Ever wonder what political leaders know that you don’t?
Actually, a hell of a lot, which is why they speak in code, hoping you’ll get it. Was there a reason Stephen Harper gave a year-end interview and conceded that a depression was “possible”? Was there a reason Barak Obama delivered a speech on Thursday alluding to “irreversible” consequences if new billions are not thrown at the economy?
You bet. Each government has scads of economists, analysts and forecasters who have been sitting in cubicles for the past few weeks, staring into computer screens and muttering, “holy shit” quietly to themselves. The big picture is worrisome indeed, and while politicians know they must allude to the gravity of it all, they can’t come out and tell you to take cover. After all, when you and I stop consuming, the economy sputters and more people become jobless.
But, trust me, this is not looking too good. Today came a forecast that 200,000 stores in the US will be closing this year, and the ranks of the unemployed will grow by one million every eight weeks. Even Obama has now spoken of a double digit jobless rate. And in the US the official rate is usually half the real rate (those who have given up or are not registered are uncounted), so we are approaching Depression-era numbers.
Today I gave an interview with a BC radio station and was asked this question by an incredulous announcer: Won’t BC housing prices stay higher because of all the Boomers moving here? That’s why this area is immune, right?
Wrong Bucko. That’s why you’re in trouble.
Boomers from Calgary or Toronto can only move to Lotusland or anywhere else when they can sell their houses back in the snow – a situation now becoming impossible. This is especially true because lots of Boomers have unsalable houses – big suburban suckers with energy-snorfling pools, double car garages, enough bedrooms for a circus and Scarlet O’Hara staircases. So, with their wealth locked into their cul-de-sac traps, they’re not going anywhere.
And just look at what’s happened to US retirement destinations like southern California, Phoenix or Miami, where nuclear winter has descended on the housing market after prices raced unsustainably higher. And this all bodes badly for the overpriced left coast of our confused land.
Some evidence this week supports that. Over 850 houses for sale in Nanaimo, and just 60 changed hands. Of 237 condos on the market in Comox Valley, only one sold – after 254 days on the market. In Parksville/Qualicum 240 single family homes for sale and just 4 buyers. And in Victoria, sales were down by a third for 2008, with a freefall in the final months taking the average price from over $625,000 to less than $550,000. Yeah, still overpriced.
This will continue, despite the best efforts of real estate pumpers, bank economists and reporters named Polyanna to make it otherwise. Soon you will be told that Superman Obama will fix it. Then Harper will fix it. That Canada is not America. That things’ll turn around in 100 days. That all we have to fear is fear itself.
And, yes it’ll get better. But not this year.
That means there’s a long list of things you should do. We’ll cover some of those in the next few days.
Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are
My new book, “After the Crash”, arrived in the publisher’s warehouse outside Toronto Thursday, and I have a few boxes on the way to me Friday, which I am offering here to anyone who wants to buy an advance copy. My sincere hope is that “After the Crash” will help a lot of people understand where we’re at right now, and offer them a whack of strategies for not only coping with our new reality, but prospering through it. And, yes, I will personally sign each copy – guaranteeing legendary heirloom status.
To order, please go here, which is my new web site dedicated to assisting people in regaining control over their ives, xurbia. Just click on “Shop” on the navigation bar and complete the process. — Garth
178 comments ↓
And you have already made the news!
http://network.nationalpst.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/07/kelly-mcparland-garth-turner-s-apocalypse-any-minute-now.aspx
I was given your Greater Fool as a gift and finished reading tit over the holidays. On to Nail Ferguson’s The Ascent of Money these days but I’m on my way to get your new book now.
Good luck Garth.
If the economy does well investing in stocks will make money and your book will be forgotten about. If the economy does badly, investing in signed copies of your book will make money but stocks won’t. As an investment adviser, would you recommend dividing savings between the two?
Garth,
Does Xurbia have a standard shipping rate within Canada?
A-n-d ….. would you happen to know what that might be?
Small items such as books are shipped by Canada Post while larger items go by UPS, with charges based on weight and destination. — Garth
There have been many comments about credit cards, and having them pushed on people, causing a large part of the problem.
I totally agree. It amazed me when a couple of years ago, I was solicited by phone from a bank asking if I wanted a $15k line of credit. I told them I was:
1. unemployed for 2 years
2. no real employment prospects
3. I was self employed and struggling
4. I questioned the wisdom of offering me a card.
“No problem the call center rep told me – it is “pre-approved”.
So, I told them o.k. send it on, and I would use it for my company. Still have it, with zero balance.
This has happened several times, so I have refused about $100k+ in credit from MBNA, VISA, Mastercard, Royal Bank, TD Bank, Scotiabank, and AMEX.
Fortunately, I am credit wise, so my present available credit card credit sits unused. Interesting to note, I could probably survive 5+ years floating credit, paying one card with another, etc. Then walk away as bad debt!
Just might come in handy over the next couple of years eh? Hmmmm… maybe I should apply for a card for my DOG!
Thanks for everything you do Garth.
Garth, typo in above…My sincere hope
Good on you for getting another tome out; seems as if some people are beginning to sit up and take notice of what is going round them.
Those are the ones who are morphing from sheeple back into people, and not a moment too soon.
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#79 got rope?, 9:11 am — Hello Robert.
It appears the key words are “those in high places”, and we all know that very few, if any of us can, or will be able to do anything about the established “establishment”.
As for Hamas, PLO, Mossad and others of like ilk, ordinary people don’t get much of a say in anything anymore, no matter who their votes were for, do they?
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#107 CM, 2:13 pm — “. . . Frank Zappa . . .”. Remember the lyrics to “I’m The Slime”? The song describes the msm perfectly!
“. . . the radio stops playing anything but soothing music.” — I understand that the same, repetitive music broadcasts on loudspeakers at Chernobyl 24/7/365, and always will.
FWIW, I tear up junk mail, add a few pizza or dry cleaning flyers to the mess, fill their pre-paid, self-addressed envelope and send it back to them.
Eventually, they get the message, because they have to pick up the cost of return mail and cut down, if not out altogether the practice of enticing people with goodies.
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Be afraid; be very afraid . . . variations of Maxine and Little Johnny in lesser degrees of intelligence . . . repeat at the conclusion of each one:
‘They Walk Among Us’ . . .
——
I couldn’t find my luggage at the airport baggage area, so I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up.
She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands.
‘Now,’ she asked me, ‘has your plane arrived yet?’
****
My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car, designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped.
It’s in the trunk.
****
One day friends and I were walking down the beach when someone said, ‘Look at that dead bird!’
Someone looked up at the sky and said, ‘ . . . Where?’
****
While looking at a house, my brother asked the estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn’t want the sun waking him up every morning.
She asked, ‘Does the sun rise in the north?’
When my brother explained that the sun rises in the east, and has for sometime, she shook her head and said,
‘Oh, I don’t keep up with that stuff.’
****
My colleague and I were eating lunch in the cafeteria, when we overheard one of the administrative assistants talking about the sunburn she got on her weekend drive to the beach.
She drove down in a convertible, but “didn’t think she’d get sunburned because the car was moving”.
****
I told the girl at the steakhouse register that I wanted the half kilogram sirloin.
She informed me they only had a 500g sirloin.
Not wanting to make a scene, I told her I would take the 500g steak instead of the half-kgr.
****
I was hanging out with a friend when we saw a woman with a nose ring attached to an earring by a chain.
My friend said, ‘Wouldn’t the chain rip out every time she turned her head?’
I explained that a person’s nose and ear remain the same distance apart no matter which way the head is turned.
****
While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go.
He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6.
He thought about it for some time before responding,
‘Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don’t think I’m hungry enough to eat 6 pieces.’
****
My friends and I were on a Lager run and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%, and since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases.
The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount.
Yep, They Walk Among Us, too!
Sadly, not only do they walk among us, they also reproduce!
Well that was relatively painless…I placed my order in 2 minutes and have a printed receipt. I’m sure you’ve figured out a way to know that I’m one of your fans, and my copy will be signed. If not, I know where you live
Knowledge is a wonderful tool but only to those who are willing to keep an open mind…… Thanks Garth, I will continue to keep my ears and eyes open perhaps that why spirit gave me two of each and for that I am thankful…….
Thanks Garth,
just ordered a copy of your new book on the Exurbia site.
Just bought the book Garth – with a credit card (wonder if that was a good idea?). Look forward to receiving an autographed copy. Are you in Vancouver this next week, for a speaking engagement? Please email me at the address given with my order (_____liberal@gmail.com).
You’ve been dot-on about pretty much the whole economy the past few years that I’ve been reading your blog. Each time there is a new entry linked via LiBlogs I take care to read it. Always interesting, always “light-hearted”, always informative.
Keep up the great work!
I have a tour of BC later this month, and will give details here. Vancouver speech on Feb. 5. — Garth
Hi Barb,
It appears this didn’t get through the first time so I will try it again.
You can go to the Canada Post Website and calculate the shipping costs yourself. I would take an average book and weigh it and then do the calculations. You will need the postal codes. You would be within the ball park.
http://www.canadapost.ca/Personal/Tools/Pcl/Advanced.aspx?Lang=en
Click on “ship in a click” link to do the calculation.
Cheers
Great Garth, just ordered it online and am looking forward to reading it with great interest…thanks…
Garth you’re charging a minimum 25% premium over amazon, just for the signature.
I’m charging less than the list price. And Amazon doesn’t have any books. But be cheap if you want, I’ll understand. — Garth
I just ordered your book Garth and am looking forward to reading it. Wishing you much sucess and thanks for the opportunity to share in your knowledge.You bring hope in a very uncertain future!…john
Hi Garth,
I just ordered your book at xurbia.
I’m looking forward to reading it
Well well well ……. the plot thickens ….. Hello Alberta … are you listening …. The Chief Economist for BMO on CBC Politics has just said 2009 will not be good in many ways and they now expect it will be 18 months before there are even some signs of recovery ……. 18=24 and could 24 =36? Hello Cowboys and Cowgirls ….. what was it your man Harper said about the Canadian economy and the Canadian Shield?
Hi Garth, FYI
Don’t miss this event: Mayor of Whistler, B.C. Ken Melamed to speak at a free public forum on sustainability at the Halton Regional Centre Auditorium, 1151 Bronte Road (east side just north of the QEW) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 8. His talk is entitled Whistler’s Action for Community Building and Global Change and will look at how his community developed a shared vision and plan for a sustainable future. There will be a question and answer period from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Doors will open at 6 when local environmental groups, including Oakvillegreen, will have displays about their activities.
Garth, do you think your Vancouver speaking engagement, you will have time to sign the book in person? I would like a signed book, but I prefer to meet the persons whos autograph I am seeking, so if you don’t think you will have time, I will order it off you site. If you have the time, the book might be twice as valuable with 2 signatures in 2050?
Of course! — Garth
Cool, just ordered After the Crash (with autograph, please).
Hi Garth – my DH just ordered your book on my behalf as I don’t have a Paypal account. Look forward to reading it, though we are relatively well prepared.
BTW – just rec’d an email today from a sis saying she has been let go and she’s 2 weeks short of qualifiying for EI and is 59. Her husband (60) is unemployed as well. He might get 2 or 3 days worth of work a month and they are totally not prepared and have their heads in the sand. Long story.
#17 David Bakody
it will be 18 months before there are even some signs of recovery ……. 18=24 and could 24 =36?
=========
lol, Dave I think you really get a kick out of these obvious political games.
Harper has already said he`s going to give the opposition all the deficit spending they demand under the coalition threats to send us to an election.
Compared to the loss in government revenue alone from commodities returning to market based values $30B in deficit spending is just the start.
Obviously no amount of deficit spending will support falling global demand for our goods and when it becomes obvious its only digging a bigger hole that will collapse on future generations he`ll demand a majority to get rid of the opposition.
The LPC tried to box him in with the GreenST when Cdns knew the economy was faltering so it didn`t even hold him to a minority, Quebec did that.
Now the opposition is trying to box him in with deficit spending that will box and bury them. What do you think opposition wants to stimulate? The Pacific Gateway that won`t see any more than a trickle of traffic even 5 years down the road. Green projects that will jack up the price to an already broke consumer? How about some more V-8 engines or a few overpasses for Montreal. The only thing deficit spending will stimulate is debt, a hole so deep it`ll collapse of the next generation.
Terrific sand box politics but not good news for Cdns or future generations. What does your man Iggy have to say about screwing the next generation to protect government?
Garth:
Have ordered both, hope they both come autographed. I see Brent is pressuring the Liberals to come out with their income trust policy, hopefully the same as before. I know we can’t trust Harper, we sure better be able to trust the Liberals.
Keep up the good work
Don
This past week, there have been a few news articles calling into question some our 18 new Senators. Below is an excerpt from a book that identifies the basic criteria for becoming a Senator:
Here is one of the articles that questions of one of the candidate’s ability to meet the residency requirement – there may be others that fail the same test. I’ve lived in more than one province and when moving, the establishment of residency includes obtaining and holding a driver’s licence, a health card, the ability to vote in that province, transfer to provincial professional organization, and so on. Regular visits do not qualify.
It is my understanding that while the Prime Minister selects candidates, the Governor General does the actual appointing. I wonder if she would call into question any of the candidates on the above grounds?
Garth. Congratulations on the new book.
Are you planning to update it when a rip roaring bull market takes hold later this year?
The book is about the real economy. You know, where people live. — Garth
Now for tonight’s entertainment. A word of caution, though, it might invoke a gag response. Also note, the “leather jacket” bit is somewhat deceiving in that in may cause the reader to believe that it was the garment of choice worn during the evening’s event; it wasn’t, no more so than was a blue sweater vest. Upon reading, one might come to the conclusion that the quoted author has alternative uses for goalie pads. I’m embarrassed for him.
And here is what the commenters had to say:
Some Israeli ladies are venting annoyance at their govt.! — http://tinyurl.com/8qkk33
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Economists, Garth and some posters here may actually agree on this for the time being. Don’t forget hyperinflation. Commentary wrh.com:
“There is no actual money. A Federal Reserve Note is an instrument of debt. It is created out of thin air when someone takes out a loan from a bank.
The problem with such a system is that the moment it goes into operation, more money is owed than actually exists. For each borrower to be able to repay their loans, new borrowers must be found whose loan applications will create new debt and creation of new money. It is a pyramid scheme, because it works only as long as there is an ever-increasing population of borrowers at the very bottom. — http://tinyurl.com/7elmsk
Ron Paul holds the view that failure of the dollar will dwarf the present muddle. — http://tinyurl.com/774gdy
——
Further to the link I posted last night, re: Israel taking Gaza completely — this would be a major reason for the conflict. — http://tinyurl.com/6u8n76
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It appears people are jumping into lifeboats to preserve themselves! — http://tinyurl.com/8mlcc5
Garth:
I just ordered two copies of your new book. Now this may not seem to be in keeping with trying to save money but there are several of us in our family who will share.
Congrats to you for having the wit, knowledge and brains to be a survivor yourself!
We are looking forward to reading After the Crash and please don’t forget we are counting on your signature being on both books.
Thanks for the opportunity.
21 Go Green on 01.07.09 at 6:57 pm
I saw a claim by the Cdn Labor Congress today on TV that 6 out of 10 unemployed in Canada right now do not qualify for Employment Insurance. If this worsens, then what good is a plan that cannot be accessed? While my name is similar to but not MacBeth, I say something kind of smells in Canada me thinks!
Garth, you amaze me in wonderful ways! Finally someone with the balls to talk about REALITY in this fantasy world we live in. Thank you for acknowledging what PEAK OIL is, and what will ensue from then on (i.e LESS ENERGY TO GO AROUND FOREVER, less globalization, and a contracting economy). We each have a dozen energy slaves working for us all day (fossil fuels).
Too bad Stephane didn’t frame his carbon tax on humane issues instead of solely environmental issues, because it is an easier sell. Hopefully you can get a message board up on your new site for folks to exchange other ideas on how to use renewable energy such as that from the SUN and its subsequent forms in expended using muscle power. It is quite vindicating and rewarding.
Just ordered your book on Xurbia and I am currently reading ‘World Made By Hand’ and ‘The Long Emergency’ by James Howard Kuntsler which yall should to look at.
#24 Dube on 01.07.09 at 9:13 pm
Dube, it is my opinion that the ownership of land or building(s) as a requirement is a violation of every prospective person for a Senatorship that has rented or leased a significant property but fits all of the other qualifications. If I lease a farm and operate it as a functioning profitable business, or rent some other property for business purposes, then that should be sufficient qualification for the residency criteria. In the case of Indigenous Citizens, I do not believe they own title deed to a portion of their reserve, but I wonder if they are treated differently for the purposes of Senate appointment. This apparently is a valid question for one of the current appointees, too.
Garth’s XURBIA is not a new concept. garth is not a God.
What? I’m shocked at the news. — Garth
#26 Dube on 01.07.09 at 9:30 pm
What BS!
As a child and teen I played hockey. I quit when it became just an excuse for bigger older guys to play bully. Later on I quit watching hockey on TV when Dr. Smythe fired Punch Imlach just 10 seconds after the Leafs lost the seventh game of the Stanley Cup. It is all about money and fighting, not skill nor finesse. Conversely, both Baseball and Basketball are based on skill and stamina not just brute strength. Both were invented by Canadians and adopted by Americans, too. Unfortunately, the money aspect has dominated them as well, but the skill is less diluted, in my opinion. Hockey is no longer just a Canadian game, and as such we as a nation are placing too much false pride in it. I also point out that the World Baseball Classic three years ago, was the best games we have seen for some time. I will be watching again this March. [ and I am a proponent of more use of TV monitors for umpires to review close calls when they want to review the moment not when some manager is complaining!]
Can someone please tell me what I need to do to understand Stephen Harper?
“Either Stephen Harper is playing three-dimensional chess at such an advanced level that he’s bamboozled his political opponents, or he’s winging it, in the hope that he doesn’t land himself in checkmate.”
http://api.ning.com/files/qXLLu7T0bgTcu7KaLEPjI0q79SeNHnSBXfqoctK4vmQ_/3dspockchess.jpg
By the seat of his pants?
Harper strategy on new ridings open to debate
John Ivison, National Post Published: Friday, December 19, 2008
http://www.nationalpost.com/story-printer.html?id=1095024
I would really like to be brainwashed into accepting him as my leader and hockey captain. I really want to know and understand what I need to do to accept the Conservatives into my heart!
How about a game of this?
http://enochianchess.com/
Maxine passes a little advice to those who may have added an inch or so to their waistlines during the holidays . . .
——
Exercise Routine After Christmas
Take it easy at first, do it faster as you become more proficient.
It may be too strenuous for some, but here is a work-out routine. Working up a sweat is guaranteed.
Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program!
SCROLL DOWN.
**********************************************
(insert vast quantities of creative white space)
**********************************************
NOW SCROLL UP.
That’s enough for the first day. Great job!
Have a chocolate!
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY! (Courtesy wrh.com)
“The United States does not have an automatic call on our resources. There is no mind-set that puts this country first.” — Cyrill Stewert, Chief Financial Officer of Colgate-Palmolive Corporation
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From China. If the same should happen to college or university grads in different countries, it will cause a major mess with plenty of graduates unable to find work. — http://tinyurl.com/9s86zb
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First Woolworths; a few days ago Waterford Crystal. Now Marks & Spencer is on the brink. All these companies had / have suppliers who made their items first, but will end up cutting back on production, or closing altogether, so there is additional unemployment.
Would this be Reagan’s trickle-down economics theory? — http://tinyurl.com/8bcpss
——
Guess y’all know what’s happening here. Three highways shut — TCH, Coquihalla and Hwy. 3 — Washington State and the lower mainland are a cross between lakes and plenty of ice / snow still to thaw.
Just bought your book on xurbia, can’t wait to read it! Also looking forward to your speech in Vancouver.
Thanks.
Garth,
I don’t have a credit card but would like to purchase a signed copy of your book. How do I do this? I can mail a cheque but need info.
Thanks!
Well ….. Canadians now know what Harper has been up to on his extended taxpayer vacation ….. He’s been writing a New Book! “The Senate Control Book” now he has one for committees in government and a special one for Senate committees ……. great job Cowboys the West is in and Reformers just got an early New Years Gift while Canadians got the Harper Shaft once again.
#29 Truth B Told on 01.07.09 at 10:20 pm
Hard to imagine that 6 out of 10 won’t qualify for EI. I really feel for them.
My sis has worked all of her life and, to the best of my knowledge, has never received an EI cheque. She is short 2 weeks to qualify. The system needs to be changed. I worked until I was 54 when I took early pension. Rec’d one (1) EI cheque during my working life and was thankful that it was only one. How many others have paid into it during their working years and do not qualify because of various changes than have been made to the program.
Russia halted shipments of natural gas to Europe via Ukraine as the two countries sparred over prices and debt. Direct talks, however, appeared set to resume Thursday for the first time in more than a week.
#24 Dube, I read recently and if I get time I’ll try to find the url for you where Chretien appointed senators that also did not live in the province they were appointed for and it’s funny that the media nor anyone else questioned it. I’ve been super busy but I will try to follow up on this later…Leasa
#21 Go Green on 01.07.09 at 6:57 pm
I’m sorry to hear about your sister, Go Green. How sad. Does she live in Ontario? People in Ontario are getting shafted when it comes to E.I. And why couldn’t her employer have kept her on for just a few more weeks?
When I heard on the news that there is often a longer waiting period for E.I. because they can’t process the claims on time when there is a backlog, I wondered why the government can’t just hire some unemployed people temporarily to clear up the backlog? Or would that be a union issue?
Dube, Percy Downe was one…he moved back to his province after he was appointed by Chretien.
O/T but how can our government make a decision to give money to the Gaza situation when it is prorogued? And why are we doing that when we have serious economic issues in our own country? I know that sounds “protectionist” but I like Bakody’s idea of getting the arms dealers to kick in some bucks…as an “investment”.
It seems obvious that Harper is waiting to see what Obama will do, and that is why he prorogued. Maybe we have to, because like they say, when the U.S. gets a sniffle, we get a full-blown cold.
Garth, I saw your “replacement” on tv last night. She has learned her lines quickly, eh? Talked but said nothing.
#42 Lana on 01.08.09 at 7:20 am
#21 Go Green on 01.07.09 at 6:57 pm
#43 PYOTR PETROBITCH on 01.08.09 at 7:25 am
Hey, Pryotr, I know Bill Murdoch personally (his wife is a friend of my sister-in-law’s) and he is one honest politician. That’s why he’ll never get ahead, and now sits as an Independent. If I lived in Owen Sound, I would vote for him. He represents his constituency admirably, and is an “ordinary Joe”. Not Joe the plumber…Joe the farmer. I wish we had more “Independents”.
I thought it was interesting that Harper didn’t pick an Ontario MP for the senate so Tory could get a seat. What is that but a kick in the head? Not that I support a senate, because I think they have passed their “best by” date a long time ago.
#24 Dube on 01.07.09 at 9:13 pm
Speaking of the senate, and people having to live in the province they represent–what about Duffy? “I wonder if she would call into question any of the candidates on the above grounds?” Good question.
#39 Go Green on 01.08.09 at 7:08 am
#29 Truth B Told on 01.07.09 at 10:20 pm
Hard to imagine that 6 out of 10 won’t qualify for EI. I really feel for them.
———————————–
So do I. In Ontario, they will probably end up in an “Ontario Works” program (i.e. welfare for work). I don’t know what programs are in other provinces).
The thing is–where will they find the work? Or maybe they can qualify for the Ontario “second career” program…IF they have their Grade 12 and haven’t lost their reading and writing abilities (if you don’t use it, you lose it).
I’ve been waiting since September to hear if our organization can hire a “Job Career Placement” person. That is someone who is no longer on E.I. who can get job training,while the government pays the wage. (Not sure if people who didn’t qualify for E.I. would qualify for any of the above-mentioned programs). Normally the process would have taken a month, but Service Canada is so busy with “Second Career” programs (train the best, forget the rest), and the “Rapid Remployment” program, where people who have been off E.I. for more than a year don’t qualify, that the JCP files are sitting untouched (again, not enough government staff to do the work).
We need some creative solutions to these problems. There is a lot of money in the E.I. coffers (6 billion?). Why can’t we have a “minimum wage guarantee” for all Canadians who are either unemployed, or under-employed? And who can live on the E.I. cheque in Ontario anyway? It is lower in Ontario than in any other province. Why is that?
Rants for the day.
#41 Leasa
So, what’s your point Leasa? That Mr. Harper is just as good (bad?) as Chretien, or that he is no different than Chretien? That maybe the Conservatives are, ultimately, no better or different than the Liberals?
I kind of thought you disapproved of the Chretien Liberals.
http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/special_feature/owe_canada/
Canadians of all ages are carrying an unprecedented amount of debt – a total of $1.3 trillion
==========
The last data Garth posted put personal debt at $1T with roughly $600B accounted for in mortgages. I don`t have the full data set but with the housing slowdown it`s safe to assume the majority of the $300B increase in on the credit card, personal loan side rather than much of an increase in mortgages. $1.3T is 30% higher than the American debt load per capita that collapsed their consumer spending. The hope for $30B in deficit spending is by government in the hopes things will turn around globally before the loss of windfall commodities revenues and deficit spending gets out of control and into the 100`s of billions. Deficit spending to stimulate the US economy or our deficit spending to save government jobs will not speed up turnaround or recovery time, it will only slow down the process and in Canada make the situation worse.
Patiently I will say again the only thing that will speed up both processes is global stimulus. Perhaps what some have called unrealistic over the years just might be the global ticket to stability. A global transportation makeover could conceivable leave more money in consumers pockets while injecting new life into troubled economies globally.
You`ll find a few raw details on my link of one suggestion.
Maglev individual vehicle transportation system.
US porn industry seeks multi-billion dollar bailout (Telegraph)
The Bank teller offered me a switch to a Platinum card the other week. “Not everyone qualifies for one of these!”, she says in a hurt tone as I decline the offer.
The next week I find an offer from the same Bank in the mail….addressed to Occupant
Garth,
Thank you for giving a well-recognized name to how I have lived my life for 40 years. I simply called it FREEDOM! What a concept!
I gave up on the corporate path decades ago after getting the shaft twice (Fast learner I am) and have made my own business decisions since.
Hard times? You betcha. Good times? Absolutely! Free from the stress of having an asshole for a boss, no raises, constant FUD…They GONE.
To me it was about ethics, the ethical treatment of me as a human being. Damn few companies grasp that concept.
I simply asked this question decades ago ‘Why should I make someone else rich while they make me a slave?’
I too am looking forward to reading the book.
#42 Lana on 01.08.09 at 7:20 am
Thanks Lana for your comments re my sis. My sis lives in Quebec & worked in the shipping industry her entire life (cargo vessels) where she didn’t require French to deal with customers. Difficult to comprehend but that was the case. As such, without French her chances of finding another job is just about nil. My sis says everyone in her dept. calls their supervisor the ‘Ice Queen’. Her latest job was in the same industry, but she did a different job. Was supposed to receive ’3 days of training’, but only rec’d 1 day and had to get up to scratch on completely different systems which she found inefficient, etc. Apparently, her productivity level was lacking. Hard at the age of 58 to adjust overnight. Gather it was a sweat shop. Apparently Quebec labour laws only mandate a 15 minute break after 4 hours of work which basically meant no morning or aft. break. Most in her dept. worked part of their lunch hour as well.
Agree, I’ve heard that people in Ontario are getting shafted when it comes to E.I.
“When I heard on the news that there is often a longer waiting period for E.I. because they can’t process the claims on time when there is a backlog, I wondered why the government can’t just hire some unemployed people temporarily to clear up the backlog? Or would that be a union issue?”
I believe it is a union issue Lana, but I understand why. Too long to go into now.
Re your husband, I totally understand where you are coming from. Years ago my husband was in a job that required physical labour. When he lost his job I encouraged him to go into IT, partly because he had previously taken a 42 week course in conputer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and had done well, but couldn’t find a job here in that field. Also, I could not see him in his 50′s working in a job requiring physical labour.
Lana, re your job, I wish you all the best. I worked for the prov. govt. and after 4 restructurings, never knowing whether I’d have a job, or have to reapply, I chose to buy back service from the feds & took early retirement. I have never regretted that decision, tho it was costly at the time. As many in our age bracket have done without growing up, we are, in some ways, better able to weather this economic storm than young adults today who have grown up in the ‘gimmie’ generation.
IIRC you live in Waterloo and someone mentioned that you might be able to rent out a room to a Univ. student in order not to lose your home. I sincerely wish you & your husband, and others facing similar situations, will get through these trying times.
#56 Go Green on 01.08.09 at 10:38 am
It will interesting to see how much French is accepted in the real world outside of Quebec as the economic times go tits up?
Clarity in communications will be (as Dion Learned recently) a crucial factor in employment. Say goodbye to the overseas boiler room Call Centres and Customer Service (What a f–king joke that is) that plague us.
Say bye to Bell’s joke of Customer Support from Dehli as well. BTW, the new president of BCE seems to have made some changes already to return ‘Canadians to talking to Canadians.’ What a concept, eh? Especially for the countries largest ‘communications’ company! LMAO!
Rick Mercer could do a segment on that subject weekly!
Re. E.I.
E.I. tries their absolute hardest to not let someone claim benefits. When I was doing my apprenticeship in 2001 it was like pulling teeth to be able to collect E.I. cheques for 3 of my 5 week training. I worked for a company that endentured me into my apprenticeship. I worked in good standing for the company from Dec 99-Nov 01. At the end of Oct. 01 the company due to legal issues or bankruptcy or some other sort of issue, changed their name from XXXX Steel Fabricators to XXXX Steel enterprises. Nov. 11 stat came a few days later. When the company changed names, I was still going to work for the same place, same foreman, and same owner. The next pay cheque after the Nov. 11 stat, I noticed we did not get paid for the stat holiday. I asked the foreman WTF, and he went to the owner, who came down and told me I had not worked for 15 of the last 30 days for the new company, and therefore did not quilify for the stat pay. Over the weekend I decided that I was finished working for someone willing to openly rip off his employees. I had not told them my intentions of quiting. On Monday, I took the morning off, went back to a previous shop that would welcome me back, and was told to start Tues. I went into XXXX Steel enterprises, and collected my tools, and told them I was leaving. 1 month later I was in my 2nd year training, and I applied for E.I. as apprentices are allowed to do, as they are some of the only ones who can collect while not activley looking for work, and going to school. E.I. declined my claim as they said I quit the job with undue cause. I appealed, giving my reason, and the fact that I did not miss any time paying my premiums. E.I took it as my last day was Fri. and my first day at the new place was Tue, so I could not have found a job before I quit. I explained that my last day was on a Fri, but I had not told them I was leaving, and I found the job Mon. morning, and quit on Mon. afternoon. It was finally accepted I left with due cause, to work someplace else and I would be eligible for benefits. Hardest I ever had to work for $990 over 3 weeks. What a joke of a system, and I wish the best of luck to any laid off workers and hope they do not have the same disputes I had.
Typical Help Desk call:
User: My keyboard spacebar sticks.
Help desk: “So sorry to hear about this most unfortunate problem which we will try with utmost confidence and joy to your being to solve. Please restate your problem and personal details five times to a cascade of technicians who will play soothing music to your ears.
User: patiently requested details again and again.
Help desk: Very good. Much gratitude and thanks. Now we start…please proceed to format your Hard Drive.
I wish I could read your book Garth but until it comes out in large print or in an audio book form I can not do it. I wish you luck with this new book.
maybe Rhino? on 01.07.09 at 2:55 pm
I just had to post a follow-up to my previous comments.
Why is it that everyone is saying there is a problem getting credit?
MBNA have just send me ANOTHER offer for a $50,000.00 line of credit. Yes, I know these guys rocket up interest rates, which is one reason I never accepted their offers.
In my situation, this puzzles me immensely! Still no steady employment, and still hovering around the poverty line.
Ya gotta wonder…..
Bill-Muskoka (Not Anymore) on 01.08.09 at 11:20 am
“It will interesting to see how much French is accepted in the real world outside of Quebec as the economic times go tits up?
Clarity in communications will be (as Dion Learned recently) a crucial factor in employment.” (snip)
(smile)
Fluently bilingual, and still no “advantage”.
However, I once got a job here in Montreal because I could UNDERSTAND the southern USA accents! Seems Francophones have problems with Tennessee, Alabama, and other small town USA communications – critical in the pulp & paper industries.
Now that our paper industry capital equipment manufacture in Quebec no longer exists, it does not make much difference, I guess. Interesting to wonder how well the Koreans can communicate!
BTW, you may be surprised how much French is spoken “in the real world outside of Quebec”. As a courtesy, is is always good to communicate in a client’s mother tongue. Probably why more Chinese speak English than English folks speaking Mandarin, Cantonese, etc.
#59 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks on 01.08.09 at 11:44 am
Translation: ‘Here I am, sittiing beside myself, wasting valueless time!’
#50 Hello there Ed. My points are; first, it was not a big deal when Chretien did it, so why are people digging through the old legal archives now that Harper has done it? And lastly, if they reestablish residence in their home province, who gives a shit? That’s all. Have a good day. L
Married Guys Go Fishing
>
> Four married guys went fishing. After an hour or so, the following
> conversation took place:
> First guy: ‘You have no idea what I had to do to be able to come out
> fishing this weekend. I had to promise my wife I will paint every room
> in the house next weekend.’
>
> Second guy: ‘That’s nothing! I had to promise my wife I’d build her a
> new deck for the pool.’
>
> Third guy: ‘Man, you both have it easy! I had to promise my wife that
> I’ll remodel the kitchen for her.’
>
> They continued to fish, until they realized the fourth guy had not said a word.
>
> So they asked him. ‘You haven’t said anything about what you had to do
> to be able to come fishing this weekend. What’s the deal?’
>
> Fourth guy: ‘I just set my alarm for 5:30 am. When it went off, I shut off the clock, gave the wife a nudge and said, ‘Fishing, or Sex,’ and she said, ‘Wear a sweater.’
Wonder if it was a blue sweater vest.
OT – Been extremely windy here so only put out seed for certain birds at noon today when the winds died down. See a lone, puffy Blue Jay litterally lying on them, experiencing trouble to move. Almost looks like he/she has a broken wing. Hope we don’t he/she dead. Lots of birds fly into our windows. Have rescued several, put into shoeboxes, call the vet only to find they have a strong constitution & fly off. Can you imagine a world without our dear feathered friends?
#61 maybe Rhino? on 01.08.09 at 12:27 pm
When I joined the Legion, the Legion sold my info to MBNA. I was getting credit card applications every other month. Finally I called the toll free number on the form, and requested my name be removed from all future mailings, which was done. Then MBNA started to phone solicit our house. My wife answered once and told the caller I was not interested and to take our number off their calling list. She was told it is MBNAs policy to have to hear it from myself. My wife told them it was our household policy to tell them to go f$#k themselves. They have never tried to contact me since.
If you don’t like the solicitations, try calling and having them ceased. In the day and age of identity theft, they will usually honour you request for removal. Failing that, send their postage paid envelope back to them all the time filled with rocks. The company will have to pay extra to Canada post due to the over weight. Eventually after enough times, they should give up with the solicitations. Also, if you read the fine print, you would be eligible for a 50K LoC, but would most likely be given in the neighbourhood of 10K or so if your income is not as high as they think. They say you are eligible for a platinum card, but will be given a basic card most likely as when they verify your credit, it would probably not qualify for a platinum, but the fineprint will explain that you will be given what card you will actually qualify for.
#61 maybe Rhino? on 01.08.09 at 12:27 pm maybe Rhino? on 01.07.09 at 2:55 pm
I just had to post a follow-up to my previous comments.
Why is it that everyone is saying there is a problem getting credit?
MBNA have just send me ANOTHER offer for a $50,000.00 line of credit. Yes, I know these guys rocket up interest rates, which is one reason I never accepted their offers.
In my situation, this puzzles me immensely! Still no steady employment, and still hovering around the poverty line.
Ya gotta wonder…..
Rhino – If you rec’d all those other credit cards and didn’t use them then maybe they consider you a good risk. It’s ridiculous really. We used to receive credit offers from multiple banks monthly. If I ever replied, it was to amass a bunch of advertising and send it back in their post free envelopes. And they had to pay extra postage. CIBC and Amex were particularly bad. Noticed lately we’re no longer receiving mail from them. Thank God.
We took out a line of credit for $10K once. Used it once for $1K and paid it off the next mo. – something to do with our mtg when we bought the house 18+ years ago.
I mentioned the following before. I have a bro who went for a mtg. and a bank refused him saying he had X amount of credit on his Visa, etc. Though he had not used it, the bank said that it was available to him and that if he chose to use it after they gave him a mtg. he could potentially end up being indebted more than 30% of his take home pay. He went elsewhere. He’s paid off his home years ago and is a very frugal – to say the least – person.
I read years ago, before ‘flip this house’ & this recent paper money fiasco, that ‘my generation’ had mostly paid off their mortgages and the banks were desperate for new client mortgages that they had already started to lessen their ‘risk management’ attitudes.
BTW, we have never paid service fees on our bank accounts. When our TD bank, with whom I’d done business for 25+ years (originally Central Guarantee) suddenly wanted to charge us, my husband spoke to our local Bank Manager and said we’d pull all of our business out of his bank and go to PC Financial, the manager signed a card stating that we’d never pay a cent in charges as long as we banked at his branch. That card is in our Safety Deposit Box. My husband also threatened that his colleagues & friends would do the same. The Bank Manager gave my husband a stack of his business cards and told him to give them to his buddies which he did. If you’ve got the upper hand, not desperate for money, you definitly can negotiate with a bank, mtg. rates, etc. They rely upon the ignorant and unquestioning public. Sort of like we were taught to think about Drs. years ago.
what was it your man Harper said about the Canadian economy and the Canadian Shield?
Don’t let the facts confuse you but Harper was born in ONTARIO!
A Personal Snapshot of Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1959, and grew up in the suburbs of Leaside and Etobicoke. Following graduation from high school, he moved to Alberta to work briefly in the oil industry, and then entered post-secondary studies at the University of Calgary where he graduated with a Master’s degree in economics from the University of Calgary
Harper’s political ideology and views were shaped during his university days; he was exposed to several political ideologies and perspectives that have contributed to the development of modern Canadian conservatism. One was neo-liberalism, or right-wing liberalism, which favours a limited role for government in a nation’s social and economic development. Noted US economist Milton Friedman, former US President Ronald Reagan, and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher espoused this brand of liberalism. Another important influence was Western alienation, a perspective that argues the interests of Central Canada (that is, Ontario and Quebec) dominate Canadian politics, while Western Canadian interests receive second billing or are completely disregarded in national policy.
Just for the record he might represent Calgary South West but he’s no westerner!
#64 Leasa on 01.08.09 at 12:52 pm
With all do respect young lady…. you and others have missed the point, not one single person or party Reform/Alliance/Conservative have made such a big deal of our Senate …. then turned around and did the same thing in spades. No big deal …. Senators like Prime Ministers come and go ….. and when all is said and done it’s only a job … and quite frankly Leasa , look at the world and try and tell it’s children and grandchildren things are just fine …. 18 new Senators or 180 new Senators will not change one thing …. If people lived under one law: Do unto others as you would have them …… things would be just fine ….. unfortunately your man appears to be one man who just does not think that way …. hence his very personal attacks on whoever stands in his way …. and the record is very clear on that ….
Thu Jan 8, 6:03 AM
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Prime Minister Stephen Harper was less gloomy about the economy in an interview released on Thursday, saying Canada was in a strong economic position compared with others and should be able to exit the recession relatively quickly.——————-WHAT A FRAUD!
61 maybe Rhino?
In my situation, this puzzles me immensely! Still no steady employment, and still hovering around the poverty line.
Ya gotta wonder…..
=========
Cold calls is s o p marketing looking for marks, errrr credit worthy customers.
GMAC received $4B to move a few cars off the lots, in order to move that cash the`ve dropped the car purchasing threshold credit score to 1 point above sub-prime.
As I`ve been saying the `credit crunch` is not available cash to loan, it`s available borrowers that can afford more debt. Globally consumers that create demand for 80% of our production are broke, that`s not going to go away anytime in the near future. Certainly not in the time it`ll take to spend $30B in deficit spending.
Out of a page full of political hacks, few of us object to indenturing our children for the sole purpose of government saving face while they look for more political gimmicks to save their own asses.
Ya gotta wonder where are all the cheerleaders we used to have saying `stand up for Canada`, looks like the`re all laying down for government.
Would be interested in hearing what people think of Sentry Safes. We bought one several few years ago. Can’t recall the model no. & its not readily accessible to me at the moment. OK, I’m just too lazy to remove what’s in front of it. We do keep cash, etc, in case of emergencies, like an ice storm, Juan, etc. when ATM, electricity is down & one needs cash to survive.
I’ve always wanted a Caddy. One of those big, sleek chrome models. Can I get some of you posters to finance me? I’m unemployed, pursued by fowl bills, but my teachers always said that I had great potential.
Oh nevermind…I see that there will be something in the next Budget to finance my purchase. It will be similar to the purchases done for the bankers. Hep me Flaherty, hep me!
My dealer says I deserve the Escalade, Platinum edition, of course. Kewel. Mucho thanks to the government for being so generous. Beep, beep!
going forward in style 
Now What #111 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks on 01.07.09 at 3:18 pm (
I like the Atwood update.
Maybe it should be called “It’s Happened” (think Jack Nicholson in “The Shining” and his “IIIIIIIts’s JOHNny!”.
“It’s Happened” by P.T.D.B.L. Ducks.
That’s definitely got a ring to it.
—–
Now What # 117 by Barb the proofreader on 01.07.09 at 4:18 pm
Hi, Barb.
I got an idea of what John Howard was all about from listening to Late Night Live, a podcast from the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He and Harper met at some conference (Commonwealth, maybe), and they fell in love.
When he was invited by Harper to address the Canadian parliament, I was horrified. He more or less told us that we’d better get on board and support the American Imperial Adventure or suffer the consequences. The Cons gave him a standing ovation, the Liberals, I believe, gave him a smattering of polite applause but remained seated. I think the other parties neither stood nor applauded.
In the last election, his party was roundly defeated and he even lost his own seat.
It looks like Harper is the last holdout of this particular mindset, but they may be others lurking somewhere.
I’ll breathe easier when he goes, too.
—–
Now what # 128 Marc on 01.08.09 at 11:49 am
George Carlin…he will be missed. I got some friends to send over some of his albums (you know, those black plastic round things they used to have in days gone by) when I lived in Britain in the 70′s. He was an instant hit.
—–
#7 Charles (the Court Jester) Oxley on 01.07.09 at 3:57 pm
Re “My friends and I were on a Lager run…”
And here’s one for you:
An Irishman (it’s OK – my ancestors were 100% Irish stock, as far as I know) found a magic lamp on a beach one day when he was out for a walk.
He rubbed it and – flash! – a genie appeared before his wondering eyes.
“I will grant you two wishes.” (They weren’t as generous in those days.)
“That’s grand. I’d like a bottle of Guiness that never runs out.”
A full bottle appeared in his hand. He drank it down, looked down at it, and to his astonishment saw that it was full to the brim again.
He thanked the genie profusely.
“Now,” said the genie, “what would like for your second wish?”
“Well,” said the Irishman, “I’ll have another one of those, please.”
—–
#32 by Meo on 01.07.09 at 10:44 pm
“Garth’s XURBIA is not a new concept. garth is not a God.”
What? I’m shocked at the news. — Garth
Damn! Another illusion comes crashing to the ground.
—–
#26 Dube on 01.07.09 at 9:30 pm
Harper in a leather jacket – eeeeeew!
Nice to see that Harper has the time to go to hockey games. Hell – this country is in FINE shape.
Crisis? What crisis?
This picture from the Toronto Star with Harper at Carnaval in Quebec City just begs for captions.
There’s Harper doing the “thumbs up” thing with Bonhomme Carnaval on one side and Harry the Horse on the other.
Suggested captions:
“Who’s the funny-looking white guy with the weird grin?”
“The one on the left in Bonhomme Carnaval. The other one is Stephen Harper.”
“Hi! I’m Harry the Horse. The guy in the middle is my other half.”
http://multimedia.thestar.com/images/ac/27/939904304aca8d139a1c4e07f6be.jpeg
—–
#57 Bill-Muskoka (Not Anymore) … new president of BCE seems to have made some changes already to return ‘Canadians to talking to Canadians.’
—
I heard that too but I also heard we would have to pay extra to speak to a Canadian. Clever of them to create a market by providing us with frustrating levels of service first, and then giving us better service for a price. I can see Rick Mercer now… “for free you can speak to someone you can’t understand”….for $2.00, you can speak to someone you can…please press # to speak to a Canadian. The charge will be on your next bill.” OK, Rick would be funnier than that.
True story–yesterday I had to call Telus to get my pin # (work got me a Blackberry–upgrade from cellphone). The person I spoke with was barely understandable, and she obviously didn’t understand me. After she asked me all the “stock questions” to ensure my identity, she asked me for my pin#. I politely said “that’s what I want YOU to tell ME!”. That wasn’t her department so I had to do it all over again with another person. I have a hard time with accents–maybe it is my hearing–so not only did it take way too long to get the help I needed, but there was frustration at both ends of the line. One hour of my life I’ll never get back. (ok that was an exaggeration–it just FELT like one hour).
Among the other potential consequences (but not nearly as titillating) one could include:
. not much will change
. people will react too late
. books will be written after the fact to sensationalize events
. the media sensationalize events and report facts poorly
#62 maybe Rhino? on 01.08.09 at 12:34 pm
LOL Listening to some Southerners is a career in itself.
Like when Jimmy Carter became President, the Washington entourage kept saying to his staff ‘You have an accent.’
The reply was ‘We don’t have an accent you do. We are the administration!’
As to French being spoken, there is Parisian French, Rural french, and Quebec French. They are definitely not the same from what I have been told by Francophones. Likewise, the frequency of French in Northern Ontario is very high, especially between North Bay and Sudbury.
In the world of aviation there are two acceptable languages for air traffic control English and French. That is per the IACO’s regulations.
The DC-10 that crashed decades ago in Turkey (?) was due to language barriers,. The Cargo Door instructions were not in the language of the baggage crew and the door was improperly locked for flight. Result was decompression of the cargo bay leading to structural collapse of the passenger floor, impediment of the rear empenage control cables, and all aboard were killed.
How important is clarity of communication? Very, very important.
BTW, I read today that Microsoft has abandoned Vista and is releasing Windows 7 for Beta testing tomorrow.
A, href=”http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/01/08/microsoft.ballmer/index.html”> Microsoft’s Ballmer touts ‘best version of Windows ever’
As expected, Ballmer announced that Microsoft is releasing a beta version of Windows 7, which will be available for download beginning Friday. The news suggests the world’s largest software maker may be giving up efforts to rehabilitate its often-maligned Vista operating system, which was released worldwide in January 2007.
There is a case of the marketplace controlling a global mega-corporation. People simply refused Vista because it is intrusive, inferior to Windows XP, lacks drivers, and application updatability, and violates their privacy. Big Box Stores tried to shove it down consumer’s throats and the consumers revolted. There is a lesson there I think?
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1076815
Clement as Minister of Industry does not know anything here is a big flub in his comments Dec 15th this year about car sales in Canada “”Canadians are buying cars. Perhaps a little bit less so last month than the month before, but we’re still buying cars,” Mr. Clement said on CTV.
Ha Clement car sales for December were down 54% that statement you said to the neo-con station was totally wrong this proves Clement does not know what is happining
Harper made him minister what a joke Clement realy is look what he sais
#65 Go Green,
Aw. I hope he’s just winded or temporarily resting.
We have a ‘picture window bird trap’ too — hate it when we hear that thud. Most are just winded, but a few…. the last one didn’t make it and froze in the bush, right in the front window.
We put a feeder out back, I don’t know how these birds live through minus 35 at times.
Reminds me, time to put out more seed. We have just not had our usual chinooks — a miserable, cold winter so far — today 15 cm more snow on the way.
The big Iggy town hall meeting.
One big oops after another.
First he says he wouldn`t give the auto industry any money unless, for example, GM had their electric car ready for production. McGuinty said the money is just to keep the lights on. I`m curious which statement Ontario backs.
On a personal issue he spoke of his sons difficulty with education as though the educational system is failing students.
He`s my story. When my son was 5 his remote controlled bulldozer powered by an electric motor in each track and one for the blade burnt out one of the track motors. I picked up a new one and when we took it apart we found the replacement was smaller. I explained if we put the smaller one in it would only go around in circles. In the seconds I was taking to think about getting another one he suggested ” why don`t we put the one in the blade in the track as it`s the same size and it doesn`t matter how fast the blade goes up and down”.
He is now repeating grade twelve because he failed every course. Could it be that he was beaten to the ground every time he asked to see me or that when they reported the assaults they were punished,,, every time,,, for reporting them?
The education system didn`t create a mischief upswing of 39%, government policy did that.
The education system didn`t fail the highest number of parent denied children in Cdn history, federal government policy did. Iggy can try and blame the teachers just because they support the notion children don`t need parents but the blame falls squarely on decades of corrupt government policy intentionally denying children a parent.
The longer we ignore a system broken by corruption the deeper the hole gets.
don`t blame me, I never voted
the new president of BCE seems to have made some changes already to return ‘Canadians to talking to Canadians.’ What a concept, eh?
#57 Bill-Muskoka (Not Anymore) on 01.08.09 at 11:20 am
Hi Bill,
I don’t deal with Bell at all. For my information is he following the Dell business model on these changes, charging extra for the priviledge?
In the Chinese zodiac, this is the Year of the Earth Ox. The Ox is the second animal in the cycle of twelve.
Elements: Metal, Water, Wood. Fire, Earth. Seasons: North (winter); East (spring); South (summer); West (autumn).
An ox can be called a bull, and bulls charge ahead, whereas bears hibernate (fall back).
I am an Ox (Oxley), but I can only charge ahead in my own mind, which is curious because I don’t have one (a mind). I improvise life (I am a Fire Monkey, but don’t tell anyone!).
Now combine The Cycle Of Nines, which just began and add “The Year of the Trap” from the accompanying link; ultimately, no one has a bloody clue as to what’s happening! — http://tinyurl.com/7xqqlw
Five out-takes from money&markets.com:
#1 — The Bursting of the Bond Market Bubble. “. . . A tsunami of debt issues from the Treasury to borrow the money planned for the fiscal stimulus and the budget deficit will strike the bond market like a hot knife through butter, slicing away trillions more in wealth from investors who have fled to the so-called safety of government bonds.”
#2 — The Federal Reserve will continue to do anything and everything to save the financial system and turn around the economy, pumping in fiat money like there’s no tomorrow.
“The Fed is now accepting just about anything as collateral to issue new loans and backstop the risk in nearly all markets. And it will continue to bail out institutions like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Citigroup, and others that are sure to fail in 2009.”
#3 — President-elect Obama will also stop at almost nothing to help turn the economy around.
“Obama is planning to implement an eye-popping $1.5 trillion stimulus and spending program – the biggest in U.S. history.”
#4 — A rise in social unrest all over the world.
“This includes terrorism, and inevitable attacks on U.S. targets overseas and likely the first attack within our borders since 9/11 . . .”
#5 — Everything you thought you knew about economics and the markets will be turned on its head in 2009.
“. . . Because what you would normally expect to be good news will be interpreted as bad news by the markets. Even the most seasoned pros will be caught off guard in 2009.
“Conversely, what would normally be considered bad news will give birth to positive market developments.”
Figure it out. I’m too old and decrepit to be bothered!
Obama’s ideas of creating jobs and revenue;
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE50771H20090108
Harper’s way of generating revenue;
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/francis/archive/2009/01/08/elaine.aspx
If Obama does go green, he’s going to create a lot of jobs. Heard he also wanted to build some of the grids from scratch, excellent idea. A lot of jobs too.
Harper is trying to generate revenue by canabalizing health transfer payments. Way to go Stevie!!
Wish our government would quit with the lending. Banks main goal is to protect shareholders.
The fact that the government bought mortgages? Tough. The government shouldn’t have done that or backstopped ABCPs. That’s what the court system is for.
For BoC and Dim Jim? Private profit, socialized risk. You’d save yourselves a lot of grief if you learned to remember that.
#66 Marc on 01.08.09 at 1:22 pm
Wise words Marc…
My point was… here we are, credit “crunch”, people crying that they cannot get credit to help boost the retail and other economies, yet someone like me, who I personally consider a “credit risk”, is having vast amounts of credit made available!!!
This is the very thing that got the banks and lending institutions in trouble. This is the very thing they are crying about seeking bail-out billions. This is the very approach that the banks should have learned about, and should be examining closely.
I know I could live for quite a while, gradually eating up the LOC, using the LOC to pay the minimum demanded, and eventually when it is maxed out, could almost walk away from.
The banks are obviously not paying much attention to the damage caused by risky credit!!
And, they want billions of YOUR money to compensate for THEIR risky policy!!
Garbage dude!
Thanks anyway…
Garth,
After viewing the Xurbia website I get where you are going and no doubt you will be labelled as an alarmist by the usual suspects.
A funny thing happened to me in 2002 – we had an earth tremor in Howe Sound and I felt it at 4 in the morning. We never had an emergency plan or kit or anything but at the time my husband worked in town and rented a dinky apartment to stay in during the week.
It was me and the dog and a ten second tremor that changed my thinking.
As an IT professional, I lived through the Y2k hype and given to bouts of cynicism but my training does prepare me for “what if”. I look forward to your book and we will be thoughtful as to how our family acts on the uncertain future.
We did look at the 30k solution for solar and of course dismissed it but you do offer suggestions that make sense for the rest of us.
I trust people will recognize the severity of the road ahead and protect themselves with solutions that are prudent and will offer some relief from the financial pressure they will face.
Dude, it’s hope not fear that you are advocating.
Keep your helmet on!
#77 Bill-Muskoka (Not Anymore) on 01.08.09 at 2:51 pm
Yeah… language can be funny.
Believe it or not… Quebecois English is now listed as a “dialect”. The Anglo blokes here mix a LOT of French colloquialisms into the language, like “patant” instead of “thingy” and similar. We also pronounce words that are French in origin in the “proper” linguistic style.
Remembering a business trip to midwest Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a cute waitress serving me wore a name take with “Joli” on it. She pronounced it “Jolly”. So, tryin’ a little cruisin’, I tried to point out that “joli” meant “pretty” in French, and it sure applied. She looked at me like I was NUTS! Similar to their state capital “Pierre”, which they call “Peer”. It took a long time to communicate I wanted a DuBonnet… they said they had none and offered me a “Dew Bonnit”.
The French did so much to open up ALL of NA, it is amazing the influence it has had. All you need to do is look on a map.
I love what the Cajuns have done to the French language, while bastardizing English at the same time!
Perhaps my advantage in understanding southerners is having a foot in both Eng/Fr camps!!
And, bye, don’t get me started on Irish based Neufie, my son!!!
#75 “True story – yesterday I had to call Telus — person I spoke with was barely understandable, she obviously didn’t understand me.”
Lana, just a couple of years ago Telus changed their call centre to the Philippines. The only good thing about it is that the Phillipinos are very sweet people. I try to keep that in mind in the interim, but when my contract is up, I’ll get rid of Telus. In the meantime, as difficult as the help line is, Philippinos can be very pleasant to talk to if you get them laughing and at ease.
“Ease the pain” … with humour
#77 “There is a case of the marketplace controlling a global mega-corporation. People simply refused Vista — consumers revolted. There is a lesson there I think?”
Bill, yes, and this ties in to my post to Lana. I was so completely done with the world of Microsoft two years ago after I spent 22 hours on the phone to India about Norton ‘07. Turns out it was only compatible with the new Vista or XP.
I was NOT going to cave in and upgrade just to please their monopolies. I was done. I refused to join in that world.
So I bought a Mac. Freedom ever since.
I guess I told them — with my one wallet vote
#42 Lana on 01.08.09 at 7:20 am
Simple – because we live in inhuman society where only money is worshiped. Countries that do not respect elders and kids don’t have a history and doesn’t have a future – PERIOD.
David Bakody, you’d mentioned baby boomers might just try to survive in communes. We have a running neighbourhood joke on my block — over the past 25 years we’ve often all said we’d tear down all our houses and make one big senior complex. We’d make it the best there ever was…
Then we’d become it’s residents one day. As the owners, they’d have to treat us well!
Lana, I’ve seen many of incidents of house sharing. My siblings have separate apartments in a house they bought almost 20 years ago. They keep their distance, respect each other’s privacy, barely seeing each other for days or weeks. It’s a very smart and economical arrangement. However, they said there’s no room in the crawl space for me
Two couples we know split a U.S. vacation home. They spend their holiday together there. After a 40 year friendship, they’ve learned how NOT to get cabin fever, nor let egos get in the way. They learned that the very hard way on past vacations, but overcame pettiness and now enjoy this 2nd home for golf vacations and fun in the sun, that they couldn’t otherwise afford.
Harper has no plan!………..just like the opposition said—–is anyone watching? Every move him and flaherty make follows exactly what the US is doing—Prove me wrong?
Totally, totally OT. We were just listening to music from then 20′s forward. One of my absolutely favourite pieces is ” Don’t cry for me Argentina’. I get goose bumps when I hear it. Many singers have sung it. But, there’s one that sung it, and maybe she’s the original, but for the life of me , neither my husband nor I can’ recall her name. If anyone can offer suggestions I’d greatly appreciate it. When I about to leave this earth, I want nothing else but to have that singer sing that song. This is not meant to be maudlin.
#53 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks on 01.08.09 at 10:14 am
I just was asked if my mortgage is coming for renewal soon and they increase my credit limits even without asking me – that stink – those buffoons are digging us in even bigger hole.
#82 got rope? on 01.08.09 at 4:01 pm
Government policy that denies children a parent? Huh!
Here’s my experience of the school system, which is provincially controlled.
As always there are good teachers and there are not so good teachers. There are parents who get involved with their kids education and there are those that don’t. (Considering how many kids are at my dayghters high school its amazing just how few parents show for parent teachers… I know some are otherwise occupied with work, but others pefer going to the hockey game/practice!)
Those parents that are involved make sure the teacher is doing what they are supposed to be doing. I’ve heard co-workers call the school and tell the principal, “Get my kid put of that space cadets class!”
As for not blaming you because you didn’t vote….. stop complaining, you have no right!
And I know, my two finger typing sucks!
#58 Marc on 01.08.09 at 11:40 am
Unfortunately Marc – that is the rule of this system not exception. My sis working in Norway few years ago for very small company (just her and boss) – company rich the point that have to close – but owner told her on spot that he will keep here for 1 year and if business do not improve he have to let her goo. She got another job but she continues to work for him because he was honest.
#58 Marc on 01.08.09 at 11:40 am
Unfortunately Marc – that is the rule of this system not exception. My sis working in Norway for very small company (just her and boss) few years ago company rich the point that have to close – but he told her on spot that he will keep here for 1 year and if business do not improve he have to let her goo. She got another job but she continues to work for him because he was honest.
Maxine is utterly exhausted; she did the scroll up / scroll down exercise twice consecutively. Astounding in itself.
Little Johnny is Currently Cavorting in Caravans with Clowns from Cornucopia, so it would be best to let both have some R&R&R&R&R.
Accordingly, we move ahead to a further study of the differences between Females and Males, using Onions and Christmas Trees as props . . .
——
A family is at the dinner table. The son asks his father,
‘Dad, how many kinds of boobs are there?’
The father, surprised, answers, ‘Well son, a woman goes through three phases.
‘In her 20s, a woman’s boobs are like melons, round and firm. In her 30s to 40s, they are like pears, still nice but hanging a bit. After 50, they are like onions’.
‘Onions?’
‘Yes, you see them and they make you cry.’
This infuriated his wife and daughter, so the daughter said,
‘Mom, how many kinds of ‘willies’ are there?’
The mother, surprised, smiles and answers, ‘Well dear, a man goes through three phases also.
‘In his 20s, his willy is like an oak tree, mighty and hard. In his 30s and 40s, it is like a birch, flexible but reliable.
After his 50s, it is like a Christmas tree’.
‘A Christmas tree?’
‘Yes, dead from the roots up and the balls are just for decoration.’
——
#74 CM, 2:34 pm — G’day CM and all.
Excellent! My grandmother (Dad’s side) was pure Sweeney — born in Dublin, and a character and half to boot.
Love the Irish and Newfies — they’re the only ones who make sense anymore!
——
#76 jaunty, 2:49 pm — “people will react too late”
Also known as sheeple. These are the ones (masses) who have not done anything in preparation, then expect others to bail them out.
Not gonna happen — no such thing as a free lunch.
They dug themselves into their own hole, they get to dig themselves out.
——
#77 Bill, 2:51 pm — “. . . Microsoft has abandoned Vista and is releasing Windows 7 for Beta testing . . .”.
When I took the PC in for maintenance a few months ago, the tech whiz said that Windows 7 would be a much better (?) version of Vista, with a new title and extra goodies added on, but Vista would remain as the OS.
The title haunts them, so better to change the nameplate, but keep the basics intact.
Maybe this is why Microsoft is supposely letting 15,000 workers go, and keeping XP for a few more months?
I received a letter today from an insurance agent I’ve never dealt with thanking me for sharing with him the expiry date of my home and auto policies and inviting me to call him to discuss things ???!!!
Nay I say!
James, you voted, stop complaining you have no right!
93 john
Harper has no plan!………..just like the opposition said—–is anyone watching? Every move him and flaherty make follows exactly what the US is doing—Prove me wrong?
======
No need to prove you wrong John, the only plan they have is to indenture our children to keep government spending alive.
Iggy said he won`t help with the budget because his job is to criticize even after he said he`d help push the car out of the ditch.
As I said a year ago, none of them have a plan.
#62 maybe Rhino? on 01.08.09 at 12:34 pm
Bill-Muskoka (Not Anymore) on 01.08.09 at 11:20 am
“It will interesting to see how much French is accepted in the real world outside of Quebec as the economic times go tits up?
Clarity in communications will be (as Dion Learned recently) a crucial factor in employment.” (snip)
(smile)
Fluently bilingual, and still no “advantage”.
However, I once got a job here in Montreal because I could UNDERSTAND the southern USA accents! Seems Francophones have problems with Tennessee, Alabama, and other small town USA communications – critical in the pulp & paper industries.
Now that our paper industry capital equipment manufacture in Quebec no longer exists, it does not make much difference, I guess. Interesting to wonder how well the Koreans can communicate!
BTW, you may be surprised how much French is spoken “in the real world outside of Quebec”. As a courtesy, is is always good to communicate in a client’s mother tongue. Probably why more Chinese speak English than English folks speaking Mandarin, Cantonese, etc.”
Rhino – my sis worked for 5 years in Atlanta for her previous co. and readily took a transfer back to Mtl but ended up working for a jerk who spent all his time taking out clients to lunch. He didn’t even know how to reply to an email.
My husband is from France & yes, it is amazing how many people here where we live speak French. Our province can’t keep up with the number of French immersion registrations.
When I about to leave this earth, I want nothing else but to have that singer sing that song. This is not meant to be maudlin.
#94 Go Green on 01.08.09 at 5:34 pm
Don’t Cry for me Argintina was composed in 1973 by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and used as the title track for the play Evita, about the life of Eva Paron. The original singer is Julie Covington.
The song I have selected for my wake, is Queens’ Another One Bites the Dust, unless another approriate song comes out as I don’t intend for my wake to happen for hopefully at least 50 years.
Eh God – Hope I’m not the only one who reads previous posts and sees what terrible typos and tenses ? (sung – is there even such a word?)that I used.
Off topic but to inform bloggers…
You can run Mac OS X on a PC now. You can totally dump Vista and run it instead. It is not that complicated, though some “hacks” lose functionality for things like auto-update, etc. Note OS X is a form of UNIX and similar to LINUX, which is what sophisticated systems use, so it is robust, scaleable, and FAST.
Just go to YouTube and search “OS X on PC”. There are literally hundreds of “how to” videos to do so. Note new Macs use Intel DuoCore processors for the past few years, which makes the switch possible. Before that, Macs used Motorola Power PC processors, which was co-developed with IBM.
However… as a Mac owner since OS 6… and before that an Apple II nut, there is still nothing like Mac OS on a Mac!!! I used to work with PC’s as that is what business buys, but always bought Macs for personal/home office use. (Gee… over 20 years now… I’m gettin’ old!!!) No comparison as to problem levels vs Windoze.
Just trying to save you $$$$ in this time of financial uncertainty!
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle!
Addendum…
Almost forgot… You can also easily run Windows apps on Macs with OS X now also. Need a little app, but not difficult. You are no longer “forced” to grovel to Microsloth…..
THEY do not want you to know!!!!
In French, men multi-tasking. Oh dear, wot a pity, not too worry, never mind!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfhdpDVc7-A
——
How long does anyone believe this would last? Don’t forget the oil and gas deposits off Gaza. Also, the US / Israel are trying to re-draw the mid-east map to suit their own purposes. — http://tinyurl.com/8epwv2
——
Russia and Iran control roughly 20-25% of the world’s oil and gas supplies, but there are always two sides to each story.
First, when one toys with the Russkies, all they do is turn the gas taps off until they receive full payment. — http://tinyurl.com/9m3nf8
However, the second is that the US are clearly interfering again.
Ukraine was recently bailed out by the IMF, so they do have money plus they have a US lap-dog at the helm there. — http://tinyurl.com/7zlylc
Further, “. . . It would be a simple matter to plan this dispute and to predict Russia’s response.
It is highly probable, therefore, perhaps 90 per cent probability, that the US has offered inducements for Ukraine to disrupt gas transit to the EU in order to create insecurity about Russian supplies and gain support for its Afghanistan war. This would be very easy. One million dollars each in the Swiss accounts of, say, 20-40 key politicians and officials and Ukraine’s performance is guaranteed. And cheap. . . .”
——
Japan said recently it would dump US debt (it will never be paid back anyway); now China, which holds approx. US$1.3T debt, says it may do the same thing. — http://tinyurl.com/83y5bk
All Cdns. join together and take a long, extended holiday in Mexico, otherwise their economy is going down the toilet.
Feds. should have enough spare cash to pick up the tab! — http://tinyurl.com/9xatez
——
Predictions from a different source. Save your candles! — http://tinyurl.com/6wokzc
Good points, both. I think the real property requirement may be a hold-over from the British House of Lords, where an MP had to be titled individual and landowner. As for the particular appointee you refer to, I believe he may be Metis (could be wrong) and hence not part of the reservation system. Regardless, a member of a Reserve should not be blocked.
____________________
I have to agree with you about basketball. I rarely watch TV of any sort, but did make a point of watching the Olympics this past summer (and Tour de France, which I find almost comforting), and was mesmerized by the US Basketball Team. In their game against China, the Chinese were expert at the 3-point long shots, but otherwise couldn’t hold a candle to the magical Americans. The other game that I’d really love to watch here, but unfortunately cannot, is the Irish hurling. No connection to Canada other than that it seems to be a cross between lacrosse and field hockey and baseball/cricket. Fascinating to watch, the hurdy-gurdy of sport. I was introduced to it a couple of summers ago after we completed the last day of a bike trip in Ireland. Soaked to the skin, the host of our B&B wrapped us in warm blankets, served us hot tea and cookies, and positioned us in front of the TV with her son to watch the national championships. Had no idea what the rules were, but was entertained to the utmost.
So, Garth … are you suggesting that the federal government should bail out homeowners who can’t get that top price for houses they thought their house was worth?
Canadians know that the Harper government is blameless for the current recessionary events, and the markets are realigning themselves regardless who is in government.
No amount of Liberal fearmongering doubletalk trying to lay the economy on the Conservatives will be rejected by a majority of Canadians .. because Canadians have no confidence in the Dion-Ignatieff-Rae-Layton-Duceppe Coalition Junta.
Put it to rest, Garth … if this is all you’ve got to gossip about … Canadians aren’t listening to your gloom & doom message …. well, only the depressed Canadians who grovel in this sort of shit.
Merrill Lynch says rich turning to gold bars for safety
Merrill Lynch has revealed that some of its richest clients are so alarmed by the state of the financial system and signs of political instability around the world that they are now insisting on the purchase of gold bars, shunning derivatives or “paper” proxies.
telegraph. co.uk – 08 Jan 2009
Gary Dugan, the chief investment officer for the US bank, said there has been a remarkable change in sentiment. “People are genuinely worried about what the world is going to look like in 2009. It is amazing how many clients want physical gold, not ETFs,” he said, referring to exchange trade funds listed in London, New York, and other bourses.
“They are so worried they want a portable asset in their house. I never thought I would be getting calls from clients saying they want a box of krugerrands,” he said.
Merrill predicted that gold would soon blast through its all time-high of $1,030 an ounce, and would hit $1,150 by June.
More at: http://tinyurl.com/7y5z89
In the last two days here in beautiful BC the economy doesn’t seem to be a big topic except by the media. Yesterday while checking on a trip to Cuba in early February at Flight centre the clerk informed me that business was booming.
Today while looking at a sailboat to purchase the charter company I was talking to indicated that their bookings for this year are up over the same perio last year. Most of the booking are from people in California, BC and Alberta.
Looks like doom and gloom in North America if you’re east of California in the US and east of Alberta in Canada. Good reason to move west, really west.
Couple of items from John Thomson’s column on castanet.net; see if you can spot the difference . . .
——
One landowner told me just before Christmas that he hasn’t sold a lot since last June. They were lined up at this Kelowna location just a year ago…
– and –
Top Forecaster Says: The Recession Over By Mid-2009!
The head of Naroff Economic Advisors in Pennsylvania predicts the recession, while steep, could be over fairly quickly, perhaps by mid-2009. Among the encouraging signs he mentioned: lower interest rates, government bailout funds to stabilize the financial sector, a massive stimulus program coming when Barack Obama assumes office and lower energy prices.
Naroff, who was named the top forecaster of 2007 by the National Association of Business Economists, also hinted things feel worse than they actually are. “A large part of what we’re going through is psychological,” he said. All this has led businesses and consumers to respond more vigorously to the downturn than might be justified. This “compactment of the adjustment process” has shown up in a larger number of layoffs over a relatively short period, he said. But Naroff said layoffs won’t persist for long at such a heavy pace, and when the worst is over, he expects the economy to start to recover.
——
It continues for another couple of paras., but it’s not worth bothering to read.
I’m not sure what planet this forecaster is living on, but it certainly isn’t here!
#7 Charles Oxley
ordinary people don’t get much of a say in anything anymore, no matter who their votes were for, do they?
============
I wish it wern`t true especially in Canada Charles but like I said the next election, regardless of the outcome, won`t change anything. Economic conditions will force the changes required.
Some things never change and another election, just like the last 10 or so, won`t change anything.
When asked if there was a danger of the usual, too much money spent, not enough oversight on deficit spending Iggy replied there is a remedy, politicians will have to answer to the people at the polls. omg that is so funny I havn`t stopped chuckling all day. Chretien legitimized government corruption is good for the country and didn`t the gomer report weed out the politicians that were elected on the adscam burglary of the national treasury for political purposes. Every election I`ve followed has changed nothing, well for the better to be accurate.
For the majority of Cdns that neither trust nor have any faith in federal politicians telling them the only recourse to address corruption is to change the governing Party is a slap in the face.
We all know the system is broken by corruption and if there was even the slimiest chance it would fix itself Iggy would be talking about government governed by the rule of law and not another election to weed out the bad politicians when it`s the Party system that needs weeding.
International investors started leaving under Chretien, they finished the exodus under Martin so the chances of more of the same following the next election puts the chance of them even looking this way is 0.
don`t blame me I never voted
I love the picture of SuperObama (I’m sure he’d be thrilled too, since he is very much into Superman, Star Trek, etc.).
I just wonder what his secret identity might be? A mild-manner reporter?
Ignatieff is a total weasel too. There are no wo/men in Canada with any backbone at all. Your on your own people, make best. Can’t wait for a grown-up that knows the difference between hand out and hand up, to lead this country. No Harpo, no Iggy, that’s not you.
#94 “If anyone can offer suggestions I’d greatly appreciate it”
Go Green,
You made me wonder too. I suspect it’s the version we heard as kids by Julie Covington. She sang it for the original 1973 studio release:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW4GYaJHSD8
When Covington chose not to take the stage role, Elaine Paige was cast as Eva in the London production:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY4Wu7GmJYk&feature=related
and later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdZ0T7BwPb0&feature=related
In the US, the song is closely linked, as a signature song, with Patti LuPone, who performed the role of “Eva” in the original Broadway production:
http://video.dainutekstai.lt/patti+lupone+dont+cry+for+me+argentina.html&page=1
Olivia Newton-John recorded it in 1977
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcSg7nO38Z8&feature=related
The Carpenters recorded it for their 1977 album Passage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcv4Vt0rgZE&feature=related
The song has also been recorded by:
Sarah Brightman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDMOrxL_Lpk&feature=related
Sinéad O’Connor (1992 her Am I Not Your Girl album)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shR99NnwCA&feature=related
…and Madonna, for the film Evita:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdD3MUFKleQ
Wikipedia has lots of info on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don‘t_Cry_for_Me,_Argentina
Then Harper will fix it. That Canada is not America. That things’ll turn around in 100 days. That all we have to fear is fear itself. – Garth
Is this Harper code?
Didn’t he tell us Canada is not America (despite the fact he would like it to be), that our economy was strong and resilient that the Canadian shield?
But if you listen carefully to the code, Harper talks a lot but tells us nothing we don’t already know. Everyone knew the mess was coming, it was just a case of how deep. But the Harper code……… out of touch.
As for Obamaman, a laugh a day does you good. That picture gave me my laugh for the day!
#69, Hello Dave, I agree we cannot look at the world and tell our children everything is okay. But, you know what? It’s not the money stuff that scares me. Not one bit. I’ve been without and yes, I’ve had it and I know that it’s possible to still live and love without. What scares me about this world are the growing dangers from violent crimes, drunk drivers on our roads and the horrible one on one abuses that happen every day right here at home in Canada. The money thing will work itself out. Always does. In Canada there will be 4 people killed from drunk driving today and an untold number suffering from abuse. The damage is permanent. L
#92 Barb the proofreader on 01.08.09 at 5:28 pm
Re: Creating a “seniors’ complex”. That isn’t a bad idea. My mother-in-law was able to move into a type of “senior’s complex” in Owen Sound, the like of which I haven’t seen around these parts. It would be a business to get into.
A couple in their 50′s either bought, or already owned a huge house, and rented out six bedrooms to seniors who could no longer live on their own, but weren’t ready for a nursing home.
My mother-in-law had her own bedroom in a nice house. Her meals were made for her, and she sat down at the dining room table with 5 other seniors whom she had not met before. The wife of the couple who ran this lovely place was a nurse, which meant she could monitor medications, and because she lived there too, was available 24/7 if a medical emergency occurred. I don’t know what type of license you would need for this type of business, but I’ve often thought of doing something similar. Too bad I’m not a nurse though.
Sure beats going to a Nursing Home when you aren’t ready (or going to a Nursing Home at all!).
It dawned on me this morning that the Aliens in ‘Independence Day’ are really US! Why? They go around takling resources until they use them up, and then move on to do the same thing over and over again.
Well Bucko, here is why Pogo has been right all these decades when he said ‘We has found the enemy and they is US!’
The ride is OVER Buckos, and now, it is time to get off.
We have so much ability to create a truly sustainable economy, but to do so means nationalizing our resources, eliminating the insanity of the commodities markets, and regulating the living Hell out of the economic sector.
Will Obamaman do it? We will know very shortly. Will Harper? Here is the answer!
Globalism has FAILED! We were all warned, but greed and arrogance got the best of us. Time to regroup, get real for the long term, and not whine, but ACT! Who will lead Canada?
Oh, and it is way past time to rid ourselves of the scheming Ferrengi!
Barb the proofreader on 01.08.09 at 5:28 pm
Hey Barb ….. there just might be more to your words than meets the eye ….. Have you seen that new Volkswagan commercial where some cool older hips are sitting on the front pourch and the new Love moble drives by and their hearts start pumping ….. Necessity being the mother of invention ….. we just might out fox the fox (s) yet ….. as Garth pointed out …. these fancy homes that soon will be half price could be turned into prime residents for 4-5 couples with ease …. imagine the kitchens with all the fancy toys that were only bought to look at ….. we know it takes special people to live under one roof …. my dear old mum said to once remember David people can use ot anything ….. she lived through WW I and the depression and then WW II they had very little going into it and not much more coming out ….. options Barb lots of options ….. and the first is fire Harper & Co who want to attack social progams and human rights that many brave men and women have fought and died for … the hell with big bank accounts …. me I am not to jump out any window of what little I have ….. I will however try and live a long long time and attack these clown with nibble fingers day after day ….. and in the interim I find ways to cheat big business … eat less, fix more … walk more …. and reuse items …. and spend my money on things I need not want …. and buy only things that may my life better or safer. So quite frankly Harper & Co I do not give a dam because your days are numbered and my new life is just beginning ….. and for those journalist who want to play Mike Duffy …. go for it but their is big price for selling one’s professional talents to the devil …… take your pieces of silver and BON CHANCE!
#121 Lana on 01.09.09 at 8:24 am
Great idea and concept. Unfortunately, the greedy corporate whores have gotten the scumbag, worthless, spineless politicians to write laws that prohibit most from doing so. Got to protect those muilti-tiered profit schemes that pay ‘stockholders’ a dividend, and provide exhorbitant salaries for the executives, while the people’s needs go abandoned.
Same laws were written to protect landlords so that having a ‘Granny apartment’ in one’s home is a no-no. That protects the developers who keep building evcen when there is no market.
Time for the people to fire most of the local councils and take back our rights. Proper safety like fire codes, etc., still must be maintained, but they are way beyond that now.
There are thousands of such ‘illegal’ places in Ontario, but the laws are there to scare people from doing it. Another case of laws that are written to profit a small group, and are unenforcable in reality, except when some Big Shot wants to make an issue of it to get their way.
Ever wonder what political leaders know that you don’t?
Garth,
Most times I wonder if they are two clicks short in the making of a clue actually.
Yet, I know what you say is true. The problem is they don’t look for solutions for the long term, but only things that make them look good for the next election.
Our entire society and economy is modeled on a Hollywood set. The facade looks so real and so nice, but there is nothing but emptiness behind it all.
If you happen to have the 2-disk ‘Mummy 3′ DVD, watch how easily Hollywood (actually Montreal and Canadian craftspersons) can create the illusion. It all appeared absolutely real in the movie.
The little Man is still behind the curtain fooling the people. PULL THE CURTAIN BACK People!
Off Topic but….
NOW I know why Harpo selected Brazeau for the
Senate!
“Congress member suspended before he could raise Brazeau allegations”
BILL CURRY
From Friday’s Globe and Mail
January 9, 2009 at 3:00 AM EST
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090109.wbrazeau09/BNStory/politics/home
“OTTAWA — The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples suspended its entire Manitoba wing only days before the provincial president planned to go public with allegations of sexual harassment against the national chief, the Conservative-appointed Senator Patrick Brazeau.
Walter Menard said yesterday that he told Mr. Brazeau in mid-September that he would raise the allegations and reports of heavy drinking at congress headquarters when the congress held its annual meeting in Ottawa in November.
All sides agree that the board of directors of the congress suspended Mr. Menard and the Manitoba wing days before the meeting, where Mr. Brazeau was re-elected to a four-year term. As a result, no congress members from Manitoba were allowed to attend the annual general meeting and the allegations did not become public until they were published in The Globe and Mail this week.”
Both cut from the same slimy mold…. Brazeau must adore Harpo….
#111 HARRY S on 01.08.09 at 10:27 pm
Yes, Harry, Canadians know Harper isn’t to blame for the current economic downturn.
But they do know his policies are responsible for some of its effects,
including, but not limited to, the policy of 40/0 mortgages which allowed the housing market to continue to bubble into an aneurysm, which has now burst leaving them in one unholy financial mess.
Should the government bail out homeowners?
Directly, maybe they could at least help with the interest, but indirectly they should definitely force the lending institutions to renegotiate the mortgages in an attempt to prevent foreclosures as a condition for bailing them out.
………………………
on another issue, Pres. Elect Obama’s bailout of the former big 3 includes that the UAW must reduce its labour costs down to those of the non-american manufacturers or the loans will be called.
The CAW, in response to Premier McGuinty’s calls to reduce their costs says “No Way, we’ve already given enough concessions.”
To Ken Lewenza, if the UAW are being forced to reduce their costs to the big 3 in return for the bailout, and you insist on keeping Canadian auto workers pay and benefits high, which plants do you think the big 3 will close? Its a no brainer.
Whoops… wrong President. Its Bush’s bailout not Obama’s. You wouldn’t know from the MSM coverage that Bush was still President!
Oh my! Look at the old, wrinkled ones scurry and cower. They talk of moving into communes, co-habitating, eeeeven.
Geezers and wheezers who can’t find their shrunken members with tweezers.
Here they are, the boomer generation, the demographic bulge in the python. They should be grasping the golden ring of control. Make those politicians dance and sing. You have the power, yet you cower?
Yes, yes, I understand. You are weighed down by the trials, demands, and disappointments of the procession of years. Time drips relentlessly to press you down to trod its depressing rut. You don’t have much time left but much to loose. Fight back and take control. The vampirish, predator government will try to drain you with taxes and fees. Don’t let them. You have the vote to change this morality play.
Do not go gently
forward 
into the night you bent and twisted spirits of freedom’s golden era.
Did the cat eat your meds? — Garth
Bill, your incisive hilarity cracks me up. Every time.
(I mean the ‘two clicks short of actually making a clue’ observation!) I miss you, Men With Hats…
Some people know the price of everything and the value of nothing. A nice home is a thing of pride as well as a pleasant place to live. That the price is subject to the vagaries of the market should be of little concern unless one is fixated on money. Canada is fortunate to have such a large supply of excellent housing stock and that is not going to go away unless somebody bombs the hell out of it…a not so remote possibility.
In the meantime the cult of negativity grows. That Garth wears the cloak of negativity so well is no surprise; after all he is using it to make a buck and what does that do to sincerity/objectivity. Talk is cheap.
So, ignore me. Don’t waste your time coming here. Borrow some money and be happy. — Garth
Garth, you scare the crap out of me but I’m so glad to have someone like you who atleast has the balls to tell it like it is. When the shit hits the fan I want to be prepared. Thank you sooo much for all your help.
)
#90 Barb the proofreader on 01.08.09 at 5:11 pm and others
A long time friend of mine, who is regarded as the World’s most efficient programmer, has been working to greatly enhance the OS, and numerous apps. There will be some very major breakthroughs coming soon.
They may even be done, but I cannot tell you either way!
“Your comment is awaiting moderation”…I don’t need no steeenkin moderation. I needs more fire in my veins and acid in my words.
But I’ll tell you what needs moderating. the freakin Government budget deficits need moderation. They are the source of our problems and the new superhero will make them just as inflated as all his talk.
The American budget deficit this year is expected to be
$1,186,000,000,000+ SuperStimulus
Last year’s was $455 Bbbbbillion and that was thought to be outrageous. Plot that on a graph..can you say hyperbolic?
Are they out to destroy the monetary system because they know that the debt can never be paid off?
Last year I asked for a Wee-wee. This year it’s a 0%, 6 year loan on a Caddy. No moderation there bucko. As Flaherty says, Canadians have needs. Platinum edition, Toot toot.
Like B. Frank says, one man’s Estate in Kansas is another man’s cottage in the richer part of the country. So, he is getting all the taxpayers to underwrite those Super-Jumbo mortgages so that the Masters of the Universe can still afford to own those multi-million dollar Estates .
It’s all in the perspective. No moderation there. No free market either where those Estate owners would maybe decide to move to Kansas and prices would even out. Let’s use tax dollars to keep the status quo.
The Rich have needs, you know.
OH GARTH!!! On seeing your Obama in his hero suit, I just had to post this news story video. Really, these poor souls…it’s so sad, you must see it! It breaks my heart. We’ve got to get help for these people.
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!—–44 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AFP) – US employers shed a massive 524,000 jobs in December, pushing unemployment to a 16-year high of 7.2 percent, according to data Friday suggesting the worst recession in decades may be deepening.
The ailing economy shed 2.6 million jobs over the course of 2008, the most since 1945, the US Labor Department said in its monthly update. Of those, 1.9 million were lost in the past four months.
The Labor Department also revised higher the number of job losses for the prior two months. The October figure was changed to show a loss of 423,000 jobs from 320,000 and November’s data to a loss of 584,000 from 533,000.
Do not go gently
forward 
into the night you bent and twisted spirits of freedom’s golden era.
Did the cat eat your meds? — Garth
#130 Pecked to Death
MEOW!
Don’t be such a toadie Garth. Beats Winnie of the Weeds from the child of the Corn for sure.
That was friggin’ hilarious Pecked.
#129 James – Chatham on 01.09.09 at 9:59 am
Whoops… wrong President. Its Bush’s bailout not Obama’s. You wouldn’t know from the MSM coverage that Bush was still President!
It’s wishful thinking. about the same feeling one gets with their first child’s birth…ANTICIPATION!
#130 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks on 01.09.09 at 10:27 am
Oh my! Look at the old, wrinkled ones scurry and cower. They talk of moving into communes, co-habitating, eeeeven.
Yeah, but I hear the Free Love was FANTASTIC! LOL
#130 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks
Oh my! Look at the old, wrinkled ones scurry and cower.
You have the vote to change this morality play.
Did the cat eat your meds? — Garth
======
I`ve always found pecked views insightful but the idea voting will or has made a difference indicates an overmedicated condition.
#136 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks on 01.09.09 at 11:29 am
The Rich are about to learn what an actual ‘need’ is. Food, rainment, and shelter. No longer will they have to take exotic vacations to Third World countries to ‘feel good’ about themselves. They will ‘feel good’ because they survived another day, like most people do.
Who knows, even the Hollywood, Latte sucking, Liberals may get a few clicks towards reality, eh?
They all need to have a Mel Brooks like experience as in the flic ‘Life Stinks.’
If a commune was a good idea then, it must be even better now as a necessity! They can still enjoy “free love” thanks to medical breakthroughs, though I think Viagra has a small charge attached. Well, “cheap love” anyhow.
I laughed at “Pecked”‘s post. Well done.
#133 Michael on 01.09.09 at 10:49 am
Ah, Michael. Just caught Dim Jim on the Newsnet commenting on the US. and Canadian unemployment numbers. And now, even he, recognises that the Canadian economy is in for some very stormy weather this next year. (Garth, did you give him an advanced copy of your book?)
In fact he went as far as saying our employment situation could become as bad as the US.
Don’t be misled by the numbers, however. They only count those unemployed who are looking for work. Hence, the real unemployment number is higher.
#130 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks on 01.09.09 at 10:27 am
Did the cat eat your meds? — Garth
Hey, it sounded a little Shakesperean to me. But then again, we all know what they were taking back in the day… maybe the meds were the cat’s!
Did the cat eat your meds? — Garth
More likely he just got a new delivery of halucogenics but lacking the viagra, or maybe the prices just went up, what ever!
For the record, voting does make a difference, but not the one certain people expect or want. If the majority wanted something that was offered it would have been subscribed, or even over subscribed. the mood of the peasants is often fickle and changeable. Expect a sudden shift in the mood very shortly!
Now what? – The Next Financial Undertoad
When the tide goes out, all manner of ugly, spineless beasties are revealed. Go to financial site Bloomberg.com to see the critters flounder in all their gory glory.
Wailing for attention is Buffet’s “Weapons of Mass Financial Destruction”, the Derivatives market. Attempts are ongoing to centralize the world-wide $684 Ttttttrillion OTC Derivatives Market. The European Union tried to establish a Central clearinghouse for these trades but the talks collapsed, mainly because the USA didn’t want to be beholden to the Freedom Friars.
$684 Trillion – 8 to 10 times of the money traded on futures exchanges .
Now an American bill will try to introduce mandatory legislation next month by the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee. They say they want to bring this beast out into the open. You know what that means….I can smell the putrid, bloated, rotting stink already.
Like the ABCP fiasco, it lurks beneath the media waters of awareness until it finally surfaces to bite you in the family jewels via taxpayer bailout. “Who cudda node” will be on the lips of the astounded Finance Ministers. As we get sucked into the lemming dive again, they’ll remind you that we are not an island.
Bbbbbbbbrrrahahahahaha
#137 Leasa on 01.09.09 at 11:30 am
OH GARTH!!! On seeing your Obama in his hero suit, I just had to post this news story video. Really, these poor souls…it’s so sad, you must see it! It breaks my heart. We’ve got to get help for these people.
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive
Translation: The propaganda pundits are alive and well trying to make news out of the state of the brainwashed by suggesting they need help. those who are so weak minded as to be mezmerized by the gaffle gab deserve what they get. If you can’t think for yourself and need others to tell you what to think, suffer sucker.
I read the book review of “After the Crash” . It was written by a guy name McPharland for the National Post.
I believe everyone realizes we are in tough times. Also, it will take awhile to sort it all out. We never got there from the practises of the past two years. This was building as we had a long run in the markets and the economy.
There is a difference between the market activity and the economy.
As for housing it depends where you live and effects of layoffs. For example in London Ont 52% of the listings sold which means we are in a balanced market. Prior to this we were in a sellers market. The experts claim if it hits the mid to low forty mark we are in a buyers market. The forecast for 09 is an increase of 3% in house prices. In my opinion if you have a secure income and with the present low interest rates it is the time to purchase. For sellers they have to have a nice clean house and do a comparison to houses that have sold to ensure they price their house properly.
However, down the road 14 km in St Thomas it is a different story. They are in a buyers market. This is due the several parts plants and a truck plant closing.
The point is the same shoe does not fit all.
I feel that you must pay attention to what is going on around you prior to making decisions.
That guy did not get a book yet — instead he reviewed a media release about the book. Another great moment in journalism. — Garth
Alert:
Tom Flanagan is at his post again, firing off in his “Reverse Psychology Campaigns” to dupe Canadians into thinking he’s marching abreast, when he’s really just once again lamely attempting to be the Pied Piper. He should get an award for subliminal psycho-drama. Remember, the Pied Piper was a psychopath:
Here’s his newest attempt to tell us 62% why WE’RE wrong. LOL!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090108.wcoflanagan09/BNStory/politics/home
The good news is that “The Commentariats” are now quite hip to his gig, which is reassuring. I think the more Flanagan talks, the more Canadian’s “bullshit detector” goes on alert.
For instance:
“Interested Observer from United States writes:
When heir harper threw his hat in the ring for the leadership of the Alliance, Tom Flanagan, the Calgary School’s informal leader, became his closest adviser.
Harper and Flanagan, whose scholarship focuses on attacking aboriginal rights, entered a four-year writing partnership and together studied the works of government-hater Friedrich Hayek. Flanagan ran the 2004 Conservative election campaign.
A network is already in place to assist Harper in foisting his radical agenda on the Canadian people.
In 2003, he delivered an important address to a group called Civitas. This secretive organization, which has no web site and leaves little paper or electronic trail, is a network of Canadian neoconservative and libertarian academics, politicians, journalists and think tank propagandists.
Harper’s adviser Tom Flanagan is an active member. Conservative MP Jason Kenney is a member, as are Brian Lee Crowley, head of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies and Michel Kelly-Gagnon of the Montreal Economic Institute, the second and third most important right-wing think tanks after the Fraser Institute.
Posted 09/01/09 at 1:39 PM EST”
Flanagan is an ineffective tool.
120 Leasa on 01.09.09 at 8:07 am
Correct ….. bad news at any level …. however the sad point are that these incidents increase in tough times … Martin was right you know about giving money for childcare going for beer …. many of these people use household money with some phony excuse it’s their right and crime is already on the increase. Not good news …. and their is no need to go into why Harper is more concerned about the Senate as opposed to creating jobs ….. locking more people up with cost of incarceration at 80-$120,000/yr/ea will not help ….. In any rate let’s see what happens when the rubber meets the road at the end of the month …. Just returned from a Town Hall with Mr. Ignatieff …. he was clear and concise about what he wants to see and I suspect all Canadians are ….. and I suggest pension guarantees better be mentioned … especially with to-days news ….. or we both with moving into Barb’s new commune ….. now won’t that be interesting …. bring Harry along …. me thinks he would fit fine once with loosened his bow tie.
That guy did not get a book yet — instead he reviewed a media release about the book. Another great moment in journalism. — Garth
That kind of decietful jounalism should be outed, and the jounalists doing this kinds of actions should be fired for misrepresentation. I remember Maxim mag. got in trouble for reviewing an album that was not yet finished or released. It discredits the whole industry when this kinds of deciet is practised and accepted.
A former US President puts forth a stunningly simply, yet brilliant idea to help one part of the economy . . .
——
HOW TO SAVE THE AIRLINES!
Dump the male flight attendants. No one wanted them in the first place.
Replace all the female flight attendants with good-looking strippers!
What the hell, they don’t even serve food anymore, so what’s the loss?
The strippers would at least triple the alcohol sales and get a ‘party atmosphere’ going in the cabin.
And, of course, every businessman in this country would start flying again, just to see naked women.
Because of the tips, female flight attendants wouldn’t need a salary, thus saving even more money.
I suspect tips would be so good that we could charge the women for working the plane, and have them kick back 20% of the tips, including lap dances and ‘special services.’
Muslims would be afraid to get on the planes for fear of seeing naked women, so hijackings would come to a screeching halt, and the airline industry would see record revenues.
This is definitely a win-win situation if we handle it right — a golden opportunity to turn a liability into an asset.
Why didn’t Bush think of this? Why do I still have to do everything myself?
Sincerely,
Bill Clinton
——
Jocularity is a terrific way to get through each day, e.g., Eric Idle singing “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life” while being crucified, with the chorus joining in from Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
This classroom of a planet (that is all it was designed for — a very large classroom for all of us to have as many experiences as possible, make mistakes in and learn from those mistakes), and then realize that all things are in their rightful place and that the universe is unfolding as it should.
If fortunate, one is able to look at different aspects of The Far Funnier Side, then match them together. To me, today’s WW from the KDC go hand in hand with today’s Dilbert strip.
“If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.” — Dorothy Parker
Then notice how pathetically nonachalant the pointy-haired boss in http://www.dilbert.com is.
The pointy-haired bosses are the ones running the show now!
——
#115 got rope?, 1:32 am — Good morning Robert, and all.
Chantal Hebert opined yesterday that harpo will push for another election this year, deliberately engineering his party’s downfall in order to garner his beloved majority.
Whether he is successful or not doesn’t matter any more, as you are absolutely right, of course — it will be economic conditions that will force changes required.
However, it is across the world, not just Canada and this is the one thing — rising unemployment, civil unrest — that would cause the present situation to backfire on all politicians of every stripe.
#137 Leasa on 01.09.09 at 11:30 amOH GARTH!!! On seeing your Obama in his hero suit, I just had to post this news story video. Really, these poor souls…it’s so sad, you must see it! It breaks my heart. We’ve got to get help for these people.
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive
Oh please Leasa, can you make yourself look any more foolish? You don’t even understand the irony of the video? Pathetic.
The big picture of the video is that a rebellion occurred, in which the citizen’s finally enlightened themselves against the evil that had somehow taken over government for 8 years. The people toiled and “took back” their government through the hard-working soldiers who fought back. They realized how very precious a vote is, and they fought the good fight for their fellow citizens — and won.
Unfortunately, the war against evil misinformation trolls, as well as the necessary “push back” to overcome the ultra right wing election fraudsters — takes it’s toll.
You missed the fact, however, that the joke is on you. The Obama supporters in question had been battling misinformation trolls like you. It’s sure a tough battle, but it’s well worth the fight against your sort, because unlike you, most people believe in truth and democracy and are willing to fight for it. When they see evil, they march against it.
The battle-weary may not have Gulf War Syndrome or PTSD, but in a way they are like the soldiers returning from the good fight, still a bit shell-shocked. It wouldn’t be worth making fun of them, except for the fact that they had to enter the same battle mode as trolls such as yourself, just to get the job done. Comic heroes now, as there’s nothing like humour to help with recovery.
That guy did not get a book yet — instead he reviewed a media release about the book. Another great moment in journalism. — Garth
You’ve GOT to be kidding me! I hope his article stated that he hadn’t read the book!!
——————–
#150 barb the proofreader on 01.09.09 at 2:06 pm
Re: Civitas — a network of Canadian neoconservative and libertarian academics, politicians, journalists and think tank propagandists.
Libertarians with neocons? Perhaps I don’t know enough about Libertarians, except my daughter says she is one. I’ll need to look into this. It doesn’t seem like a natural “fit”.
#130 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks on 01.09.09 at 10:27 am
At first read, I was offended by your post. I don’t have wrinkles–well, not that many anyway. But after re-reading it, I “got” it. It is satire, and like true satire, has a lot of truth in it. You have a point–the boomers have the numbers to change things, politically. I often wonder what happened to the mindset of the “flower power” and the radical resistance to the Viet Nam war, the civil rights movement. I wasn’t part of the “burning of the bras” because I was a young mother (too young) and watched the “radicals” on TV from the safety of my home–a hippie by proxy only.
All the free thinkers of that era are now old boomers–over 40 and still wearing jeans–and there isn’t a radical bone in our bodies, for some reason. Maybe the bones got too brittle, and complacency replaced doing the right thing.
Anyway, your post made me think–and that is never a bad thing.
Another great moment in journalism. — Garth
As is to be expected from the Parrot Gallery, aka, MSM.
I love the way Jon Stewart exposes them nightly as being bunch of hyperbole driven, mindless, morons, all saying whatever the other one says. Jerkofflists would be the more appropriate name than journalists IMO!
It is far worse in the States than Canada.
Oh, LOOKEY THERE! Harper calls unemployment rate “troubling”
Oh yeah Steve? Wait until you have to collect EI! Oh yeah, your time is coming very soon Baboon!
BTW, Jon Stewart disclosed the reason for the Obama’s having to stay in a hotel instead of Blair House, the traditional abode of the President-elect and his family. John Howard, the former (de-elected, loser) Australian PM is staying at Blair House and meeting with his bosom buddy Bush!
Well, isn’t that precious?
#60 judy roberts on 01.08.09 at 11:45 am
I wish I could read your book Garth but until it comes out in large print or in an audio book form I can not do it. I wish you luck with this new book.
Garth… Bump up the font on the original manuscript and ship Judy a PDF via email !!
147 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks
Now what? – The Next Financial Undertoad
====
I keep saying $30B in deficit spending is a drop in the bucket, a political gimmick but like your messages it just gets turned around to partisan bitching. Well pecked, they voted for this, let them have it.
economic conditions will force the changes required.
#137 Leasa on 01.09.09 at 11:30 am
“oh, the irony!”
#144 James – Chatham
Don’t be misled by the numbers, however. They only count those unemployed who are looking for work. Hence, the real unemployment number is higher
=====
You`re on the mark James. Further more the 36,000 holiday season jobs created in December won`t be there in January. Another 100,000 lost in January is well within the ballpark.
$100`s of billions in deficit spending is on the drawing board, just to keep government spending up to windfall commodity revenue times of the last few years.
economic conditions are already in place to make the changes required but a few hundred wasted billions that will do nothing but save government by indenturing our children will certainly seal the deal.
It is time to think about the direction these forced changes will take the country. It`s never to late to consider the options.
138 john on 01.09.09 at 11:32 am
Hey John do you think people are going to start and get it? These millions of people buy about 80% of our exports and once traveled here to Canada to spend money …… But not to worry Alberta has multi millions in their banks and they will pick up the slack …. just think to-day the price of oil went down and gas prices went up so now they are making twice as much …. no word from Harper on why or is he one of the bean counters?
#149 David Halfkenny on 01.09.09 at 2:00 pm I read the book review of “After the Crash” . It was written by a guy name McPharland for the National Post.
However, down the road 14 km in St Thomas it is a different story. They are in a buyers market………………………well david the market is only a “buyers” market if it has hit the bottom and we are no where close to bottoming out! The present day buyers will be creating a “buyers” market along with the vendors of today when we really hit the bottom its reality!
I’d say a media release itself and any comments based on it are a little dubious as sources of info on the quality of the book in question.
Failing corporation bailouts,bank bailouts—-does anyone really believe this will put money in the economy long term??Will those failing corporations spring back to life and cash strapped buyers will be going out in folds to buy those new automobiles?Will the Banks be pushing out cash to overextended high risk clients even tho Flaherty and Harper want them to?? —Not likely-they never built those huge buildings and achieved their stature by being stupid! Oh yes they will take the cash BUT they will also secure their future! None of so called leaders have came up with any plan to actually put money in the pockets of Canadians and create employment!—–Makes me wonder how many years of studies and tuition fees it takes to actually realise –there is no future in sending good money after bad! The solution is there we just don’t have the leadership to apply it!
“. . . said the joker to the thief . . .”
Taken from Bob Dylan’s great song “All Along The Watchtower”. — http://www.dailyreckoning.com/
Paras.: “Among the other milestones of 2008 came word that 1 out of 100 adults in the USA was in prison; but as the year progressed, that seemed like hardly enough. Each week brought new evidence that there were still many miscreants who should be behind bars. On January 11, 2008, when one of the nation’s biggest mortgage lenders – Countrywide Financial – went bust. On February 17, Britain’s Northern Rock was nationalized. Still, America’s rulers missed the calamity taking place right under their noses.”
“. . . the cushions seem to have mysteriously disappeared. Bear Stearns, faced bankruptcy brought on by collapsing sub-prime prices. In a desperate measure, the firm sold itself to J.P Morgan the next day for $2 a share – a 98% discount from its high of $171.”
See what I mean about the pointy-haired bosses running the show? They don’t have the slightest idea of what they are doing!
——
Talk of making mistakes, here is another. — http://tinyurl.com/a2sbys
#124 David Bakody: “my dear old mum said remember David people can get used to anything”
Hi David, I would have loved to have met your mum. She sounds like she was a real gem.
And I like your idea of recycling the McMansions as boomer senior communes, and Lana’s mother-in-law’s example of living style is very innovative. I think we’re on to something!
# 155, #121 – Hi Lana, note, the reference to libertarianism was a quote from the link, not me, but now that you ask, Liberbertarians are all over the map, see wikipedia for instance. Some have the Cold War mentality of military interventionism and that sort of thing. Individualism seems a common theme too. All similar to NeoCons in their survival of the fittest mantra and to hell with those in need, etc.
few hundred wasted billions that will do nothing but save government by indenturing our children will certainly seal the deal.
#162 got rope? on 01.09.09 at 4:24 pm
I’m not against deficit spending in the short term. Just as the economy cycles, maybe surplus/deficit should too. The key is that over a cycle the total outstanding debt must be reduced.
So if we do add debt, so long as it is considerably less than the debt we’ve paid off over the past 10 years since Martin balanced the budget… I don’t have a problem as our kids will have a small debt to contend with.
The big problem is having a plan on how that deficit should be spent. On this I do have a problem because our government doesn’t have one.
169 James – Chatham
Certainly some small amount of deficit spending, much less than $30B, to stabilize neglected issues could be beneficial but the amount needed to reverse our downturn is in the hundreds of billions. This announced $30B is just the seed money, a political gimmick to open the door to massive deficit spending.
The Cdn rule of thumb, the government never does things unless government benefits.
The current announced deficit spending serves no purpose other than to keep government spending at levels that make government look good, period.
Be warned and beware people.
I love windstorms — blows away pollution, politics and makes everything cleaner! So, part of John Thomson’s column on castanet.net today . . .
“The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change, the realist adjusts the sails.” — William Arthur Ward
“Too many people see the clouds and very few see the silver lining. Recessions are always great opportunities for someone. Many people made fortunes during the Great Depression. They saw the silver lining.
“There is opportunity everywhere! Finding them though can be tough for people that have become complacent. As someone said this year: ‘Change’ is about to begin. Hopefully, it will be good to you.
“Don’t forget your current customers. They are your business and reassuring them will keep you chugging along even in bad economic times.
“Be sure they know you are there for them. Find new ways to help them, new products and services, and even growth is a possibility.
“Focus on what you do best!”
——
A letter from a castanet.net reader — right on the money!
Enjoy the downturn
The Earth is saving big time and prolonging its raw resources. Look at all the trees that won’t be cut for lack of building due to the downturn.
Look at all the oil not used due to the downturn. Look at all the material goods not bought due to the downturn. Look at all the CO2 not produced due to the downturn.
Look at all the travel that will not be done due to the downturn where people will see their own back yards, cities and countryside instead of that of the other side of the world.
People might actually have to end up wearing their closets full of stuff they never use. People might actually have to use up their material goods instead of filling up the landfills with perfectly good items.
By eating less people might actually start to approach a healthy weight. By walking more people might actually start to move towards a healthy life style.
By having less income people might actually not be able to afford stupid life styles. Hey, the downturn has its good points.
Enjoy.
——
Take into account today’s mud slide (and closure) on the TransCanada, repair work still progressing on Hwy. 3 and the Coquihalla, the flooded farm- / homeowners in Chilliwack and surrounding areas, all costs of which are picked up by taxpayers, a brief look at some current prov. and fed. govt. expenditures:
http://tinyurl.com/7eera8 http://tinyurl.com/7er4hb
http://tinyurl.com/7ustqo http://tinyurl.com/8mj28l
Forest industry is long gone here; 7,000 construction jobs gone so far, with plenty more to come; no new investment / projects at the Oil Sands in North Alta.; G&M will have buyouts / layoffs, as advertising figures have sunk; etc., etc.
Unemployment has begun the climb upward, which will accelerate throughout the year. The Cycle Of Nines is taking hold; most don’t even recognize it. 1929 — Crash; 1931-32 GD1 began, and ended in WWII.
#170 got rope?, 8:17 pm — “. . . a political gimmick to open the door to massive deficit spending. . . . the government never does things unless government benefits. . . . Be warned and beware people.”
Has to be applied to both levels of govt. Robert, as they are just as bad as each other.
Spend wantonly, as if money’s going out of style. The fiat system has almost run its’ course.
#171 Charles Oxley
Has to be applied to both levels of govt. Robert, as they are just as bad as each other.
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I would carry that to all levels of government however it`s the federal level that is not governed by the rule of law and so must be the first to go following decades of failed reform.
Shocking the levels closest to the people into walking the walk wouldn`t be a bad thing would it Charles?
Video: Recent Episode of the Onion about Obsessive Obama Glorification
As well as a link to a respected US Economist counting the unaccounted level of unemployment
We’ve done our best to reduce debt…our home, cars and credit cards don’t have any monthly balances. We’re now looking into how to successfully grow our own vegetables, fruits and learning how to actually catch fish because we live adjacent to Lake Huron.
Great idea! we boomers need large print- PDF solves that
Canuck, you probably already know, the video’s tongue in cheek message is about the toll it took on people, to get enough people to vote.
For 8 years Americans fell for tricks and didn’t pay enough attention — got in trouble — so good people had to fight very hard to get enough people out to vote. It was the equivalent of a revolution if you know the details.
It makes a great parody because it coincides with the Obama-mania which makes for a great vehicle to deliver a humourous message.
Humour, is a great way to point out a message subtly. America woke up, but it took a lot of dedication to “git er done!”
Canadians are massively beginning to understand that, we too fell, for Harper’s tricks. We didn’t pay enough attention. Harper’s 40 year, zero down, mortgage crisis and his $75 billion Toxic-Cash Cover-Up in Oct. 2008 will within a year bring Canada to it’s knees. Canadians are going to show up to vote against Harper with the same war-like zeal and dedication as the Obama-ites. We’ll all be so tired after that election that we’ll identify with your video.
On Ali Veschi’s money show today, each person on the panel said stimulus MUST be accompanied by a long-term goal of changing to a greener economy to help in BOTH areas. A green shift, if you will. It didn’t stand a chance here with the lies and obstruction of information that would have led to an informed choice during the last election. Hope we get with it in time to make a difference.
176 linda on 01.10.09 at 9:40 pm
Right on Linda ….. good words …. you’re in on our commune , just finished my driveway, front and side porches for le chats …. I sent Ignatieff a letter strongly suggesting that any infrastructure money be for projects already on the books ….. oh how I smell a Harper rat giving even more money to Con Clones that will have a return spring on them ….. and he thinks we do not know …. “Please Keep that in mind Bloggers Canada Wide and we will hold them responsible and get ready MSM because all this money coming down the pipe is ours …. and our children’s and grandchildren …
Thanks David! We’re there! We are moving East just the moment we can. We are pretty self-sufficient and do alot of the things you’ve been talking about. What is it Mr. Rope says? Economic conditions will force the changes required. I’ll talk to you soon friend. You have some excellent words on the other page David. Thanks.