Hot off the presses (from some other blog).
Wo while Minebuster isn't the first, I can assure you I won't be the last blogger to post this:
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2012/02/13/19375706.html
A London city councillor crossed the line when she called the employer of a blogger who criticized councillors over city budget cuts, one observer says.
So if you were thinking of retribution on Minebuster, please don't call U.I.-no point!! Can't fire me from pogey.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
GREAT PICS ON WWW.NDACT.COM
Rachel McAdams
photo by Jason van Bruggen
Unlike Minebuster's photo's, this one is real, NOT photoshopped.
For more check out:
http://www.ndact.com/index.php/media-stories/media-stories-blogs/361-look-who-is-holding-stop-the-mega-quarry-signs
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
OFFICIALLY NOT A PLAN
The March 1 Council agenda is posted.
Not much on it.
It is more what ISN'T on it.
Not one peep from the contract planner is scheduled at 1 pm.
We were advised in the November 17, 2011 minutes, by the Mayor, that there would be something on the December 1, 2011 agenda regarding the Official Plan that the planner has been working on for about six years now.
We were advised in 2009 that he was billing about $20,000 a year for OP work alone.
But Nope, nothing.
Again.
I guess we can't be trusted with an actual copy of what he will be presenting in advance. If you want to hear it, you will have to take the day off work and be there.
The time has passed for excuses from the planner and now there needs to be accountability from Council as well as transparency.
Ratepayers deserve nothing less than a written staff report outling the date the planner was retained to work on the new official plan, original time lines, commitments made by the planner, why council is not having the planner produce work and EXACTLY how much taxpayers have paid to date for pretty much diddly squat.
And if the Mayor wants to equate it to a 1% tax rate (1% = $14,000.00) that would be better. Put it into proper context for us.
Not much on it.
It is more what ISN'T on it.
We were advised in the November 17, 2011 minutes, by the Mayor, that there would be something on the December 1, 2011 agenda regarding the Official Plan that the planner has been working on for about six years now.
We were advised in 2009 that he was billing about $20,000 a year for OP work alone.
I guess we can't be trusted with an actual copy of what he will be presenting in advance. If you want to hear it, you will have to take the day off work and be there.
The time has passed for excuses from the planner and now there needs to be accountability from Council as well as transparency.
Ratepayers deserve nothing less than a written staff report outling the date the planner was retained to work on the new official plan, original time lines, commitments made by the planner, why council is not having the planner produce work and EXACTLY how much taxpayers have paid to date for pretty much diddly squat.
And if the Mayor wants to equate it to a 1% tax rate (1% = $14,000.00) that would be better. Put it into proper context for us.
OUR LADY PEACE-FELLOW TATER AWARD RECIPIENT
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ld867O-57U
(1.47 Stop the Quarry and Jeremy Taggart, good local boy!!)
Monday, February 27, 2012
PROMISES PROMISES
At OGRA/ROMA today McGuinty made this promise....
READ THAT AGAIN
McGuinty made this promise....(so don't get your shorts in a knot, may never happen)
READ THAT AGAIN
McGuinty made this promise....(so don't get your shorts in a knot, may never happen)
You will see that we chose many of your suggestions to improve our (renewable energy) program,” McGuinty told delegates at the Combined Rural Ontario Municipal Association and Ontario Good Roads Association Conference.
“We’re listening, and taking municipal concerns into account as we make thoughtful choices.”
Rural outrage over wind farms is widely credited with costing the Liberals several southwestern Ontario seats in the 2010 election.
TATER AWARD ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
There is really no one to thank for making it possible for Minebuster to win a Tater Award for best blog except...
Highland Companies
Michael Daniher
John Lowndes
Hill (of beans) and Knowlton
Seth Klarman
Bruce and Mavis
In the words of Elvis, Thank you, thank you very much!
Highland Companies
Michael Daniher
John Lowndes
Hill (of beans) and Knowlton
Seth Klarman
Bruce and Mavis
In the words of Elvis, Thank you, thank you very much!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
HIGHLANDS EXPLANATION ABOUT THEIR HOLE
So I may have misunderstood this picture Highlands has on their site.
This is a picture of the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine, the deepest mine of this type in the world.
And as you can see, they way Highlands has shown it, THEIR mine (and it is a mine, NOT a quarry, check out the definition) will be deeper? (See the orange line)
Did I get it wrong?
Friday, February 24, 2012
MORE DESERVING THAN MINEBUSTER?
Well, maybe there is someone more deserving of a Tater Award than Minebuster.
Bigger audience.
More reasoned rational arguments instead of the ones Minebuster makes like "Highlands are poo poo heads!!:
So here they are, fresh off their BIG Tater Award win.
Bigger audience.
More reasoned rational arguments instead of the ones Minebuster makes like "Highlands are poo poo heads!!:
So here they are, fresh off their BIG Tater Award win.
Dale and Mary, Dynamic Goldhawk Duo!!
I am sure they had it in the bag the first time they interviewed Daniher.
Daniher was answering questions like a one armed wallpaper hanger-nothing was straight.
Goldhawk put him on hold, telling him (and I am paraphrasing here) he would get back to him when Daniher could actually answer a direct question with a direct answer.
Pretty sure Daniher is still on hold and it was days after that Daniher disappeared from the face of Melancthon.
And here is my fundraising idea for the stop the quarry movement.
Tater Tour
A Tater Parade....
Hobo Wally's theme song - with Stompin Tom's potato ballads thrown in here and there (Ketchup loves Potatoes, Bud the Spud)
People make donations to get their picture with the Tater Award.
Tater Award buttons.
Create a Tater Dance, (aka the Time Warp)
Tater Award buttons.
Create a Tater Dance, (aka the Time Warp)
You will raise MILLIONS.....maybe not in money, but in cultlike followers!!!!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
NO POST TONIGHT
Still reveling in winning a major award!!!
No time to blog, working on my acceptance speech!!
No time to blog, working on my acceptance speech!!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
OMG, LIKE TOTALLY, OMG!!!!
In the words of Sally Field, You like me, you really like me!!
LOOKIE here, Mining for Truth in Melancthon got a Tater Award for best blog!!!!!!!
Click here:http://nomegaquarry.ca/events/taters/
And oh yeah, a bunch of other people got awards for some pretty cool things they did towards stopping the quarry!!
They are in good company!! ;)
LOOKIE here, Mining for Truth in Melancthon got a Tater Award for best blog!!!!!!!
Click here:http://nomegaquarry.ca/events/taters/
And oh yeah, a bunch of other people got awards for some pretty cool things they did towards stopping the quarry!!
They are in good company!! ;)
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
MAKES ME WONDER
Makes me wonder how a large company would have trouble securing an operating loan for their business.
Makes me also wonder if their investors know about that.
Makes me also wonder if their investors know about that.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
STOP THE QUARRY YEAR IN REVIEW 2011 AND WEEKLY CALL TO ACTION
The Stop the Quarry initiative is suggesting that you forward this letter to Mr. Klarman at inquiry@baupost.com
For the special attention of Seth Klarman and the Baupost Group
EXCERPT:
As 2011 draws to a close, Mr. Klarman, we hope this report finds you in good health and spirits. It’s been a remarkable year for thousands of us in Canada, thanks to you folks in Boston. We didn’t really know much about you when 2011 began, just that you had set up the Highland Companies in 2006 and bought 8,000-acres of prime farmland in the lovely Hills of Headwaters northwest of Toronto. We were told by your Highland reps that you were here to farm our rare Honeywood silt loam. “We want to become the largest potato producers in Ontario!” they said. There were rumours you had other plans for the land and the aquifer beneath the fields, but being polite Canadians, we didn’t want to believe them
Click here for full article:
http://users.xplornet.com/~dbaylis/mega-quarry/Call%20to%20Action/111227_2011%20Year%20in%20Review.pdf
For the special attention of Seth Klarman and the Baupost Group
EXCERPT:
As 2011 draws to a close, Mr. Klarman, we hope this report finds you in good health and spirits. It’s been a remarkable year for thousands of us in Canada, thanks to you folks in Boston. We didn’t really know much about you when 2011 began, just that you had set up the Highland Companies in 2006 and bought 8,000-acres of prime farmland in the lovely Hills of Headwaters northwest of Toronto. We were told by your Highland reps that you were here to farm our rare Honeywood silt loam. “We want to become the largest potato producers in Ontario!” they said. There were rumours you had other plans for the land and the aquifer beneath the fields, but being polite Canadians, we didn’t want to believe them
Click here for full article:
http://users.xplornet.com/~dbaylis/mega-quarry/Call%20to%20Action/111227_2011%20Year%20in%20Review.pdf
BIG BUSINESS BIG GOVERNMENT BIG BULLY BIG MESS
Another local family who thought they would be able to deal with a big company and be treated fairly and not get screwed.
Hydro One project leaves family farm in shambles
GRAND VALLEY, ONT. - A massive construction project by Hydro One has turned this small corner of paradise into a hellish nightmare.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/02/16/hydro-one-project-leaves-family-farm-in-shambles
Thursday, February 16, 2012
YOUR VOTE COUNTS
The Orangeville Citizen is conducting an on-line poll as to whether you are concerned about Highland’s rail deal proposal with Orangeville. (As you know, Highland is trying to buy a rail-line stretching north to Georgian Bay, far from the GTA market it claims it will serve.)
Please VOTE:
http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2012-02-09/Front_Page/Highland_town_renew_railway_sale_deal.html
Please VOTE:
http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2012-02-09/Front_Page/Highland_town_renew_railway_sale_deal.html
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
CAN YOU HELP?
I opened this email this morning:
Artists Against the MegaQuarry would like to create a special segment that focuses on the 31 homesteads that have been destroyed by Highland.
They envision paintings, photo collages, old letters from previous owners -- a visual history of the farms, the families who lived on them and what's been taken from the community since Highland bought the land.
They need photos of the old places -- homes, barns, laneways, families -- anything that can inspire the artists. They will post the images on the Artists Against the MegaQuarry website and put out the call to the artists to submit artwork depicting these lost places so should you submit something, please know that it may be posted in the public realm and reproduced.
Can you help in finding those photos, letters and history about the properties from the past and help tell their stories before they are lost forever.
Before and after photo's would be wonderful.
If you were an owner or resident of a property that is still standing, but which Highlands now owns, please forward the same things-as these homesteads face the same fate.
Please indicate the name of the homestead/lot and concession as well, which helps in identifying the properties.
Thanks for your help.
I have removed the email and contact name from the above, so check out the facebook site or http://www.ndact.com/ to find out details where you need to remit the stuff.
Artists Against the MegaQuarry would like to create a special segment that focuses on the 31 homesteads that have been destroyed by Highland.
They envision paintings, photo collages, old letters from previous owners -- a visual history of the farms, the families who lived on them and what's been taken from the community since Highland bought the land.
They need photos of the old places -- homes, barns, laneways, families -- anything that can inspire the artists. They will post the images on the Artists Against the MegaQuarry website and put out the call to the artists to submit artwork depicting these lost places so should you submit something, please know that it may be posted in the public realm and reproduced.
Can you help in finding those photos, letters and history about the properties from the past and help tell their stories before they are lost forever.
Before and after photo's would be wonderful.
If you were an owner or resident of a property that is still standing, but which Highlands now owns, please forward the same things-as these homesteads face the same fate.
Please indicate the name of the homestead/lot and concession as well, which helps in identifying the properties.
Thanks for your help.
I have removed the email and contact name from the above, so check out the facebook site or http://www.ndact.com/ to find out details where you need to remit the stuff.
HOT OFF THE PRESSES (OR AT LEAST EMAIL)
"Fortune magazine in the U-S has published an article about Seth Klarman and the mega quarry fight. A reporter from the magazine visited the area in December for a couple of days and interviewed several farmers about the controversy. Keep in mind it is a business magazine which applauds the business acumen of investors like Seth Klarman. But it's the first time a leading American business magazine has covered our fight. There's room to comment below! "
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/02/15/seth-klarman-baupost-quarry/
Here is hoping these comments don't disappear like the last ones!!
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/02/15/seth-klarman-baupost-quarry/
Here is hoping these comments don't disappear like the last ones!!
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