Sudbury Saturday night ...

Was more than pleased to have a nice Saturday night fire in the valley with the gang at Scott and Jennifer’s place. Don and Denise moved back into Sudbury so they were there along with Christine and Victoria who made the drive up from the city. Tyler and Emilie joined along with Nathan and Dara. So it was nice to sit around and chat even though the bugs were out. But there was just enough woodsmoke to keep the bugs from being too nasty. A few drinks, some great conversations and it was the perfect way to kick off summer. It was the best way to catch up with everyone and I was thinking how perfect it was after two and half months of isolation.  I think we will have to do this again.

Camera

For years I have carried a camera with me, no matter where I go. Just in case I might see something that would make a good picture for the newspaper. Things have changed. It seems everyone with a cell phone has a good camera these days. And for people who do bad things, more and more of that is being recorded on camera. Sadly, we are seeing more instances of bad cops doing stupid things.

A case in point is the cop who kneeled on the neck of George Floyd which surely looks like it contributed to Floyd’s death. In recent days I have seen half a dozen other videos of stupid cops doing stupid things and because it was on camera, these people will pay, either with lost jobs or criminal charges.

It is the new way of things. If people do stupid things, they will likely be caught on camera.

Great ketchup ...

A few years back, I switched my preference from Heinz Ketchup to French's Ketchup, mainly because Heinz had closed its tomato processing plant in Leamington, Ontario and moved operations to Mexico.
I switched over to French's because it continued to use Canadian tomatoes, even though their ketchup is made in the U.S. It tasted good.
In the past few months, I changed my preference again. I now use President's Choice Ketchup. It is made in Canada and it tastes just fine. And it is usually less expensive. I made a nice western sandwich this week and I was pleased to have another great tasting ketchup.
Don't be shy. Give it a try.

Yes! Back in the game on Monday ...

Not sure if this is good karma or just good luck, but I have been invited back to work. I got the call Monday and after a very quick interview, I agreed to a 10-month contract that begins on June 1^st. I will be back in the Sudbury newsroom and back in the journalism game.
(See my posting below from March 20, 2020.)

I have to admit I was slowly getting used to the idea of being at home and doing whatever I liked, especially when I could hit the couch mid-morning with a great cup of coffee and a good book. For several hours a day I would totally immerse myself into whatever great novel I was reading. What a luxury.

Then there were times I would stare at the wall and think, what the hell am I doing? My life is passing me by and I am stuck here. And then I would think of so many other people in the world who are indeed struggling in hard situations. So, slap my face and think positive! So yes, this is a good thing and I am blessed with a good life.

A powerful message ...

I don't know if this has ever happened before. The entire front page of the Sunday New York Times -- May 24,2020 --was presented with no articles and no advertisements. It was nothing but a list of American citizens who have died as a result of the COVID-19 virus. A very powerful message ...

Clever poetry

I like poetry that is clever.
Following is from the New York Times this week.

-- A rhyme for Orange --
Worth sharing...

:)

Lapis Lazooli, a poet and truly,
A man with some dubious talents.
Said to me, last July with a glint in his eye:
“What I’ll tell you will throw you off balance.”

I admit I was leery, ennui-ed, somewhat weary;
Just what was he cooking this time?
“I’ve unlocked the enigma, destigma-ed the stigma;
And for orange I found a real rhyme.”

Now, it’s really no news that New Yorkers schmooze,
We’re verbal and vocal, loquacious.
But in Coney Islond, we will not be conned,
“Gimme a break, that’s fallacious.”

He tugged at his beard — it was worse than I feared —
And he whispered, his voice was a hiss:
“Neither Ogden, nor Parker, nor Stephen Sondheim,
Dared to attempt such a perilous rhyme.
Forget about Seuss ’cause he knew he’d be lost;
Not Wordsworth, not Shelley, not Shakespeare, not Frost;
Not Yeats, not a one in this august mélange,
Would ever endeavor a rhyme for or-anj.
But I — ”

He then cleared his throat trying hard not to gloat,
(I was doing my best not to cringe.)
“The word that’s a rhyme, that’s mundane yet sublime:
Orange — its mate is doorhinge!”

Doorhinge?! Doorhinge?!
Now, I am no yokel, I’m Brooklyn, I’m local,
Won’t ever be tricked, teased nor taken.
“Well, I’ll tell ya, Lapis, that’s nothing but crappis,
You’re messhugah, you’re mad, you’re mistaken!”
“No!
You’ve no ear for whimsy, your knowledge is flimsy,
Van Gogh never could sell his art.
Galileo was hounded, Prometheus grounded.
Here’s the moment, my friend, that we part.”

A rough time for young people

 One has to feel bad for young people who were looking forward to their high school graduation and prom. The world is a confusing place for a lot of young people and now this COVID-19 pandemic is making it a lot worse. I know that graduation and prom are huge things for a lot of young people. It is a celebration of something they have achieved; a celebration with friends and people that are special to them. But all they are hearing is that there is no celebration for them; to practice social distancing and to just suck it up. It’s a hard thing to deal with.

Sadness

Feeling sad over the crash of the Snowbird jet that occurred in Kamloops yesterday. It is terrible that a member of the team lost her life. I know there will be an investigation and I wonder if the age of the aircraft will be considered.  The Canadair Tutor was built in the 1960s as a trainer. These planes are more than 50 years old. The Tutor was retired as a trainer by the RCAF about 20 years ago, but it continues to be used for aerobatics.

Withdrawal?

I might have to do some research but I am pretty sure I am experiencing withdrawal every time I finish a book. I have read five books in the past two weeks. Nothing special, just novels.  I find I get totally immersed in what I am reading for five or six hours at a time. The only reason I stop is because my butt is sore, my back is sore, my neck hurts or my eyes are sore. And then I feel exhausted and usually take a half-hour nap. I finished a book about an hour ago and found I was feeling let down. I knew the end of the story had to be coming, but still I was disappointed when I finished the book. So I took a nap. Now I have just taken the first shower in three days and realized I have to scoot out and get some groceries. When I get back time to have something to eat and maybe start a new book!

Summer is on the way. Time for a buzz!

It was nice to drop by at Jennifer's place this week where she was kind enough to try her hand as a barber. For me it was a perfect time to get a backyard buzzcut. So thanks Jenn!
One of my cousins remarked on Facebook that this photo made me look like my old man. Well, I am the old man now! :)

Electric vehicles are great ... but not in the North

I am thinking the jury is still out on the verdict of whether electric vehicles will grab a significant portion of the consumer market anytime soon.

I purchased a newer vehicle in December all the time thinking that I should hold out for an electric vehicle, or at least a gas-electric hybrid. The other vehicle was 10 years old so I figured it was time.

Living in Northern Ontario, my first instinct was to have a vehicle that was reliable in the winter. I honestly don’t believe the electric vehicle market is there yet. My new Jeep is a gas guzzler, but not at bad as my old Nitro. Still I am enjoying the current low gasoline prices, even though I have no where to go!

There is a different story for commercial vehicles, that can afford to have charging stations and support systems for batteries. In mining for example, if you purchase an electric vehicle, you likely purchase a spare battery unit at the same time.

When one battery needs recharging, you replace it with a freshly charged battery and go back to work in minutes. You put the other battery on charge.

We did this in the 1980s when I was a miner at Kidd Mine in Timmins. One of my jobs was to drive the electric underground train hauling ore. If the loco began losing power in the middle of the shift, we pulled into the shop and switched out batteries. It took about 10 minutes. Enough time for a smoke.

This would be nice if you could do it with your new electric car in 2020. It doesn’t work like that. Also, with communities in Northern Ontario – indeed in most of Canada – being rural and remote, it is not always easy to find a charging station.

That’s the key reason for me. Winter and long distances. I don’t see electric vehicles measuring up anytime soon. I can foresee news stories in the next few years where motorists with electric cars run out of power and get stranded in a snowstorm or on a busy highway. Yes, it happens with gas vehicles already, but I believe it will be more of an issue with electric cars.

Coping with COVID ...

Thinking what it will be like in Canada – or anywhere – a year from now. This is the most bizarre time ever. I remembering reading about the Spanish Flu of 1918 – 1919 and thinking something like that could never happen again.

I never imagined that a virus could bring the world to a standstill so quickly. When we get the all-clear, will it really be safe? Or will we all be willing to take a chance that we won’t get sick from something else? I guess it shows how frail we human beings really are in the big scheme of things.

It also brings home the reality of things that are important. Nothing seems to matter to me anymore other than the health and safety of the people close to me.

If there is anything good from all this, hopefully it is that people have demonstrated the importance of communal teamwork. There are so many good examples of people or organizations doing things to help other people. I hope we all learn to appreciate people more.

More reading ...

It has to be one of my guilty pleasures; reading something when I don't have to read... like when I am working. I was pleased to pick up my Kobo recently to discover that over a period of months, I had purchased several books that I knew I would read someday. I read two books last week, just zoomed through them as I was enjoying my isolation, like most other Canadians.
I also noticed that my supply of coffee is dwindling along with Baileys while I read … so I know I've done a lot of reading.
On Friday, I selected a book by the well-known author Leon Uris. It kept me up late Friday night and has taken up most of my time on this Saturday. I had to cook supper so I have taken a break. As I was reading through this classic -- Battle Cry -- it occurred to me that it was such a good story it could have been a movie.
Imagine my surprise when I googled the title and found it was indeed made into  movie in 1955. It really is a compelling story.
Oh well it is past 6 p.m. time for supper, some whiskey and more reading.
Stay home, stay healthy.

I can read!

In the mornings, I like to browse the Internet and check the newspaper websites to get caught up on things. I have noticed that more and more of these websites have short videos instead of printed news stories. This is annoying. I prefer to read a news story. If there is something confusing or contentious I can re-read the sentence or paragraph to get things straight. Videos don't do that. If you don't get all the details in the first run, you have to pause and rerun the video. That doesn't always work. Here is a snippet from the front page of today's National Post.  Three out of the four stories on the left were videos. I am not lazy. I don't need a video.  I can read.

Happy birthday Tyler ...

It was fun to get together with Jennifer and Scott to help Tyler celebrate his 20th birthday. Yes he was born on April 1. There were only five of us there -- myself, Scott, Jenn, Tyler and his girlfriend Emilie. Nathan had to work.  So it was a legal gathering :). Keeping with the serious nature of the event, I was pleased to give Tyler a package of toilet paper! I know he will think of me every time he uses it! LOL. But it was a nice time to chat and get caught up on this crazy new world we all live in.

Things change ...

I came to Sudbury just over 15 months ago to take over as the new editor of the Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal. I was more than pleased to meet and get to know all the people I worked with. Sadly, many of those people including myself were laid off this week. Our company was sold to another publishing company that is all on the internet. They do not have any newspapers or magazines. So it is nice that the company is continuing but I feel bad for many people caught in the middle of this change.
I went into the office today to clean out my desk and send out a few notes to freelance writers and others I have worked with. I was more than pleased with the kindness of their words and messages of encouragement.
With the COVID-19 emergency, this is a bizarre time in our lives. But I am confident we will all get through this with fresh outlook.

A few days at home ...

After being at the annual Prospectors convention in Toronto last week, I figured I could take a few extra days to be at home especially since one Sudbury man tested positive for COVID-19. There has been a lot of concern about all the other people who attended the convention. So I am lucky that I have a job where I can work from home. The best part is that I have no symptoms and I am feeling fine. Just to be sure, I will be contacting Sudbury public health today for screening. That being said, I had fun at the convention and got a whole lot of work done as well.

One other thing.  Just before Christmas our newsroom had a coffee mug gift exchange. Some of the folks will kid me about being the oldest person in the newsroom.  It is all good natured.  One young intern bought me this coffee mug, which I love. As I am self-quarantined this week after attending the PDAC convention, this mug is so appropriate!😄

Relaxing now

I spent four days this past week at the annual Prospectors convention in Toronto. It is the world's biggest mining exploration trade show and Northern Ontario had the biggest pavilion there.
It was a lot of work meeting people, doing interviews, taking pictures and writing stories but it was all worth it.

There was even a protest outside the convention centre where people expressed their displeasure at the mining industry. Interestingly, many had cell phones, which are all created with Canadian metals and minerals. Many wore gold and silver jewellery. One woman was upset that I took her photograph when she stood in front of me to block me from taking photos of protesters. Interesting.

Regardless I met a lot of nice people, enjoyed a lot of hospitality and was glad I attended. One of the fun things was going to all the parties. I was at the Northern Ontario party Monday night when I was pleased to bump into my niece Valerie Maltais and her husband Denis Flood. How cool was that? (I missed getting their photo, but Val took a selfie of the two of us.)
I also met tonnes of other people I had not seen in quite a while. I think the best part of the convention is meeting folks you've met over the years and getting caught up on how they are and what they're doing now. Mining is an international business and so it is not unusual to meet people who have travelled to Toronto from around the world. I even met a radio producer from Asia who said he knew me because of the stories I had written for mining, including the murder at the mining convention.

New technology is great

It was a few years ago in Timmins that the doc said I was Type-2 Diabetic. So my body does not process sugar as it should. So that means having foods and beverages that have a lot less sugar. This is good, but it means checking my blood-sugar levels all the time. That can be a bit irritating because it means pricking your fingertips with a tiny lancet and then using a test strip to measure the blood sample.
Today I began using a new system. It's called the Freestyle Libre. You attach a sensor to you upper arm. It's about the size of a loony and it had a tiny filament that embeds in your skin. The sensor measures your blood sugar every minute and stores the data for two weeks. To make it work properly you wave the scanner device over the sensor once every eight hours.
Everything is downloaded to a computer app. So this is my new thing. Cool.

Virus and hockey sticks...

Happy February eh. I was enjoying my Sunday morning when I came across an unusual news story. Canada could have a shortage of hockey sticks because of the coronavirus in China. Both Bauer and CCM which are major suppliers of hockey sticks have factories in China. Both factories are closed.  Will be interesting to see how this story develops. 

The other story that is confusing is the fact that protests continue because of the decision to construct the natural gas pipeline in Alberta and BC. Some First Nations people are setting up roadblocks in the west while in Eastern Canada, rail lines are being threatened. Protests are fine but at some point those who protest need to be challenged to come up with solutions and to pay damages to those who have carried out free enterprise.

I have to say that so far our winter has been mild, and so I am okay with it. I am looking forward to spring, but I do wonder what our summer will be like. I hope it is not too hot or too dry. Lots of people are worried about forest fires. I just have a hard time with the heat.

Work has been going well. I just finished my Spring edition of the mining journal on Friday. Just in time because I will be travelling to the annual prospectors show in March in Toronto and then to Thunder Bay for the prospectors showcase in April. I know I will enjoy that. I am hoping at some point to meet Shawn Ryan again. He is a Timmins fellow who has made millions with new gold discoveries in the Yukon. A few years ago he was dubbed King of the Klondike. Interesting.