The Market Works

The free market works. How many loaves of bread to make next year? The government could do studies and create models, instruct bakers on how much to make, and then legislate and enforce the price. This was actually done in China and Russia. But, of course, they were disasters, with massive shortages or surpluses, and rife with corruption.

The alternative is let price determine what should be produced and who should produce it. If no one wants to buy SUVs, why should the government get involved? The free market is democratic, and the people have spoken. Giving GM, Ford, and Chrysler money is like giving money to Croc's when that strange foam shoe goes out of style. Tastes change and companies come and go.

Of course, the market can be brutal. It took a few years for the affordable housing crisis in Calgary to sort itself out and while the market works, people can suffer. This is where the government should be focusing. Put money into retraining and relocating people whose jobs were lost. Invest in new companies (and entrepreneurs) that need help getting started. This insane notion of "trickle-down" economics, that giving GM 15 billion will somehow trickle down to the workers, is an absolute waste. 12 months later, GM will still fail, but the money will be in the pockets of owners, managers, union leaders, etc. and the employees will still have to go find another job, go on EI, etc. Reckless spending on things we can't afford, using money we don't have (the magical "equity in your house"), is exactly the reason we're in this mess. You can't spend your way out of this, hoping that people start buying SUVs again. We need to save. We need to regroup and focus on working hard, creating products that people need.

This is all the stuff our grandparents knew. Hard work and prudent financial decisions is what make a country strong, not granite countertops and trips to Mexico.

ground fog around their legs

There was an incident that occurred in 1985 that helped improve safety in the pipeline industry. It is referred to as the Camrose Accident. It occurred on a pipeline owned by IPL, now called Enbridge -- the operator of the longest pipeline system in the world.

At 12:42pm, Feb. 19, 1985, the senior shift dispatcher at the Edmonton Control Centre suspected a leak in the No.1 liquid natural gas pipeline based on strange pressure readings. At 1pm, a landowner phoned the dispatcher to report a vapour cloud in a field 27km northeast of Camrose. The No.1 pipeline was shutdown and the road near the leak was barricaded.

At 3:30pm, the Maintenance Foreman and District Engineer arrived and approached the suspected leak site from upwind, using their gas detectors. They found the leak in a slough; the ground was pushed up and white clouds of natural gas were spewing out of the ground, gathering in pockets in low-laying areas (natural gas is heavier than air). At 4:30pm, they radioed the Control Centre and recommended flaring the escaping gas (i.e., lighting it on fire) as darkness was approaching. The District Manager declined. A maintenance crew was sent in to install a "stopple" about 220m upstream (and upwind) of the leak which would plug off the pipeline and allow repairs to take place.

The six man maintenance crew began building an access road with a Caterpillar front-end loader, building a snow buffer (between them and the leak), installing floodlights, and operating the Gradall (an excavation machine similar to a back-hoe). Little did they know that the wind direction had been shifting since they arrived on site.

At about 8:30pm, the men were discussing the smell of gas in the air around them, and what appeared to be a ground fog around their legs. Also they noted the vehicles were stalling or idling roughly and the generator powering the floodlights again had stalled. At this point in time, one of them got into the 2 1/2-ton truck to restart it. Almost immediately, a ball of flame erupted in the cab of the truck and quickly engulfed the whole site. All six men at the site were caught in the fire ball.

Two men received 3rd degree burns to 90% of their bodies and died in hospital. Three men received 3rd degree burns to 30% - 70% of their bodies and lived. One man, Mr. Bone, was uninjured.

The current form of the Pipeline Standard is due in part to the investigation of the Camrose Accident.

Have you seen this man?

The wife and I drove up to Blockbuster and parked in the back. As I got out of the car, I saw some guy lean his bike against the wall near the drop off slot and emergency exit. He walked around the corner to the front door. I thought to myself, "What the hell is he doing; his bike is going to get stolen if he leaves it there".

We are in line to rent a video game when this alarm goes off. It was quiet so I thought is was a part of the previews that endlessly loop on the various TVs around the store. After about a minute, people start to realize that it is the emergency exit alarm; I look towards the back and the door is open. Some good Samaritan says, "I'll go follow him," writes his cell phone number down and leaves to follow the thief. The manager phones the police and informs them he's been the victim of a "grab and dash".

After this "exciting" episode, the wife and I compare descriptions. Mine included jeans, a ball cap, and a blue bike. My wife didn't remember the hat, but she said he looked "dirty". Now I understand why eyewitness accounts are deemed "unreliable" at best.

So I figure the best way to catch "Dirty" is to check the pawn shops for someone selling a bunch of movies that all begin with the same letter.

Handy Vegas Travel Guide

Flight

Westjet and Expedia have good flight prices (subscribe to Westjet's newsletter for last minute cheap flights). Print you boarding pass off the night before, and get the window seat (which goes to the wife). Wear pants that don't require a belt, and slip on shoes, to help with security. Bring headphones to watch the in-flight TV (Westjet). Always take the shuttles from the airport to your hotel ($6/person), as the cab ride can average from $30 (from airport) to $12 (to airport). Eat before you catch your flight home, as everything closes in the airport after 6pm. Duty free booze is cheap! Wash your passports (half serious -- we accidentally did this and every border guard had a chuckle and no one hassled us).

Vegas

BRING COMFORTABLE, WORN-IN SHOES. Buy your own booze from a liquor store (ABC in the Miracle Mile shops is good). You must show ID when using Visa (which people use for everything, including buying gum). Text message instead of using your phone; it is way cheaper. Bring 1 more T-shirt and 1 less pair of pants than you think.

Food

The Rio buffet is overrated; the Planet Hollywood and Paris buffets are better. The creperie at the Paris is cheap and filling. Le Burger Brasserie in the Paris has the best burgers.

Transportation

The monorail is fast and not crowded, but is expensive and still requires significant walking. Take the Deuce (the double decker bus that runs from the strip to downtown), if you don't mind waiting and crowds. You pay cash ($2/ride, $5 for a 24 hour pass) at the front of the bus, and get a card you can swipe like a credit card. To get to the Vegas Premium Outlets, take the Deuce North, get off at St. Louis street, stand in front of the Denny's, and catch the 108 North to the Premium Outlets; the bus driver will announce it.

Gaming

Cheap (1/2/5/10 cent) slots are fun. Find where the waitresses are walking around, sit down, flag them down and ask for beer, and tip them $1 (you can do this all night, if you want). Most casinos have poker tournaments, but I like the MGM and Planet Hollywood ($60 buyin) the best. The Caesar one was a joke (8 players?!?) Remember, play tight poker and you should come out ahead. The cheapest Blackjack I saw was at Slots-A-Fun ($2).

Entertainment

I've seen Ka (fantastic) and Penn & Teller (awesome). Check out the cheap day-of ticket booths (e.g., Fashion Show Mall). The Belagio water show is cool. Fremont street is a bit scruffier, and the light show is goofy, but the outside street party feel is cool. Fremont street has cheap booze & food.

Killing Time

We usually have a late flight home (they are cheaper). This time, we checked out in the express checkout box, but kept our card keys and hung out at the pool for several hours. Going to a restaurant or cafe and reading kills time also. My sister went to the MGM and watched TV pilots on her final day.

Future

Vegas looked like the borg rebuilding a damaged part of the ship. I think Vegas is in for a hard landing. One dealer said she's never seen Vegas this dead in 20 years. The amount of new hotel rooms / timeshares / condos coming on the market in the next year or so is staggering.

I love the smell of spruce in the morning

My manly quotient just went up 10% (even more than my +10 Amulet of Random Hair). I built a fence between us and our neighbors deck. We had rotting lattice, and I've been meaning to change it for, oh, 7 years. New neighbors moved in yesterday, and today the fence is up. I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

Pickles' nose is out of joint as he can't find any holes to escape and/or stick his head through and whine. Is it really so bad on this side? I feel like a prison guard and Pickles is rapping his metal cup on the bars.

I love lamp (and gas tax)

Oil and gasoline are at record prices. The reason is mostly because the world is approaching peak oil (which stands for the PEAK in world OIL production). It is the date where oil can't be sucked out of the ground any faster. Don't let the media fool you; finding big oil reserves doesn't really change the approach of peak oil, because peak oil is about production rates. Imagine a huge milkshake but a small straw.

So now that we know oil and gas prices will likely continue to rise in the long term, what do we do? The most effect strategy is a carbon tax (for example, a gasoline tax). Europe has had very high gasoline taxes, and as a consequence, they have less urban sprawl and drive smaller, more efficient cars. North America doesn't have very high taxes, and has lots of urban sprawl. 1-in-4 vehicles in Alberta are trucks. We are in for some pain.

Hillary Clinton suggested a gas tax holiday as a way to reduce the cost of gasoline. Here's a quick example to show why this is short-sighted, at best. Imagine gas costs $1.20/L and there is a $0.20/L gas tax. That leaves $1.00/L going to Big Oil. If we eliminate the gas tax, gas is now $1.00/L. Basic economic theory says if price goes down, demand goes up, and when demand goes up, price goes up. The price will rise, but maybe not back to $1.20/L, maybe just $1.10/L. So we do save some money, but Big Oil is now making $1.10/L and government revenue has gone down (which they will have to make up by increasing taxes).

If we introduce a gas tax, it will do three things:

1. Increase government revenue (which will allow them to reduce taxes on other things, or maybe use it to make transit better).

2. Reduce the insane profits Big Oil makes.

3. Encourage behaviours that we're going to have to adopt anyway. The reality is, in 50 years, the combustion engine will be dead and gone. Oil will be $500/barrel and most of the world will run on electricity created by solar, wind, nuclear, coal, etc.

Super Vegas

I had a great time in Vegas with moms, pops, sis, her bf, and wife. Won some money (and promptly spent it) and generally had random fun. Saw "Ka", and it is pure Manga theatre. Fantastic.

So I'm walking near Bill's casino, and this black guy starts walking next to me and says, "You are elusive". I'm confused, so I look at him. "Are you coming here tonight?" he asks me. (Note: he talks slow and melodical like Jesse Jackson.) "No," I say. He stops and gives me a confused hurt look. "Do ya hate humans?" The wife and I burst out laughing and run away. Ah, Vegas, where weird people go to die.