Music as a Gold Medal Award winning teacher and was recently awarded his certificate as an Advanced Voice Specialist. Crescent Heights High School has been privileged to have Ralph as vocal instructor for their wildly successful sold out performances in their drama program.
“Some people pursue music others are pursued by music, I have been pursued� Ralph Browne SpotLight / Passion Portrait Project 2017
The Ralph Browne Institute is housed in an unassuming family home on 9th street. Literally hundreds of aspiring musicians are taught the fundamentals of voice and singing. Ralph becomes a teacher and mentor to young people and adults. He is the founder and director of "Selah Singers," a community 2
choir of eighty people strong. The first place winners from the Browne Academy in local music festivals and competitions are numerous and consistent. He has multiple first and second place winners in the Alberta Provincial music festivals in Voice, Musical Theatre, and Music Competition. Ralph has twice been recognized by The Royal Conservatory of
His greatest strength is the personal amount of himself that is invested in his students. A relationship and bond is generated that goes beyond the strictly educational portion of the lessons each week. Friendships and bonding that literally last a lifetime is common place. Ralph loves his students as much as the music. The gift of music transcends personal, socio-economic, even international borders. Everyone and every country has their style and preferences. A friend once pointed out..."Even Hitler had a favorite song." Such is the power and influence of music. Entire cultures are defined by music. Who in our generation can forget Woodstock, Sinatra, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Tiny Tim? Each so different yet critical in our history. Ralph may right now be instructing the next vocal super star who will rewrite the next couple decades of music. If not, I know he is happy when one of his students hits the next note, or moves an octave further in their range and accomplishment. He is about taking individuals and making them better even a little. It means a lot to those who are under his direction. Medicine Hat owes a debt of gratitude. But Ralph would not think so...
THIS ISSUES
CONTENTS 5 FINANCE The Why and When of Wills
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BMO Consultant - Dan Hein
The Fashion Files Gainsboro Spotlight
11 MLA Columnist Drew Barnes
12 EDITORIAL The US Civil War 2.0 Scott Cowan 16 Politics How to Read the News in Canada Columnist Brent Dunstan 17 Law Why do Lawyer Drag Things Out
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Columnist Scott Stenbeck
Golf
Golf Simplified
Columnist Donald Crawley
EDITOR
SCOTT COWAN (403) 504-7092
scott-cowan@live.com
ART DIRECTOR
377 - 4 Street SE Medicine Hat, AB T1A 0K4
JOAN BATEMAN joan@gainsboro.ca GRAPHICS DIRECTOR
HEATHER COONS PHOTOGRAPHY
GAINSBORO STUDIOS PHONE (403) 526-3054
ADDRESS
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BMO Nesbitt Burns
The Why and When of Wills
Why is it important to make a Will? It is estimated that one third of Canadians do not have a Will. Many other Canadians have out-of-date or inadequate Wills because their assets or family situation has changed since the Will was drawn up. Without a Will, you are said to die intestate and provincial law dictates who will receive the assets of your estate. If you die intestate, there is no executor to administer your estate and someone must apply to the court to get permission to administer your estate. The application to court is costly and time consuming. The person asking the court for permission to administer your estate (the Applicant) may have to post a bond equal to twice the value of the estate, as security. Distribution of your assets to your heirs cannot take place until the court grants authority to the Applicant. All legal fees will have to be paid by the estate, leaving less funds to be distributed to your heirs. Further delays occur if you die intestate and there are minor children or if there is a dispute among family members or others as to who should be appointed to administer your estate. Where there are minor children, the provincial Children’s Lawyer will be involved. Once the estate is distributed, the share of a minor will be invested by the Children’s Lawyer and paid in full to the child when he/she reaches the age of majority whether the child is mature enough to manage the money or not.
The provincial formula for distribution on an intestacy provides for a preferential share to a surviving spouse, and the balance to be divided between the surviving spouse and children whether they are minors or adults. Where there is no surviving spouse, no children or grandchildren, remote relatives may be entitled to a distribution. If, after an exhaustive search, no surviving blood relatives can be found, your estate will go to the government. Having a Will can save your estate money and save your family a lot of anguish and frustration. Having a Will is the only way you can have control over who will administer your estate, the manner in which your estate will be distributed and to whom.
Indicators that a new will may be needed: • Marriage* or other change in marital status
If You Have a Will, When Did You Last Review It? Chances are that if your Will has not been reviewed with a professional within the last five years, it is time for a review. One potential problem with an old Will is that the executor choice may no longer be appropriate. A Will may also need to be changed to accommodate new family members, separation or divorce, or a significant increase or decrease in wealth since the old Will was made. Wealth brings opportunities and adds complexity to your estate. Make sure your estate plan adequately protects your estate and beneficiaries’ rights. Contact Dan Hein if you would like a copy of our informative brochure Wills That Work or for an introduction to an estate planning lawyer who can assist you in preparing or updating your Will or with any other aspects of your personal estate plan.
• Move to a new province • Sudden wealth – i.e. lottery win or inheritance
Lets Connect:
• Increase or decrease in wealth • Passage of time • Change in family members or circumstances
Dan Hein, BRE Investment Advisor BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. 606 2nd St SE Medicine Hat, AB T1A 0C9
• Sale of a business
403-528-6771
• Retirement or severance
Dan.Hein@nbpcd.com www.bmo.com/nesbittburns
*Revokes a Will in all provinces except Quebec
Author: Irit Gertzbein, LLB, Senior Manager, Trusts & Estates, Enterprise Wealth Planning Group
Note: Some terms are capitalized for purposes of greater clarity in the context of this discussion only. BMO Wealth Management is the brand name for a business group consisting of Bank of Montreal and certain of its affiliates, including BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., in providing wealth management products and services. “BMO (M-bar Roundel symbol)” is a registered trade-mark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence. “Nesbitt Burns” is a registered trade-mark of BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Montreal. If you are already a client of BMO Nesbitt Burns, please contact your Investment Advisor for more information. The comments included in this publication are not intended to be a definitive analysis of tax applicability or trust and estate law. The comments contained herein are general in nature and professional advice regarding an individual’s particular tax position should be obtained in respect of any person’s specific circumstances.
Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada
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THE CARLYLE, A ROSEWOOD HOTEL ANNOUNCES WINTER/ SPRING 2017 SUNDAY NIGHT RESIDENCIES AT BEMELMANS BAR additional information, visit www.thecarlyle.com. Follow The Carlyle Hotel on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About Bemelmans Bar A favorite neighborhood bar of Upper East Siders and visitors alike. Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle is a special hideaway where artist and author Ludwig Bemelmans’ whimsical drawings come to life. Best remembered for his beloved Madeline series of classic children’s books, Bemelmans was commissioned in 1947 to paint the large-scale murals to depict all four seasons in famed Central Park. Featuring the only surviving Bemelmans’ commission open to the public, the bar combines wit and coziness in unique New York style.
BLAKE ZIDELL & ASSOCIATES The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, is pleased to welcome back Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch to Bemelmans Bar for Sunday night residencies throughout the winter/spring 2017 season. Featuring top artists from the worlds of jazz, cabaret and Broadway alongside special unannounced guests. Sunday nights at Bemelmans Bar have become a favorite spot for a wide range of performing musicians across the city. Additionally, the classic watering hole has drawn crowds consisting of socialites, politicians, movie stars, and moguls for more than five decades. Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch’s upcoming performances will build upon their recent run of shows in the intimate, storied New York City lounge. Favorites not only of music fans and critics, but also of fellow artists. The duo recently added dozens of songs made famous by Frank Sinatra to their repertoire. Thanks to their current national tour of The Sinatra Century. Their shows provide a place where some of the city’s foremost entertainers go to commune with their own—and sometimes sit-in for a song or two—on their nights off. To be sure, Caruso and Stritch are exceptional musicians in their own right. In a recent New York Observer review, Rex Reed described their Bemelmans show as “a nimble, nonstop, musical show-business bonanza. With as much rhythm and class as the feet of Fred Astaire.” But part of the fun is experiencing Caruso and Stritch’s impromptu collaborations with the showbiz heavy-hitters who turn up; recent guest appearances at Bemelmans have included Liza Minnelli, Michael Feinstein, Bono, Marilyn Maye, Tony Danza, Jane Monheit and Linda Lavin. In addition to
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performing extensively on their own, Caruso and Stritch—who are best friends—gained national exposure together as the host and musical director of the wildly popular, recurring open mic event Cast Party. Stephen Holden, in The New York Times, called a Cast Party event in the Lincoln Center American Songbook series “a welcoming oasis of traditional show business bonhomie”—a description that perfectly captures the spirit of the duo’s Bemelmans residency. The pair will be at Bemelmans on March 5, March 12, March 19, April 2, April 9, April 16, April 23 and April 30. Bemelmans Bar is located in The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 East 76th Street @ Madison Avenue.) Bar seating is $15 per person, and table seating is $25 per person. Reservations not accepted; tables available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For
Restored in 2002 by designer Thierry Despont, the bar maintains its Art Deco legacy with chocolate-brown leather banquettes, nickel-trimmed black glass tabletops, a dramatic black granite bar and a 24-karat gold leaf-covered ceiling. Open year round with live music every evening, regular performers include favorites such as Chris Gillespie, Earl Rose, Loston Harris, David Budway, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch. Named in honor of the legendary artist, Bemelmans is a classic New York watering hole that has drawn socialites, politicians, movie stars and moguls for more than five decades. For more information, please contact Blake Zidell, Ron Gaskill or Matt Gross at Blake Zidell & Associates, 718.643.9052, blake@ blakezidell.com, ron@blakezidell.com or matt@blakezidell.com.
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All Photos: Bruce Herlitschek
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The US Civil War 2.0
Scott Cowan Editorial
There is a civil war raging in the United States of America. Precious few people are noticing. Recent WikiLeaks releases of almost 9000 documents show massive hacking and surveillance of none other than Donald Trump. It also appears that Obama ordered the cyber peeping tom activity on then candidate Trump. Including but not limited to his cell phone and Trump Tower. The ensuing explosion could end up being far greater than Water Gate investigators ever dreamed of for prosecution. The FBI was instructed to obtain a FISA warrant (foreign intelligence surveillance act). They did, and after found NO evidence of collusion with any Russian banking official, or anyone else. Yet Liberals still constantly talk as if Trump's guilty, and the election was rigged. No one talks about the absolute rigging Clinton ran on Bernie Sanders. FBI Director Comey recently told university students that Americans have no right to privacy. The government he claimed owns your words, thoughts, and memories. This is an abuse of power and ignorance of the constitution unmatched by the past. But this is how liberals think, and is in fact indicative of how dangerous they are to all citizens. Almost from the moment Trump secured the Presidency, the tolerant left has been rioting in the streets, destroying public property, and looting. Violence has been ever escalating. Backed by George Soros and his billions of dollars, and given the nod by none other than Hillary Clinton, and Obama himself. Soros paid protestors have been doing their
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job. Past Attorney General Loretta Lynch has openly called for rioting, and more blood in the streets. If this is not civil war what might one look like in reality?
Any conservative comment is labeled hate speech. Commencing April 1st 2017, you can be arrested in Canada for demeaning a Muslim, as defined by the person being offended.
This war is not so violent as it is digital and subversive. The main stream media is complicit to the point of absurdity. Over 91% of news stories were negative toward Trump during the election. Media Research Centre conducted an analysis of all 588 evening news stories over a period of time including ABC, CBS, and NBC, proving these one sided results. We are battling a globalist fascism movement versus traditional freedom. The left in the USA, and in Canada, is embolden. And for good reason, they are at a point where shouting down freedom of speech has become noble. If any conservative is scheduled to speak at a University, the protests start and the left denies freedom of speech. They are legislating against our ability to disagree with groups, or even elected officials. Canada's CBC is almost comedic in its lop sided coverage of say, the immigration issue, or any conservative candidate or elected member.
The recent Wiki Leaks dump of information indicates a far greater problem than any of the general USA public could ever have imagined. Among the disclosures it has been revealed the CIA cyber intelligence centre in Langley Virginia has managed to bypass encryption on popular phone and messaging services. Government hackers can penetrate android phones and collect audio and message traffic before encryption is applied. Another profound revelation is that the CIA can engage in "false flag" cyber attacks, which portray Russia as the assailant. They collect and maintain a substantial library of attack techniques stolen from malware produced in other states, including the Russian Federation. The CIA cannot only increase its total number of attack types, but also misdirect attribution. Leaving behind the "fingerprints" of the groups that the attack techniques were stolen Continued On Page 19
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The War On Cash By: Charles Hugh Smith You’ve probably read that there is a “war on cash” being waged on various fronts around the world. What exactly does a “war on cash” mean? It means governments are limiting the use of cash and a variety of official-mouthpiece economists are calling for the outright abolition of cash. Authorities are both restricting the amount of cash that can be withdrawn from banks, and limiting what can be purchased with cash. These limits are broadly called “capital controls.” Before we get to that, let’s distinguish between physical cash — currency and coins in your possession — and digital cash in the bank. The difference is self-evident: cash in hand cannot be confiscated by a “bail-in” (i.e., officially sanctioned theft) in which the government or bank expropriates a percentage of cash deposited in the bank. Cash in hand cannot be chipped away by negative interest rates or fees. Cash in the bank cannot be withdrawn in a financial emergency that shutters the banks (i.e., a bank holiday). When pundits suggest cash is “obsolete,” they mean physical paper money and coins, not cash in a bank. Cash in the bank is perfectly fine with the government and its well-paid yes-men (paging Mr. Rogoff and Mr. Buiter) because this cash can be expropriated by either “bail-ins” or by negative interest rates. Mr. Buiter, for example, recently opined that the spot of bother in 2008–09 (the Global Financial Meltdown) could have been avoided if banks had only charged a 6 percent negative interest rate on cash: in effect, taking 6 percent of the depositor’s cash to force everyone to spend what cash they might have. Both cash in hand and cash in the bank are subject to one favored method of expropriation, inflation. Inflation — the single most cherished goal of every central bank — steals purchasing power from physical cash and digital cash alike. Inflation punishes holders of cash and benefits those with debt, as debt becomes cheaper to service. The beneficial effect of inflation on debt has been in play for decades, so it can’t be the cause of governments’ recent interest in eliminating physical cash. So now we return to the question: Why are governments suddenly declaring war on physical cash, the oldest officially issued form of money? The first reason: physical cash has the potential to evade both taxes as well as officially sanctioned theft via bail-ins and
negative interest rates. In short, physical cash is extremely difficult for governments to steal. Some of you may find the word theft harsh or even offensive. But we must differentiate between taxes — which are levied to pay for the state’s programs that in principle benefit all citizens — and bail-ins, i.e., the taking of depositors’ cash to bail out banks that became insolvent through the actions of the banks’ management, not the actions of depositors. Bail-ins are theft, pure and simple. Since the government enforces the taking, it is officially sanctioned theft, but theft nonetheless. Negative interest rates are another form of officially sanctioned theft. In a world without the financial repression of zero-interest rates (ZIRP — central banks’ most beloved policy), lenders would charge borrowers enough interest to pay depositors for the use of their cash and earn the lender a profit. If borrowers are paying interest, negative interest rates are theft, pure and simple. Why are governments suddenly so keen to ban physical cash? The answer appears to be that the banks and government authorities are anticipating bail-ins, steeply negative interest rates and hefty fees on cash, and they want to close any opening regular depositors might have to escape these forms of officially sanctioned theft. The escape mechanism from bail-ins and fees on cash deposits is physical cash, and hence the sudden flurry of calls to eliminate cash as a relic of a bygone age — that is, an age when commoners had some way to safeguard their money from bail-ins and bankers’ control. Negative interest rates (and fees on cash, which are equivalently punitive to savers) raise another question: why are governments suddenly obsessed with forcing owners of cash to either spend it or gamble it in the financial-market casinos? The conventional answer voiced by Mr. Buiter is that recession and credit contraction result from households and enterprises hoarding cash instead of spending it. The solution to recession is thus to force all those stingy cash hoarders to spend their money. There are three enormous flaws in this thinking. One is that households and businesses have cash to hoard. The reality is the bottom 90 percent of households have less income now than they did fifteen years ago, which means their spending has declined not from hoarding but from declining income. The bottom 90 percent has less income and faces higher living expenses, so only the top slice of households has any substantial cash.
This top slice may see few safe opportunities to invest their savings, so they choose to keep their savings in cash rather than gamble it in a rigged casino (i.e., the stock market). The second flaw is that hoarding cash is the only rational, prudent response in an era of financial repression and economic insecurity. What central banks are demanding — that we spend every penny of our earnings rather than save some for investments we control or emergencies — is counter to our best interests. This leads to the third flaw: capital — which begins its life as savings — is the foundation of capitalism. If you attack savings as a scourge, you are attacking capitalism and upward mobility, for only those who save capital can invest it to build wealth. By attacking cash, the central banks and governments are attacking capital and upward mobility. Those who already own the majority of productive assets are able to borrow essentially unlimited sums at near-zero interest rates, which they can use to buy more productive assets. Everyone else — the bottom 99.5 percent — is reduced to consumer-serfdom. This inversion of capitalism dooms an economy to all the ills we are experiencing in abundance: rising income inequality, reduced opportunities for entrepreneurship, rising debt burdens, and a short-term perspective that voids the longer-term planning required to build sustainable productivity and wealth According to the Federal Reserve, total outstanding physical cash amounts to $1.36 trillion. Given that a substantial amount of this cash is held overseas, physical cash is a tiny part of the domestic economy and the nation’s total assets. For context: the US economy is $17.5 trillion, total financial assets of households and nonprofit organizations total $68 trillion, base money is around $4 trillion, and total money (currency in circulation and demand deposits) is over $10 trillion. Given the relatively modest quantity of physical cash, claims that eliminating it will boost the economy ring hollow. Following the principle of cui bono — to whose benefit? — let’s ask: What are the benefits of eliminating physical cash to banks and the government. 1. Every financial transaction can be taxed. 2. Every financial transaction can be charged a fee. 3. Bank runs are eliminated.
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DREW MLA BARNES Cypress - Medicine Hat cypress.medicinehat@assembly.ab.ca 403-528-2191
The NDP just had another throne speech and I have the opportunity tomorrow to give my response. I will start by mentioning that the 25% reduction on mandatory school fees is a step in the right direction. This will allow families the opportunity to keep more of their own money, administrators the chance to focus their time and the Alberta government the ability to focus on Education, one of its 3 chief responsibilities. However, I am disappointed that the NDP assault on our families, communities and our charitable sector continues. The NDP has dramatically increased the size and scope of government. Spending is up almost 10% over last year, interest expense is now $714 million a year (that's 24 schools or 5950 nurses or teachers, lost to paying interest to the well off, non-Canadians, corporations or pensions). When government is smaller, it allows Albertans more room to grow, invest, care themselves for their families and friends and to contribute to charity. The NDP spent considerable portions of the throne speech patting themselves on the back for raising our taxes, owning the biggest per capita deficit in Canadian history, taking 5.6 Billion out of Albertan's pockets with an ineffective
carbon tax. Cypress- Medicine Hatters know that bigger government, centralized 6 hours away in Edmonton is not going to be responsive to our needs, innovative to best practices, and cost efficient. The NDP has driven investment, jobs and high income earners (15% of Albertans pay 45% of the tax) out of Alberta. All the while, creating a 18 Billion dollar deficit, 11 Billion operating. (that's right, we are borrowing to keep the lights on). The NDP government has just announced a review of the pay and perks for 300 some executives that work for Agencies, Boards and Commissions. I will compliment the government on this, and their attempt to restore equity between similar remuneration for jobs in the public and private sectors. What was startling was how far the previous pc government had increased certain compensation levels and the level of public dollars being taken and spent from the Alberta taxpayer. The throne speech made it clear. The NDP is only interested in magnifying the high spending and taxation levels that the PC's had initiated.
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How To Read The News In Canada
wheres of the daily news. As such, print media has shifted it's focus toward analysis and commentary. What was once a column or two, editorials now comprises a large portion of the daily publications. Newspaper journalists are now less reporters and more commentators. They spend a significantly larger amount of their efforts writing about the whys and hows of current events.
Brent Dunstan Columnist
However, analysis and commentary is made from the perspective of the analyst and the commentator, hence the reference to the blind men and the elephant. If you have read the accounts of the same event, or more so the commentary on the same issue in several national newspapers (either the print or online versions), it's often hard to believe they are all talking about the same elephant. The information provided, and particularly the tone of the articles, often varies wildly, and
this is most certainly not by accident, but by design. For the purposes of comparison and illustration, 4 specific examples will be highlighted; chosen because each has an online version updated often, while also publishing a daily print newspaper (a dying breed, it seems). They have also been chosen because each holds it's particular place along the political spectrum. They might balk at being pigeonholed this way, as most newspapers generally envision themselves as the idyllic example and true champion of the fourth estate, but their characterization is accurate none the less. If you are looking for your favourite flavour of political perspective, they are: The Sun Newspaper Chain - The Right, The National Post - The Centre/Right, The Globe & Mail - The Centre/Left, and The Toronto Star The Left. Continued On Page 22
Reading the news is a bit like the story of the blind men and the elephant. If you're not familiar, it's about a number of blind men who are each touching one different part of the same elephant; the side, a tusk, a leg, an ear, the tail, and it's trunk. Each man identifies what he believes he is feeling. They individually deduce that what is before them is respectively; a wall, a spear, a tree, a fan, a rope, and a snake. Like many such stories, there are multiple versions of this tale. Some tell of violent disagreement between the men, as each defends his opinion, while other versions tell of how the men co-operatively use their combined knowledge to determine that it is indeed an elephant. The obvious point is that each man's limited perspective is the reason for the inaccuracy of his determination. The lesson, particularly in the versions where the blind men pool their knowledge, is that it is by exposure to multiple perspectives that the most accurate conclusions can be arrived at. With the massive leaps in technology that have occurred, the reporting of news has rapidly evolved and dramatically changed. Print media, even daily newspapers, have shifted their focus away from reporting news, due to the fact that by the time a newspaper can be delivered to the reader, other media types television and the Internet in particular - have already provided the who, what, when, and
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Why do Lawyers Drag Things Out?
Scott Stenbeck
1(866)783 6232 Law Columnist
A question I hear a lot is why things seem to take so long in the Court system, and why lawyers seem to “drag cases out”. I will admit that there are times that lawyers make the process take longer than it should be, but lawyers are only one part of the problem. If I had to group what causes delay, I would say that it can come from three sources in combination: The lawyers, the clients, and delays inherent in the system. I will talk about them in reverse order. In our Court system, we try to strike a balance between procedural fairness on the one hand, which is the ability for everyone to have their say and call all the relevant evidence they want to, versus speed on the other. Let me give an absurd example. Probably the fastest way to resolve a dispute would be to just flip a coin. But I think most people would say that is not very procedurally fair. So, let’s say then that each party gets the right to talk to a lawyer and have a lawyer speak on their behalf if they want. That slows things down while people retain counsel. Then let’s say that maybe it isn’t fair if I have to show up in Court and have no idea of what the other side is going to say, so I don’t know what witnesses and evidence to bring. Well, that slows it down more while we have disclosure requirements, and on and on. We then add in that often Court dates can’t be obtained without several months advance notice, and we have delays that are just part of the Court system we have. I know that in my family and divorce practice this can be particularly frustrating. I often tell people that we have an old litigation system
that was designed when the divorce rate was more like one percent, rather than fifty like it is today, and it is still catching up. I try to do any of the negotiating that gets done in a case in the dead time while waiting for procedural things to happen, so that with the concurrent activity the delays are minimised. Clients can sometimes create delay, often unintentionally and without wanting to. Sometimes a person has to provide information required in their case, often in divorce and family law this can be income and financial information. No one I know keeps a binder handy of all this stuff just in case they get divorced one day, so depending on how well someone organises their records, there can be delays while things are requested from banks, revenue Canada, or appraisals of assets are arranged. As well, most litigation, especially divorce and family matters, involve areas of great personal importance to people. While I move ahead quickly once my client instructs me what direction to take based on a decision they have made, I have often had people take weeks or months to tell me what it is they want to do, because it takes that long for them to make the decision, because the choice is a tough one. For example, a common situation is that someone is having a lot of difficulty getting their regular scheduled access to their children from their ex spouse. They contact me, I tell them that we need to make a Court application to set exactly their access times and enforce their access. The client tells me that they are afraid to do so, because their ex will become even more uncooperative and difficult. We discuss what the Court can and cannot do, and the risks and ups and downs of the application. The client tells me that last weekend, they got their access and it wasn’t too bad, and that they want me to wait while they think about it. A month or two goes by, another access problem happens. I ask the client if they want me to make the application now, they indicate they are going to think about it some more and see how the next few weeks go. This kind of thing happens all the time and creates delay, because as a lawyer I need my client’s go ahead to take action, and often the decision the client has to make is a difficult one that takes time, and rightfully so. I think that lawyers create delay in two ways. The first is just not knowing what to do next.
My personal belief is that legal education in the last ten to fifteen years has changed from teaching core lawyering and litigation skills to more the sociology of law, and alternative dispute resolution. Don’t get me wrong, I think mediation is great in the right circumstances, but we have to know as lawyers what to do next if it fails. When a settlement isn’t achieved, more letters and more meetings just create more delay, we need to know when to put settlement discussions on hold and how to advance matters through the Court system when it is required. When I see a client the first time, I usually draw out a timeline with a plan of how we should proceed, and if things settle along that timeline, which they usually do, then great. Being able to see the overview of how a case should progress is something that comes with time and experience. The second way things get drug out is a lawyer creating delay as a litigation tactic, which I don’t agree with. I think our professional obligation is to help clients get their case either settled or to Court for an adjudication as quickly and cheaply as possible. However, we don’t get to pick when we start a case if we have the stronger side of it or not. There are certainly lawyers that, when they perceive their case is weaker, argue procedure and create delay to hold off when it goes to Court, in the hopes that the other side will get tired of it and settle. That folds back into the first part of this paragraph, which is that we need to know what to do next when the other side is not co-operative with getting a case to Court to be dealt with on it’s merits. Some of the above delays can be avoided, some can’t. If your case requires a Thursday afternoon special chambers date to deal with an interim order and a date isn’t available for four months because they are all booked until then, it is what it is. What a person can do, though, is to choose experienced and well-rounded counsel that does handle contentious matters before the Courts regularly, and to be sure to provide information requested as quickly as possible. The toughest part for a client to do to minimise delay, and sometimes this can’t be avoided, is to do the best they can to make the difficult choices in their case decisively and instruct their lawyer in as timely a fashion as possible.
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The US Civil War 2.0 Continued From Page 12
from to cover their own hubris. This includes key loggers, pass word collection, webcam capture, data destruction, persistence, privilege escalation, stealth, antivirus avoidance, and survey techniques. Apple's iPhone, Google's android, Microsoft Windows, and even Samsung's TVs have been turned into covert microphones. It has been revealed your car can be controlled via it's on board computer. If the government does not like you... your car suddenly might accelerate to 120 MPH and then your power steering is locked. This civil war is waging against the "Deep State" masters . Liberals want to keep Americans hostage to an ever decreasing purchase power of their dollar, and their social engineering experiment. Globalists want compliant workers who obey their masters without question. Until Trump came along they were doing just fine with most of the population asleep, and the left politically on the rise. Now they are scared, being drawn into the light of conservative governance. If you think I am part of a huge conspiracy theory, I invite you to travel out to Utah. You'll find a giant 1,000,000 square foot storage space facility. It took $2,000,000,000.00 dollars to build, and boasts a $40,000,000.00 dollar a year utility bill. It is rumored it has a five Zeta byte storage capacity. To put that in perspective, one Zeta would equal the storage capacity of a pile of iPhones stacked to the moon! So this begs the question what are they storing in this black hole of endless capacity? Why every phone call, text, email, and Facebook message every person writes, on any electronic device. If you become a person of interest, anything you have ever said, or written, can be called up for review or prosecution.
than first thought. President Trump may have profound faults... so do we all. One thing he is doing, is pulling back the veil exposing the unknown demons lurking in taxpayer havens of impunity. The left always accuses the right of the exact things they are guilty of conducting. We do know the left has the ability to plant any message on any phone or computer. Trump wanted a ban on a handful of the most egregious countries exporting terrorism. Obama called an activist judge to put a stop to the President's executive order. After a few weeks the order was reintroduced. Obama flew to Hawaii and met with another judge he had appointed. Same result. When Bill Clinton and Janet Reno wanted to send a small boy back to Cuba, they raided the Uncles home in Florida. A swat team forcefully dragged the kid out of a closet, and put him back on a plane to Cuba. They said then, the judiciary had nothing to do with immigration. When Stalin was killing millions of people, democrats and the New York Times loved Russia. Today, when Putin is killing terrorists and asking for USA help, democrats demonize everything Russian. Putin has reached out to religious groups, incorporated many democratic reforms. It clearly demonstrates that democrats in congress are more communistic than todays Soviets. Putin is far more of a
capitalist than Bernie Sanders or Nancy Pelosi. While Russia progressively westernized after President Reagan brought down the wall, democrats have slid deeper into the cesspool of socialism. So if the Liberals win... what happens to us? More taxes ever increasing. Longer working hours to buy less. Don't worry the socialist masters will always live high, and eat the best food. They will travel at your expense, and continue to meet their globalist objectives. Maybe start a war to thin out republican protestors who start to come out of their self induced coma. We will abort more babies and legalize drugs. Because sooner or later, you'll need a way to escape reality. Every democrat and some republicans are in on the scam to enslave the USA. The Left is socialist, which is a nice name for communist. All the hype about immigrants is simple. Leftists want a perpetual group of welfare collecting voters to keep them in office a bit longer, until the rope is tight around your neck. It is time we all took a deep breath and admit it is time to be heard, and get involved before it is too late. That time is now. By the way, the media has not reported Trump was just nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. He won't win, President Reagan brought down the Berlin wall and wasn't awarded one.
All these resources and maybe more, Obama allegedly utilized on Trump. Left over liberal appointees now moles in the FBI and CIA are the source of the so called leaks about Trump. They are liberal operatives literally working to unseat the President. You may not be a fan of the Republicans but don't be so stupid to think you cannot be next. When Trump is talking about draining the swamp, this is what he is talking about. This degree of abuse of power cannot be calculated. There has long been stories of "shadow governments," directing and controlling the White House. We have heard of leaders being set up and taken down. Now we see justification for the so called conspiracy theorists of old. All of the whispers are true, and even more dangerous
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Golf Simplified play, and hit better shots. On the range when we are working on some fundamental or particular shot (reduce the slice of the ball: stop topping the ball: chip the ball cleaner, closer- you get the idea.) I try to emphasize two key thoughts, pictures, or 'feels'. Only two, not twenty two.
Donald Crawley Golf Columnist TOP 100 Teacher Director of Instruction Boulders Golf Academy 480 488 9028 Donald.crawley@theboulders.com www.theboulders.com www.golfsimplified.com
Golf Simplified is the name of my teaching system. It means what it says.....golf simplified. Golf is a difficult game that we make way too complicated. Most golfers enjoy the game more when they are relaxed and keep the thought process simple. With forty years of playing / teaching experience I often have to remind myself, every day, to keep it simple, the KISS method. In a previous article I summarized my experience of playing golf in the homeland, five days in a row, on beautiful courses with fantastic company. That is a recipe of fun and fond memories. The only way I could spoil it is if I complicated the environment.By a) teaching too much to my playing partners, clouding their minds from enjoying the whole experience, or b) ask too much of myself to perform perfectly. The reminder at the start of each round is to keep the thought process simple and enjoy the game. Everyone wants to play better, so I gave each playing partners one thing to work on, to help them control their ball, keep it in
Go to one of my GolfSimplified video clips https://youtu.be/0jbyJi8btpg if you want to add a visual to this dialogue. " At the start of the backswing I try to push the club straight back for 13 inches before I turn my left shoulder under my chin. As I transfer my weight to the inside of my right leg, that must remain flexed and stable. But not too rigid. At waist height I start to cock my wrists maintaining the pressure between my thumb and forefinger on the right hand. As the left wrist hinges flat, and my right elbow folds down and in, close to but not against my right side. My upper body is coiling perpendicular to my spine. Yet resisting the hip turn as I'm feeling a straight. But relaxed left arm connected to my chest, with my hands above my fully turned rear shoulder.......... And on and on and on............ You get the message. It’s not that each individual thought or feel is wrong but my goodness that is way too much, too complicated, and we haven’t even finished the backswing yet! And your playing partners are yelling at you to “RELAX”!
A more specific goal such as “I want to get rid of my slice,” is also a very common request. Again keeping the information practical but understandable, the correct diagnosis and correction, helps simplify the process. I love to hear the feedback”oh that feels easier ,“ or “now I know what to work on, that makes sense”. I have to keep the message simple so that you can grasp it quickly, see some immediate improvement, which encourages you to keep working on it. A ‘quick fix’ doesn’t necessarily mean only a temporary fix. Some folks call it a ‘band aid’. A quick fix is making the correct diagnosis and applying the correct fix, thought, feel, or picture. Maybe the phrase ‘tune up’ is better. Either way, make sure you are keeping your routine, thought process and most importantly ‘in- swing’ keys ( that means when you are actually over the ball, ready to give it a rip!) SIMPLE. I look forward to seeing you in the valley of the sun, Scottsdale, AZ
If you are a new golfer and interested in the game, start with lessons. Get some help, go with a friend. If you are an experienced golfer, a veteran of the game, get some help and take a lesson from a qualified instructor. Keep your goals simple yet focused. If the instruction is lengthy, boring , confusing or complicated, seek out a different instructor! If you are making a winter trip down to Scottsdale AZ, come see me at the beautiful Boulders Resort. http://www.theboulders. com and we can work together on simplifying your swing or short game. The majority of my winter students are folks who haven’t played for a while, weeks months, sometimes years. The first step is to make them comfortable in the golfing environment. A common request I get is “I just want to play reasonable and not embarrass myself”. A legitimate goal! We will work on fundamentals to help you hit the ball better; keeping it simple.
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How To Read The News In Canada It must be said that on occasion, each publishes articles that stray from these parameters, although the two that straddle the middle of the spectrum tend to do so more often. This is especially true when they have guest columnists who lean farther right or left than the typical fare. But, for the most part, one can rely on news and commentary from the political perspective of one's preference by sourcing one's news from one of these four options. However, it is both enlightening and quite often entertaining to avail oneself of the articles on the same issue or event from the other choices.
"out of step with Canadians" with his tribute; the Globe & Mail's Fred Chartrand saying the PM's statement "leaves the disturbing impression that Mr. Trudeau said what he said because it's what he really believes"; the Post's Terence Corcoran explaining "why Justin Trudeau shares his dad's love of murderous communist despots like Castro"; to the Sun's Mark Bonokoski calling "Justin Trudeau's statement on Fidel Castro's death a revisionist embarrassment", all were singing the same tune. Sometimes an elephant is obviously an elephant, no matter what part one grabs hold of.
Take, for example, the Liberal Government's recent shelving of electoral reform. Depending on the source, it was described as everything from an act of cowardly betrayal and a failure to listen to Canadians, to an act of brave leadership and a reflection of Canadians' wishes. The whole notion of revising the way Canadians vote was either hypercritical and must be done, or of negligible importance and a non-priority. It all depended on what commentator one read. It was as if blind men were describing an elephant after each touching only one part, and then emphatically defending his verdict.
While it is quite natural to gravitate toward the news source that most reflects one's preferences and beliefs, seizing the opportunity to take note of other perspectives can prove instructive. More often than not, doing so only serves to reinforce one's own point of view. However, there can be occasions where one's perspective will be broadened, moderated, or
Perhaps an even more interesting exercise is reading each of the four news providers mentioned after a specific event, and noting whether or not the event was reported at all. Often one of these media outlets will fixate upon a particular story, offering multiple editorial columns on the subject, while the same event or issue will receive scant mention in another newspaper, if it is reported at all. This is particularly true when partisan political matters are at hand, or a particular party's leader or member errs. Depending on the severity of course, lesser failings are practically overlooked by the newspaper who champions the offending party's political leanings, while being painstakingly dissected to it's finest minutiae by it's opposite counterpart. Balance, it seems, has become the responsibility of the reader. However, there are those incidents, rare as they may be, where the stars align and there is uniformity in the reporting and commentary among the four. An example of this was the commentary on the Prime Minister's remarks after the death of Fidel Castro. From the Star's Paul Wells stating the PM was
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even altered. At the very least, one's opinion will be well informed; shaped by a greater knowledge of the broad range of thought on the matter at hand. History has shown that politics is cyclical in nature, by virtually any standard of measure. The political climate is currently trending toward a more polarized environment judging from global events. This need not be by default a bad thing, as some of the best policy can come from the rigorous and passionate debate stimulated by strongly held positions. However, truly great debate is only possible when the parties involved are both respectful and thoroughly informed. Neither characteristic is possible without knowledge and understanding of the various facets of the matter of discussion. A good start is reading the news in Canada from several sources, thus avoiding being like the blind men and the elephant. Brent
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