Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Fiendish Plot ....":
Ontarians gave them 4yrs of more BS. 4yrs of doing whatever and however the liberals please. I betting the voter turn out in the next provincial election will be much higher.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 7 December 2014 12:23
**************************
I think whatever the Liberals please is not necessarily what they will do in the next four years.
I think whatever feverish political strategists indicate will please the greatest number is what Liberals will do.
It's the nuanced change in modern politics I find difficult to adapt.
It isn't a new factor. It was ever thus. Y'know......bread and circus ..circuses? circusi? Circus I?
All leadership dressed up in tu-tus, toe shoes,sugar plums and miscommunication.
It's not peculiar to Liberals.
Conservatives and New Democrats and other levels do it too.
The affluent have expectations of their government.
The astonishing result of the last provincial election is proof positive how far the pendulum has swung.
Bob Rae, a decade and a half ago was drummed out by Public Service Workers Unions. He dared to suggest how jobs might be saved in an economic downturn. He was so drummed out he joined the Liberals.
In the last election,Sid Ryan head of CUPE , was fully on side with Ms Wynn and the Liberal budget
Not with Andrea Horvath and the NDP .....the party of organized labour. Hah!
Teachers' unions have every reason to love Liberals.
After service was withheld for months and Ms Wynne publicly declared there was no extra money
to settle their dispute.......The dispute was magically and quietly settled.
Last week we learned from the Auditor , it cost 500 million with less unpaid professional development days meaning more paid professional development days, an extra sick day and phased out pay-out of unused sick days on retirement. A nefarious practice ended two decades ago in other municipal services.
Last week the Minister of Education was repeating the mantra of justification for cost. Not the Premier. She who made public the vow of no more money.
I hear Professional Firefighters have won parity with Police in the latest arbitration decision in their favour.
No-one can forget the stirring picture of firefighters in protective gear holding signs on high ;
Firefighters for McGuinty ... on the eve of the previous election.
No doubt police would have been mustered as well if participation in politics wasn't prohibited
by the Police Act.
No parity there.
There were cancelled power generation contracts; one to save the seat of smooth and unctuous Charles Sousa currently Provincial Treasurer ... the other to bow to indomitable force and erstwhile Mayor McCallion of Mississauga.
Public health nurses, librarians all whose jobs require university credentials look to teachers
as comparitors in wages and benefits negotiations .Teachers contract are for ten months.
Teachers look to police and firefighters whose jobs do not require university credentials.
Every new statutory holiday has hefty cost but wins political kudos.
Patients have meds distributed by nurses at the end of long shifts.
Children receive less instruction and programs like special education assistance are cut so the greatest needs are not met.
Every year Food Bank usage climbs by leaps and bounds.
Housing wait lists are meaningless. They never reduce.
Stealing potentially empty poppy boxes become common criminal occurrence.
Increased spousal abuse increases the need for shelters .
On and on it goes, the ever-widening circle spinning,spinning out of control.
Monday, 8 December 2014
The story has gaps
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Fiendish Plot ....":
This cannot be blamed on the Liberals. Aurorans asked about receiving help from the province and were assured by both staff & the Mayor that the paperwork had been done. I really do not like the over-use of " accountability " but we should have a modicum of it on such things. Otherwise how can there be trust on matters about which we know little
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 7 December 2014 13:49
***********************
Information about failure of all Ontario municipalities to make application for available assistance became known to me on Friday.
To be fair ,there has been no time for the town to respond to the Minister.
I continue to receive bulletins from the Ontario Municipal Association . I 've seen nothing
there.
On the other hand, if the government retained a public relations firm to "mitigate" damage
from various scandals involving billions of dollars of wanton waste during harsh economic times , I would fully expect the timing of the Minister's statement to be calculated.
Perhaps I expect too much.
The level of detail required in the application is not known . Nor how it was conveyed to the municipality.
I would have expected a Minister to discover why only one application was made. Even then I would not expect communication with municipalities through the media.
No sensible Minister of Munjcipal Affairs deliberately alienates his area of influence.
Then it's not service. It's strictly politics.
Or it's just plain stupid.
Unhappily I am afraid it is more often the latter.
This cannot be blamed on the Liberals. Aurorans asked about receiving help from the province and were assured by both staff & the Mayor that the paperwork had been done. I really do not like the over-use of " accountability " but we should have a modicum of it on such things. Otherwise how can there be trust on matters about which we know little
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 7 December 2014 13:49
***********************
Information about failure of all Ontario municipalities to make application for available assistance became known to me on Friday.
To be fair ,there has been no time for the town to respond to the Minister.
I continue to receive bulletins from the Ontario Municipal Association . I 've seen nothing
there.
On the other hand, if the government retained a public relations firm to "mitigate" damage
from various scandals involving billions of dollars of wanton waste during harsh economic times , I would fully expect the timing of the Minister's statement to be calculated.
Perhaps I expect too much.
The level of detail required in the application is not known . Nor how it was conveyed to the municipality.
I would have expected a Minister to discover why only one application was made. Even then I would not expect communication with municipalities through the media.
No sensible Minister of Munjcipal Affairs deliberately alienates his area of influence.
Then it's not service. It's strictly politics.
Or it's just plain stupid.
Unhappily I am afraid it is more often the latter.
Sunday, 7 December 2014
Smile...dammit
Subject: FW: Canada Revenue Agency
Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2014 09:50:46 -
The Canada Revenue Agency actually commented on this one.Something to ponder ...... but, still worth a broad smile !Amazing, but true, if you think about it ! This example shows theimportance of accuracy in your tax return.The CRA has returned the Tax Return to a man
in Canada after he apparently answered one of the questions incorrectly.In response to the question, ... "Do you have anyone dependent onyou ?"The man wrote: ... "2.1 million illegal immigrants, 1.1 millioncrackheads, 4.4 million unemployable scroungers,80,000 criminals in over 85 prisons plus 650 idiots in Parliamentand the entire group that call themselves Politicians".The CRA stated that the response he gave was unacceptable.The man's response back to CRA was, "Who did I leave out ?"
A Fiendish Plot ....
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Micro Management versus no management at all.":
22:19
Not just Aurora either. Newmarket & Markham among others must have been asleep at the switch. I do know that Aurora received help during that storm from a lot of other places,Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 7 December 2014 09:32
************************************
Almost four hundred people read the post that
indicated only one Municipality made an application to the Province for help with extraordinary cost of an extraordinary ice storm last winter..
A handful commented. The focus of all except the above were critical of the town.
Including me.
But I did note the Minister of Municipal Affairs had informed the media of municipal failure to apply for help.
Ontario has 440 municipalities
If half were affected by the storm that means 220 needed help.
What odds only one among them was sufficiently astute to complete the application and get it in on
time?
What's the rest of the story?
What is the Minister's purpose in bypassing municipalities and using media to publicize the issue?
Consider this:
The Municipality is a creature of the Province.
We are not masters in our own house.
Boundaries are drawn for us. Terms affixed.
Authority is severely circumscribed.
We are hedged on every side by myriad government Acts and Regulations and new threats.
We are creatures of the Province.
We have no right in law to exist.
Home owners are burdened with billions of dollars in burgeoning ,inept, administrative and legal
expenditures at the Municipal level .
But authority, responsibility and obligation to correct that rests entirely on the shoulders of Big Brother Province .
Papa Bear!!!!
Therein lies the powaa! ! !
They use it regularly to write new legislation. . To no useful avail.
Municipalities recently took a shellacking from the Premier with threats of the awful Ontario Ombudsman oversight.
Run for the hills .
Last week the Minster's predecessor and newly elected Mayor of Brampton, thoroughly trashed Brampton council and administration. No-one escaped unscathed.
The same week former Liberal deputy-leader Greg Sorbara appeared on T.V.Ontario to promote his new book about how well the Liberals have done .
Meanwhile.... mega billion dollar scandals still hang over this government.. A majority win in the last election did not shift the cloud.
It was the result of a colossal blunder . It was not about finesse.
Shredded documents in the Premier's office notwithstanding, Dalton McGuinty's Liberals still
cower.
There's no easy way out.
The book is not closed.
Maybe the plan is to toss a couple of red herrings into a new chapter about.failed performance by the Feds and perfidy of local politicians to put the hounds off the scent.
Though that hardly seems necessary.
22:19
Not just Aurora either. Newmarket & Markham among others must have been asleep at the switch. I do know that Aurora received help during that storm from a lot of other places,Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 7 December 2014 09:32
************************************
Almost four hundred people read the post that
indicated only one Municipality made an application to the Province for help with extraordinary cost of an extraordinary ice storm last winter..
A handful commented. The focus of all except the above were critical of the town.
Including me.
But I did note the Minister of Municipal Affairs had informed the media of municipal failure to apply for help.
Ontario has 440 municipalities
If half were affected by the storm that means 220 needed help.
What odds only one among them was sufficiently astute to complete the application and get it in on
time?
What's the rest of the story?
What is the Minister's purpose in bypassing municipalities and using media to publicize the issue?
Consider this:
The Municipality is a creature of the Province.
We are not masters in our own house.
Boundaries are drawn for us. Terms affixed.
Authority is severely circumscribed.
We are hedged on every side by myriad government Acts and Regulations and new threats.
We are creatures of the Province.
We have no right in law to exist.
Home owners are burdened with billions of dollars in burgeoning ,inept, administrative and legal
expenditures at the Municipal level .
But authority, responsibility and obligation to correct that rests entirely on the shoulders of Big Brother Province .
Papa Bear!!!!
Therein lies the powaa! ! !
They use it regularly to write new legislation. . To no useful avail.
Municipalities recently took a shellacking from the Premier with threats of the awful Ontario Ombudsman oversight.
Run for the hills .
Last week the Minster's predecessor and newly elected Mayor of Brampton, thoroughly trashed Brampton council and administration. No-one escaped unscathed.
The same week former Liberal deputy-leader Greg Sorbara appeared on T.V.Ontario to promote his new book about how well the Liberals have done .
Meanwhile.... mega billion dollar scandals still hang over this government.. A majority win in the last election did not shift the cloud.
It was the result of a colossal blunder . It was not about finesse.
Shredded documents in the Premier's office notwithstanding, Dalton McGuinty's Liberals still
cower.
There's no easy way out.
The book is not closed.
Maybe the plan is to toss a couple of red herrings into a new chapter about.failed performance by the Feds and perfidy of local politicians to put the hounds off the scent.
Though that hardly seems necessary.
Saturday, 6 December 2014
It's a two-fold question
CBC's Wendy Mesler had three women from Quebec on last evening. The issue was personal experience with sexual assault
All were mature. None were tearful or emotional. Nor was retribution their motive.Just a hope for improvement.
Ms Mesley asked .....why now?
The 25th anniversary of the Marc Lepine massacre of female students in an engineering course at Ecole Polytechnique was the answer.
The more the issue is discussed the less clear the outcome .
It seems children and young adults in common are at risk in their own homes from family members and friends.
The problem appears to be endemic.
How can society protect them from harm in their own homes?
What are we missing here?
Wendy Mesley asked tough questions.
I'm just not sure women alone can provide answers.
All were mature. None were tearful or emotional. Nor was retribution their motive.Just a hope for improvement.
Ms Mesley asked .....why now?
The 25th anniversary of the Marc Lepine massacre of female students in an engineering course at Ecole Polytechnique was the answer.
The more the issue is discussed the less clear the outcome .
It seems children and young adults in common are at risk in their own homes from family members and friends.
The problem appears to be endemic.
How can society protect them from harm in their own homes?
What are we missing here?
Wendy Mesley asked tough questions.
I'm just not sure women alone can provide answers.
Micro Management versus no management at all.
I read Chris Watts latest post twice to be sure I understood.
It appears the town failed to file an application for assistance from the Province to cover damage from last winter's ice storm.
The deadline has been extended twice.
The application is detailed.
Only one municipality has filed an application. Not one of six Conservation authorities eligible have applied.
Municipal Affairs Minister has chosen the media to alert municipal Councils they have fallen down on the job or to alert the media municipal councils have fallen down on th job.
There does seem to be a concerted effort at the Province to alienate municipal governments .
It doesn't explain the municipal failure.
But it's not my job anymore.
According to the Mayor, it never was.
Nor his either.
He's dead set against micro-managing.
As far as I could judge, main job of the 2010//2014 Mayor and Council was social conveners ,
Buying hotly-toity stuff like arts and culture and floating crazy schemes like Disney type heritage theme parks and converting Aurora to a university town like Kingston or Guelph.
A lot of high -price personnel time and money was spent on looney tunes.
Maybe the application for financial assistance to cover ice-storm damage didn't get processed because of pressure of greater priorities.
On the other hand, the application would have been the responsibility of the Chief Financial Officer. He was never asked for financial viability advice on anything much. Consultants were retained.
That always seemed odd.
Well , maybe not. If enough stuff is odd, at what point does it become the norm?
It's not a flip question
The Town did receive the annual award for excellence from the Institute of Excellence created for the purpose of soliciting memberships and making awards to paid up members. Another one of those
NGOs whose purpose is the public good
The town did not fail to file the application that qualifies claim to excellence despite evidence to the contrary.
I write this post in the hopes it will capture attention of those who claim not to read Watts trending
Apparently the deadline for application for the grant has been extended to December 31st. There is still time to qualify.
It's not as if Provincial hot-shots didn't know about the ice storm and the damage.
Though Municipal Affairs Minister Linda Jeffrey did quit in March to run for the better-paid job of Mayor of Brampton.
It appears the town failed to file an application for assistance from the Province to cover damage from last winter's ice storm.
The deadline has been extended twice.
The application is detailed.
Only one municipality has filed an application. Not one of six Conservation authorities eligible have applied.
Municipal Affairs Minister has chosen the media to alert municipal Councils they have fallen down on the job or to alert the media municipal councils have fallen down on th job.
There does seem to be a concerted effort at the Province to alienate municipal governments .
It doesn't explain the municipal failure.
But it's not my job anymore.
According to the Mayor, it never was.
Nor his either.
He's dead set against micro-managing.
As far as I could judge, main job of the 2010//2014 Mayor and Council was social conveners ,
Buying hotly-toity stuff like arts and culture and floating crazy schemes like Disney type heritage theme parks and converting Aurora to a university town like Kingston or Guelph.
A lot of high -price personnel time and money was spent on looney tunes.
Maybe the application for financial assistance to cover ice-storm damage didn't get processed because of pressure of greater priorities.
On the other hand, the application would have been the responsibility of the Chief Financial Officer. He was never asked for financial viability advice on anything much. Consultants were retained.
That always seemed odd.
Well , maybe not. If enough stuff is odd, at what point does it become the norm?
It's not a flip question
The Town did receive the annual award for excellence from the Institute of Excellence created for the purpose of soliciting memberships and making awards to paid up members. Another one of those
NGOs whose purpose is the public good
The town did not fail to file the application that qualifies claim to excellence despite evidence to the contrary.
I write this post in the hopes it will capture attention of those who claim not to read Watts trending
Apparently the deadline for application for the grant has been extended to December 31st. There is still time to qualify.
It's not as if Provincial hot-shots didn't know about the ice storm and the damage.
Though Municipal Affairs Minister Linda Jeffrey did quit in March to run for the better-paid job of Mayor of Brampton.
Friday, 5 December 2014
Like Lewd and Lascivious
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Contraindicators":
Everything is supposed to be alleged until proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Today's celebrities, as a result of the disease known as "social media," are not only vilified instantly, but they post their own nudie photos, taken by themselves often, to promote their careers.
I don't know how to judge a bare breast or a flaccid penis in terms of the person's acting or singing ability.Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 5 December 2014 14:00
*******************************
Well I never !!!!!!!!
I don't know how to judge a bare breast or a flaccid penis in terms of a bare breast or a flaccid penis
let alone singing or acting ability.
I did not even know it was incumbent upon me to do so.
Or there might be actuarial tables available to make a point...pardon the pun.
I am aghast . It appears my critics may be correct. I am stuck somewhere between mainstream, behind the times and out of the loop.
I have not seen a real bare breast on social media. I'm not sure I could discern real from augmented
or reduced if it leaped out of the screen at me.
Yet it seems I must assume they are features of all thoroughly Modern Millie's throughout the land.
As for flaccid penis? penises? ..penisi? ....what is one to make of flaccid penis displayed on social media.
How would that be presented? On a platter? For what purpose.? Does it come with measurements and instructions? Does it prove something scientific? Is there a data base accompaniment ?
Is it a pickled penis?
I've seen scores of cute photos of babies and kittens and puppies in poses designed to stir tenderness on social media .... but what on earth can one make of a flaccid penis?
The mind boggles. Is it circumcised? Would it make a difference?
It must be a generational thing. I swear, I can not make head nor tail of it.
It makes sense perhaps to people half or a third my age, who believe the seventies are lost in the mists of antiquity. Else why would be talking about it?
Why are we talking about it?
Maybe one of those bright young things of the smart generation can explain what is meaningful about
Nudie selfies of flaccid penis? Penises? Penisi?
Drat!!! The needle is stuck in the groove
Everything is supposed to be alleged until proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Today's celebrities, as a result of the disease known as "social media," are not only vilified instantly, but they post their own nudie photos, taken by themselves often, to promote their careers.
I don't know how to judge a bare breast or a flaccid penis in terms of the person's acting or singing ability.Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 5 December 2014 14:00
*******************************
Well I never !!!!!!!!
I don't know how to judge a bare breast or a flaccid penis in terms of a bare breast or a flaccid penis
let alone singing or acting ability.
I did not even know it was incumbent upon me to do so.
Or there might be actuarial tables available to make a point...pardon the pun.
I am aghast . It appears my critics may be correct. I am stuck somewhere between mainstream, behind the times and out of the loop.
I have not seen a real bare breast on social media. I'm not sure I could discern real from augmented
or reduced if it leaped out of the screen at me.
Yet it seems I must assume they are features of all thoroughly Modern Millie's throughout the land.
As for flaccid penis? penises? ..penisi? ....what is one to make of flaccid penis displayed on social media.
How would that be presented? On a platter? For what purpose.? Does it come with measurements and instructions? Does it prove something scientific? Is there a data base accompaniment ?
Is it a pickled penis?
I've seen scores of cute photos of babies and kittens and puppies in poses designed to stir tenderness on social media .... but what on earth can one make of a flaccid penis?
The mind boggles. Is it circumcised? Would it make a difference?
It must be a generational thing. I swear, I can not make head nor tail of it.
It makes sense perhaps to people half or a third my age, who believe the seventies are lost in the mists of antiquity. Else why would be talking about it?
Why are we talking about it?
Maybe one of those bright young things of the smart generation can explain what is meaningful about
Nudie selfies of flaccid penis? Penises? Penisi?
Drat!!! The needle is stuck in the groove
Principle and Exploitation
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Contraindicators":
"...I am appalled by how quickly and easily a person's life and reputation can be destroyed..."
To say nothing of the possible devastating effect on the lives of sexual assault victims
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 5 December 2014 00:47
**************
Antonio Zerbiasis in an interview with Steve Paikin on Ontario T.V. was calm and composed .Her recall was virtually the same as Sheila Copps interviewed on Skype by Peter Mansbridge.for CBC.
The women had told no-one .They did not complain. For the same reasons. Feelings of shame, stupidity and responsibility.
They came forward to tell their story now to support other women.
Neither claimed I to be suffering " devastating effect" from the experience fifty years after the fact.
In request for a name, Sheila responded the man had probably died already. Antonio showed no more appetite for retribution.
It seemed neither had interest in digging up the past except to improve things in the future.
In Canada two strong women , with status in their own right, gave a straightforward ,unemotional account of an episode in their lives they had chosen not to speak of until it seemed to be relevant in the public debate
In America, the issue is all about money and artifice.
I could not be more sure of the difference.
"...I am appalled by how quickly and easily a person's life and reputation can be destroyed..."
To say nothing of the possible devastating effect on the lives of sexual assault victims
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 5 December 2014 00:47
**************
Antonio Zerbiasis in an interview with Steve Paikin on Ontario T.V. was calm and composed .Her recall was virtually the same as Sheila Copps interviewed on Skype by Peter Mansbridge.for CBC.
The women had told no-one .They did not complain. For the same reasons. Feelings of shame, stupidity and responsibility.
They came forward to tell their story now to support other women.
Neither claimed I to be suffering " devastating effect" from the experience fifty years after the fact.
In request for a name, Sheila responded the man had probably died already. Antonio showed no more appetite for retribution.
It seemed neither had interest in digging up the past except to improve things in the future.
In Canada two strong women , with status in their own right, gave a straightforward ,unemotional account of an episode in their lives they had chosen not to speak of until it seemed to be relevant in the public debate
In America, the issue is all about money and artifice.
I could not be more sure of the difference.
Thursday, 4 December 2014
Contraindicators
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Answer My Friend Is Blowing In The Wind":
No, I don't, 19:50. He made an out-of-court payment in 2005 stemming from one case - would an innocent man do that?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 4 December 2014 20:34
**************************
Who can know the answer to the question posed .
But I'll tell you what. .... I am appalled by how quickly and easily a person's life and reputation can be destroyed by nothing more than allegations. I guess that should not come as a surprise.
A couple of years ago David Letterman handled a somewhat similar situation and saved his career.
He acknowledged an affair with an employee and took his chances with audience reaction and ratings.
Admittedly it wasn't the same.
We never heard if ratings went down. He survived. There was no call for a boycott.
First I knew of Cosby's troubles was withdrawal of an invitation to appear on Letterman's show.
That must have been hard for Letterman.. He never referred to the issue. There's not much Letterman won't take a stab at.
What about Michael Jackson and everything we heard and read about his conduct. Children were involved. Yet his career continued unscathed until he killed himself with drug abuse.
Then his doctor went on trial for harm caused to Michael Jackson's health
No, I don't, 19:50. He made an out-of-court payment in 2005 stemming from one case - would an innocent man do that?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 4 December 2014 20:34
**************************
Who can know the answer to the question posed .
But I'll tell you what. .... I am appalled by how quickly and easily a person's life and reputation can be destroyed by nothing more than allegations. I guess that should not come as a surprise.
A couple of years ago David Letterman handled a somewhat similar situation and saved his career.
He acknowledged an affair with an employee and took his chances with audience reaction and ratings.
Admittedly it wasn't the same.
We never heard if ratings went down. He survived. There was no call for a boycott.
First I knew of Cosby's troubles was withdrawal of an invitation to appear on Letterman's show.
That must have been hard for Letterman.. He never referred to the issue. There's not much Letterman won't take a stab at.
What about Michael Jackson and everything we heard and read about his conduct. Children were involved. Yet his career continued unscathed until he killed himself with drug abuse.
Then his doctor went on trial for harm caused to Michael Jackson's health
The Child was born in a stable and placed in a manger
When I was contemplating it I read what I could find about blogs . What was success?
As a practising politician , I stood to lose from a blog without readers.
The most successful was being written by a man diagnosed with terminal illness.
He was chronicling his dying. His readership grew by thousands a day.
I never read it.
I had support in the beginning from Heather Sisman. Illustrations were used . Then Heather got back on track with her own life and left to my own devices,words were the mainstay.
I wrote what occupied my mind at the time.
I am told the blog is successful. I have no measurement. Readership rises and falls. Influenced in the main by statutory holidays and controversy. Nothing complex about that.
The circle of readers is wider than immediate . Likely confined to people with political bent Hopefully others have come into the fold. It was always the intent.
Now it is said if I change direction from town affairs I will lose readers.
I always felt confining myself to town affairs restricted readership.
Once an impatient reader demanded I stop wasting my time on municipal politics and write
seriously.
I was never more serious.
Someone suggests reading my blog is like being " stuck in the seventies " obviously a trial that had to be endured.
My answer ......do yourself a favour....go somewhere else for your reading pleasure.You will not hurt my feelings.
Today the comment .... I am "not fit to be a woman in the 21st century"
How would one define " fit to be a woman of the 21st century" or a man either .
What are the standards of this modern society where everything ,bar none, is governed by the almighty dollar ?
Night before last,the final comment on Global News , always meant to be light , featured Christmas trees in wealthy homes.
The first tree cost a $1,000. Gold and silver ornamentation was proudly described by the home owner in the two storey space of a modern mansion, which brought the price to $10,000.
In a second home four sets of grandchildren were coming for Christmas. Four equally extravagant trees were on display
Nothing recently has filled me with greater revulsion.
As a practising politician , I stood to lose from a blog without readers.
The most successful was being written by a man diagnosed with terminal illness.
He was chronicling his dying. His readership grew by thousands a day.
I never read it.
I had support in the beginning from Heather Sisman. Illustrations were used . Then Heather got back on track with her own life and left to my own devices,words were the mainstay.
I wrote what occupied my mind at the time.
I am told the blog is successful. I have no measurement. Readership rises and falls. Influenced in the main by statutory holidays and controversy. Nothing complex about that.
The circle of readers is wider than immediate . Likely confined to people with political bent Hopefully others have come into the fold. It was always the intent.
Now it is said if I change direction from town affairs I will lose readers.
I always felt confining myself to town affairs restricted readership.
Once an impatient reader demanded I stop wasting my time on municipal politics and write
seriously.
I was never more serious.
Someone suggests reading my blog is like being " stuck in the seventies " obviously a trial that had to be endured.
My answer ......do yourself a favour....go somewhere else for your reading pleasure.You will not hurt my feelings.
Today the comment .... I am "not fit to be a woman in the 21st century"
How would one define " fit to be a woman of the 21st century" or a man either .
What are the standards of this modern society where everything ,bar none, is governed by the almighty dollar ?
Night before last,the final comment on Global News , always meant to be light , featured Christmas trees in wealthy homes.
The first tree cost a $1,000. Gold and silver ornamentation was proudly described by the home owner in the two storey space of a modern mansion, which brought the price to $10,000.
In a second home four sets of grandchildren were coming for Christmas. Four equally extravagant trees were on display
Nothing recently has filled me with greater revulsion.
The Answer My Friend Is Blowing In The Wind
Sexual assault is a media issue of the moment. . From Parliament Hill to south of the border.
Last week a spokesperson for an organization declared that anyone attending a Cosby show would be complicit in sexual assault.
It was a tipping point.
In this scenario, Bill Cosby looks like the victim to me
Antonio Zerbiasis and Sheila Copps had almost identical stories to fuel the fire from experience when both were very young .
Antonio was a guest on the Agenda on TVO with Steve Paikin. Ms Copps interviewed on Skype from Mexico with Peter Mansbridge on CBC.
Both were raped as teenagers. Never told anyone. There was shame. They felt at fault. They had been stupid.
They were young and stupid and at least shared the responsibility.
Any time a female goes to a hotel room with a man,he cannot be blamed entirely for picking up the wrong signal.
He thinks he got lucky.
Sex is not the same to a man. Since the advent of birth control, I'm not sure it's the same to a woman either.
One thing for sure, future anthropologists will have a hell of a time pinning down societal attitudes
about sex in the last fifty years of history.
Any time a female goes to a hotel room with a man,he cannot be blamed entirely for picking up the wrong signal.
He thinks he got lucky.
Sex is not the same to a man. Since the advent of birth control, I'm not sure it's the same to a woman either.
One thing for sure, future anthropologists will have a hell of a time pinning down societal attitudes
about sex in the last fifty years of history.
Sheila and Antonio are of an age. Each had a single experience to share. They hadn't paid attention
to parental advice, hence feelings of stupidity. They had to learn from experience. They knew they should have known better. If they were old enough to be out on their own, they were certainly old enough to take care of themselves.
There's only so far a parent can go.
Yesterday the media featured a feminist lawyer of repute flanked by two weeping women of the same vintage as Sheila and Antonio.
to parental advice, hence feelings of stupidity. They had to learn from experience. They knew they should have known better. If they were old enough to be out on their own, they were certainly old enough to take care of themselves.
There's only so far a parent can go.
Yesterday the media featured a feminist lawyer of repute flanked by two weeping women of the same vintage as Sheila and Antonio.
One claimed to have had an affair with Cosby during which he put drugs in her coffee once and had sex with her She was so distressed by the memory she could barely control her emotions on camera.
The lawyer called for Cosby to waive the statute of limitations to allow himself to be prosecuted
and set aside a hundred million dollars to compensate his victims in the event he would be found guilty.
Ah !!!! There it is, I thought. The cornucopia . The axis upon which the world spins.
If Bill Cosby and his wife had not personally managed their business affairs without the help of a
manager. If after a successful career, he had been robbed blind like so many of his peers, was broke and homeless, would he now be accused of dragging a teenager by the hair to a Bunny Club and forcing her to do unspeakable Clintonesque things to his person ?
Do we think we know the definitive answer to that question?
From A Distance
How does it happen a post on Chris Watts Blog about the Culture Centre and free service to artist iand how fortunate that makes the rest of us, ends up being discussed on my blog.
I was thinking about putting a little distance between myself and town business.
Establishing an area of no man's land so to speak.
You think I can't.
I most certainly can.
But before I do, it should be noted a four year term of office just ended with the culture centre board getting a bigger annual hand-out than the year before.
They received a $75,000 grant from the Trillium Foundation this year as well.
The issue of a museum was debated in Council time and time again. Eventually space in the building was freed up but never materialized into a museum.
Positive votes were cast more than once for curator services to get the museum going but that never happened either.
The term ended with significantly more money used to purchase culture services than
ever before.
Council decisions were made. They were selectively acted upon.
When Council is not respected, there's not a lot that can be done about that.
I was thinking about putting a little distance between myself and town business.
Establishing an area of no man's land so to speak.
You think I can't.
I most certainly can.
But before I do, it should be noted a four year term of office just ended with the culture centre board getting a bigger annual hand-out than the year before.
They received a $75,000 grant from the Trillium Foundation this year as well.
The issue of a museum was debated in Council time and time again. Eventually space in the building was freed up but never materialized into a museum.
Positive votes were cast more than once for curator services to get the museum going but that never happened either.
The term ended with significantly more money used to purchase culture services than
ever before.
Council decisions were made. They were selectively acted upon.
When Council is not respected, there's not a lot that can be done about that.
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Neither a Smartass Nor a Jackass Be
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Paradoozy":
20:03
Here's an interesting thought. If the event was so important to you to witness, why not go to the building and see it live?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 3 December 2014 15:54
***************
With all due respect , the thought is neither interesting nor relevant to the discussion.
Communications absorb a significant investment of public resources.
Residents are entitled to be able to access information without a trek to the Town Hall . We are supposed to be keeping up with the times... you know....the age we live in.
I do not enjoin criticism of the town's communication division . I am not sufficiently knowledgable.
I do not however rule out the possibility blog readers are and are also entitled to express lack of satisfaction with service paid with taxes paid by they themselves alone.
It's called accountability; a modern day buzz word used by politicians of all stripes and semblance, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
20:03
Here's an interesting thought. If the event was so important to you to witness, why not go to the building and see it live?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 3 December 2014 15:54
***************
With all due respect , the thought is neither interesting nor relevant to the discussion.
Communications absorb a significant investment of public resources.
Residents are entitled to be able to access information without a trek to the Town Hall . We are supposed to be keeping up with the times... you know....the age we live in.
I do not enjoin criticism of the town's communication division . I am not sufficiently knowledgable.
I do not however rule out the possibility blog readers are and are also entitled to express lack of satisfaction with service paid with taxes paid by they themselves alone.
It's called accountability; a modern day buzz word used by politicians of all stripes and semblance, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Paradoozy
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen":
I know you do not read the papers much, Evelyn. But perhaps you could get someone who gets the Globe online- I do not- to print off their article on how the new mayor of Brampton is planning to clean up the mess she has on her hands. She is going to use the first 100 days & wants an integrity tzar that cannot be ignored. They sacked one already there.
sound familiar ? Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 1 December 2014 13:Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleme
*****************************
The media's been busy with stories of change and renewal in the GTA . The Globe and Mail has an account of an interview with Linda Jeffrey the new Mayor of Brampton.
Oh My!
The Mayor-elect had nothing positive to say .
Brampton has a Mayor and ten Councillors. Several are Peel Region Reps. Seven are newly elected.
Re-elected Councillors (3) may not be benignly inclined toward the still-unsworn Mayor's broad strokes of vilification and promise of retribution...
Andre Marin ,Ontario's Ombudsman of repute, has already been consulted and looms large in the story along with a new Integrity Tzar who must be obeyed in Brampton though not elsewhere in
Ontario because the Act does not require it.
Brampton is Peel's Regional seat.
The city's public service has not been left unscathed in the Globe interview . I'm no expert on labour relations but fairness indicates a grievance procedure might be in order.
Either way, it's not a cheerful wave in their direction and a Merry Ho -Ho -Ho from the City's new magistrate
I don't read newspapers much. I do keep tabs on headlines and follow stories that shout at me.
Over the years , we heard of the former Mayor Of Brampton. First story was of a feud with the
redoubtable Mayor of Mississauga with the latter 's publicly expressed desire to secede from the Region
Then it was Brampton Mayor's Golf Tournament and personal control of proceeds that hit the fan
Code of Conduct complaints in Brampton seem to have stayed under the radar.
The last and final controversy about improper spending in the Mayor's office came in time for the election.
As paradox goes, this one is a doozy.
Since February 2013 until March 2014, mayoralty challenger Linda Jeffrey was Chair of
Provincial Cabinet and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing As such, various Acts were
under her jurisdiction. Conflict of Interest ,Code of Conduct and Integrity Commissioner legislation are but a smidgin.
If they failed to serve their purpose and we know they did, The Honorable Minister had power to change them.
That never happened.
The Minister resigned her post prior to the Provincial election which did not look hopeful at the time and threw her hat in the ring for the better paying job of Mayor of The City.
A new start is always fraught with challenge. Accusations against rivals in an election are par for the course.
The public service is not considered a worthy foe by any self-respecting politician.
They can't fight back.
True or false, the new Mayor painted everyone with the same brush.
In the hands of a legislator, reckless is an appropriate definition..
The Mayor has already disclosed consultation with Andre Marin,Ontario Provincial Ombudsman of repute.
Her preference for an Integrity Commissioner with power and authority whose decision cannot be ignored is strongly stated.
We have had experience with Code of Conduct and IntegrityCommissioner legislation . We are singularly unimpressed with effectiveness in the area intended .
Experience with Conflict of Interest Legislation has taught us what not to expect.
We read the Province intends to ban S.L.A.P.P. litigation. But the focus of their concern does not relate to our experience .
If Mayor Jeffrey's intent was to destroy Brampton's confidence in the integrity of the municipal
administration, I think we can safely say she succeeded.
It will not be so easy to maintain the self-assigned role of Warrior Queen for four years.
A reservoir of good will is always handy.
There was no noticeable dent when the new Mayor of Brampton left Queen's Park and Office of
Minister of Municipal Affairs.
I know you do not read the papers much, Evelyn. But perhaps you could get someone who gets the Globe online- I do not- to print off their article on how the new mayor of Brampton is planning to clean up the mess she has on her hands. She is going to use the first 100 days & wants an integrity tzar that cannot be ignored. They sacked one already there.
sound familiar ? Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 1 December 2014 13:Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleme
*****************************
The media's been busy with stories of change and renewal in the GTA . The Globe and Mail has an account of an interview with Linda Jeffrey the new Mayor of Brampton.
Oh My!
The Mayor-elect had nothing positive to say .
Brampton has a Mayor and ten Councillors. Several are Peel Region Reps. Seven are newly elected.
Re-elected Councillors (3) may not be benignly inclined toward the still-unsworn Mayor's broad strokes of vilification and promise of retribution...
Andre Marin ,Ontario's Ombudsman of repute, has already been consulted and looms large in the story along with a new Integrity Tzar who must be obeyed in Brampton though not elsewhere in
Ontario because the Act does not require it.
Brampton is Peel's Regional seat.
The city's public service has not been left unscathed in the Globe interview . I'm no expert on labour relations but fairness indicates a grievance procedure might be in order.
Either way, it's not a cheerful wave in their direction and a Merry Ho -Ho -Ho from the City's new magistrate
I don't read newspapers much. I do keep tabs on headlines and follow stories that shout at me.
Over the years , we heard of the former Mayor Of Brampton. First story was of a feud with the
redoubtable Mayor of Mississauga with the latter 's publicly expressed desire to secede from the Region
Then it was Brampton Mayor's Golf Tournament and personal control of proceeds that hit the fan
Code of Conduct complaints in Brampton seem to have stayed under the radar.
The last and final controversy about improper spending in the Mayor's office came in time for the election.
As paradox goes, this one is a doozy.
Since February 2013 until March 2014, mayoralty challenger Linda Jeffrey was Chair of
Provincial Cabinet and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing As such, various Acts were
under her jurisdiction. Conflict of Interest ,Code of Conduct and Integrity Commissioner legislation are but a smidgin.
If they failed to serve their purpose and we know they did, The Honorable Minister had power to change them.
That never happened.
The Minister resigned her post prior to the Provincial election which did not look hopeful at the time and threw her hat in the ring for the better paying job of Mayor of The City.
A new start is always fraught with challenge. Accusations against rivals in an election are par for the course.
The public service is not considered a worthy foe by any self-respecting politician.
They can't fight back.
True or false, the new Mayor painted everyone with the same brush.
In the hands of a legislator, reckless is an appropriate definition..
The Mayor has already disclosed consultation with Andre Marin,Ontario Provincial Ombudsman of repute.
Her preference for an Integrity Commissioner with power and authority whose decision cannot be ignored is strongly stated.
We have had experience with Code of Conduct and IntegrityCommissioner legislation . We are singularly unimpressed with effectiveness in the area intended .
Experience with Conflict of Interest Legislation has taught us what not to expect.
We read the Province intends to ban S.L.A.P.P. litigation. But the focus of their concern does not relate to our experience .
If Mayor Jeffrey's intent was to destroy Brampton's confidence in the integrity of the municipal
administration, I think we can safely say she succeeded.
It will not be so easy to maintain the self-assigned role of Warrior Queen for four years.
A reservoir of good will is always handy.
There was no noticeable dent when the new Mayor of Brampton left Queen's Park and Office of
Minister of Municipal Affairs.
Monday, 1 December 2014
Check This Out
It has copied for me but I never know if it has copied for you.
It 's a notice with a coloured schematic from Brookfield Residential to residents at Beacon Hall.
Second open house to show proposed plans for development before an application is made to the town.
It's a standard process. Developers know all too well the importance of neighborhood buy-in.
They know also they are wasting their time and effort if neighbours are determined not to agree to anything.
Politicians will unfailingly balk. The extravagant farce of an Ontario Municipal Board will proceed .
Hundreds of thousands of dollars of public resources will be squandered with outcome completely predictable. Political posteriors adequately protected.
By making every effort to overcome neighbourhood objections, developers have done everything they needed to do in the eyes of the Ontario Municipal Board. They too will have covered their bases.
The Ontario Municipal Board, conscious their decision can be appealed to a higher court,depending on resources in the neighbourhood , will cross every T and dot every i in determination of
the right decision.
Months and even years will pass in the process.
Homes eventually built will carry thousands of extra dollars in costs not reflected in value.
Assessment will be based on the inflated price of the homes.
Forever and a day taxes will be paid on taxes and prices not reflective of value.
It's the times we live in.
It 's a notice with a coloured schematic from Brookfield Residential to residents at Beacon Hall.
Second open house to show proposed plans for development before an application is made to the town.
It's a standard process. Developers know all too well the importance of neighborhood buy-in.
They know also they are wasting their time and effort if neighbours are determined not to agree to anything.
Politicians will unfailingly balk. The extravagant farce of an Ontario Municipal Board will proceed .
Hundreds of thousands of dollars of public resources will be squandered with outcome completely predictable. Political posteriors adequately protected.
By making every effort to overcome neighbourhood objections, developers have done everything they needed to do in the eyes of the Ontario Municipal Board. They too will have covered their bases.
The Ontario Municipal Board, conscious their decision can be appealed to a higher court,depending on resources in the neighbourhood , will cross every T and dot every i in determination of
the right decision.
Months and even years will pass in the process.
Homes eventually built will carry thousands of extra dollars in costs not reflected in value.
Assessment will be based on the inflated price of the homes.
Forever and a day taxes will be paid on taxes and prices not reflective of value.
It's the times we live in.
Sunday, 30 November 2014
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
No snow on the ground. Grass is still green, Birds find plenty of seed on the ground for daily sustenance.
That 's a good thing. It's cold but another decent day before summer's return.
My eye fell on the last Council agenda this morning. No more of them. Space around my chair will be tidier. Wikipedia will be the magical resource. Like going into the temple and seeking advice from the oracle.
I'm not proud. I don't mind asking.
Got to ruminating this morning. How many councils ?
Two in the sixties. Two in the seventies. Three in the eighties and three in the new millenium. Four two year terms. Four three year terms. Two four year terms. One term as the last Reeve and County Councillor . Two terms Mayor. The town's first woman Mayor.
Twelve times elected.
Twenty eight years in all.
Not to be sniffed at. A goodly number. A round dozen. I am proud.
Mayors were...Clarence Davis, Dick Illingworth, myself, GeorgeTimpson, Dick Illingworth again, John West Tim Jones ,Phyllis Morris and Geoff Dawe. The last was not the worst.
The Final community event of the last term was the Santa Claus Parade. I wasn't part of that.
I could get up into the Irish Jaunting Car council usually rides in the Parade. It's uncomfortable to be leaning to the side and waving for an hour . Hard on my ribs.
Last Christmas there was a blizzard. Snow flakes were big soft and fluffy . They landed and melted on my eyelashes There was a magical softness .
It's hard to get down from the cart without hands helping from behind.
After the first time using my own scooter, second in the horse-drawn cart, I was provided with a golf cart.
I didn't ask for it. Shelly Ware ,special events do-ordinator arranged it . Shelley is thoughtful and kind. Exactly what might be expected and more of a special events co-ordinator.
This year the election was just past. Eight thousand people did not cast a vote in my favour.
Temperature forecast was really,really cold. I was inclined not to join the Parade.
The decision was made for me. There was no phone call asking if I needed Diane Buchanan to drive the golf cart for me.
The Jaunting Car had a Banner attached wishing Aurora Merry Christmas from the new Council and
interim Councillor Don Constable.
Councillors Gaertner and Gallo were not in the habit of joining Council for the Santa Parade.
For the new arrangement , warm-hearted Shelley had to be directed not to call me.
That 's a good thing. It's cold but another decent day before summer's return.
My eye fell on the last Council agenda this morning. No more of them. Space around my chair will be tidier. Wikipedia will be the magical resource. Like going into the temple and seeking advice from the oracle.
I'm not proud. I don't mind asking.
Got to ruminating this morning. How many councils ?
Two in the sixties. Two in the seventies. Three in the eighties and three in the new millenium. Four two year terms. Four three year terms. Two four year terms. One term as the last Reeve and County Councillor . Two terms Mayor. The town's first woman Mayor.
Twelve times elected.
Twenty eight years in all.
Not to be sniffed at. A goodly number. A round dozen. I am proud.
Mayors were...Clarence Davis, Dick Illingworth, myself, GeorgeTimpson, Dick Illingworth again, John West Tim Jones ,Phyllis Morris and Geoff Dawe. The last was not the worst.
The Final community event of the last term was the Santa Claus Parade. I wasn't part of that.
I could get up into the Irish Jaunting Car council usually rides in the Parade. It's uncomfortable to be leaning to the side and waving for an hour . Hard on my ribs.
Last Christmas there was a blizzard. Snow flakes were big soft and fluffy . They landed and melted on my eyelashes There was a magical softness .
It's hard to get down from the cart without hands helping from behind.
After the first time using my own scooter, second in the horse-drawn cart, I was provided with a golf cart.
I didn't ask for it. Shelly Ware ,special events do-ordinator arranged it . Shelley is thoughtful and kind. Exactly what might be expected and more of a special events co-ordinator.
This year the election was just past. Eight thousand people did not cast a vote in my favour.
Temperature forecast was really,really cold. I was inclined not to join the Parade.
The decision was made for me. There was no phone call asking if I needed Diane Buchanan to drive the golf cart for me.
The Jaunting Car had a Banner attached wishing Aurora Merry Christmas from the new Council and
interim Councillor Don Constable.
Councillors Gaertner and Gallo were not in the habit of joining Council for the Santa Parade.
For the new arrangement , warm-hearted Shelley had to be directed not to call me.
Saturday, 29 November 2014
Informed Influence Is The Key
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "It Doesn't Have To Be That
Way":
It is shaping up for a repeat of Glenway in terms of what is being demanded
& what is fiscally responsible. We are just fortunate that it did not
surface until after the election. There will be plenty of time for everyone
to become informed.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 29 November 2014 13:59.
******************
Can!t say I paid more than passing attention to. Glendale. The result was always obvious.
There seemed to be A differences in approach expressed at the town hall on Monday.
I certainly did not note any practical advice emanating.
Real estate listing will produce the first useful information.
Development opportunity determines value from the perspective of seller and buyer.
It will not be a figure pulled from the sky. Research of the potential is essential to determining the reality .
Club Links will not be inclined to offer the land for less than fair appraisal.
No astute developer is likely to pay an unrealistic price.
Price determines everything .
OMB hearings, long drawn out negotiations, political posturing and wanton waste of resources,public and private , are all part and parcel of rampant development in the Greater Toronto area.
All parties are complicit.
An OMB hearing is the only practical apolitical aspect of the entire process with integrity.
Informed residents have opportunity for influence . The same opportunity as the municipality .
Influence is the best shot at managing how the land is developed.
Proactive is better than reactive.Being organized can be an advantage. But only if everyone is of the same mind. Individuals have the same right.
Aurora has not grown the municipality. Growth has been influenced by the municipality.
Influence is all we have ever had within the inexact science of the planning process.
Everything else is political posturing.
The inexorable thrust of private resources grows a municipality.
Way":
It is shaping up for a repeat of Glenway in terms of what is being demanded
& what is fiscally responsible. We are just fortunate that it did not
surface until after the election. There will be plenty of time for everyone
to become informed.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 29 November 2014 13:59.
******************
Can!t say I paid more than passing attention to. Glendale. The result was always obvious.
There seemed to be A differences in approach expressed at the town hall on Monday.
I certainly did not note any practical advice emanating.
Real estate listing will produce the first useful information.
Development opportunity determines value from the perspective of seller and buyer.
It will not be a figure pulled from the sky. Research of the potential is essential to determining the reality .
Club Links will not be inclined to offer the land for less than fair appraisal.
No astute developer is likely to pay an unrealistic price.
Price determines everything .
OMB hearings, long drawn out negotiations, political posturing and wanton waste of resources,public and private , are all part and parcel of rampant development in the Greater Toronto area.
All parties are complicit.
An OMB hearing is the only practical apolitical aspect of the entire process with integrity.
Informed residents have opportunity for influence . The same opportunity as the municipality .
Influence is the best shot at managing how the land is developed.
Proactive is better than reactive.Being organized can be an advantage. But only if everyone is of the same mind. Individuals have the same right.
Aurora has not grown the municipality. Growth has been influenced by the municipality.
Influence is all we have ever had within the inexact science of the planning process.
Everything else is political posturing.
The inexorable thrust of private resources grows a municipality.
It Doesn't Have To Be That Way
Water is hard in Aurora . It is treated according to Provincial requirements. It also has fluoride treatment.m It used to have heavy iron content that stained the laundry and appliances. The lime content doesn't seem to be so bad anymore either. the kettle doesn't fur up and faucets and sinks don!t
have to be de-limed regularly.
Any time two people engage in a snippy exchange about something not referenced in a blog post ,I will take both out.
***************
Abby and Emma had an overnight stay with Auntie Steph. Chocolate chip pancakes and whipped cream for breakfast .
Abby goes straight downstairs to put on Stephanie's stilletto -heeled boots the minute she arrives and they don't come off until she leaves.
Emma's favorite word is "double" delivered with finger-pointing imperative. Mummy's Tim Horton's is always emphatically" double double."
Mjckey the dog retreats to my bedroom. C J the Phantom cat also makes himself scarce.
I hear small voices in the basement. It's nice.
******************************
Another day at the eye doctor yesterday. A prescription. Six weeks to get pressure under control Then begins the process to counteract cataracts.
Good health was the conceit in my father's family. There's a streak of it in me. For the most part I stay away from doctors. They have a tendency to look for trouble.
A year ago eye stress became apparent. I read only what I needed . I was sure my lenses needed strengthening. I had my eyes tested for a new prescription. It was not so simple. Cataracts were indicated. An appointment made with a specialist.
I was pre-occupied and the day came and went.
A year later strain could not be ignored.
Damage is not bad but not reversible. It could have been prevented with an earlier diagnosis.
The point of the post is, obviously it's sensible to keep tabs on one!s eyesight.
Age is a reality not to be denied. Sight is precious not to be taken for granted.
So don't
*****************************
Abutting neighbours of Club Link have gathered to hear what there is to hear. I read the story in The Auroran. Seems there is no consensus and an element of misinformation.
You get that in politics.Sometime ignorance sometimes deliberate ignorance.
It's a major part of the problem? Various versions of facts are presented so no common understanding is derived.
If people can't make sense of what they hear, hey have to choose who to believe.
Much is being said about Glenway in Newmarket; 148 acres of open space as opposed to 98.8 ienclosed in an urban area in Aurora.
It's not comparable.
Millions of public and private dollars later Glenway got the same plan for development as it would have had at the beginning without steering by municipal politicians and without OMB involvement .
The politicians ,one and all, knew full well the eventual outcome no matter how much tax revenue would be spent.
But they minced through the well-worn steps of the minuet the Glenway community demanded.
"Save us from human habitat" they cried.
"We'll be there" came the response.
It doesn't have to be like that in Aurora.
But it likely will.
have to be de-limed regularly.
Any time two people engage in a snippy exchange about something not referenced in a blog post ,I will take both out.
***************
Abby and Emma had an overnight stay with Auntie Steph. Chocolate chip pancakes and whipped cream for breakfast .
Abby goes straight downstairs to put on Stephanie's stilletto -heeled boots the minute she arrives and they don't come off until she leaves.
Emma's favorite word is "double" delivered with finger-pointing imperative. Mummy's Tim Horton's is always emphatically" double double."
Mjckey the dog retreats to my bedroom. C J the Phantom cat also makes himself scarce.
I hear small voices in the basement. It's nice.
******************************
Another day at the eye doctor yesterday. A prescription. Six weeks to get pressure under control Then begins the process to counteract cataracts.
Good health was the conceit in my father's family. There's a streak of it in me. For the most part I stay away from doctors. They have a tendency to look for trouble.
A year ago eye stress became apparent. I read only what I needed . I was sure my lenses needed strengthening. I had my eyes tested for a new prescription. It was not so simple. Cataracts were indicated. An appointment made with a specialist.
I was pre-occupied and the day came and went.
A year later strain could not be ignored.
Damage is not bad but not reversible. It could have been prevented with an earlier diagnosis.
The point of the post is, obviously it's sensible to keep tabs on one!s eyesight.
Age is a reality not to be denied. Sight is precious not to be taken for granted.
So don't
*****************************
Abutting neighbours of Club Link have gathered to hear what there is to hear. I read the story in The Auroran. Seems there is no consensus and an element of misinformation.
You get that in politics.Sometime ignorance sometimes deliberate ignorance.
It's a major part of the problem? Various versions of facts are presented so no common understanding is derived.
If people can't make sense of what they hear, hey have to choose who to believe.
Much is being said about Glenway in Newmarket; 148 acres of open space as opposed to 98.8 ienclosed in an urban area in Aurora.
It's not comparable.
Millions of public and private dollars later Glenway got the same plan for development as it would have had at the beginning without steering by municipal politicians and without OMB involvement .
The politicians ,one and all, knew full well the eventual outcome no matter how much tax revenue would be spent.
But they minced through the well-worn steps of the minuet the Glenway community demanded.
"Save us from human habitat" they cried.
"We'll be there" came the response.
It doesn't have to be like that in Aurora.
But it likely will.
Thursday, 27 November 2014
Sorry,Sir Robert
Sir Robert,
Henry was my grandfather. Your generation. For the most part, four thousand miles removed from
yourself. Maybe you've met him since.
His son James was one of the Royal Scots Fusiliers you may have seen when you visited the rat and lice infested mud holes of trenches shared with your Canadians .
They became ready made graves after when it proved impractical because of the numbers to remove dead and broken remains.
James was wounded in France, sent home to recover from his injuries ,re- called still not recovered to be sent to Dardanelles and killed immediately upon landing.
Sorry for the confusion about your first name.
I wish I was wrong about all the rest.
But it's a sad fact you learned too late about the reality of war.
Unfortunately nobody learned from your experience.
War is still clad in dress informs, adorned with gilded laurel leaves, rows of colored ribbons, flags, theatrical performances and marching bands to commemorate the vainglory and maintain the institution .
Henry was my grandfather. Your generation. For the most part, four thousand miles removed from
yourself. Maybe you've met him since.
His son James was one of the Royal Scots Fusiliers you may have seen when you visited the rat and lice infested mud holes of trenches shared with your Canadians .
They became ready made graves after when it proved impractical because of the numbers to remove dead and broken remains.
James was wounded in France, sent home to recover from his injuries ,re- called still not recovered to be sent to Dardanelles and killed immediately upon landing.
Sorry for the confusion about your first name.
I wish I was wrong about all the rest.
But it's a sad fact you learned too late about the reality of war.
Unfortunately nobody learned from your experience.
War is still clad in dress informs, adorned with gilded laurel leaves, rows of colored ribbons, flags, theatrical performances and marching bands to commemorate the vainglory and maintain the institution .
Such Deceit
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Guest Post":
9:13
That is true. I worked at Sunnybrook. But that was then. Now the support network for vets is being reduced across the country. And patients are still " trying to jump", some of them taking their families with them. We can do better and the billions of un-spent money in Ottawa is ugly.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 November 2014 10:20
************************
I do not consider myself expert in much that is military. But it does seem a couple of things are being deliberately left out of the equation by all concerned.
Veterans of World War 1 and 11 are not the same as veterans of a volunteer army serving 6 month tours of duty to wherever their government sends them.
The essential,differenceis the first were conscripted and spent the duration of a declared war away from home.
The second were enticed into military service with the promise of an exciting and fulfilling life style.
Nothing prepares them for the ugly reality they face in the places they never expected to see..
A couple of years ago, I watched a series on Prime Ministers of Canada .Probably on CBC.
Prime Minister Henry Borden 's name came up again just before Remembrance Day.
Apparently in the first war, he vowed to raise an army of 150,000 men to send in defence of the Motherland.
Canada's population was less than 3 million. That was an entire generation.
He went to visit them in France as war progressed. Found them living in unimaginable misery and so happy he had come to visit them .
As he continued on to London , he was so filled with rage he lifted Brotish Prime Minister Lloyd
George off his feet by his lapels and shook him.
He had a heart attack and died shortly after returning home to Canada.
I believe a person can die of heartbreak.
I believe Henry Borden died of heartbreak when he understood a generation of young Canadians had been betrayed at his hand.
All those battles, newly memorialized by monuments because thousands died.
Canadians were sent in because they were " green" troops.
O
Crack regiments were held back for strategic purpose.,
Cannon fodder was the term used for all the rest.
Words like Glory...Courage...Heroism...Sacrifice...Defending our values ...that 's all bullshit crap,
used by politicians to obscure the reality of failure , miscalculation and cold-blooded exploitation of trust.
So millions of dollars are now allocated for mental health services to repair broken spirits of young men and women shattered by the horror of their experience.
Here in Aurora, fund-raising dinners are organized by the hoi-poloi to provide dress uniforms for the Regiment and care packages for the soldiers.
9:13
That is true. I worked at Sunnybrook. But that was then. Now the support network for vets is being reduced across the country. And patients are still " trying to jump", some of them taking their families with them. We can do better and the billions of un-spent money in Ottawa is ugly.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 November 2014 10:20
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I do not consider myself expert in much that is military. But it does seem a couple of things are being deliberately left out of the equation by all concerned.
Veterans of World War 1 and 11 are not the same as veterans of a volunteer army serving 6 month tours of duty to wherever their government sends them.
The essential,differenceis the first were conscripted and spent the duration of a declared war away from home.
The second were enticed into military service with the promise of an exciting and fulfilling life style.
Nothing prepares them for the ugly reality they face in the places they never expected to see..
A couple of years ago, I watched a series on Prime Ministers of Canada .Probably on CBC.
Prime Minister Henry Borden 's name came up again just before Remembrance Day.
Apparently in the first war, he vowed to raise an army of 150,000 men to send in defence of the Motherland.
Canada's population was less than 3 million. That was an entire generation.
He went to visit them in France as war progressed. Found them living in unimaginable misery and so happy he had come to visit them .
As he continued on to London , he was so filled with rage he lifted Brotish Prime Minister Lloyd
George off his feet by his lapels and shook him.
He had a heart attack and died shortly after returning home to Canada.
I believe a person can die of heartbreak.
I believe Henry Borden died of heartbreak when he understood a generation of young Canadians had been betrayed at his hand.
All those battles, newly memorialized by monuments because thousands died.
Canadians were sent in because they were " green" troops.
O
Crack regiments were held back for strategic purpose.,
Cannon fodder was the term used for all the rest.
Words like Glory...Courage...Heroism...Sacrifice...Defending our values ...that 's all bullshit crap,
used by politicians to obscure the reality of failure , miscalculation and cold-blooded exploitation of trust.
So millions of dollars are now allocated for mental health services to repair broken spirits of young men and women shattered by the horror of their experience.
Here in Aurora, fund-raising dinners are organized by the hoi-poloi to provide dress uniforms for the Regiment and care packages for the soldiers.
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