Born on a mixed subsistence farm in rural Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Moved to Ontario in 1967 to attend University at what was then Waterloo Lutheran University and moved to Oakville, Ontario in 1971. Without intending to live up to the name became a letter carrier the following January and have worked for Canada Post ever since. I retired in August of 2008.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Rearranging My Prejudices

"A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices."

n      William James

 

ITEMS FROM TODAYS’ NEWS

 

n      In Vancouver striking garbage workers are complaining that a church group cleaned up after themselves after a party on a beach.  Next time I’m on strike I guess I’d better object to your dropping that birthday card in Aunt Polly’s mailbox. 

 

n      Pepsi Cola has agreed to ‘come clean’ on their Aquafina labels about the fact that their bottled water comes out of the tap.  I still fail to realize why people insist on paying $ 1.00 for a bottle of water they could fill themselves for free!

 

n      Canada’s first border guards graduated from firearms school.  I’m of two minds over this one.  We’ve all heard about unarmed London Bobbies and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary that, in the same tradition were unarmed.  Respect for authority and officer presence seems to be deteriorating; I just don’t see that gunpoint diplomacy will improve it.  If detaining vehicles containing contraband is the objective wouldn’t automated spikes or barriers work as effectively?  The gun culture of our neighbours south of the border appears to be driving this one.  I just don’t feel comforted that even one more Canadian will be walking around legally carrying a firearm. 

 

n      NASA has decided to put restrictions on their astronauts vis-à-vis drinking alcohol before flight time—gives a whole tother meaning to the phrase, “DUI”—driving under the influence.  Somehow I’d prefer that someone in control of mega-tons of ultra-high-explosives were sober.  What took them so long?

 

n      A woman was assaulted in the early morning hours while hitchhiking on a lonely section of Lakeshore Rd West in Oakville.  I don’t condone sexual assault but I also don’t condone activities that put one at severe risk. 

 

n      At the Royal Botanical Gardens, RBG, someone found what they thought was a pipe bomb, picked it up, and drove it to a police station.  Turns out it was a Geo-Cache.  Common sense is not common!  Must be related to the youth I’ve seen skateboarding back and forth down the middle of a dark section of Trafalgar Rd dressed all in black. 

 

KEVETCHING

 

Why is it that every time software producers improve the security of a programme all they really do is make it more difficult to use—hackers usually have breached the new measures within hours of their release?  What use is a browser that won’t let you browse?  I just installed the latest ‘must-have’ update for my Mozilla Firefox Browser and it rendered it so useless I’m strongly considering restoring the old version.  Maxthon, similarly has issued a new version of their browser—fortunately it installed in a new folder allowing me to revert to the old version. 

 

I’ve decided why I never became a Post Office Supervisor—I’ve never mastered the art of buck passing.  If I see a thing that needs looking after I feel compelled to see to it; if I hear a phone ringing I feel compelled to answer it; I cannot understand spending half an hour justifying why I didn’t do a five minute task.  The week that was has led me to believe that retirement can’t come quickly enough.  Five supervisors in one office get less accomplished than the two whom they replaced. 

 

This weekend I’m baking some cakes to celebrate my upcoming natal day to share with the gang at work.  At the moment I’m doing it out of habit; not because I feel particularly kindly disposed toward my fellow workers.  No, I’m not baking a Devil’s Food Cake with X-lax but the thought has occurred. 

 

Here in Oakville we’ve spent much of the last month under a severe thunderstorm watch; but the grass looks browner than I ever remember seeing it.  Guess I have to be thankful the temperature hasn’t hit 40º C and we’re not wading through foot high flood waters. 

 

I’m beginning to think I’m suffering from senior male shrinking brain phenomenon.  You know, cranky old curmudgeon. 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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