Why do Canadians prefer huge houses squeezed together in the middle of nowhere?

[Asher]

Concerts with Nickelback and k.d. lang?

And Paul Brandt.

And Tegan and Sara (Lesbians!)

[Asher]

It looks hideous.

Most 30 year old arenas do.

[Kuciwalker]

You're still talking a lot but saying nothing. Again, you're not fooling anyone, Kuci.

Calgary isn't "cutting taxes". In fact, they just raised them slightly. You're confusing Calgary with the GOP. Calgary balances the budget to meet what we need, which is in direct contrast to most American Conservative politics which amount to "Cut taxes!!!!".

Mitt Romney proposed a detailed plan that reduces marginal tax rates by eliminating exemptions while staying revenue-neutral and avoiding macroeconomic shocks. Calgary, by contrast, is finally having to raise taxes (as I predicted!) because they've underinvested in infrastructure and been living off of a bubble.

FWIW, I've lived in the Bay Area (4 years) and Toronto (5 years) in addition to Calgary (the rest).

Where exactly have you lived? Privledged Virginia and Dirty Pittsburgh?

I've also lived in Birmingham, Nashville, and Santa Barbara. America is also a much bigger country, so we get much more information about economic conditions in different regions. Canada is too small for you to get the same kind of experience needed to see why Calgary's growth policy was irresponsible.

[regexcellent]

And Paul Brandt.

And Tegan and Sara (Lesbians!)

k.d. lang is a lesbian too; the problem is that real life lesbians aren't hot.

[Jaguar]

I'm not worked up. I'm ridiculing an ignoramus.

I'm not being ignorant, I'm just telling you my personal experience with Calgary. I'm sorry that I made you mad.

[Asher]

Mitt Romney proposed a detailed plan that reduces marginal tax rates by eliminating exemptions while staying revenue-neutral and avoiding macroeconomic shocks. Calgary, by contrast, is finally having to raise taxes (as I predicted!) because they've underinvested in infrastructure and been living off of a bubble.

WTF?

Calgary has raised and lowered taxes continually over decades as needed. There are many accusations by council opposition that we are overinvesting in infrastructure. You're completely out to lunch here.

I've also lived in Birmingham, Nashville, and Santa Barbara. America is also a much bigger country, so we get much more information about economic conditions in different regions. Canada is too small for you to get the same kind of experience needed to see why Calgary's growth policy was irresponsible.

Now you've moved past being ignorant into idiot territory. Is this what happens when you back yourself into a corner?

You criticized a government you knew nothing above and now you're grasping at straws. Your new argument is essentially "Calgary is irresponsible and the reasons are complex! You wouldn't understand, you've never lived in Birmingham!".

The question is, do you think people reading this thread are stupid enough to buy that, or are you being stupid?

[Asher]

dp

[Asher]

k.d. lang is a lesbian too; the problem is that real life lesbians aren't hot.

I'm not into the womenfolk, but many people like Tegan and Sara from what I understand.

Who doesn't like Lesbian Twins, really?

[regexcellent]

Lesbian twins sounds awesome, but the butch hairstyles really kills it for me.

[Asher]

Lesbian twins sounds awesome, but the butch hairstyles really kills it for me.

For me, it was their breasts which killed it.

[Kuciwalker]

WTF?

Calgary has raised and lowered taxes continually over decades as needed. There are many accusations by council opposition that we are overinvesting in infrastructure. You're completely out to lunch here.

That's the problem, though. Your local governments don't have enough experience to deal with this sort of thing, which is why they underinvest in infrastructure (while thinking they are doing the opposite!) and have to constantly tweak tax rates as economic growth ends up being different from their expectations.

Now you've moved past being ignorant into idiot territory. Is this what happens when you back yourself into a corner?

You criticized a government you knew nothing above and now you're grasping at straws. Your new argument is essentially "Calgary is irresponsible and the reasons are complex! You wouldn't understand, you've never lived in Birmingham!".

The question is, do you think people reading this thread are stupid enough to buy that, or are you being stupid?

Look, it's not my fault that you just haven't had the opportunity to develop a realistic perspective on these issues. I've actually seen what screwed-up tax and spending policy can do to a metro area, which is why I know that Calgary's bubble will eventually burst.

You should try to learn something outside your fairly narrow area of expertise; it will make you more well-rounded.

[Asher]

That's the problem, though. Your local governments don't have enough experience to deal with this sort of thing, which is why they underinvest in infrastructure (while thinking they are doing the opposite!) and have to constantly tweak tax rates as economic growth ends up being different from their expectations.

Look, it's not my fault that you just haven't had the opportunity to develop a realistic perspective on these issues. I've actually seen what screwed-up tax and spending policy can do to a metro area, which is why I know that Calgary's bubble will eventually burst.

Let's recap:
1) You are asserting Calgary's boom and bust cycle over decades is a "bubble" (an odd definition, to be sure)
2) You can't actually point to anything substantive, policy-wise, because you actually have no ****ing knowledge about the topic you are professing to be a world-learned expert in
3) I'm clearly the moron here because I've not lived in Nashville, whereas you have. There is apparently a massive ****ing firewall between Canada and the US, such that we have zero knowledge of what happens south of the border.

Is that the gist of it?

Kuci, you're a spoiled brat in a privileged profession who has only ever lived in one country and has clearly only been effectively exposed to one ideology. Your desire to prove yourself as some kind of intellectual heavyweight on this site to put yourself in the same category as KH means you keep getting yourself into trouble whenever you enter debates about Canada. You clearly do not understand Canada nor the energy sector. This isn't a matter of ME not understanding - it's you, Kuci. You can't even point to any single example of what you claim the problem is.

I'm now embarrassed for you.

[Asher]

FWIW, Calgary's mayor has a bachelors in economics, and also a Master of Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

But clearly, Kuci, you understand the public policy issues of Calgary far more than a man like him ever could, right? Calgary's quaint local government are but midgets in comparison to your towering intellectual shadow.

[Hauldren Collider]

Lesbian twins sounds awesome, but the butch hairstyles really kills it for me.

The facial piercing on the left one is pretty hideous too.

[Kuciwalker]

Let's recap:
1) You are asserting Calgary's boom and bust cycle over decades is a "bubble" (an odd definition, to be sure)

If you actually pay attention to real estate prices it's abundantly clear that Calgary's number will be up soon and it's going to see a crash.

2) You can't actually point to anything substantive, policy-wise, because you actually have no ****ing knowledge about the topic you are professing to be a world-learned expert in

I've been very clear that Calgary's citizens need to man up and be willing to pay a little bit more in taxes so that they can invest in the infrastructure that makes their growth sustainable.

3) I'm clearly the moron here because I've not lived in Nashville, whereas you have. There is apparently a massive ****ing firewall between Canada and the US, such that we have zero knowledge of what happens south of the border.

Canadian media organizations have much weaker censorship protections than American ones. I'm not surprised that the news you hear is distorted.

Kuci, you're a spoiled brat in a privileged profession who has only ever lived in one country and has clearly only been effectively exposed to one ideology. Your desire to prove yourself as some kind of intellectual heavyweight on this site to put yourself in the same category as KH means you keep getting yourself into trouble whenever you enter debates about Canada. You clearly do not understand Canada nor the energy sector. This isn't a matter of ME not understanding - it's you, Kuci. You can't even point to any single example of what you claim the problem is.

You are the one who keeps denying that Calgary's policy of keeping taxes too low for too long is irresponsible.