90 or more Club

The result of just a quickie google scan on politicians with a voter approval of 90% or better:

1.  Sarah Palin (Republican), former Governor of Alaska.

2.  Jon Huntsman, (Republican) former Governor of Utah.

3.  George W. Bush, (Republican) former President of the United States

4.  Hisself.

Interesting.

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Way freakin’ spooky

Danny likes Canada’s health care system and goes to Florida for surgery.

Sarah Palin rants and raves against socialised medicine but admits that her family has come across the border for care.

They’ve been known to share an interest in reading, too.

Interesting.

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That’s one way to stop the bleeding

The House of Assembly pay and compensation commission got its report in on time and out the door very quickly. 

While few people noticed it and normally few people even get it outside of a being defeated in an election, the commission recommended changes to the notion of severance for elected member of the legislature. There’s a whole section on it, in fact, beginning on page 26.

But that  recommendation  and the whole section is odd given that the commission admits right up in the front that:

Public submissions on MHA severance pay, as with pensions, were few. Those who did comment on MHA severance pay felt that it should be one week for each year of service instead of the current one month, to make it more in line with other severance payment provisions in the province.

How few?

Well one, to be exact. (page 27)

There are no coincidences, Northern Peninsula version

There is absolutely no connection between a sudden announcement that the Premier would make a big money announcement within two hours and the screaming headline on the front page of the local paper about  people being upset over cuts to health care.

No connection.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Click the picture to get the online version of the story.

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Coincidence: Abitibi union version

Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union leaders met with Danny Williams in St. John’s in early April.

As a Canadian Press story put it on April 2, 2009:

"It really does create a lot of uncertainty ... and our members and retired members are uneasy about what's taking place," he [CEP president Dave Coles] said from Halifax, as he was returning from a meeting with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams.

A day after returning from the meeting, the union decided that the federal government needed to step in an bail out the company.  From cbc.ca on April 3, 2009:

Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union president Dave Coles says Stephen Harper must intervene.

"Our demand of the government is that it take care of the Canadian workers.… I want the prime minister to get off his duff and do something for Canadian workers," said Coles.

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Coincidence: HST version

nottawa reports it.

Then someone else does.

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Purely coincidental

July 29.

1.  CBC:  "Too muggy to operate"

High humidity is creating a sticky situation in operating rooms in a western Newfoundland hospital, where a dozen procedures have been postponed.

July 31.

2.  Western Star: "Four days affected by humidity" (posted 1:33 AM)

Western Memorial Regional Hospital had to modify its surgical services for four days because of humidity.

3.  Globe and Mail (Canadian Press): "Surgery rescheduled due to high humidity" (posted early morning)

Dr. Minnie Wasmeier says the operating room schedule at Western Memorial Hospital was modified on July 11, 16, 17 and 25 because of an increased risk of infection during periods of high humidity and high temperatures.

4.  NLIS (government news service), "Progress being made on new Corner Brook hospital" (issued at 4:25 PM)

The Provincial Government is moving forward with plans to build a new hospital in Corner Brook with the announcement today that AMEC of St. John’s has been hired to undertake site investigation.

Backed by quotes from no less than four politicians:  public works minister Diane Whelan,  Premier Danny Williams (MHA for Humber West), finance minister Tom Marshall (MHA Humber East) and Terry Loder (MHA - Bay of Islands).

But... "Premier Danny Williams has not been available for interviews this week..." according to the Great Oracle of the Valley. 

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