Backbone is about business, technology, lifestyle, innovation, bold ideas, trends and events
Terror, One Year Later | September 2, 2002
By Peter Wolchak
At about the time you are reading this issue of Backbone the world is commemorating the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks in America.
We are all reliving those terrible days, spending time with friends and family, reading analytical pieces and watching the video images again.We are joining countless others around the world whose thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.
We are also pondering the economic and political scene, where there is still a lot of bad news. The terrorists responsible for the attacks have not been apprehended, and some experts think more are out there—still active, still dangerous.
Many companies fell victim to the economic upheaval that followed Sept.11. US Airways, for example, declared bankruptcy last month, blaming terrorism for an insurmountable drop in revenue.
Here in Canada, our government has backed away from a national broadband plan many thought would spur long-term economic activity. Dollars were spent instead on security but some argue that the rush towards safety measures has left long-term economic and infrastructure planning in its dust. (See page 24 for more on broadband.)
Surprisingly though, Sept. 11 was not the economic disaster many feared.
Most of the business world bounced back, leading our two most recent finance ministers to muse aloud that the economy may actually be growing too fast. Job creation, for example, is booming.
Most importantly, we’ve survived—and even prospered—as countries and cultures. That is, of course, the best way to win this conflict.
THE AMAZON STORY
Savvy ’net watchers will be familiar with the phrase “to be Amazoned.” It’s what happens when a smart, agile company uses the Internet in an efficient and innovative way, pushing the competition to the sidelines. That the term exists speaks to the power and influence of Amazon.com, and the company has now moved north. (See page 16 for more on Amazon Canada.)
Is Amazon.ca good for Canada? That depends on your point of view. It is certainly bad for Chapters/Indigo and other Canadian booksellers. Amazon is formidable in its market: it offers more books, more general merchandise, more selling tools and more editorial content than any other online store. So if you’re a fan of Canadian book businesses, be concerned.
But from a purely e-com perspective, Amazon is good news. Online retail in Canada has been quiet of late; sales have been made, new sites launched, but homegrown e-tail excitement has been notably absent.
The message in Amazon’s Canadian launch is simple: innovate or die. An American company has drawn the battle lines; we will now see if Canadian e-tailers can deliver a competitive shopping experience that will keep us buying Canadian.
THANKS TO YOU
Backbone would like to thank those readers who completed our online survey in July. It turns out you are an educated, affluent and influential bunch of people.
We always suspected as much.
The survey results are on page 34.We would also like to congratulate our prize winners, selected by Ipsos-Reid in a blind draw.
Grand prize: Andeen Pitt,Vancouver.
Runners up: Derek Waters,Vancouver; Mike Medland,Victoria, B.C.; Janice Cournoyer, Lorette, Man.; Ron MacInnes, Markham, Ont.; Mark Elliot, New Westminster, B.C.
At about the time you are reading this issue of Backbone the world is commemorating the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks in America.
We are all reliving those terrible days, spending time with friends and family, reading analytical pieces and watching the video images again.We are joining countless others around the world whose thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.
We are also pondering the economic and political scene, where there is still a lot of bad news. The terrorists responsible for the attacks have not been apprehended, and some experts think more are out there—still active, still dangerous.
Many companies fell victim to the economic upheaval that followed Sept.11. US Airways, for example, declared bankruptcy last month, blaming terrorism for an insurmountable drop in revenue.
Here in Canada, our government has backed away from a national broadband plan many thought would spur long-term economic activity. Dollars were spent instead on security but some argue that the rush towards safety measures has left long-term economic and infrastructure planning in its dust. (See page 24 for more on broadband.)
Surprisingly though, Sept. 11 was not the economic disaster many feared.
Most of the business world bounced back, leading our two most recent finance ministers to muse aloud that the economy may actually be growing too fast. Job creation, for example, is booming.
Most importantly, we’ve survived—and even prospered—as countries and cultures. That is, of course, the best way to win this conflict.
THE AMAZON STORY
Savvy ’net watchers will be familiar with the phrase “to be Amazoned.” It’s what happens when a smart, agile company uses the Internet in an efficient and innovative way, pushing the competition to the sidelines. That the term exists speaks to the power and influence of Amazon.com, and the company has now moved north. (See page 16 for more on Amazon Canada.)
Is Amazon.ca good for Canada? That depends on your point of view. It is certainly bad for Chapters/Indigo and other Canadian booksellers. Amazon is formidable in its market: it offers more books, more general merchandise, more selling tools and more editorial content than any other online store. So if you’re a fan of Canadian book businesses, be concerned.
But from a purely e-com perspective, Amazon is good news. Online retail in Canada has been quiet of late; sales have been made, new sites launched, but homegrown e-tail excitement has been notably absent.
The message in Amazon’s Canadian launch is simple: innovate or die. An American company has drawn the battle lines; we will now see if Canadian e-tailers can deliver a competitive shopping experience that will keep us buying Canadian.
THANKS TO YOU
Backbone would like to thank those readers who completed our online survey in July. It turns out you are an educated, affluent and influential bunch of people.
We always suspected as much.
The survey results are on page 34.We would also like to congratulate our prize winners, selected by Ipsos-Reid in a blind draw.
Grand prize: Andeen Pitt,Vancouver.
Runners up: Derek Waters,Vancouver; Mike Medland,Victoria, B.C.; Janice Cournoyer, Lorette, Man.; Ron MacInnes, Markham, Ont.; Mark Elliot, New Westminster, B.C.
