Author: Bill

This story about my local city councillor’s back fence illustrates the problem. Is graffiti public art, free expression or vandalism?
The fence features some child art that looks like typical “fridge art” that parents like to display. It’s in an alley, so not many people have to look at it, even if it is an eyesore and and old, undecorated fence might have been more picturesque. Toronto graffiti cops say it has to go, or fines and clean-up costs may be imposed. Appeal is possible, but wouldn’t that just be more time and money wasted on trivia?

Must be the day for bird shots. Rebecca Staton’s ducks are dipping in High Park. Karen’s (below) settle for more modest facilities.

The Finance Department’s own polls show that Canadians are beginning to resent Harper’s spending their tax money to pat himself on the back. We are going to get a few more shovelsful, though.
Brace yourself for more partisan hogwash between now and April, as a new flight of publically funded propaganda washes across the media.

Karen Bell offers this hopeful sign of Spring… a robin bathing in her eavestrough. It was accompanied by 4 more red breasts. Surely a sign that it’s time for all you winter chickens to come back home from Florida and Mexico.

A radio quote this morning reminded me of humourous translation situations I have experienced myself. First, the radio anecdote:
A man was taking a shower and heard his wife shout out, “Shut the door!” The nimble minded response? “Je t’adore, aussi!”

…but can they improve traffic?
Seems like a strange claim, but I believe they can. To find out more, visit Dietetics.ca and discover the amazing powers of these tiny marvels.
Leave a comment when you visit, even if it’s a short one. It will help the traffic report.

You’ve heard of tennis-elbow. Now watch out for skype-knee.
It occurs when your spouse is seated comfortably in a chair, video-chatting with a friend. You join the conversation, kneeling on one knee to get on camera. For the next couple of days, you notice a pain in the knee that bore your weight during the chat. Skype-knee is temporary and goes away on its own.

Why do ordinary Canadians get upset when a senator tries a 20 or 30 thousand dollar tax dodge? According to the pompous fatheads I heard on CBC yesterday, it’s because the numbers are small enough for us to “wrap our heads around”.
The idea is a cliché in certain circles of punditry. Big numbers overwhelm our small minds, but we can understand smaller ones. Interviewers often accept such drivel as if it were wisdom, revealing their own inclination to accept mouth noises as explanations.

Let’s face it, the Ontario Liberal government under Dalton McGuinty’s watch wasn’t exactly a success. Kathleen Wynne’s first job as premier is to erase the Liberal record from memory. She’s going to need a BIG eraser.

As esteemed senators Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau face public scrutiny over their eligibility to hold such cushy positions, they would probably like to quote their colleague, Senator Nancy Ruth.

(Senator Ruth offered that advice a couple of years ago, on another subject.)