Ill Wind that Nobody Blows Good

I have a nasty virus that I cannot shake. I took Monday and Tuesday off, but I'm at work now, still feeling cruddy. What's most annoying is that my compromised immune system has resulted in the reappearance of a cold sore on my lip for the first time in about 6 years. grrrr. Ah well.

I can't speak to anyone in the world because I'm in the middle of Deathly Hallows and all others in the global population have finished it. In fact, it's going slowly because I'm listening to the excellent Jim Dale audiobook version. The good thing is that I have repetitive, unchallenging tasks at work today which means I can be in the wizarding world most of the time.

Radio Gaga

Two moronitudes of note from the radio this morning:

1
CBC news reported that an Afghani restauranteur in Quebec City is having trouble. He came to Canada as a refugee at the age of 17 and many years later opened a restaurant called Kabul. Since Canadian soldiers have started dying in Afghanistan, he has become the target of threats and loss of business. What.

2
In the wake of the cowardly rejection of Toronto Mayor, David Miller's tax plan's by craven City councillors, a $500 million budget shortfall is threatening everything important and progressive in the City. Metro Morning on CBC Radio 1 asked people to phone in with suggestions for how the now necessary budget cuts should be made. One man phoned in to say:

"I like the idea of City Councillors taking an unpaid week off. Let's say there are, like, 50 councillors (there are actually 44 plus the Mayor) and they make $1000 a week (figure courtesy his ass), that's like $500,000 in savings!! (um....)"

Thanks for your call.

Much as I'm not a fan of Premier McGuinty, I have to agree with him this morning. If the Province gives Toronto taxing powers which it refuses to use, why should we expect a Provincial cash bailout? The process of undoing the downloading of social services made by the Harris government a decade ago will take years and require constant pressure from the City, but to reject the things they have done for us at our request instead is madness.