Random Thoughts

Just some things I thought about

DOES SPANKY NEED A NEW JOB

I am very concerned about this Province's projections about revenues and taxes. Especially about the HST. If Spanky got it this wrong here, well who knows how bad things may be at Queen's Park.

Here is what Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said a in January about the Red Bull races to justify the 2 year deal to keep them in Windsor at an increased cost of $5M per year:

• "The "Formula One of the sky" is coming back to Windsor this summer and the next.
  
  Hosting a local stopover on the Red Bull Air Race World Championship circuit doesn't come cheap -- Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said Ontario is committing up to $10 million over the coming two years to be the Canadian leg's lead sponsor. But the benefits, both immediate and potentially long-term, are huge, the Windsor-Tecumseh MPP said Friday in announcing the June 5 and 6 event.
  
  "Last year, the Windsor race attracted a viewership of over one billion people worldwide ... it's an enormous tourism marketing opportunity for this community," he said.
  
  Drawing almost 300,000 spectators to the riverfront last year, the 2010 event is anticipated to generate "hundreds of millions of dollars in spinoff benefits to the community," Duncan said in a joint announcement with fellow cabinet minister and Windsor West MPP Sandra Pupatello and Mayor Eddie Francis. "The Red Bull pours in a most immediate economic stimulus, filling up hotel rooms, filling up restaurants," said Francis.
  
  The province had to dig much deeper into its pockets -- the $5 million per year is a significant jump over last year's $3.2-million commitment."

However, here is what a recent Star story claims:

• "Windsor pumped for Red Bull Air Race
  Spinoffs galore for region
  
  The Red Bull Air Race's $24-million economic punch -- the draft beers and meals, hotel bookings, private plane landings, casino wagers and even boosted art gallery revenues -- is already being felt, nine days before the show begins...
  
  The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade estimates the event generates $24 million in revenue for the region -- tourism dollars that translate into a spinoff effect of about $100 million."

Hundreds of millions down to $24M that reaches $100M if one includes spin-offs in such a short time. Wasn't that also the Super Bowl number that never materialized!

If he can be that wrong is such a short time about this event, what else is Dwight wrong about?

OLIPHANT IN THE ROOM

A shocking report on the Mulroney affair. However, the part that interested me was this comment on the Ethics Code:

• "Upon reviewing the evidence of Mr. Mulroney's conduct and applying the ethical rules and guidelines in force at the relevant times, I find that Mr. Mulroney contravened Section 7(b) of the 1985 Ethics Code, which provides that public office holders have an obligation to act in a manner that will bear the closest public scrutiny, an obligation that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law," Oliphant said in a statement.
  
  "In my view, Canadians are entitled to expect from those who govern, particularly the holders of high office, exemplary conduct in their professional and personal lives. Further, those who are making the transition from public life to private life must live up to the standards of conduct expected of them in order to preserve the integrity of government."

Section 7 (b) says "“[P]ublic office holders have an obligation to act in a manner that will bear the closest public scrutiny, an obligation that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law.”

How does this apply in this City? It will be interesting to see what the Integrity Commish says on the complaints outstanding.

BLUE WATER BRIDGE SUPPORTS DRIC BRIDGE

Considering that it is a "Government" bridge, what else do you expect?

Considering that the Ambassador Bridge is their competitor and takes away business from them, what else do you expect?

Considering that no one has yet mentioned that the BWBA knocks down the argument about the US helping Canada during the construction of that bridge, I am surprised that they dared to write anything.

Here is their letter:

I guess that they are not concerned about security and redundancy at their twinned bridges since there is no mention of it.

They also knock out the DRIC suggestion that they will lose a lot of traffic to DRIC so the DRIC traffic numbers are even more suspect.

LESS AND LESSENBERRY

Hilarious column in the Star by Jack Lessenberry about licensing journalists. Take this comment as an example:

• "Professional journalists wisely feel that they are just like everyone else when it comes to freedom of speech: When it comes to the right to report and publish, all men are created equal.
  
  True, that can occasionally be irritating to someone like this columnist, for example, who has a master's degree in journalism and has made a living doing various forms of it for more than 30 years.
  
  Most of the time, I hope that what I do is deserving of more respect than a "journalism blog" written by a high school dropout. (Though judging from my mail, not everyone agrees.)"

I assume that this is a put-down to the rest of the world and demonstrates how good he is at journalism. However, his Master's degree and all of his experience don't help him as far as I am concerned with his border columns that I read in US publications.

But this comment interested me as well. I am sure it was meant to be funny:

• "But he also has one criteria that would eliminate virtually any real journalist from serious consideration. His bill says "in order to qualify, an applicant shall ... be of good moral character."
  
  That's the one thing of which few of us ever get accused."

IT'S A BLUE MOON

"Jones, a former firefighter, said he gave the bridge company credit for keeping security on the streets and fences in the area. But he said neighbours should still be vigilant."