Happy Friday all.. Have a fun and safe weekend and enjoy the 100th grey cup :)

“Teachers and their employers will have to dig a little deeper next year to shore up the educators’ pension plan.

Longer life expectancies and tough economic conditions were among the factors cited by the B.C. Teachers’ Pension Plan for its decision to increase contribution rates, according to a letter received by the Okanagan Skaha School District board at its meeting last week.

The 1.3 per cent hike for both members and employers will cost the district an extra $50,000 a year, effective July 2013, according to secretary-treasurer Ron Shongrunden.”

http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/179171471.html

I was going to watch our local news, CKPG, but it was pre-empted for an American football game. What gives? Not only was CKPG pre-empted, so was CFJC in Kamloops.

Isn’t it beautiful out there with al the white stuff blanketing everything??

Noticed yesterday afternoon the City was plowing the streets around Ft George Park. Roads were fine as it was for most of the previous snow was gone. Maybe the guys were just trying to look busy….ahhahah Also noticed, the City didn’t sweep up the leaves this Fall around that area like they normally do every year. How much of a savings was that??

I’ve lived in Prince George only a few months. I’ve been able to find all the big box stores, but I haven’t been able to find a nice looking nativity scene for my home this Christmas. Perhaps a smaller store is where I should be looking but I don’t know how to go about finding these stores. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Shame on the big box stores.

Smuggles try JR Springer 4th Ave, Kings books and company 6th Ave,or one of the other small shops downtown.

Has anyone been to the new Burger King Developement? Have a look at the curb work around the parking islands. How can that work be accepted?

they should expand 5th, 15th, and Queensway to six lanes that way you can store snow on the inside lanes all winter and still have 4 lanes of traffic

doogood,

it appears Burger King used a set of plans from a firm in Vancouver which sees mainly small cars and no snow plows on their lot. They will regret it soon enough.

Doogood. Thank you for the suggestions. I will do that today when I am out and about. Thank goodness I have my gps.
cheers

Albus, yes PG is cursed when it come to big city engineers designing northern bc parking lots. However the workmanship on the concrete islands looks like the ocean. Maybe the big city engineers don’t use string or levels.

Ave Marie usually has nativity scenes

Smuggles, try the flea market on 5th (I think) down near the Ramada. They actually have some really nice new handicrafts and I saw a nativity scene when I was there recently. That place is a shopper’s paradise and I only heard about it recently.

The Kelly Road Craft Fair is on this weekend and I’m pretty sure you’ll find what you’re looking for there smuggles!

Smuggles, try the flea market on 5th (I think) down near the Ramada. They actually have some really nice new handicrafts and I saw a nativity scene when I was there recently. That place is a shopper’s paradise and I only heard about it recently.

Wow. Thanks for all the suggestions. I don’t feel so disheartened now.

Charles, what do pension plans like the BCTF have, as well as even the Canada Pension Plan, which all working people contribute to, DO with all the money they take in in contributions to them?

Invest it, no?

But now they’re all telling us that “,,,because of tough economic times” these investments aren’t paying off as expected. And so they have to raise their contribution rates. So that they can invest ‘more’, perhaps, in things that aren’t paying off now?

Or maybe just use those additional contributions to continue to make the payouts they’re committed to make to retirees, but are now finding themselves a little short of cash to do?

Now I don’t know if this has ever occurred to you, Charles, and I somehow doubt that it ever has, but EVERY dollar that is contributed to ANY pension plan, public or private, is a dollar that has already been ‘costed’ into the price of some good or service for sale in the economy.

And the removal of that dollar by the pension plan from your ability to spend it, and its diversion into an ‘investment’, creates ANOTHER ‘cost’. One that will have to be recovered in ‘price’, at some future point in time, (or the investment can never really ‘pay off’), while its investment has just left the good or service it was originally ‘costed’ into incapable of being sold.

Unless, of course, ANOTHER dollar is “borrowed”, or really, created as another debt, (because virtually ALL dollars ARE created as debts when they are lent , or spent, into existence by their creators ~ the Banks).

Now when we look at this a little further, and examine the overall nature of what most dollars are invested into, I’m quite sure we’ll find they are invested largely into things which are designed to ‘increase productivity’. To get more output, of something, from less direct labour input. Very laudable. Who doesn’t want to see increases in efficiency, and the possibility of lower prices as a result? And sometimes, for awhile at least, for some things, that possibility even seems to be realised.

But when we look around us, at the ‘big picture’, and see, for instance, the difference in the number of workers in a modern auto plant compared to the number employed in old Henry Ford’s day, how come the price of a modern Ford, is about 50 to 100 times the price of a Model T?

Now someone might say, well, that’s easy, just look at the wages an auto worker gets today. They might be 50 to 100 times more, too, so everything balances out. Only HOW MANY workers were employed then? Versus HOW MANY are employed now?

They’ve been replaced by ‘machines’. But ‘machines’ DON’T BUY CARS. Only ‘people’ do that, when they SPEND THEIR INCOMES. The ones they don’t have any more. Not proportional to what’s been ‘costed’ into the price of those cars. The incomes those pension plan payments were taken from, and ‘invested’.

But how can those investments EVER ‘pay off’ when they’ve displaced the incomes the spending comes from for them to pay off? Is it any wonder consumers, on average, are now 163% of their remaining disposable incomes in debt? Is it any wonder that unless this figure INCREASES the economy will continue to face “tough times”? And what will we do to cure that, take still MORE of the incomes left and divert that into pension plans, too? Do the math sometime, Charles, and don’t be gulled by the spurious notion that if we imposed ‘austerity’ all will come right.

Okay, kids, it’s winter out there!! All season tires are only good if you live in Florida–Quit puttin your foot to the floor, at intersections. All you do is polish the ice, and maybe throw rocks at the guy behind you! I have studded winters on, but still have to look out for you goofs! I don’t need hit, cause you have no control of your car! Been there before!!!

I think it was a good idea to import low-wage foreign scabs to work in that new mine up north. Why should we pay decent wages to Canadians who would live in our communities, spending their money and rearing their families in British Columbia?
While we are “outsourcing” jobs, let’s go on and find a cheap foreign replacement for our do-nothing Member of Parliament, Dick Harris. He is just marking time until a lucrative retirement anyway. One does not need English or French to fulfill that requirement.
And, could a foreign mayor do more damage than our own Shari Green?

Has anyone been able to access the classified page? Seems like it’s been down since Sept.

Tired: “Has anyone been able to access the classified page? Seems like it’s been down since Sept.”

Just go straight to kijiji.ca

I would like people to realize that ‘all season’ tires are only good in Florida!!!
You sit at a light and spin your tires, throwing rocks behind you, and polishing the road. You can’t stop in time coming from behind. I don’t need rearended because you’re too cheap to buy winter tires. I drive studded winters and still need eyes in the back of my head to watch for idiots that don’t know how to drive in snow. Get REAL TIRES!!and learn to slow down.

Less then 1 month (29 days)
till the end of the World as we know it.
Dec.21/2012

Wank!wank!wank! Blah!blah!blah! Snivel!snivel!snivel!
Ahhhhhhh! That is better.

**The history of liberty is the history of resistance. The history of liberty is a history of the limitation of governmental power, not the increase of it.** Woodrow Wilson September 9,1912.

We should probably reflect on this quote when we think of the different levels of Government and Government entities that are kicking the s..t out of us.

As we (like Rip Van Winkle) sleep through our lives, the various levels of Government are taking away our liberties, and our money. BC Hydro, ICBC, BC Ferries, Worksafe BC. UIC, and other entities, along with the Federal, Provincial., and Municipal Governments rule us with an iron fist, and use every rule, regulation, and law on the books to maintain their coveted positions

Meanwhile regular citizens are being pushed to the wall, and are being forced to pay huge taxes and fee’s to support those on top, who even on an exceptionally good day, dont earn a third or what they are paid.

Have a nice day.

Winter driving is attitude. There are morons driving 4+4’s of all types thinking they are invincible in winter roads. I also have seen the same attitude in those with winter tires.

Disclaimer, I have driven interior winter roads in all conditions for over 40 years and have never had an accident that was my fault. A good portion of that was in evil 4+4 trucks.

Latest Angus Reid poll..

http://www.angus-reid.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2012.11.23_Politics_BC.pdf

On Vancouver is;and..

NDP..62%…Fiberals…21%..a 41% percentage point lead.

In the North..

NDP..52%…Fiberals..21%..A 31% percentage point lead..

The gender gap…

Female voters reject Christy Clark..

Female voters..

NDP..49%….Fiberals..24%…A 25% percentage point lead..

The only demographic that the Fiberals lead on..

The rich!..

Those who earn well over $100k per year…

Fiberals..47%…NDP…34%..

I guess Christy Clark better start hiring more of her friends!

Cheers

Well, that about puts an end to the Free for All. Too much scrolling ahead.

Could anyone tell me what they are doing?? with the work that is being done on Hwy 16 West just past Domano/Tyner Blvd.

Here is an interesting read on the costs of gasoline. Check the price for western Canada.

“Brent crude was trading for $113.36 US per barrel on Friday, while WTI was changing hands for much less, $88.21 per barrel. Western Canada Select, meanwhile, is going for $59.21 US per barrel”

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/11/23/gasoline-oil.html?cmp=rss

Happy – pretty sure they’re installing much needed lampposts.

Where, oh where, is Gus? Hope he’s okay.
Have a happy, SAFE weekend everyone!

Great link seamutt. That led me to another one here :
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/04/20/oil-refining-canada.html

The two together gave me a much clearer understanding of the reasons why Alberta bitumen is considerably cheaper – refineries will pay less because more costly to refine and more difficult to access since it is further from water transportation which is still the cheapest for of transport.

Seems with many refineries sitting idle in the Gulf of Mexico region, sending oil there for refining is a reasonable approach. I think refining at home might be even more reasonable even though it states a new refinery would be around $7billion.

The Brent price has separated from the Texas price just in the last two years. Those conditions may not last.

Seems to me the whole thing is very risky when looking 5 years, 10 years, 25 years down the road. It looks like there will be more oil in the mid term primarily due to new techniques of accessing the source. That is not only true for Canada and the USA, but for the rest of the world as well. So who will have the cheaper oil once that equilibrium changes is probably anyone’s guess.

Hey … LOL….

Am south of the border enjoying no snow, second Thanksgiving, filling up gas tank for around $45 instead of $60+ (eart your heart out you posters from Alberta … LOL), cheese, butter milk for 50% less than in PG, fresh mussels, and wonderful little communities with tons of heritage and pride in their heritage ….

…. and USA border crossing agents who ask tons of stupid questions ….

Oh … and drivers who move to the right lane after they finished passing ….

So the Fiberals got caught with their hands in the PWB cookie jar! Does that mean PWB has to pay their fair share of taxes; or that all the other breweries get a refund???

BTW, even with those low prices for both natural gas and oil production, the kind of money flowing in oil related consulting and field worker businesses compared to similar companies working in the forest industry borders on the criminal.

can you petition to get rid of a mayor

Still stewing….didn’t think it could get any worse of a kick in the teeth to citizens with regards to the PG China Syndrome – until it was shared that the CEO of IPG was joining the parade on my dime.

Aaah well.

On the flip side, the sun is shining and looking forward to BBQ tonight with the kids and the extras. Have a good weekend everyone…back to work Sunday and the next six days 12hr days, for me, as I have rich people to support.

HappyInMyWorld …. “can you petition to get rid of a mayor”

Sure …. one can conduct petitions about almost anything that is not asking for some that is illegal. The question is what is the best way to do it and to whom to send the petition.

Could we get a few mayors from BC, especially those on the Coast, to tour parts of Alberta closely associated with the home base of the Enbridge Gateway project.

Basically tell them how BC and even Canada is about to get screwed …..

That might not do much, just as the Alberta mayors visit likely has a more negative result than they believe. Maybe we need a sister city in Alberta’s oil sands country so that we learn a bit more about the cultural differences among Canada’s regions rather than worrying about China relations.

Get rid of Mayor??? Nawwww Just marry her off.. She has too much free time to think now :)

Regarding the sustainability of pension plans, it strikes me that there are potential solutions:

1) Reduce the annual payment to the pension recipients as they age.
2) Include a cap in the plan that restricts the annual payment to a maximum amount, regardless of what the person’s income was while they were contributing to the plan.

The logic for the first is that a person’s income requirement as they age likely decreases. Debts are paid off, the need to invest goes down, living costs are reduced, etc.

The logic for the second is that there could be a point where one’s annual pension income is beyond what is reasonably required to provide an income source in their retirement years. I’m not sure what that cutoff would be, but there has to a be point that would provide adequate income without resulting in the pensioner having excess money that is effectively an “unrequited” draw on the pension fund.

Doing this may require some actuarial magic, but I suspect it’s possible. It’s probably not too popular for people in the plan, but it would be better than a plan that is defunct.

NMG…..this sounds like a perfect plan for politicians golden pension plans.

NMG …..

I have a better idea …. get the state to take over 70% of the oil industry as they have done in Norway and top up the pension plan by say $1 trillion to start with and give people enough money to have at least as good a lifestyle as they had in the last 20 years of their earning life.

AND, pay higher taxes to even out the peaks and valleys of lifetime annual incomes from low during the teen/twen years when getting an education and travelling …..

We are talking about “planning and manipulating people’s income and lifestyle …. if we get into that then I say set your gals higher rather than lower.

Remember, peoiple who are no longer working have a ton of time. If they have no incentive to live anymore, they will die sooner.

If that is the plan, then let people smoke, eat like gluttons, and forget about participaction-like programs and we will reduce the longevity.

I mean, who wants to live in a 450 square foot bachelor pad with hospital-like corridors having to rely on the attendant to drive you to a store to buy some depends with government coupons limiting the quantity to two a day ….

;-)

I have no objection to that model at all gus. Technically speaking, I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be possible. You just need someone with enough vision to do it. You also need someone with tremendous courage. After all, they would be pissing off ALLOT of people who don’t need to worry about things like pension plans and retirement incomes.

I fear that doing things for the higher good is officially extinct in our society. It’s too bad, because there is nothing stopping us from being able to do it if the will was there.

Does anyone know why gas pumps have a $100 limit? It’s a pain having to entr two transactions to fill the truck, especially when it -30 with windchill and snow is blowing all over.

Lou you got the date wrong. Its December 23rd when the US Federal Reserve 99 year charter expires. They brought it in during a holiday when most politicians were at home with their families and so it will as of now expire in the same fashion… unless Barak (bankster minion) Obama has plans he hasn’t shared with the world yet.

US Code, Title 12, Chapter 3, Subchapter IX, Section 341

General Enumeration of Powers

Upon the filing of the organization certificate with the Comptroller of the Currency a Federal reserve bank shall become a body corporate and as such, and in the name designated in such organization certificate, shall have power—

First. To adopt and use a corporate seal.

Second. To have succession after February 25, 1927, until dissolved by Act of Congress or until forfeiture of franchise for violation of law.
Any good law which expects the normal condition to be continuation of an entity or condition provides for dissolution to require an action by the party which gives the authority for the entity or condition. To do otherwise would not be practicing due diligence.
—————–

Aren’t those conspiracy theorists a hoot and a half??? … LOL

A comment made on another news site regarding Caribou and the proposed Enbridge pipeline.
Seems our own BC Liberal govt forgot to table some important info.

“British Columbia taxpayer-funded scientists, our own scientists, produced reports about caribou and risks to wildlife, their information was not admitted as evidence by the B.C. government,” Fleming said. “It was admitted by a third party organization, credit to them, but that’s how the depth of ineptitude of the B.C. Liberals, that’s how far it goes.”

Here is a joke costing us a huge amount of money. We pay a carbon tax on an unproven science which is discredited more and more each day. At the same time shipping c02 producing coal and oil to China. What a costly joke.

So why are we charged a carbon tax?

to HappyInMyWorld;

I believe they are installing light standards.

If so, it would be great as that is a dark stretch of highway.

Jim: “Does anyone know why gas pumps have a $100 limit? It’s a pain having to entr two transactions to fill the truck, especially when it -30 with windchill and snow is blowing all over. “

Which gas pumps do you use? I have never seen such a limit.

Esso and Shell stations for two.

If you use a credit or debit card to buy gasoline then, before you can start pumping, a hold is put on the card which sets the limit. That limit may have been $100 in your case, Jim. I have seen limits as high as $140.

Some pumps are now programmed to ask whether you wish to fill up, in which case the holds/limits are set automatically. They also have several fixed options or “other”, in which case I presume it will go as high as you set it. If you pump less, then you only get charged for the amount you pump. However, the difference between the actual amount pumped and the amount held could be more than you bargained for.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/aboutus/mission/viewpoint/as-if-gas-didnt-cost-enough/overview/gas-didnt-cost-enough-ov.htm

11:06 pm and the 250 weather box say’s it’s sunny out. All is well.

I think every gas pump I’ve been to, where you pre-pay at the pump, has had a $100 limit, whether you use credit card or debit.

I’ve never seen $140 limit in BC. We should be able to fill our tanks with one transaction….with fuel prices projected to hit $1.40L by next summer I’ll have to do three transactions to fill up. It’s bogus.