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.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Lord Simco Day

Today’s the holiday we celebrate in honour of Upper Canada’s first Lieutenant Governor; the man who gave us Yonge St and abolished slavery. 

 

I’ve recently written two notes that I’ll share here.

 

The first to MacLean’s Magazine questioning why the wife of convicted felon Conrad Black—AKA Barbara Amiel—is still writing for them.  Never took any stock in her right-wing opinions but they are now tainted by the fact that even if she were not complicit in her husband’s crimes she certainly lived off the avails. 

 

My local Saturn dealership excited my ire by insisting I get quarterly oil changes for my car.  The petrochemical industry toots their superior high-quality oils as making frequent oil changes a thing of the past.  A selling point of GM’s Saturn is the onboard computer which monitors oil quality and advises the car owner on when servicing is necessary and this is reinforced by the owner’s manual which makes it clear that the parameters are miles driven, the onboard computer, or once a year.  Since I don’t meet the mileage requirements and the service light has never come on I fail to see why quarterly visits are necessary except to enrich Budd’s Saturn to the tune of $40.00 per oil change.  They can’t have it both ways. 

 

 

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