October 2008 — Kevin Rothermel

People are scared right now. Really, really scared. Which is concerning as we head towards what some consider to be the most important presidential election in history. Rational thought has been cast aside more readily than I've ever seen during an election. People are crazed with wild fantasies of how the other candidate is going to destroy the country. We are living in a Kingdom of Fear.

And maybe it's always been this way. After all, I've only been alive for one (1) election that didn't involve an incumbent or a sitting vice president. And I was 3, going on 4. It's been a really long time since the last time an election didn't involve an incumbent or sitting vice-president. But I think what seems different this time around from anything I remember is that this election has become the perfect storm of a country that appears to be at a major crossroads and a presidential election featuring two fairly unknown quantities who are both promising big change and the way to salvation from the current mess we're in, both using very emotional appeals. People are whipped into a frenzy.

It's funny, because 8 years ago I would've thought people were being overly dramatic and in need of calming down. I remember thinking in 2000 that no matter who was elected, things would continue along more or less the same course, with slight tweaks here or there depending on who won. Politicians aren't interested in shaking things up and ruffling feathers, after all. They are interested in not pissing people off so that they can get re-elected. I was of the mindset that candidates are never as bad as they seem or as good as they seem. But after seeing what has taken place during the current administration, suddenly all of the election related hyperbole bouncing around seems a little less ridiculous.

Anyways, the Daily Show did a piece on the irrational fear that seems to be common across party lines this time around. And while it's funny, I think it's also really insightful.

OK. This is starting to get ridiculous. Nintendo is reporting that once again, despite Wii production being at an all time high, despite having already been out for three years, despite being smack in the middle of the worst financial crisis since the end of the Roman Empire, and having three years of sales data to help plan for the holidays, they're STILL not going to have enough inventory to meet demand during the holiday season. Again. For a third time. Yes, really.

"We're producing an unprecedented
level of hardware to try to meet demand… Look at retailer circulars.
Go to their websites. We're flowing products into stores on a very
regular basis. Once you see it on the shelf, you ought to buy it." [emphasis mine]
~ Reggie Fils-Aime, President, Nintendo of America

Football coaches like to justify running the same kind of play over and over again with the saying: "keeping running it until they show you they can stop it." Nintendo seems to be borrowing liberally from that way of thinking right now. Tell people it's sold out, and they will become so overtaken with rage-lust for a Wii that rational thought couldn't POSSIBLY get in the way of their animal desire to have one and have it NOW. If "must-have" Christmas items have taught me anything in my life, it's that product scarcity is a very. powerful. marketing tactic.

After checking around briefly, it looks like Best Buy.com and Target.com are both sold out, but it looks like there are bundles available around at places like EBGames.

So you heard it here first. Buy some Wii's now and enjoy a foreclosure-free January.