Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

On Tuesday, December 20, 2011 I went to see the movie Sherlock Holmes:  A Game of Shadows featuring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Jared Harris.

The movie is about Sherlock Holmes and Watson on a new case.  Watson is getting married the next day and he gets roped into a case involving Professor Moriarty.  There has been a string of bombings that are being blamed on an anarchist group.  However, Sherlock Holmes suspects someone else.

Sherlock Holmes disguises himself as an opium seller and he is keeping an eye on Irene Adler.  She is delivering a package to someone...  As Holmes switches her package for a loaf of bread, he is informed that the men were escorting her.  She takes her package, tells the goons to be gentle.  Sherlock Holmes dispatches them easily.

He also foils an explosion at an art auction...  But what happens next?  You'll have to watch the movie to find out.

Rich getting Richer, Poor getting Poorer Part 2

So, it appears that many corporations and large businesses still haven't learned from the latest movement of either Occupy Wall Street or National Change Bank Day.

Today, I went to Scores for dinner, because I haven't been in a while and I noticed that they have raised their prices for the quarter chicken leg dinner.  It used to be $9.75 and now it's $10.25.  I remember back in he day, it was $8.25 or $8.75.  This got me thinking, what am I paying more for in the previous year?  What will I be paying more for next year?  It's pretty depressing:

1) Scores:  Quarter chicken leg dinner from $9.75 to $10.25;
2) Videotron internet:  From $83.25 a month to $85.25;
3) TRAM Zone 3:  From $113 to $117 (as of January 2012);
4) Restaurants who now cannot have taxes included, so taxes are being added (an extra 15%);
5) More taxes to the government as Quebec Sales Tax is being raised another 1%;
6) Membership to the Ontario College of Teachers, from $120 a year to $138 a year;
7) The major Canadian banks raised transaction fees as well as required a higher minimum balance in one's account to have those transaction fees waived;
8) Hydro Quebec is projecting an increase in their fees;

I can also say that food that is bought in a supermarket is costing more.  People are paying more for gas.  Everything is costing more...  However, peoples' salaries are not going up in the same amount every year...

I am going to be forking out $2 * 12 for internet in the next year, that's $24 more than this year.  I will be forking out $4 * 10 more for public transport next year, that's $40 more than this year.  That's $64, not including the increase for the OCT ($18), the meals I might eat at Scores, the taxes which I cannot calculate in advance and the Hydro bill.  However, I can estimate that with all those added together, I would probably say I would fork out another $450 to $500?

When I go up the pay scale, I am going to get in an increase of at most $400 next year.  That would be effective in September of 2012.

I feel the crunch myself...  I feel myself having less disposable income, even to save up for retirement or to save up for a down payment for a house...  It's getting more difficult to put money aside for a rainy day.

It is pretty sad the reality of our economy.  Something is very wrong, but no one who is rich gives a crap and wants to change it.

In Time

On Tuesday, December 6, 2011 I went to see the movie In Time featuring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried.

The movie takes place in the future.  Humans have been genetically engineered to live until 25 and then they have a year to die off.  However, they can purchase more time.  They can buy more time to continue to live.

The main character, Will Sallis, played by Timberlake lives in a poor sector of town where her mother just celebrated her 50th birthday.  However, they are seriously in debt and they have to pay bills and interest using time...  That's the new currency.

Will meets a man who is buying drinks at the bar because he has 116 years.  His name was Henry Hamilton.  However, this doesn't last long because the gang of time snatchers comes and crashes the bar to try and steal his time.  They are the Minutemen.

Everyone flees the bar and Will successfully helps Henry escape the Minutemen.  Henry then travels with Will to a place that's safe for the night...  In the morning, Henry transfers all of his time to Will Sallis, with the exception of five minutes, so he can watch the last sunrise.

However, this creates a chase because the police think that Sallis stole time...  The police are called the Timekeepers.

What happens?  You'll have to watch the movie to find out.

This movie rings a bell with the Occupy Wall Street movement.