My weekly TV column is up at Torontoist.
I am happy because this week I had the chance to reference the old “Give Like Santa, Save Like Scrooge” commercials Canadian Tire did every Christmas when I was growing up:
And we may joke about the prices back then for a Commodore 128 (and I had a Commodore when I was growing up and it was the best computer ever, dammit), but what strikes me is that this advert dates itself not by what’s being sold so much as the fact that they actually mention the specific prices in the ad. That just doesn’t happen any more.
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I think Old Navy mentions prices.
The 128 was a godsend. C64 compatibility, 80-column mode, built-in sprite editor…fantastic piece of hardware. Wish I’d held onto mine now.
Here – have some nostalgia: http://www.viceteam.org/
Despite the name, it’s not SPAM. It’s the Versatile Commodore Emulator, a program that impersonates a C64, C128, Vic20, Plus/4, C16 or various flavours of PET/CBM “business computer” on your more modern hardware. Everything works, even games, if you can find copies (hint: Google is God).
Worse than Pat, maybe, but is the sketch as bad as MadTV’s Stewart?
Gilly is better than Pat. I liked the last sketch she starred in, where she invaded Glee and Sue Sylvester dubbed her “Little Orphan A-Hole.” The thing is, a character like Gilly can’t anchor a special, like Ace & Gary did for the TV Funhouse episode.
Any reaction to the Survivor: Nicaragua finale, MGK?
Am I right to think that Canadian Tire was not a tire shop, then?
I have a bizarre crush on Kevin Pollak. I am not proud of this.
By the way, unless I’ve been snookered, an updated C64 is due on the market next year, with the “classic” keyboard look & feel and a built-in emulator for the old 8-bit C64 programs, but with an operating system that can also run modern software:
http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_C64.aspx
(They’ve also announced a forthcoming Linux-based Amiga 1000/2000/3000 line, capable of both running modern software and playing the old Amiga games via an emulator.)
Coren: Oh, Canadian Tire sells tires, alright. Various other car goos as well. They even have gas stations.
But they also used to have a fairly solid home electronics section, too.
I kinda miss those ads.
Canadian Tire also has a lot of sporting goods, kitchenware, and garden/outdoor stuff.
Canadian Tire sort of sound like how Western Auto used to be in the States (no idea if they’re still around).