Sunday, January 02, 2022
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Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Tis" The Season!
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Monday, June 14, 2021
Milestone Birthday - With Flamingos At Large
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Wednesday, June 09, 2021
My Impression of This Year's News So Far
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Tuesday, June 01, 2021
Its That Time Again
That Time Again?
Lots To Write About
An Informative Warning
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Wednesday, October 14, 2020
See You In The Fast Lane
Self Serve Cash
I’ve always resisted using self serve cash registers, agreeing with those who believe we are taking jobs away by doing the store’s work.
After a recent visit to a local drug store, I am beginning to change my mind – fast!
One Cash Open
Although there were several cash registers available, only one was being used. That’s right one cashier. There was a line-up of more than several people, although we were second in line.
The lady ahead being served at the cash was doing I don’t know what. Several cards used, phone scanned for points several times, and so on. The cashier was doing her best to move things along. But it seemed like we were there for an eternity.
3 Self Serve Units
Immediately to our right there are three of those horrible self serve cash machines. During the time we were waiting, a total of 8 people went through those, two with fairly large orders.
I’ll Serve Myself
In the future I’ll probably be in the fastest line. (Actually there was no line-up there the entire time.) I won’t be taking anybody’s job away because the company chooses not to have anyone at the other cash registers anyway.
Although I have used one store as an example, this holds true in many stores. One store has about a dozen cash registers. Only ever see one cashier available, two if its really really busy.
See you in the fast lane! (¯`·._.·ns¢ävË·._.·´¯)®
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Thursday, June 18, 2020
I Can't Believe
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Wednesday, June 03, 2020
You Won't Be Here
You Won't Be Here
Grand Mothers & Grand Fathers
Other Family Members
When You Go
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Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Watch Your Spell Checker
We Now Easily Read Misspelled Words
One Letter - Can Make A World Of Difference
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Saturday, May 16, 2020
We're Back Again
I Just Love My Google Assistant
Education Not Always For Kids
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Our Media Is Smarter Than My Spell Checker–Or Not!
Under The Bus
Not long ago a couple of us discussed our feelings on one of the media’s favourite sayings “Under The Bus,” a term not very favourable to those who work in the transit transportation industry.
Our Media Is Full Of It
Well I didn’t mean exactly that, but here are some saying I’ve picked up from our local media recently.
To you, the meaning may be perfectly clear. To me not so much!
“Slowing Traffic To A Standstill”
I would really like to know if traffic is at a standstill, how can it be slow.
Conversely if traffic is slow, how can it be at a standstill if its still moving?
“Earlier Ago”
Not totally improper I suppose, but I would just like to know if it happened earlier, or a long time ago.
Even Google was vague about this one to a certain extent.
“Temperature Is Getting Colder – Blame It On Global Warming!”
Well I can easily see where we are going with this one correct or not.
More taxes, plain and simple.
“If We’re Going To Have A Conversation About That It Should Be In The Conversation”
Back in my working days I had a course one time that focused on body language at meeting. How to tell whether a person is being upfront and honest or kind of stretching things a little.
No question here – politics, plain and simple!
“Sort Of On Standby”
Research on this one led to politics as well. All parties, several countries – more to come after the break!
All items in quotations were taken from recent TV newscasts.
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Monday, April 29, 2019
Don’t Share Anything With Me
Don’t Share Anything With Me – I Don’t Want It!
I’m talking about social media, the most popular one in fact.
Let me say that again: “Don’t Share Anything With Me – I Don’t Want It!”
People Just Don’t Get It!
Well they do, because you sent it!
No, I’m not talking about the article but what happens to the people you send it to.
When you share that item I often hear, “Well it didn’t do anything.. Nothing happens.”
You Don’t See Anything Happen
But it goes to your friends, every one of them, and whether they read it or not,
it goes to their friends, and their friends, and their friends, and on to their friends – get the picture?
During that journey many items are available along the way from all those profiles – email addresses, phone numbers in some cases, where you’ve been, where your going, the kids pictures, – you know, all that stuff you don’t care about.
How Did You Get That Article?
Did it ever occur to you that someone else may have already read it? Probably long before you did.
And likely some friends sent it to them. Things don’t just appear out of nowhere in social media.
The chance of you sending something someone hasn’t already read is about 1%.
By The Way Can You Read?
Do you really think a lost person on the other side of the world lost 5 years ago is going to be found in my neighbourhood – or yours?
Do you really think it is going to help cure that terrible disease if I post something on my wall for an hour?
Do you really think thousands of people are going to receive thousands of dollars because you must share and pass on this stupid picture of phony money?
Do you really think that something bad will happen if everyone doesn’t pass this on without scrolling in one minute?
Do you really think I can’t come up with another hundred examples from stuff people send that I have to pass on?
Click Bait!
Is what it is called. Every day over and over again, Share this, click here, send this, watch this then forward . . .
Friends, friends of friends, friends of their friends, friends of their friends, . . .
Click Here!
By the way Click Here! You won’t get much but its more relaxing than sharing stuff!
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Sunday, April 21, 2019
Get Fast Service–Unintentionally
US Money
We used to spend winters in Florida but due to personal reasons we were unable to do that this past season.
Therefore we had some American money around that I felt should be deposited before it got displaced or lost.
To A Local Bank
So the money is placed in a long white envelope, along with a US cheque that needed to be deposited also.
And I head off to my local bank.
It was cool that day, so I wear a heavy green, almost black colour jacket.
Good Day Sir!
As I entered the bank I almost missed the receptionist saying, “Good afternoon, how are you?”
I guess my mind was else where.
After about four steps past her area, I turned, smiled and said: “Oh, Good Afternoon!”
Line Up
There was one lady in front of me, one gentleman behind me, awaiting our turn at one of the three tellers.
I hadn’t been in that bank for over a year and was looking around, noticing overhead some big black new style security cameras. As my gaze followed along the ceiling around the room I was thinking, those are different, there’s a lot of them.
In the meantime the lady in front of me moves to an available teller.
I reach inside my jacket with my right hand and pull out the long white envelope with the US money inside.
Action
As I did that I see one of the tellers look up quickly, then back to what she was doing.
I also see the manager come out of his office and go quickly behind the counter being particularly busy for a few moments with also a few quick glances in my direction.
Shortly thereafter he heads straight to my position and with a smile, asks: “You have been waiting a long time Sir. What brings you in to see us today?”
“I have a bunch of American money I need to deposit,” I say, holding up the white envelope.
Come With Me
“Come right over here with me,” he says, “I can do that for you. The tellers are very busy today and things are taking a long time.”
We introduce each other, and begin a chat as he does what I came in to do. I explain I have the money on hand because we usually go to Florida in winter, but couldn’t this year.
He counters with the fact he had just returned from a vacation in Mexico, and had the tan to prove it. He was a nicest person you could ever meet.
My mission for going there was soon complete, bills checked for authenticity, cheque verified, deposited, and I was on my way.
Conclusion
Normally I would have taken the envelope out of my jacket pocket before I entered the bank. That day I didn’t.
As I headed back to my vehicle, I couldn’t help thinking how sad it is that society has become so different today.
Then again how professional everything was. I may be wrong in my assumption, but when I thought about it after the sequence started, I was reminded of one of my mother’s sayings, “You started something didn’t you!”
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Sunday, April 14, 2019
Every Day’s A School Day–Don’t Offer Anything For Free
Just realized I missed last week’s blog entirely. Old people do that. Forget things.
This Weeks Lesson
I tried to give away a 61” TV this week on one of FB’s buy & sell sites.
Free!
It’s an older projection model that has a large cabinet. The posted write up included pictures and written dimensions. 57.5”H x 56”W x 24.25”D
It was also stated very clearly a pickup truck would be needed to move it. It will not fit in a normal size van. No delivery.
Free! The picture is perfect everything works perfectly – I hated to just recycle it, but it has to go because of pending room modifications.
Can Anybody Read Can Anybody See
Well I ask that question because of the questions that follow.
I will never ever try to give anything away for free ever again!
Here’s Some Of The Questions Asked
* Will it fit in the trunk of my car?
* Will it fit in my van?
* Is this still available?
* I have a large trunk, do you think it will fit?
* -Repeat many times-
Finally:
* #1 - I will definitely take it. Will pick it up tomorrow.
* #2 - I would have to see it working. (Yes its hooked up and working.)
- I will take it!
*#3 – Is this still available?
Arrangements Made
So arrangements were made with #1 to pick it up the following day.
The day arrives – passes - no sign of interested party.
So I advise offer rescinded offer going to the next on the list.
#2 asks – are there stairs to come down?
(No - split entry house, six stairs to go up to the door, tight fit but not that bad.)
I wouldn’t want to damage your house taking it out. You have to have it out in the yard when I get there.
I am a senior and have no way of getting it to the yard by myself!
Zap
At this point I deleted the ad!
It was such a hassle answering all the stupid questions, comments and requests I will never ever try to give anything away for free ever again!
It was almost a continuous waste of time for 3 days.
Described TV although working perfectly, will be dissembled and transported in pieces directly to the local recycle depot!
Did I Mention
I will never ever try to give anything away for free ever again!
Every Day’s A School Day may return again from time to time as I learn new things in my senior years.
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Sunday, March 31, 2019
Standby For Rescue
At the middle of the first week I was shown pictures of dogs on FB – three times a day.
Then instead of pictures of dogs – it was a picture of a dog!
By the beginning of the second week the investigation got more detailed and accurate.
Then I barely heard part of a telephone conversation:
“. . .looking for an older couple for an older dog. . .his name is Rocky!”
Then ‘you know who’ suddenly says:
“What a beautiful day. We should go for a drive. Can we go to Pictou to see that little dog? Just to see what he’s really like.”
An hour and a half later we are at the Pictou SPCA. Staff brings out this little guy and says:
“He’s a rescue, probably not treated very good, doesn’t like other dogs - the last owner brought him in because he nipped at the kids. He needs to go to an older couple with no kids.”
Well he went to ‘you know who’ for several minutes happy as can be, tail wagging, looking for pats with all the excitement a pet can show.
Then quick as lightning he turned, jumped up on my lap, and curled up in a tight snuggle as much as to say, “That’s it, lets go!”
Well you know where he is now. He is 13 years old. That old dog has an old couple.
So far he has met a lot of people, including kids. And so far not a bit of aggression has been shown.
Rocky definitely has a furever home.
I’m just wondering – who rescued who?
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Sunday, March 24, 2019
DashCam Daze
Many of us have dash cams these days just to prove what's going on in case we need to prove what went on. This is a new feature of RoseGarden that will show some reasons why so many collisions occur on our roads day after day.
Most of them speak for themselves with no sound required.
Isn't that cool. Right On Red From Centre!
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Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Under The Bus
This article was published by my friend on 02 March 2019. I asked and received permission to re-post it here, since it is a subject on which I have the same view and firmly agree with Fred.
Guest Post by Frederick Lawrence Bushor
Like many of you, there are a number of things in the news today that I find irksome. So what. There is one I want to mention here. A Liberal MP, Bob Nault, apparently said the Mexican government threw Canada "Under the bus" when they made a deal with the U.S. government.
Now, I've heard this phrase used about three or four times in the media this past week or so. A CBC reporter, Chantal Hebert on CBC news and now an M.P. .
Here's what this phrase means to me. If you want to hurt someone, throw them "Under the bus".
Why? Because bus drivers don't pay attention to their driving? Because they can't stop in time when braking suddenly? Why not say "Throw them under the train"? It takes a lot longer to stop a train. Why not, "Throw them under the taxi"? Or, how about, "Throw them under the Member of Parliament's staff car"?
Bus drivers get a bad rap. Sometimes it's deserved.
Most times it isn't . And I'd just like to see the use of the phrase, " Throw / threw them under the bus" put to rest. Maybe try saying someone was abandoned , cast aside, deserted or rejected.
But, I'd like to see the media stop crapping on bus drivers.
A-h-h-h-h. That feels better. G'nite.
My Comment
My last career before retirement was Training Officer for the local transit company. Each and every bus driver out there has a unique specialized job with a ‘clamity’ value that is equal to a junior aircraft captain!
(Clamity is defined as: an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster – in the case of a bus operator, the number of things requiring the mind’s attention at any given time.)
Isn't that statement discriminatory or politically incorrect these days? Everything else is! I hate it when I hear it - always did.
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Saturday, March 09, 2019
My Pet Bird
My Pet Bird
Yes I said that. “My Pet Bird!”
It started last fall. This one single by itself little sparrow type bird started hanging out around the front of our house.
It is there every morning, and returns every afternoon and evening. It looked thin and hungary, and it mostly walked, rarely flying.
Always alone, by itself never with any other birds.
Explanation To The Neighbours
I am sure a few of the neighbours wondered what I have been doing, sliding out early in the morning with a small container, and reversing the procedure bringing the container in at night. This routine has been going on for months.
You see, there are some other long tailed furry friends in the neighbourhood as well (rats), and I have no intention of nourishing them.
Big Bird Buddy
Well throughout the winter my friend has appeared nearly every day at the same times. This includes during rain, sleet, snow and extremely high wind.
It eats – a lot, walks around under the car and van in the driveway and scoots out of the way if anyone suddenly appears. I have a feeling it lives under a small bush nearby and I am amazed it has survived the extreme cold of winter.
It has now grown quite big and looks healthy. It also flies a bit now, although never higher than four feet off the ground.
Who knew I would ever say “Click Here To See My Bird!”
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Tuesday, March 05, 2019
Subscription Programs
It’s Worth Paying For
Many years ago I decided not to use pirated programs. You know, you get a legitimate program, find a code and you're good to go - if you don't get caught.
I figure it costs a lot of time and money to develop these programs, so companies and individuals deserve compensation.
So I have purchased the programs that I depend on from the proper sources. And its worth it. Updates are often supplied regularly for free, and upgrades are often offered at discounted prices.
Some Programs Are Free
True, there are some programs that are free, and I have used a few of those and I do send in a contribution if I find one that does an outstanding job for me.
But now days you have to watch those very carefully. Free programs often include a pre-checked install of an unwanted program.
Always do a ‘custom’ install of any program. Observe all boxes and options very carefully.
The Annual Subscription
Now there's a new way of doing things appearing more and more in the software world.
Subscriptions to your favourite programs. Yes, you pay a monthly or annual fee to use the program. Updates are provided free of course, which is often the company's main selling feature, their reason you should do it that way.
In my opinion it is a way to boost their income, which increases user cost, especially for low use customers.
Not For Me
As an advanced hobbyist in the computer world, involved in web master activities and video editing primarily, I refuse to participate in these subscription type programs. I just don't get enough use out of any one program to justify paying a monthly or annual subscription to any program.
Some companies still provide both a subscription version and a stand alone version, while others there are free open source alternatives available to do the job. I sure hope that continues with my favourite programs, for if it doesn't they will be just chasing me away to another vendors product.
Again I repeat: I would drop my favourite purchased software and go to a competitor if subscription is the only thing available.
Just my opinion!
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Tuesday, February 26, 2019
#9PMRoutine
#9PMRoutine
The RCMP along with many other police forces in various places across the continent have joined a safety program called #9PMRoutine.
I believe it was originally started by the Pasco Sheriff's Office, New Port Richey, Florida, a place I am familiar with since I used to spend winters in nearby Davenport, Fl.
The links will inform you of all the details.
Nightly Routine
The idea is to get yourself into a security routine every evening at 9 P.M.
Briefly they are: Every night at 9 pm -
Locked (windows and doors)
Vehicle(s)
Keys, wallet, garage door opener and valuables removed
Locked
Garage and shed
Doors Closed and locked
Lights on?
Alarm set?
Make The List Specific To You
If you need to you can modify the routine to suit your own needs. For example I don't turn on back outside lights because I have sensor lights all around.
I do turn on the front outside light because it lets everyone know I participate in the #9PMRoutine.
DoubleCheck
At first I thought this #9PMRoutine was unimportant since I tend to keep things locked and secure anyway.
But you know what?
For me it has turned into kind of a double check. At 9 pm I go through my list just to be sure I haven't missed anything.
And you know what else? It feels good.
Do It - #9PMRoutine
Check it out, and why not get into the the #9PMRoutine every night.
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