You may not have known this, but bad weather improves our sales. There's nothing like a rainy day to keep kids in the house, and if you're a parent, you're probably looking for a distraction. As an adult, it's a great opportunity to get some painting done, provided you've already primed your miniatures. You shouldn't prime in the rain or under high humidity unless you want unusual results.
The counter to bad weather resulting in good sales are storms. If there's a storm warning in effect, customers stay home. It's a great time to clean or do paperwork, if there's electricity. The sales the next day seem to indicate people temporarily held off on their purchases.
Obama
I'm just giddy after Iowa. It's the youth vote, the vote for change over experience, the fatigue with politics as usual. Now I'm just waiting for the press to start chipping away. I was a supporter of Dean and was shocked when the press killed his campaign over his rallying the troops with his yell. It just didn't register as a problem for me. Just as the Republicans hope for a Clinton victory to rally their troops in opposition, I see Huckabee as the anti-Clinton, and an easy target to rally Democrats. I was excited for McCain in his previous campaigns, but he's gone all loopy.
McCain was co-opted. I think he reached a point where he realized he'd either have to work with the system or go independent, and realizing he only has so many chances left, he took the 'safer' route. Sadly, I think he's a perfect example of how to fail at trying to change the system from within.
ReplyDeleteI really can't get that excited about Obama. I think he's better than the other 'major' candidates, but not by that much. The problem is that 99%+ of all the mainstream press is covering is horse race stories. If they spent any time at all on policy I think that there are a few 'minor' candidates that the American people would actually get behind, but the average American doesn't understand the differences between the candidates other than how much money they can raise, because that's all the press tells them about.
Ahem...
ReplyDeleteJoe Biden.
Policy cred, but a bit too wonky for prime time?
It's the American contempt for intellectuals or those who seem smarter than themselves.
ReplyDeleteObama!!?? That cracks me up. He'll be going down in flames after the 19th. The Clinton machine is the most effective when it thinks it's down. Besides, didn't the Dems try to count on the youth vote the last two elections? 18-25's are paying attention now but won't come November. They never have.
ReplyDeleteI'm far from a political expert, or even serious hobbyist, but from what I've learned so far, the youth turnout in Iowa was unprecedented. Timing for a high youth vote turnout was poor as well, as college students were at home rather than in school where that kind of enthusiasm brings people out. What was also unprecedented was the time and money Clinton and Edwards put into Iowa, yet they still didn't win.
ReplyDeleteIt looks to me like Clinton is playing defense now, and using the usual Clintonesque chameleon tactics to co-opt ideas, themes, and even quotes and tag lines from other candidates. It seems so cynical. I don't despise the Clintons, but I can see why this tactic annoys the hell out of people.
I'm guessing that a lot of Clinton support is based on the impression that she's the inevitable one. Once that starts breaking down with the rise of other candidates, her personal baggage will appear to be an even stronger liability.