Unrelated notes (October 29)

 China’s top diplomat is meeting with his counterparts from five Muslim countries saying his country would work with “our brothers and sisters” to try to end the war in Gaza. There is no mention of weapons but it is reasonable to assume it topped the agenda.  The brutal war gives China another opportunity to destabilize another region.

 Today’s Toronto Star's editorial attempts to treat of hate, stating, “Education can help. Ontario is expanding Holocaust education in public schools.”   The secular mind, which is in play here, is limited.  It cannot invoke higher motives tin advocating the right thing, other than the good thing, i.e more education.  My hope is that in the Catholic schools the holocaust is taught along with the deeper message of neighbourly love which was noticeably lacking at that murderous time.  Non-Catholic schools dare not appeal to higher motives by citing the parable of the Good Samaritan.  Secularists would decry that as ‘shoving religion down young peoples’ throats.’  

 In a misunderstanding of “equity” the Toronto and District School Board in 2022 did away with merit-based admission to specialized programs. Students needed only express interest. So the Board introduced a lottery in the belief it would give priority to students from under-served communities. The Board has now returned to merit as the basis of acceptance into these costlier programs.  Applicants expressing interest must include a portfolio, video, audio or written submission.  The lesson is that equity is aspiration not a virtue.

Responsible Journalism

 A Toronto firefighter has taken the Fire Department to the Human Rights Tribunal.  His grievances are the usual complaints of an aggrieved homosexual.   Suffice it to say the list was drawn up by a lawyer with the usual boilerplate complaints.

My grievance is that the Toronto Star presents them in disgusting detail, and covers its tracks by

Stating “none of the allegations in the complaint have [sic] been tested before the tribunal.”  The Star proceeds with a report of more than 1,000 words stating every possible complaint of the appellant, presenting them as truth, all shielded by the disclaimer.  Based on experience, the tribunal will give the aggrieved a bag of money of which the lawyer will take one-third, and all with bask in righteousness.   

Questionable Leadership

Fortunately not all of our political leaders are stupid but here are two.

Pouting Vladimir Putin, still sucking his finger, continues his rampage against Ukraine. He uses prison inmates, mercenaries and conscripts in the war against his neighbour.  Facing a continued shortfall in troops, he is now recruiting Ukrainian prisoners of war to help carry on his ill-fated invasion.  Such behaviour offends decency as well as the Geneva Conventions, two things knowledge of with he appears devoid.

Political silliness also comes in a domestic package.  Alberta Premier Danielle Smith  has agreed to join discredited American political commentator Tucker Carlson.  In January, she will appear on stage with  him in front of an audience who will pay from $224 to $442 to witness the mischief those two will generate.  It would be offensive, I hope illegal, should Smith profit financially from this event.

Carlton is of the mentality of people who believe Donald Trump won the last U.S. election. He would also like to see American troops invade Canada to free us from Justine Trudeau.  That man has earned millions by spouting similar nonsense in his country. It does make us question the mental reserves of some people.

Smith is of that mentality that claims, against all evidence to the contrary, that Alberta is being short-changed by the Canada Pension Plan. Fortunately, polls show that a majority of Albertans disagree with her.

Vladimir Putin Goes Shopping

Czar wannabe Vladimir Putin, whom one can only picture as a pouting little boy in short pants, is in the market for weapons to bolster his failing effort in Ukraine. 

To that end, he is meeting with neighbouring tin-pot dictator, North Korean leader of people starving in the dark,  Kim Jong Un. Travelling with him in his personal green and yellow armoured train is an entourage of toadies and boot-lickers so necessary for his type of government.  

Strange it is that traditionally the beggar with cap in hand visits the country of the provider.  Putin's official dinner for Kim might overcome that miscue. The visitors, I suspect, still packed an extra lunch lest the Russian economy collapses while they're in town.

When he meets murderous Un, murderous Putin will be smiling and gracious. Unconfirmed is whether he will be on his knees to better kiss all the appropriate places. However, it is to be hoped he will not need to endure the ultimate humiliation by expressing admiration for Un's hair style; it would be a sure-fire deal-clincher.

Historians vs. Peter Newman

The newspapers have been agog lately over the death of journalist Peter Newman.  Curious it is that all comments, reminiscences  and obituaries were by writers with journalistic background.  And not one word from historians who on occasion took issue with Newman's treatment of historical events. 

Were none asked to comment on Newman's passing?  One such University of Toronto history professor, the late Michael Bliss, author of two dozen books on Canadian personalities and events, expressed opinions on Newman's approach to history, opinions contrary to the journalist's  liking. 

Newman's reaction was the lowest form of argumentation:  the personal ad hominem reply, a hoary and unimaginative pun on the historian's name. 

Could it be that Prof. Bliss did not care to see "facts dance" as Newman told his helpers to produce but preferred  the academic approach to history?

There is still time for the common media to elicit professional comment on possibly contrary interpretation of events in our history.  Balanced reportage is the motto, is it not?

Reflections and Reactions

 A few days ago, Ontario Premier Doug Ford was caught pumping money into the pockets of his real estate friends.  In his defence, he again placed himself on the side of the angels claiming he was unaware of all this which involved billions of dollars.  Today, he awaits the return from a holiday Ryan Amato the chief of staff of one of Ford's cabinet ministers who was apparently involved in all this.  I predict he will be thrown under the bus and folksy Ford again try to distance himself from a problem of his own making.

*  *  *

"Survivors tell harrowing tale" reads the headline of the latest disaster of people wishing to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Italy.  Surely it's apparent to Italian authorities that it's organized crime that sells leaky boats to wouldbe migrants, often to their death.  Has the Italian government posted spies in North Africa to monitor the behaviour of these criminals? 

* * *

"Investors off-load condos as rates increase" reads the headline.  These investors made this decision before the announcement that Taylor Swift would perform in Toronto in fifteen months. Therefore I wonder how many investors will pull the condo from the market until after Swift's appearance in Toronto. One hotel has already  announced their current overnight rate for November of $460 will be $917 during Swift's November visit next year.  Let's give a cheer for the glory of capitalism.

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Thoughts on Nuclear Warfare 

In August 1945, the United States unleashed the fury of two atomic bombs on Japanese cities.  The question is raised: would it have been equally effective had the first bomb been dropped at sea, say twenty miles to the east of Tokyo and a second ten miles miles from the capital city.  Such a display of strength, and impending doom, would have been sufficient to produce the desired surrender. This seemingly reasonable approach, however, misses the crucial point. 

By August, the war in Europe had ended three months earlier.  Most of the allied troops were back home.  Russia, on the other hand, maintained its force of millions of troops.  Had Russian  leader, Josef Stalin, so wished, he could have, with minimal opposition, occupied the entire continent.  There was no force strong enough to restrain him.  Or was there such a force?

My thought is that U.S. President Harry Truman had to create more than  a display of strength.  He had to prove his resolve to drop the bomb on a Russian city should that massive army continue its westward march. 

Of relevance today is the possibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin introducing nuclear weapons into his war with Ukraine. I trust a U.S. nuclear-armed submarine has in its sights Putin's summer palace on the Black Sea coast.  Its destruction would make him worry about explosion number two.

The Evolution of the Grocery Store

 Time was that when you entered a grocery store you approached a counter. A clerk greeted you and asked what you needed today. As you read your list, the clerk went about the store gathering your need items.  The clerk entered your purchases and put your money in the cash register. The clerk then placed the groceries in the required number of paper bags.

 You then headed for the meat counter where various meats were displayed.  If you wanted a half-pound of hamburger, that’s the exact amount the clerk doled out.  If you wanted a roast of a certain weight, and none of that size was in the counter, he asked the butcher to cut one of approximately the size you wanted. And the company made a profit.

Later in the supermarket, you did the gathering of your groceries. Meat is prepackaged.  If only pounds of hamburger were in the display case, or none at all, too bad.  Meat clerks no longer exist. Take or leave what an anonymous person has put in the counter.  In the decreasing number of cases where a meat counter exists, the prohibitive prices tell you to go back to the prepackaged section. You placed your purchases in a basket and joined the line at a checkout counter.   The cashier rang up the cost. An assistant placed your purchases in bags.   And the grocer made a greater profit.

 The cashier’s assistant has disappeared. You are expected to package your own purchases.  You may hand you bags but they prefer you bring you own.  And the grocer’s profits improved greatly.

 Today, the number of cashiers has dwindled.  You are expected to do your own checkout, paid only by credit card and package your purchases.  And the grocer made a yet greater profit.

 During an epidemic, the grocer cries poor mouth due to rising costs. And the grocer makes obscene profits as a COVID profiteer.

Putin's double-edged New Year's message

With the continued bombing of residential areas in Ukraine, that murderous fellow in the Kremlin sends two messages.  

The first to the free people of Ukraine telling them to rise up against their government and demand an end to the war. 

With the second message, Putin warns the oppressed people of Russia that reprisals on the scale of their neighbour's bombing will occur to them should they rise up against him.

The world (at least the civilized part) hopes the reverse of both messages will come to pass, and soon.