Minutes via Paul for February 15th, 2018

George, I’m not! I apologize for posting minutes late (and not at all in one case). Here’s what was tossed around the table on the 15th.

Matt Litke – Mobile banking for auto deposit, 1-2-3. He can tell you more. He’d like to tell you more. He really would.

Mel – Brokerlink – enhancing their online services this year to access your account, add locations, goods etc

Ross – Cost of getting freight out of the us is going up fast. 7500 to 9000 USD on a truck vs 4000 for a container from friggin’ China! Cost will be reflected in food, goods etc

Jim B – NYC , great experience, but he’ll never bitch about traffic, sirens horns and homeless people again. Wet NYC, rain each day. Flames games, Rangers, Devils, and Islanders, great venues….although Islanders venue is perfect for….basketball. Madison Square Gardens had 1 billion $ Reno, looked amazing.

Dwayne – Kid’s help phone, pilot out of Manitoba, 200 volunteers supported by professional staff in case they need it. All remote staff, 4 hours a week. 700 people overall . Other news…waiting for his proper invite to the Alberta Securities Commission.

Sean – lots of volatility. Fear squeezed out of the system. 10 percent correction, good time to invest, little gift for RSP. Speaker Darren Spencer on the 22nd , alternative investments, including infrastructure, longer term. Us in particular ,but Canada as well. Good meeting for guests who have been on the fence on birds…this is a good one.

Tony – ongoing battle with Telus….15k to install fibre last year, and now being offered free

Brett – Commenting on the recent trial in Saskatchewan involving the unfortunate death of a First Nations citizen. Every farmer has been robbed in that area, and the farmer who was involved is a cousin of Brett’s wife Vicky. He’s despondent feeling is that his life is over. His farm is up for sale, he’s back in court for unsafe storage of firearms next month. Chance of unbiased due process seems slim. Similar situation in Gleichen. A farmer watched his truck being stolen, called RCMP told there was one an hour and a half away.. Andy’s comment, rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. Brett’s been victimized as well, girl at the door, truck rifled by the boyfriend. No one held accountable.

Mike Mikkelson – Interested to note that the City is renovating McCall Lake after it being scheduled for closure. BC wants pipeline completion through northern Alberta…see how that works out.

Todd – getting over pneumonia and a cold. Breathe sparingly in his radius.

Gregg – detailed the complexities of negotiating the fine points of financing and the way forward to account for a project leased over 99 years University development is going like gangbusters. Anticipating a seniors home among other things. Selling so well that an independent building had 85 units opened one day, next day they had 85 deposits. Booming. Retail financed to the tune of 200 million.

Brad – Price of wood: plywood from $13 to $23 a sheet. Tip – Oil your spring in the garage door mechanism. Keeps it nimbler.

JD – Call a few days ago – water coming in, turned out to be a crack in the foundation. Watch your eave troughs…keep that water away from the house. Turned out to be the neighbour who’d run their downspouts up against the fence.

JD has a property for rent: in Thorncliff-greenview, 1360 including utilities.

Bob – No overdue Birds dues as of the 31st. New record.

Dan K – Shaw upgrades…after a conversation with the loyalty department. After conversation, Shaw dropped fees by 800 a year, bent over backwards to keep them. Ironic, not funny note about happenings in BC: There’s a new terminal on the coast for jet fuel to support Vancouver International Airport. Never mind the ironoy of the terminal – how the fuel – which they are importing instead of buying from Alberta.

Dave – off to Kimberley for family day. Wondering about whether something old is new again: house calls. Met with accounting co,many looking for their business. Willing to make house calls. Chiropractor did the same thing. Never leave home except to go to work. Uber observation…rating driver, and driver rates clients? Wonder how long before everyone has a rating. Black mirror episode about that called Nosedive. You can find a synopsis of the episode here: https://www.theverge.com/2016/10/24/13379204/black-mirror-season-3-episode-1-nosedive-recap.

Andy – Phoenix stories. Culture shock 1: over at a buddy’s for a beer. Gun show invitation for the next day. This occupies pretty much every building in the Arizona state fair grounds. 150k guns. You could buy almost anything prohibited in canada. Funny stuff…guy, 85-90 yrs old, pistol in a holster strapped to his walker. Politically incorrect tshirts: alcohol tobacco and firearms should be a convenience store not a govt department. I’m the infidel Allah warned you about. Culture shock # 2: If you buy a gun at the gun show, there’s a 3 day waiting period…but if they don’t get back to you in 3 days, you’re free and clear. Forget that noise though….instead…buy one in the parking lot – instant transactions. AR 15, expanded mags….crazy. Would have filled the bmo centre here and they do that every 2 months.

George is back the 22nd.