Doors Open Toronto

If you are in the Toronto area this coming weekend and are looking for something to do, check out Doors Open Toronto


What is it? Their description is:

175 buildings of architectural, historic, cultural and/or social significance open their doors to the public.

Or, put differently, a chance to tour some of the neat building we often drive by.

It's pretty friggin awful when.....

when a former Prime Minister of Canada, the same one responsible for introducing the goods and services tax - the GST - which I've been faithfully paying on all applicable purchases ever since - has some questionable business dealings and, it turns out, neglects to pay taxes on some income...or even to declare it...

...then only has to pay tax on half that income

Fine example of a leader he is...

If I only paid half the tax I owed the government, they'd come after me with all barrels blazing. I'd probably end up in jail if I didn't pay. Doesn't seem right.

Beautiful World

It's such a beautiful world. Too bad we just can't all get along. I was in Oxford County, visiting my parents this weekend. Took some pictures of the emerging springtime:








My youngest daughter became interested in taking some photos. Here's the world through the eyes of an 11 year old, who seems to be a bit handier with a camera than her dad:

Happiness

Are you happy?

If so - why? The economy is the pits. The news is full of sad stories. What's to be happy about?

If not - why? What is it that makes you unhappy? Lack of money? Lack of this? Lack of that? If only I had I'd be happy. Are you sure? Do you really know? What then?

Maybe with the end (ahem - has it really ended?) of consumerism, maybe many of you have the same questions. Perhaps you found possessions don't buy happiness?

Perhaps you found that people don't necessarily buy you happiness?

Perhaps you've discovered there is no formula for happiness?

Happiness is a pretty personal thing. What makes one happy, doesn't necessarily do much or anything for another. It's quite a thing to discover what makes one really happy though. That information is worth a lot. For me, a piece of the list is:

- freedom
- being healthy
- doing things
- water beneath a paddle
- my kids, though they can be trying at times
- someone I can laugh with

Yes, when I look back on my life it's not a house, some car, some thing - it's all these things. Some things little, some things big.

At the end of it all, happiness is a choice. Continue to make a list of all those things you want/need/must have then you will be happy, or look at what you have, what you truly like, and choose to be happy for those things.

That's what I think, at any rate.

Go forth - be happy!

Sad Kermit

if you are bored.....

check out http://sadkermit.com/

( or http://xkcd.com/

or http://www.explosm.net/comics/

or

http://www.goats.com/)

yes...i have a sad sense of humour....

Pandemic

...or perhaps not....



I graphed the number of cases as per Canada (source http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/swine-porcine/surveillance-eng.php). Appears pretty mild to me. Especially given the fact that there's just over 200 cases in Canada. Population of Canada is around 33 million people. So at present, only 6.06E-8% of Canadians have been affected, and as far as I'm aware, very mildly.

Why the graph? Well with all this pandemic talk, I thought I'd like to know if it really looked like one. So far, no, so I think I will not worry about this version of the flu at the moment and will look toward enjoying the spring weather.

I do like the reporting system that has been set up in Canada though. Makes it handy to access information so one can make ones own decisions about things.

Think I'll bbq myself a pork chop in the near future.