Working in Montréal today --Senseless

Good morning folks,

I will be working in Montréal today, and not working tomorrow (more on that in the second Pulp item).

First in today's Pulp, the senseless and outragious shooting of Sammy Yatim by Toronto Police.  I have watched the videos and read the accounts reported to date.  Unless Yatim was an evil super villain with magical powers there was absolutely no reason to shoot the young man once let alone nine times and then half a minute after his dying body lay on the deck to punish it with six seconds of Taser discharge.  Just for you if unaware, there was no one on the streetcar except for Yatim, there was no one at risk with the exception of Yatim.  Accounts place Yatim exposing himself and that he was armed with a three inch knife. The police could have just isolated him for hours if necessary and used their words to resolve the situation.  As it was the police were on the scene for about a minute and committed by all accounts was seems to be a senseless killing.  Civilization is was disappears when we need it most.

Next, more joyfull news.  I am not working tomorrow.  Neither is Sharlene, and neither is Jennifer.  Phil too is taking the day off (Phil is Jennifer's fella).  And the reason for this wave of job skipping?  Because my daughter Christine is flying into Toronto this evening from Kelowna along with MY GRANDSON ETHAN!  and tomorrow...  We are going to the Zoo!  .. unless it is going to rain all day and we'll go Saturday instead.  This is it folks.  A Grandpa taking his Grandson to the zoo is the reward for just about everything that a guy has ever put up with... all roads led to here, a great deal if you ask me :)

Last item on the docket.. Our Federal Gov'ts is adopting a 'Nudge' Program.  Nudge? You may ask?  Go ahead, I'll wait.

"Nudge?, Uncle Daniel"

Yes.  This is a program modeled after Britian's program with a name that Orwell would approve, "Behavioural Insights Team". The goal of the program is to nudge the citizenry into behavioural patterns pleasing to the gov't by using techniques learned through psychological research into behaviour modification.  The initial goals are economically motivated, nudge ppl into paying taxes on time, insulating their attic.  But soon, and don't worry, it will happen, the techniques learned and refined by this program will be used to nudge the citizenry, the electorate, into shifting its political views into those of the gov't.  Yes, it's very easy to forget that the electorate is suppose to impose its will on the gov't not the other way around.

Have a good day.