"i thought it was pretty funny when that cnn reporter who was doing her shoot in times square was saying how important it was for new yorkers to conserve power, while behind her, you can see the huge video billboards and lighted advertisments that nobody bothered turning off."

I must say, that cracks me up LOL

another thing that cracked me up was a news report saying parts of toronto still didnt have power, and they showed some dumb lady pulling out black bananas from the fridge!

Just goest to show you. Deregulation diverts the benefits to private firms. Govt, and thus the taxpayer, is still left with the costs.
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Time for a European voice here:

The US calls itself the richest and most powerful country in the world and now you can't even take care of your own infrastructure! That is so POOR!

we in ontario are in the same boat, they privatized electricity not too long ago. i wouldnt have been surprised if it did turn out that the blackout started in ontario instead of ohio.

Cryptbeef >>> just wondering, how much vacation time is commonly given in europe when you first start a new job? i remember my brother worked in europe for a year, and he said it wasnt uncommon to be given at least a full months holiday instead of the usual 2 weeks a year here in canada. at the place i work at right now, the only people who have 4 weeks vacation are the people who have been working at that company for over 15 years.

Last I checked Ohio was not part of Canada.
So much for those clowns on the first page blaming Canada. Mayor Mel said it right when was the last time a American said anything was their fault.




Please give me break. Is this what Canada is about whinners? Here is the problem Governments can not run any business including Hydro. When they owned Hydro billions of dollars went down the drain. Why is the capacity not higher because nobody wants a power plant in their backyard. They only want the power.

I'll never understand the idea that "well we lied through our teeth and made up a lightning strike and didn't have a clue when we blamed you, and it turns out that it was your fault later, even though the trouble started 400 miles away from where we claimed it did, so it's ok that we lied through our teeth when we were without a clue."

Hmmm. Canadians are always so upset that we are not like them. I submit that given this propensity to lie on the part of Canadian authorities, We're alot more alike than you think.

None of us claimed it was Canada's fault. I claimed the Canadians said it originated in Western New York due to a lightning strike. I also claimed the national weather service claimed no lightning struck that area as the Canadians said. Also true. We know now I was right. THE CANADIANS LIED!!!!.
It originated in Ohio, not even near where the Canadians originally claimed.

Perhaps you should be more concerned with your own government fibbing even though this time they got lucky in their blame game, and less jealous of the United States. It's not our fault your government took steps that debased its own currency.




Then why is the cheapest, and most reliable power area in the United States largely on TVA and Army Corps Govt power?

technician >>> what province do you live in!? ask almost anyone in ontario, and well over half will agree that hydro should remain a government service.

Yes. Perhaps we should cut all aid to Europe, Cut all aid to Africa, Cut our nearly 40% of all support money paid to the UN, Cut our nearly 70% of all support money to Nato, and invest in our own neck of the woods for a change.
[Message Edited]

PontiusBruinPilot >>> whats TVA? im unfamiliar with it.

Tennessee Valley Authority? i will have to do more reading about it, the name does sound familiar, i just dont know what i read about it however.

Tennessee Valley Authority. Correct.

Although TVA did, thanks to northern and western Senators and Representatives overpay for its nuclear facilities in a deliberate act of sabotage on the part of those that wish to see it doomed.

"HarryTheTaco" you may be right in that I am not a majority thinker but you do not think I care about the blackout ? I do not know where you are but I live in the middle of Toronto. I sat in the dark for more than 24 hours with not clue on what is going on. Even now I hear I need to conserve hydro and face shortages at store and the threat of rolling blackouts.

I do not blame Hydro One.


Here is the facts as I see them.

Educational funding, Health Care funding and Hydro are cash cows.

Nobody is accountable for where the money goes and why should they. Need more of something just increase taxes and throw money at it. The only people who win are government unions. Come to think about it you must but a card carrying socialist, maybe even a union member. Go ahead vote Liberal the first thing they would do is increase taxes and in fours years or so get voted out again.


Now as far as throwing blame. Any Canadian knows if the blackout started in Canada. There would be protests in the US Media which we can never live down. You know for example after 9/11 the first thing the US dreamed up was Canada let the guys flying the jets into the US.

Any Canadian also knows wrongly then. I don't recall our media in general making the unsubstantiated claim the terrorists came through Canada. Now there have in fact been a couple caught at the canadian border unrelated to 9/11. Those were put out in the media. Rush Limbaugh and Gordon Liddy do not speak for everyone.

yup, i really am a card carrying socialist! LOL

give me a break buddy, just because i believe that hydro should remain in the hands of the government doesnt mean im a "card carrying socialist".

of course education, health and hydro are cash cows, but thats what the government is here for, to make sure that everyone gets those essential services for an affordable price, and one of the ways to pay for it is by collecting taxes from the citizens. what do you think the government is here for?

i dont blame the blackout on the privatization of hydro here in ontario, but i do believe we in ontario will see a lot more problems then benifits by getting rid of hydro as a government service.

technician >>> i think you read "the toronto sun" too much LOL

Hey guys, a few points here:
* We all live in Former British Possessions. Therefore we all have a common bond and a manifest destiny. Even Canada and the USA and the mid west.
* Any country with a land border with the States is going to be nervous and insecure. Just imagine if you had a land border with the Altarians.
* Good government is essential to a healthy country. The old line that Government is too inefficient to run any business is not logical. If that were the case, Governments shouldn't be running...government. We'd all just get the Illuminati to run Government secretly.
* Private businesses are concerned with profits and the current share price. They are generally less concerned with undertaking massive infrastructure
investment. Ipso facto, Government must regulate essential services industries to ensure infrastructure investment. How does Government do that if it can't direct private businesses?
* Spookily enough, Australia is in the same position. Guess what? Australia privatised its electricity and now experts are warning there is not enough infrastructure (power stations) so that the system is going to hit a wall in the next couple of years. Sound familiar? At least that means Australia is now down to just 2 years behind the States in progress.

originally posted by PontiusBruinPilot



Or maybe you just tone down your voice a little bit admitting that not everything is perfect and wonderful in the good ol' US...
[Message Edited]

I also just started a new job... and got 30 days of vacation, which is pretty normal here.

#46 by Citizen Cryptbeef - 8/19/2003 2:55:40 PM

originally posted by PontiusBruinPilot

Yes. Perhaps we should cut all aid to Europe, Cut all aid to Africa, Cut our nearly 40% of all support money paid to the UN, Cut our nearly 70% of all support money to Nato, and invest in our own neck of the woods for a change.



Or maybe you just tone down your voice a little bit admitting that not everything is perfect and wonderful in the good ol' US...
[Message Edited]


???????????????????????????

What is wrong with taking care of your people first and then helping others?
[Message Edited]

Gerakken enters total political mode:

Well, you just can't win as an American. Admit that fact and the world is fine. If we give away all of our money to the world and let anyone in to exploit us and then demand the same openess in return, the world hates our idealism and perceived imperialistic notions. How many countries let poor people in to make a new life who claim to hate everything about that country? That gets you thrown out, imprisoned, or even killed in a lot of places. On the other side of the coin, if the USA shuts the door on poor immigrants by letting in only the skilled or wealthy ones and sticks to our own borders to help our own people by cutting foreign aid and peacekeeping, we get condemned for being selfish and accused of betraying our ideals. So, is America supposed to give and give and give and expect nothing in return except for "bribe us and we will not hate you"? Just some food for thought here. Put your country (whoever and wherever you are) as the most dominant power economically and militarily and really ask what your government would do with that power. Then come back and tell me how substandard or misguided America is.

Practice what you preach hypocrite.