Information Overload

Cyber Monday 2011

Many retailers with online presences have extended their Black Friday sales through the end of today, Cyber Monday. (This could be close to the final Cyber Monday when online sellers such as Amazon can avoid collecting sales tax from buyers in California.) With all of the great deals floating around cyberspace, this online shopper is not convinced that offline Black Friday shopping is worth the hassle save for strengthing social bonds by surviving the chaos together.

Black Friday 2011

America's day of hyper consumerism is here! (Fittingly, it's observed the day after Thanksgiving Day.) Retailers like Walmart opened yesterday night at 10 PM to get a jump on other stores such as Target that are opening this morning at midnight. Many places were open during the first half of Thanksgiving Day too! This fan of shopping online doesn't find much appeal in getting up hella early to tussle with ravenous shoppers in person. American Express is paying members to go out tomorrow on Small Business Saturday.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

As always, thankful for happiness, good health, family, friends, and occupying a comfortable percentile of the 99%. Even more thankful for being in the global 1% relative to the rest of the world's population.

Happy Veterans Day 2011

Happy Veterans Day to those who served in our Armed Forces! Thanks for your service!

Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System

FEMA, our Federal Emergency Management Agency, will be conducting the first ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System today at 11 AM, Pacific Time. The test message will be broadcast by TV, radio, and in some cases, free text messages to mobile phones. It's nice to see that we're finally getting around to modernizing EAS!

San Francisco Votes Tomorrow

San Francisco elects a new mayor, district attorney, sheriff, and makes decisions on 8 local propositions tomorrow. Fortunately, none of the measures have anything to do with circumcisions, gold fish, or shark's fin soup.

Vote Paul Miyamoto for Sheriff!

Fall Back 2011

Daylight Savings Time in America ends this morning at 2 AM local time. Hopefully, the extra hour will help this San Francisco resident recuperate from a cold before work tomorrow... Silenced the iPhone, as supporters of candidates and local propositions on Tuesday's ballot have been calling non-stop! Too bad there's no way for them to know if someone has already voted by mail.

Small Business Saturday 2011

American Express' Small Business Saturday is coming back on November 26th. Amex cardholders should be sure to register their card early for the free program that gives enrollees a $25 statement credit for spending an equal or greater amount in-person at a local small business. This online shopper is glad that local restaurants are included in the program!

Move Your Money Project

Oakland is recovering from yesterday's Occupy Oakland General Strike, which was unfortunately marred by some inevitable bad actors who vandalized property and engaged with police. One Oakland resident makes a great suggestion for "Occupy" occupiers in general. Hate big banks? Educate people about the benefits of switching to their local credit union! This credit union customer recommends SFCU to Californians.

Happy Halloween 2011!

Here's hoping trick-or-treating tonight is more thrilling than Aykut's Halloween Int'l Ball, which was somewhat sucky given the $80 per person price of admission for people who didn't purchase tickets until a week prior to the party. Ballers who bought their wristbands early paid as little as $25, a fee more inline with the entertainment factor.