Gold leaf appointments
I’m on the platform, waiting for the train. At least, that’s how it feels; waiting for visitors, and family, and unsure of what would happen if I simply went to sleep. On TV, a documentary on fishing in the Maggies; interesting, but hardly new material for me. I should return there, next summer.
At work, I finally got around to checking software licenses for a particular department. The seller was clear. We need to buy more product. Not my problem. I passed the word down to those who have budgets to baby.
In Ottawa, the question of the day involves a serious bus-train accident yesterday. Talk of checking the black box from the locomotive. How about staying with the eyewitness reports; the bus driver didn’t stop, and he hit a train that was behind barriers and flashing signals. The black box won’t explain that one. Locally, our bus stops at the level crossing, every time. Even if the train only passes once every few days, it just takes once. Like in the rock-scissors game, train trumps, every time.
Someone I know happens to care about the news from the Supreme Leader’s office this morning. Twelve new “parliamentary secretaries” have been added to the golden payroll. For the record, their workplace is shuttered, under that curious prorogue custom, but better paying jobs look good when you are spinning the economy. CBC offered this job description:
For those who may have forgotten — or possibly never bothered to find out in the first place, a parliamentary secretary is basically a VIB (Very Important Backbencher) who, in exchange for a small salary boost and a new title, is responsible for various and sundry duties that his or her minister is either too busy or too important to do themselves, from fielding questions on behalf of their respective ministers in the House to shepherding legislation through committee — and, with increasing frequency, doing the rounds on the evening and weekend political panel circuit, representing the government and delivering the official talking points.
Thank you, national media.
