Commentary:
In my rants in the Straight Goods Forum I try to evoke specific response. It doesn't often work that way. The "cyberforum" becomes more a chance for readers to trot out their own hobbyhorses than to respond to my comment.
Last week's screed about tax cuts and what they really mean evoked only two letters (as of this post). My comment was used only as a springboard for one articulate reader to rage on about Mike Harris. I guess he (and most of our readers for that matter) had no opinion about the flawed economics of tax cuts. That happened in my old Talk Radio days. No matter what I said, callers had their own agenda.
So here's a grab bag. I want, if I can get it, direct responses. They are already talking about what to do with the rubble-filled site of the former World Trade Centre towers. The developer, who has a big stake is ruminating about four smaller towers. Internationally-renowned Canadian-born Frank Gehry was mentioned, but Frank's response was that with 6,000 grieving families it was no time to be talking about rebuilding.
My idea: to hell with the developers. Would New York dare to put a memorial park in place? Maybe with a wall, not unlike the Vietnam War veterans wall in Washington, with the names of all those who died? No city more than Toronto (although people in Ottawa, or Calgary or Vancouver will disagree) demands new money to be spent on public transit. The latest nonsense is that the Portlands development should go ahead and once people start moving in they'll think about a transit line.
My idea is that, like building super highways, people build where the transportation corridor exists. That's been our problem. We build then scratch our heads about how to get people there and back. Got it backwards. How about all cities spending the money now to build transit systems like what already exist in the major European cities.
I ran into Buzz Hargrove the other day in the lobby of his condo. Commiserated with him over the management at Air Canada who don't understand collective bargaining. (Buzz made no mention of my rants about him in SG.)
My question: should we re-nationalize Air Canada? It's a perfect example of privatization gone bad.
*************
Re: the War. America has become hysterical. There are burglars (terrorists) under the bed. The bogeyman has got them.
I think America, and maybe the rest of us, are "spooked".
Do you think America is developing a siege mentality? Are they running scared? Is the fear worse than the threat? Is the government using fear to intimidate their citizens and make them ready to accept a great suspension of civil liberties?
*************
If you have questions send them. Let's get more back-and-forth on SG. Write and make someone angry enough to write back.
Larry Solway and Straight Goods invite you to choose your rant. Should New York put a memorial park in place of the WTC? Should our cities be spending the money now to build better transit systems? Should we re-nationalize Air Canada? Is America developing a siege mentality? Is the fear worse than the threat? Are Americans and Canadians being cowed into accepting a great suspension of civil liberties?
Fill out the Straight Goods Cyber Forum survey and enter the draw for Straight Goods gear.
Last week's winner of a Wilno Express CD was Tim from Ottawa.
Check out previous Forums
Posted: October 15, 2001
[ Front Page ]
