L E T   'E R    R I P

In other words, cheap money was a deliberate economic policy to encourage consumer indebtedness and spending, and make you forget about recession, unemployment, deficits, inflation and taxes. And it worked. We got a housing bubble. While inflation was nothing, houses increased in price by 20% and sales spiked 70%. Mortgage debt is now at a record level, household debt exceeds that in the US and incomes have flatlined. You can hear the giggles in Ottawa from here.

We’re in a jobless recovery with no income growth, rising debts, incompetent bankrupt governments, tapped-out borrowers, average houses average people can’t afford, the looming HST and a society in which the MSM, the mortgage lenders and the house-humping real estate industry willfully created buying panic. The next stop will also be no surprise: negative equity.

http://www.greaterfool.ca/2010/03/29/bingo/

The following is the link to an excellent blog which has lots of information on Canada's housing bubble.

http://canadabubble.com/

Good morning all! Another beautiful day. Wow, I can't remember a spring ever coming this early. [born here, 1952]

Look out for the POTHOLES, they are on us fast and furious. As in every other season.

$2.5 million for the Prince George Hotel??? Are these idiots on council for real? How many pothole could we fix for $2.5 million.

Better tell the people paying the F*@k!n* bill the whole story. Danny boy, that would be the tax payers...............HELLO

Maybe if we saw your plan, we could understand. Don't get in the media, and tell me you don't know where the money I pay in taxes is going! You are one pathetic MAYOR. Resign Danny Boy!

WE AS TAX PAYERS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING. WE NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME, WHERE THEY ARE GOING Danny Rogers. Get out of town Danny Boy!

It is not your "Mr. Rogers neighborhood" do you get it.

And, a Good Morning to Ben and Elaine. Thanks for this site! Happy Easter to you and your family.

Have a great day

and for all those that bitch on here about me bitching about POTHOLES, come and drive a shift with me, You will understand, if you are sober!

I drive 300 km plus every shift. Our roads are CRAP!! Their repair, should be first and foremost on the Cities spending money. All else should be secondary!

sorry, should have been "City's"

Speaking of potholes, while you are driving around town getting your car shaken to pieces please consider the following from time to time:

According to the City of Prince George's 2008 Financial Information which is posted on their web site, there are 183 employees receiving a gross pay of greater than $75,000 (for a total of approximately 16.4 million$) and 765 employees receiving a gross pay less than or equal to $75,000 (for a total of approximately 28.4 million$)

The grand total on this is 948 employees for a grand total gross pay of 44.8 million$.

Pages 9 to 14 of this report lists the names of the 183 employees who have a gross pay of greater than $75,000, what their job title is, and what their gross pay is. (32 of these employees according to my count are receiving a gross pay of over $100,000.) I do not see any RCMP on this list, so I suspect the RCMP services are covered under a separate contract.

The following is the link to this report on the City of Prince George's web site. It takes a minute or two to download, but it is definitely worth looking at. All of the above information is on pages 9-14 of the report. Remember this is all 2008 information.

PS - Thanks to Gus for finding this link and posting it on this web site a few months ago.

http://www.city.pg.bc.ca/city_services/finance/2008/statement_financial_information_2008.pdf

Happy Easter all. Say a prayer for our troops over seas....

Any Friday that you don't have to work is a good friday!

Enjoy your long weekend, kick back and relax!

To bad this Friday wasnt April 1st, we could dedicate it in the honor of our mayor. Dan April Fool Rogers.

A quick thought on Mr Rogers, I truly believe he thinks what his is doing is the best thing for the city, and that's what scares me.

With all the fun over budgets, where did the city find 2.5 million to but a hotel?

It seems everyone is making money on this project. One group recieved its purchase price back with a valuable liquor licence as a profit. One group recieved the money for the hotel and possibly a licence to operate the Caddalic. Some finincial group will probably make at least $100,000 a year for the mortgage interest on the 2.5 million.

Who pays - probably the taxpayer.

I hope the gamble is worth it. I have always been of the opinion that if the project is that good, some private individual (like the Ramada) would have complted the whole project. But then a quick in and out money making project is good.

This is probably one of those P3s Public Private Partnership. Was this deal put together before the first purcahse by the Ramada or is this a quick deal?

Frank

It is a sad world we live in when a few small apples can spoil the barrel. My wife recently transferred into Prince George with the Ambulance service and has nothing but problems with some of her co workers. Being new to Prince George you would think that people would go out of their way to help navigate around the city streets in order to maximize efficiency so they can get to patients quicker but some seem to think that this isn't the case.

Instead of working with her, they have decided to work against her putting her job in jeopardy. There is no team work at the stations in Prince George. You do your job and they will do theirs. God forbid if you need a hand or ask some questions because if you do, you are looked upon as lazy or stupid.

The BC Ambulance service in Prince George is a disgrace to the service and an embarrassment to the community.

Well I was the only one that showed up for work this morning... turns out Friday is the holiday lol.

I wonder if anyone has heard anything else about that proposed lime rock mill out Giscome. IMO that is going to be PG's biggest industrial project over the next five years and its kind of like they've gone under ground on that one information wise? I'm wondering what the hold up would be (finance, markets ect), because its a good clean green project that will bring good jobs for the long term. Projects like that can really diversify our economy in the right kind of ways.

Happy Good Friday everyone :)

I hope that the site of the PG Hotel does not become a parkade. It is too valuable to not be properly developed.

While I am not a fan of the current mayor or council, perhaps this purchase is the beginning of something better for downtown PG. This lot could be the cornerstone of a well thought-out re-development plan. I am hoping that 10 yrs from now I will look upon that purchase as the first step in re-designing the downtown core into something to be proud of (YES, YES - Rose coloured glasses).

I have always said that the best thing for downtown PG is a six square block fire, but that damn fire department is too efficient at putting out the fires that do start there, so purchase demolish, & rebuild has to be the plan.

Too bad they could not buy a few more buildings on George St between the old PG Hotel and the RDFFG offices. Offering up a few blocks for a planned development might be the answer, but unfortunately it is the up front costs that prevent this from happening

"Happy Easter all. Say a prayer for our troops over seas...."

Yes. Please say a prayer too for the three German soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan today and the five who were badly injured.

Well...

I was born in Prince George and have live here for almost 50 years. Recently after almost 2 years of trying to sell our home my wife and I were finally able to make our move south to Vernon in the Okanagan.

I still care deeply for the Prince George community and always will. You might say after all these years it's in my blood!

I return to this website everyday to catch up on things that are happening in my hometown.

The winter weather here in Vernon can be milder than in PG. Fortunately that allows for better road conditions... ie less (or no) potholes.

Having spent my entire life in PG I KNOW what "Pothole Season" means. It means a whole lot of banging and pounding on your car.

Remember those pothole that make you cringe as soon as you hit them because they were so bad? Can you recall driving through a seemlessly small puddle (not being able to "go around" it because there was someone driving in the lane beside you) only to discover that it was in fact a deep deep pothole? I remember those. As soon as you hear the sound of that horrible metal damaging, tire crushing BANG (which you can REALLY FEEL on your steering wheel) you instinctively hit the brake pedal causing any vehicles travelling behind you to suddenly slam their brakes on too.

Well we don't have that here in Vernon and remember, it's due to the milder winters. So it seems really weird for me to drive around during "Pothole season" and to not have any... potholes.

I'm loving it.

But here's the problem I have with PG.

taxinapothole reminded us in an earlier post that the city spent 2.5 million dollars to purchase the PG Hotel.

It's pretty sad when council spends THAT much money to buy a piece of property which (because they own it) will no longer generate any tax revenue when 2.5 million dollars can go a looooooooooong way to improving the condition of our roads due to potholes.

I just can't... for the life of me... figure out where councils priorities are.

How can they justify spending that amount of money when I KNOW the conditions of the roads are horrendous.

I feel for each and everyone one of you who has hit (or are going to hit) a damaging pothole.

I love PG... I really do. But this problem of excessive and damaging potholes has been around far longer than the downtown revitalization issue. And neither of them are solved.

Shame on council for continually bypassing the pothole issue each and every year. I'm so tired of their political excuses.

PG needs a new council. Remember that when it's time to vote.

When it comes to city priorities, potholes aren't even in my top 5. They may not even be in my top 10. My top 5 off of the top of my head (in no particular order):

1) Cleaning up the airshed
2) Improving downtown
3) Reducing sprawl
4) Reclaiming the riverfront for the people of PG
5) Attracting new industry

As an aside, taxinapothole weren't you moving to Calgary or Kamloops or something?

re: NMG

I'll back you on only two of your top 5. Cleaning up the airhshed and improving the downtown.

The other three are not in my top 5. I would be cautious on what you wish for because Attracting new industry could very well create more problems with the airshed.

You only have to hit a damaging pothole once to know that it should be in the top 5.

Repairing things such as your struts, tires, rims, or anything to do with the frontend can be costly. I've been there and I know people who have been there.

It's only a matter of time before it becomes one of your top 5.

Happy Easter all!! And wouldn't it be great if we were getting hit with heat that Ontario is getting! (soon enough i guess)

The axe came down,Austin RD got it, GOOD!!
Thank U Libtards.
Now were going to get this HST shoved down our throats!lie'n liberals.
Bond and Bell too,these 2 clowns get this $160,ooo a year and what do we get for our bucks,GLUB,GLUB.why not recall em..
As for improving the air shed,nope will not happen,are they going to move these Pulpmills,nope the refinery,nope!look at the traffic coming rite thru the city.Just where in the heel are they going to put a bypass,nowhere to put one in the first place.I see big rigs going down Victoria all the time,appalled that they do,should not be allowed on this roadway!
Hmmmm,improving the down town hehehehe thats funny!had a look lately!!
New industry,like.......
Yes I'm sure Rodgers is a 1 term mayor,he has already proved that.

Fascinating video footage of San Fransisco at the turn of the 18th century just before their big quake. Amazing how big and busy a city it was at the time. Wish we had something like that of Vancouver or Barkerville.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k

Cheers

Re: eagleone
It lokks just modern day PG-potholes and people driving wherever they want...LOL

To the inconsiderate people who rake their lawns out on to the streets and don't clean up. Real nice, real nice.

above post should read "it looks just like..." Too much caffeine

Happy easter everyone!

LOL, I wonder how the Popes easter is going? LOL.

Religion, isn't it wonderful. I wonder how long it takes before somebody convinces somebody that the taxpayers need to pay compensation to the abused for the years of abuse put upon them by the Catholic church?

Kuddos to the new Pine Center manager Sonya Hunt who is making some good positive changes.

Happy Easter to Ben, Elaine & Daisy. Thank you for all the hard work to put into this site.

Readers...come on spring has sprung, Easte is here and we are all lucky to live in PG Let's give our mayor a break for a change and not pick on him. he does many good things too.

Happy Easter to all.

newtechie, when I speak of industry I'm thinking more of diversification into different sectors, not more heavy industry. There will be a day in PG (within the next decade or two if I were a betting man) when the pulp mills will no longer be in operation and we'll need somthing to replace them. Hopefully something that doesn't kill us in the process.

As for potholes, I agree completely that the roads need work. I've been driving on them for years as well and have also had my fair share of yelling as I drive through some of those craters. When I sit back and look at the overall needs of the city though, I still don't see that as one of the strategic priorities we need to work on. We could have the best roads in the world, but unless we make the city an attractive place to live and do business in, it won't mean a thing.

Dragon, I agree the Pope is in the limelight, and if he wants to rescue his institution then he needs to be up front and honest about all the troubles the church is having and renew the institution getting back to what Jesus would have wanted. I don't think that will happen, because the church is caught up in the material world and has forgotten about their faith for the most part.

That said of all the abuse allegations, one has to wonder why there has never been any charges laid. Priests are not immune from the law, so one has to wonder if people have ulterior motives... otherwise why has there never been any charges laid for the allegations.

To have a New World Order you first have to get rid of the populations spiritual authority. The illuminate have been trying to destroy the church for centuries now, and have even written literature hundreds of years ago to the effect that to conquer Christiandom (Europe) they will need to infiltrate the church and undermine it from the inside. It seems to me that they were very successful and the buck stops at the Pope... all of which have been complete failures for the last 100 years at minimum.

Easter would be a good time to clean out the church and renew towards a path people can once again have faith in... IMHO

Ispy, that's a funny one. I read it right the first time and only noticed once you pointed it out... one of those weird word plays with the mind I guess.

why rescue an institution that requires its priests/leaders abstain from sex and marriage ie any semblance of normality and descriminates against womens participation in its rituals. Blow it up and forget it.

Has anyone got a parking ticket at the hospital lately? I would advise you don't, the fine is $31.80. It goes to a parking lot company in Vancouver called Imperial Parking Canada Corporation.

I'm not saying there shouldn't be a small fine for a parking violation, but $31.80, and not staying in our community. This a bunch of hogwash. I won't be paying this one. In fact. I won't be parking in OUR parking lot again.

send'em 50 bucks and forget it.

Mercenary said "The BC Ambulance service in Prince George is a disgrace to the service and an embarrassment to the community."

I have no knowledge of the situation in PG, and am sorry to hear that your wife is having difficulties with her co-workers.

I do know that the ambulance attendants in Vanderhoof are a wonderful bunch who often go far above and beyond the standards to protect not only the health of their patients, but also their mental well-being.

NMG

Okay... Now I agree with you concerning the industry you've mentioned. Thanks for the clarification.

seamutt in regards to your issue with people raking their lawns onto the street I hate that too. It blows all over the place and onto the street.

Just do what I did last year. I called city hall and they sent out the bylaw officer and it was cleaned up in no time.

Mercenary, I relate to the experience you mention; mine was much the same after moving here for a government job. Seems a few of the people here have refined workplace harassment down to a fine art with the sanction of the union representing them. It's a shame. Time to bring some accountability and deal with the disgrace of the workplace snakepits and toss out those "bad apples" you mention instead of pandering to their games.

Rumour has it we have an overabundance of "no idling signs". I heard on the radio this AM that there is a 90 minute to three hour wait at the Douglas border crossing just north of Blaine, Washington. Gimme those signs and the money fer gas and I will try my best to sell them on this joke down there. No idling? What a friggin' joke.

Here's some great news that was missed on this site recently:

-----

LOCAL RESIDENT A FINALIST FOR NATIONAL SPORTS TOURISM AWARD

Mr. Shawn Rice of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines World Baseball Challenge (Co-Chair/Marketing Director) has been named a finalist for the CANADIAN SPORT TOURISM ALLIANCE award for community service, see link below with details… WBC (event over $250,000) and Enbridge (sports sponsor) were also nominated for this national recognition, but other worthy candidates advanced to the final three, and we congratulate them.

We are very proud of Shawn's efforts, and believe he is so deserving of this recognition. Shawn and his wife Lisa will travel to Toronto for the presentation banquet, April 22. Shawn is a tireless community booster and civic-minded citizen who dedicates so much of his spare time to volunteering for community events, and has contributed significantly to the success of so many recent events in Prince George.

http://www.canadiansporttourism.com/app/DocRepository/1/SEC_2010/Press_Release_2010_CSTA_PRESTIGE_Awards_Finalists_final.pdf

Here is some of the info included in Shawn's nomination…

Shawn Rice is a peerless volunteer, on the Prince George minor hockey board, an organizer of an annual Ducks Unlimited banquet, and was vital to the success of the 2009 Enbridge World Baseball Challenge through his organizational skills and marketing efforts. He raised more than $100,000 toward the budget of $440,000 and was, without question, the most important person involved in the success of the event.

He has also given his time and marketing skills to the 2008 B.C. Seniors Games, and the 2007 RBC Royal Bank Cup, and will be part of the steering committee for the bids to host both the 2012 TELUS Cup (national midget hockey tournament) and the 2012 Baseball Canada Senior Championship.

For the World Baseball Challenge, he handled major sponsorships, organized a fund-raising silent auction, and saw all aspects to successful completion while working with a team of outstanding individuals. A selfless, tireless volunteer, he puts the community first. The World Baseball Challenge was a first-time event in Prince George that was profitable and will return in 2011, planned to be held every two years – national teams from USA, Canada, Germany and Bahamas took part in 2009 in what was Prince George’s first-ever full-fledged/sanctioned international sporting tournament.

-- Co-Chair/Marketing Director, Enbridge World Baseball Challenge

-- Vice-president, Prince George Minor Hockey Association (heads discipline committee)

-- Chapter Chair, Ducks Unlimited spring banquet fund-raiser (set for April 10)

-- Marketing, 2008 B.C. Seniors Games

-- Marketing, 2007 RBC Royal Bank Cup

-- Largely due to his efforts, the World Baseball Challenge was named the Tourism Excellence award winner at the Prince George Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence banquet, along with Newsmaker of the Year. The last three winners of the Tourism Award, Shawn has been on the committee.

Shawn works for the Ministry of Forests, and can be reached at 250-612-9856 -- also of note, he and some of his co-workers work with Colleen Fitzpatrick, the mother of Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick, and those co-workers are now working on a memorial fund program to recognize the sacrifice made by the Canadian soldier, who is being buried today in Prince George.


-----

Note: not sure how Opinion250 keeps missing great news about the World Baseball Challenge - they won two local Business Excellence awards, but were left off of Opinion250's coverage. Ben has been heard saying he doesn't play favourites on numerous occasions, so it must be a simple oversight.

Let me clarify for once and for all. I issued an invitation to one of the heads of the World Baseball Challenge to do an interview with me, which would be then carried on this site. Couldn’t get approval from his employer he said, although I don’t see how a radio interview, 0-250 and Citizen are in conflict.
I was told that an alternate would give me a call and do that interview. Still waiting by the phone several months later.
I then ran into the aforementioned person and asked why no one had gotten in touch with me so we could give world baseball a plug, “you bet. Get back to you with someone”.... Still waiting. 0-250 is supposed to, I guess sit back and wait for the releases.
If the World Baseball Challenge wants to get some ink, get in touch. I am too busy quite frankly to run over to someone’s home and pull them from it or try to babysit them through what they should do to get publicity. I try to treat everyone fairly, but there comes a point.
If you are not getting ink and a few of you make your living doing it, pick up the phone and ring us. Once more the number is 250-962-6397.

any one got any more info. on that old kal tire building? what its for who owns it .. city ? were tax dollars used in the reno .. ben maybe you could help with this one.

lets make pgara a full 2 mile track !! bring those nascar clowns here and we would all benifit !!! labour wins tourists win and we get on the map

"I'm not saying there shouldn't be a small fine for a parking violation, but $31.80, and not staying in our community. This a bunch of hogwash. I won't be paying this one. In fact. I won't be parking in OUR parking lot again."

I'm pretty sure that either ICBC will catch up to you next time you renew your insurance or the Province next time you renew your license.

dragondragon, if you are talking about the old Kal Tire building on 22nd Ave, it's the new home for our local RCMP Gang Taskforce. Join a gang and get free tours!

Pretty sure niether ICBC or your drivers licence has anything to do with Hospital parking tickets. Municipal parking tickets on the other hand I'm not sure of.

Imperial parking will get their money from you regardless of how long it takes.Every time you get a notice the fine will be increased and when you try to renew either DL or insurance you will be paying that fine before they will renew.Read the fine print!!The hospital handed over all parking lots to this company and any complaints etc you have to call the --866 or 888 number to deal with it.It is a totally separate entity from the hospital.

Go ahead and avoid paying your parking ticket - it will just get sent off to a collection agency and you can deal with it then. Heres a crazy thought... pay the $2.00 and park. Heck, as a taxi driver you can probably write off parking fees anyway, no?

Now that April Fools day is over - the School District must move forward.
At all meetings - where was Pat and Shirley? No where to be seen - these two do not care for the education of the children of Prince George- they are only concerned about their "big pensions" and "paychecks". Hope everyone will be available to sign the petition - HST - it even affects children involved in minor sports - I guess it is better to be on the streets doing vandalism than playing on the soccer field or skating on the ice- Shame on the Liberals!!!

"when you try to renew either DL or insurance you will be paying that fine before they will renew"

That happens when you have an unpaid moving violation ticket issued under the MV Act, not when one has a parking ticket within the municipality or a private parking lot.

Yeah, unpaid parking tickets might just go to a collection agency. As someone said, they'll catch up to you sooner or later.

We need to get read of the existing city councilors and mayor, what have they done for PG lately?

Also, every department in city hall does there best to make thing impossible, what is up with this, do they want people to build in PG, are they looking to get people to invest in this scum bag town.

next election we need to get read of all, and elect someone that is going to make a difference.