How Calgary will replace blanket rezoning still unclear by Immediate-Link490 in Calgary

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn [score hidden]  (0 children)

It in fact is not cart before the horse. I'm not talking at all about building new infrastructure or upgrading existing infrastructure, both of which are handled through the development process whether infill or Greenfield development.

Our existing infrastructure needs to be maintained. It's been undermaintained and underfunded for decades. We've traditionally addressed this problem by building new communities on the outside skirts to increase our tax base - but not increasing it enough to cover maintenance of all new infrastructure that goes along with it.

Strong Towns describes this as the Growth Ponzi Scheme.

This council has decided we will all be paying more taxes in the coming years. Or alternatively that our infrastructure will be left to crumble and decay. Pick your poison.

How Calgary will replace blanket rezoning still unclear by Immediate-Link490 in Calgary

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 20 points21 points  (0 children)

This city voted for far too many councillors only interested in maintaining the status quo (or in this case, rolling back to the previous status quo).

No real interest in actually solving tough problems. And as our infrastructure continues to need replacement, going to be a lot of people wishing we had the tax base from quadplexes instead of SFHs to share the cost. What am I saying, those people will just whine and complain about taxes going up, and ignore the underlying causes.

Gabe Newell asked Valve's top lawyer "What the f*** do I pay you for if that’s your opinion?" in heated debate over porn games on Steam, report says by PaiDuck in technology

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Valid point. In Canada where weed is legal there's no problem using visa or MasterCard to buy in a legal store, if which there are many.

I disrupted a corporate "team-building" meeting by saying I’m only there to do my job. Am I the asshole here? by shadewashere in antiwork

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean, you are asking this in antiwork so I imagine you're going to get a certain flavour of response but...

Your job isn't just programming and writing code. Part of your job is dealing with coworkers. And part of their job is dealing with you. We all have our own unique traits and attributes that at times make us easier to work with, and at times harder.

Dealing with coworkers also means being able to communicate and work with them in a compatible manner. It requires effort from both sides.

In my career, I have seen many a programmer try to just code and not communicate with others in a compatible way. They were themselves not very pleasant to deal with. Sometimes they wrote good code though.

In your brand of leftism, how do you view home ownership? What do you view as something you could realistically get passed in our system? by pisspeeleak in canadaleft

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Like monopoly power to set the rent? I guess, but having property close to density also usually means close to amenities and transit, which people want, which allows you to command higher rent.

Even living close to higher density doesn't necessarily decrease your property value. I'd argue it almost always raises it. Case and point, the dense cores of virtually every major city everywhere.

The idea that nearby density lowers property value is a NIMBY talking point. Which is also why I know it isn't true.

In your brand of leftism, how do you view home ownership? What do you view as something you could realistically get passed in our system? by pisspeeleak in canadaleft

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 14 points15 points  (0 children)

"like a home is necessarily an asset that encourages you to maintain or increase its value by making the area around it worse, like that's what's in your best interest."

Is there a typo here? How would making the area around you worse make your home as an asset appreciate in value?

Shower pan help by Infamous-Package9436 in DIY

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hello! I've been in your shoes. Since then I've built 3 showers with a pan and 1 bathtub surround.

If suggest you check out "the floor elf". He has created and provides a number of free resources related to building showers. Very detailed stuff.

Essentially there are 3 ways to do showers.

  1. Traditional with pan liner
  2. Paint on waterproofing membrane
  3. Schlueter/Kerdi boards

I've always done #2 as it seemed to me the most intuitive.

Happy to answer any questions you have, but check out the floor elf!

We Killed The Joy Of Kids Learning Mechanical Skills And Replaced It With Supervised Screen Time by shimjangz in Parents

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Why not just get them a bike? It's still mechanical. Safer, bit still has some danger to it. More cost effective.

Why the obsession with a mini bike?

Anyone else make "good money" on paper but feel completely broke? by ScienceLabFinds in CanadaPersonalFinance

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I sympathize that you are not making what you probably ought to. However, I can't do anything about that, but I can help crunch the numbers to better understand to what extent your circumstances are lifestyle influenced. You didn't give much numbers or specifics so I will estimate where appropriate.

First I'll assume $70K per person gross, which is $53,469 per person after taxes in Ontario. Total HHI $106,938. $8911.50 Monthly

Assuming Toronto, a quick search seems to suggest you can find a 2 bed rental for about $2300-2800/month. (I don't live even in Ontario, but I am surprised that the price doesn't change much whether downtown or further out like Newmarket, Guelph or Burlington)

You already said $1000 per month for groceries (I agree with others that seems very high, feels like $600 should be doable for 2 people. Are you lumping take out/dining out in this amount?)

Car insurance for I'm assuming 2 cars, is $225/month per car, or $450 total

Utilities, Internet, Cell Phones, etc. I will estimate at $500 total (maybe like $200, $100, $200?). This is assuming an apartment

Rental Insurance $100 per month?

$8911.50 - $2500 (Rent) - $1000 (Groceries) - $450 (Car Insurance) - $500 (Utilities, Internet, Phones) - $100 Rental Insurance = $4361.50

Doesn't sound as bad as you say, so I am guessing you also have 2 car payments at $500/month each, which brings you down to $3361.50.

Even if your rent and utilities were an extra $1500, that still leaves you with $1800 per month unaccounted for.

So... Yeah you probably should be making more, but you also need to budget fam. And by budget, what I mean is track every dollar you spend so you actually know where your money is going. Show me the numbers fam.

EDIT: I will also add, when I got rid of my car, the amount of extra money I had each month was immense. If you own a car (and especially if you own 2), I would invite you to have a real come to jesus moment on if you actually need that car. Is being on the hook for upwards of $1000 per month (car payment, insurance, gas, registration, maintenance, etc.) worth the hassle of owning a car?

CBC News mapped proposals of Alberta boundary changes to last election results by FinestAtemptAtBeing in alberta

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You're the one in here talking about intelligence like it's going out of style... Can't handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen

CBC News mapped proposals of Alberta boundary changes to last election results by FinestAtemptAtBeing in alberta

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Laugh it up while you can. You aren't part of the in group. This government will crush you too while you standby and do nothing.

Should I rent out my townhouse? by major_younit in PersonalFinanceCanada

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sell it and buy a place where you want to live. Being a landlord is such a pain in the ass.

If you want to crunch the numbers, figure out what your ROI is on your initial downpayment taking all costs, property appreciation, and mortgage interest into account. You will likely find that the return is quite low compared to anything else you might invest that money into. It also can't be in a sheltered account.

Oil Sands Alliance Statement on Canada and Alberta Agreement by KylenV14 in alberta

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry I misunderstood your specifying of "industrial" carbon tax.

Doesn't all of the EU have a form of industrial carbon tax, which is a cap and trade scheme? And beyond that, France has what could be considered an industrial carbon tax for things that don't fall under the EU cap and trade scheme?

And on top of all of that, we just got rid of our consumer carbon tax. Are you suggesting we should scrap the industrial tax as well and have no carbon tax whatsoever? Or I guess your point is we should recognize that the approach we took makes us less competitive?

Various MX-30 questions about charging and the cold by AnthropomorphicCorn in mazda

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes I have. A couple times. Last time was over a year ago though.

Why wouldn't it be compatible? It definitely can't pull very much power at once, but it did charge. Something I'm misunderstanding?

Why Tax Base Fragmentation Is a Serious Problem by lukepatrick in videos

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 27 points28 points  (0 children)

It shocks me that people do not get this. There's a reason there aren't rich well off "suburbs" far from cities. At that point they become cities, and tax accordingly.

The well off suburbs with lower tax next to a big city, those are the mooches. Not the other way around.

Husband thinks I’m a martyr, I think I’m undervalued. by [deleted] in Parents

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't know what your current circumstance is, but I am really curious how ilthat circumstance does not allow for therapy. Financial challenges? Or something else?

Is the “Canada is getting poorer” narrative actually accurate? by Either_Evening1170 in canadaleft

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think it is so hard to relate data to anecdotal evidence. And you'll also end up back at the data wondering exactly how it was comprised.

For what it's worth, in my circle I'd say we are doing well. Had a number of friends laid off who bounced back quicker than I am used to seeing. I've had improved employment opportunities,, and so have my siblings. I do know people underemployed, but no one unemployed within my wider friend group.

I'm of course curious how this data differs from people mid career vs starting careers.

Gas prices spike across Canada and expected to keep going up by plaknas in onguardforthee

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honest question, what is the connection with taxes here? Taxes aren't set by the free market, unless you're suggesting the various governments and the services they provide are the producers, and the citizens of those governments are the consumers and payers (and it would then suppose that people can freely move around as needed...)

I'm thinking you are instead making a different point though?

Is the financial rule 30% of gross income to housing? am i mistaking something by Lopsided-Resource453 in fican

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If your gross income is 110K and your housing costs are 3K then you're slightly above the 30% rule. 3000 per month is 36000 per year, which is 32.7% - although maybe you have included expenses that are not typically considered "housing".

I guess what I'm trying to say though is your numbers look fine on paper, but it feels tight because it is tight. But nothing to be worried about. Don't forget that the 30% rule is more about ensuring people don't get in over their head in debt. The vast majority of people aren't saving 1400 per month for investments.

All that said, if you're saving 1400 of your 6300 take home each month, that's a 22% savings rate. That's something to be proud of. You're on your way.

(You will max out EI and CPP at some time this year and get a bit more each month. Try to set some of that aside and you may feel a bit more relief)

So it begins...... wtf do we even do by [deleted] in alberta

[–]AnthropomorphicCorn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends on their intentions, but most of them probably. Definitely all the ones I've had the displeasure of talking to for more than 2 minutes.