2013/07/18

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  Parc Jarry – Oct. 2006 (repost)
  Scènes de Montréal – Montreal Scenes
  

  Come on babe, people are waiting!

  They are turning blue at the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) after holding their breath for days now about the royal baby-to-be. In Quebec, I’ve still to hear/read something about it. Mind you, a lot of people in the rest of Canada couldn’t care less either, especially the 20% or something who were not born in Canada. It’s just that this old gang of Loyalists and former Brits have taken control somewhat of the CBC from the start. And now that the current federal government is splashing the monarchy everywhere in the Canadian federal apparatus, it’s not something to discourage the CBC from going ahead in that direction. Private networks like CTV are more reasonable (read ‘really’ Canadian).

  Speaking of turning blue, there was this tv report I saw a few days ago showing that army of reporters and photojournalists who have been camping for days in front of that hospital where Kate “the wife of” will be tended to when the time (aka, the baby) comes. Someone in there reporting about the reporters (they occupy themselves as they can) said that they were all there to be the first to get hold of the scoop of scoops. I almost choked. In this age of instant communications, not only will they all simultaneously have the same copy of the same scoop, but chances are that a passerby with a portable phone will tweet a pic of it before those people have the time to call their head office requesting a “Breaking news” slot. All this for that?

  I wonder what gift Stephen Harper will send to the Royals on this occasion. Maybe a leftover bale of hay from the Calgary Stampede? That would pretty much be to his level of classiness. After all, he showed the dad-to-be how to throw barrels in a wagon, last summer.

  I also read that this birth will be very profitable to the U.K. economically. I am glad for them. These days, when money falls from the sky, there’s no objective reason not to rake it up, especially if it has the face of George Washington or any other non-British worldly leader (dead or alive) printed on it.

  

  Missed missile

  So there’s that boat coming from La Habana enroute to North Korea and which is searched by Panama because the U.S. would have told them it would be full of dope. There was no dope but there were outdated missiles, planes (dismounted I guess) and other paraphernalia the Soviets had left in Cuba when their system crashed at home. All covered with tons of sugar. Cuba contends they were sent to be repaired (that stands the road) and that the sugar was the payment (considering Cuba’s finances, that holds the road also). North Korea contends nothing. They are not very talkative usually, except when they menace to wipe out the U.S.

  I find all this interesting. Ten years ago, they were seeing inexistant WMDs, now they are seeing inexistant dope. Learning is a very long process, I was once told.

  The way I see it, either Cuba is saying the truth or it is selling its old scrap to Kim under the table. One way or the other, I conclude that Cuba is broke and I fail to see how it can represent the godawful, terrible and horrible menace to the U.S. that some in that country pretend it to be.

  

  Heat and more heat

  After a dreadful month of June, now we’re stuck with a heatwave. Yesterday, it was the equivalent of 43 or 44C with the humidex factor. I don’t mind heat per se, I’ll take heat long before cold, but the kind of heat we have here is generally laden with humidity which makes it difficult to breathe for people in certain categories like children, older people, and those with respiratory diseases or problems. Although I can act like one at times, I’m not a kid anymore. As per aging goes, I’m not getting younger either. But what could be dangerous for me is all that crap about the lungs. The part they removed is the smaller lobe of the three ones on the right side. It’s not the end of the world but it’s the end of that lobe, that’s for sure. And that hole in the back is still a hole. And the remaining lung is not that far behind it. Heat brings another problem. The sweat in the back makes the bandage covering it to detach which is not funny at all, especially if I have to call the nurses to come home and redo it. Not to mention the temporary absence of protection against infection. My downstairs neighbor suggested I use one of those rolls of extensible bandage holders to at least keep the bandage in place if the tape stops sticking. It works but it’s a lot of trouble installing it alone. So all in all, I try to keep my errands expeditions to a minimum and stay inside. Unfortunately, to prevent outside heat from coming inside, I have to keep blinds closed so essentially I have to live like a caveman until the wave is over. I console myself seeing that it’s the same or even worse in some parts of the U.S. or Europe. Just heard that it was 37C and 45C humidex in New York today. Guaranteed Letterman will talk about it in his today’s opening monologue.

  

  Farcical justice

  So George Triggerman was found not guilty by a Florida court. Not guilty of what by the way? I haven’t followed too much Court TV on CNN but of what I understand there was not sufficient proof without the shadow of a doubt that George Revolverman did shoot the unarmed 17-year old Trevor Martin not accidentally. This last sentence is not easy to read. The trial wasn’t either. And listening to one of its jurors, it’s even more of a mud puddle with racist overtones.

  Which does not mean that George Saviorman didn’t do it. He did, of course. It’s just that under Florida laws, he was already acquitted before the act.

  I went to Google maps to look at the Sanford area where the murder (let’s call a rat a rat) took place. It’s a neighborhood consisting of a collection of privately owned city blocks which are fenced at times by wooden walls, at times by brick ones. And there are gates to enter, of course. In the closest un-fenced areas around those communities (aka where the Google little man is allowed), houses are very upscale. In other words, the probability that some young Black thug would be living in that area are very dim. And in view of other geographical barriers, like a lake and an expressway and a low population density, the probability that a young Black thug from elsewhere would go there, on foot, and casually stroll the sidewalk are also quite dim. Of course, if Trayvor Martin was there it’s because he lived there. George Noclueman had to know or at least suspect this, or he’s very dumb. Or maybe a closet racist. Or a mix of both, racism and dumbness certainly not being mutually exclusive.

  From the little I watched, this trial was a misnomer. It was rather the trial of Trayvor Martin and he was found guilty.

  

  Cultural differences?

  Two news clippings I stumbled upon, the second one translated.

  “Once they go to church, and the preacher puts in their heart the right way to think about it and the positive way to deal with it, it might change other people’s minds than to go out and get crazy,” she said. Indeed, that was the message Rev. Vernon McQueen tried to deliver to the congregation gathered at a music- and dance-filled service on Sunday morning at the Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church in Sanford’s black Goldsboro neighborhood. “We are not depending on the Sanford Police Department. We are not depending on Seminole County sheriffs. We are not depending on the courts. We know that a finding of guilty comes from the Lord,” McQueen said. “You know, God, we know as long as we keep our hands in your hands, everything will be all right,” he said.

  Great was the mystery of faith, this morning, for the tens of parishioners reunited for a first Sunday mass since fifty of their fellow citizens have died in the shadow of their church, in Lac-Mégantic. The priests chose to omit the «Glory to God» and to not adress the tragedy up front this morning. «Our pastoral concern is to foster hope, mentioned priest Steve Lemay after the mass. Without negating what has happened, we must put things a little into perspective. The same also goes for liturgy. Usually we sing a Glory to God, we didn’t do it this week.»[..] «It was difficult, but the Lord gives us the strength to do what has to be done for the community, says Nicole Turcotte, who herself was evacuated for several days.»

  I prefer the second approach. Do something, with or without the counsel of God, but do something. Not shovel the problem in His yard.

  

  Update July 21

  Happy National Day to all Belgians (Wallons, Vlamingen… e Italiani) !

  

  • 18:23
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