Birdy

Send me on my Way - Rusted Root Cleaning Windows - Van Morrison

Hear hear brother. I feel almost anti-union for life because of what I've seen go down in this town. Ever talk to Archie about his time at Navi as a janitor raking in $30+ an hour sitting up in the lunch room with the dudes smoking doobies and playing euchre? Fuk. I look at Buzz Hargrove and my jadedness sees nothing but evil horns. It's hard for me to sympathize with unions because I see all of the things that non-unionized people are forced to put up with all the time just to keep their jobs. Like for instance, my work, who by no means is threatened by potential closings, cheap competition, etc. has stopped paying out overtime now as well. A lot of people here (especially those who work in our graphics dept producing catalogues and pulling 20 hour shifts to meet deadlines) worked overtime no problem because of the money. Now they're forced to not talk any money for that work, and instead get time in lieu. I'm a manager myself so I never qualified for overtime or time in lieu, yet am still expected to work the overtime. I work about 20 weekends a year at auctions, plus countless overtime hours in between and never see one penny. But in a way, I figure I'm super lucky to have a job in the first place, as many don't. That's my problem with unions-- they seemingly demand quite often (and sometimes rightly so), but I never hear a peep from them about just being thankful to have a job. Times are tough and cutbacks are happening. It could be way worse. You could simply have no job at all.

Better one? Isn't this kinda assuming everyone who can't afford this smokes?

Allison, I hear what you are saying, but my point was directly in response to this. Nothing more and nothing less than the idea of job loss. For what it's worth, I actually don't know much about the city of Ottawa's budget and/or services and never claimed to. I've been watching my own municipal council lately like a hawk as they continually f up any sort of arts and culture project put forth by my municipality and I find it frustrating. Out of all of our councilors, there's only one that I can say without a doubt is a supporter of A&C and she's got a tough job going up against the boneheads who sit next to her. We also have a very large theatre project underway who just got a huge grant from the municipality, and so now little to no funding exists for all of the smaller projects, which is super sad. But in it being super sad, I'm also very glad the theatre got the money. I can't support the idea though that 'arts and culture' should never be cut, because sometimes, as nasty, dirty and unpopular as they are, cuts are necessary (which is why I asked about basic services in my original post). In an ideal world, I'd love to give money to every little theatre group, folk musician and struggling artist out there, for sure. But if plows aren't plowing roads and streets, buses are on strike, water is backing up in sewers, drinking water is unsafe, I still think that should take precedence. A&C is big time important, I know that full-well living in a municipality that struggles every day trying to convey that message to it's council. But there's a lot of important things. If people care so much (and I do) throw a benefit show and raise some money for these small groups that we advocate. I'm doing it.

I was replying to Allison about the jobs AD. And how is it apples and oranges when both supply jobs and both ask for government funding?

Perhaps a bit of the problem is that people who work in some other sectors don't get government funding to keep their jobs afloat, whereas those in A&C do? Is it fair to say that some of the people who mention A&C should get government funding because people work in A&C are the same people who in the next breath say the auto-sector shouldn't get a government bailout? I remember when I first moved out to Vancouver, I literally had absolutely nothing other than a toaster, a futon on the ground and a tv with no cable. All given to me. I spent all of the money I moved out there with on first and last months rent. I must have read the same book about King Arthur 30 times by the light of the fuzz on the tv. I counted pennies to buy jam and bread and lived off toast for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A month later I found a job, and then I went to a bargain store and bought myself pots and pans. I had to call in 'can't afford to take the bus to work today' numerous times. At one point, my mom deposited $100 in my bank account and I bawled my eyes out. Your drink comment could be offensive.

just referencing something said above. well, you agree that job loss sucks, that some people might be pissed about the tax hike, and i hope you can see how unions have been failing across north america, so yah... while you don't speak for everyone, you support something that will affect everyone, and quite possibly, fuck some of that 'everyone' over. i'll read up on it, you have me there.

and our jobs? and shitty demands from bosses like the one mentioned over in the OC transport thread? a near 5% tax increase isn't such a small tax increase when you lose your job and your investments. i don't mean to sound like i'm not a supporter of arts and culture. i'm just saying that times are pretty tough. if a 5% tax increase were to go down in Chatham, a lot of people would be pretty f'ed. it's peanuts to those who are happily employed, but increasing numbers of people aren't so happily employed anymore. and if your council is in a position that it needs to hike taxes 5% to fund arts and culture, how much are they going to have to hike them even more to support infrastructure spending? i see the benefits you talk of and agree with them, but i also think that there are limits to what can be done within any given point. it's a nice thought to be able to carpool and potluck, but it's a bit optimistic too in that you have somewhere to carpool to, and food to potluck with.

No sad faces! This online forum stuff can be pretty limiting at times. If you're not using a winky face or a smiley face or a sad face, your intent can easily be misinterpreted. Especially in a place like a politics forum, where people can be seriously offended, pissed off, or gleeful all in the same thread. It gets confusing.

Knew you'd come around. haha Really though, this isn't staying the course. Staying the course would be not doing anything differently, at all.

Well, we'll see what happens with this whole recession/depression thing. Because if people don't have jobs and can't afford things, your city will be soulless with or without such 'miniscule' arts funding. It's not just spiffy sewers though. It's ensuring public transportation costs are kept down, ensuring clean water supplies, delivering emergency services... all pretty important things that I think most would allow to take precedence over funding arts and culture. Shitty situation, I agree. But the whole world is in a shitty situation right now.

ever check out this blog TB? http://www.thelondonfog.blogspot.com/ I'm not so sure if you'll agree with the root of it's politics, but i'm sure you'll find common ground in the ridiculousness that is your town at times.

Thanks, but I was actually wondering if you guys were lacking any basic services.

Was that even a complaint?

No as i'd probably figure Ottawa would continue to do AOK with or without this particular festival with regards to tourism, and I'd question why the city council would consider this more important than basic services during trying economic times.

I always wanted a dollhouse as a little girl. Not those fisher-pricey jumbo doll house things, but the real Victorian-type dollhouses. There's a store in Port Stanley that sells them. http://www.grandpasdollhouse.com/

I don't know much about the city of Ottawa, but are you guys hurting for basic services? Like, is your council not approving monies for things like recycling programs, waste removal, sewer repairs, infrastructure and instead supporting arts festivals? If that were the case, I too would have a reason to bitch about a tax hike aimed at saving an arts festival. I'd then go on to look at how many people attend said festival and what the population of the city of Ottawa is.

Could that be an oxymoron?

I'm thinking Conservative majority.

maybe you.... i just know where this is all going.

Books and arts and crafts stuff there Davies. I'm assuming you've already hooked her up with all the little kid musical instruments that are out there. Get her glittery glue, crayons, markers, finger paints, pom poms, pipe cleaners, stars, circles, squares, construction paper, zig zag scissors. Put it all in a colourful tupperware and then get an easel and big sheets of paper that she create stuff on/with.

Me either really. Maybe because we all know where we're headed now.

That's a very self-sacrificing move.

Hmmm... Quebec elects Jean Charest with a slim majority and the lowest voter turnout in decades, at 54%. I would have thought we'd see a higher voter turnout than that.

I wasn't being serious about the Bloc.