Big Wooly Mammoth

social security is in fine shape. debt is not inherently bad. and there are times when it is a very good thing. like when you are in a recession. the time to cut back on spending is when you are in a period of growth. the countries in europe that are continuing to do badly are the ones like ireland that made big spending cuts. and don't be fooled to think that there was a proper stimulus in the U.S. it was mostly offset by cuts at the state and municipal levels. it's not that stimulus didn't work - the problems is that there wasn't any significant stimulus spending.

that all being said, both parties are to the right of centre. both work for wall street. but there is still a significant difference between the two. there is no doubt of that. Obama has been a huge disappointment, but if you think dubya was bad, the tea party GOP will make you look back fondly on those days.

unless you are a libertarian ayn rand follower. but these guys are not true libertarians either.

>>the wealthy are not afraid to be very vocal and put their support / money where their mouth is

not all the wealthy - the power hungry selfish wealthy - like the kochs, and the adelsons. folks like buffet and gates actually care about others and realize that they have enough for many lifetimes. it is the others though - from the ayn rand school of selfish objectivism. those who believe that altruism is evil. and that includes the VP candidate paul ryan. these people believe in social darwinsim. that they are better than everybody else.

this will be a very close one. and obama (actually the citizens of the united states) will be very lucky to win. the majority of the country are red states. there are a few swing states, and it will depend upon who gets their people to come out and vote. and that is why mittens chose paul - to excite the base and get them out on voting day. Obama's team is going to have to work damn hard to get their supporters out there on election day. they will not be coming out in the #s that they did last time around. he has screwed things up too badly by giving in too much to the repugs. the man is not the great left hope. he is a right of centre politician (fuck - he is pobably to the right of nixon). but still much better than mittens and the repugs, who if elected will send that country down a scary path of ever-increasing inequalities and such. and never mind another scalia type on the supreme court, which has already lost all sense of objectivity and non-partisanship.

the U.S. is a country of uneducated ignorant morons, in general. that's the only way to explain the fact that romney even has a chance. how else can you explain people being against being given health insurance. it is just absurd that poor uninsured folks think that this is a bad thing.

I lived in nebraska for a few years. and that is the real america. and it is a scary place. AD is correct in his assessment. and the scary thing is that he is describing most of the country.

this election will be about sound bites and lies. and that's where the repugs have the advantage.

this is going to be a very close one. and i'm not at all convinced that Obama will win it.

Amy Helm is definitely worth seeing. I wonder if it is it just her solo? Her band, Olabelle are excellent. Check out the American Beauty Project from a few years ago.

actually that could be pretty cool.

check out what he's been doing recently:

http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/

and he's got a pretty good catalog of music to choose from.

There's that little bookstore next door to the Bytowne Theatre.

streaming here:

We had a chance to change the voting laws during the 2008 election (I believe it was this fed election), but people seemed not to see or understand what the box meant on the ballot.

It was the 2009 Ontario election when the question about proportional representation was on the ballot.

The City of Ottawa has reached an agreement in principle with a private sector proponent for the Ottawa Stadium that will be recommended to the City’s Finance and Economic Development Committee in a report to be issued later today.

On November 9, 2011, staff presented a report to City Council outlining the process to issue a Request for Offers (RFO) to lease the Ottawa Stadium for long-term baseball use. With Council’s approval, an RFO was issued on November 15, 2011 and closed on December 12, 2011.

The City’s desired outcome for this “best offers to lease†process was to secure a long-term tenant for the baseball field with a valid business plan involving a professional or semi-professional baseball franchise, subsequently minimizing the City’s financial resources directed to the stadium facility. A Fairness Commissioner was retained to ensure the openness, transparency, impartiality and objectivity of the process.

Staff today tabled a report with the results of the RFO process, which recommends that the City negotiate a long-term lease for the use of the stadium with Beacon Sports Capital Partners as the authorized representative for a stipulated professional baseball franchise that is a member of the AA Eastern League of Minor League Baseball. This could potentially mean the return of AA baseball to Ottawa as early as the spring of 2013.

“This is an important milestone towards bringing professional baseball back to the City of Ottawa for the enjoyment of all residents,†said Mayor Jim Watson. “Returning pro ball to Ottawa, will allow the City to preserve this important purpose-built facility, maximize the use of an existing City asset and provide an additional recreation venue for our residents. It also permits us to minimize the City’s financial resources being directed to the facility over the long-term.â€

In the proposed deal, Beacon Sports proposes a 10-year lease term with two five-year extension options for an AA member club of the Eastern League Minor League Baseball to play at the Ottawa Stadium The governance rules of the Eastern League preclude the acknowledgment of a specific franchise and potential Major League affiliation until approvals for the relocation and designation have been sought and secured.

Beacon Sports is proposing to invest approximately $2,000,000 into the facility for player development improvements and would also lease a new scoreboard that is estimated to cost an additional $1,000,000. In addition, both Beacon and the City would invest equally towards a lifecycle reserve fund.

Prior to the spring of 2013, the City would need to invest approximately $2,700,000 for various deferred lifecycle improvements to the stadium as well as $3,000,000 for various improvements to meet Minor League Baseball standards.

The City has secured an increase in base rent from $108,000 to $257,000 per annum for the initial 10-year term and for the first five-year extension option. This level of rent represents a 240-per-cent annual increase and will contribute significantly towards recovering various start-up costs in order to prepare the stadium for the spring of 2013.

In total, the City will invest $5.7 in capital cost and Beacon Sports will invest $5,500,000 so that baseball can begin at the Stadium in 2013.

Mayor Watson also wishes to commend Councillors Peter Clark, the ward councillor for the facility, as well as Councillors Rick Chiarelli and Bob Monette, for their hard work over the past six months in helping to move this development forward.

“This has been a real team effort involving my Council colleagues,†said Mayor Watson. “The City remains cautiously optimistic that we will be able to secure a major league affiliation – the final major hurdle in bringing baseball back to the City.â€

“This is an important facility for the residents of Rideau-Rockcliffe and for residents across the City,†said Councillor Peter Clark.†If there is a cost-effective way to preserve the Ottawa Stadium for its original purpose, then of course I will be supporting the staff report.â€

“I am pleased to see that City staff is recommending that the City move to finalize an agreement for the long-term use of the baseball stadium,†said Orleans Ward Councillor Bob Monette. “I have always argued that this exceptional City asset should not be demolished and that the City should do what it can, within a responsible fiscal framework, to bring pro baseball back to the Nation’s Capital. I will continue to work with the Mayor and my Council colleagues on the important next steps that remain to make this project a reality.â€

College Ward Councillor Rick Chiarelli, a long-time proponent of baseball in Ottawa, is also delighted to hear that staff will be recommending a long-term lease to Council. “I will continue to be involved in these efforts and also will be voting to maintain the stadium’s original purpose,†he said. “This agreement is more desirable than mothballing this valuable public facility. I am convinced that a new team, under solid management, could market pro baseball as an exciting form of family entertainment for the residents of Ottawa. I also support the decision to protect an important asset in which the people of Ottawa have invested $17 million to build and will continue to have to invest in lifecycle to maintain the stadium over the lifetime of the facility.â€

The report will be considered by the Finance and Economic Development Committee on February 16, 2012, and by City Council on February 22, 2012.

-30-

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2012/02/09/its-official-ottawa-double-a-baseball-deal-confirmed/

would be nice to see a Blue Jays farm team in Ottawa.

i grabbed myself a 14.95 ticket from FNAC this afternoon. Carrefour wasn't offering the flash vente any more. looking forward to seeing y'all.

...and the advertised price in France is the actual price you pay. no service charges added. which is nice. same with internet/cable/phone companies.

looking forward to a local moe. show. And will be cool to see some friendly faces. This topic reminded me that I still need to get my ticket for the Paris show. And they just happen to be on sale for some reason. Regular price is €24.90, but they are currently on sale for €14.90. In France you can buy tix from a number of places such as FNAC (a book, electronics store) and Carrefour (a supermarket chain) on-line or in person. I'm gonna order myself a ticket and pick up an actual hard ticket at one of the store outlets (likely at the Carrefour down the street from my apartment).

Let me know know if you want me to grab you tickets while they are on sale - no idea how long it's gonna last. Would be happy to grab some for you, and meet you pre-show.

http://www.fnacspectacles.com/place-spectacle/manifestation/Pop-rock-Folk-MOE--BP203.htm

http://www.spectacles.carrefour.fr/billets-spectacles/manifestation/seance/0/BP203.htm?parse=true&direct=1&frompage=BP203

problem is that you need to watch The Donald - I can't stand the guy. not that I ever liked him, but I like him even less after his foray into the political spectrum. I'd probably end up watching some of this while flipping channels if I was living in Ottawa - kind of like watching car crash.

nice that it's starting at a decent time for those in the Eastern time zone. Doesn't help those of us living in Europe. 2AM is a little late for me. too bad they don't archive these shows.

heynow and seejay were looking for tix I think...

ignore that. just got an email. they've changed plans...and I'm kind of to far away to be going...

heynow and seejay were looking for tix I think...

you can listen to a new song here. I've tried to embed the link but it won't work.

I just DLd it myself yesterday. very easy to use.

Kevin is a big Genesis and Musical Box fan - so that makes sense...

David Barbe played bass in Sugar. And he has worked with John Keane (possibly regularly at Keane studios). was the engineer on some Panic albums.

and they are at the Bus Palladium in Paris a couple of weeks later. woo hoo.

sounds like a tough gig

We are, once again, looking for a home for the kitties. Things are not working out very well in their current home. Althea has started to scratch the new carpet and a couch. We never had issues with her before, and I'm not sure if she has stopped yet, or not. But it's brand new house and the people are kind of concerned (it's their first house). Perhaps Althea is/was anxious as a result of the move. (This will really help us find another home for them!)

Now to make matters worse, One of the people has discovered that they are allergic to the cats.

So...if anybody knows anybody that would like to provide a home for these two (up until recently) well-behaved sister kitties let me know.

merci.