Wednesday, July 26, 2006

ask an average Albertan, get a stupid answer

the blog surname business, part 2: Apparently, I cannot edit out surnames if you have created a log-in name that includes your surname (as is the case with a comment on a recent post). I figure if you are commenting with your surname, you’re comfortable with it, so I’m just leaving it be. Hopefully, everyone is OK with that.

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My beef today concerns the Stephen Harper cheques for families with kids under 6. In case you live under a rock (or aren’t living in this country) it’s $100/month per kid under 6. For us, that will be $1200 year and guess what, like just about everything else in life, it’s taxable! Families started receiving cheques this week. The media is now covering this like it’s big news: “Oh my God – it’s taxable. After taxes, the average family will only get $700-$800/year or less than $70/month.” This has been clear all along to anyone with any kind of brainpower or ability to read past the first page of a newspaper. Why is it that it’s news now? On the news today, “average Albertans” were being interviewed - they were all shocked to find out it’s taxable. One genius concluded that it wouldn’t even pay for diapers. Are these folks morons or just playing them on TV? I’m sure that these same Albertans voted Conservative federally; they were possibly even wooed by the free money idea. I just don’t understand how people go about educating themselves/making themselves aware of current events, political issues, etc.

I want to stress that I’m actually not crapping on people who vote Conservative. It’s your business, your right and your philosophy (but not mine!). However, I just don’t get how people are shocked by a platform idea, now a policy, the details of which were never a secret in the first place. Is it so hard for people to figure out the not-so-small print? Newsflash: after taxes, the $1200/year will remain closest to $1200 to those families with one stay-at-home home parent who doesn’t have much of an income to declare. Gee, who could the Conservatives possibly be appealing to with this initiative?

I also want to stress that I am not totally against the $100/month idea. In theory, I do get it – put the money directly into families’ hands, regardless of whether or not they use outside childcare, to do with as they see fit. In practice, though, it’s chump change compared to what childcare (and anything else kid-related!) actually costs. The amount of money that will be spent NATIONALLY on this initiative, though, would go a long way re: subsidized childcare or my preferred concept of somehow making it fiscally interesting for businesses to offer on-site daycare.

Anyway, I think I’m done now. Average Albertans manage to infuriate me every time.

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In other news, Ange requested that I post pictures of D Jr. so people can comment on which parent he resembles more. In compliance, I’ve posted a pic below. If you want to see more recent pics click here. I’m quite interested to hear what you guys have to say on this, as so far I have heard everything: he looks exactly like me, he looks exactly like D Sr., he looks like neither of us, he looks exactly like David. Personally, I am convinced that my child is the most handsome baby in the world and will grow up to be the next Johnny Depp or Benicio Del Toro. However, some individuals have suggested my son has a unibrow already. To those people I say, "It’s called ethnicity, jerks!" Anyway, the pic below is what I call part of the "Lil Mafia" series. For some reason, I think he looks like Cosa Nostra in training here (I think it's the slicked back hair and face injury!). My prediction is that Jules will make some crack about how he looks just like me because of his sullen and pissed off expression in this picture.



Ain't he sweet?!

4 Comments:

At 8:41 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Salma Says:
I can't believe there is debate on this!!!! This kid is a carbon copy of Heavy D. Like his mini me!

 
At 11:10 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dustin said:
Well he has the gut and does not have a neck. Both distinctive Fr*el traits.

However, he is missing the bump on the back of his head. This is the most important Fr*el trait as it allow extra space four our overdeveloped lizard hind-brain.

 
At 12:46 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Way to draw me out Ems. I don't think he looks like you here, I just think you pissed him off. In fact, I have that expression a lot when I am talking to you... Anyhoo, when I was showing off my new pictures of Daniel, my new roommate Ruby commented that Daniel has a unibrow (don't worry, I put her in her place).

Lastly, D is Heavy D, but more prone to Cosa Nostra like hair.

 
At 7:53 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can someone find a baby picture of Robert De Niro and compare it to this. I suspect they would be very similar!!!

 

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