Thanks Kerry
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Saturday, January 2, 2016
The dumbest remark I have heard yet: "It is just weather"
The Scariest Part of This Season’s Weird Weather Is Coming Soon
Tornadoes, floods, and a heat wave at the North Pole.
This year’s holiday season has been full of extreme weather, with weird anomalies from coast to coast—like a script worthy of a Syfy network movie.
The week of Christmas was the warmest on record by far for a vast stretch of the eastern United States from Texas to Maine. In Philadelphia, every single day this month has been warmer than normal—if that word even retains meaning during a month like this.
While this month’s extreme weather is primarily due to an atmosphere supercharged by the record-breaking El Niño, it’s also an example of the kind of unnerving meteorological event that’s becoming more likely as climate change plays an increasingly large role in daily weather. The New York Times called it “a fitting end to the warmest year on record.” Together, El Niño and climate change have combined for a year unlike any other in human history—a harbinger of an altered planet.
Over the past several days, an alarming string of tornadoes has left dozens dead across the South. At least 68 tornadoes were reported in 15 states from California to the Carolinas from Dec. 21 to Monday, the longest streak on record of December days with a tornado. December tornadoes are twice as common during El Niño years, but this weekend’s atmosphere over the South was something different entirely: By some measures, it was the most moisture-laden ever seen during the winter months.
Friday, January 1, 2016
Happy New Year and good riddance to Canada's Physical Genius
Lawsuit settlements cost federal government more than $575M in 2015
Despite a legion of taxpayer-funded lawyers, federal documents show the government shelled out more than $575 million as a result of lawsuits brought against it in the last fiscal year.
The payments, which included damages awarded by the courts as well as out-of-court settlements, were for everything from accidents involving government vehicles to abuse claims from indigenous Canadians to the use of excessive force by the RCMP and Correctional Services officers.
There were also numerous disputes between the federal government and private companies, and between the government and its own employees.
Meanwhile, the government had a mixed record when using the courts to recover millions of dollars lost to tax evaders, fraud and smuggling. The government estimated more than $121 million was lost through such crimes in 2014-15.
The figures are contained in the most recent Public Accounts, an annual report tabled in the House of Commons that gives a comprehensive breakdown of all federal government revenues and expenditures in the last fiscal year.
All told, the federal government paid more than $547 million in out-of-court settlements last year and only $32 million in actual court-awarded damages.
By far the largest group of payments was $377 million to settle more than 3,600 abuse claims filed by aboriginals. These were part of the $1.9 billion in compensation set aside by the previous government for those who were forced to attend a residential school.
Among the other notable out-of-court settlements were:
- Nearly $73 million to settle a class-action lawsuit for more than 1,000 disabled RCMP veterans whose disability benefits were clawed back;
- Almost $50 million to settle a class-action lawsuit for an estimated 14,000 disabled military veterans whose disability benefits were clawed back;
- More than $11 million to a B.C. developer, K & L Land Partnership, which sued after buying some land near Vernon from National Defence that turned out to still contain Second World War-era explosives;
- More than $5.2 million for dozens of motor vehicles crashes involving the RCMP that caused bodily injuries;
- More than $2.5 million for more than 20 cases in which RCMP were alleged to have caused personal injury, used excessive force, or falsely arrested someone;
- More than $3 million to two companies that specialized in equipping and guiding hunters in Alberta and B.C. that sued Parks Canada;
- And $1.7 million to Benamar Benatta, an Algerian refugee who was turned over the U.S. after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on suspicion of being a terrorist. Benatta is now a Canadian citizen.
Guy Lombardo Orchestra - Auld Lang Syne (New Year 1946)
Thanks Normand..... blogger would not allow me to download your version
Last night I partied like it was 1948
December 31, 1948. Two months old.
I probably had a feeding around noon.
Most likely had a long nap in the afternoon.
Probably woke up crying in a wet diaper.
I must have had my diaper changed and then
had a mid-afternoon snack.
I probably had my next feeding between 5:00 and 6:00 PM.
Then I partied in my crib for the rest of the night,
having a great time......just me and my toys.
I am sure that I had a mid-evening snack.
I must have been so tired from all that partying
that I feel fast asleep by around 8:00 PM.
I woke up the next morning in 1949, without a
clue of all the New Years' celebrations that took place
the night before.
Thanks Joe Y
"Sal Monella" tells the story of Twas The Night Before Christmas
Thanks Kerry.... It's an Ameerican thang
CHRISTMAS EATING TIPS
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. if something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? LabourDay?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read these tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.
Have a wonderful Christmas season!!
Thanks Shirley
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