Harper Government Press Control

           A front page article in the Star today sported the headline "Ottawa puts mounties on a tighter leash".
           The writer went on to say 'Everything including "media advisories, news, releases, background info, media lines and talking points  for spokespersons and senior officials/members" must be vetted."
            Isn't this wonderful. Mr. Harper will CONTROL everything the Canadian public learns about the activities of our national police. This will be particularly bad in British Columbia where the force has apparently screwed up seriously for many years. It is embarrassing for the Mounties and somehow reflects badly on Mr. Harper. Now, under his regime, the public will not know about events or even current investigation so the force will not be embarrassed and Mr. Harper will sleep soundly.
             Mr. Harper is well known to be a control freak. If he keeps going he will assume the robes recently abandoned by Sadam Hussein, Moamar Qaddafi and Josef Stalin among others. There is no limit to his power since he gained a majority in Parliament and we know power corrupts. Corruption is hidden by control of the press. Is that the path we are on?
           It's time we all joined the "Occupy Movement" before we lose our freedom of speech and assembly to the MAN.

Throwaway Buildings

           The CBC is running a series about glass towers sold as condos. Many new condos are being built in Toronto and other Canadian cities. They look terrific from the outside and offer great views for the residents. The criticism is that the windows that are the skin of the building lack adequate thermal insulation and will rapidly lose their seals and leak water into the building.
           My wife and I moved into a twelve story condo about ten years ago. It is a brick building with beautiful large windows but not the same as the newer glass towers but it is already experiencing water ingress although not from the windows yet.
          Rain water is driven by the wind through the smallest crack in the concrete slab or failures of the caulking. The Reserve Fund foresees caulking replacement after fifteen years. I believe our building is well built and while the water is a problem for the people involved it is a nuisance in the big picture. 
         I hate to think of the problems a thirty storey glass tower will experience within the first ten years of occupancy long after the developer has gone. It would be very interesting to see a Reserve Fund study for such a building.

November 2011

I was walking through a neighbourhood woodlot recently and came upon an old brick wall that had either been part of a home or had enclosed it. One section of the bricks had turned a brilliant green contrasting with the faded red of the old bricks.

Here is a look at the other part of the wall.

It is a strange place.

Problem

This blog has been silent for many months. I was using a new blog called Outrams blog but something has happened and I can't access it to add postings or edit it.
I don't know why.