Phantasmix Stock Market Blog

Well, it’s been a few years since the last meaningful strike in Toronto. TTC (public transporation) is always on the edge of a strike every spring so I don’t even pay attention.

Last time a serious strike happened right in the middle of a very hot summer (just like now) and they stopped picking up garbage. For 16 days. Ewwww…..

This time it’s worse. The whole city is shutting down! No park service, possibly no garbage pickup, ferry drivers were on strike since at least Monday.

Now, get this, LCBO – Liquor Control Board of Ontario - is set to strike at midnight (half an hour ago). LCBO is the only place where you can buy liquor in Ontario. (The Beer Store is part of LCBO. Oh there’s also the Wine Rack, but it only sells local wine).

Liquor stores were packed today. We’ve got 2 events coming up here – the Pride Parade this weekend and Canada Day on July 1st. I don’t know if the strike will last until then, but I guess people stocked up in advance.

Not that I’m a big drinker, but you see, I recently came across this article “No Booze? You May Lose. Why Drinkers Earn More Money Than Nondrinkers”, and now I’m worried.

Damned if you save, damned if you don’t…

Source: Times Online

Japan Considering Taxing Cash; “Nominal Rates of -4% Might be Closer to What is Required to Rescue the Economy from Another Deflationary Spiral”

Unorthodox, untried and, said one Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi strategist, “in the realms of economic science fiction”, the recommendation has nevertheless begun floating around Tokyo’s corridors of power and economists have described Japan as particularly suitable as a testing ground.

I don’t know why they say it’s unorthodox and never tried before. Sweden has done it before, albeit in a slightly different form.

Edited to add: “Apart from France, within Europe, Greece, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Liechtenstein impose a wealth tax, although often with lower rates and higher thresholds of imposition than in France “

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

Bertrand Russell, British philosopher