The Anti-Environmentalists in Town Hall are at it Again

Collingwood / Council / Ineptitude and bungling / Planning & Policies / Wacky WTF ideas7 Comments

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WTF is wrong with town hall these days? Why do they dislike trees so much? Last week town staff presented another plan to make Sixth Street even more of a speedway than it already is, and in doing so they want to remove three dozen mature trees along the north side. The technical term for that is “deforestation.” You might remember how last term, staff had more than 50 mature trees chopped down along Hurontario Street so they could build a sidewalk on the east … click below for more ↓

The Rise of the New Fascists and Their Threat to Democracy

Canadian Politics / International politics / Politics / Rightwing claptrap / Talibangelists and pseudo-Christians / US Politics12 Comments

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I wonder if this was how my father felt in England, watching the rise of fascism in Europe in the 1920s and ’30s. By the time of my father’s 20th birthday, Mussolini had already secured his one-party-state in Italy; Hitler was elected and appointed chancellor. He would do the same in Germany within six months. While these two tightened their authoritarian hold on their nations, Stalin in the USSR would begin his Great Purge, and Franco would join the coup that led him to fascist … click below for more ↓

The Death of Truth in the Trump Era

Canadian Politics / Political fads / Politics / Rightwing claptrap / US Politics5 Comments

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The ongoing criminal trial of Donald Trump (the first one; others are to follow) continues to expose the difference between what he and his followers believe and anything related to evidence, truth, or facts. Trump lies. Blatantly, shamelessly, openly, and frequently. He lies so often that quite literally nothing he says can be trusted as truthful or factual. It’s not simply opponents who are aware of his lies. His followers must know too, because his lies are so glaringly obvious and are debunked in all … click below for more ↓

On the Bay’s Libertarian Piffle

Collingwood / Ideologies / Local media / Politics / Rightwing claptrap5 Comments

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Less (sic) taxes is, for On the Bay‘s publisher David Loopstra, a “solution” for the problems of inflation. It’s certainly not the solution for correct grammar, where he should have written fewer taxes or the phrase “less in taxes.” You can only get away with saying less if the noun is singular (tax). Perhaps I expected too much of a former newspaper reporter and editor. But regardless of his foray into the bad vernacular, his opinion piece in the magazine is merely poorly-informed libertarian piffle. … click below for more ↓

Why Are Canada’s Conservatives Opposed to Everything Good?

Canadian Politics / Politics / Rightwing claptrap5 Comments

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Canada used to be known worldwide as a nation of nice people. Canadians were thought of as polite, cheerful, compassionate, caring, respectful, honest, and helpful. We said please and thank you. We opened doors for people. We opened our homes and took in people in trouble. We gave aid to others. We were so well respected worldwide that American travellers sewed Canadian flags on their backpacks so people would not think they were actually Americans. But all that has changed. And I blame the conservatives … click below for more ↓

Review: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Culture / Film & Reviews / Pop CultureLeave a comment

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Maybe I’m just old and jaded, but after watching the 2023 movie, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, I couldn’t figure out why the film wasn’t in WalMart’s $5 bin rather than on the racks at $15. This is from a fan not only of fantasy novels and movies, but someone who actually played the game back in the ’70s and has played most of the computer knock-offs since. But the film left me cold. It came across as formulaic, predictable, and flat. Worse, a … click below for more ↓

CBC Strives for Supermarket Tabloid Status

Balderdash & Hoaxes / Critical Thinking / Media / New Age Codswallop / Pseudoscience & Quackery2 Comments

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As a source of credible journalism, CBC used to be one of the standards by which other media measured themselves. It was reliable, honest, and responsible. Oh, how far CBC has fallen from that perch. Decades of (mostly CONservative-implemented) cuts to reporting and editing staff, egregious layoffs too often in parallel with high executive bonuses ($14.9 million paid to roughly 1,100 people in 2023), coupled with an executive management which has clearly lost focus and has been flailing about aimlessly have taken their inevitable toll … click below for more ↓

Aptos vs Calibri

Computers & Programming / Media / TypographyOne Comment

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Did you notice the change? Microsoft has made the typeface Aptos the new default for its Office programs, replacing the venerable Calibri after 17 years. Aptos has been rolled out to users since December, 2023, and, at least for me, finally made it to my versions of Office in February. I. like so many others, didn’t notice it right away. I do a lot of my writing online, like this blog, where other typefaces are used. I only twigged onto the change last week when … click below for more ↓

Mayor Meets Premier: We Have Questions

Collingwood / Development & Growth / Hospital / Publicity & Communications / Utilities: electricity and water3 Comments

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In a municipal announcement, led with a screaming all-caps headline like a toddler in a toy store tantrum, the Town of Collingwood published a short statement from Mayor Hamlin about her recent meeting with Premier Doug Ford. Wait, you didn’t know about that meeting? Apparently, few in Collingwood did (and as of this writing, it has not appeared in any local media outlet). Read on. While normally a meeting with the head of the provincial government would be a good thing and worthy of a … click below for more ↓

Higher Taxes, But Fewer Services in Collingwood

Collingwood / Council / Financial follies / Planning & PoliciesLeave a comment

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Collingwood Council is currently debating some major changes to the town’s bylaws, many of which appear to mean fewer services and less support for our residents. This council has once again increased our property taxes and user fees (while giving themselves yet another pay raise as their reward for doing so!). There have been annual tax hikes in Collingwood every year for the past decade. And where has all that money gone if not to providing more and better services to residents? The town is … click below for more ↓

Hamlin’s Letter-Writing Debacle, Part Two

Collingwood / Council / deception & secrecy / Disrespect and bad behaviour / Hospital / Publicity & Communications4 Comments

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Collingwood’s mayor’s arrogant refusal to cooperate and collaborate with our regional neighbours to support the long-overdue redevelopment of the General and Marine Hospital continues to make local news and infuriate residents. While her autocratic behaviour in refusing to sign the letter of support backed by all other neighbouring municipalities throws egg all over her, it also blackens the reputation of the town. But does the feckless Hamlin care? Not a whit. Let them eat cake! The original letter as signed by five other local mayors … click below for more ↓

Our Arrogant Mayor is At It Again

Collingwood / Council / deception & secrecy / Disrespect and bad behaviour / Hospital3 Comments

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For me, I didn’t see the need for another letter at this time. Things could change,” Mayor Yvonne Hamlin sniffily replied to CollingwoodToday in her best “Let them eat cake” manner. “For me.” It’s always about me, me, me. It’s almost like she took selfishness lessons from Councillor Jeffrey. Hamlin was responding to a question about why she, representing Collingwood, refused to sign a letter about our hospital being sent to “provincial health minister and deputy premier Sylvia Jones indicating the desire to see the … click below for more ↓

Have Conservatives Finally Become Irredeemable?

Ideologies / Politics / Rightwing claptrap13 Comments

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In the past, whenever I read news about any conservative leader, party or government — small-c conservative, including the Canadian federal and provincial Conservative parties, the American Repugnicans, and the British Tories — I always have to ask myself, “Can they get any more corrupt than this?” Then I ask, “Can they be any more dishonest?” And then “Can they be any more batshit crazy?” And every time I look further, they surprise me by scraping the metaphorical barrel deeper, diving to new depths of … click below for more ↓

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