Posted 7/18/2010 9:12:00 AM
This week we talked about the revelation Ida Chong, a cabinet minister making a very good salary with amazing benefits and perks, racked up $5900.00 in daily meal per diem.
That means you, the tax payer, took Ida Chong out to lunch a lot during the past year. I hope you enjoyed it.
After the story was first printed in the Times Colonist there was outrage. There were questions. And after a couple of days of the story peppering newscasts Ida Chong responded. Her response? She was entitled, as an MLA to claim 61 dollars a day for meals. Plain and simple. She was entitled to it so she took it.
Well, that argument doesn’t fly with me. In fact, it infuriates me.
As an employee at a company with a health plan I am entitled to 10 sick days every year. At least, I think it’s ten. In ...
[
Read full post ]
Posted 7/11/2010 8:51:00 AM
I was about to (gulp) praise Vancouver city council for actually doing something positive that will in actually lead to an interesting change on city streets. I am talking about the expansion of street food choices, something that has been making headlines since the idea was first floated a few weeks ago. Finally, Vancouver was going to venture beyond the hot dog stands and the ignored chestnut carts to offer people actual food choices on the street. It’s something that is hugely successful in many, many other cites.
Hundreds of applications came in from people with actual experience preparing and selling good food. They wanted a piece of this pie.
After narrowing down the applicants somewhat and getting help from the Health Authority, council chose the final 17 vendors, those granted the finite number of licenses, by picking names out of a hat.
Yes, you heard me correctly. They picked the ...
[
Read full post ]
Posted 7/4/2010 9:37:00 AM
On Sunday’s show I asked listeners to write in with recommendations for a good summer book to read. The results were varied and interesting to say the least. The following list has most of the books you suggested and a couple from me. It is not organized in any particular order. Happy Reading!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson. Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared off the secluded island owned by the powerful Vanger family. There was no corpse, no witnesses, and no evidence. But her uncle, Henrik, is convinced that she was murdered by someone from her dysfunctional family. This book is part of a trilogy and from what I hear. Once you get into it, it is difficult to put down.
Sea of Glory -- Nathaniel Philbrick. Sea of Glory explores America's voyage of discoveries between the years 1838-1842.
The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown. ...
[
Read full post ]
Posted 4/3/2010 7:10:00 AM
So did you hear the great news? The city of Vancouver is putting another 20-thousand dollars into finding housing for the homeless. The only the catch is you have to be a homeless chicken.
A report going to council recommends the city set aside 20-thousand dollars to build a facility at the Vancouver Animal Control Shelter to house seized or abandoned chickens.
After lifting the 30 year prohibition on egg farming in city yards staff at city hall have realized there will likely be problems with that plan and they need another plan to deal with all the excess chickens that will be running around when that happens.
So let me get this straight, council has to put money aside because it already knows an earlier idea, one it voted for, will fail. How does that make any sense?
Council is basically already outlining all the ways this ridiculous idea ...
[
Read full post ]
Posted 1/24/2010 8:49:00 AM
What I am about to say is going to make me sound heartless to many people but I am going to say it anyway. And then I am going to try and explain it.
I want to explain why I have not donated any money specifically to the Haiti relief effort and why I won’t be making a donation right now. Well, technically speaking I have because the Federal government has donated my money for me, but I will get to that in a minute.
Yesterday on the program we talked about how Canadians were opening their wallets to help the recovery effort in Haiti. Musicians gathered and sang and played music all to unite people and to encourage donations. And it worked. Early into the Canada for Haiti concert millions had been raised and every dollar is being matched by the Federal Government.
Every time there is a natural ...
[
Read full post ]