Perspectives

City State: Part three of three (Parts one & two may be viewed in the archives.

The City State Part II of III (This is a follow-up of last Sunday’s column – an airing of thoughts on tax reform.) Whenever I get to whining about government, my wife quotes me Classical references – this time Plato and the Greek City State.

Being known to have tossed a few lures into northern Ontario waters, I thought I should be checking out the fishing in Florida. I’ve seen too many bass shows where they haul huge largemouth bass from the swamps not to want to try it here.

So there we were, standing in a hockey arena where the EverBlades play a version of our Canadian game to watch the Spanish Riding Club and their Austrian Lipizzaner Stallions, singing the American National Anthem.

Luke Skywalker was the daring young man in Star Wars who took on the Evil Empire, zipping about in space, destroying the bad guys and bringing peace to his world.

Webster defines warlord: a local ruler or bandit leader with some sort of military following in a district where established government is weak. For example, take Afghanistan where our well-trained but poorly equipped troops are serving.

Hard on the heels of the news of a Mad Cow discovered in the States was my experience last week. Imagine my dismay when I saw the sign at the Sea Food restaurant saying that their product was guaranteed not to have Mad Fish Disease.

The current survey on Baytoday regarding the New Hospital funding indicates that there is not a good public understanding of the cost sharing. Or how much the project is going to cost the North Bay taxpayer.

This past month has to have been one of the toughest for people earning the minimum wage.

If Mike, Leno and Letterman can do this, why not offer my predictions? So here are my 2004 predictions, from the mundane to the serious, my tongue firmly planted in cheek.