[Protest against the LCBO -- Liquor Control Board of Ontario]

I don't think the profit is so easily replaceable.

In Alberta, the govt retained control of the wholesale side of the business while getting completely out of retail.

In the end, they kept most of the profit while eliminating a lot of public liability.

[Protest against the LCBO -- Liquor Control Board of Ontario]

Alberta privatized retail liquor sales 20 years ago. There are many privately owned stores now, and the selection of products is far, far more than in the old days.

I think the only people who don't agree with privatization here would be members of Alberta Union of Public Employees.

[Ontario hydro rates]

I've had experience with induction cooktops in New Zealand. They are interesting, but I won't be buying one soon because a) they are expensive to buy as compared to gas or dual fuel ranges they require specific cookware which is not cheap.

These two factors mean that aesthetics aside, the payback for induction cookers is just not there, they don't make economic sense here. The lack of payback is compounded by the very low price of natural gas now and in the foreseeable future.

Maybe when the purchase price is halved and cookware gets cheaper.

[What was the last movie you watched?]

I go to perhaps 50 movies per year at the theaters, it is hard to remember them all. So many are so much better on the big screen, and Gravity is most defintiely one of those with its intricate and well executed special effects in zero gravity.

Overall I reckon Gravity was an average movie, really a vanity film for Sandra Bullock who is in pretty much every frame. One caveat.... We saw it in IMAX 3D, which made for a pretty intense experience. Intense enough that one of our group was overwhelmed and had to leave as he was getting dizzy and nauseous.

Last week I saw Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction.

I know many will think they don't know who he is, but Google his name and you'll recognize him. He's in his mid-80s and been in over 200 movies, almost none of them as lead actor.

He is a terrific actor, an interesting real life character and this documentary is very well done.

[Do children need to be beaten more?]

I don't believe that children today are markedly different than children of any era.

What has changed is the extraordinary and most often unworthy attention that can be focused on anything via the Internet. It's a massive boon to the media, who can now get alarmed and outraged about nothing instead of actually seeking out a worthwhile story.

Another thing that has not changed is the quality of parenting. There is still the same wide range from high quality parents to the shockingly deficient. You rarely hear of the former group.

[Ontario hydro rates]

In many states and provinces these smartmeters were put in to save you money.

I don't think that is the case, unless you work for the marketing department of an electricity supplier.

Domestic smart meters have one purpose: to increase revenue for utility providers with a very small investment. No need to upgrade generation, transmission or distribution capacities at great cost, just cahnge the meter and start cashing in. The largest investment is not the meters themselves. No, the biggest cost is the marketing barrage required to convince captive consumers that they are part of some environmental crusade.

Most people use energy during peak hours because they must. They come home from work, cook dinner, do laundry, read to the kids and go to bed. Repeat for 60 years, die. Nobody is going to get up at 3 AM to make toast and have a shower.

Regarding utility costs in Alberta: what the graphs above do not show is contract costs for Hydro. I pay Enmax $.08 per kwh and that rate is guaranteed for five years. I can opt out of the deal with one months notice to Enmax if the regulated rate drops as it floats up and down. There are no demand charges or time-of-use fees so far for domestic users. Industruil customers have had both for many years .