Titanic was built to code. Just like a Mattamy!!!

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Shit happens.

We go through life and we find out very quickly (hopefully after an enjoyable childhood) that life is not perfect. There are people out there that make a living on someone else’s suffering and dime. Conrad Black comes to mind. There are companies who make a living ripping you off. Fancy advertising, flashy products and, issues that will turn your life into a pile of shit.

Blackberry – a respected name in communications. Through Bell Telephone and other phone companies, they sell you a variety of products and make all sorts of promises, up to and including a better sex life. I don’t think the Blackberry 9800 gives anyone an increased libido but, it did do well as a smartphone until a certain upgrade came along. This upgrade stripped it of the ability to PIN (for those non-BB crackberrys here is a link that explains the PIN – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry#BlackBerry_PIN ) and the solution: either downgrade and thus make it crippleware or, upgrade to a new phone ($$$$).  Nice solution Bell and Blackberry. Here is a link that shows the issue (http://supportforums.blackberry.com/t5/BlackBerry-Style/6-0-bundle-3049-bug-Lost-PIN-option-on-compose-menu/td-p/1477913)

Take the Ford F150 – please.  Nice truck and a good seller.  Unfortunately, some have a tendency to either blow their spark plugs, leak through the back window or, leak through the front window and fry your electronics ($$).  Ford’s solution:  Don’t do anything, fix at the consumers cost and, feel proud they didn’t have to ask for a bailout – due to the fact they limited their recalls (??).

Both examples of good corporate citizens?  Hitler would be proud of both their policies (actually Hitler was a friend of Henry Ford – http://reformed-theology.org/html/books/wall_street/chapter_06.htm.

It appears that companies look at their bottom line and if it hits their profit and exorbitant executive bonuses, those of you who have issues, will receive little or no support.  Those who have no issues or receive the donations will shun you as troublemakers and say you are wrong.  Especially those who will make a profit living the lie.

In the building industry they are proud of the fact that they build by the oft quoted BUILDING CODE.  The people of Belfast point out that the Titanic was perfectly alright when it left Ireland.  It too was built to CODE.  A code that stated it had the right number of lifeboats.  I think historical fact kind of blows that out of the water.

On the Mike Holmes show, he continually points out the difference between CODE and QUALITY.  A difference some builders seem to miss.  In my case, Peter Gilgan and Mattamy seemed to think that a house sold to me without electricity and an illegally wired furnace was up to code.  The Town of Oakville building inspector even agreed with him and put a sticker on the furnace.  But, his boss states they would not issue an Occupancy Permit to a home that was in the condition mine was.  Who is right, Peter Gilgan the billionaire and donator to various causes or some old bureaucratic boss in the building department?  Ex-mayor of Oakville, Anne Mulvale sided with the Billionaire who donated money to Wellspring at her request.  What can I say?  Guess my United Way donation didn’t cut it.

I promote house inspectors and I promote them being allowed to inspect a new build for you, the potential owner and large investor.  They are not perfect but, when you are only allowed to inspect a premise once the walls are up, it is hard to make an objective inspection unless symptoms show up early.  Mike Holmes, in some cases, has evidence that there are problems behind the walls and thus can enjoy a good teardown.  On a new house – fresh paint, etc covers up the ills of that house.  And, as in my case, a municipal building inspector, who had the opportunity to look at the place prior to the cosmetics being put on, still allowed the issues.  (i.e. no insulation behind bay window).

One small thing – not all homes are inspected by the municipality.  Tract homes have a sampling.  Only YOUR house inspector can guarantee a full inspection prior to the wallboard, etc being put on and covering up the poor quality.  Quality that will eventually show up down the road – usually after the warranty is finished.  For those buying from speculators – keep this in mind.  Did the speculator actually do what is required to protect your interest in the future – i.e. follow timelines, and reporting guidelines.  If not, get ready to suck it up and pay the freight down the road.  And, if you are aware of the issue and try to dump the shack – you will be held responsible.

Sometimes I feel I bought the Titanic but, even though I did not have enough lifeboats (competent building inspector, ethical mayor, etc), I was able to, over time, patch the ship and am now sailing on smooth waters.  No thanks to Peter and Mattamy, who appear to have caused issues in various places which I have documented in other blogs.

Too bad the passengers who died on the Titanic didn’t have a say regarding the CODE.  Maybe more would have lived with the proper number of lifeboats determined by ethics, quality and demand, not the wishes of the builder.

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What kind of fleas do you get from your friends?

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Friendships are something to be treasured. 

They can be lifelong friendships started before your school days, to those developed recently due to circumstances that put you together.  Whatever the situation, good friendships are those that last and are meaningful.  The kind of friendship that when they ask for help, you don’t hesitate.  They may not always share your values, interests and goals but, they share a link that bonds you together so that you can laugh, play, work and live together in a manner that brings satisfaction to the soul.

You may have a lot of friends but those soul mates can usually be just counted on just one hand.  They are the ones you’d die for.

You can tell a lot about someone when you observe their friends.  Sometimes you see a side of that person you would never suspect.

I recently read an article by Dan Cooper, a very successful and well-known broker in the GTA.  In his blog he featured a story about how “Successful friends help to motivate and inspire”.  Based on his success, I was not surprised to see he ran in circles that included Peter Gilgan and Jim Balsillie plus some others that were mentioned.  Very successful men if you look at their empires and wealth.

But this isn’t the only thing they have in common.  Seems they both have had brushes with the law.  In Jim Balsillie’s case, it was the stock fraud with Rim (Blackberry).  You know, where executives were helping themselves to the company fortune and shafting shareholders through questionable stock option dealing.  Something frowned upon and he paid the piper for that misdeed.  Still, not my kind of guy for a friend.  Shafting shareholders.

Now, Peter Gilgan, as we all know if you’ve read my blog, has had his (or should I say Mattamy Homes but since it is a private company, any decision by Mattamy is a decision by him) hand slapped a few times. 

Mattamy Homes did illegal environmental work in the Ottawa area by building berms that could have caused undue flooding and hardship and it plead guilty to this self-centred act. 

His company also began illegal work on land in Milton – land saturated with human waste.  He got temporarily shut down on that one, although workers had to go for medical testing and god only knows what happened to the neighbours who breathed the stuff when the dust went downwind. 

And, in my case, his company pushed through a sale by doing illegal (code) wiring that put my children at risk.  An act that did not receive any punishment, although the works director for the Town of Oakville stated they would not allow this to happen, even though they did. 

So, it might be cool to hang out with Peter and Jim but, I’d be afraid to turn my back in case they decided to add money to their Billionaire status at my expense. 

What is the saying: “He that lieth down with dogs, shall rise up with fleas.”

My friends aren’t rich but they got what they got honestly.  And, I know I can trust my back with them – we’ve already looked after each other in the past and that kind of friendship builds the ultimate in trust. 

I’ll take their fleas any day.

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