Tracker

No question. All the Nordic countries as well as Germany and Austria do, yet they consistently have the highest resident satisfaction rates, lowest crime rates, the lowest infant mortality and suicide rates and among the highest adult lifespans in the world. No system is perfect, but resident satisfaction and economic growth and stability have to be pretty good ways of judging how well societies function. Interestingly, in countries with large income gaps between the very rich and very poor, the rich live and average of 3 1/2 years longer in countries with narrowed income gaps.

Yes. During my time in Alberta, my work brought me in contact with healthcare regional management, school boards, municipal and civic administrations, and so forth. While it was illegal for any organization to donate directly to any political party, if these organizations did not "voluntarily" buy tickets coasting several hundred dollars each to fundraising dinners, their funding and/or grant proposals would be denied or reduced dramatically. When the enumerator came around to count the number of eligible voters in our home, as soon as she had that information, she produced a registration book for the ruling provincial party and tried to both sign us up as PC members and enlist us as election workers for the pending election. I called the provincial elections office who took the the information and promised to have someone call back "soon". Still waiting. And that does not even cover the purchases of materials and equipment.

Norway at last count had something like $150 billion (US) in diversified investments all around the world, free healthcare, including prescription drugs, free physiotherapy, free eye care, free child care, free psychological care, free elder-care, free post-secondary education (for those who qualify academically) and is consistently in the top three in the world in standards of living and resident satisfaction. And Alberta.....? Well, a really nice penthouse for the previous premier.

It would have been a lot more entertaining if they mic'd up the coaches without telling them.

It all comes down to two factors: what Toronto is offering in exchange and if the coach and GM think Willy is really better than his record. And, in the words of John Madden (I think) "You are what your record says you are". A change of scenery would probably do Willy a world of good, and if his confidence in blue and gold is shattered or he is ticked at being demoted, its time to try to move him. Surely to God Davis or Bennett must be at least .250 quarterbacks, or why do we have them? I should think that if the Bombers bring in a new QB after NFL cutdown day, it means that neither backup has inspired confidence.

Its a process or sorting out. It ought to get better with time.

I can back it up. And I do not complain about high taxes when the services are there when needed. You may want to talk to folks in High River who received all manner of extravagant promises after the flood and were abandoned by the provincial government as soon as the publicity died down.

There was a lot of arrogance in Alberta during the boom years, plus a lot of corruption. That doesn't make them all that special, as there was some of that sort of thinking in Ontario as well in their plush times. Albertans relate a lot to oil-rich Texas and whine about sharing revenues. Most do not want to hear about the rest of Canada bailing Alberta out of bankruptcy several times in the late 30's. We see what we want to see.

We got out just in time. The house we sold in 2013 is worth about $20,000 less now. Nice to be home.

Calgary has a big downtown, including a very good blues bar, but it has a lot of empty offices and businesses now. Hard hit by cheap oil. Drove by a U-haul place yesterday and they had a big sign out that they were offering bargain U-Haul rates on moving trucks going to Alberta.

In theory, once the D-backs start cheating up and the linebackers start dropping back into coverage, it ought to open up both the running game and fly routes. We will see if LaPolice has the smarts to do this in the next game or two. The Riders look so disheartened right now that the next two games ought to be more like practices. Rider fans have to be livid at what Jones has done to their team.

Apart from the homer loyalty to the Bombers, this ought to be the game of the week- arguably the two best teams and almost certainly the two best quarterbacks in the league. My money is on the Stamps.

Nichols did not have a stellar game passing, and almost all his passes were short-medium. I do agree that LaPolice likely drew up that sort of game plan due to the changes in receivers and the expected ferocity of the Montreal D-line.

And it says something sad about the current state of affairs in Edmonton that they didn't bury the Riders in the second half.

I was trying to figure out Bowman's short fuse. He has been an all-star for so long that he has to be frustrated and embarrassed at ending his career with such a sad assortment of teammates. Every athlete would like to go out as a winner.

Plus Bowman has darned few years left as an elite player or a starter, so he likely would want to go out as a winner, or at least on a winning team.

Loffler's presence makes a huge difference. His big hits are going to make opposition receivers focus more on not getting smeared and less on catching the ball.

My feelings exactly. We can't keep relying on turnovers to win games, and the offense has to step up consistently. Sooner or later the defence is going to have a bad or at least average game and we will need the offense to shine.

Yup. Bond is the glue of the O-line's cohesiveness.

But it was stupid on Cox's part as the game was still on the line.

The score is 19-0 and actually flatters the woebegone Riders

Duron Carter was not a factor after Loffler hit him.

If you think it through, if Willy was resigned to accept lower contract, why would he go elsewhere to new system and team and have to start all over again when he could have essentially the same money here along with a known situation?

Which would still place them well above Saskatchewanites in the food chain.

This is definitely a winnable game. Popp may a great GM, but not a good head coach and it looks like we have the horses to beat Montreal. The keys to the game are likely pressure on Glenn and taking Duron Carter away from him. Carter runs his mouth pretty good and if the Bomber d-backs can trash-talk him to distraction by a few jostles and borderline late hits, that ought to do it.