- Social:
Boston College
Professor of Sociology at Boston College
PROFILE
Juliet Schor
Guest
FROM Juliet Schor
Which Way, L.A.?
Shopping on Thanksgiving: Has Christmas Creep Crept Too Far? So maybe you've gotten used to hearing Frosty the Snowman playing in stores before trick-or-treaters ever ring your doorbell, or you've even made a list of deals you want to score on Black Friday, traditionally the biggest retail day of the year, the day after Thanksgiving. But this year, big stores may have crossed one retail line too many, with Black Friday mega-sales actually starting on Thanksgiving Day. Toys "R" Us and Walmart will be opening their doors at 9 and 10 pm, with several other big chains opening at midnight. The move into Thanksgiving Day itself appears to have pushed a button among consumers and retail employees, who are fighting back. What drives the Black Friday urge, consumers who want a deal, retailers who want to sell as much as possible, or a bit of both? Could this be the year the tide starts to turn against the commercialization of one of America's most beloved holidays?
To the Point
Shopping on Thanksgiving: Has Christmas Creep Crept Too Far? So maybe you've gotten used to hearing Frosty the Snowman playing in stores before trick-or-treaters ever ring your doorbell, or you've even made a list of deals you want to score on Black Friday, traditionally the biggest retail day of the year, the day after Thanksgiving. But this year, big stores may have crossed one retail line too many, with Black Friday mega-sales actually starting on Thanksgiving Day. Toys "R" Us and Walmart will be opening their doors at 9 and 10 pm, with several other big chains opening at midnight. The move into Thanksgiving Day itself appears to have pushed a button among consumers and retail employees, who are fighting back. What drives the Black Friday urge, consumers who want a deal, retailers who want to sell as much as possible, or a bit of both? Could this be the year the tide starts to turn against the commercialization of one of America's most beloved holidays?
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To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
To the Point
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?