912 McMansions and Sprogburbia

Oh, isn't it absolutely disgusting? Everything looks like it's come from a fucking cookie-cutter. I REFUSE to shop ANY kind of chain store no matter what it sells. I will drive to the end of the earth to find the mom-and-pop store rather than a corporate america clone who caters to the breeders of the world. 3 words folks: TOO MANY PEOPLE

My 3 words: Too Much America.

Ever since NAFTA came in, there are Starbucks, Gaps, Walmarts and huge shopping malls with only American stores in them everywhere. They're wrecking the business of Canadian owned stores. The little companies go out of business, and the big ones get bought by Americans. Shoot, an American bought The Bay! That's a huge piece of Canadian history! So is Tim Horton's, the NHL, and Molson. All owned by Americans. Too many people, and we're eating up the American sprogburbia culture, we're losing any sense of culture, and today's breeders and sprogs are so ignorant, they don't care that we're losing Canada. All they care about it having a Starbucks nearby, because, you know, since it's from America, you have to shop there. So much for Second Cup or smaller cafes.

And Sears (now owned by Kmart) bought Eaton's several years ago--I'm an American and I was heartbroken!!
I agree--LC--American corporations SUCK! And as an American I can say that! Starbucks is pretty cool, though, they support liberal causes and provide health insurance for ALL (even part time) employees.

Okay, what Canadian icons are left?

The Bay - American
Eaton's - American
Molson - Ameircan (Coors)
Fairmount (inc. Frontenac, Chateau Laurier and Banff Springs) - American/Saudi as of today
Tim Horton's - American (Wendy's)
Labatt's & Keith's - Belgian
NHL - 90% American owned, only 10% American players

So, what does Canada have left? Canadian Tire and Sleeman's. And I bet those will be sold to Americans in the next 10 years. I doubt Stephen Harper will do anything to save the country. "Stand up for Canada" my ass, Mr. Harper, last time we had the Tories in we got NAFTA. I can feel my country being sucked away from under my feet, and it hurts.

I was watching the local yocal TV news with the BF. Local news is usually something I avoid because it is so full of sprog worship. I heard the BF yelling, "Check this out." I ran in and caught a report about what causes companies give money to. Starbucks gives somewhere around 98 percent of its funds that are available for giving to the Democratic party. General Motors gives about the same amount to the Republican party. I forgot what the funds are called exactly. I don't think they are called charitable contributions.... Is anyone else familiar with this? Anyway, I wondered why I heard so much hubbub on conservative radio shows about the financial problems of GM....

As far as Sprogtown goes...I have gotten lost so many times in these neighborhoods. (The BF had a sublet a few months not far from a shopping area like this.) I went to pick him up a few times while he was Christmas shopping. He asked me why I kept getting lost. I thought about it and the light came on. "Everything looks the same, dude!" Crate and Barrel, Craplebees, Bath and Body Crap, P.F. Changs. It's all the same. Depressing.

I'm a little off topic here.... I had no idea Americans were buying so many Canadian companies. What's scary here in America is that a lot of our companies - places like Dunkin Donuts, gas stations, diners, mall-type small food chains, and a host of other companies are being bought by Indians, Sryians, or Greeks. It's totally out of control. And a lot of our larger coporations are being bought by the Chinese and Japanese. Wham-O toy company was just bought by Japanese. Anyone remember Etienne Aigner purses, shoes, etc? That company was bought by some Japanese firm too, The Bennett Group, or some shit. Soon, most of America will be owned by Japan or some other foreign country. In my opinion, I don't think it's a good idea for foreign interests to buy companies in another country. It takes away from the culture, tradition, originality and specialness of that company. Plus you never know what underlying agenda is planned for buying foreign.

Hey, you would be surprised how much Saudi Arabia owns in America.
Guess we all will be wearing burkhas pretty soon.
So, maybe an american company bought a canadian. Who really owns the american company?

I'm nervous cos Wal-Mart now owns ASDA in the UK. The UK just doesn't have room for huge sprwaling Wal-Marts, but I'm afraid they'll try anyway, and destroy some wonderful things. Now that I think about it, that's another wonderful thing about the UK, MANY different types of shoppes, and not many chains. It really is amazingly different than the US, and much cosier.

we have a monopolies commision, they wont allow one company to have complete control the super market chains the main ones are morrisons, (who just bought safeways), asda, and tesco, together they own about 90% of the market (leaving 10% for smaller retailers).. all companies have to be passed by the monopolies and mergers commission. or its illegal.

same with a lot of cafe's we have starbucks, we also have cafe nero, etc, plus smaller coffee shops run by independants..

thats a big difference, not everything looks the same, although on some streets they are similar.. just enough of a difference to make it fun.

Oh Faust, I'm SURE Wal-Fart will see that awful waste of space called Stonehenge and want to bulldoze it over to put up one of their superstores for the breeders and their one-stop shopping. GAG ME. I loathe Wal-Fart and I'm sick of these corporations seeing beautiful open space and historic places being nothing more than a slate they could put one of their clones on. I really want to visit Stonehenge one of these years!

stonehenge is ok, but theres an even older one, further north, called castlerigg stone circle its even more beautiful
http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/majorsites/castlerigg.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/enjoy_cumbria/heritage/stone_circles/castlerigg.shtml

but its not like the monoliths. we have hundreds of stone circles.

http://www.megalith.ukf.net/bigmap.htm

A resource for finding any stone circle or row in England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales

kidfree if you want info about the stone circles i am only too happy to help as someone who lives in england