quoperative

Rogers released their iPhone plan pricing today.  They had a massive opportunity to rise above their shitty reputation for being a greedy monopolist and completely and utterly blew it.  Hard!

The fact that they demand you lock-in for 3 years is reasonable.  Not ideal, but I understand that they’re subsidizing the price of the handset and they need to cover themselves so that they recoup that cost.  I don’t like it, but it’s fair. I can live with it.

But where exactly do they get off thinking they can gouge us like this on the monthly plan?  Do they think we all live under the Canadian shield in mole caves and can’t see all the other countries around the world (a lot of them less “developed” than Canada) using their iPhones for much less than us?  Hell, look at our neighbours downstairs…  AT&T had the smarts to offer truly unlimited data for $35/month.  Couple that with 450 min talk time and you’re paying $69/month.  Up here, we’ve been blessed with a plan that has 300 min talk time and 1Gb/month (far, far from unlimited) for $75/month.  Less talk time and less data for more money.  What a crock of shit!

Don’t they understand that they’re in the enviable position of being the only provider offering the iPhone in Canada?  Economies of scale, anybody?  Try being less greedy (maybe exercise some long term vision) and you might find that you’ll make a lot more money in the long run.

But nope, you’re a big fat greedy corporation that wants money, money, money.  Too bad, because your iPhone pricing probably just turned off half of your would-be customers who will now be spending their $300 on an iPod Touch instead.  Gets the wi-fi without having to dole out all that extra coin to Rogers.

Did I mention that I hate Rogers?

The Mongrels are hands down Montreal’s — possibly Canada’s — finest psychedelic blues rockin’ mother bitchin’ heavy metal band.  Taking cues from loads of bands from all walks — Cold Blood, Humble Pie, the Allman Brothers Band and Dead Meadow are a few that come to mind — they attack with a seriously hard-hitting sound that’s got to be heard live to be properly experienced.

A project of Tricky Woo frontman Andrew Dickson, the Mongrels are a sextet that features no less than two drummers (Jason Tustin of Local Rabbits and Bionic’s Tim Dwyer dole out them phat pounding grooves), dueling guitars and the mighty Amy Dynamite on vocals.

I just gotta plug these guys.  Saw them last summer with a few dozen people at Irene’s in Ottawa and it was seriously one of the loudest and best rock shows I have ever witnessed.  The Mongrels need to be heard.  Hopefully they’ll scrape together the bread to make a trip out west at some point.

Here’s a track of their debut LP Oshawa called “Contemplating the Wizard”

Dead at 71. The man had incredible insight and could always dissect the quirky little things in life into the simplest of explanations (which was totally hilarious in it’s frankness and vulgarity).  Here’s a great clip of him taking a poke at mass religion.  He’ll be sorely missed.

And since we’re talking comedians, let me get something off my chest. Message to Dane Cook: please retire now… you suck.  You’re like the showbiz equivalent of Zubaz pants.  Possibly popular at one time but still around for some bizarre reason and completely irrelevant.