Round up the little Guttersnipes!

26 Jan 18
07:00 hrs

     Good Morning Dear Readers.
    
     Yesterday my Junior Couch Monkey was supposed to have his Grade 12 Provincial exam. He has studied hard for this but he was unable to take the test due to the fact that not just his but all three of the Valley high schools were closed. It would appear that some mal-adjusted kids thought it would be funny to post a photo or two on social media of them holding a hand gun and using threatening words. Funny right?

     Their actions resulted in over three thousand kids not attending school. Their actions disrupted the exam schedule in the district and has placed additional unwanted pressure on their fellow students. Their actions resulted in hundreds of staff being locked out of work. Their actions launched a thorough search of three campuses by the RCMP emergency response team including several canine units. Their actions also extended a state of emergency to the dozen or so elementary schools placing them under a Secure and Hold status.

     When yours truly first learned of this I stated that, if found, these Two Youtes should be escorted by The Big Swede, Jake Youngblood and myself to the headwaters of Harrison lake and dropped off. If they survived and returned to civilization they would face no jail time. An ex-Ranger friend of mine and went one further and said they should be dumped in the high Arctic in the summer and let them deal with the swarming mosquitoes.

     Both of these are Olde School reactionary thoughts from individuals who  pay their taxes and believe in the rule of law with a touch of justice. But, their not realistic. But fear not! The little bastards have been found. Actually, it's a Bonnie and Clyde team and they have been charged with "Uttering Threats". Doesn't sound like much but if convicted they could be facing some serious time behind bars.

      Under the Criminal Code of Canada - S.264.1 (1) Uttering Threats - Every one commits an offence who, in any manner knowingly utters, conveys or causes
(a) to cause death or bodily harm to any person

264.2 Punishment - Every one who commits an offence under paragraph (1a)
(a) an indictable offence and liable to in prison mentor a term not exceeding five years or,
(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding eighteen months.

     Recent reports in the media would suggest that Restorative Justice is being sought. If that's they case they will not go through the Court system but will be made to admit their wrongs, they will have to apologize to those who they wronged and make reparations. If they fail to do so they will have to go through the Courts for their crime. It is the RCMP or local police who put forth the suggestion to go this route as they are the ones who get to see the demeanor of the individuals when apprehended. If the little snot has a rap sheet as long as my arm and has an eat shit attitude Restorative Justice is not even looked at. This program is geared for first time offenders and it works pretty well. In Calgary, Restorative Justice is available after the conviction and before sentencing. It is a means to see if the convicted person has enough decency to show remorse and have empathy for his victim. This may or may not reduce a sentence.

     There are two sides of the coin and they both have their place. But for some criminals one of the Sages had suggested many years ago to build a maximum prison high in the Arctic where if they wanted to survive they would have to work together. The only problem with that, other than the supply logistics, is they would form a society of hardened criminals.

27 Jan 18
07:30 hrs

     There is now six inches of heavy white crap all across the Valley. I'm really hoping that the Jr. Loin Fruit's karate is cancelled as well as his driving lessons. It's a day to stay inside, make Bertinelli canoli and watch Netflix with a little World of Tanks thrown in. I have a funeral to attend at 14:00 hrs and I am sure the Ram can make it through.

     Speaking of Netflix, look for the movie Seven Pounds starring Wil Smith. It will bring a tear to your eye.

What the hell is that!

19 Jan 18
07:55 hrs

     Good Morning Dear Readers!
     Have you ever come across an item or a substance that you cannot identify? Sure you have.  And then, once you run the item through The Google Machine, you learn that the real name, the more colloquial name for this item, is something so common place you have to wonder why the weird name was used in the first place. Confused yet? I'll give you the scenario.

     The Better Half wanted to bake some Vegan cookies for a friend of hers. They would not be for me as I prefer my proteins to come from animals not plants. She asked be to look up a recipe and lo and behold there was a Chewy Vegan Oatmeal recipe. Sounds good. The ingredients included, among other things,  soy milk - understandable and since it's in the recipe you wouldn't even taste it- and vegan butter.

     "What the hell is vegan butter ?"

     "Google it", she said.

     So while I'm trying to wrap my head around the conundrum of vegan butter, which has now joined the ranks of hamburger steak and military intelligence, I quickly typed vegan butter into the Google Machine. It whirled around and from www.vegan.com came the answer... margarine. 

     "Butter is tbe common ingredient used in cooking and baking. It can also be used as a condiment. While butter is made from cow's milk, vegan butter substitutes are readily available. They are labelled as margarine and are made from vegetable oils. Margarine is cruelty free and is far cheaper than butter."

     So, vegan butter is just margarine. Big deal. But not to the Vegan Acolytes or Veg-olytes or Vegarians. Having everything in their lives animal and cruelty free is important to them and I can appreciate their passion.  If it wasn't for them public awareness would never have been raised on how animals that we consume or utilize are treated. Is it too much to ask that our food doesn't live in its own filth?

     However, because of their passion these Vegarians are just as likely to have the non-animal fabric pulled over their eyes as anyone else. Case in point- vegan butter.  If you just called it margarine it might cost you $5 for a kilo. But call it  something exotic and then sky is the limit. You could double or even triple the price and these First Earthers will be chomping at the bit for it. Wrap it with a little pine scent or flog it in a decorative reusable faux wooden box with First Nations motif and your good for even more money.
PT Barnum said "There's a sucker born every minute!" And I think he was right!

Cuba 2017 - Part Seven

27 Nov 2017
06:00 hrs

     Slinking around the dunes I set up our lounge chairs. The day does not look too promising with low dark clouds preside from the west and the east. The sun should be visible over the horizon but it is barely breaking through the clouds.

08:30 hrs

     My Lobster and I are crashing through the waves. The rain is coming. It's just a matter of time.

10:30 hrs

     We are off the beach and are starting to pack our things for the return legs starting tomorrow. We have noticed new herds of people in the dining facilities,  the  restaurants and at the Boo-Fay.  I want to call it a Mess Hall as the food reminds me of the mass produced sustenance that  lacks both flavour and imagination that I had experiences in many of the refined military dining establishments so many years ago.

22:00 hrs

     Bags are 98% packed. Lights out.

28 Nov 17
07:00 hrs

      The Cuban coffee is going down range. Ozzy and Black Sabbath are on Showtime. It's much more entertaining than CNN's persistent reporting of the Tangerine Tyrant's numerous faux pas.

     We will be taking the shuttle at 11:00 hrs to the airport and will be departing VAR for YYZ at 14:30 hrs and arriving at 18:00 hrs. There is supposed to be some new Canadian Customs procedure automated kiosks. We have created a list of our purchases and costs in both Cuc & Cdn funds. When dealing with any Customs Officials be honest. If you are over on your allowances - claim it. If you gave to pay any fees or duties then pay it. Lying and getting caught will flag you for every border crossing hereafter.

     My Lobster and I had a fantastic trip. We will definitely be coming back to Coo-ba sometime in the future. It's just a matter of when.

       
    

Housekeeping!

08 Jan 18
19:25 hrs

     I just did a bit of housekeeping on the blog page. Changed the backgrounds, added a couple of new likes to the book and movie lists. I don't know if you will like it Dear Reader and I doubt if I ever will as none of you ever send me any comments.

     The Junior Loin Fruit was back to school today. He had his Improv class at 08:00 hrs and so really had to struggle to get his butt out of bed. The Other One dragged his carcass out of the fart sack at 10:30 hrs. I know this because our Friends from Over the Hump dropped in for a coffee at noon and some small talk. I had come home to throw a fresh pot of java on and he was still schlepping around the house. Time will only tell as how this will all play out.

     For those of you who do not live near The Valley or may have but now live elsewhere I must tell you that we are in the midst of the standard winter weather troughs. Bands of wetness assault the Left Coast in a repeated manner. Sometimes there's a lot. Sometimes there's a little but there is usually some precipitation every day. And the Rule of Thumb in regards to the temperature is that if it is colder than 7C in The Valley it will be snowing up on the Beauforts. Once the clouds part it looks real pretty.

   

     I read in the local cage liner that a former Commanding Officer of mine has passed away. L/Col Doug Stuart commander 442 Sqn when I was there in the mid 80's. A great guy and a fantastic Buffalo pilot. There will be a memorial service near the airbase and I'm sure that it will be well attended.

Cuba 2017 - Part Six

24 Nov 17
6:45 hrs
    
     Habana Baby!

     Our guide from Cuban Connections, Fernando,  met us in the lobby. His neighbour Julio, in Santa Clara, was driving our ride for the day, a 1957 Ford Fairlane with white tuck and roll upholstery coated in plastic to protect it from the impaired gringos I suspect. Seated in the rear we headed off on the 120 km journey with Fernando twisted in his seat explaining everything enroute.

     "Up ahead is the tallest bridge in Coo-ba. It is also called the Mother Inlaw Bridge for obvious reasons."

     On the far side of the Bridge,  the Western side, at 08:00 hrs my Better Half and I enjoyed a pin cold that was so fresh it almost hurt. Now, I am not one for fruity drinks but this was, as promised by Fernando, the best we would ever have. And it was, even though mine had all the Havana Club that I could handle. That and a grilled ham and cheese sandwich was breakfast.

     On to Habana....

     My Better Half and I toured Havana on our first trip but that was with a herd of tourists pushed along to meet a deadline. This trip was different with Fernando leading the way. We enjoyed it so much we took him and Julio to lunch. It was the least we could do.

     We hit all the important spots. The Havana Cathedral, Cathedral Square, Revolution Square, a couple of museums, historical streets, fortresses...the works. We were very grateful and thankful to have him as a guide.

     The day was done.

25 Nov 17
06:00 hrs

     Beach Day Baby....

      Once again yours truly snuck out of our residence to secure our lounge chairs. On my return I met a security officer doing his rounds. I was suitably impressed with his attention to detail as he moved through the resort.

     Once my Lobster awoke and had completed her ablutions it was breakfast, beach, swim, drink, read, eat, repeat. At the beach we witnessed a new group of people frolicking in the surf...The Breakwaters. They were so large you could shelter in their lee from the waves.

     Our repast was at the Oriental Restaurant. The sushi roll wasn't and the rest was mediocre. After supper we went to the main salon to enjoy an appertif or two in my case. The place was packed and loud. We both lost interest soon.

26 Nov 17
06:00 hrs

     I was out skulking at poolside. We planned to attend to the swim up bar in the morning with shopping in Varadero in the afternoon.

14:30 hrs
    
     Everything went as planned. All the shopping was completed. Tomorrow will be our final beach day before our return flight on Tuesday.