This time yesterday, the government was en route to reducing military expenses by cutting hazardous duty pay. This time today, the minister has denied that news story. He has laid the blame for a poor policy shift on the shoulders of some unnamed civil servants. Pardon my heightened sense of disbelief. In what parallel universe do the civil servants make policy decisions?
posted in humour | Comments Off on Ramped up rhetoric | 263 words
Two thumbs down to the newest policy of the Canadian armed forces. A decision to cut the hazardous duty pay of soldiers serving in combat zones (we are involved in several) strikes me as self-serving and petty. Particularly when those involved find out AFTER arrival in harms way. Remember, this involves soldiers, not vacationing tourists, and the bullets and IEDs are still very much in place. No fun and games here. The proper place to debate a “scaling down” in pay should be after the commanding staff has “scaled down” the danger. Not before, not until.
posted in politics | Comments Off on Cheap shot towards real soldiers | 291 words
After checking out the credentials of some of the Dragons (it’s a CBC thing), I realize how deeply my socialist roots are set. I’d have a hard time “hanging out” with those who believe that their role in society is to “steal the cream from the top of the holding tank.” And now that the concept seems to be spreading (like an oil slick), to both national TV networks and south into the hinterlands, it is clear that greed is appealing to some.
posted in economy, music | Comments Off on My own personal percussion assistant | 262 words
Early this morning, I learned that a dog can get rid of a pair of makeshift slippers much faster than I can put them in place. Might be the lack of a well defined heel, or an expertise in “slackfooting”, but when the task was done, I was the one outside picking them up. In the new fallen snow. Telling him that the slippers (actually, tough plastic bags) were for his own good was wasted effort.
posted in food, pets | Comments Off on Slackfoot and slippers | 267 words
I love the support Google offers when I watch a movie. I’m not content to see a handsome house any more; I have to know the where, and when and anything else that others have added to the pool of data we now assume as ours. Watching an oldie (Lethal Weapon 2), and that house that gets pulled downhill… it exists. No, it didn’t go anywhere, because I can “see” it. In satellite pics, and Street View, and in photos taken by others. I can even get the relative value in their local real estate market (and no, I can’t afford it.) But at least the information was available.
posted in media | Comments Off on Maps and photos and other trivial support | 251 words
Let the weekend begin. The dog is back, with a cone and booties (more Martian than ever). The household can now return to regular sleep interruptions. In the news, there may be a new tariff slapped on personal music players, although the finance minister is quick to reassure that this is not the same thing as a tax. I feel better. And in the workplace, yet another department was saved from dribbling on their printed pages by the act of replacing the toner cartridge.
posted in economy | Comments Off on The Action Plan is starting to be painful | 262 words
Never get overconfident about having the daily finances under control. Never! Unless, of course, you are one of those with too much money and friends in high places. But for the common guy, that bottle of water probably contains vinegar.
posted in health, pets | Comments Off on A grand for a grand tour | 251 words
When asked to check out something on a neighbouring iPad, I discovered that my fingers don’t have the magic ability to change from screen to screen. A “fail” grade on the personal device that is supposed to be “so easy, anyone can use one”. As a result, I have been threatened with no apple for Xmas (although oranges are still possible). Whew!
posted in humour | Comments Off on Finagling a football | 258 words
Springtime is a synonym for confusion. In what other season do you forego the winter coat and find the temperature back down to -17C? Or spot the first robin of the season, in a sunny snow squall. If the bird seemed bewildered, he (by his size and coloration) had every right. Are frozen worms difficult to extract from the frozen ground? I dream, short term, of changing out the winter tires. I don’t.
posted in Wx | Comments Off on Confused seasons | 257 words
