Granny ConferenceMinister of International Development and Minister of the FrancophonieMinister of International Development

Yes George … Our time has … Well it should have arrived. Did you hear?  Big conference … Beginning of November … Paris, France.  Guess it is about time to get together and talk about important things … Well important to this Granny … Things like education and culture and science.  People from all across the world will be there.  Canada?  Oh yes Canada has someone speaking … Hmmmm not sure what a lawyer from Quebec has to tell the world about education, culture and science … Especially since he is the Minister of International Development and Minister of the Francophonie. … Oh well I suppose that is where the … Oh never mind, George … he may just be the closest thing Canada has to a Culture Minister Or an Education Minister.

Who is it? Glad you asked! George. Name is Paradise or something. 

 

for us …

 

Who? Who else is going?

For us Grannies! Is that what you mean? I kind of wonder too … Although he may be some sort of honorary Grannie in his own province … Lets face it … Not all the grannies in Canada live in Quebec … So who is speaking for the rest of us?
Where are all the Real Grannies of Canada? Who will be at that Conference to speak for us?

Lots of Grannies I hope! How do we get a flock of Grannies at the conference, George? You are right. Maybe the Manual has some advice to offer.

Where is that old manual … The one … You know …
THE MANUAL that goes with the Harper?

Have you heard? The Grannies are hardly able to drum up any interest in politics … Not since they discovered Granny-Hack

Where is the Grannie who might take the time and trouble to read the fine print in all those regulations and understand the nuances of statistics and explain to the rest of us Canadian Grannies just why it is necessary to have so many guests and government spokespersons speaking broken English and French on CBC. And why would Francophone contractors be hired to produce English Documentaries? Does Radio-Canada contract English speaking film makers to produce French documentaries? Quality of language in any society is only ever as good as the quality of the voices that are heard.

Heroes Wanted

Well George … Where do you suppose we find heroes … A Hero Job Fair … Where else?

No such thing as a Heroes Job Fair? Are you sure? Well maybe there should be …

As an example … over but not out …

What about jobs in Canada? Good jobs … Honest jobs.
What do you mean! There must be some good honest jobs somewhere in Canada.

Well of course We need heroes in government … No that is not an oxymoron, George. Whether in government or in Rock Operas … We need heroes.

What sort of Rock Opera could there possibly be without heroes?

Can an artist or author be a hero do you think … And still get paid … In Canada or are we still expected to … OK … Nuf said …

Thinking … Maybe what we need first … A good lawyer with a sharp pair of scissors … Oh yes … With acting experience.

A manual … Do we have an operator’s manual for lawyers.

Good question .

Teamworkers? One might have Hope that heroes can work
together … That is what we need … real teamwork.

So … Tentative Plan of action …
1. Peruse the lawyer manual while conducting a search for a dedicated and talented … Oh yes … Honest lawyer … That was not funny, George. Mind your tongue.
2. Start building a potential list of artists and techies.
3. Flesh out the script.
4. Start planning the time-schedule.

Suppose that will do for now George? Hmmmmm seems we are going to be too busy to end our partnership for a bit … Huh George?

NewsNose

Here in Canada? How does it go? Something about No news is good news? Does that make sense.

Considering how the news is being filtered … Big Brosister you mean? Hmmmmmm 

What is a poor old Granny to do?

 

So George, what do you think?  

 

Quality Control … I think quality control might be worth looking at George. All the old Grannies of the world … after having lived so long and seen so much … Well surely grannies must have some idea about quality. How about a world-wide grannie consultation on quality control?

And since quality control begins with education. Well, yes, George. If there is no quality control in education, how do we teach future generations to distinguish between real medicine and snake oil. Grannies need to wake up and realize that one day soon …

… Hmmm you know George …

I’m sure you know about the population getting older … And one of these days all these grannies will find themselves at the mercy of the younger generation … Well all I’m saying, George is that the grannies need to realize this and speak up before it is too late. Otherwise, George, the grannies might just find themselves being force-fed snake oil in their final days.

So, where do grannies begin? Glad you asked, George. Ever heard of GIQAC?

How about ORBICOM?
Which is? Oh ohhhhhh … Was is it?< Any Grannies there? Did any Grannies get invited?
Hmmmm chosen by lot? You think?

Just imagine … Nowadays … Canada is one big box George … Sort of … Ever see a real ballot box George? Not like they used to be. One time ballot boxes were made of metal.
You don’t get it do you George?

Type used to be produced with metal too. Took a little more time, more effort. A ticking clock meant there was time to think things over. Not all news all the time was about a ticking clock.

What about news outside of Canada? What about it?

World Loves

Not true …

What?
Well I was thinking of writing about love … The expression in particular … All the world loves a lover … Probably from a song or a movie … Yes George I guess I am that unidimentional … Welll I am trying to improve my spelling George. Just this morning I tried so hard to be positive … Even to the

Painting of cup by msohttp://theborgias.wikifoundry.com/page/Mickey+Sn

How are you just fine thank you and yourself just great

extent of trying to paint a cup in lovely warm colours … You know … Yellow pink … Not a hint … Well hardly … Of blue and purple … Guess what … Most difficult … I couldn’t see any yellow or pink or any sort of bright colours in my cup … All I could see were blues and greens and greys … So what Am I to do George?
Hmmm … Sort of like when someone ask how you are … They don’t want you to tell them how you really are. They want a cheery smile and a nice compliment. That is the real answer to the question when someone asks “How are you” Why? Because what it is, George, is not a question, but a riddle.

So, have a cuppa tea … On me.

Grace …

Grace?
Saving Grace? Does Grace want to be saved?
But does Grace really need saving? According to …?

I’m a bit puzzled George … Does Grace appear before the end?
Hmmm … Grace as a spirit? Now there is an interesting idea.

The end

Well George … Looks like it’s just you and me now.

Ads? What ads? Oh … word from sponsor? Well I have nothing to do with that. A real sponsor would pay me for my work … Besides, placing an ad here would be like the erection of Billboard somewhere in some unknown desert … Back in the early sixties. Who would see it. Don’t you know George? Freedom of speech is a bit of a luxury these days. Hmmmm … Nothing for nothing …
Meanwhile fwi … Dummy

Well … Yes … I do make mistakes … Dummy?
Oh yes … I see … Send in what dummy? What did you say?
Which two newfies do you need to change a light bulb?
Sorry but that makes no sense, no sense whatsoever.
The question is … “How many Newfies does it take to change a lightbulb?”
Everybody knows that. I’m sure everybody has known that since St. Brendon first discovered America.

Historically accurate? Aren’t you hysterical! I don’t complain about what version of history you choose to espouse, do I?

What do you mean there is no possibility of having to be accountable for mistakes? What is Positively brilliant about a dumb Newfie Joke?manuvre … Where is the Dummy when you need one? Which one? Have a little respect please.

Ok … That’s it. That is the last of your thinly diguised Newfie Jokes.
The answer? Depends on watt?

As we all know from past experience, everything we get, our homes, our education, our food … Everything depends upon sponsorship.

Without sponsorship you are not even allowed to have a job … At least that is the way it works here in Canada.

If nobody is willing to sponsor you …

But I do know, George. I know it very well. Look around you. Look at all the people you know who are successful, well- educated, well fed. They are where they are because they have sponsors. The sponsors are often political but not always.

What it comes down to is that if you have no sponsor you will probably eventually starve to death.

Whether sponsorship is related to advertising? Who knows?

Let Us Eat

Share What?
Not hummer! No hummers aloud. That too … Thought I was being polite. The thing the world needs more of

Hummus? By the way, what does hummus have to do with hummers?

Both are things a mother might consider examining very closely.

Why?

“The earth is our mother.” That, if I recall, is what the wise old elder said … Nothing about hummers … Nothing about hummus. Way back in the early 20th century … Who knew anything about hummus … Or about hummers? No idea, George. Still, something for a wise mother to consider looking at … Closely.

Besides, what is a mother? Think about it. She feeds you. She loves you. She protects you.

So here you go George …
Why hummus?

Don’t forget to share.

Lets Talk

Let’s talk George.

If ignorance of the law really is no excuse then it seems we need to do something about our ignorance.

If we are supposed to know and obey all these laws then it seems we must understand what the laws are telling us to do or not to do. Clarity is what we need. Clarity means that we need to understand what these laws mean. Clarity does not happen by magic. Clarity is enhanced by serious debate.

The expression “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” is what I think of when I read what is written into some of our laws. If laws do not protect the most vulnerable in our society then why do we force people to obey such laws?

That is what we need to talk about George. As a law-abiding senior Canadian taxpayer I expect some protection and service along the road to hell.

Your dime George.
A Quarter? Are you sure? Oh … A French Quarter …
Quarter
… For your thoughts, George.

And now … As we near the end … A word from our potential
sponsor

And do we forget about Ashley? No George … We could never forget about Ashley