Are you at a loss what to do for this the Victoria Day Holiday ?

 

Fireworks

Look no further they are a number of fun things to do this Victoria Day Holiday long weekend ,they can cost you little or next to nothing. Click this link and enjoy the weekend stay safe have fun….

Rob Paterson ..

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing one and all a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year

May  2009 bring everyone what your heart desires.

Rob

Canadian Politics

The events of the past week a prorogue of the parliament, coalition of the unlikely, and now leader by default what’s next.

Well let me tell you Bob Rae did the right thing stepping out of the race for Interim and the Leadership of the Liberal party.  There are too many people who still hold a grudge back to the rae days of the late 90’s even though that strategy saved alot of those affected there lively hoods.

Michael Ignatieff is the perfect person to guide the Liberal Party through the time they need to rebuild in opposition my guess this will be another 5 years remember the last oppostion stint Mulroney ran the country for 8yrs it seems the Conservatives when they obtain power every 15-20 years lately the party can only hold it for a relatively short period of time .

Ignatieff will never be Prime Minister he will only hold the fort for the upcoming leader that will eventually lead the Liberals back to majority power i am referring to Kennedy and of course Trudeau a very familiar name that will resonate throughout Canada in say 5 years or 2014.

As is stands right now the Liberals are poised for defeat with either Bob or Micheal as leader there are as many people who will not vote for Bob  Rae in Ontario as there would be people who could not consider voting for Micheal Ignatieff either way being Liberal leader right now is a losing proposition and alot of backbench….. 

Source  Rob Paterson

Gas Prices An Election Issue ?

An Election Issue

Are we seeing the end in the steep rise of gas prices? Or just the end of society as we know it in North America?

With prices this high I cannot afford my Starbuck’s or Tim’s,  My favourite latté will have to be made at home, has the world come to an end no just mine maybe yours?

This is an issue that affects us all including the incoming Governments in Washington and the current Government of Canada. With oil predicted to become $200.00 a barrel or $7.00 U.S. a gallon smart cars, electric bikes, scooters and the lowly moped will become common place on our roads.

Our lifestyles and oil are so intertwined from the moment we brush our teeth to the clothes we wear and the composition of the vehicles we drive its just not gas anyone heard of plastic synthetic fibres unecessary packaging the list goes on and on.

Maybe just maybe we will have to nationalize oil again in Canada this was called the (NEP) National Energy Program this acronym is hated in western Canada where oil is abundant and I am sure those in eastern Canada will have the same feeling if we were to regulate oil again.

Is the American Dream dead, maybe when no-one can afford to drive to the soda shop or hamburger joint no more casual cruising down the local strip oh yeah most of this stuff is already dead. Hey what about driving the kids all over from one activity to the other yikes!

I have a friend in Canada who spends $900.00 – $1,000.00 driving two cars every month so much for living in the suburbs.

Its time for Governments to wake up and realize we the people are not able to afford the increases in such basic food items like $2.50 white Bread and this is becoming ordinary all food items are going through the roof.

The government should take some of the blame and not just lay it at the feet of big oil as there bungled energy policy is now causing shortages and additional pressure on the basic staples we need to survive. Hey who could have imagined one of our basic foods used to feed the animals we eat being turned into ethanol. Corn by the way is the least efficient of the available options that can be turned into alternative fuels. Could that bungled policy be the cause of the record grain prices we see this year? Durum wheat has risen this year to $15.00 per bushel from $4.00 last year. How much of the inflation we currently are experiencing is the result of government policy.

This is all food for fodder come election time remember Government’s we are all well aware that as fuel prices increase especialy in Canada your take of the pie along with big oils record profits increase maybe now is the time to start taxing those ridiculously high profits.  The electorate has a short attention span but this one will always be within eyesight especially when we fill up or have become unemployed this one hits everyone from the coffee server to the high end manufacturer……..

Source…… Rob “torontorealy” Paterson

Easy Simple Alternative Recipes – Tomato Sauce

“Simple” Tomato Sauce”

Ingredients:

2 28 fl oz cans of Tomato’s, 1 Can of Puree and 1 Can of Diced

 1 Garlic Clove

1/2 an Onion Chopped Fine,

1/2 Teaspoon of Italian Spices,

2 Fresh Basil leaves finely cut (optional)

2 Table spoons of Olive Oil,

 

Sautee the Onions with the Olive Oil and Garlic 2-3 Minutes. Add the Cans of Tomato’s Bring to a quick Boil and let simmer until preffered thickness is achieved. 

Source….. Rita’s Kitchen

Entertainment – Parade’s Festivals

Toronto is awash in thing to do this week and weekend with the pride week and jazz fesitvals happening there will be something happening for just about everyone. Let’s hope the weather co-operates and both of these events will be huge draws like past years.

Source…. Rob Paterson

Quote of the Day – All Truly Wise Thoughts….

All Truly Wise Thoughts

All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly till they take root in our personal experience.

Source….. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

 

Gas Station Blue’s…

Gas Station Blues

Wow look at the price to fillup, No Smart Car here.

 Nice sunny day perfect for that cottage commute, Oh yeah! $90.00 to fill the tank. Ah i guess ill go one less time this month and maybe just maybe bring a coffee from home instead of buying one when i fill up….

Come to think about it there are lots of stuff that equal a litre of gas what has the world come to when i equate coke, movies, take-out to how much gas i could buy wow this is serious stuff.

Source… Rob Paterson

 

LCBO Plastic Bags

Bravo to the LCBO

No more Plastic Bags! Is the LCBO on the right track, you bet.

About 2yrs ago the LCBO in Ontario brought in a deposit return on eligible wine/liquor bottles to encourage recycling. This program works in conjunction with the “Beer Stores”  as all eligible bottles can be returned in exchange for the collected deposit. Program details 

Now with the undertaking of eliminating plastic bags with a more environmentally sound option the world’s largest spirits retailer is setting the example for all other retailers alike to follow.

Facts:

•  a reusable material bag is the best option
• a plastic bag takes longer to break down but uses less resources in production/transportation
• a paper bag breaks down quicker but uses more resources in production/transportation

Source… Daily News, Rob Paterson  

Neighbourhoods – Single Family Homes

With the average price of a home in the gta now over 400,000 is the Single Family Detached unit out of reach? Is the End near for our record rise in house prices and the near record low for interest rates. How does immigration play into the future of house prices?

Immigration to Canada each year is upwards of 300,000 . The City of Toronto receives the lions share of  this settlement with about 175,000  new immigrants calling Toronto and the GTA home each year. Immigrants today are unlike there counterparts of yester-year they usually have more money and want to own a home right away. What does this mean well its simple… there will be demand for the Single Family Homes and  Condominiums listed for sale.

With Interest rates at a record low can this continue for much longer?  Were interest rates ever this low? Well you have to go pretty far back to see when rates have been this low i.e. like back to the fifeties yes the 1950′ s . Interest rates like inflation are cyclical. Rate reductions are generally used to curb any upward trend in inflationary pressure’s as measured by the Bank of Canada. The effects of rate reductions are usually felt 9mos. – 1yr after they are made.

I think there may still be some room for rate reductions by the bank of canada however like everything else they will eventually rise. To what extent we will not know as this depends on inflation rearing its ugly head.

For a more expert opinion regarding your mortgage renewal’s  and rate’s seek the advice of those in the know not just those who want your business at any cost…. 

Source…. Rob Paterson 

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