It feels good when it stops!

As you know I have a spotty record in math calculations, so hack away at these observations!
The image on the left shows the latest addition to our household - the Smart Meter. You know those gizmos that will make us all educated and wiser users of hydro. At a cost of over a million dollars all household units in Cobourg will have one of these fitted by the local utility company LUSI.
The rationale, touted by all supporters of the device, is that consumers will now have the freedom to choose how to save money by selecting which time period they use when consuming hydro. What a load of bollocks!
This move to smart meters is the biggest moneygrab in the history of the province. A stealthy move designed to get consumers to pay more for hydro.
Hydro pricing has been a political football ever since Mike Harris destroyed the stable forty year amortisation of capital costs repayment programme for ideological purposes.
We currently pay 5.7 cents for a kw/hour on the basic allowance per household of 1260 kw/hrs. That means if granny, wrapped in sweaters, keeps her usage down to the minimum she will only pay $71.82 per billing period. Under the new program of time choosing, the basic price of $.57 goes to $.68 (this is obtained by calculating the average cost per hour - cheapest being $.42 and most expensive being $.91 over a 24 hour period). So without even being given the freedom to choose when one can use hydro, the price has jumped 19.74%.
When one looks at the periods that one can choose to use hydro and consequently shift their consumption times, there are costs that cannot be shifted - heating costs, cooking times etc. So to try to con us with buzzwords like "consumer choice" is fraudulent. There are very few moves left to do that the educated consumer can now do to save hydro costs: they have already converted light bulbs, they already have fitted programmeable thermostats, most are aware of the benefits of high efficiency appliances and furnaces - some have converted. So not only are we accused of being ignorant for not doing these things but now are hit with a huge hydro increase and then told we can save money. And, to add insult to injury, we will be paying for these smart meters on our bills (estimated at $4.00 per month).
Remember photo radar? It became a symbol of political unrest and rebellion. Smart Meters have the capability to become such a symbol - an impotent device that we have to pay for. The first political party pledging to remove them them will garner votes, and lots of them.

If you want to see how much of your money has been wasted on this promotion of a moneygrab look here it is a glitzy flash interactive web site of a fictional house that uses typical appliances. I defy any of you with the patience to use this site properly to believe the results.

Thursday #5

This story came to me at the Lib nomday. I was asked did I know that Kevin Fast was going to pull a plane? The informant told me that his feat was going to handled by the Guiness Book of Records to be a kickoff for next year's edition. Not only that Regis and Kelly of TV fame were going to be there. I asked around and was told that nothing was being planned for last weekend, the days mentioned, but perhaps in September. Well lo and behold here is Keving Fast pulling a plane so we can look forward to Kevin being on TV, in NYC, early next month.

Thursday #4

Want to have some timewasting fun at the expense of the Puffster and Con party? This website is the latest brainchild of Conservative party media. The idea is that you type in your name when prompted and Senator Mike Duffy will speak your name and invite you to see some dubious accomplishments. This story from NOW magazine explains the problem - Mike's interactive programme has trouble recognising non "white" names. Try it - punch in Enzo, Mohhommed or as I did Mandeep and Mike will not know who you are. Punch Jim, Ben, Peter and any other 'normal name and you get a personalised message.

This place has only been open four days and....

OK I was probably the last media person to interview the owner and the place has only been open four days! So what is the enterprise that has created such a stir in the time? A Sex Shop, called "Saucy Essentials" that's what. We have had sex shops in Cobourg before but never in such a high profile spot as this - on the main drag and opposite City Hall.
Entering boldly through the main entrance, there is a back door for the shy and publicity averse, I introduced myself to a very cheery lady called Wendy. I didn't ask her last name and she doesn't give it on her cards. So it's just Wendy. "I think that there is a need for this kind of store" she told me. I agreed and suggested that there were more than a few repressed people living in Cobourg. Asking if there had been any reaction to the opening, knowing that a special meeting of the DBIA had been convened to discuss it and aware of the fact that many people had been voicing disapproval, she has even had to be checked out by the local cops as well having to prove she complied with local zoning bylaws, she replied, "Reaction has been good, I have been four times busier than planned."
As I prepared to leave I asked, "What has been your best seller?" Grinning wickedly she replied, "Now I can't tell you that, can I"

Thursday #2

Why is this young man smiling? Because he is looking forward to a political fight - meet the NDP nominee for NQW - Pat Clark.
Born and schooled in Cobourg, with a BA from Trent (in International Development), and now finishing his Masters in Global Governance he is eminently qualified academically to battle wits with the witless in the next Federal election. Fresh back from a Co-op experience in Venezuala where he was working with an NGO in the Fair Trade Coffee movement he returned with a new language and plenty of experience with the South American Free trade Agreements. Finishing in December, he has already turned down opportunities to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he looks for new and interesting challenges of all kinds.
One of his new challenges will turn up at any time and that is a Federal Election. Talking with Russ Christianson, the three time successful NDP candidate (he increased the NDP vote in each election he challenged) Pat was surprised when Russ encouraged him to put his name forward. After all it's not as though Pat is unknown to the NQW NDP, he has worked in several elections before he left for academia and since.
Acknowledging his youth, Pat is only 23, he thinks that is no disadvantage. "There is a youth constituency that has been ignored, I would like to work with them, and others, to bring their issues to the fore" Whilst wanting to meet and learn from others he wants to meet and hear what all the different groups in N'land have to say .
"Student debt and the problem of youth unemployment is high on my list of concerns" he told me in a recent interview. "Especially the lack of opportunities in one's field" referring to the problems that many recent graduates, and friends are now facing, "Even the ones with crappy jobs are seeing no opportunities further down the road!"
He readily admits that he became a New Democrat because he has been attracted to Social Democracy for a long time' "Social Democracy has worked well in many countries and Social Democrat economies have worked the best!" Acknowledging that he is willing to call himself a socialist he ponders the question, "Why is 'socialist' a negative term?" Great question, one that the present Dippers might ask themselves.
Let me tell you I am excited about this young candidate, he is bright, articulate thoughtful and unfilled with dogma and cant. ln an age where all the political parties do is look for candidates that will not screw up, this fellow will shine!

Thursday #1

It's not often I agree , and even gush, over somebody else's opinion. This is one of those times. Thomas Walkom, of the Toronto Star, has nailed this one so well he would win the nail-driving contest at my Brother-in law's stag in the local barn. Here is the story, it is his opinion about the lopsided and illogical changes to the EI that benefits no one except the priviliged - the autoworkers. There is not one person who thinks that EI is working properly: from the people who would abolish it to those who would give it on demand for ever to anybody who wants it. This venerable insurance programme has been corrupted by politicians of all stripes and now is a minefield to wander through when you are most vulnerable - unemployed. So when there are thousands running out of benefit weeks, every week, and overwhelming the Social Assistance offices what does Harper and his neocons do? Give out more weeks to those who have only collected less than three times in the last ten years and have not, currently, claimed more than 35 weeks. Bizarre, silly and divisive. The NDP and the Bloc, who are keeping the Cons in power, and btw saving Iggy from a thrashing at the polls, are nuts. I wrote to most of the NDP caucus two days ago and asked them to examine this discriminatory change and guess what? No one answered, Jeez even Norlock has a better record than that!

A comment that would appear to be buried unless it is highlighted

One of the problems of "threading" comments is that quite often other posts bury them and most cannot see them, unless you are an avid enthusiast of these pages and scan them all for recent changes. Very few people do that so I am bringing forward this comment from such a post. It is from a guy who signs himself ACDS Bill, and has communicated in an ever increasing pitch of rhetoric and perhaps some invective. Or he might just be frustated that he is not getting the attention to his complaint that he thinks it deserves.

The "Urban Myth" of diapers being buried in the beach and ethnics using the area as washrooms is a problem yet to be exposed or elaborated upon. All this space is doing is asking if in fact it is true or is it just an Urban Myth like the dead body in the mattress in a Vegas Hotel?

An Urban Myth ??? That's almost funny if it wasn't such a ludicrous remark for you to make.
If I may put forth a suggestion to you (if you're going to have a blog criticizing people who do have legitimate complaints) you should at least visit the park and see for yourself before you go off on the rants about the residents who do live/visit near the park. One doesn't have to "look" for the people who are creating the problems,they have the total park dominated from one end to the other from early morning to evenings,even after dark. Again if you visited the park on weekends (even the occasional one) you'd already be aware of that.
All it takes is ONE visit, either Saturday or Sunday around 3PM,and it won't take up much of your valuable time,so please try to make the effort to do so.It would do wonders for your outlook,and negate the need for photos for "proof"(or you could take your own)to convince you of the sincerity of the complaints being aired by the public. Incidently,I wonder who took the video that was posted on UTube ? I suppose you just stumbled upon it one day on the internet ? Of course,now you'll have to save your visit to the park until next summer,but please try to remember to mark your calendar so you don't forget.In the meantime, please give some credibility to the reports that people who do live near/visit the park,as being the truth not some prejudiced right wingers.

All I can say about the video is that it really was stumbled upon on the Internet and to suggest that it was planted to become a polemic tool is silly. And I do visit the Park and yes you are correct there is a wall of people from one end to the other on some days, but I don't see them as problems, just happy visitors enjoying our wonderful facilities that are offered to all.

A diaper on the beach or just an urban myth?

This comment came in overnight and demonstrates both the anger of the writer and the blindness to other points of view.
"I live opposite the beach and park and I'm sick, tired and fed up with the disgusting behavior of the weekend visitors to our park and beach. I've watched them urinating on resident's grass, digging holes in the sand to use as a toilet, etc. Mr Burd wake up you idiot and take a look at what is really happening to our once beautiful park and beach. You sure have your head buried in the sand." signed Anonymous.
No wonder the writer wouldn't put a name to a note such as this, btw calling me out as an idiot won't work, I'm inured to the remark, and if I am burying my head in the sand it won't be the sand in front of the correspondents' house - it's full of diapers and feces (or so I am told)! But, if anonymous has time to sit on a property and watch such disgusting behaviour why didn't he/she grab a camera and capture the evidence on tape. After all if it happens as often as described it would be a no-brainer. This tale of the buried diaper has to be tracked down - truth or Urban Myth? Perhaps a phone call to the Parks Department on a Monday would determine the number of diapers that jammed up the beach sweeper. Were there any diapers discovered during the Sand-Castle competition? If there were nobody is talking, perhaps on the orders of the Tourism Department cockahoop with success from its viral marketing campaign bringing thousands of tourists to Town.
But back to the point, last night a delegation appeared before Council to read out the list of documented complaints and suggested that an Ad-Hoc committee be formed of Residents and Staff, and others. Well here's a suggestion for Council; put a couple of Visitors on the committee! Otherwise the committee would like a bunch of angry neighbours (just as it looks now). Now., the idiot that I am (yes I did take that insult seriously folks) happens to think that an average of up to a couple of thousand weekend visitors coming to play in Cobourg is a good thing, I also think that the facilities and the Town workers have done a good job but have been overwhelmed on a couple of occasions (The RibFest weekend for sure) and a few bad people have not been as civilised as the rest of us. After all we don't all make a habit of peeing in the bushes on Bay St. but some do - that has to be stopped and if we need more washrooms at the East End we should build them. If the garbage facilities are overflowing we should thank the visitors for bagging the garbage and put in bigger bins. How many campers at Presquile or other tourist spots take their garbage home? They don't they deposit them at the drops provided. We have to be more frequent in our pickups.

Editorial comment
And let this winter be a period of learning, I for one don't want to see any more letters written by disguised racists letting fly with idiotic opinions written in code. Cobourg is not just a haven for Memsahibs and Masters living out their retirements in a white colony, we have to share what we have with a diverse bunch of other folk. And if the lovely people who meet regularly in the Dutch Oven every morning to right the world with their views from the Right don't like this opinion then I make no appologies.

Monday Council notes on a Sunday

Cobourg Council gets back to it on Monday and nothing startling in the agenda. The only potentially contentious item is a letter from a Bay St resident who sent a letter asking that "improvements" be made to the Victoria Park "situation". There is no letter as such attached to the agenda just a table that outlines "suggestions" that would improve the area. The question is now; improvements for whom?
The list is published on the right. If taken as submitted the overall effect of banning cars from Paul Currely Way would be to impose gridlock on other streets. It should be noted that on busy weekends all the streets in Corktown and lower Cobourg, on the East side are used. So making the Bay Streeters happy would inflict pain on other householders in the area. And is it fair that the Bay Streeters would enjoy their BBQs whilst denying the same pleasure to visitors?
It would appear to the BR that this letter would only divide the community and not welcome visitors to the world they (residents) enjoy. As this letter is being referred to Staff for a report all suggestions for the improvement of the area should be included, the status quo is an option, but the suggestion about more toilet facilities is a good one. So let's have a public meeting about this and really hash it out.


click on the pic to enlarge

If you want a touchy-feely moment that really pleases (most of us; we know who don't like it!) watch the beach video again here

Hard truths for candidates

Here is a story written by the King of verbosity, throw in some pomposity and leaven with arrogance and chill with a home-spun tale of humility and we have, tadah - Rex Murphy. However in this opinion he is dead on, it foretells the trials of a candidate. If Kim Rudd thought that having to brown-nose her way into the hearts of the the local Liberal Party was deadly and tedious, wait till she tries to do it with a very cynical and unloving populace.