Sacred Cows

Welcome to a new decade of getting robbed by this ridiculous government once more. The 2010-2011 Quebec provincial budget was announced this past Tuesday and while no one is surprised that taxes are being raised, many will be surprised by all the other methods that will be enacted to balance this 4 billion dollar deficit.

To name a few...

2% Provincial sales tax raise, in increments of 1% at the start of both 2011 and 2012

$25 annual health care fee, raising to $200 within 3 years
- Future pay per use fee taxable from your income

Increase in rates of electricty of 3.7 per year, approximately $58 a year for average household

Removing the freeze on university tuitions

1.5 cent per liter fuel tax increase

When questioned if it was a good idea to target the so called 'Sacred Cows' of Quebec such as health care and education, Finance Minister Raymond Bachand answered "Sacred cows only exist in India." I for one am certainly glad to hear this because I have a few propositions of my own, some of which might have been considered 'sacred' by some.

The government obviously considers this a period of crisis in which it must resolve within the next half decade, so it has no problems setting precedents for collecting money from areas that have been 'public' for a reason, such as health care. Now if we're going to start charging for health care, let's look at some other ways to cut costs. If nothing is sacred, than lets finally put an end to this ridiculous set of language laws. Put an end to the entire organization that is paid by your tax dollars to uphold a failed language. Yes failed, there's a reason it's never been adopted by the world, it is inferior. So lets stop wasting money on individuals who's job is to visit private establishments and determine whether or not they have too many English memorabilia items on the wall and whether or not they are translated. Lets stop worrying about an English sign that isn't 10 smaller than a French one.

Taxes in Quebec are going to keep rising and we are going to have to continue to pay because this province is a sinking ship. As you see there is no money. And no one cares to spend it where it needs it most. It's 2010 and listen to this, WE JUST GOT A PUBLIC BUS LINE TO THE AIRPORT!!!! Isn't this fantastic! Give it a clever name like the 747 line and the people rejoice. It is pitiful that Montreal still does not have a connected rail from the airport to downtown. The individuals in charge of Montreal, and Quebec and its peoples have lost sight of where they live. Sure they live in this province they wish to uphold as the greatest place on Earth, but that's just that, we live on Earth. There are many other countries, and in today's global world, we all need each other to survive. Quebec cares not for the image it portrays to the rest of the world. It did once, but all that changed in the end of the 1960s

You see in the 1960s, Montreal was the most promising city in North America. Toronto was nothing but an after thought when thinking about cities in Canada. We had all the right dreams. We built ourselves a mighty fine subway system, we even opened our doors for the world to come see at the Worlds Fair. But then somehow I think the wrong ideas sprung into the wrong people's minds. Somehow they came to the realization that this province could be something after all if all of the world was so impressed with it. We didn't need Canada, they only held us back. We took our identite nationale and moved forward. Ran the damn English out of town. We also ran the Montreal Stock Exchange out to Toronto, and all of the prospect this city had.

So why is the government now not taxing the wealthy or businesses but the everyday middle class people? Well they at least realize that if they start taxing those people, they'll straight out leave and Quebec will be in a bigger hole than it is now. They already realize they could probably live better elsewhere, but if things get any hotter here, they've already got one step out the door.. may it be West or South.

The wealthy and the corporations fortunately have a team of individuals to defend them. We as people in theory elect our politicians to defend us. The wealthy acquire large lobbyist groups to make sure the government acts in their favor if they want their money. So that's why we're the ones getting taxed. You want the most intelligent thing to tax? Lottery winnings. Why this isn't taxed already is ridiculous. If earnings are all taxable, why not lottery ones? That's your money pot right there at your fingertips. Wonder why that's not happening? You can only imagine the lobbying group that follow the steps of every politician in defense of Lotto-Quebec.

In closing, one thing I can fully agree with is the unfreezing of university tuitions in Quebec. I think this is long overdue. It is ridiculous that you still only pay $1500 for a semester at a major university in 2010. The students can protest all they want, alot of people would beg for tuition at twice that price.

So what is it really going to take for people to realize that this place isn't really that great?

Pat FM Top 10 2009

Ladies and Gentlemen, On this joyous day following Christmas we gather every year to celebrate and honor the music talent that grace our lives. What we're about to see are 10 songs who ultimately made 2009 what it was. They accompanied our tears and our laughter, the wins and losses, the loves and the heartbreaks.

10. Colbie Caillat - Realize (November - December) Q4 #1
9. The Cure - Friday I'm in Love (August - September) Q3 #1
###LISTENER'S CHOICE###
Brad Paisley - Then (June - October)
8. Taylor Swift - Breathe (January - October)
7. Katy Perry - Waking up in Vegas (July - September)
6. Rascal Flatts - Close (May - August)
###LISTENER'S CHOICE###
Katy Perry - If You Can Afford Me (July - September)
5. Lady Antebellum - I Run to You (February - September)
4. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours (January - August)
3. David Nail - Red Light (February - June) Q1 #1
###LISTENER'S CHOICE###
Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road (March - September)
2. Taylor Swift - Love Story (January - October)
1. Caitlin & Will - Even Now (April - August) Q2 #1


Pat FM Breakthrough Artist 2009: Lady Antebellum
Pat FM Artist of the Year 2009: Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift: Five top 10 hits: Love Story, White Horse, You Belong With Me, Breathe, Our Song
Love Story: remains a top song all year and remains the #2 song of the year for the
second straight year. Becomes the #1 Pat FM Song of all Time.

Lady Antebellum: leads the Country Wave of '09 with their top 10 hit I Run To You. Follows up
with subsequent hits: Love Don't Live Here, Need You Now. With new
album on the way, sure to impress us more in 2010.

Country Wave of 2009 swept through Pat FM in early February and revolutionized the preferred genre of the station. Over 80% of Pat FM plays were country and the trend looks on to continue in 2010.

We now turn the page on 2009. A Brand new chapter awaits us with our relocation to Tampa for the first part of 2010. What will it hold? Stay Tuned to Pat FM

Pat FM Q2 Top 15

It has already been 3 long months and we've been blessed with some of the greatest songs ever created on our little home here at Pat FM.

Today we take a look back at the top songs from the 2nd quarter of the year and how they fared in the rankings.

15. Jason Aldean - She's Country
14. Miranda Lambert - Dead Flowers
13. Rodney Atkins - It's America
12. Keith Urban - Kiss a Girl
11. Miley Cyrus - The Climb
10. Taylor Swift - Breathe
9. Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me
8. Brad Paisley - Then
7. Rascal Flatts - She'd Be California
6. Taylor Swift - Love Story
5. Taylor Swift - Our Song
4. Lady Antebellum - I Run To You
3. Rascal Flatts - Close
2. Caitlin & Will - Address in the Stars
1. Caitlin & Will - Even Now


So there you have it. Your top 15 songs of the past 3 months. An homage can be given to Taylor Swift for taking 4 of the spots to herself. She really has been the star of the first half of the year. Love Story's run in the top spots is incomparable. We look forward to seeing what she has up her sleeve in the second half of the year.

And it's no surprise to see the Flatts back strong on this chart with their hit album Unstoppable released in early April. Look for their songs to be in the top spots as the year continues.

We finish by congratulating Caitlin & Will for their performance in these past 3 months. The duo that has come out of a CMT reality show featuring duets has sure made an impact on Pat FM listeners and they have been rewarded with the top 2 spots of this chart. Earning a #1 on a quarter countdown is hard enough. Getting both #1 and #2 is a feat all in itself. So we look forward to hearing more from them as their young career blossoms.

As we said in the opening, this has been a great year for us at Pat FM. And Q2 only continued it with amazing music. And you can clearly see that Country music has taken over every top position in our countdown. The power of this genre has been shown and Pat FM is proud of the direction it is heading in.

It is now time to begin 3 more months of fantastic music. We've already heard some great new songs this July and they will only become more in numbers. So enjoy yourselves and we will see you in October for our Q3 countdown.

From all of us at Pat FM,

Thank you

Lost Diary Entry #3

I didn't think this was worth mentioning when it happened but since they might have just re-appeared, it might be now. Back when they found the caves and the corpses laying in them, one of the Losties (Jack or maybe Locke) found a little pouch with 2 stones, a white and black one. Now later, in Claire's dream, she is strolling around the jungle and stumbles upon Locke and he looks up and his eye balls have been replaced by a white and black stone.. WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN. We know from S5 finale that white and black have a significance on this island.

INTERESTING... The psychic Claire sees tells her that danger surrounds her child, and that at no cost let someone else raise Aaron. Something real bad will happen if he does. We know Kate raised Aaron. What's going to happen! INTERESTING AGAIN.. Charlie realizes this when Claire tells him what happened with the psychic. The psychic insists that she must raise the baby but then tells her its not important and she should give it to a couple in LA. But that she MUST take that one flight to get there. So he knew... I wonder if he's just really psychic or he has some sort of connection with the Island.

Lost Diary Entry #2

Hello All,

Watched the first Sawyer back-story episode today. Only thing worth mentioning is the appearance of this letter Sawyer has that we saw him write in the S5 finale. Nothing really noteworthy about it, just neat to see.

Watching the next episode now. It's just so memorable to see these things happen that spark the memories of 'oh yea that's going to happen next'. Like Sayid going off on his own for a while. Gets captured by Danielle. And he's also stumbled upon the famous cable. I had no idea this was found so early. Never the less, this is the first contact the Losties have had with a non-Oceanic (still no Ethan.) She asks where Alex is. Oh how little we knew back then.. And just as I say that, Ethan shows up. He's so creepy already. Rousseau mentions 'the other's for the first time. Can't believe because of her that word has stuck. She does say she has not seen anyone else on the island.. I don't know if she's just dillusional or not at the moment.

Not so much to mention in these two eps. Preview clip of the next ep shows the dream Claire has about someone trying to hurt baby. Could get some good stuff from that.
Until then!

Lost Diary Entry #1

Hello All,

It has been a short while since we have been together. I can say that I have not really had the inspiration to write here so it has kind of been put on hiatus. I imagine there will again one day come a time when this place will be all that it was meant to be.

But for now, I have a new purpose for it. I am currently re-watching the first 5 LOST seasons and am discovering so much that could help decipher the mysteries that engulf the current times. So I will use this place to write notes on my findings. Since I have already watched the first 6 episodes.. I will mostly mention short questions/statements about what I remember. While I'd like to keep this Spoiler free, it's hardly possible so read at your own risk.

1. I don't think this has anything to do with anything, but I really don't know what they did with the place wreckage. It's gigantic and all over the place. And nowhere to be found in later seasons. I may easily find out later where it went as it seems weird to just have no explanation for it. Looking at a LOST map earlier today, I saw that there is a second beach camp, so maybe they just moved.

2. This has been one of the major points of discovery so far. In 1x04 - Walkabout, Locke, Kate and Michael go out to hunt for a boar. When they are attacked by one, Michael is hurt and Kate takes him back to the beach while Locke goes out by himself to try to kill their attacker. On their way back to the beach, Kate, high above a tree is spots something of quite a large size ruffling through the forest heading straight for Locke. From dialogue mentioned then and later, it appears to be smoke monster. We later see Locke come face to face with whatever has chased after him. The shot ends with Locke looking in fear at whatever is facing him. Later he denies any encounter with anything and in 1x05, he tells Jack that he has looked into the eyes of the island and seen its beauty.

Now I'm really curious as to what could have happened to Locke at that moment. Seems like it could have something to do with what we have come to know about Locke and his present connection to the island.

3. This one refers to Christian Shepard. I had completely forgotten that his body had been on the plane. Which kind of lessens the confusion I've always had about why he was always there. If we know the Man in Black or Jacob can take over the body or at least the likeliness of a someone's dead body on the island, it easily could have been done with Christian (And Claire for that matter ).

4. Who do the corpses which lie at the Caves belong to?? Apparently 40 or so years old.


That's all I can remember that's worth mentioning from the first 6 episodes. Tune back in for more as we progress through the past.

Top 15 Songs - Pat FM Q1

Well we're one quarter through the year and throughout all of 2009, we'll be presenting you with the top 15 songs played during each quarter of the year.

So the following are the top songs played between Jan 1st and March 31st, 2009. The infusion of new music so far this year has been incredible and we only hope it continues as we head into the summer. Thanks to Last.FM for their hard work at keeping all our airplay data.

15. Katy Perry - Hot N' Cold
14. Taylor Swift - Hey Stephen
13. Montgomery Gentry - One in Every Crowd
12. Lady Antebellum - I Run to You
11. Darren Kozelsky - Good Day to Get Gone
10. Randy Owen & Megan Mullins - Holding Everything
9. Taylor Swift - White Horse
8. Taylor Swift - Love Story
7. Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road
6. Taylor Swift - Breathe
5. Rascal Flatts - Here
4. Gloriana - Wild at Heart
3. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
2. Rascal Flatts - Here Comes Goodbye
1. David Nail - Red Light

So there you have it. Up and coming artist David Nail nabbing the number 1 spot as he made his mark in the first quarter with his chart topping single. Hard to ignore the magnitude of Taylor Swift's success so far this year so we congratulate her for her outstanding 4 spots on the top 15 (including 2008 #2 song Love Story.)

So we're proud of all these artists and want to thank them for their great music. We'll be back at the end of June to announce the Q2 Top 15, and we can probably expect to see alot of these great artists and songs still kickin' it at the top.