justcaws.com

Anybody who thought the Jays are ready to contend next year have to be disappointed with their play of late. Was hopeful they could take the step of moving beyond the Rays this year. Guess this is still going to be a long process.

************

Everyone once in awhile an artist comes along that I find especially annoying – Keesha is that artist.(No you don’t get a dollar sign in your name from me)

*********

Must admit I found Lady Ga Ga’s new look a little disturbing last night at the MVA’s – she does know how to change it up though.

Finally the Blue Jays are getting new uniforms next year. The current logo and design are awful. If you win two World Series and have had the proud tradition of the Jays you don’t need to keep changing your logo every few years – in pro sports it’s a cheesy way to re-brand your team. Leave this to the teams with no sense of history. The odd tweak to modernise is fine, but proud franchises shouldn’t change a successful brand.

You don’t need to be the Yankees to keep your team look timeless. Look at the Atlanta Braves - they have kept their look pretty much the same since they met the Blue Jays in the ’92 World Series. 

Since the Jays are changing again – let’s hope they can finally get it right. To do that they first need to go back to the original style font for all numbers, names etc.. Next the old logo should be put back into place as the Blue Jays baseball logo. This logo should not appear on the uniform – but should be the franchise brand – just like the Twins, Yankees, Red Sox for example.  The  Jays logo (which has their tradional font style) are shown below along with other baseball team logos.

The logo on the hat does give the team the opportunity to sport a new look, but there are rules. A traditionalist would have the first letter of the team’s city on the cap. Notice none of the team logos from above appear on their caps. My suggestion would be to put a T in the original Blue Jays font over a red Maple Leaf, similar to the Maple Leafs Inter-county Baseball team’s logo.

The uniform itself in terms of size and design isn’t that big a deal as long as the template remains the same – think Leafs recent sweater update with the laces at the collar.

So ok Blue Jays you now have the justcaws new look and design rules to live by – stick with it.

Now that we have re-designed the new uniform it’s time to get back to the play-offs! In the MLB that means spending the money! To compete in the AL East each year the ante is 100 million. Thankfully the Jays are in the 5th largest market in North America and can easily spend the dough. The fact that they haven’t since Labatt’s lost control of the team is the main reason the Roger’s Field (who plays baseball in a centre) is half empty most nights.

During the Championship years the Jays were leaders in team payroll. Top free agents were signed and added for pennant runs. This high roller attitude spoiled fans in Toronto and most won’t return until they see evidence that the Blue Jays are in it to win it. That means no more Roy Halladay or Delgados going elsewhere like we are some small market team. Toronto is a world class city that wants a world class team – this isn’t Baltimore.

Part of the reason the Bills have not been a hit in Toronto is because Toronto fans don’t t want to share a team with another city – particularly Buffalo – sorry Buffalo – but it’s true.

So that’s why I am encouraged to see Blue Jays President Paul Beeston back in charge. He understands the market and he will make the Blue Jays a financial plus in the Rogers ledger. To do so he will have to convince Rogers to spend the money. I believe he already has that assurance – otherwise he never would have comeback.

Beeston’s sharp eye for talent promoted Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos. This shrewd move is already paying huge dividends as the team continues to acquire and develop young top notch talent.

But judgement day for the Blue Jays organiztion is coming soon. They have said they intend to increase the payroll going forward. Talk is cheap – as will be the selling price of the team be if they don’t.

Yes, I know I am not shy about sharing my beefs with City Hall, but I also like to offer and discuss possible solutions. Yes, I am against the City of Guelph giving people tax funded rebates to replace their large tank toilets.  My main complaint is that I don’t believe people are or should be motivated by a city rebate to throw their old toilet into the landfill. Motivation should come from the desire to reduce their water consumption to help out the environment and their wallet.   Much to wife’s chagrin, I will tell you that we have an old, giant tank toilet.  Years ago, my water guilt took over and I placed a large inflated water bag in the tank to greatly reduce the amount of water required for the toilet to properly operate.  

If the City is hell bent on spending money on conservation initiatives it would seem providing a free water tank displacement bag would be a much cheaper way of reducing water use. It also will stop perfectly good toilets from being needlessly thrown into landfills.

Recently, I tweeted about my displeasure that my child’s diapers are now going to be picked up once every two weeks starting in September 2011. This is unacceptable. I understand the desire from the City to avoid diapers and other sanitary products from “contaminating” the compost found in green bags. But leaving residents to hold soiled diapers for two weeks is unfair. If you think I am whiner on this – then you hold on to my diaper bags during the heat of the summer. All this plan is going to do is cause more illegal dumping that nobody wants.

If sanitary products can be bagged separately from bio-degradable waste at source, surely the garbage trucks could be fitted to accommodate.  Otherwise weekly clear pick up outside the winter months will be required.  

Yes, my accommodation could cost more, but the City could use the money saved from scrapping its rebate program.  I don’t have all the answers, but either does City Hall, so let’s hear some of your cost effective solutions.

Remember, it takes engaged citizens to make a city great.    

Glad to see Warren Buffett step up with his recent comments.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-15/buffett-urges-congress-to-raise-taxes-on-coddled-billionaires.html.

While I do believe in tax cuts directed to the middle class here in Canada, the tax system in my birth country has become completely out of whack.

It is heartening to see such a prominent business leader clearly explain using his own tax situation as an example of how disproportionate the American tax burden has become.

Don’t throw me in with the Robin Hood tax the rich crowd either though. I believe in a balanced,
progressive approach, where sufficient funds are raised for the good of society while still providing incentive for wealth accumulation.

Striking that balance requires trust. It is lost when tax dollars are not spent in a judicious manner and are directed toward items that are no longer seen by the majority as being in the public good. A lack of trust on behalf of the electorate that money will be spent wisely causes a natural knee jerk reaction to cut taxes.

What voters need to do is look beyond the rhetoric and see what programs they want and what they are willing to spend to run them. Those jurisdictions that have spent beyond their means and accumulated debt, most also factor repayment in their equation.

As Canadians we shouldn’t be too smug about our fiscal situation compared to the U.S.. Ours is certainly better at the moment. But at least the U.S. is finally starting to have an adult conversation about what they want to pay for and how much they are willing to spend. 2012 should be an election of significant consequence in America’s future.

When was the last time we had one of those in Canada?

While playing with my two boys recently, I realized why the U.S. elects a national Republican Government more often than not.  When my youngest doesn’t get his way playing in the backyard he throws a fit and holds up the game until his older brother or I cave in and he gets his way.  Usually, I will just tell him ”tough” and end the game. But sometimes I must admit due to the enjoyment of playing the game and the time it can take to set up, the desire for peace wins out over justice. Unfortunately, caving only emboldens my five year old to choose chaos over compromise.

I notice this same approach seems to work for the Republican party. If it doesn’t get its way and win power, they go into full suck mode and will go against any move that might make the governing Democrats look good. Even if that means going against what is in the best interest of the country. That is of no concern to them.  The only thing that does matter is getting back in power. If that means following  their scorched earth playbook to the end – so be it.

Look at this debt crisis – the Democrats under Obama – put entitlement spending on the block,  and came off their position for the good of the country.  The Republicans wouldn’t even budge on tax reform to close loopholes in a tax system that all parties agree, is out dated, unfair, and inefficient. It is clear they wanted no deal – they wanted Rome to burn.  Now with the S&P downgrade – its burning baby.  Republicans are like the back -up quarterback who is thrilled to watch his team’s offense tank under the first stringer, hoping it gets him off the bench.  

It pains me to paint all Republicans with this negative brush, but I am still waiting for a sane member of that party to break ranks for the good of their country.  I respect discipline, but destructive stubbornness is a whole other matter.  Every prudent observer has urged that a balanced approach is needed for the U.S. to solve its fiscal mess.  The tax levels in that country are low – really low. The United States is one of the least-taxed countries in the developed world. They pay much lower taxes than any other G7 country. You don’t have to give up your Conservative principles to see that balance has been lost. You do however have to believe that government still plays an important role in a democractic, progressive society.

Now the G.O.P. has made a scene and stopped the game and everyone is taking notice.  But don’t expect Republicans to be punished in 2012. Most of the American public sees their nonsense for what it is, but lacks the will to punish them because they want to get back to playing the”game” of getting the economy back on track. That means putting the Democrats where they usually sit as the as the reasonable opposition who when push comes to shove will do what is best for the country.

It isn’t the fair thing to do, but unless the American public makes a sharp left turn ideologically – it is how the U.S. may eventually move forward from this mess.

A system of checks and balances only works with reasonable elected officials who have the country’s best interest at heart. If that has now become an antiquated notion, than so are two year election cycles.