What caught my attention the Week of February 14
Hellacious – very great, very bad, very overwhelming.
Example: The pandemic was hellacious.
Selley addresses the need to manage and police protests with consistency. So, he calls out Justin Trudeau for attempting to negotiate an end to the 2020 rail blockades. The implication – he should have attempted some sort of dialogue with the “Freedom” convoy.
He is much more explicit about Pierre Poilievre’s (“PP” – now that is an unfortunate moniker) hypocrisy. “These blockaders are taking away the freedom of other people to move their goods and themselves where they want to go, and that is wrong” thundered PP during the rail blockades of 2020. Two year laters, he showed up to support truckers and continues to support demonstrations “taking away the freedom of other people to move their goods and themselves where they want to go”.
Why the difference in attitude. Well, he doesn’t like demonstrations about indigenous rights or the environment. However, bring him a cowardly rabble protesting about freedom without responsibility and waving Nazi and Confederate flags. He likes them. What does this say about PP? He may win the Tory leadership but how can anyone in the Ottawa region vote for him again? He has promoted the abuse of their city and its fellow citizens.
They:
Are these people your heroes? If so, give your head a shake!
Everyone loves the Scots! The bagpipes thrill and can send chills down the spines of the enemy. At the Olympic curling venue, the pipers are all Chinese from Beijing. They dress in full highland regalia and they profess their love for the pipes. But what do they wear under their kilts? Well they find it to be a wee bit chilly so they wear their undies.
I have started my personal journey into blocking politicians on Linked-In. It has to be an equal opportunity block so first two up:
Others will follow. I am also starting to block people who just get things wrong. Examples:
If the writers can’t get the basics right, it destroys any credibility.
This article in the New York Times sets out the root cause of the current situation in the Ukraine. I have linked the article in the heading but it is probably behind a pay wall. If free to you, it is a worthwhile read. I am not a Putin apologist. However:
The US may not be sending troops to the Ukraine but it has bolstered its troop numbers in Romania and Poland.
Putin is a despicable despot aligned with despicable despots but I think I understand his Ukraine obsession a bit better after reading this article. Oh! and the west has its favourite despicable despots! Saudi Arabia anyone?
“People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”
Søren Kierkegaard
That’s it – and I know it is early – for the week of February 14.
Lisbon’s seven hills and waterfront make it visually spectacular. The second oldest capital in Europe, the city has energy. Busy streets and squares, full restaurants, and vibrant night life – the city pulsates. And, the population seems young. All signs of a city on the rise? Earthquake A 1755 earthquake destroyed 85% of the city […]
People living on the street have come to symbolize the global housing crisis but they are only the tip of the iceberg. While the examples of Finland and Houston demonstrate a focussed plan pursued diligently can resolve the housing situation for the chronically homeless, addressing the affordable housing problem is much more complex. Defining Affordability […]
I love to dance. This is not something new for me. I can’t remember when I didn’t like to move to the music. My first memories of watching others dance come from my childhood in Cape Breton where I would watch the adults square dance. Then, there were the step dancers who would often accompany […]
Kings Cross, once a thriving industrial and transport centre in London, was effectively closed off to the public by the end of the 20th century. Then in 1996, the decision was made to move the British terminus for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St-Pancras. The landowner saw a re-development opportunity for […]
I have postulated that cities and towns evolve. That towns and villages first grow in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that means good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations include safety, and resilience. The bonus – access to trade routes. Walt Disney and the Fully Formed […]
A Visit from Saint Nicholas A Poem by Jonathan Potter – December 2022 ‘Twas the first mask-free Christmas, when all through the stores The vaccinated children were spewing their spores;The shoppers were eagerly starting to riotAs the introverts longed for some quarantine quiet. The public healthcare workers were tracing the pathOf the flu and RSV, […]