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What’s $80 Million to the Quebec Government? Clearly Pocket Change.

Phew. At least we know they are consistent. It’s so reassuring. We speak of the construction industry in la belle province and are referring to the REM which is rather complicated in French but in English is a light rail network. We found out yesterday that there was an ‘unexpected’ explosion in July which will delay the end result. Consistent.

Because of the pandemic and zut alors, the unexpected explosion, there will be an 18 month delay in completing the railway and, get this one boys and girls – an budget overrun of about $80 million.

The explosion happened in July and until now no one said a word about it. When asked why they never said anything, they replied because it was a ‘minor’ incident that didn’t have much impact. Not much impact? $80 million in costs overruns is not much impact? Exactly what world are these people living in?

We’ll ‘mansplain’ it to you: In the world of Quebec bureaucracy our money is their money and their money is their money. It’s a win-win for them .

Valerie Plante is becoming more unpopular by the day.  Everyone wanted that arrogant Denis Coderre out of office and just like in the movies, everyone’s wish came true. But guess what? We got someone, if you can believe it, even more arrogant. Plus, she’s one of those greeners. No, Blanche, not someone who just got off the boat. Rather, someone who thinks that she is going to save the world by a) banning cars in Montreal and b) having everyone including the elderly riding bikes in Montreal.

Here’s a headline for Madame Plante: We suggest, if you really want to save the trees, whales and turtles, that you move, together with your family of course, to India where green is actually a color – not an ideal. You can teach them everything they always wanted to know about your kind of green and then some. And – you will be saving the world.

While she’s there, we are pretty sure she will also find hundreds and hundreds of streets to close, of intersecting each other to maximize the traffic chaos, that she can have dug up. She can start with Mumbai, with a population of over 18 million people. Imagine how much fun it would be to rip up the entire downtown area and kill all the parking spots?

Alas, we are dreaming. We’re stuck with Plante and all her missives who nod like robots her every ridiculous, uneducated and financially destructive whim.

What’s going on in Georgia and why is there going to be a runoff election? For starters, neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump have won the 16 electoral votes…yet. Right now, Biden’s leading in the state by over 14,000 votes, but the race is considered too close to call. And yesterday, Georgia announced a recount which will, get this one – take two weeks as the ballots are counted by hand. Slow counters, eh Blanche? Hehehehehe. But we digress.

In the Senate, the Republicans have 50 seats, the Dems 48 and there will be a runoff for 2 senate seats in Georgia. This math is simple. If the Dems win, the senate will be tied 50 seats each which means that Kamala Harris, as Vice President, holds the balance of power.

You can see why the Republicans want to win these two seats. It would then not allow Biden to do whatever he wants because in order to do that you need both the Senate and the House of Representatives and right now he only controls the latter. The date of the election is January 5, 2021. Stay tuned.

If and when Biden becomes the president, he will have to deal with all the different factions in his party, which right now are miles apart.

AOC and her ilk want nothing less than a socialist country. Democratic Senator Joe Manchin spoke out loudly about the whole defund the police issue and he didn’t beat around the bush:

“Defund the police? Defund, my butt. I’m a proud West Virginia Democrat. We are the party of working men and women. We want to protect Americans’ jobs & healthcare. We do not have some crazy socialist agenda, and we do not believe in defunding the police.” Woah.

As passionate as AOC and her missives are, is as passionate as Manchin and his side of centrist part of the party is. Biden’s going to have to walk a very thin tightrope to find the common ground.

One more thing here. AOC thinks that Biden, who will most likely be the next president of the United States is arrogant, bereft of creativity and generationally obsolete. Even if this beauty is correct on all three adjectives, she is politically absurd to think that this is the way to mend the divide between the far left and centrist Democrats. She’s a beauty.

Italy has taken quarantine punishments in a red zone to another level.  Those caught lying to officials while trying to visit a relative or friend face a prison sentence of one to six years. Those positive for coronavirus who leave their homes and infect others can be tried for culpable epidemic transmission and face sentences between six months and three years.

A three month to 18-month prison sentence can be handed down to those who refuse to respect the lockdown rules, including fines from $500-$5000. All non-essential travel outside a home in a red zone requires the individual to carry forms provided by the government to justify their movements. Be happy with what we have here. At least we can leave our homes.

Rich or poor, it’s good to have money. An extremely rare, purple-pink diamond mined in Russia, which Sotheby’s described as “a true wonder of nature”, sold for 24.4 million Swiss francs ($26.6 million) yesterday.

Sotheby’s had estimated that the flawless oval gem, “The Spirit of the Rose,” could fetch $23 millon-$38 million. It was bought by a telephone bidder who chose to remain anonymous. No kidding.

Good Shabbos We’ll talk…

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