theloniusfleabag

Dear leafless, I was actually asked the question for the last census, 2005. Actually, upon doing some research, I found this link... http://www.bgcdsb.org/separate_school_tax_suppor.htm It seems that Roman Catholics have a choice as to where a portion of their property taxes can go.

Dear YankAbroad, I shudder when I think of the day that I might see 'Wal-Mart Elementary School', 'World Wrasslin/50Cent Junior High', and 'Raytheon Technical Vocational Correspondence School'.I hope that public education remains public. With Catholic schools, sure it is a throwback to the days of church and state togetherness, but the standards and courses are virtually the same, with the exception of 'religious studies', and you get to make your choice at census time if you wish your taxes to fund separate or public schooling.

Dear betsy, Bi-curious? No, my adoptive paretns aren't gay. Actually, they are as traditional as you can get. My dad is a WWII veteran, then he worked for gov't for the rest of his career. My mom stayed at home and raised seven kids, and only went to work because she wanted to, when I (the last of the seven) was in my teens.

Dear geoffrey, It has been argued that a weaker dollar can be good for business, with incentives for increased trade and tourism. I have to admit, I am from Alberta and we have no provincial tax at the register, so a 3% increase on 'luxuries' doesn't seem like a big deal. Perhaps provincial and federal taxes, and even the GST, can, in the spirit of SSM, also be 'married'.

Dear Renegade, You are right, I stand corrected. It was meant to be a bit 'tongue in cheek', but it seems you are correct. The first time I looked, I read that it was not 'GST-free', but then I realized that I was reading the Australian GST act!Hicksey, Yes and no. I realize that the gov't would lose a substantial amount of revenue. However, given the huge amount of gov't waste, coupled with recent huge surpluses, we have a bit of room. A different approach is needed, I believe. Take the Gun Registry. What was supposed to be the cheapest way to do things (having a mail-in registry was deemed by the gov't as the absolute most cost-effective of any program) ballooned into a billion+ dollar fiasco. What if the registrations were handed over to the already existing private registries? They are certainly trusted with the registrations of motor vehichles (another possibly deadly weapon) and of businesses and corporate registration. If you get caught in a car without registration (or insurance) then you face hefty, serious fines and possibly jail time. Perhaps the gov't should have stated that you caan own a gun, but you have to pay insurance and registration just as you would a car, with commensurate penalties for failure to comply. The point is, there are other ways that make sense to make money for the gov't, and better ways to spend our dollars. We might have less of them, but I bet we could have done way more for what we have spent thus far.

Dear mar, Indeed, I just read a book called "Doctors of Death", about the T-4 euthanasia programme in Nazi Germany. This is the silent mantra of those who embrace unfettered capitalism, and I agree that it should be resisted. I am neither of these, just an embittered realist who works beside the 'drop out' centre and see on a daily basis the worst element of society.

I am firmly with Sparhawk on this one, and kimmy too... I have suggested raising the GST to 10%, and eliminating income tax as the best way to help those in the lower tax brackets. If one makes minimum wage, who cares how a 1-2% reduction in GST affects the price of a mink, a jaguar and a pail of caviar. (Just don't let the mink and the Jaguar fight over the pail of fish eggs)

Dear mar, I would say that this represents perhaps 1% of the 'poor', because in all cases above, the financial brunt of illness is not borne solely by the individual.Another few percent of the 'clinically poor' are mentally ill, perhaps even 10%. I would estimate that at least 75% of those getting 'wlfare' are those who are directly responsible for their lot.

Dear YankAbroad, I am not in the uS, I'll have to take your word for it. I would expect, though, that the increases here and elsewhere don't even make up a small part of the 'War on Terror' (including the Military) budget increase. This is what is supposed to happen. Bush, and his father before him, and Reagan before that, decided that it wasn't important to pay off the debt. They decided to use debt as a source of income, and are banking that there will be no consequences.

Dear newbie, Indeed, the correct answer is YES, because we must have been. Societal structure (and ergo morals required to make them not fall apart)pre-dates religion, in almost every form but superstition.

Dear Black Dog, It does't always work with the fire, either. Hence the Darwin Awards. I agree with this to a point... I'll bet most of the ones behind bars were physically disciplined to the point of beatings, and probably many of them were by drunks, etc. I disagree. I'd say that until recently, say the last 20 years (of the last 30,000), corporal punishment (spanking, forcibly restraining, or just a good-old fashioned kick in the ass) was practiced by over 99% of all people at some point. Recently, even the federal justice system has taken a turn away from 'punishment' and, (and I claim that they are related) from people having their own accountability and responsibility.

Dear YankAbroad, This is why many 'right-wingers', including some on this forum, do not see Bush as a true 'conservative'. Actually Bush is deficit spending without raising taxes...some don't see this as a problem. It's just a new form of 'Reaganomics'.

Dear August1991, This issue is being dealth with very sternly in the medical profession. A new approach is coming in as of Jan./06 where a patient/doctor personal relationship must be formally announced, and a waiver to end the professional relationship signed and witnessed. This waiver (copies thereof) goes to both the participants homes, offices and to the medical community internal newsletter and is published. I was told all of this by my chiropractor this weekend. Also, a huge crackdown on anything that might be considered 'sexual misconduct', including jokes or comments that could possibly be interpreted as sexual in nature, are also being introduced, with the offender facing possible license suspension for a first offence. Further, even an accusation gets published in the medical 'newsletter', with the caveat of 'action pending', even if not guilty. However, the distinction brought up earlier was incest 'between consenting adults', indicating that 'trust' was given freely, and not 'taken advantage of'.

Dear YankAbroad, The point is that if your sexual partner is of the same gender as you, it is impossible to 'make babies', only 'whoopee'. This bit is very true.My point overall was that, while I am in favour of gay marriage, some definitions are being misrepresented in exercises like this.

Dear Argus, This is not entirely accurate. Syria and Lebanon both have large Christian populations, while Jordan does not. (source: Funk & Wagnall's Hammond World Atlas)Also, from the CIA world factbook, cultural breakdowns are :Syria: Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood Lebanon: Religions: Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: seventeen religious sects recognized Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian Jordan: Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.) Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes

Dear mar, There are some newspapers, and columnists, that have an overt and unabashed message that is unmistakable. The Calgary Sun, for example, is staunchly pro-conservative, and pro-harper. Anti-liberal editorials are run almost daily. Admittedly, Der Calgary Sun has been called 'fish-wrapper', even here on this forum, but it is a widely read paper, especially among the 'working stiffs'. Also, it is easier to read on the bus or c-train. The point is, the Sun (and also the Herald, which had seen 'righty' Peter Stockland move from the Sun to the Herald as editor, to bring the Herald 'back from the left') promotes the right-wing as the only sensible course, and makes no bones about whom they think everyone should support federally. They are trying to influence the electorate as much as they can.

Dear BHS, Indeed, I haven't heard much either, but I haven't really gone looking. With the Plame investigation, I am assuming that the FBI will drag out the investigation, and then issue a statement (after an 'appropriate period of time') that there is not enough evidence to pursue a conviction. Much like they did during the Anthrax attack in the US (which was traced to a US military bio-weapons lab and then when errrrrch)

Dear Sparhawk, Not really. Almost all crimes are a transgression of the rights, given by society, of others. We haven't given animals many 'rights', except exemption from abuse, so beastiality would have to deemed 'abusive' to be illegal. Much as Renegade says.

Dear kimmy, One could now make all sorts of things, from 'upsilon task-masters' to 'weapons of gruesome destruction'. Good thing the military would never take scientific developments and try to apply them to warfare.

Dear Melanie, Well done. I agree with your approach, and it is supposed to be the policy here that what you post is your own opinion and not a cut&pasted, addle-pated version lifted from others. I must admit, though, that I thought this and many other similar topics (with a highly dubious premise) to be purely 'troll-bait', laid out by one prolific troll.

Dear August1991, This is why I wholly dismiss 'blogs'. There is no credibility whatsoever, no one with a reputation to lose for 'getting it wrong'. It is like reading news in the National Enquirer. Plus, many of them can't be bothered to spell properly. from your second link... That being said, there is a similar potential case with the a candidate-cum-smuggler that has been ostracized from their party. Are people like this able to keep running on the party ticket, or must they now run as 'independents'? I would think that hte party itself should be able to sue for false representation or copyright infringement, or something. At least a cease and desist order, anway.

Dear Melanie, Conversely, there is the Electra complex, but Agamemnon would likely have ostracized as a 'sexual predator'. It is deemed that 'family love' and 'sexual love' aren't compatible, and if they mix, it is an abberant, and not a 'natural', occurence.

Dear RB, You believe this about everything . Not saying you are wrong, mind you...I Miss Trudeau, It was so at one time, hence the experiments in many countries, including our own, in eugenics.RB hits the nail on the head with... Regardless, the entire beginning of this thread is BS.

Dear kimmy, Indeed, both 5 years and 5 minutes are both 'some time ago'. When I was on the board of directors for a not-for-profit group, we were offered a 'public speaking' course, on how to deal with media. I didn't actually take it, but I understood that it was mostly about dealing with difficult questions when people may try to trap you into saying certain things...much like a lot of polls. It sounds like this particular person took a similar course....and it seems the Liberals have the shields up to 'deflector mode'.

Dear Canuck E Stan, Could be...I'd hate to stand up and see what's in the bowl after a bacon, sausage and ham special. Why don't they cross an elephant with a pig so we can have 5 foot rashers of bacon?Seriously, though, if there is no 'world police', cloning a human wouldn't be 'illegal', nor take much in some countries. Would you 'own' them, and be able to do to them what you wished, including eat them?