'Tis the time for lists

The end of the year and partly to fill newspace and also to demonstrate breadth the news biz produces its long lists of "Best, worst, monthly happenings, etc." How many of the readers remember the year-ends from that enigmatic and captivatating character - Jim Guy, of CHUC - most comprehensive and the very length of it ensured that the station staff could stay home that day; the programming was done for them!

The BurdReport doesn't have a list just a few things that stick in the mind: the resolution to the Frink, the never-ending policing debate, the ongoing Community Centre discussion - this one will not die as the Seniors will never be satisfied until they get a dedicated building. Hey why don't they buy the Lions' Club and of course the congested beach issues. The hidden debate that stems from the fear that Cobourg will never be able to control its taxes. An annual increase of the slightest amount is not good enough for some people, especially with a declining commercial base.

So I am going to look forward in my list. I want to be able to see new faces on a Council dedicated to a new direction. That direction would be one of sustainability not survival. Only projects that cut costs should be undertaken. A Council dedicated to looking at ways to trim programs not expand them - just how much will the CCC cost us to operate? A Council prepared to live within its Official Plan that takes into account the restrictions of the County document, "Places to Grow", which allocates only 80 hectares of greenfield expansion not the complete area to the East of Town. Trimming those expansionary wishes will save money, why build new roads and services on Brook Rd. when you can put 11,000 people into the under-utilised spaces within the existing boundaries? And of course a Council determined to manage its local PUC properly and keep costs down, even if it means putting all of the profits back into the customers' pockets.

Never ask a question that you don't know the answer to.

That's the mantra of a good lawyer, journalist or just a person who wants to conduct good interviews. In a story here Cobourg's three time Mayor is going to ponder his political future when he is on holiday in April.
So in order to give some guidance the BurdReport has put up a poll - look left - where the question is asked. Frankly I cannot guess the outcome but the results will be a little bit of cheeky fun. With all the tools available to us on the internet we should be able to inject a bit of fun into the Municipal election races. They start in four days time. So get your suggestions in about how we can have fun with this race. Suggest just who you think will be running and perhaps we should be able to set up a betting pool on them all.

Ammo for the Bay Streeters?

A recent report to the Cobourg Police Services Board concerned the amount of policing delivered to the waterfront. The story is here, written for the NNews, written by Jennifer O'Meara - "August was the busiest month of the year for police calls to the Cobourg waterfront, and the vast majority of the incidents were liquor licence act offences" the report states.

Now not to be alarming we need more than a blanket statement to be objective. For instance if, as the report states the majority of the offences took place in the afternoon was that as a result of "cooler searches" which may or may not have been illegal, or was it just teenagers hanging out on the Pier, or was it as a result of "Beer Tent calls".

Because if we do not know these things it is just ammunition for the people who think that all visitors behave badly and shouldn't come to Cobourg to spoil their front yards!

The cutline says it all

This piece of graffiti has been with me, in my mind since schooldays, and has been waiting for the opportunity for repetition. I gues you had to be there but in this day and age of reflection it is apt.

The BurdReport wishes all of its readers a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays and whatever salutations are deemed acceptable these days.

For those interested in my wellbeing, I have had a gall bladder removed, no big deal these days but thanks to Andrew Stratford, Mike Barrie and Brenda the recovery room nurse - fabulous job, and am now just working through a sore torso and internal bruising. In very good spirits and looking forward to not much of anything in the next few days.

Another one for the "victims" in Port Hope

Here is a story that will inflame Port Hope hating Cobourgers. The courts are now moving to Cobourg. About time. What will the whiners complain about now, our KFC is bigger than theirs we have a WallyMart and they don't? Oh the complaints will pour forth. BTW Cobourg had nothing to do with this, blame the County for renting the court facilities to the Province and blame the province for building such a big courtroom!!

Just a quick post

Can't wait to see the reaction on Port Hope Council's faces when the first application for tenancy in the new Industrial Park turns out to be a well heeled big box who willl want to change the zoning, just like Strathy Road and WallyMart!

Sticking with Port Hope one of the first comments from a PHoper turned out to a no-hoper whining about Cobourg's bully-boy tactics and leaving PH once more a victim - boohoo. Surely at this stage where PH has peed away $25,000 of scarce taxpayers dollars there should have been more of a rational reaction, like telling the King Peter and Queen Linda to stop playing games and "jaw-jaw" rather than "war-war".

An update

Thanks to all who are posting and perhaps wondering why nothing from me. I came back from vacation and ended up with a gall bladder attack that laid me up for three days, and am now waiting for the removal. Am at home living on the lowest of no-fat diets. Unfortunately the BurdReport publishing press, my trusty P4, crapped out so I am somewhat incommunicado. But all will be well soon.

Another Guest Post

Greg Hancock

I received an e-mail this week giving a link to an explanation of the current controversy about fabrication of climate change data. The link is http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/12/
understanding_climategates_hid.html.

Briefly, It appears that by manipulation, massaging and careful choices of of various sources of data about climate and temperature it is possible to prove almost anything.

Traditionally there was a medieval warming period from AD 1000 to 1400, followed by a little ice age. These are reasonably well documented by stories of Irish boats traveling to North America via "Iceland" which was in fact warm and Greenland which was green. The Frost Fairs on the Thames attest to the little ice age.

Yep - bring in the OPP

My patience is exhausted! A definition of a progressive is a person who takes progress one step at a time, A radical wants it all at once. Well what do you call a committee that argues the same ground constantly and never seems to progress? The Cobourg-Port Hope policing committee! PH wants to direct its own affairs, even in the face of a $6-7 million cost to bring their inadequate Police Service up to Provincial standards. Side question - how long is the Province going to allow the citizens of PH to be put at risk by subpar police standards?

Are the Cobourg pols to blame for not wanting to talk some more in the face of the interim PH Chief's subservience to his new political masters as opposed to a rational examination and discussion of a now wasted $50,000 study? There is enough blame to go around on this one, I am sure that the two Chief's of Police will continue to drink coffee and commiserate about the lack of political sense but it still comes down to the same old problem - Cobourg pushing too hard and taking their balls home with them when the game doesn't go their way and Port Hope playing the victim. How many times do we have to see this?

Bur back to the headline, If there is to be no progress let's bring in the OPP and quit throwing taxpayers money away.

Another guest post

Deb O'Connor

Is there a Senior in your mirror?

Last night I attended a west high school jazz band performance, and a student at the door told me the cost was $2. When I mentioned it to my son he got a funny look on his face, then told me it was because I was charged the senior rate. Oh.

Reflecting on that, I have to acknowledge I was a bit shocked to realize the girl came to that conclusion by simply looking at me. Despite wearing my trusty jean jacket and snazzy red shoes, this blonde child mistook me for an old person.

What the hell happened here? When I look in the mirror, I just see me, the same face I've always had. I don't see blue hair curled into waves, or a hair net, like my nana had. She was definitely an old person, but me?

There must be a mistake here. My sympathies still lie with the misunderstood youngsters, the underdogs, and anybody who has had the misfortune to run up against Authority. I haven't forgotten the sweet anguish of youth, the passion for life.

Is that what Sinatra meant about being young at heart? I hope so, because my corporeal self is letting me down, and I'm not ready to give in to old age, not by a long shot.