How the 0.01% lives: Morning File, Tuesday, August 12, 2014

News

1. Kimberly Ann McAndrew disappearance

McAndrew, 19 years old, disappeared 25 years ago today, on August 12, 1989. Yesterday, the Examiner pointed out that we still don’t have a consistent way to report missing persons to the public:

So we’re left with a situation where the public has easy access to information about missing persons who will most likely never be found simply because they went missing many years or decades ago, but the public doesn’t have easy access to information about missing persons who are more likely to be found because they were recently reported missing—when memories are fresh. This doesn’t make sense.

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2. Cab won’t go to Dartmouth

Charlene Mills asked a cab driver to take her home to Dartmouth, but he refused. She then had to fend off a harassing drunk guy. Refusing to cross the bridge is “unacceptable” driver behaviour, says Casino Taxi.

3. DND workers don’t want to pay for parking

Two hundred people protested against new parking fees at a demonstration outside Stadacona yesterday.

4. Creepy Irish lad thinks he has a girlfriend

But Katie Moreau is understandingly noncommittal.

5. Alfie MacLeod loses foot

The Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg MLA had his left foot amputated due to an infection.

Views

1. Wong Watch

A former Maoist observes, but draws none of the obvious political conclusions.

2. The north end

I dunno if Stephen Archibald (who I’ve never met, but feel like I’ve known for years) is making fun of me or what, but he knows the north end I’ve wandered for a decade more intimately than I could imagine.

3. Michael Lalonde wants more money for his house

A muddled op-ed piece that was published in the Chronicle Herald a few days ago keeps getting reposted approvingly on social media, but I can’t make heads or tails of it. Michael Lalonde contradicts himself: there should be a free market in housing, but the government should step in and prop up house prices. “Many of (sic) homes on the market in Halifax are several thousand dollars under the appraised value,” he writes, and I wish he could point to just one because that’s certainly not what MLS is telling me, but even if so, what does that have to do with anything? “The entire premise of a real estate market is that every seller has to live somewhere, so every seller is also a buyer,” he writes, ignoring the thousands of new units dumped on the market every year by developers. The piece is truly one long complaint that Lalonde should get more money for his house, which he’s trying to sell, and somebody should do something to make sure that he does. Sucks to be you, Michael, but welcome to the popping real estate bubble.

Government

No public meetings. On this day in 1811, Lieutenant Governor George Prevost oversaw a ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone of Province House.

On Campus

Dalhousie

Thesis defence, Interdiscipline studies (10am, Room 3107, The Mona Campbell Building, 1459 LeMarchant Street)—PhD candidate Leslie Campbell will defend her thesis, “Average Risk Colorectal Cancer Screening: Understanding the Consequences of Introducing Competing Demands for Limited Colonoscopy Resources.”

Daily Plug

Every now and then I visit homesinhalifax.ca, which specializes in “waterfront and luxury homes,” to see how the 0.01% lives. The top peninsula listing today is 1753 Pryor Street, “one of Halifax`s most prestigious properties.”

This magnificent 6000 sq ft home has been entirely renovated with quality by Blunden’s Construction in 2000. This custom Andrew Cobb designed home features open concept kitchen & pantry, formal living and dining room that are adjoined with a large family room. One has the choice of two staircases onto the second level that have four spacious bedrooms and an 18.10×15 exercise room. The master suite is luxurious and spacious (23.6×13.2) and is complimented by an 18×16.10 (6pc) spa ensuite with walk in closet. The 3rd level is 600 sq ft finished that has plenty of possibilities for use. The lower level boasts a large rec room with built ins and an additional bedroom. The grounds are meticulously cared for and features an inground pool with separate hot tub, pool house and plenty of room for outside entertaining. This home has it all and is seldom found.

“This home has it all and is seldom found”—what does that even mean? Is it some sort of rich person code?

This house was purchased on May 31, 2011, for $1,300,000. (I don’t have immediate access to the owner’s name.) Just a year later, on June 6, 2012, the property went back on the market at the inflated price of $2,200,000, a 69 percent increase. But no buyers were found, so on February 21, 2013 the price was reduced to $1,999,900. That price too failed to find a buyer, so the house was taken off the market in August.

This March, the house was re-listed, this time at $1,995,000, and if you qualify, you can get a mortgage at $8,204 a month. Maybe your dad can cosign. As of today, still no buyers tho, so if you offered a cool $1,900,000 it could be yours.

Incidentally, the house is assessed at $1,109,600.

In the harbour

(click on vessel names for pictures and more information about the ships)

Arrivals

OOCL Kaohsiung, container ship, Cagliari, Italy to Fairview Cove
Oceanex Sanderling, con-ro, St John’s to Pier 42
Baltic Monarch, oil/chemical tanker, Boston to anchor

Departures

Independence II to sea
Dallas Express to Southampton, New York

Footnotes

There’s nothing much to say today.