Did you know?

That we have 14 Canadian corrections officers in Kandahar, Afghanistan working in the prison there? Their mission, as explained by the chief Correctional Operations guy on the radio who is in charge, is to create a 'sustainable corrections service' there. What? Isn't criminality itself self-sustainable?

Is this sort of typical of Canadian everything when it comes to criminals and prisons? Will the residue of this effort be to have an Afghanistan prison system like Canada where we let everyone go because of a bad childhood? Wouldn't that make this whole effort a waste of time? Does any Afghani have a good childhood?

The spokesman who was telling us about it used the term, 'investing' in the Afghani prison system. Doesn't investing imply a return on your investment? Hmm. Does that mean returning bad guys?

Do we know who is paying for this?

Did you know that these guys are teaching those criminal Afghanis carpet weaving? lol, it's true, he actually said that. So these hardened criminals, who consider carpet weaving a women's or children's occupation will exit the prison and take up a new career? Sure they will.

Do you suspect we have naive people working overseas?

Now you know.

Ringo at 70

Beatle Ringo Starr recently celebrated being 70 years-old, and wants only a little peace and love for the world.
Starting in 2008, Starr began asking his fans to say "Peace and Love" at noon on July 7, wherever they were.
This year, the drummer was at New York’s Times Square to continue spreading his message. "We’re just trying to keep the promotion going from the ’60s," said Starr, "There’s a little more peace and love than there was, I think, 40 years ago, and certainly it’s a lot more more peace and love than 70 years ago, when it was crazy," he said.
At 70, Starr is still full of energy, and many people celebrated with him this year ....

We think the world is a better place with Ringo in it, and hope he sticks around for another 70 years, some may even be counting on him.
Peace and Love

Mel bleep Gibson

I wish I knew exactly what he did. I think he said bleep. Not sure when bleep became a bad word. But it is sort of what is happening everywhere these days, someone is TELLING us something is bad, but they won't leave the tape alone long enough for me to decide for myself what is actually being said.
Alas, that is the way of 'reporting' now, especially with so called celebrities. Just keep watching, we'll tell you what is bad or good. But then bad IS good isn't it. Ratings rating ratings.
I am now beginning to wonder what the Roadrunner was actually saying to Wylie Coyote all those years?
Bleep bleep.

HST wows, woos and woes

So we have it now, the dreaded HST. Here to stay and some say only a matter of time before it is increased. Dreaded by the people of course, but not by big business. Some even say that 4 BILLION dollars in taxes have been shifted from big business to the taxpayer. I say those 'some say' people are getting it right.

So what about all this? What can we look forward to as commoners?
Let's see .... I'll consult my list;

Laundry detergent remains the same, only it is (eek!) already 12 percent tax. But if you poor people have to go to Value Village to buy used clothing, you'll now pay lots more for someone else's cast-outs. Under $100. subject to HST, but .... OVER one hundred dollars - no HST! So that Gucci consignment dress in West Van (worn once to the Oscars) at three hundred is a steal without HST. Ah, perks for the nearly rich.
Fix your old shoes? Yep, 12% tax on that. Check the dumpsters for cardboard to put in them, they don't have that on their radar yet. Yet. Mind you, formal wear rentals won't be taxed upwards. You need to dress better.

Of course those evenings when you could go out for a burger are going up too. Restaurant meals are going HST upward so you'll probably stay home more. But you can't stay home and grow your own tomatoes, because food plants are getting taxed now too. You see, you get penalized for growing your own food, and you also get penalized for going out to eat it. I think that's what Carole (Gucci Shoes) Taylor would call 'revenue neutral'. House plants are not taxed, not sure which ones you could eat though. And household pets are okay, you could probably have a rat or two, but don't eat them or you're subject to HST. Speaking of food, basic dairy, meats and vegetables are not hit by the HST, everything else IS, and many are wondering how Safeway et al will differentiate or will they just add the 12% HST to your total bill?

If you want to be conscious of power saving, and buy Energy Star windows which didn't even have PST on them before, they now cost you the 12% HST. Same with insulation and weather stripping. You get taxed for power saving. You might try to stuff old newspapers (yes now HST 12% too) into the cracks in your walls. (The backfire here though, might be the demise of the provincial voices of Gordon Campbell's Liberal Party, the Vancouver Sun and Province.) and if you cut your finger stuffing those cracks, you'll pay 12 % tax for the first aid kit too.

So stay around your house, yes? Watch TV.
Wait, your basic cable is HST 12% taxable but you can get the Playboy add on specialty channels without tax! Smoke detectors are up for residential users, but big businesses don't pay for their smoke detectors, just you 'little' people. But then you are quitting smoking anyway, right? Yes, of course smokes are up too, another 12 %. If you don't choke to death on the smoke you'll choke to death on the cost!

Your computer repair hardware is not going up, but computer repair software is! Who has computer software repaired?
You might want to dump your taxed telephone land line and switch to cell phone only. Because, well, you know.
Maybe you better get out of that house? Nope, you'd have to pay 12% HST to move out of it. Household moving services, you see. And parking goes to HST taxes too. You think they'll probably include 12% for parking in your own driveway soon?

Of course you pay 12% more now if you fly home on a domestic flight or take a bus to Prince George to see your old Gram before she goes, but if you're flitting off on an international flight with your gin and Schwepps to that Bermuda summer home ... no pay!

Now you want to drink yourself to death? Forget it, you can't afford to die. 12% tax on funeral services. I think you can still smoke BC Bud, but don't get the munchies because snack food is up to 12% HST too!

Well, you see now, don't you? There is just no longer hope.
And if I scrutinize that list with a certain frame of mind, I think everything poor people need and do is now HST liable, but things that rich people might need or do seems to have evaded that tax. Works of art? Nope. Rugs? Nope. Same with patio furniture, tux rentals, tanning lotion, (for Hawaii of course) international air travel, hair blowers, watches, jewelry, long distance calls, marine electronics, (for your boat, of course) nail care, perfume, handbags (Gucci of course) golf clubs, etc etc ad nauseous throw up-all-over-my-wornout shoes and cry nauseous! Well there are a hell of a lot more poor people than rich people. How do you spell relief?
U-n-d-e-r-g-r-o-u-n-d e-c-o-n-o-m-y.

The best thing you could do in BC, is sneak out into the night, and start walking to Alberta. But you'll have to get fit along the way because a fitness trainer will cost you 12%.
And don't let them catch you breathing on the side of the roadway either, I hear there's a 12% breath tax coming.

I guess I'll go sit on the toilet for awhile .... oh wait ..... nooo, there can't be ....