Hey, we all know where this column is going this week ... eventually. I mean I would be remiss if I didn't dispense a few cheery things at this time of year. But first, some other business to complete mainly because I don't have THAT many well wishy things to emit.
I can't resist the opportunity to put the current American financial crisis into proper perspective and I found just the thing a few weeks ago while scanning the Taxpayer magazine. They got this bit of edification from Smalldeadanimals.com
You see, the U.S. tax income and expenditures that are now calculated in the billions and trillions, simply have too many zeros in them and therefore they defy common comparisons.
So the deadanimals folks took a whole bunch of zeros out and placed the American debt situation into common household terms and this is what you get:
Annual family income $21,700 (not U.S. tax revenue of $2,170,000,000,000 ... see how it works?)
Money the family spent $38,200.
New debt on credit card $16,500.
Outstanding balance on the credit card $142,710.
Family budget cuts $385.
That gives us a much clearer picture of where our southern neighbour is headed and forget about being smug, my dear fellow Canadians. We are in just about as deep and as far as personal debt is concerned, we're doing much worse than our American neighbours and we did that without any shyster rogue bankers to help us.
OK, now on to Christmas greetings ... not holiday joyous ring outs ... actual Christmas niceties coming from this corner this time.
Thanks to the local population for not organizing an Occupy Estevan movement. Nobody really knew what they wanted or what they were protesting about in those other centres ... other than Wall Street. So good on you for not falling for the sham.
To John Nilsson, the temporary leader of the Saskatchewan NDP ... I give you a new extended van, so you can take your entire caucus with you when you go on road trips. You have enough for a basketball team, but you're short staffed if ya wanna play hockey, John.
For Brad Wall, well, what can you get for the guy who has everything? Nothing, he gives it to himself. The government is adding three more seats to the legislature (i.e. Saskatchewan Party seats). We'll soon have 61 MLAs. It'll cost a few hundred thousands of additional dollars, but what the heck ... we're supposedly rich. Additional employment for three more people ... just as long as they don't take them from around here.
For the Time to Twin team ... a load of asphalt so work can begin on twinning Highway 39. Forget about getting permission from Bradley and his boys ... let's just do it and seek forgiveness later. They won't know what you're doing until you get to Rowatt!
For all those talented people who provide accompanist skills for all our Christmas plays, pageants, concerts and festivals. You are not appreciated nearly enough. Thanks from us. You deserve a break now, put the keyboards away and put your feet up.
And for all the other fellow travellers on this crazy road of life ... Christian or non-Christian, have some fun between now and Dec. 31 and you can call it whatever you want. We welcome all newcomers to our area and want you to enjoy the season as much as we do.
I believe the Energy City is one fine community, even if we don't know how to park between the yellow lines like Chad Saxon wants us to.
Merry Christmas and watch out for the nog, it may be spiked.
