gambitsworld

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On the way back from Glenevis & George Pegg Botanical Gardens.

OH MY!!

A trip to the zoo for some after hours animal photography.

Oh my!!












See the rest at my Flickr

Be very careful driving through Sherwood Park after June 30. Starting July 1st the county red light cameras will start issuing tickets to people who speed through intersections.

http://www.strathcona.ab.ca/Strathcona/Departments/RCMP+Enforcement+Services/Intersection+Safety+Devices.htm

We all know this is a revenue generator. Since people will now be slamming on their brakes instead of going through yellow lights, I can see far more collisions happening. That doesn't matter since the Alberta court of appeals has upheld the $4000 soft tissue injury cap it's a win/win for the government and insurance companies, but not the motorist.

What's next? Is the government going to mandate GPS units in all vehicles, and if you go over the posted limit a ticket spits out of the dashboard at you? It might just happen sooner than we think.

Today was the annual Pride Parade and festivities in Edmonton. The parade ran down Jasper from 108 street, ending in a party at Churchill Square. It was a lot of fun for everyone, except the older couple behind me with the "What the hell???" look on their faces.



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Were you forced to rule the way you did by the Alberta government, or were you paid by the insurance companies to rule in their favor?

It has to be one or the other. It took you a year to render your verdict, were you holding out for more money? I know you are dirty, and so does every other suffering accident victim in Alberta.

That is OK for you though. Insurance companies will continue to make BILLIONS in profits, but the people whom insurance is supposed to assist are getting it up the ass....dry. The citizens in this province don't matter anyway, not compared to big corporations. The Alberta government has proven that time and time again. I'm glad to see that the judicial system in this province is just as corrupt and dirty as the other branches of government.

Even though the insurance companies continue to make billions in profits, they are going up in front of the regulator on June 16 & 17 to ask for an 8% increase in auto insurance rates. If the original decision had been upheld, they would have asked for 40%.

I didn't get an 8% salary increase last year....did any of you?

Remember that in 2004, the year that the cap came into effect, along with caps in several other provinces, the Insurance Bureau of Canada reported profits of $2.6 billion - its best year ever till that point, and almost eight times the profits the bureau's 206 members enjoyed in the previous year. They lost money on their investments after 9-11, but since 2003 have recorded increasing profits every year.

The timing of her decision also makes me think her decision has to do with political influence. The Alberta people would flip if insurance rates went up 40%, especially with insurance companies still making large (some would say obscene) profits. Her political masters would have been very angry if she had not rendered her decision before the regulatory hearings took place. If she were elected instead of appointed, she may have made a different decision. We all know she will not bite the hand that feeds her. Times are tough, and there aren't many postings at the unemployment office for appeal court justices these days.

The Alberta government will never allow the cap to come off. They will also never repeal the cap, even though it is discriminatory and unconstitutional. That would mean admitting they were wrong to institute the cap in the first place. The proper thing for the Alberta government to do would be to scrap the cap, or at least raise it to a reasonable level. $4000 is not a settlement, but a spit in the face given to us by the insurance industry and the government that is supposed to represent us.

We all know that the legislative branch, and especially the Premiers office has been purchased by big corporations in this province, by the oil companies in particular. It's sad to know that our courts and citizens well being are for sale too. What is next? Will the police arrest people if they find out they are injured in an accident? Will they call the paddy wagon instead of an ambulance?

At least Justice Rowbotham, and uncle Ed will sleep well tonight knowing they have kept their masters profits safe........for now.

Next stop, the Canadian Supreme Court.

I've been lazy on getting pics up. This is from January so that tells you how far I am behind.

Sometimes our expressions give away our true feelings



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Question asked by eco freak: Why do you need such a big car?

My answer: 6 foot 6, 220....

Stunned look was all the rebuttal I got.

It was H's birthday on Friday and we went first to Kai Asian Grill for dinner then off to the Ivory Club for some entertainment.



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