Various Veins
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Ross Andrews - Various Veins
Busy place at my house over the Easter weekend. Mark, Ellen, Jordan and Connor arrived from Corbeil on Friday. The boys have wide interests which lead to lots of discussions, politics not the least of topics. Ellen creates mouth-watering dishes in my kitchen giving me a chance to pick up tips for feeding myself.
I asked Mark for his views, as a police officer, on the act to keep tabs on people who are planning terrorist actions. He reassured me I am not off base in wondering what all the privacy flap is about. There's is no privacy in a world of electronic cookies, Facebook, Twitter and so on.
As for oversight, do we really trust elected people with no special training in in the field to be discrete in what they leak to the media?
When someone talks about increased invasion of privacy if this bill passes, Mark asks, "What are you hiding? Are you breaking the law or something?" He asks, "What makes you think your activities are so important that you will be the target of security agents?"
If someone is buying materials in nature and amount that raise questions, sending or receiving money that doesn't fit ordinary business patterns, there will be closer attention.
We were looking at Google News on my computer today, Sunday. Mark drew my attention to a note on screen. It offered local news in the Aylmer area. How does Google News know where my computer is located? I have never offered that information. It is deduced by my on-line activities.
Mark keeps up with news every morning from a select list of sources from around the world to alert him to events that will require his attention. He discusses ideas with CBC for possible airing. He is alerted that some ideas will set off the trolls and create all sorts of confusion in the minds of viewers.
"What or who are trolls?" I ask.
They are people who spend their lives scanning computers for chances to spew out nonsense purely to disrupt society. They must be in ecstasy over the opposition of the NDP and Liberal parties to parts or all of the security bill.
Questions raised about Canada's sending military support to the forces fighting to stop the slaughter by ISIS or associated groups must tickle trolls. Asking what the action will cost in dollars is suggesting that the assassins can hack away if it gets too expensive to stop them. What does that say about Canadian values or logic?
Likewise asking for exit strategies encourages assassins. They can hack away because those tight-fisted Canadians will leave the field before the conflict is decisively ended.
Having lived through WWII and later battles, I don't remember any suggestion that the war will be fought until the foe is overcome unless it gets too expensive.
On a more personal note, Easter Sunday falls on my son Doug's 60th birthday. I write this at mid-day when there is a lull in the house. The northerners will be back to tidy up Ellen's culinary enterprises and they will head home to take up their several jobs tomorrow. I'll head south to the Tunnel Road, not to gorge myself, although the possibility will be there, but to enjoy a fine supper with birthday cake etc. How I miss the days when I could chow down any amount of beans, grease, spice, without permanent damage to my innards. Now I have strong hints that I have a gall bladder.
Often when Connor and Jordan visit, the house is filled with music. Both play in orchestras and can coax decent chords from my upright piano. It's well past due for a visit from the tuner.
I was pleased this morning to find that the Easter Bunny or one of its assistants had left a chocolate rabbit on my breakfast table. That revived memories of Easters as busy as Christmas mornings in this old house.