Forever Tainted

I forgot to set the timer on the TV last night, so I woke up this morning to the sound of a really annoying pro-HST commercial. Here:


Stickman: HST and PST+GST Rally from HSTinBC on Vimeo.

What annoys me most about this is how stupid our government thinks we are, and how so many of us are bound to prove them right with this upcoming election. We’ll do this by voting to keep the HST either because we sincerely believe that the 10% HST promised to us in 3 years time (like the government never breaks its promises) really is cheaper on us, or we’re greedy business owners who will now get a higher tax credit at the cost of our very own customers, or simply because the confusing way in which this election is being worded.

Vote YES to get rid of the HST and go back to the GST & PST.

Vote NO to keep the HST at 12% with a promise of lowering it to 10% in 3 years time, which still applies to more products and services than the GST & PST ever did.

What this commercial fails to tell you is that HST applies to up to 60% more services and products than GST or PST alone and is also applied to purchases that had no tax at all in the past.






The big financial benefits for HST in BC go to big and moderate sized companies who get to write off their HST and get a bigger tax back credit at their year-ends. How many average sized families in BC, do you figure get to write off their expenses in order to get tax back each year? There are slight benefits of HST that go to Accountants and Bookkeepers as having one tax over two simplifies their job and gives them the satisfaction of telling their clients about the large tax refund they should expect each year.

“It’s the one issue that most observers can agree on. The HST is good for most businesses, especially for big and medium businesses. The independent review concluded that consumers this year were paying $1.33-billion more in sales taxes, after rebates and tax breaks, and business is paying $730-million less.
The HST reduces the cost of production and simplifies bookkeeping. With the provincial sales tax, business paid tax on goods and services used in each stage of production, a tax upon the tax. But under the HST, the tax is applied only when the goods are sold, or the services provided, to the consumer.
The HST has been endorsed by several businesses and business organizations, from the Business Council of B.C., which represents companies accounting for 25 per cent of all jobs in the province, to the B.C. Guide Outfitters Association.
Not all businesses benefit. Smaller enterprises and service-based companies that were not previously subject to sales tax take a hit. But many smaller businesses are agile and adjust quickly to changing circumstances. After a year of HST, small businesses may be reluctant to go back to the time-consuming bookkeeping required by the PST. “

The rationalization that the HST promises to help our economy by making it more profitable for business is not factual, but it’s hopeful predictions.

“It may take years to find out whether HST provided a boost to the economy.”

”After 2014, the HST may bring in less than the PST. Without an increase in economic growth, the HST would be cutting a big hole in government budgets, roughly $3-billion over the following five years. In other words, the reduction in the HST rate to 10 per cent could make a significant dent in provincial budgets for years. The government would be financially better off by bringing back the provincial sales tax.”

Quotes taken from the 4 page Globe and Mail article here.

We all predicted the Canucks were going to win the Stanley Cup this year too…

Personally, I come from a family on entrepreneurs and small business owners. I’m hoping to venture into my own business at this very moment. I’m still voting YES to scrap the HST this year, because I don’t want to personally benefit at the cost of my society or my clients. Under the old GST & PST system, you’d only have to pay 5% GST tax on most* of my web designing services. With HST, you get to pay 12% on everything now and maybe in 3 years that will be lowered to 10% (still double what voting YES, will cost you)! My write-offs and my end of year tax back cheques may be smaller, but it’s a small price to pay to help lessen our societies tendency to help the rich get richer while the poor are pushed deeper into poverty. It’s a small price for me to pay to discourage more big business from inhabiting our society and hopefully encouraging and empowering individuals to become entrepreneurs on their own –the decent, old-fashioned way, with social-conscience.

The pro-HST commercials make me nauseous. It doesn’t take a genius to know the reality of the decision our society has to make here – and our government clearly thinks far less of our intelligence levels than that. Help us prove them wrong!





*The only web designing services that must charge both GST and PST are those that include executable compute program within the site.

It’s been an ugly day.

I fucking hate ICBC: the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. Almost like I fucking hate BC Ferries. (Almost as much as I hate you, bitch, and wonder why the hell you still read my blog… but that of course, is for another entry altogether, if/when I have the inclination to bother with it.) Hell, I hate any monopoly organization. ICBC isn’t just a monopoly though, they’re exact proof of the failures of a socialized system: socialization at it worst.

Today, I had the misfortune of actually having to complain to an ICBC operator. I imagine it’s akin to what complaining to BCTel was; prior to competitive phone companies forcing BCTel to change it’s treatment of consumers (along with their company name altogether to Telus). The woman was an arrogant bitch, as I imagine (and have been told) they all are. I suppose you’d have to be, to be working for one of the most hated organizations in this province.

To make a long story short, I recently (as in at the end of December or beginning of January) renewed my yearly insurance; which should have expired this month. I renewed it almost 2 months early, YES – because I’m fairly neurotic about being on time about payments due. I have an automated debit from my account with them, which takes place on the 18th of every month- except this month it turned out. This month, they got greedy and took the money on the 9th. Not expecting that payment to come out, and already depleting that particular account of any available funds, that debit forced my account into the red. I was charged a simple $5 fee for going over my available balance – the bank decided to deny the overdraft, reversed the charge and billed me my first ever NSF fee. Thanks to that fee, my account is still in the red – ICBC will once again have to try and take their fee, and I’ll have to pay all charges.

When I called the ICBC bitch to ask about the change of dates, her response was a little convoluted, absolutely disdainful, and totally rude. She actually told me that ICBC doesn’t actually sell ICBC insurance so thus it wasn’t up to their staff to inform us of such changes –when I mentioned my bank statement showed ICBC takes the charges, the office I went into had an ICBC logo and called themselves ICBC Driver’s Services, and the receipts they offered all carried the ICBC logos, she explained that some brokers choose to use ICBC’s logo, just for the sake of using it. Doesn’t sound like proper business ethics to me. And in short, she pretty much said it was up to me to read the fine print when I signed the documents to renew my insurance with them TWO MONTHS early.

I don’t know about you, but when I renew something, I expect that it will be renewed under the same terms as the current agreement, unless otherwise agreed. I’m pretty sure the definition of ’renew’ implies just that. I also believe it’s under the business’s responsibility to point out any goddamn changes so that the buyer is aware they are apparent. If of course, that's if the business has ethics: which we all know, ICBC doesn’t need to. They’re a government owned monopoly and by law we have to do business with them in order to drive in this fucking province.  I get it. I didn’t read the fine print. But FUCK! Why should I have? From what I understood, I was simply extending a current agreement as is.

I’ve heard multiple stories about ICBC fucking people, whether it be under these conditions or from people making a claim. My father pointed out in one of ICBC’s pamphlets that they actually have the authority to confiscate your vehicle, for ‘unlawful’ activities without any charges being laid or proof. READ THAT – they’re own marketing material says that it’s the discretion of ICBC employees to take away your car if they decide your actions are unlawful – YOU DO NOT have to be charged in a court of law, proven guilty, arrested, or even accused of unlawful activities by someone (other than an ICBC representative of course). Just pick up the Drunk Driving Penalties Pamphlet from your local ICBC office for yourself. What I don’t understand is WHY DON’T CANADIANS STAND UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BULLSHIT? We are supposed to be living in a democracy. Don’t tell me the people of BC want this bullshit; choose this bullshit; and will continue to accept this bullshit. They will, though. Because as a general rule Canadians are fucking pussies that convince themselves they are ok with everything and anything – for the sake of keeping quiet. Just like the housewives of the past. Canadians are pansies.

I envy the strength of the Tunisians for their recent successes as a community, and the Egyptians – who today, forced their dictator president Mubarak to step down.  We Canadians... We’ve got it so good in our comfy little lives, we’re afraid to make it better – even if that is what a democracy is truly about.

I laughed though it really wasn’t funny. It was a nervous laughter, as I sincerely didn’t know how to answer the question, “do you consider a permanent coma, paralysis from the neck down, or any condition that would require permanent life support and intolerable (unacceptable) condition?”

I was in the Notaries Public office and having just signed off on my Last Will (created for the purpose of keeping two unscrupulous people, I have the misfortune of being related to, away from my estate and personal remains). I had already signed Power of Attorney over to my father and was in the process of signing my “Health and Personal Care Instructions for Representative(s) or Family And Friends, in accordance with Act, s9 Representation Agreement Act, s.16”: a stepping stone before actually signing away my sanity under the Ulysses act. Ulysses act is something serious though. It must be signed in the presence of an attorney, in order for it to be legal. Here’s what is says:

The adult authorizes her Representative to:

(a) physically restrain, move, or manage the adult, or have the adult physically retrained, moved, or managed, when necessary despite the objections of the adult;
(b) give consent, in the circumstances specified in the agreement, to specified kinds of heath care, even though the adult is refusing to give consent at the time health care is provided;
(c) refuse consent to specified kinds of health care, including life-supporting care or treatment;
(d) give consent to specified kinds of health care, including one or more of the kinds of health care prescribed under section 34 (2) (f) of the Health Care (Consent) and Care Facility (Admission) Act;
(e) accept facility care proposal under the Health Care (Consent) and Care Facility (Admission) Act for the adult’s admission to any kind of care facility;
(f) make arrangements for th temporary care, education and financial support of
i. the adult’s minor children, and
ii. any other persons who are cared for or supported by the adult;
(g) do, on the adult’s behalf, any thing that can be done by an attorney and that is not mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (f) or in section 7 (1);
(h & i) Repealed 2001-2-30

Tomorrow, I call to make an appointment with the attorney to literally sign away my sanity in accordance with that act. My mother lost her mind. My worst fear is that I will too. What I’m doing now is being prepared.

It scares the fuck out of me. It makes my death a reality. But it has to be done.

The Holiday Season is Here…

So much has happened since I last wrote here; most of which good – and even that which isn’t the greatest always seems to have a silver lining eventually. I’d almost forgotten about this little haven.

“Blog More,” the text message I got last night read. It was from James, a friend and fellow blogger. He’s right. I haven’t spent enough time here and writing. And I seemed to have abandoned my journaling all together once again. Change is inevitable, but who would have thought something I was once so passionate about, writing, would now seem so meaningless? Oh how that mirrors so much in my life.

I’m not 19 anymore and I don’t know it all. What else is there to say?

For the sake of the sake, Lars and I have pretty much finished both suites now (he did far more work than I), and now all that’s left is the cave for the hottub. Winter’s here and winter sucks both for construction and my personal mood. With earlier evenings (who is the idiot that thinks we still must observe daylight savings?) and colder days, I find myself lazy, listless and mildly depressed. I suppose the medication ensures that depression stays mild. And work keeps me too busy to ponder too many evils.

Work is better than good. The few evils I ponder are horrific. I think about my mom, and though I have come to terms with her death, I don’t know that I’ll ever come to term with how she died and how much pain she endured; 7 heart attacks in a row. I don’t know that I’ll ever come to terms with the people who helped her die, and desecrated her remains after the fact; we are still in legal battles. I don’t know that I’ll ever view life the same way again.

I think about my son, and the quote I was given for a lawyer to look into a case to have him here, or at least force his father to give me regular updates on his well-being… $7,500 American, as a retainer. That’s just the start. It’s simply not something I can afford today – though you can bet your ass that if I find the markets turn and selling my apartment in Dubai because a feasible solution, I will pay 5 times that without blinking an eye. I miss my son.

And through it all, Lars is there to love me, comfort me and accept me, even for my most horrible moods. I suppose I’m pretty lucky these days. Lucky enough to feel I have little to say here...

June 21, 2010

Lars,

I have no idea what possesses me to write this, but I feel consumed with this deep sadness… Not for me. I’m at peace. My life with you is perfect. It’s a deep sorrow I feel for you.

I need you to know that I love you with all my heart. My life… Me… I am complete now. And I so hope I’m wrong, but as I pack to leave for Squamish, I can’t help but feel it’s the last time. And last night, last night I slept the perfect sleep wrapped in your love; like a perfect end.

Thank you. Thank you for being so: so very wonderful. And thank you for loving me.

If something should happen to me, know my only regret is the time I did not spend with you. This letter should serve as my Last Will & Testament. And legal or not, I wish that everything possible is done to make sure these simple requests are fulfilled:

Promise me you’ll stand by Martin and my brother Jesse long enough to know they are going to cope alright. Please help them be strong, as I know you will be. And hug Kelly Fouchier, tell her I love her with all my heart, but know she doesn’t need you as they do.

Promise me you won’t let either of those epitomes of evil, Sheila Fouchier or Eleanor Russell near my family, my estate or me or my remains. It was not possible for me to live as if I had never encountered either vile excuse for a woman, I wish to at the very lest, die as though neither of these things existed in my life.

Promise me that when my son is old enough to understand, you’ll let him know that I loved him with all my heart and made every choice I possibly could in his best interest.

And finally, perhaps most important of all, promise me you’ll find happiness in our past and your future. I love you, and that is my truest wish for you.

As for my estate… After my debts are paid, I leave everything I own (including but not limited to my apartment in Dubai, my 2006 Nissan Altima (here in Canada), my 2003 Nissan Maxima (in Dubai), any and all jewellery, including that which was left to me from my mother’s estate) to Martin Christopher Lee to divide among my loved ones or keep to him, as he desires. I do hope something profitable for you all, becomes of the little I have, eventually. Perhaps you could all build something together?

There are two groups of people mentioned in this letter. You are either one of the reasons my life was worth living and I thank you, or you were living proof that true evil does exist and have made me even more thankful for the latter in my life.

Much love…
Xx

There is a signed copy of this on the bottom part of our bedside table, babes. I hope I'm just consumed with emotion today, and confusing the fear of missing you for a week with the fear of never seeing you again. I hope you never, ever have to pull it out, but it's there if you need it and I'd much rather be safe than sorry. I love you.

Bullshit.

It occurred to me the other day that my mother paid into CPP (Canadian Pension Plan) her whole life. This payment isn’t a payment by choice, but by force. Employers take a percentage off every paycheck and submit to CPP (as well as a federal and provincial taxes AND employment insurance), before handing the checks over to the employee. Businesses get closed down if they fail to do this. Each payday I watch as about a quarter of the money I earned gets sent off into taxes or funds that I’ll most-likely never see again.

My mom’s dead. She doesn’t need a pension. She won’t get her CPP money back. Though she was forced to pay thousands upon thousands into this fund to ‘protect her future’ for her retirement. She won’t retire now, so you’d expect that money be returned to her estate, used to pay some of her burial fees, or even pay off her debts. But it doesn’t. It doesn’t go anywhere. The goddamned government gets to keep it.

Lovely. What's almost as lovely? She paid taxes on that CPP as she paid into it. Had she lived, and been paid a pension... She'd have to pay takes on the money CPP returns to her. Cock-sucking-robbers - taxed twice on the same funds!

The government got to murder my mother and they are robbing her for the last time. And only now, now that a drug addicted crazy man stabbed some unsuspecting 15-year-old down town, now are people standing up and saying, “HEY! BC’s neglect of the mentally instable and those with addictions (because those go hand in fucking hand assholes) is ruining lives and our society! SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT IT!”

Reminds me of a cry I made years ago – around the same time my mom was threatening to annihilate strangers because her ‘six sense’ told her that they were child molesters. Assholes. If we weren’t there, my mother may have been that same god-damned murderer! If you had listened to us, this poor 15-year-old may NOT be dead today. And my mother may still be alive.

But ranting does nothing. Begging does nothing. No one fucking cares until it affects him or her personally. The god-dammed public on this side of the planet is a bunch of thoughtless, lazy, inconsiderate, pansies that are too scared of change. They need to be sheep – need to be told what to do, even if that means doing nothing at all and watching people around them die. So what, if it isn’t you or your loved one?

But blah… I wonder why I’m so pissed. Aside from the fact that its an out-fucking-rageous situation to begin with. It could be the fact that I’m PMSing. Or the fact that this morning, I decided to go red:



Redheads are supposed to have tempers, aren’t they?

I’m going to send the last entry, the letter to my grandmother, to her house once a week, every week until the bitch dies.

I’m going to fight this as fiercely as my mother would have.

I’m going to insure that my mother’s last wishes are fulfilled, if it bankrupts and/or kills me to do so.

I’m going to make sure my mother is given the respect in her death she deserves.

I’m going to move back to the island at this end of this month and insure that I can be there for court cases, to arrange a proper memorial – after informing all her loved ones of her demise.

And when this is all over, I’m going to survive; somehow, some way.

On the 31st of this month, my whore-cunt-slut-bitch-insult-to-all-women-kind of a sister had my mother’s body cremated without a funeral, without informing anyone, without anyone’s input until my mom’s body was already in the oven. My grandmother, my mother’s mother stood by her side while she did it.

Yesterday, my other grandmother pointed out the obituary my sister and that wicked witch had written.

It’s an insult, another slap in my mother’s face! How much colder, insincere, thoughtless can an obituary be than that?

I will have a proper one, telling the world what my mother was really all about, published as soon as possible.

These people aided in her death, refusing to help her over the past two years. And now that she is gone, they’ve raped her body and murdered her all over again. And they are both her blood... They are her mother and one of her daughters.

There are some things that are to never be forgiven. There are some people that do not deserve to live. There are some things; it’d be worth going to jail for.

But instead, we are taking them to court. We will sue the fuck out of them, and demand that my mother’s Will be followed to the T, despite that cunt stealing the original signed copy, and denying it existed. We will attempt to sue the coroner for releasing my mother’s body to a mentally challenged bitch. We will make my mother’s mother sell her home if she’s stolen an of my mother’s willed belongings.

And I know my mother would have it no other way. Before my mother was sick... she was just. And she’d expect the same from me.

Sodomy Sentence Reduced to Molestation ~*Gulf News

"The convict's lawyer, Ali Al Abbadi, argued: "My client didn't sodomise the schoolboy... the forensic report confirmed that the boy was not sodomised (there were no signs of any intercourse) but the examination showed that there were signs of sexual interaction which occurred due to possible molestation.""

What I want to know is exactly what examinations can determine whether a person has actually been penetrated, or just “molested?” Sounds like a crock of shit to ignorant little me. Any rapist/child-molester deserves capital punishment.

And while I’m on the topic of child abuse, watch this movie (the whole thing available in parts on YouTube). It’s heartbreaking.