After 3 previous elections I thought I’d try this year’s 2022 Oct 24 City of Toronto election as a managing deputy returning officer. The experience running an election site was interesting, and despite the low turnout, busier than I had thought.
The managing deputy returning officer (MDRO) position manages a complete election site with up to 10 other election workers.These include:
I’ve always hated using hose clamps. I’d buy them from Home Depot and curse when they are installed and leak. I’d tighten them more and they’d deform and sometimes break. It did not dawn on me that, like everything else, there are different quality hose clamps than the crappy “All Gain” ones I use. This is particularly true for my compressor hose, which, over time, loosen and then leak. My compressor only needs 125psi.
Sometimes you see old people purposely forget things, or purposely do what they are advised not to do. They know what they are doing, but use any excuse to not do it. I understand. They have the right to make decisions for their own life. As CoVid-19 indicators climb here in Toronto and Ontario, I see a purposeful forgetfulness permeating the ether. Government is looking the other way as the indicators worsen.
When indicators were receding the Ontario government was keep to use this as evidence, to bolster its direction to loosen all CoVid-19 mandates. An election is within 2 months, so there is impetus to not annoy voters. This does not protect public health.
You could see it coming from a long way: Omicron will overrun the Ontario healthcare system. While the system usually works for us in normal times. It’s internal partial collapse is imminent. The cascade of partial failure is very evident, and will continue until Omicron passes. We can only hope that another variant will not emerge. It is clear that we, as advanced as we think we are, are at the mercy of this little, persistent, virus. We could have done more, I think, but that may not have prevented the collapse.
Dark rye flour, 10kg bag, from Grain Process Enterprises, Toronto, $12.50. Underwhelming store, but adequate.
I have been baking bread for a good 9 months now, using white wheat flour and whole grain wheat. While it is nice, I’ve gotten tired of it. Many European people seem to really like rye in their breads. I do like rye bread as well, which has a very different taste. I searched for a source of rye here in Toronto, and found Grain Process Enterprises in Scarborough.
It looks like a true failure of leadership, here in Toronto. We trust in our provincial leaders and they have let us down. Instead our infection rates are fast rising, with very little holding them back. Yet it is difficult to understand the rise, as the government is not very transparent with the infection data.
Kids need to go back to school, this is not in doubt. When kids return to school their parents can return to work, thereby helping the family as well as the economy in general. Getting our lives back to normal is difficult during this 2020 CoVid-19 pandemic. This virus is highly contagious and unforgiving. The need to prepare for school openings puts mankind against the virus. With proper preparation we can safely open schools, but there is so much the West has not done in school buildings that makes school openings very dangerous. In Ontario masks are not even required below Grade 4.
The CoVid-19 pandemic has walloped us in the head, in an obviously direct way. We, as a species, probably needed this kind of wake up call, as it seems no other method would get our attention. Starting from China, CoVid-19 has spread throughout the world. This, after 5 months of near lock down here in Toronto, is no longer news. Now we are faced with a new school year, the possibility that kids will return to their elementary school classes, become infected, and bring the virus back to their parents and grandparents. While we are still learning about this virus, what is clear is that it is highly infectious and no one is immune.
It has been 5 months since I was able to work out at my community center gym. Today 2020 Aug 17 the Toronto public gyms reopened, but with significant changes. Overall I felt that the City of Toronto did a really good job in infection control and cleanliness, considering pandemic circumstances.
Though I have been strength training at home, I don’t have the weights required to get a good pump and build strength, so it has only been maintenance. Working out at home, which will continue (I will explain) is a bit boring and at times very difficult for motivation. Still, when you have no other options a home workout must do.
This is not NoFrills but an example of their line of cashiers. The single line queue for a cashier would start where the photographer is standing. This results in significant delays and increased risk to shoppers. This has discouraged me from shopping at NoFrills and going to other grocery chains, which offer similar prices and sales, more convenience and less risk of contracting the CoVid-19 virus.
