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The beaver is a proud and noble animal

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Notes from a bemused canuck

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Month: October 2018

Happy Halloween 

Posted on October 31, 2018 By admin

Katy pretty much single-handedly organised the building’s annual Halloween evening. It was really cool – the neighbours all thanked to her for organising it, and some people brought wine to go along with the nibbles and drinks that she’d put out, with the pumpkins and candles and chimenea. It seems that people are always chuffed to have it happen and ask about it around the start of October. 


Of course, Bean raked in an obscene amount of candy. 

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I didn’t believe shit like this happened outside of the movies 

Posted on October 30, 2018October 31, 2018 By admin

So, scene. I’m walking home when I stop at a very long traffic light. There’s a giant luxury car waiting at the light. Posh woman runs out from the driver’s side in her skirt and high heels and goes to the back of the car, presses a button and the boot door slowly lifts up. She madly rummages around, then presses the button to automagically shut the door. Except it doesn’t. She opens the side door to do some more quick rummaging, then runs back to the driver’s seat. Light changes, she bombs it up the hill, towards the highway on ramp. With her boot door still open. While shit tumbles out of her car on the road. She doesn’t stop. How the hell can you not notice something like this??? I honest-to-god stood there cringing.

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Curio cabinet 

Posted on October 28, 2018October 29, 2018 By admin

We finally sorted out a curio cabinet. We’ve been putting things in our bookcase over the years, but it’s gotten too cramped in there, and keeping the small things dust free has been a royal pain. So yay, freecycle.

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The park will be open longer but all the rides will be closed

Posted on October 28, 2018October 29, 2018 By admin

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I sing this song every day

Posted on October 27, 2018October 29, 2018 By admin

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Cat trap

Posted on October 20, 2018 By admin

My jeans are the best cat trap ev4r. Leave them on the bed? Boom! Cat. 

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What do you do in your spare time?

Posted on October 18, 2018 By admin

I make presentation about gin.

gin-presentation
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I never thought I’d agree with John Major

Posted on October 17, 2018 By admin

From an op-ed piece in the Guardian. Emphasis, mine.

I have made no false promises on Brexit – I’m free to tell you the truth

John Major

Until now, every US president I have known has considered [the UK’s] relevance to America to be enhanced by our membership of the European Union. Yet very soon – on our current course – we will no longer be able to argue from within the EU for Anglo-American beliefs in free trade, open markets and strong defence. Our friends, the Americans, are hard-headed about power. It is romantic folly to think otherwise. Be in no doubt – if the UK can no longer serve America’s interests in Europe, she will look elsewhere for someone who can.

Our value – as an ally of America – will decline. No “ifs”, no “buts”: we will be less relevant. No one should be bedazzled by folksy talk of our “special relationship”: it is becoming less “special” year by year.

For centuries, our state schemed and plotted to prevent all Europe uniting against us. Now, we have chosen to turn our back on all Europe. A long line of former statesmen will be turning in their graves.

We are told our future aim is to be “Global Britain”: that is certainly the right policy, but it is hardly new. It has been the reality for 300 years.

What is new is that much of the world will now perceive Britain to be a middle-sized, middle-ranking nation that is no longer super-charged by its alliances. Suddenly, the world will be a little chillier.

If the art of negotiation is to obtain what you seek, then the intention must be to give a little to (hopefully) gain a lot more. I cannot know how the government has conducted negotiations in private with the European Union: very possibly they have met the tenets I have set out. But, even if they have (and not all the signs are good), belligerent noises-off – on a daily basis – have built up ill will, and made the prime minister’s task even more difficult.

We know the post-Brexit world will be very different from now. It cannot be otherwise, because no form of Brexit will remotely match up to the promises made by the leave campaign in the referendum: they were vote-gathering fantasies, not serious politics.

I have no constituency vote clouding my view of Brexit. I have no ambition driving my support for it. I have no party whips demanding loyalty before conscience. I have made no false promises about Brexit that I must pretend can still be honoured, even though – in my heart – I know they cannot. I am free to say absolutely and precisely what I believe about Brexit. And it is this:

I understand the motives of those who voted to leave the European Union: it can – as I well know – be very frustrating. Nonetheless, after weighing its frustrations and opportunities, there is no doubt in my own mind that our decision is a colossal misjudgment that will diminish both the UK and the EU. It will damage our national and personal wealth, and may seriously hamper our future security. It may even, over time, break up our United Kingdom. It will most definitely limit the prospects of our young.

And – once this becomes clear – I believe those who promised what will never be delivered will have much to answer for. They persuaded a deceived population to vote to be weaker and poorer. That will never be forgotten – nor forgiven.

Our domestic focus is on the impact leaving Europe will have on the UK. That is quite natural, but, to the world at large, the bigger question is how the EU itself will be affected. The answer is – badly. Without the UK the balance of the EU changes. The free market majority may be at risk: protectionists will be encouraged and, perhaps, empowered.

The UK will no longer be a buffer between the Franco-German steamroller and smaller nations. Germany will be more isolated, and friction may grow. “So what?” committed Brexiteers say. “We won’t be members: it’s Europe’s problem.” But that ignores reality. How can it not be our problem, too?

Whether we are “in” or “out” the EU is in our neighbourhood; it is our predominant economic partner and our wellbeing is inexorably linked to their own wellbeing. In the hot heat of debate it should not be forgotten that we ignore the EU, disdain it, or stand aside from it, at our own risk.

None of the mainstream political parties is in a healthy condition. Both the Conservatives and Labour face pressure from fringe opinion within their own membership. My fear is that the extremes of right and left will widen divisions and refuse to compromise, whereas more moderate opinion will often seek common ground. The risk of intransigence – “my way or no way” – is that the mainstream parties will be dragged further right and further left.

Our nation should not tolerate the unreasoning antipathy of the extremes – to the EU, to foreigners or to minority groups. Such antipathy is repellent, and diminishes us as a nation. Softer, more reasonable voices should not be drowned out by the raucous din of the loudest.

I freely confess to a taste for compromise. Politics is real life. It isn’t warfare. It isn’t a popularity contest. It’s about people. It’s about four nations who deserve more than an ideological tug of war.

Respect and civility would do much to help lift politics out of the dog days in which it is now living. More compromise – less confrontation.

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When you’re asked to make a 30s video describing what you do

Posted on October 16, 2018December 6, 2018 By admin
https://www.flubu.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/richard.mp4

35 people have been tasked to make a 30s video explaining what they do. I get to edit the whole thing. What can go wrong…

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A parliament of Bobbles

Posted on October 14, 2018October 15, 2018 By admin

All the Bobbles congregated on top of our bookcase.

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Quote of the day

The man gave a shrug which indicated that, although the world did indeed have many problems, this was one of them that was not his.
--(Terry Pratchett, Soul Music)

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