The Bridge

GodEmperorDune

11:00 PM

@RedRiderX fake Au's

Chippies

@GodEmperorDune unless you swing it rapidly, it should be sturdy enough to hold its own weight without bending

GodEmperorDune

@Chippies i always swing at relativistic speeds

Wipqozn

The Atlantica Party is insane

cc @MBraedley

LET'S ELIMINATE ALL TAX

MBraedley

@Wipqozn So not just corporate income tax?

RedRiderX

smbc-comics.com/comic/fishillusionment

GodEmperorDune

11:02 PM

@Wipqozn and add the expense of on demand recall elections

Frank

@Wipqozn ...as much as I think we're overtaxed, I'm not sure how else the government is supposed to pay for stuff.

Wipqozn

@MBraedley just corporate, but massive cuts to personal income tax as well

Frank

Although I wouldn't mind returning to a pre-GST or PST day.

GodEmperorDune

direct democracy is not as pure as it seems in theory

MBraedley

@Wipqozn In a time when Nova Scotia has a hard time paying all the bills already.

Wipqozn

11:03 PM

@Frank yeah, I think cutting taxes and spending is a good idea to encourage growth of business.... but cutting all *corporate tax is just stupid

@MBraedley don't worry, they have a plan to completely pay off all debt

Frank

@Wipqozn Nah, if anything, that's the exact tax we have to keep.

Wipqozn

d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/atlanticaparty/pages/184/…

GodEmperorDune

in california there is literally an industry around collecting signatures for ballot measures, wording the ballot measures just so, suing the govt agency that puts the analysis together if you disagree with it, etc

Yuuki

Ugh, that feeling when you brainstorm a solution halfway through your commute home.

GodEmperorDune

@Yuuki dictate to siri!

RedRiderX

11:05 PM

@Wipqozn I'm not sure what that graph represents...

Is that how much a thing has gone up in 20 years?

GodEmperorDune

@Wipqozn wait so they are not increasing govt spending to match inflation?!

> Most Nova Scotians understand government cannot create growth or jobs, only entrepreneurs, families, small and large business can do that.

MBraedley

@GodEmperorDune The bigger issue is that they're not increasing spending on health to match increased costs associated with an aging population.

RedRiderX

@Wipqozn Reducing public servants will gain them $1.25billion???

GodEmperorDune

except for that govt is an employer, so...

Wipqozn

@RedRiderX You, uh, added a couple extra 0s there

MBraedley

11:08 PM

@GodEmperorDune yet they want to cut 20% of the public service jobs.

Wipqozn

wait

wait wait wait

in thousands

GodEmperorDune

@MBraedley yeah this has all the markings of the austerity lie

RedRiderX

> Numbers in thousands (000s)

Wipqozn

@RedRiderX okay so yeah

GodEmperorDune

protip: sometimes govt spending is the most cost effective way to do things

Wipqozn

11:09 PM

@RedRiderX i that case, NS government employs 1/3 of the province It hink

Unionhawk

Who the fuck says 1.25 million thousands of dollars

Wipqozn

or some stupidly high numbers

GodEmperorDune

see canadian healthcare system vs US system

@Unionhawk its common in big number budgets actually

RedRiderX

@Unionhawk Charts sometimes do, but that isn't really a chart

GodEmperorDune

a lot of US govt stuff does that (in millions)

Wipqozn

11:10 PM

@MBraedley The aging population is one of the biggest problems NS is currently facing

Unionhawk

So you avoid xkcd/bailouts I guess

RedRiderX

@Wipqozn Well apparently it's a problem for all of Canada now.

GodEmperorDune

@Unionhawk humans are bad at very big numbers. our brains get all wobbly

Wipqozn

And yeah, the only way to fix that is to create more jobs so young people stay, which means you need to find ways to encourage businesses, and I'm sure 0% tax would encourage businesses to come to NS... but then the government would haven o money

MBraedley

@RedRiderX That would be roughly 10,000, maybe 20,000 positions.

Wipqozn

11:11 PM

@RedRiderX I blame baby boomers. Also how close we are to the USA.

Maybe we should just relocate all our old people to Florida

GodEmperorDune

@Wipqozn what austerity does is make government suck, then people are like "got sucks, we're paying too muhc, let's pay less" and then you have kansas

MBraedley

so not 1/3, but still a significant portion of the population.

GodEmperorDune

you need government spending on things like infrastructure and other common goods

no businesses are going to move to a town with broken roads and shitty water because the government doesn't have the tax base for quality services

RedRiderX

@MBraedley Well I guess EI is less than a salary...

MBraedley

@GodEmperorDune Which the incumbent Liberals are promising.

Yuuki

11:13 PM

Huh. So apparently my cilantro has bolted.

:(

RedRiderX

@Yuuki I hate it when my cilantro bolts.

GodEmperorDune

@MBraedley by all means, do cost oversight on the spending, don't write blank checks, make them get experts to back up the claims first

RedRiderX

(how does cilantro bolt)

Yuuki

Oh well, I guess I'll have a ton of coriander seeds.

@RedRiderX Bolting is when a plant abandons its leaf growing phase and spends all of its reserves on flowering and fruiting.

MBraedley

@RedRiderX That $1.25B isn't just salaries, it's everything associated with employing someone, which I think includes federal payroll tax.

GodEmperorDune

11:14 PM

but please canada, don't follow in our footsteps

RedRiderX

@Yuuki oic

MBraedley

But I could be wrong on that.

Yuuki

The result is tall plants with thin and wispy leaves.

And flowers and fruits, of course.

GodEmperorDune

@MBraedley and benefits, and equipment, etc

Yuuki

This is problematic for herbs.

RedRiderX

11:15 PM

@MBraedley And there is more to EI then just the number on the cheque, but sure.

GodEmperorDune

but cilantro fruit is great

Yuuki

So my recourse seems to be to harvest the fruit as coriander seeds, cut them down, and start over.

And remember to trim it a lot more this time.

SaintWacko

Inmarsat-5 Flight 4 Launch Webcast

►

Yuuki

And I need to start trimming my thyme and oregano before they start bolting too.

SaintWacko

@Yuuki That sounds like a euphemism

"Hey baby, wanna trim my thyme?"

MBraedley

11:17 PM

@RedRiderX EI isn't a direct cost to the employer; it comes off the paycheck.

GodEmperorDune

@Wipqozn so i agree with the push to make govt more transparent and update the electoral system, and kinda sorta agree with the no more corporate handouts (because govt investing in the private sector is not always a bad thing)

Fluttershy

McCain just saw WP: "We certainly don't want any president to leak classified information but the president does have the right to do that."

Tweeted by ericawerner on May 15, 2017 at 9:52 PM

GodEmperorDune

but all their economic stuff is BS, IMO

Fluttershy

The man can do no wrong with the spineless hacks in charge of Congress, it seems.

RedRiderX

@MBraedley True.

GodEmperorDune

11:18 PM

sorry to dash your new party's hopes @Wipqozn

Wipqozn

@GodEmperorDune That's what it coems down to. They've got some ideas I agree with, but then they've also got "we're completely crazy" going on too.

Memor-X

@Fluttershy though you would be a hypocrite to do so yourself when you're saying to lockup others who info leak

GodEmperorDune

@Memor-X i've disagreed with the "lock people up for overly simplistic reasons" from the beginning.

you can do a bad thing and still have it be entirely legal

Wipqozn

> A Progressive Conservative government will also increase the small
business threshold from $350,000 to $500,000. That means more
businesses will pay less business tax

See that's a more sane plan

pcparty.ns.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/pc-platform.pdf

via the right party

for those non-canadians, most canadian provinces have 3 major parties, PC (Right), Liberal (Left), NDP (actually left)

MBraedley

@SaintWacko So no 1st stage recovery? BORING!

GodEmperorDune

11:26 PM

@Wipqozn that guy on the cover reminds me of the guy who dials the stargate

Wipqozn

@GodEmperorDune that's because that's who it is. The actor was born in nova scotia.

GodEmperorDune

@Wipqozn NFW

Wipqozn

@GodEmperorDune lol naaah, I don't even know who you're talking about

I never watched Stargate

I watched part of an episode where they were all like "USA no.1", and I turned it off

GodEmperorDune

Wipqozn

> Our plan to put vocational training back in schools will let students choose to begin trades training earlier
and graduate with a trades certificate.

Holy crap PC party, that's actually really damn clever.

+1 respect points

GodEmperorDune

11:29 PM

he could also be a happier version of arrowverse damien darhk

Wipqozn

Not only should that help get youngsters into work earlier, but it should help purge the stigma that trades are dumb

GodEmperorDune

yeah this PC party platform is quite nice

MBraedley

@Wipqozn But are they planning on making NSCC tuition free?

Wipqozn

Seriously, too many people go to university "just cuz".

@MBraedley Not sure. I've only just started taking a look into the platforms of the NDP and PC party

Not even going to look at liberal

I'm looking at PC first since I just kind of 'default' to NDP

MBraedley

@Wipqozn But what about twinning the 100 series highways!?

GodEmperorDune

11:31 PM

@Wipqozn wat

Wipqozn

@MBraedley Which reminds me, are you pro or nay old ass 100 series highways toll

@GodEmperorDune A lot of people go to university, aka not a trade school, because "it's just what you do", without any actual plan. Then they just waste a bunch of money, and work at McDonalds.

MBraedley

@Wipqozn If it gets the 104 between New Glasgow and Antigonish twinned faster, pro.

Wipqozn

@MBraedley Exactly how I feel. twinning those highways isn't going to be cheap.

GodEmperorDune

twinning highways?

Wipqozn

I mean not specifically that highway, but I'm all for getting tolls put up to support development of them. Frankly I'm fine with either keeping it up forever, or just for X number of years to pay it off.

MBraedley

11:33 PM

@GodEmperorDune @Wipqozn is quite right in this. I'm for everyone getting some sort of training/education after high school, but university isn't for everyone.

Elizer

What do you mean by twinning highways? Is that a term I should know?

GodEmperorDune

@Wipqozn i disagree with forcing people to have a plan before going into university, but yeah if university is free, vocational school should be too and treated as a legit option

@MBraedley yes i agree with this

(except for the @Wipqozn is right part, of course)

MBraedley

@GodEmperorDune There are a number of important highways in Nova Scotia that are basic dual lane highways. Twinning is the process of turning them into 4-lane/double carriageway highways.

GodEmperorDune

@MBraedley ah, we just call that expanding or widening here

Wipqozn

@GodEmperorDune university isn't free, and it's not about forcing people to have a plan. It's that people go without even thinking about it at all because they think they have to do it.

MBraedley

11:35 PM

Stems from the practice, particularly in NS in the '80s and '90s of adding the second set of lanes to an existing highway.

Wipqozn

But there are other options, like going to a trade school.

Elizer

Never mind.

GodEmperorDune

@Wipqozn who is responsible for making them think that they have to? businesses that don't hire people without uni degrees? politicians? media?

MBraedley

@GodEmperorDune Society at large.

Chippies

@GodEmperorDune that, and the social pressure

GodEmperorDune

11:37 PM

@MBraedley how are you going to fix that?

education campaign? financial incentives?

Chippies

@GodEmperorDune you probably won't, but making university free will only make the pressure worse

Wipqozn

> Our plan to put vocational training back in schools will let students choose to begin trades training earlier and graduate with a trades certificate.

I think that's one way

Chippies

"now you have to go to university, because you have really no excuse not to since it's free"

GodEmperorDune

@Wipqozn which level schools is that?

Wipqozn

I'm not sure about the states @GodEmperorDune, but at least in Nova Scotia there's barely any sort of trade education in high school. There's a very basic shop class, but they're very basic. In fact the grade 10 shop class is literally half woodworking, half working with computers (aka IT work).

MBraedley

11:38 PM

@GodEmperorDune I don't know. The fact is that, for the most part, we already have enough trades people. We don't have enough doctors or teachers, particularly in rural areas. (Or more specifically, the doctors and teachers we do have don't want to work in rural areas.)

Wipqozn

@MBraedley yeah doctor shortage is a huge problem in NS

Chippies

@Wipqozn Latvia has something similar. After grade 9 you get basic education and then grades 10-12 (3 years) are secondary education, but you can go to a trade school and get secondary education + a trade (4 years)

Wipqozn

@GodEmperorDune Some people have been without a family doctor for 5+ years because the waiting list is so long

GodEmperorDune

but changing educational systems takes a long time for the outcomes you're looking for

Wipqozn

@MBraedley yeah true we do have a lot of people in trades

Chippies

11:40 PM

@GodEmperorDune so we should just... not?

Wipqozn

@GodEmperorDune IT does, but there's no better time to start than now

GodEmperorDune

if you're looking for doctors now, changing things about high school won't have an effect for 10+ years

@Chippies you need to make changes for the stuff that will be hitting in 10+ years

otherwise you will have a lot of doctors and not enough tradespeople or something like that

and you need different short term fixes to solve your doctor shortage

Wipqozn

@GodEmperorDune also NS is, supposedly, bad for having lots of students getting educated here (both from inside and outside the province) then moving away. That said, I'm not sure how accurate that statement is, jsut what I've heard. NS is basically hurting for jobs in many sectors.

MBraedley

But, the NSCC offers more than just trades programmes. A free programming diploma could incentivize more growth in the tech sector, for instance.

Wipqozn

@MBraedley yeah NSCC is pretty legit.

Most of my coworkers went to NSCC, and they're all pretty decent.

GodEmperorDune

11:43 PM

and nova scotia is just that little peninsula?

MBraedley

@GodEmperorDune No.

Wipqozn

Like ther's stuff NSCC just doesn't touch on, aka algorithms, which is really important... but you can get by just fine in certain parts of tech without that

MBraedley

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia (/ˌnoʊvə ˈskoʊʃə/; Latin for "New Scotland"; French: Nouvelle-Écosse; Scottish Gaelic: Alba Nuadh) is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces, and one of the four provinces which form Atlantic Canada. Its provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is Canada's second-smallest province, with an area of 55,284 square kilometres (21,300 sq mi), including Cape Breton and another 3,800 coastal islands. As of 2016, the population was 923,598. Nova Scotia is the second most-densely populated province in Canada with 17.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (45/sq mi). == Etymology == "Nova Scotia...

@GodEmperorDune My no still stands

GodEmperorDune

@MBraedley ah i thought it was bigger since it was a province

MBraedley

@GodEmperorDune There are small provinces too.

GodEmperorDune

11:45 PM

> As of 2016, the population was 923,598

MBraedley

Besides, the area of Nova Scotia is about the same as Switzerland.

GodEmperorDune

daaaaaaaaaang, you guys are a city in california

wow

Wipqozn

@GodEmperorDune yeah Nova SCotia is small

@GodEmperorDune I mean Canada has a lower population than the entire state of california

google.ca/…

that's nuts

You guys have too many people, just an FYI

GodEmperorDune

hue

we could team up and double everything

CA + Ca

you'd get all the netflix stuff, we'd get water and liberal national government

Wipqozn

> • Eliminate tuition for all students
enrolled at the Nova Scotia
Community College,

@MBraedley figured that was from the NDP.

I take it you're voting NDP @MBraedley?

GodEmperorDune

11:50 PM

hue, it's like you're already here

Scotia, California

Scotia (formerly, Forestville) is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It is located 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south-southeast of Fortuna, at an elevation of 194 feet (59 m). The ZIP Code is 95565. The population was 850 at the 2010 census. Scotia is a company town which was previously wholly owned by the Pacific Lumber Company (PALCO). While it is home to approximately 800 past or present mill employees and their dependents, a process is underway to divide the homes into lots for sale. Located in northwestern California's Humboldt County, its partially wooded hillside near the Eel...

MBraedley

probably

SaintWacko

@MBraedley Yeah :(

GodEmperorDune

hehehe, it's a town literally owned by a lumber company, and their state representative is assemblyman Wood

Wipqozn