XBox 360 2nd Most Wanted this Holiday Season

[bapenguin]

The holiday season is fast approaching, and #2 on the list of the 10 most wanted tech gadgets is the XBox 360, right behind the iPod Nano.

Consumers surveyed named the iPod Nano (selected by 35 percent), Xbox 360 (21 percent) and Plasma TV/HDTV (14 percent) as the most popular picks in the category. Game Boy Micro (2 percent), V cam Now/Video Now XP Player and digital camera w/MP3 player came in last among shoppers.
Full press release inside.

So what's on your holiday list this year?

[bapenguin]

Shopping in America Survey: Shoppers Pick Hottest Holiday Gifts under the Tree

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 2, 2005--




MP3 Players, Barbie, Fashion and Entertainment Purchases Expected to Make Cash Registers Jingle






Shoppers are making their lists and checking them twice as the busy holiday shopping season begins. MP3 players, Barbie items, fashion and entertainment will be among the top sellers, according to the Shopping in America Holiday 2005 consumer survey conducted for The Macerich Company (NYSE:MAC) by August Partners. Men and women's individual wish lists will range from sports tickets, designer jeans and golf clubs to DVD/CD boxed sets, jewelry and embellished fashion.

Overall, U.S. consumers plan to spend the majority of their $655 holiday gift budgets -- up 7.8 percent from last year -- on clothing (selected by 21 percent of shoppers), toys (12 percent), electronics (12 percent), jewelry (11 percent), books/CDs (11 percent) and mall gift cards (10 percent). Shoppers will spend an additional average of $316 for parties, decorations and other seasonal purchases.

Top Electronic Gifts

"A mainstay on holiday shopping lists, the latest electronic products offer a variety of options for shoppers," explained Garry Butcher, vice president of marketing and consumer research for The Macerich Company. "The new MP3 players and game consoles will be among the most popular items this season."

Consumers surveyed named the iPod Nano (selected by 35 percent), Xbox 360 (21 percent) and Plasma TV/HDTV (14 percent) as the most popular picks in the category. Game Boy Micro (2 percent), V cam Now/Video Now XP Player and digital camera w/MP3 player came in last among shoppers.

Top Electronic Gifts

---------------------

All Shoppers Male Female

------------- ------------ ------------

iPod Nano 35% 27% 39%

Xbox 360 21% 28% 17%

Plasma TV/HDTV 14% 14% 14%

FLY Pentop Computer (Leapfrog) 9% 9% 8%

GPS Navigation System 6% 7% 6%

PDA Cell Phone 3% 4% 3%

Digital Camera w/ MP3 Player 2% 1% 2%

V cam Now/Video Now XP Player 2% 2% 1%

Game Boy Micro 2% 1% 2%

Don't Know/No Opinion 8% 8% 8%

Hottest Toys

"Both new and innovative toys as well as updated favorites are topping the list of what shoppers predict to be hot sellers for youth this holiday," said Butcher.

Barbie & The Magic of Pegasus/Princess Annika (23 percent), Dance Maker/Dance Dance Revolution (22 percent), Teddy Ruxpin (10 percent), and the Amazing Amanda Doll (9 percent) are predicted to fill the most toy packages. The new Furby (1 percent), iZ/iDog (2 percent) and Aquadoodle Drawing Board (3 percent) were least popular among surveyed consumers.

Top Toys

--------

All Shoppers

-----------------

Barbie & The Magic of Pegasus/

Princess Annika 23%

Dance Maker/Dance Dance Revolution 22%

Teddy Ruxpin 10%

Amazing Amanda Doll 9%

Star Wars Items 7%

Bratz Items 5%

Aquadoodle Drawing Board 3%

iZ/iDog 2%

Furby 1%

Don't Know/No Opinion 19%

What Men Want: Top Gifts

Both shoppers as a whole (22 percent) and men themselves (20 percent) gave the nod to sports tickets as the best holiday gift for males. Designer jeans (16 percent), hybrid golf clubs (12 percent) and DVD/CD box sets (10 percent) were also selected as top picks by men, while loafers (1 percent), vests (2 percent) and trendy rock-inspired jewelry (6 percent) were least favored.

Top Gifts for Men

------------------

All Shoppers Male

---------------- ---------------

Sports Tickets 22% 20%

Designer Jeans 18% 16%

Hybrid Golf Club 11% 12%

DVD/CD Box Sets 10% 10%

Corduroy/Velvet Blazer 9% 11%

Caps 9% 10%

Rock-Inspired Jewelry 5% 6%

Vests 3% 2%

Loafers 1% 1%

None of These/No Opinion 13% 12%

What Women Want: Top Gifts

"With new releases of popular TV series and movies, DVD/CD box sets are topping women's wish lists this year, along with trendy layered necklaces and embellished sweaters," said Butcher. "Women also hope to find designer home accents or velvet/fitted jackets underneath the wrapping this season."

Top Gifts for Women

--------------------

All Shoppers Female

---------------- -------------

DVD/CD Boxed Sets 17% 16%

Layered Necklaces 15% 16%

Embellished Sweaters 14% 14%

Leopard Print Accessories/Shoes 11% 9%

Designer Home Accents 11% 11%

Velvet Blazer/Fitted Jacket 8% 10%

Celebrity Fragrances 6% 7%

Boots 4% 5%

Colorful Gloves 4% 4%

None of These/No Opinion 11% 9%

Treat Yourself

The Shopping in America survey also revealed other interesting trends among holiday shoppers:

-- More than two fifths (44 percent) of shoppers admit they will buy something special for themselves this holiday season. Fifteen (15) percent are on the fence regarding holiday self-indulgence.

-- Approximately 46 percent have returned holiday gifts, with female consumers (50 percent) being more likely to return gifts than males (40 percent).

-- "Re-gifting?" Only 31 percent of shoppers admit to passing on a gift they had previously received. The practice is slightly more popular among women (33 percent) than men (27 percent).

Shopping in America is a national shopper intercept survey that studies consumer-shopping trends. The Holiday 2005 survey was conducted among 3,780 shoppers in 12 regional shopping centers geographically spread throughout the United States. Respondents ranged in age from 12 to 75+ years. Not all results are stated in this news release and some are rounded to the nearest whole number. Data totals are subject to a +/- 1.6 percent margin of error.

Additional Shopping in America results will be released in November and December. To view other Shopping in America findings -- including results on anticipated spending -- please visit www.shoppinginamerica.biz.

The Macerich Company is a fully integrated self-managed and self- administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. The Company is the sole general partner and owns an 82% ownership interest in The Macerich Partnership, L.P. Macerich owns approximately 79 million square feet of gross leaseable area consisting primarily of interests in 75 regional malls. Additional information about The Macerich Company can be obtained from the Company's web site at www.macerich.com.

[Stevercakes]

Furby 1%... (my god... what's wrong with people.)

My always changing list:
- Possibly an iPod Video 30gb (My 3rd gen 20gb has done good to me)
- Tablet PC
- Furniture
- Love

[Zanzibar]

17% of women want an X360? Nice. I wonder if this means I can pick up girls at my local Gamestop, eh?

[The Iron Weasel]

I'm not asking for anything big this xmas. My dad already bought me a PC this year. So i'm just asking for a game or two, some cds, and some dvds. maybe a book.

[Sl1pstream]

Teddy Ruxpin? Childhood memories :)

Christmas list will probably contain small things. As prices of games go up chances are small I'll be getting any non-budget games this year. I could put a few GC games on there, but I don't really feel like taking out and booting up my Xbox if some games aren't backwards compatible.

[nonchalance]

Bejesus.

14% of American shoppers have a fucking Plasma TV on their Christmas wishlist?
Don't take this the wrong way, but your country has too much disposable income.

[Serapth]

Actually, if that 17% female stat is true, gotta give Microsoft credit, thats bloody amazing. Even not know what its 17% of, gotta look at it this way 28% male vs 17% female that means for every 10 guys that buy an Xbox360, 6 girls do.

Spend about 20 minutes near an EB store and you will see why that is impressive.

That said, this holiday im buying a 360. Actually, launch day ill buy a 360 ( in Canada, it seems we never have to pre-order, regardless to hype ). Then again, I bought an Xbox on launch day, a Dreamcast on launch day, a SNES on launch day and a PSP on lauch day. So im kinda a launch day gadget whore. Funny enough no matter how much money I lost ( as some people like to view being an early adopter ), the only purchase I ever regretted was the PSP... still regret that one as it collects dust as my feet after about 2 days of playing.

Off topic, I dont get the ipod nano obsession, or the iPod success in general. Ive had one for about 2 years now and think they are highly over rated. They are expensive, the screen scratches to hell, and the oh so amazing interface I find down right annoying. Trying using the damned scroll wheel while driving in your car.

[screwtape]

Where the hell are those 17% of women hiding? And can I get phone numbers, please.

Anybody else look at these surveys and say, "damn, I am so far outside the norm that I must be a new species or something"?

[Serapth]

Bejesus.

14% of American shoppers have a fucking Plasma TV on their Christmas wishlist?
Don't take this the wrong way, but your country has too much disposable income.

Key word... *wishlist*

That said, yeah Americans have too much disposable income. Actually... no thats not true. Americans are too ready to go into debt for material goods. Look at the average personal debt load in the US and it all becomes pretty clear. ( Im Canadian, and we are pretty bad, but NOWHERE near as bad as Americans... the land of zero money down... for everything from a TV, to a Car to a home... its scarey)

[Achilles]

Don't take this the wrong way, but your country has too much disposable income.Damn straight! Gratuitous entertainment spending (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=KDSR60XBR1) drives our economy :)

We work hard, we play hard.

[ezzkmo]

i was just thinking of teddy ruxpin today for some crazy reason. weird, haven't thought of that dude in like 10 years. didn't realize he was still around. but he did rock.

[The Iron Weasel]

Damn straight! Gratuitous entertainment spending (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=KDSR60XBR1) drives our economy :)

We work hard, we play hard.

Canadians do it quite a bit too, I dunno what that guys talking about.

[ezra]

Rock-Inspired Jewelry 5% 6%

Please tell me this isnt what I think it is.

[DoubleUranium]

Canadians do it quite a bit too, I dunno what that guys talking about.

Canadians don't work as hard do they? Aren't you guys clever enough to get more than 2 weeks vacation a year?

[The Iron Weasel]

Canadians don't work as hard do they? Aren't you guys clever enough to get more than 2 weeks vacation a year?

I'm not sure if your insulting us...or complementing us.... :confused:

[Serapth]

Canadians don't work as hard do they? Aren't you guys clever enough to get more than 2 weeks vacation a year?

Nope, out of the gate we get a whopping 2 weeks of vacation a year. Actually, I think we have 1 day less national holidays then you as it is, not positive on that ( we have no presidents day, and rememberence/veterans day isnt a day off ).

Canadians do it quite a bit too, I dunno what that guys talking about.

If you were referring to me as *that guy*, im not saying we dont spend money ( in fact I said we do ), I was saying we dont go into asmuch debt as Americans, and trust me, thats true.

[Achilles]

Canadians don't work as hard do they? Aren't you guys clever enough to get more than 2 weeks vacation a year?You actually take your vacation? :P

To clarify before the missiles start flying across the border; I'm not implying that Canadians don't work/play hard as well. I'm just saying we have a hell of a lot of disposable income when it comes to entertainment.

I'm not sure the guy I was responding to was Canadian either, not sure where the Canadian thing came in. You guys could have just thrown out a "Yeah we f**in' rock too, bring on the big TVs!"

[Pumped'Up]

Absolutely nothing.

Even if 360 is released before xmas, I'm skippn it until next summer or fall when there'll be some competition to drive the prices down, and some good games to choose from.

[RMan]

After seeing the demos at wal-mart, I don’t see how the average player’s going to be really impressed with the thing. Even with the resolution problems discussed before, I think only the freakos are going to appreciate the rather marginal improvement over the Xbox, so it’s good they don’t have enough systems to go around, they’ll get a much more positive response that way. The coolest thing by far was the controller, which feels much better than the Xbox 1 controller.

[fitbabits]

So what's on your holiday list this year?
World peace.
An end to starvation.
An end to all debilitating diseases.
An end to needless suffering.

One time, at summer camp...

A fuck-off HDTV with DLP. ASAP.

[KJAX]

Wishlist:

7800 GT card or X1800XT card
Nintendo DS Bundle with Mario Kart DS
Flat Screen Progressive Scan Ready TV

That is all.

[Kelegacy]

I might grab an iPod this weekend...or not. I want to use it to listen to the GRRM audiobooks so I can jump right back into his new book, which hits shelves on my fucking birthday. It's been about 3 years since I read book 3...and I've forgotten a lot, even though A Storm of Swords was as memorable as a book can be in my opinion. Goddamn was it good--and shocking.

Other than that, I don't need electronics. I do need a new mattress though. I'm still using the same one I had as a very young boy. To say I need a new one is a gross understatement. I slept on a Tempur-Pedic in April and I swear it was the best night's sleep I've ever had. Too bad they cost over a grand for the memory foam alone.

[Serapth]

Wishlist:

* Swedish Bikini team for a week and a 6 gallon jug of lube
* Another week with the Bikini team
* 6 months of consuling of why life is still worth living after finding nirvana
* and, if any wishes left, a what the hell... world peace. Except all those assholes I hate, screw em!

[Draft]

Bejesus.

14% of American shoppers have a fucking Plasma TV on their Christmas wishlist?
Don't take this the wrong way, but your country has too much disposable income.Don't take this the wrong way, but your country is probably filthy and poor.

[Kelegacy]

World peace.
An end to starvation.
An end to all debilitating diseases.
An end to needless suffering.


With all the money I give for taxes, each of those should be possible. I received my bonus today (mixed into my paycheck so that taxes wouldn't be as harsh)...and the government gouged me bad. I think I might March on Washington and demand my money back. I don't work to pay for their goddamn war....oh I forgot...I do.

[Serapth]

I might grab an iPod this weekend...or not. I want to use it to listen to the GRRM audiobooks so I can jump right back into his new book, which hits shelves on my fucking birthday. It's been about 3 years since I read book 3...and I've forgotten a lot, even though A Storm of Swords was as memorable as a book can be in my opinion. Goddamn was it good--and shocking.

Other than that, I don't need electronics. I do need a new mattress though. I'm still using the same one I had as a very young boy. To say I need a new one is a gross understatement. I slept on a Tempur-Pedic in April and I swear it was the best night's sleep I've ever had. Too bad they cost over a grand for the memory foam alone.

Two things...

1) GRRM?

2) BUY THE DAMNED BED!!! Last year I bought a house so my finances were seriously hurting for a bit, so my 10 year old matress was forced to do. Finally one day there was a serious sale and I figured what the hell, and chucked it on my credit card which I hate to do ( yeah, im a hypocrit! Shut up you! ). That said, it was money well spent and spent wayyyyy to late. Really, in life, excluding hookers, you really cant spend your money better! A good bed changes your life in so many ways! Again... buy the damned bed! :)

[Serapth]

Don't take this the wrong way, but your country is probably filthy and poor.

LOL!!! Elitest, tasteless and rude! I love it! Thanks for the laugh! :D

[Draft]

[QUOTE=fitbabits]World peace.
An end to starvation.
An end to all debilitating diseases.
An end to needless suffering.
QUOTE]

With all the money I give for taxes, each of those should be possible. I received my bonus today (mixed into my paycheck so that taxes wouldn't be as harsh)...and the government gouged me bad. I think I might March on Washington and demand my money back. I don't work to pay for their goddamn war....oh I forgot...I do.Quarter of my damn semiannual bonus went to taxes! I couldn't believe it!

Anyway, I'm not spending much at all this Xmas. I've decided to finally jump into the stock game. I've already got $500 set aside, which is just enough to open an Ameritrade account. I'm thinking ATI and Sirius, so maybe next Xmas I can go all out.

[RMan]

A good bed changes your life in so many ways!
Seconded, for me only a good chair has the possibility of competing with a good bed for "money well spent". Pretty much everything else is at least half as important (including my house and car :)).

[Serapth]

ATI is a good buy, I bought them about 2 years back, right before it was officially announced they would be the chip provider for Xbox2 and not nVidia, and road the stock up from about 13$ CDN to around 21. That said, its a rollercoaster stock... Its nice in that it spikes up and down, so you can cycle your money in and out and make a killing, but at the same time, you cant buy it to hold it. In the long run it just doesnt pay off.

Personally, I think Sirius is a risky buy. I just dont see it going anywhere ( the stock, not the product, that said, I dont see a huge future in sat radio although they have good OEM support ). IMHO, they are the next TIVO, which isnt a compliment.

One last warning, if you buy ATI, you are tying your short term future to Microsofts success. Although, my understanding is ATI negotiated a straight royalty deal ( after nvidia got screwed ), so in *reality* they cant really lose money no matter how bad the Xbox 360 does. But then again, with stocks, reality means shit.

[Draft]

I'm not terribly concerned with the X360 doing badly. As for sirius, I think it's really underpriced right now, and come January when Stern goes live, I expect the stock to rise.

[Kelegacy]

Seconded, for me only a good chair has the possibility of competing with a good bed for "money well spent". Pretty much everything else is at least half as important (including my house and car :)).

I need a new writing/desk chair as well, and I'm thinking leather. Something that wont hurt my back when I write or game. Oh, and if I can find one with a phallus molded upright into the seat, I'd be in heaven.

[Serapth]

Seconded, for me only a good chair has the possibility of competing with a good bed for "money well spent". Pretty much everything else is at least half as important (including my house and car :)).

Can you recomend a good chair? Ive been hunting for about two years now for a good comfortable office chair and either 1) wayyyy too much money or 2) uncomfortable as hell.

I dont give a damn what it looks like, but im not willing to go much over 500$. Im talking office chair here, not easy boy. As an aside, all I can say is every chair Office Depot sells, is uncomfortable as hell!

[mister_slim]

Man, I don't know. Maybe the complete Calvin & Hobbes hardcover?

I'm mostly ignoring the holidays, to be honest.

[Serapth]

I'm not terribly concerned with the X360 doing badly. As for sirius, I think it's really underpriced right now, and come January when Stern goes live, I expect the stock to rise.

Im not worried about 360 doing bad either. Actually, contrary to internet bashing, MS regulating supply like they have suggest is frankly the best think a potential investor can hear! I would have bought some myself if I had the money about two months ago. Downside is, they are currently going through an upward spike so its a bad time to buy. ( Well, not a bad time, just a less efficent time ). Just be ready to short it. Set your target now, and sell it the second it hits it.

As to the Sirrius thing, I dont think Stern is relevant enough to actually have that much impact. I havent been following the stock that closely so I couldnt tell you how risky the buy/sell is, but if your in for rapid growth and not true economic viability, google recent stocks that have gone public that are "web 2.0" related. Dont get me wrong, there is no market there... its the dot com bubble 2.0 as far as im concerned, but that didnt stop me from making alot of money of idiots during dot com 1.0 :)

Anonymous tip, check out Siera Wireless ( SW on TSX ) if you want short term gains, or Cognos ( CSN on TSX ), if you want a stable 10% growth per year stock. For full disclosure, ive invested in both in the past ( and profited ) but own neither now.

[DoubleUranium]

I'm not sure if your insulting us...or complementing us.... :confused:

A complement ...

Nope, out of the gate we get a whopping 2 weeks of vacation a year. Actually, I think we have 1 day less national holidays then you as it is, not positive on that ( we have no presidents day, and rememberence/veterans day isnt a day off ).

I thought you all were more civilized than that like the euros ...

[The Iron Weasel]

Don't take this the wrong way, but your country is probably filthy and poor.

Thats harsh.....

[Serapth]

I thought you all were more civilized than that like the euros ...


Nope, thats just Democrat and California hippy propaganda! ;) We are basically just like the States, except we make a national hobby of pointing out how we arent American, our drugs and health care are cheaper, we have less gun problems and we get bent over for taxes( that earlier comment about losing 25% of a bonus to taxes made me laugh... try 50%!). Other then that, trying to tell the difference between say, Canada and New England or Maine would be almost impossible.

Oh, except we have a bunch of french people that dont want to be here. Do you want them?

[Achilles]

Oh, except we have a bunch of french people that dont want to be here. Do you want them?I don't really speak for America, but hell no. Um, could you enclose them in some kind of dome? I feel pretty bad for you guys.

[RMan]

I dont give a damn what it looks like, but im not willing to go much over 500$. Im talking office chair here, not easy boy.
Unfortunately, I'm in the same position you are, I've bought chairs ranging in price from $40 to $500, and the best one so far was the $40 one (actually, it was one of those styrofoam rocking chairs made for kids playing videogames, oddly enough). Unfortunately, it broke years ago, and they stopped making it and I haven’t been able to find a good chair since, only chairs I can live with. Just bought yet another one today, actually, one of these glider type chairs, I’ll let you know if it works or not (unfortunately, takes me a week or so before I can tell if a chair’s gonna work :().

[DoubleUranium]

I don't really speak for America, but hell no. Um, could you enclose them in some kind of dome? I feel pretty bad for you guys.

I think I can speak for America and emphatically say HELL NO. Can't you just air freight them all to France?

[Zurik]

I got bad news for all the people interested in ipod nanos, the things scratch like all hell. You barely have to touch it(mine was in a soft jacket pocket)and scratches and abrasions appear all over it. I heard something about a lawsuit against Apple for this, apparently you can scratch it really bad by just touching it with a fingernail. Anyway, the point being they're supposed to release a series 2 with this problem fixed, so I'd holdout for a little bit.

[Kelegacy]

Nope, thats just Democrat and California hippy propaganda! ;) We are basically just like the States, except we make a national hobby of pointing out how we arent American, our drugs and health care are cheaper, we have less gun problems and we get bent over for taxes( that earlier comment about losing 25% of a bonus to taxes made me laugh... try 50%!). Other then that, trying to tell the difference between say, Canada and New England or Maine would be almost impossible.

Oh, except we have a bunch of french people that dont want to be here. Do you want them?

Can't tell the difference between New England and Maine? Maine IS part of New England!

New England for life, yo. Represent, mah homies.

[Serapth]

Can't tell the difference between New England and Maine? Maine IS part of New England!

New England for life, yo. Represent, mah homies.

Errr... yeah, my bad. I meant *in* not *or*. Oops :)

[Felonous]

My Xmas Wishlist:

Xbox 360
40+ inch LCD HDTV
Windows Media Center PC

Although, it's not really a wishlist, considering that beginning last month I have switched to a new job that pays me $5K more a year and I already have $6K saved up for Xmas sending (and the majority of that spending is going to be gifts for myself).

Tis the season of spoiling myself.

[Heretic Machine]

Just bought yet another one today, actually, one of these glider type chairs, I’ll let you know if it works or not (unfortunately, takes me a week or so before I can tell if a chair’s gonna work ).

I had one of those not too long ago. Started to break within just a few months. Costed like $120, came with a foot rest, but the base was junk. Now I have a plain leather office chair I got used and it's lasted twice as long as that glider. Still no sign of it breaking anytime soon.

[Mr.Green]

Oh, except we have a bunch of french people that dont want to be here. Do you want them?
I don't really speak for America, but hell no. Um, could you enclose them in some kind of dome? I feel pretty bad for you guys.
I think I can speak for America and emphatically say HELL NO. Can't you just air freight them all to France?
We have as much in common with France as you have with England and Australia - We speak the same language. And the seperatists are only a vocal minority but when I read things like that I can't really blame them. If ignorance is bliss then you guys must be pretty fucking happy.

[Dracula-X]

Man, I don't know. Maybe the complete Calvin & Hobbes hardcover?

I'm mostly ignoring the holidays, to be honest.
I was about to mention that I wanted to get an ipod nano and other assorted geek nonsense for meself, but Calvin & Hobbes hardcover trumps all. Completely forgot this was (is?) coming out. Thanks for mentioning it :)

[bobbler]

i was just thinking of teddy ruxpin today for some crazy reason. weird, haven't thought of that dude in like 10 years. didn't realize he was still around. but he did rock.

Did you know Teddy Ruxpin is the reason we got the NES in the US (as early as we did, at least)?

I wonder what gaming would be like today if it weren't for Teddy Ruxpin.

Oh, Teddy, how can I show my love? Tee hee!

[Achilles]

We have as much in common with France as you have with England and Australia - We speak the same language. And the seperatists are only a vocal minority but when I read things like that I can't really blame them. If ignorance is bliss then you guys must be pretty fucking happy.Well I was kidding of course. Clearly I don't think a dome should be built around a population, and I doubt either of the other two people you quoted want them deported.

It's like when Canadians or Americans get offended by friendly trash talking (calling us cowboys, or saying your money is monopoly money). You're our neighbors, it's like being roommates, if you can't exchange some trash talk than things are entirely too serious.

[Serapth]

We have as much in common with France as you have with England and Australia - We speak the same language. And the seperatists are only a vocal minority but when I read things like that I can't really blame them. If ignorance is bliss then you guys must be pretty fucking happy.

Im willing to make a guess by your response that you are from Quebec. Well, feel free to call me ignorant, but hey... I did live in montreal for close to a year so I have some pretty good exposure... plus, I lived there during the referendum, so I got a double exposure.

Point blank, yeah... sorry to be harsh, but fuck quebec. Or, I suppose, let me be politically correct and say fuck seperatists. The general gist I got was, hey... we want to be our own country, with our own laws and our own country. But, hey... we dont want to pay back any of our national debt... actually, we want it to be erased. Also, we want to keep all national assets, but of course we arent going to pay for them. Oh, and hope you dont mind, we are still going to use your own currency for our own purposes.

What the quebec people seem to forget is... hmmm... they spend more time slurping from the socialist trough then they do contributing to it. Point black, Quebec isnt self sufficent. Taxes wise, Quebec takes more then they give. Frankly in many ways, Canada would be better if they seperated.

Also, some of the most facist things that have ever happened in Canada, happen in quebec. Language laws that MANDATE french lettering being bigger then english punishable by fines. Or how about the FLQ crisis? Or Oka? Those are all very un-Canadian things.

So, in many ways, Quebec is the spoiled little child that always whines about wanting more, while at the same time not contributing fuckall back. And you wonder why we dont give a shit about you?

EDIT: I realize after reading what I wrote that anybody unfamilar with Canadian politics wont understand whats going on here. So point blank, Mr Green, im going to ask you a question that if you can answer accuratly I will retract everything I said. Outside of Quebec, and possibly eastern Canada ( that would be landlocked ), can you give me a single *GOOD* reason why the rest of canada shouldnt be pissed off about seperatists??

[Serapth]

Well I was kidding of course. Clearly I don't think a dome should be built around a population, and I doubt either of the other two people you quoted want them deported.

It's like when Canadians or Americans get offended by friendly trash talking (calling us cowboys, or saying your money is monopoly money). You're our neighbors, it's like being roommates, if you can't exchange some trash talk than things are entirely too serious.

Nah, trust me, at least one of the people quoted wouldnt so much mind them being deported! :D Picture it this way... how would you feel if New Orleans wanted to be their own country because of their french hertitage ( N.O is as french or moreso then quebec is except the language thing ), but they werent willing to give back anything for everything they took? Thats what Canadians deal with. Really, point blank, in federal politics, Quebec is the gimmie gimmie gimmie state. The farther west you go in Canada, the more hate you find. Ironically, if there was a referendum for who wants to get rid of quebec, ages ago, they would have been gone.

EDIT: I just past Go, you owe me 200$!

[nonchalance]

Don't take this the wrong way, but your country is probably filthy and poor.

Beautiful.

For the record, yes it is.
But not as filthy or as poor as most.

I'm in Australia, where we're just like America, except we're filthy and poor, and we have much better beer.

[Serapth]

Beautiful.

For the record, yes it is.
But not as filthy or as poor as most.

I'm in Australia, where we're just like America, except we're filthy and poor, and we have much better beer.

Nah.. your not poor, just filthy :) And christ, who doesnt have better beer then the US? The bottled water I get from the vending machine at work is better then most american beers :)

[Achilles]

Nah, trust me, at least one of the people quoted wouldnt so much mind them being deported! :D Picture it this way... how would you feel if New Orleans wanted to be their own country because of their french hertitage ( N.O is as french or moreso then quebec is except the language thing ), but they werent willing to give back anything for everything they took? Thats what Canadians deal with. Really, point blank, in federal politics, Quebec is the gimmie gimmie gimmie state. The farther west you go in Canada, the more hate you find. Ironically, if there was a referendum for who wants to get rid of quebec, ages ago, they would have been gone.When I lived in New York we wanted to give the city (NYC) to a different state so it would quit being a tax black hole. And New Yorkers… well needless to say that I see where you're coming from. I think it's better to say though that you want the separatists deported. Really if someone's not a separatist it seems like they'd know what you were talking about. Oh well. EDIT: I just past Go, you owe me 200$!LOL :) I'm in Australia, where we're just like America, except we're filthy and poor, and we have much better beer.Well that explains where all your disposable income goes.

[Serapth]

[QUOTE=Achilles] I think it's better to say though that you want the separatists deported. Really if someone's not a separatist it seems like they'd know what you were talking about. Oh well.LOL :)[QUOTE]

BANG! Your dead on the money! It is the seperatists that I want gone. But I have a small bit of trivia that might make things more understandable to you ( and show you how fucked up Canadian politics are :) ).

Last election, the official opposition ( the 2nd most popular elected party(country wide), like your democrats now ), was the PQ, which is a quebec only party that runs on the platform of Quebec seperatism. Mr. Greens comment that its a "vocal minority" is a complete crock of shit.

Oh, and wheres my 200$? :) I accept cash, cheque or money order

[Achilles]

BANG! Your dead on the money! It is the seperatists that I want gone. But I have a small bit of trivia that might make things more understandable to you ( and show you how fucked up Canadian politics are :) ).

Last election, the official opposition ( the 2nd most popular elected party(country wide), like your democrats now ), was the PQ, which is a quebec only party that runs on the platform of Quebec seperatism. Mr. Greens comment that its a "vocal minority" is a complete crock of shit.

Oh, and wheres my 200$? :) I accept cash, cheque or money orderYour 50c American is in the mail ;)
You're right though, that's a lot of sway for a party that only represents Quebec. I heard a while ago that if there were a referendum in Quebec on separation that it wouldn't pass though. Not that I follow that sort of thing at all. It's interesting to hear about the politics in other countries, we usually just discuss American politics and frankly I get enough of that on the news.

Back on topic I already got the first item on my Christmas list, which is the thing I linked to earlier in this thread. The second is a 360 to go with it. Only 2 more weeks *drool

Edit: Yikes I guess that would be $169. You guys are catching up with us. Uh, crap, will you take Park Place instead?

[nonchalance]

Nah.. your not poor, just filthy :)

What, compared to you?
We're both.

Honestly, we're a dirty people.
Awesome, but dirty.

[Hewie]

I have only one thing on my holiday wish list:

Grado Prestige Gold cartridge, baby!

[The Iron Weasel]

Jesus H. Christ, can we ever derail around here, I LOVE IT!

[Vandenh]

On my list (in no order):

DS
360
Some new boarding gear
Maybe a new diving computer

[DaedalusFolly]

I just want one thing, a Tag Heuer chronograph watch... hope the woman has been saving up.

[mister_slim]

Can't tell the difference between New England and Maine? Maine IS part of New England!

New England for life, yo. Represent, mah homies.
I was gonna represent, but I live in the NW now. Really, I just don't want to be a 'homie'.

[Kelegacy]

I was gonna represent, but I live in the NW now. Really, I just don't want to be a 'homie'.

You are a traitor to your territory. Good riddance, Benedict.

[gojira]

World peace.

Me too but I'd settle for whirled peas.


;)

[Mr.Green]

Last election, the official opposition ( the 2nd most popular elected party(country wide), like your democrats now ), was the PQ, which is a quebec only party that runs on the platform of Quebec seperatism. Mr. Greens comment that its a "vocal minority" is a complete crock of shit.
You're talking about the "Bloc Québécois", not the PQ. The PQ is a provincial party. Way to shoot yourself in the foot and prove how freaking much you know buddy. And what's that fucking nonsense about bigger letters for french? And the taxes !? Jesus Christ... When I called you ignorant I didn't really expect you to prove it even more.

Anyway, I'm not a separatist but I'll still give you a reason why you shoudn't be pissed at them - People like you.