Photo by Grandma
June 28th, 2005
Tax Freedom day is a sham
A lovely brick-by-brick demolition of the Fraser Institute’s Tax Freedom Day by Neil Brooks and Linda McQuaig
Comment by Jeff K —
July 18, 2005 @ 7:48 am
Inasmuch as there are ways to reduce one’s tax burden, that “demolition” is written by naive liberals for poor liberals about “services” that are grossly mismanaged. Most liberal politicians just throw money at ideas hoping things happen. Fortunately, the current crop of liberal governments are at best a bunch of naive liars unable to execute their grandiose money-wasting schemes, generating surpluses, which suits me just fine. Go Liberals go!
Well actually, seeing $20k bonuses shaved by over $10k is a completely abhorent unethical fiscal practice in my eyes (FYI, I don’t get bonuses), and that’s without GST, property tax and the taxes the banks have to pay on their fine mortgage profits from peoples other major pain. In addition to that, another large monthly bill most people have is hydro, and the government has been over-paying BILLIONS maybe more than $100 billion buying power in the last few decades at peak times such as now. So not only are the tax revenues going to pay bond-holders and foreign power coporations, there isn’t a liberal econmist in the land who can put together a money saving plan (read: lower taxes) despite Ernie Eves (conservative provincial politician) mentioning the billions wasted on power generation publicly in an election campaign in which he was turfed. (which is just as well, their government and about a dozen before it did nothing about that aspect either).
McQuinty’s great plan: close coal fired plants. Hah, and pay even more to the foreign corporations. Fortunately, just another election lie.
Federally, what have we got? Finally a few dollars for the TTC, with $1 billion in infrastructure investments unutilized (eglinton West & Sheppard tunnelling investments, without completion) and still, after 50 years, a 2 lane undivided “interstate” system (trans-canada).
The main error of the McQuaig piece is that governments are somehow efficient. They cannot be, they try to please everyone at the same time. This is not possible.
Corporations on the other hand produce inside their niche.
This is fundamental.
Hoo-kay. Look, I don’t know you very well Jeff, but if you want to get into broad-spectrum political rants, there are plenty of them out there; head over to http://www.progressivebloggers.ca/ to deal with the Canadian poltical blogs there.
If you have a specific–and perhaps even focused– beef with one of the facts in the article posted, we could discuss it here. But your vague ranting at us “naive liberals/poor liberals” is not especially appreciated.
I know you have a lot to say, and I honestly think you should launch your own blog for your many opinions.
Comment by Jeff K —
July 19, 2005 @ 9:17 am
Well actually, I just wanted to let you know someone you knew (a bit) dissented, with a couple of facts. It’s actually the painful *lifestyle* comments my acquaintances make I like to address. The worst ones come at work, however you guys have laid some doozies on me too.
As for a blog about what I say — some coworkers have fairly well convinced me that their congnitive dissonance will prevent them from taking an interest in my hobbies, despite their stated personal interests.
I prefer to write short statements to acquaintances to blunt the painful comments with a bit of logic or psychology or preferably, facts. Anyway, my wife and I generally don’t feel pain at the sort of comments made at these friendly gatherings. We just raise an eyebrow and have another hotdog. Now you know.
Comment by Laura —
July 19, 2005 @ 9:34 am
By “you guys” I’m assuming you mean mutual friends of yours, Peter’s and mine. Otherwise Peter and I have never knowingly “laid some doozies” on you. In fact, we’ve never said more than a few pleasantries to you at social gatherings.
Comment by Jeff K —
July 19, 2005 @ 11:49 am
Your are very nice to us, why Peter counted himself among “naive” is surely a miscommunication. Anyway, my favorite newspaper is the “National Post”, I ignore the right wing opinions here and there as I’m a centrist who believes in looking at the merit of individual issues. I think you’re quote once was “I don?t get beyond rolling my eyes at its reactionary headlines”. http://rae.tnir.org/archives/2004/06/ Both my wife and I have a “tax freedom” days that are easy to calculate.
Anyway, that “headlines” quote and “start your own blog” are clear enough in their meaning to an intellectual, I would say.
Comment by Jeff K —
July 19, 2005 @ 12:48 pm
Hm, that was bad grammar (s/your/you/ s/you’re/your/ s/naive/the naive/). Anyway, I am reminded of the time Peter recommended a home rennovator. That fellow hooked us up with a very polite hardwood flooring specialist who did an excellent job. You should come by and see it sometime, well that would be a side conversation, you should just come and visit.
I’ll be sure to skip lunch and have an extra hotdog or 2 at the ready.
Comment by Jeff K —
July 22, 2005 @ 9:52 am
I accept your challenge for a focused list and discussion. Please provide the the key sentences containing the “demolition” and what exectly they demolish and I shall respond succinctly.
It wasn’t a challenge Jeff. I said if you had a specific problem with one of the details in the article, present it. The onus is on you to detail your evidence against the statements.
BTW, the article has now slid off the blog front page, so pretty soon we’ll be closing it to spam (I’ll get around to moving it to Wordpress eventually). So if it’s closed when you get here, you’ll just have to focus next time.
June 27th, 2005
McKay family memorial
Some of Billy’s family L to R: Mom, Cathy, Pam, Gloria, Laura, Austin, Peter and Jon (who is furious at what they did to Billy–or maybe it’s the heat)
On Saturday, a number of us braved the extreme heat to watch the unveiling of a plaque dedicated to my Mom’s great-uncle, Billy McKay. Billy owned a farm in the Coxwell and Mortimer area, including the fields for what is now the Civic Centre and the Hospital, which he sold to the city for a dollar. Which is what he got credit for on the plaque.
It doesn’t go into the full story though. The city of East York got greedy and wanted the rest of Billy’s land. Billy was somewhat eccentric–he liked animals more than people; he built a farmhouse to share with his bride, but when she jilted him he didn’t use it and lived in the barn with his animals. Working on his eccentricities, first the city re-zoned his farm, upping the taxes, and when he kicked up a fuss they then trucked him away one night to the Mimico Asylum. The next morning they told all the neighbours that he had died. The city appropriated the land. The records are “missing”. Billy died in the asylum.
Mom and Colleen–feel free to add or correct my recounting of Billy’s history.
Comment by David "Billy McKay Is My Hero" Barker —
June 28, 2005 @ 10:25 am
His Mom and Collen, don’t change a thing, I like the story just the way it is…unless you can make it better. Hmmm.
Comment by Agatha Barc —
July 18, 2005 @ 11:59 pm
I came across your blog by accident. The story of your mother’s great uncle is extremely interesting. I have been researching the former Mimico Asylum for a year and I posted my findings on my web site, The Former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital Project. Since you a family member, you could also research Mr. McKay’s patient files at the Archives of Ontario.
Comment by Martin Rainbow —
August 2, 2005 @ 8:55 pm
I was searching for the pictures of the plaque unveiling we put on the net and found your page, I am glad you all were able to be there, Martin Rainbow, President, East York Historical Society
June 25th, 2005
Apt
Jon got to try out an iPod for the first time the other day. He had no idea what it was and got quite rigid with fear when we inserted the earbuds and encouraged him to hit the centre button. After some convincing he clicked it on, jumped when the tunes started, then slowly broke into a HUGE grin and breathlessly said “It’s a little computer that plays music!”. Which is a whole lot more succinct than Wikipedia’s description.
Comment by aiabx —
June 28, 2005 @ 10:16 am
Very interesting. He didn’t describe a music making device as a little stereo, or a little tape recorder – it’s a little computer. I guess he’s a child of the modern age.
-aiabx
June 20th, 2005
Suzuki Family Reunion
On Sunday we headed out London way for the Suzuki family reunion. Since she grew up on the West Coast, Laura never got to know much of the family on her dad’s side, as they were based in Western Ontario.
Until yesterday, when she met about 100 of them.
Wow! What a great party! Held at Diane’s idyllic farmhouse, the weather was perfect and the food was heaping. Four generations laughed and played together. And tried to figure out who was who (Jill’s nametags were great, but there was still a lot of mental math).
We even got to visit with family we actually know, but rarely get to see.
As usual at any large gathering, Jon retreated into his shell a bit, but it was great to see him have some one-on-one time with Severn and Sarika.
June 18th, 2005
Apple Store!
So my Dad and Laura and I finally headed off to the new Toronto Apple store! We were all surprised that the joint was jumping at 2:00 on a Thursday afternoon. Perused the many fine products, maybe bought a thing or two…
Outstanding! Jon is so cool.