It is with great dismay that I have been reading news reports that the recession in Canada has been over for many months, yet I still cannot find work. I consider myself to be an intelligent fellow, very well educated with work experience to match, but somehow I’ve lost my golden touch. Really, that is putting it mildly. Logically speaking if I had not been fortuitous enough to live a frugal and stable life in the past, today I should be in bankruptcy, living off food banks and be a beggar in the street. Smart strategies and a whole lot of luck in the past have saved me this fate. Or was it typical Chinese values. One will never know.
Rola Bola graphic in Globe and Mail used to show sensibilty, practicality and balance
Not really, but when I saw the graphic they posted all I could think of was to get on my rola bola. Too bad the article in the Globe and Mail discusses house mortgages and interest rates. Still, the intent of the rola graphic is to show the right balance, the tipping point, between a house mortgage and interest rates. This the rola bola does very well. Without balance, you’ll quickly fall off.
New employees at Toyota Motor Corp. attend a welcoming ceremony Thursday on their first day of work as President Akio Toyoda speaks at the firm's headquarters in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture.
Heat rash or miliaria is a bit odd in that you get small bumps (~ 2mm) or papules that are elevated but do not break the skin surface. A few seem to have a clear centre (vesicle). After a while they subside and then eventually go away on their own, but then patches may appear in other areas, randomly bilateral. They may be itchy but not overly, and not painful. These cases are so personal it’s hard to generalize.
Crime, especially juvenile crime, is widespread throughout Toronto, Canada. A swarming, while somewhat uncommon in my area of Toronto, does occur. This morning while at the local park for preschool kids, I talked to a ~70 year old Grandmother who was looking after her five year old grandson. She told me that yesterday September 18 2010 at around 7:30pm she was at the local park for older kids, some 50 meters away and was swarmed by a group of 6 Black kids, ranging from 6 to 14 years old. The incident left her feeling vulnerable, afraid and unsafe in her Glendower neighbourhood, where she has lived for the last 20 years. When I explained to her that I was also a victim of swarming by local Black kids, she was also surprised. Her reaction and remorse did not surprise me because I had the same feelings after my swarming.
This girl is a sticker on the road, but if you inadvertently run over her you were not paying attention to your driving. Pay more attention to the road.
Rola Bola made of 27 inch long 2x8 pine, varnished
Life can be simple yet fun. Take the example of a Rola Bola, aka rolla bolla, rolo bolo, roly boly, balance board, rocker-roller board or bongo board. Whatever you call it, there is a board that allows you to stand shoulder width apart, a wooden stop board on the underside each end, and a rolling cylinder. You put the board on the cylinder and get on. Simple.
If you have not heard about a Doju, this is unsurprising. This small creature roams through China and Asia, aimlessly walking in no certain direction, and getting into trouble as he goes. The Doju walks at different speeds, contemplating life as he goes. Small and hairless, people and other animals, for some reason, do not bother it and certainly would not try to eat it. This is a good thing for the defencless Doju is actually quite tasty.
Sometimes you identify programs that are working well and help so many people. One of these is the summer sports day camps in Scarborough. This camp provides summer jobs for youth in addition to providing a fun day camp for about 250 elementary school kids. This year they even provide lunch. The kids remain active all summer, learn skills and are happy. The youth gain valuable experience in mentoring and coaching. The parents are happy because their kids are doing something other than sit on a computer for the summer. In all, it’s a win-win situation for all concerned. Sponsors include the Boys 2 Men Institute, the Cabbagetown Youth Centre and the Toronto District School Board.
My neighbours and I disagree about the means used by Toronto Police in order to maintain order in Toronto during the recent G20 Summit. We all agree that 1) those that damaged property should be charged and punished, 2) police had a difficult task, 3) peaceful protesters in the crowd should have done more to prevent the Black Bloc from doing damage, 4) Toronto Police broke the laws of Canada in illegally searching and arresting bystanders, 5) The Charter of Rights and Freedoms was infringed upon for those that were arrested. What we do not agree on is if the actions of police were correct, given difficult conditions.
