Apologies

A word of explanation.

The blogger went to Victoria Friday morning.

He took his laptop. But he forgot (along with his razor) to bring the electric chord for the laptop.

The battery was low and the laptop went into permanent hibernation, recovering only when the umbilical was restored last night.

Hence, no Saturday posts.

We will endeavour to remember to take the chord next time and to solve the problem of the low battery.

Test the Teachers

A teacher in Victoria refuses to give her garde 3 kids a reading test.

One little dear was in tears "of anxiety" and the teacher has now been emotionally blackmailed into her new stand.

Does she have children? Has she ever seen a kid cry?

She is not alone.

Many of our public school teachers don't want to give their kids tests. Why would they? The kids might do poorly and that might reflect of what sloppy, ineffectual teachers they are.

Now, I realize that I am an old, grumbling relic that thinks all things from "my day" were better. (Not really but I thought I'd position myself that way just for fun.) But WE took test day in and day out all throughout school and our big noses didn't fall off and we've all managed to live a life.

Adults are put to the test every day in real life.

We live in an adolescent culture that worships and is afraid of children.

How does that lead to teaching?

Missing in Space

Scientists have found a hole in space a billion light years wide (or long or thick or whichever way you happen to be endlessly tumbling at the time) where every known thing - stars, dust, socks, flatware - is missing.

This void is called...wait for it...

City Hall.

Different Stokes for Different Folks

The Musqueam get compensation from Canada Line, but the 50 out-of-business Cambie merchants do not?

Can you say, "Political correctness," boys and girls? Can you say, "cultural blackmail?"

It should be written into law that public projects compensate at market value citizens whose homes or livelihoods are disrupted or destroyed by the new initiative.

The Canada Line is getting a Free Ride.

Poverty Group Out to Cheap Lunch

Anything calling itself the Anti-Poverty Committee should be admirable at once, even before it springs into action.

But the Vancouver version of the APC has repeatedly proven itself to be out-of-line thugs.

Anybody who reads this blog will be well aware of my animosity towards and distaste for our current excuse of a mayor.

But when the APC dumps garbage and fake poo on the mayor's personal doorstep, I say, "Basta! Enough! Stand down, you rogues. You are defeating your own avowed purposes."

Now one of the spokesperson for APC is a fellow named Thomas Malenfant. Did he make this up? Is this a nom de guerre?

His name literally means Tommy Bad Boy.

Is this one of life's naming curiosities, wherein Jack Teller ends up working in a bank and Dick Dangler becomes a porn star?

Or did little out-of-control Tommy Bad Boy take on this moniker as n oh-so-clever cover for his mischief?

Dying for Dope - This is an "honorable" Canadian Mission?

The NY Times reports that the Taliban have set new records in their lucrative poppy crops.

For this, Canadian soldiers, ill-equipped, are dying on foreign soil?

And if you're always on the lookout, as I am, for tell-tale signs of government (in)efficiencies, you'll love this: The U.S> is spending $600 Million a year in counter-narcotics programs in Afghanistan! Even their own ambassador says it's not working. No kidding, boss!

Honoring soldiers and "supporting our troops" is one thing. Agreeing with suicide missions is another entirely.