHOPPING! As you may know, for retailers, the day after Thanksgiving (called Black Friday as in profits) is a highly orchestrated affair. According to the New York Times, prices are scientifically slashed, down to the penny. Sales begin at dawn. And glossy circulars containing the well-laid plans are distributed just a day or two ahead to give us gullible shopper something to drool over. Can you tell how I feel about this subject?!?
This year there are serveral online services, such as BF2005.com, where you can view leaked advertisements weeks in advance. So far this year, sources have leaked advertisements to him from Kohls listing 7" Portable Widescreen LCD TV regularly $169.99 for $119.99, Toys "R" Us showing the Barbie Fashion Show Mall, regularly $99.99, for $29.97, or Ace Hardware which is advisering a Skil 12-volt drill regularly $44.99, for $24.99.
Sites like BF2005.com say their motive is to educate consumers. But retailers are furious, arguing that the site jeopardizes their holiday business, and they have threatened legal action. Micheal Brim, who runs BF2005.com, hopes that by these online sites that "even the average Joe can become a professional bargain hunter." Here is the New York Times article.

We Aren't the Only Ones

Europe's first space mission to Venus was launched successfully. The Venus Express lifted off on a Russian rocket last Wednesday. The spacecraft will orbit Venus to study its atmosphere, which has experienced runaway greenhouse warming. Scientists hope the two-year mission will shed further light on the mechanisms of climate change on our own world. "Initial checks are ongoing and everything looks good," said Paolo Ferri, deputy flight operations director for Venus Express. You can find a couple of the news articles at BBC News and CNN.

I say more power to the Europeans! Here in the US we Americans think we're the only ones who can launch spacecraft. Lately Europe has made tremendous progress in the "space race". They or China may beat us to Mars. Maybe this will knock a little wind out of our sail and wake our government up.

Dog Gives Birth To Green Puppy

A golden retriever puppy, one of four, was born to a dog in California last week. He was born with green fur. Veterinarians said that it's possible for a newborn's fur to be green because the placenta,
which is green, sometimes rubs off at birth. His owners have named him Wasabi. To me the dog looks more grey than green but to see for yourself visit this news link, TheBoston Channel.