Monday, March 17, 2014

I AM NOT ALONE

Sure, many of you might believe that I'm this fat, old lady who has no life and sits at her computer all day surrounded by her cats. Actually that is true, come to think about it.  Hey, I'm not complaining; it's what I do.

Sure, many of you think that I come up with my posts entirely through my delusional mind and never bother to check things out.  That is not true. 

So, I will set the record straight and by doing so, I will be able to thank the many sources and people who support this blog.

What you might see in the main part of the blog or in the comments posted is a representation of the many people who agree with what The Strand Blog is all about.  I get phone calls and e-mails from people who send me links or stories that might be of interest.

For example, a reader sent me an interesting article on what is happening in Markham where our Condos-Along-the-Bay Dreamer, Rino Mostacci is now working in the planning department. The article is about the $325 million arena-hoping-for-an-NHL-team that Rino is part of. Love the title of Bruce Arthur's article 

"With slim chance of landing NHL team, Markham arena project somewhere between risky and outright insane"

Thanks for that, dear reader. Might have missed it in my travels. Nice to know that Rino has taken his pie-in-the-sky dreams elsewhere. After all, he is the one responsible for bringing forth the whole idea of developing the publicly owned Bay Beach Properties. No thanks for that, Rino, you carpetbagging, high-rise loving, schemer.

Earlier,  I had heard from a reader about the fact that Stephen Passero did not receive authorization ahead of a trip to Toronto to attend a conference. So, I wrote about it. And, we were right, there was a mistake made. Of course, at the latest council meeting (March 17) poor Carolyn Kett took the fall, while Stephen (adopting his best Eddie Haskell imitation) feigned complete innocence while claiming that he stayed at a cheap hotel and walked to the convention.  It still cost the taxpayers $1,500. When Don Lubberts asked a few questions about the situation, he was quickly shut up by Mayor Martin.  Can you imagine what would have happened if one of the four had done that? Cue another lawsuit.

The letter from Rainer Hummel and the article by James Culic got everyone mad, including many of my readers.  They informed me of the background on the man and the article. First, Rainer Hummel is president of the PC riding and has been seen talking with and is, at the very least, a fellow member in good standing of the Progressive Conservative Party of which Doug Martin is also a member. One e-mail told me that they were together on the night of the by-election.  (Correction: Thibert and Hummel were together on election night). I also received an e-mail from a friend of the doctor who had been interested in the property on Ridge Road that Hummel bought and now has abandoned.  The good doctor had even planned to include public washrooms in his plan. (And if you heard about my unfortunate incident on the Friendship trail, it would be much appreciated. I admit that I have a scatological sense of humour. Read THIS. {also sent by in by a blog reader})

Of course, there's always a steady flow of Thibert trivia as he has a lot of people pissed off in this town. The so-called "little people" like waitresses and bartenders; service people and track employees. I may have been sued successfully for slander, but I am confident that some day I will be vindicated.

Yes, I can sit here on my ever-expanding rear portion and get a pretty good view of what's going on in this town.  What I see is four councillors who were elected by the people to give new direction to the town which has been run by the Old Boys Club for decades.  They must be doing a good job because the effort to discredit that has been very intense.

Note about March 17 meeting:  Does the man who lives near the medicinal marijuana operation on Jarvis Street actually believe the marijuana plants will become Triffid-like and come across the street to turn his children into stoners?  Chill out, man. 


18 comments:

  1. You always do your best work when there's a full moon.

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  2. For everybody's information, our illustrious Mayor ran for the Fort Erie Riding under the PC banner, he did not get elected. his pal Sandy Annunziata also had dreams of grandeur he did not get the nod to run, tried in the Welland Riding. no luck there either.they blamed Anne Marie Noyes for not endorsing him. at the NOTL nomination meeting.

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    1. Rumour has it that Sandy A. will make a run for mayor. Will he go for three losses? How pathetic was it that, when he lost the nomination in the Niagara Riding, he went right over to Welland and tried to win the nomination there.

      If he does run, we can always haul out his defense of not letting a high rise happen at the coal docks property while he spoke out in favour of a high rise on Crystal Beach's shore. Double Standard, anyone?

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  3. keep up the much needed and good work Madam Editor. Bad things happen when good men(women) do nothing and nobody has spoke up here for far far too long.

    SUPPORT THE FOUR good men of conscience. without them the beach would be gone and who knows what else in Dirty Dougies attempt to top up his golden handshake.

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  4. I have a very strong feeling that this Municipal Election year, will be very entertaining to on lookers we already have the Chamber of Commerce trotting out their people to take back, our Town from the people. the Chamber of Commerce for over ten years recieved over 1 million dollars of our tax money to pay for all their expenses,and voted on by their friends on Town Council, The taxpayers paid for everything in their office including toilet paper. years 1982 to 1995,? I was at Council the day they first got that money $120.000 Heinz Hummel was Mayor, Doug Martin and Russ Wilson newly elected for Crystal Beach, This Election will prove to be a real slugfest. I made a presentation against the Chamber getting tax payers money.

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    1. ``Trotting out their people to take back our Town from the people``

      EXACTLY RIGHT !!! thank you Porgy. I`m certain the ol boys club are less than happy with you. I would consider it badge of honour. These people have been screwing the taxpayer for decades and think it is their entitlement. They have made a career of it.

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  5. Duane: I won't publish your comment but I will respond that the man who spoke at council about the medical marijuana operation across the street from him expressed his fear about what is a legitimate business. While I can understand that the by-law might have been confusing as it did not include "hydroponic" in its definition of "farm," there may have been a legitimate reason for that distinction. I was wondering what the man was so afraid of. Is he sure that his property values have gone down? Before, it was a pharmaceutical factory. A factory in a residential neighbourhood often affects property values. It was there when the man bought his house. He also stated that none of his neighbours knew that the factory was being used for medical marijuana. Sounds like no one else was even upset - except him. Talk about NIMBY.

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  6. I'm betting that Culic got flack from his erroneous editorial in the previous Post. The misrepresentation and inaccuracies were printed, the damage has been done as was martin's plan. I really am enjoying the lull, I am bracing myself for the biggest campaign fight that this town has ever had.

    martin drew the lines when the last election went no way near how he wanted it to turn out. I am amazed at how vindictive he is.

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    1. It isn't just idle coffee shop talk either. The mayor has waged a war of retribution on those who have the nerve to oppose his agenda. Many of us are hoping that it will all come out soon. Orchestrating a lawsuit against the four councillors is wrong on so many levels. Karma is gearing up for a big blow to Hizzoner.

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  7. I admit that I am getting impatient with all of the delay regarding the law suit against the four. I sure hope the truth of the matter is exposed. I am so sick and tired of Martin and Thibert accusing the four of not working to promote Fort Erie, when it is those two who are constantly predicting a grim future.

    That is certainly no way for a Mayor or head of an Economic Development Corporation to behave. Of course they have not exhibited good behaviour in the past. That is an understatement, I'd say!

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  8. Mayor Martin is as hypocritical a person out there, that thinks people swallow his devious way of thinking , and that everything that comes out of his mouth is kosher, Today we have the internet and don't have to rely upon the Times Review, our local version of Pravda. The Mayor is supposed to reflect the opinions of the majority of conucil when he make a statement to the press and media. not his own biased and usually wrong view of what the people want. his way or the highway.

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  9. The ol boys club that have ran things here for decades had their a$$ kicked last election and really don`t like not being able to control all things and thus all the tax monies for their own self serving interests.

    If we can kick their a$$ again this election it will go a long way to returning this town to it`s rightful owners, we the average residents and not a few insiders who believe their self imposed entitlements trump the greater good of ALL the people. Easier said than done however and the dark side know it and are already preparing for what I hope will be a very dirty election with much of their filthy laundry being aired.

    They have everything to hide and all to loose. This is win win for the good people of this town.

    SUPPORT THE FOUR good councillor`s of the people, kick dirty doug and his band of thieves of the public purse where it hurts. It`s high time to say enough is enough to their waste, greed and stupidity.

    To Marina Butler and Kim Zanko, the ol boys are just about finished. Do you really want to gamble your families names by hitching your horse to their rotting, decaying ways.

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  10. view_from_the_beachMarch 22, 2014 at 9:59 AM

    To Ms Butler, Ms Zanko and anyone else that needs clear cut evidence on just how ignorant or ill-informed some of the supporters of "ye old guard" truly are, it is highly recommended you pay a visit to "ninja world" and read the latest posts.
    Be prepared for some rather insulting and juvenile rhetoric though.(Like that's something new eh?)
    As has ALWAYS been the case NOTHING reflects the attitudes and views of the Martin/Thibert connection better than the simple minded bullshit posted at theforterieninjaDOTcom

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  11. view_from_the_beachMarch 22, 2014 at 3:26 PM

    Just a little point of fact for our friends over in ninja world:

    What separates you from "Bowers" is your inability to post anything that even remotely resembles something of intellectual value.
    A constant barrage of dis-respectful insults, ridiculous threats, and half assed attempts at humour can hardly be considered anything of a challenge to her skills as a writer. She writes a blog while you numbskulls churn out the spoon fed manure from a couple of small town political thugs.
    How many more HATE-sites, childish pranks, or ill-conceived, tax dollar wasting, pointless legal actions until you realize that you couldn't put a pimple on "Bowers" ass! (regardless how large it may be)
    What you have accomplished is provided PROOF of just what a bunch of scum bags "The Good Ol' Boyz Club" really is.
    But PLEASE keep it up ninjas. Election Day is approaching.

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  12. My copy of the Municipal Act says' Whenever an unopened road allowance;is closed by a Municipality that the adjoining home owners that are affected they have to be paid reparations for the loss of the use of that land, 66 feet road allowance and the price tag of the giveaway $2 million dollars, the Taxpayers would have to cough up more money to the Molinaro Tower project, now we got out of that dilemma. Thank you the group of four. Mr Culic misplaced some decimal points when he wrote his article $75.000.became$ 750.000 in tax money,he never mentioned that we would spend $35 thousand dollars in upkeep to Molinaro Towers.

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  13. Hopefully Mr Culic is only guilty of not doing his homework. I believe he received most of his scoop from Mr Brady of TOFE fame and it is crystal clear where Brady stands on all of our municipal problems as he is fully ready to sell out the beach for his next promotion.

    Got to love some of the outstanding staff at 1 Municipal Drive.

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  14. Marina Butler is already part of the old boys club, have you heard her ranting at council meetings and don't forget the ridiculous compliance hearings that started with her attacking John Hill.
    As for Kimberly Zanko she is also indoctrinated, she was the spokesperson for those hateful billboards that attacked the four.

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