In a disposable world, a hopeful story evolves.
Well, maybe hopeful. We’ll know a week from Tuesday in a little hall in a small place. Two days ago I told you about Elgin Hall, and it’s time for an update. So much has happened. It may even make me feel warm and cuddly about other humans (which would be a new sensation).
Elgin Hall, to recap, is a 170-year-old Georgian brick masterpiece in SW Ontario which a developer plans to demolish so he can build a road over it connecting two hunks of new subdivision. The building sits on land granted to United Empire Loyalists by Lord Elgin after they fled the American revolution. They were my family.
Rebuffed a few months ago when I tried to buy (and save) it, Elgin Hall is an emotional pile for me. My mother was born there. My parents were married on the lawn. I rolled my chubby little derriere through its corridors as a child. And Elgin Hall was the family seat of the first Oxford MP in Sir John A. Macdonald’s 1867 government after Confederation – my great-grandfather.
But this is more than emotion. It’s about how we treat the past, in these days of cancel culture. The little hamlet where it sits, Mount Elgin, is being overrun with million-dollar suburban houses sprouting from its former fields like some freakish crop. The local pols – to the incredulity of hamlet residents – determined this place would be a “high growth” area, despite its lack of services.
Most folks agree more houses is a good thing. But so is history, and beauty and context. There must be more places in a vast land to build a subdivision and a street, they say, than in the heart of a rural community and through the walls of a treasure.
I told you all this, and related how Debbie Kasman (Mount Elgin resident and former educator) had seized the reins. She started a petition and a Facebook page. On Friday there were 5 members. This morning more than 300.
Joining the fight came George Emery, a history professor emeritus at Western University, a renown author and scholar of 19th Century political life. Then Cody Groat, another professor and member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals came aboard. Meanwhile messages of support (and outrage) poured in from across the nation. Professional artist Joel Kimmel came forward to render a depiction of Elgin Hall. Local media started calling. The head of the National Trust for Canada committed to writing to the mayor in support of rescuing the building.
Now what?
Local elected people have before them an application from Mount Elgin Developments to push ahead with more phases of its existing project. Dozens more houses would go up. Elgin Hall would be razed. The hamlet would grow traffic jams. A council meeting on Tuesday the 9th seems critical.
“I’ve submitted a written request that Council immediately designate Elgin Hall as a property of cultural and heritage interest,” says Debbie, “and immediately issue a Notice of Intention to Designate Letter in order to prevent demolition of Elgin Hall while we work through the official designation process together. It’s my understanding that without an immediate notice the property can be demolished and will be demolished as part of the Phase 6 subdivision expansion in Mount Elgin. So this meeting is critical in stopping the bulldozers.”
Of course, I have no illusions. Councillors dislike people telling them what to do. Some listen to constituents. Some don’t. None like outsiders beating on them.
But the fact six phases of a jarring development have been allowed or drafted, chewing up acres of farmland, clogging a spec of a place and writing the casual death sentence for an artifact of national interest begs action.
If you care, go here. Join. Leave a comment. Sign the petition. No money. Just help.
If you really, really care, the meeting starts at 9 am on the 9th, at the community hall in Mount Elgin. You can’t miss it. First building before the Esso station. Across the street from the bulldozers.
89 comments ↓
I recently read in this article on how St. Andrews, New Brunswick, had done relatively well during the Covid-19 fiasco.
https://globalnews.ca/news/9011023/st-andrews-nb-businesses-covid-19/
“Travel restrictions meant seasonal visitors likely not be returning that summer, but they also meant more New Brunswickers wouldn’t be travelling outside the province.
The rise of the staycation, the Atlantic Bubble and the town’s reputation as a tourist spot led many locals to spend time and money in there.
Simmonds says people were coming from all over New Brunswick, enough to make it feel almost like a normal summer season.
“It was amazing,” he says.
St. Andrews Mayor Brad Henderson says the town wrapped that summer pulling in about 90 per cent of what it would have in a pre-COVID summer.
“We were extremely lucky if you look at the pandemic and how other communities fared,” he says.
He says 2021 was even better.”
So then in an attempt to stir up trouble, umm , I meant content on here, I went to Zolo, to see what the price of an abode there costs, and saw Harris Hatch staring back at me.
Harris Hatch sounds like the name of someone who should be staring in an Indiana Jones movie, but it turns out that its a grand old pile of bricks.
It was built in the 1840’s, and for a moment I thought that someone had figured at how to move Elgin Hall.
https://www.zolo.ca/st-andrews-real-estate/142-queen-street
It’s on sale for 1.85, about the same price as an average maintained Vancouver Special built in the 1970s.
According to Realtor.ca, someone nabbed it for the retrospective bargain price of 370k back in September of 2012.
Looks like a fun little tourist town, retirement option for some?
I didn’t visit New Brunswick when I was out East, I had limited time as I thought I was only going to be in Canada for one year, and also I have to blame those Nova Scotians for being so darn friendly, at least they were when I visited 20 years ago.
Zolo only brought up 16 detached listings as an option in St. Andrews.
Although I’ve spent a large chunk of my construction career restoring things, perhaps the most notable recent project documented on here was the restoration of century old benches at the local train station, a few years ago, where BBC Canada came around to interview me, and I did what I normally do when the cameras turn up, and that’s run and hide.
I guess this modern option just down the street is more my speed, at 639k.
Not sure about the exercise bike in middle of the bathroom though…
M48BC
https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/24685228/388-queen-street-st-andrews
Posted the comment below on the wrong thread, but honestly serious question, are there people who read this blog that aren’t gov’t workers or somehow profiting from the incompetent Liberal government that actually support Trudeau?
—
I see there are actually people that read this blog and are actually Trudeau supporters??! I can’t understand why anyone with a non government job or isn’t on welfare could ever support that guy. His carbon taxes and out of control spending are killing Canada. The TSX is up DESPITE Trudeau’s incompetence.
China releases more carbon in a few days than Canada in an entire year, and Russia oil causes more pollution on extraction than canadian oil. Carbon taxes of any kind make zero sense.
So glad you’ve given the old homestead a shout out these last few days. Too many rural areas are being destroyed by thoughtless, asinine development.
I posted the link to your original column about Elgin Hall on my Facebook page. I’ve since been in touch with Debbie to get the link for the petition (I signed when I joined the group). I’ve updated the post on FB and deleted the older post.
Won’t be in Mount Elgin in person for this meeting, however much I am there in spirit. It’s a *very* long drive from Saskatchewan!
Anyone who hates Facebook, … here is alternate route to support this effort:
Save Mount Elgin Village From Aggressive Expansion Before It’s Too Late
https://www.change.org/p/save-mount-elgin-village-from-aggressive-expansion-before-it-s-too-late?recruiter=1244264367&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=b3f85ed0-6c38-11ec-9347-0dbb004040e2&share_bandit_exp=initial-31332708-en-CA
… so go there, now!
F.S.
Garth, if no one is buying real estate especially in sleepy northern suburbs why worry about mass new subdivisions being built there?! Maybe they won’t tear it down if builders are pausing all developments due to price decreases.
Everything isn’t easy. I understand your point Garth but who’s going to pay? When the developers bought the land they paid for it with no mention of a heritage home designation on the property. They planned their community years ago, build homes already and now at the 11th hour everyone is complaining. Those complaints should’ve been made in the approval process. If I was the developer if knock that house down in the middle of the night as soon as I felt resistance. Again who’s going to pay for redoing the subdivision plans and the lost revenue of fewer lots being built?
A beautiful heritage house worth saving. Unfortunately supporters who don’t use (and won’t ever create an account for any reason) Facebook can’t support the effort. (There are a lot of us)
I would suggest flooding the mayor and council with emails. However I can only find the township of southwest Oxford as a municipal office, not the town of Mount Elgin
Can you help us out here with the mayors name and email address so us non-Facebookers can give our support as well
Strange that a building or place must be fought for before it is declared culturally significant. It should just be automatic. Where are the municipal planners… sleeping? Aren’t they paid alot of money to prevent this from happening in the first place?
Justice for Elgin Hall!!
Meanwhile, on the west coast of Canada those elders who have lived the land their entire lives, whose history goes back millennia, joined by folks, some of whom are as educated as Garth’s heroine, are vilified as standing in the way of progress as they protest the clear cut logging of some of the last remaining old growth Douglas fir groves not contained within parks, etc.
The house benefits whoever gets it, developer or the town or Garth. A singular entity.
The trees benefit either the logging contractor and one small band or all of us. Either a singular entity or all of us. Look up Teal Jones to read their side.
Funny the sides we pick, the choices we make.
I’m not on one side or the other…I just find it funny how we call one set of protestors hoping to save entire forests that are 200-2,000 years old dirty hippies but another set hoping to preserve a single house deserve all the help.
I can’t believe a town council would allow a fine looking, heritage building to be bulldozed for an access road to another cookie cutter subdivision.
Especially with the real estate market taking a shellacking.
If that demo goes through they should be shamed ( and voted) out of office.
Speaking of Vancouver and probably everywhere else, Politicians main concern these days is taxation revenues to enable more profligacy. IE Hiring.
Of course there will be a reckoning and eventually this ponzie scheme will unravel. Just not quite yet.
https://twitter.com/BNNBloomberg/status/1552987916674154499
Good luck Garth.
#4 Figmund Sreud
Thanks for the Change.org petition page. Signed it just now. Already at over 675 supporters.
And for everyone out there never “chip in to get the item on the agenda” because the $ don’t go to the petitioners cause necessarily. Change.org is a for profit outfit.
Read all about it here:
https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-actual-reason-you-get-asked-to-chip-in-after-signing-a-petition-on-change-org-27b1f79c05fd
While I hate to see destruction of our history we need to bring back some cold war thinking because we are now in a hot war with Russia. One of the cold war strategies that we need to bring back is urban sprawl.
The thinking is that you wanted your population as spread out as possible so it would be harder to exterminate them with nuclear weapons. Putin has threatened to use nuclear weapons so we need to bring back this cold war strategy.,
Thanks @Figmund Sreud for the link, it’s exactly what I was looking for but couldn’t quickly find on FB group.
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Figmund Sreud on 07.31.22 at 4:14 pm
Anyone who hates Facebook, … here is alternate route to support this effort:
Save Mount Elgin Village From Aggressive Expansion Before It’s Too Late
https://www.change.org/p/save-mount-elgin-village-from-aggressive-expansion-before-it-s-too-late?recruiter=1244264367&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=b3f85ed0-6c38-11ec-9347-0dbb004040e2&share_bandit_exp=initial-31332708-en-CA
… so go there, now!
F.S.
I pray that the developer isn’t a vindictive b%$#ard with access to gasoline and matches.
One day a long time ago the old South Porcupine hospital (my birthplace) was shut down. The land was owned by a mining company hell bent on bulldozing the thing down. My bud (let’s call him bulldozer cause that’s the way he played hockey) says not happening, like I mean “over his dead body” no. Long story short, the place was saved and has served our community as a long term residence for the old aged for some thirty years. Good job “bulldozer” RIP bud. Some things are worth the effort.
Once the farmland is gone, there’s no bringing it back. 1 billion people go to bed hungry. A food crisis is developing, and history is a dirty word. It’s not even taught to the next generation, for fear of offending some triggered, exceptional blowhards. But they want their cardboard mansions, in the middle of nowhere, built by greedy land developers. If you succeed, Elgin Hall will be there long after the interlopers’ fake properties have turned into piles of sawdust.
Very much enjoy the history. Something tells me the powers that be pushing this development will wish they had never crossed Debbie’s path. I do hope it will go back into your family’s hands where it belongs. A museum would be cool as well. We are the champions my friend……….
FICKLE.
Won’t post support on Facebook?
Is it always about you? Everything on your terms?
Self-important. Shallow. Quagmire of self-minutiae.
—————
You DON’T DESERVE an Elgin Hall Canada if this is what you have become.
Sign the DAMN petition on Facebook. Rise above your pretty prejudices. Dare to show there are things bigger than YOU.
Misericordia.
Keep in mind the change.org is petition is a general petition about preventing the development generally. It is not specific to saving Elgin Hall.
Email the mayor directly at: [email protected]
Looking at the property on GE, from county Rd 18, I see two driveways, one which goes to the house, the other going to the back 40 along the west side (RHS looking from road). The west one looks like the logical place for access road to the back.
Continuation of this access looks to align well for new lots backing onto neighbouring subdivision.
Could be room for an additional new lot off CR 18, but looks like a small pond/wet spot in that area. Nice
ornamental feature.
So developer may lose 4 lots if he keeps the hall, less if he can fill in the wet spot.
So the offer to save should be for the profit made on developing that number of lots (include house construction if they do that as well).
Do the deal. Everybody wins.
Are you sending a cheque? – Garth
Dolce,
What can you advise about the 1€ houses for sale in Italy? Is it a great opportunity for the adventurous? Where are the best area’s at present?
Mahsi Cho
Notes to 23
Houses in the neighbouring development start at $850k.
And you would have to include the raw land cost in your offer which the developer has already paid.
Also consider that they would still have to incur the cost of constructing the “dead” length of the access which would provide no frontage for development.
But if the developer gets cash, saves on financing.
Singed, and glad to be a part of such a noble effort.
====================================
In a meanwhile, get ready for another military conflict. This time in South China Sea.
China’s Army Posts “Get Ready For War!” Message On Social Media, State Mouthpiece Says PLA Has “Right” To Intercept Pelosi’s Plane.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1553385525398183937
#7 CJohnC on 07.31.22 at 4:33 pm
I second that. Facebook is a sinking ship. I closed my account back in Sept 2012 when I finally figured out Facebook made me feel horrible. And I found Facebook to be quite boring and therefore useless. I questioned why everyone was using Facebook and if deep down they felt the same. Are we really …connecting?
Good ol’ website domain as a hub is better.
our premier has suggested a “strong’ mayor policy
https://www.heartfm.ca/news/local-news/mayor-mayberry-to-seek-re-election-in-swox-this-fall/
There is a museum /home in beachville
The Township includes the communities of Beachville, Brownsville, Centreville, Culloden, Delmer, Dereham Centre, Foldens, Mount Elgin, Ostrander, Salford, Sweaburg and Verschoyle.
Too many Canadians get dollar signs in their eyes when they hear the the words real estate and municipal governments are no exception as they see rising real estate values as being personally enriching and a source of enhanced revenue for government which is one good reason why municipal government should be funded by a portion of income tax and HST and property tax abolished. That way real estate prices can collapse and it won’t make any difference to government. If anything it will give government an incentive to promote better pay and more hours for workers. Removing the capital gains exemption for any and all real estate and abolishing all rental residential property while opening the frontier to settlement should take down the rest of the real estate market and ultimately lead to an economic expansion as people find ways of living properly within their means without being blood sucked…. Abolishing residency as a requirement for adult life of citizens should also relieve the extortion power of real estate by taking away the compulsion to buy or rent at any price. Mortgage insurance needs to be abolished also. Government needs to get off the hook when it comes to that.
Borrower and lender beware.
As for Elgin Hall can it be relocated?
Great! Garth is becoming a NIMBY lol
Petition signed!
Good luck Sir Garth..
Well, I hope that this building is spared by the council as it clearly means a lot to you. However, “progress” and re-use of land is going on everywhere to accommodate high population growth, and it is important that no backroom deals are taking place on either side of the argument. A friend of mine who lives near 8th and Arbutus has now had to accept that (after a long council debate) that there is a huge tower being built within 150 metres of his home that will have a high occupancy of marginalized people, many with addictions and mental health issues. We can’t all be NIMBY, and hopefully no backroom deals take place. However, I do hope that you can purchase this estate and it is not lost. I think your prestige heritage and blood-line is very different from 90% of those on this blog.
THE WOLF STREET REPORT: Markets Are “Fighting the Fed”
One of the most important dictums in finance is this: “Don’t fight the Fed.” And this could get ugly.
Wolf opines that the fed will increase rates until the markets get the message. Think Paul Volker!
https://wolfstreet.com/2022/07/31/the-wolf-street-report-markets-are-fighting-the-fed/
“Are you sending a cheque? – Garth”
No, I dont have a stake in this. You stated you had made an offer to buy it back. If it was based on what I suggested, the developer should consider it.
Now the developer holds all the cards of course, and is
holding them close to their chest. Could just be using
this as a bargaining chip.
Good luck.
Best of luck Garth and may history be kind to you and Elgin Hall. It’s a shame we even have to fight for these things.
#9 Ustabe
I’m not on one side or the other…I just find it funny how we call one set of protestors hoping to save entire forests that are 200-2,000 years old dirty hippies but another set hoping to preserve a single house deserve all the help.
—-
You have nailed it. For Garth I can fully understand that it is an emotional issue as his heritage is with this house and he does not want it trampled. For people on 8th and Arbutus, they do not want to be ground zero for the possibility of a new East Hastings/Main environment at their doorstep. For First Nations communities and allies they do not want to see their “heritage” destroyed by logging operations. Most everyone has something that they would like to be “preserved” as development rages forward, and it is likely an emotionally charged issue for which us outsiders need to have some respect.
Good luck Garth,
Petition signed,
a loyal reader.
Piano Girl
If Oxford is going to enlarge a hamlet, Norwich just to the east is prime for that. Walking score includes some places to eat.
Big old Ingersol just to the north reminds me of Guelph fifty years ago. Not good enough for big box homes, now I guess. Eat at Louey’s. Lots of fat gets packed on there!
#26 gfd on 07.31.22 at 6:13 pm
………………………………………….
Nothing will happen. China is on a downward spiral including it’s demographics. Geographically it isn’t in a good position and the only reason it has prospered in recent times is because of America’s post war policy which is rapidly changing. India will be it’s counter balance and no one will get to Persian gulf without it’s consent. The future is dim for China and they know it.
North America has food, fuel, water, minerals and a future. Japan is on board too.
Good luck Chayna
Signed the petition, sent a few bucks to help. I hope the hall can be saved. Good luck!
Garth if you weren’t around it’d be gone.
“Forget the past, kill it if you have to.” — a murderous psychopath, probably
#14 PeterfromCalgary
As much as politicians would love to, we are not at war with Russia; and as much as politicians would love not to, we ARE at war with China.
The last time I signed a petition and supported something our government threatened to freeze my bank account.
No more causes for me but hope things work out for the house.
@#21 Angst
“Sign the DAMN petition on Facebook. Rise above your pretty prejudices. Dare to show there are things bigger than YOU.”
+++
I refuse to join Facebook in order to sign a petition.
I have signed the other petitions offered here.
If you want to bow down to the almighty Facebook.
Be my guest.
Just dont complain when your hacked, fired, or stopped at a border for your innocent Facebook posts that someone found useful , offensive or politically dangerous.
Facebook.
The ultimate ego stroke to the entire world…
Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight … Bruce Cockburn.
Couldn’t find a place to sign anything on the Facebook page but they did have a link to the Change.org petition in the feed. Someone has posted it above, and here it is again with the shortened link:
https://chng.it/xNkCrnhCcN
#9 Ustabe on 07.31.22 at 4:44 pm
Funny the sides we pick, the choices we make.
I’m not on one side or the other…I just find it funny how we call one set of protestors hoping to save entire forests that are 200-2,000 years old dirty hippies but another set hoping to preserve a single house deserve all the help.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
I hear you.
Our personal, particular experiences lead us to focus on specific causes that affect us.
That doesn’t mean others are less worthy or ours more. Hopefully they all have supporters.
What is abundantly apparent though is that Garth’s history has everything to do with his genuine concern for the future of this country. And this is what we want in our political leaders. It matters not if we disagree on policy.
Sadly, the current CPC is not in it for the good of the Canadian people. JT, for all his flaws, gives a shit. That will have to be good enough, particularly considering the really bad option.
Done. Good luck, Garth.
Garth, I love stories like this and I hope a piece of history is retained for future generations, past the current one who’s intent is destroying and erasing everything. Of course, I acknowledge history isn’t perfect. All the more reason to have it so that we can learn from the mistakes, and also celebrate the changes.
When I read your piece today I could hear all those voices screaming “it’s just a reminder of colonialism, burn it down”
Someone at the meeting should stand up and say “How many people will want, when asked where they live, to have to respond with ‘over there where that majestic home used to stand’ “.
I say bulldoze it. It was probably owned by evil White colonists slave owners. We need to destroy every aspect of the history and culture of Canada so we can implement the great WEF reset. “You will own nothing and be happy!” (By the way, this is sarcasm.)
36 yvr_lurker
“For First Nations communities and allies they do not want to see their “heritage” destroyed by logging operations.”
————————————————
These parties are not always aligned
https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/logging-protest-camp-ordered-off-ditidaht-territory-by-communitys-leaders-5513868
#52 – Nick : Our country has been invaded by special interest groups(special because it’s in THEIR interest. They bully and defame anyone who finds them AND their damn grievance odious. Canceling Elgin Hall is surely cheered amongst the W.E.F. crowd of human predators. Damn Loyalists!!!!
Good luck. I hope Elgin Halk is saved. And I have to add… it may be popular to throw around the term “cancel culture”, but pl use it in the correct context (More a comment about me than you… but am a tad tired of all the folk jumping on the cancel culture bandwagon. )
Joined the group, Garth. Wish you well on this one.
#45 crowdedelevatorfartz on 07.31.22 at 7:40 pm
@#21 Angst
“Sign the DAMN petition on Facebook. Rise above your pretty prejudices. Dare to show there are things bigger than YOU.”
+++
I refuse to join Facebook in order to sign a petition.
I have signed the other petitions offered here.
If you want to bow down to the almighty Facebook.
Be my guest.
Just dont complain when your hacked, fired, or stopped at a border for your innocent Facebook posts that someone found useful , offensive or politically dangerous.
Facebook.
The ultimate ego stroke to the entire world…
*********
Yup.
Got rid of my account in 2009.
#32 yvr_lurker on 07.31.22 at 6:42 pm
…I think your prestige heritage and blood-line is very different from 90% of those on this blog.
————————————
Yeah…that was just weird! Let’s not forget that we all put our pants (skirts, kilt, etc.) on one leg at a time. Attitudes like the above around prestige heritage and blood lines deserve the same bulldozer that house is probably going to get. Creepy weird! I might puke.
57 DON
What’s “Facebook”?
Flop #1 https://www.zolo.ca/st-andrews-real-estate/142-queen-street
This house looks so much like a Eaton’s catologue 1921 house :
https://www.winnipegarchitecture.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Eaton-Plan-Book-of-Ideal-Homes.pdf
Seems developers might have an eye for history after all.
#9 Ustabe on 07.31.22 at 4:44 pm
Yup.
Also, I fully recognize Garth’s sentimental attachment to the house. But, this story about people banding together to stop development is precisely why Real Estate is so damn expensive in Canada. NIMBYism and power keeps low density housing alive and will continue to make it very difficult to afford property in Canada. If you listened to the Ezra Klein podcast I mentioned a few days ago, you would see this as an almost type example of restrictions that limit housing supply growth.
People who can’t stop telling you how they left Faecesbook are of the same ilk as the “I don’t even own a TV” crowd.
A minor sub-variant of virtue-signalling.
We see you.
I’m not sure first nations see logging in the right way because logging produces access roads and great habitat for deer and moose. That is plenty of bushes and small trees to browse on plus plenty of sunlight reaches the ground and that is good for the growth of berry producing vegetation. One has to look for the goods in every situation folks.
Reminds me so much of the themes in James Howard Kunstler’s talk about the decay of the public space:
https://youtu.be/Q1ZeXnmDZMQ
Done, why I like history not to mention all you’ve done for so many people.
RE#64 You are referring to the reduction or elimination of the commons or public spaces.
Cash on the barrel head
Kudos to Garth.
I don’t even own a tv. Or a facebook.
Off for a morning mountain run.
@#53 Dr. V
“These parties are not always aligned.”
+++
An interesting study was done back in the 1990’s in Ontario.
There was a months long protest next to the Six Nations Reserve and it involved logging and the people that wanted it stopped..
The protest involved road blockades, police clashes, media etc.
The protesters were mostly Indigenous from the Reserves but were also joined by university students and environmentalists.
A university professor wanted to find out what the protesters.
The university protesters and environmentalists wanted to stop the logging.
A vast majority of the indigenous protesters were angry that non reserve people were doing the work when they felt they should be doing the logging.
#32 yvr_lurker on 07.31.22 at 6:42 pm
I think your prestige heritage and blood-line is very different from 90% of those on this blog.
———
Was that the ultimate mandatory suck up?
It’s very strange but I can’t deny that it would be hard to be topped.
@#62 Karen
“People who can’t stop telling you how they left Faecesbook …”
++++
I joined when it first started and realized what a time suck it was.
The inane postings of others was also a huge decision maker.
Postings of people’s restaurant meals (with photos!!!).
The best-est yummy cookie recipe( with photos!!!).
Vacations (with photos!!!).
Pets (with photos!!!)
Sporting events( with photos!!!)
Selfies (endless pouting photos!!!!)
New Tattoo( before, during after photos!!!)
Awesome dude!
Yep. Everything anyone needs to know about you and never really wanted to know……is splashed all over the internet…..forever.
Have you had US Customs demand you hand over your phone and passwords yet?
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/give-us-your-passwords/516315/
Canada Customs?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cbsa-boarder-security-search-phone-travellers-openmedia-1.5119017
Hopefully you didnt post photos of that last pot, cocaine, drunk party.
Or anything derogatory about a former political leader like Trump, Trudeau or Turner.
Facebook? Twitter? TikTok?
I’ll pass.
#57 DON on 07.31.22 at 10:41 pm
#45 crowdedelevatorfartz on 07.31.22 at 7:40 pm
@#21 Angst
“Sign the DAMN petition on Facebook. Rise above your pretty prejudices. Dare to show there are things bigger than YOU.”
+++
I refuse to join Facebook in order to sign a petition.
I have signed the other petitions offered here.
If you want to bow down to the almighty Facebook.
Be my guest.
Just dont complain when your hacked, fired, or stopped at a border for your innocent Facebook posts that someone found useful , offensive or politically dangerous.
Facebook.
The ultimate ego stroke to the entire world…
*********
Yup.
Got rid of my account in 2009.
/////////////////////
Signed up on Facebook ages ago and never used it at all.
So about 10 years ago I decided to close my account and the disclaimer on Facebook said all my information would be deleted if I closed it. Well that suited me just fine so I closed it and supposedly all my info would be deleted.
This went as planned for years then all of a sudden I start receiving email reminders from Facebook. How could this be I wondered as everything was supposed to be deleted.
I then tried to log on to Facebook to delete my account AGAIN, and guess what they wanted me to verify my identification by sending them a copy of drivers license.
Yeah, good effin luck with that.
Couple more years goes by and all the Facebook reminders are getting directed to my Spam account. Then one day some notice comes through about changes to my account. It was then I was able to log into my account and delete everything AGAIN. I hope.
Evil company. I have zero trust in them.
@#60 FarmWife on 08.01.22 at 12:32 am
This house looks so much like a Eaton’s catologue 1921 house ++++++
It reminds me of the family home of Jane Bennet in the 1995 mini series ‘Pride and Prejudice’.
An unassuming elegance that says “I earned my place here by sheltering family generations and their memories. Show me some respect”.
The photo of the Elgin house seems like it could be a photo taken by Dorothy…
#71 crowdedelevatorfartz on 08.01.22 at 9:32 am
@#62 Karen
“People who can’t stop telling you how they left Faecesbook …”
++++
Facebook? Twitter? TikTok?
I’ll pass.
===================
Um I think Karen person wasn’t defending social media. Just calling out people who volunteer they’ve left it. Like born-again non-smokers or people who gave up red meat or whatever.
Yup, good on ya. Trying to care, and understand why you think anyone else would?
“I don’t have a tv” lol might make a good screen name.
@#74 Anti time suck
““I don’t have a tv” lol might make a good screen name.”
+++
But…..
I do have a tv……. several actually.
And a life.
That I dont feel needs to be constantly updated and advertised.
If you feel that need. Post away.
The world needs another cute cat video.
@ # 79 Penny Henny
“Evil company. I have zero trust in them.”
+++
Yep.
But the kids grew up with this inane crap.
They can’t survive without it.
Eventually they may figure it out.
So Garth shuffled about in a mansion when he was a toddler. Explains his arrogant and entitled attitude.
60 FarmWife on 08.01.22 at 12:32 am
Flop #1 https://www.zolo.ca/st-andrews-real-estate/142-queen-street
This house looks so much like a Eaton’s catologue 1921 house :
https://www.winnipegarchitecture.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Eaton-Plan-Book-of-Ideal-Homes.pdf
Seems developers might have an eye for history after all.
///////////////////////////////
Yeah, it’s a good looking house, only a short distance to all the shops and restaurants, but too much house for only me and Mrs Flop.
Speaking of Mrs Flop, now I have to go and explain why I am in communication with a person named FarmWife…
M48BC
Garth has a history in television and media, I am no stranger to developing new ideas, which is why I’m always sought out by media executives to come up with new programming.
Maybe we need to have a television show to highlight all the history being erased in Canada, it could focus on historical houses, transportation and infrastructure.
Here’s the title of my latest proposal to the CBC.
The Things We Used To Love.
Hosted by Don Cherry…
M48BC
“What’s Facebook?” Perhaps the greatest evil ever perpetrated on the human race. No redeeming societal value whatsoever. Zero, zip, nada, zilch, bupkis.
Not supporting Facebooks general social media. Seems very toxic from what little I have seen of it. But there are many groups of common, specialised interest that seem to be moving to FB.
I am a member of a number of mainly vintage car / older British car / vintage racing car internet groups. The ones on Google groups etc seem to be shrinking, increasingly low traffic in several instances.
Reluctantly tried FB and was suprised to see many of the groups are very active.
Very narrow stuff. A couple of my cars are quite rare in North America and any information is extremely hard to find. But the specialized FB groups put you in touch with almost everyone in the world who owns one / supplies parts and tech info / makes small run parts for them. The standard food photos / new tats etc are a complete waste with me and I never even glance at it.
@#76 Bcd
“So Garth shuffled about in a mansion when he was a toddler. Explains his arrogant and entitled attitude.”
+++
Wow.
All that from a photo of a house that was in the family for 150+ years that may be torn down ….for a parking lot….
Your insight and empathy is impressive.
You should be telling futures at a carnival.
But why stop there.
Perhaps you could give us your opinion of Justin Truedeu’s inherited wealth, fame, and humility?
The house is an eyesore. I would not want see that every day. Looks like an old prison.
Q: Why does Norway’s Navy have bar codes on their ships?
A: So when they return to port, they can Scan da Navy in.
Signed to support. Apparently the owner of the development company via a ouple of Google search is named Brian Graydon who appears to have been active with other developments in the area as well however not confirmed
#79 earthboundmisfit on 08.01.22 at 11:09 am
“What’s Facebook?” Perhaps the greatest evil ever perpetrated on the human race. No redeeming societal value whatsoever. Zero, zip, nada, zilch, bupkis.
==================================
Yeah, sure. Tell that to the millions and millions for whom it is a valuable way to stay connected via pictures and messaging to loved ones often on the other side of the planet. Often without little technical expertise but still able to share important life events.
Is there rampant misinformation being spread? Are the algorithms tuned to bring out the worse human instincts possible? Is Zuckerberg a creepy android sucking ad money by exploiting human behaviour?
Yes, yes, and yes. But to grossly oversimplify it to FB = bad, no FB = good is stupidly binary thinking that ironically…is fostered by social media.
Also ironic: people whining about oversharing on social media while…oversharing how they’ve virtuously given up social media. *palm slap” Like they “took the pledge” and now are eager to share their come-to-Jesus experience hahah!
As pointed out astutely, there are many closed groups on all kinds of platforms sharing niche interests that go far beyond trying to humblebrag a fake curated life. If some aren’t able to see beyond the cliches, that’s on them. But spare the sanctimony, please, it isn’t an improvement.
“I rolled my chubby little derriere through its corridors as a child.”
Are you trying to seduce me, Garth?
Come up with my $130,000, and then perhaps we can talk.
Many thanks for the Change. Org petition. I have signed. I am not on Facebook so couldn’t sign the first one. Good luck
Actually, lower volumes (ie sales) and lower prices is a good sign for house owners, because it does not predict bear market in real estate. I means resistance.
Accelerating volumes and dropping prices would mean desperate getting rid of houses with no bottom in sight.
Hi Garth, you could try to reach out to this group for support.
https://www.westernconnect.ca/site/Calendar?view=Detail&id=140851
Western university has an Elgin alumni society.
Goodluck!
Good luck today, man!