A little politics

Well, the Sea Lions are barking up in the Neck of Dodd Narrows this morning. The noise is half way between a hound baying and a foghorn. Dog grows ever more insouciant about all the strange noises, although last night he ran out of the house straight into one of the local Black Tail Deer, and both parties beat a hurried retreat. Dog almost bowled me off my feet as he ran back inside. Another walk curtailed.

This morning I've been reading the news to see that Canada may end up having another general election occasioned by a row and possible no confidence vote over the funding of political parties.

Over in the UK they've arrested one Member of Parliament for being in possession of the latest immigration figures and a 'hit list' of potential government parliamentary 'rebels'. Special Branch turned over a constituency office and the MP's home in what would appear to be a clear breach of Parliamentary privilege. There is much outrage being expressed in the public domain, and not a little satire over this affair.

For myself, I'm rather ambivalent about it all, and rather glad I no longer live in the UK. On the other hand, had the arrest been a matter of national security (Aiding and abetting terrorists, selling secrets to foreign powers), then my view is that feeling someone's collar, no matter who they might be, over the matter would have been 'a fair cop, guv'. On the other, as the material would have only embarrassed the incumbent government had it been disclosed during parliamentary question time, I think the arrest is a bit over the top, as the current UK Prime Minister did almost exactly the same thing re disclosure back in 1996, and he never got turned over for it.

This begs the question "Who gave the order?" for Damian Green's arrest. Do they not understand that arresting troublesome opposition MP's has a worrying English historical precedent and a tendency to trigger wider conflict. No wonder UK politicians aren't in favour of an armed populace. On this occasion the Speaker of the House has certainly been found wanting. As for the 'Home Secretary and Prime Minister didn't know', well that's spin; nothing more or less. Arrest a member of the opposition? They are supposed to know. Although telling the current Mayor of London and the leader of the opposition instead smacks of political chicanery on the part of the UK Government. I'd describe it as a pretty blatant attempt at 'deniability' if anyone could be bothered to ask me.

Got notification that after 27th February 2008, it's no use applying for Permanent Residence under the sk1lled migrant program unless you fall under one of the specific occupations on the new list. Our application was put in well before then, and I've been working legally over here for the last year so this new announcement doesn't affect us. I hope. However, if things deteriorate over the other side of the water, then I may end up putting in an application for political asylum.

Local weather gossip

Local gossip reports that there have been falls of snow on Mt Washington (Which probably means nothing) and frost on cars in Nanaimo in the early hours of Wednesday morning (Frost in Nanaimo? Good gravy Gertrude! What is the world coming to?).

Lots of Black Sea Nettle jellyfish have been washed up at the high water mark of late. The peak of the infestation has gone now, but these a nasty little critters with a painful sting, so Dog and I have been avoiding the waterfront. According to some sources this is all the fault of that pesky globule warming, but according to the more down to earth is nothing unusual.

The seal that was killed a couple of weeks ago is now just bare bones and the rags of it's pelt. The skull appears intact, so maybe my initial thoughts about it catching a crack on the head from a speeding boat were wrong.

Anyway, this week it's Thanksgiving weekend. Wife and I will be giving thanks that we still live here, despite the forecast for rain on Sunday and Monday. As soon as we get our next tranche of immigration paperwork dealt with, hopefully in the next two months, we can take up all the offers of work that now keep getting thrown our way.

God bless Canada, BC, Nanaimo, and all our friends, old and new. Not forgetting our local immigration officers, the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society, The local library, ICBC, and everyone else who has been so darned helpful. Happy thanksgiving to you all.

Is your Toddler a racist?

Have been busy preparing for a visit from my Mother, who is travelling half way across the world to see how her youngest child (Me) is getting on. Wife and I have a new 'pooter which outperforms my scaggy old laptop by several quantum leaps. Nothing back from the first Agent I contacted so far, so my next move is to approach a number of them and hype the pitch a little.

Browsing through the dear old Torygraph today, Wife drew my attention to an article that toddlers who say 'Yuk' to spicy foods are to be counted as 'racist incidents'. Oh dear. Just when you think life in Britain can't get any more stupid, something like this pops up. What are they going to do, prosecute the parents for 'hate crimes'? Use it as an excuse to haul children into state nurseries where parental love is rationed or horror of horrors, forbidden? One can safely predict that such insanity will create more racism than it solves. Children of this age don't do prejudice. According to Wife, who is a seasoned professional in handling children's misdemeanour's and shenanigans says children at this age can't tell the difference between races. Anyone who says different is a complete idiot. Yes they are. Failing that they have another, more sinister agenda for thought control of future generations.

My kids never used to like spicy foods, but I swear neither of them are racists. Now they are students they virtually live on curry and pizza. Both of them would be horrified at the merest thought of racism. Still, I am determined that my grandchildren will live free of such appalling tyranny and be free to like who they like without hindrance or interference from anyone. Including me.

Anyway, tonight's reading material is Plato's 'Republic'.

Bear faced foolishness

The latest piece of US environmental idiocy is now front page news, with the Polar Bear population (Which has expanded from an estimated 5,000 to currently 25,000 plus since the 1960's) has been given 'Threatened' status. According to those who have a better handle on this than I do, apparently this will allow environmental groups to sue companies they assert are causing 'global warming'.

Now any I think it's safe to predict that lawsuits of this nature are going to be a legal minefield, and will pay for many a lawyers descendents college funds, possibly unto the third or fourth generation. My other thought is; who gets the money? The Environmental groups doing the sueing? I mean, can you have a countersuit against the Bears for killing and eating people, as they are sometimes wont to do? If so, how do you get the Bears to pay compensation? How do they sign the legal forms, and are there process servers dumb enough to try serving papers on them? Will the Inuit nations make legal challenge because Bear hunting boosts their income and is part of their culture? Who will be dumb enough to try and sue them? Will PETA be seen throwing stuff at, or chaining themselves to Northern First Nations politicians in protest? Will the Inuit in their turn, feed the PETA activists to the bears? Oh, the fun will never start.

As for court cases. First, the plaintiffs have got to prove that the seasonal ice melt is sufficient to be harmful to the bears, and then whoever takes out the suit is going to have to prove, in a US court, that CO2 production actually causes the rise in temperature, which it has proven not to do. There is solid evidence that rises in CO2 levels actually follow temperature increases, and not the other way around. This will be interesting. Notwithstanding the continuing failure of the planet to heat up like some of the pundits have claimed it would.

My prediction; either this will come to an embarrassing and very public halt very quickly indeed, or result in cases that run, and run, and run.

Anyway; notwithstanding all that, I am currently cracking away at 3000 words of good copy a day. The story threads are knitting together very nicely, plenty of credible drama, and as far as writing is concerned, I couldn't be doing much better. At this rate I'll have finished project in under a months time. The sun is due to shine this afternoon as well. Might even go fishing.

Blocked?

Was checking my meagre site statistics this morning and found the line below from the ‘Block options’ menu on someone’s web server.

http://131.235.253.200:15871/c...ions.cgi?ws-session=2684744925

A quick WHOIS IP check later and got the following report. The Web server in Question belongs to Environment Canada.

OrgName: Environment Canada
OrgID: ENVIRO-4
Address: 2121 North Service Road
Address: Trans-Canada Highway
City: Dorval
StateProv: QC
PostalCode: H9P-1J3
Country: CA

NetRange: 131.235.0.0 - 131.235.255.255
CIDR: 131.235.0.0/16
NetName: ECONET
NetHandle: NET-131-235-0-0-1
Parent: NET-131-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Assignment
NameServer: DNS1.CMC.EC.GC.CA
NameServer: DNS2.CMC.EC.GC.CA
Comment:
RegDate:
Updated: 2005-03-09

OrgTechHandle: NOC1519-ARIN
OrgTechName: Network Operations Center
OrgTechPhone: +1-514-421-4698
OrgTechEmail: whois-admin@cmc.ec.gc.ca

This is quite amusing. I’m lucky if one or two people a week drop by and then move on, let alone read my empty pseudo environmental ravings. I’m inconsequential, irrelevant in the scheme of any greater debate on anything, yet is this blog now blocked by Environment Canada? I’m amazed they even bothered to look.

Maybe they just block blogs as a matter of policy. That is more likely. Well it won’t make much difference to my non existent readership.

Legal!

Today I am a much happier fellow. My work permit was approved yesterday, and today I have a Canadian Social Insurance Number, with leave to remain for the next twelve months. First payday is scheduled to be at the end of March. Not that we need it of course, but it means neither I nor Wife have to return to the UK with all its economic and social problems. We are planning to ride out the UK recession over here, taking advantage of the lower cost of living.

Kids are settling down to life without us dogging their every step, and seem to be doing well, although my thoughts of them are forever tinged with a natural anxiety for the next generation's well being. Youngest is making noises about coming over to Canada to do some post graduate study. Eldest is keeping us guessing. All her activity is centred around her friends, but she made positive noises during their Christmas visit, and if current boyfriend doesn't buck his ideas up, he might end up as one of those sad acts who you find in pubs every night bemoaning the chances they never took.

Spoke to the local immigration officer who has been so wonderfully helpful of late, and offered my heartiest thanks. It's still a scary learning curve, but I think that's the steepest bit over. Next step, BC Driving Licence and Health Insurance. Got to get my head in the BC version of the Highway Code.

Any old road up; the fishing season approaches, I'm feeling pretty amused by life, and Wife is smiling once more. So far, so good.

News from the UK

Busy trying to sort out work permit so's I can take my new job. Last time round was a bit of a cock up, but we have since been to see immigration, who have helped us with my application. By tomorrow I should have had the problems ironed out, and might just be able to go and actually do some work.

Not that I'm keen to go back to the UK any time soon. The news is uniformly dire with nary a glimpse of a silver lining. Bills are rising all the time; Phone, Gas, Electricity, Council tax, food, petrol and transport costs. Bankruptcies are at record levels. The Government has nationalised it's first Bank. A 'credit crunch' is in progress. Taxes are up. Services are down. You pay a grand a year, and if you're lucky the Local Authority doesn't bug you, and might, just might, if you ask them really, really nicely, empty your bins once a month. Not only that but people are being murdered on the street and their killers given comparatively light sentences if caught by a Police 'Service' that is so busy collecting statistics, that the Constables don't get out on the streets doing their job half the time. The only people who seem to be making any money are the Politicians and their hangers on, who are trousering more than I used to make in a year after tax in expenses alone. Well, them and a few city traders. Although I never begrudged the money men their massive wedges. At least they don't go round telling the rest of us what to do.

Oh yes, and that doesn't even mention the demands for Sharia law from a minority of the population, and the selling of old Englands soul and sovereignty to the ever more bloated European Union. Hells Bells and ecky thump! I am glad I got offered the job I was.

Over on Vancouver Island, life is comparatively peaceful, with only odd bits of body found washed up on the shores of sparsely inhabited islands like the three right feet washed up on Valdez in the past year. I found the carcase of a Deer on the shoreline, and something that looked like a human tibia, but after careful examination, and careful perusal of some textbooks, saw that it was a bone from one of the local Deer that had tried to swim the narrows and drowned. The two articular grooves at the bottom were the big clue. So it was that I didn't waste the RCMP's time with a false alarm. From those I've met, they seem a decent bunch. Although I wouldn't like to get the wrong side of the law anyway.

Have been pounding the keyboard on a new project inspired by my own blog musings about going to the stars. I'm enjoying it, and don't really care about submitting it to any publisher. It's too niche, too rough cut. Too small a market sector.

Weather has been nice this weekend. Glorious light reflected from Mudge and Link in the late afternoon. This is a tiny tranche of Canadian Paradise. I am so very lucky to be here.

Un Mauvais Quarante-huit heures

Still recovering from a bit of a fright. Went to the border to get a work permit for the job I was offered (That no Canadian seemed to want), only to be turned down flat. Quite honestly the whole experience floored me for two whole days until we went back to our local immigration office who had previously given me clear instructions upon what to do.

Local immigration officer looked at the forms I had been handed back and screwed up her face in bewilderment. There was no reason that she could see for my application to be refused. She went back and forth, soliciting opinions, and checking her manual before packing us off with assurances that we were okay to stay while we appealed the border guards decision.

The really funny thing is that I was originally going to return to the UK in December, but hung on when the job offer came along. All the time filling in forms and ensuring everything we did was legal, decent, honest and truthful. Otherwise I'd be back in England bitching about the awful weather and keeping my eyes open for cheap flights to Vancouver.

As waiting for all the letters of confirmation etc has kept me in BC longer than anticipated, I've had to apply for 'leave to remain' as I've gone over my six months. If I go back to England now, I stand to lose the job offer, but have to wait while everyone else gets their act together to say whether I can stay and work or not. One office says I can take the job, the border guards say I can't. I wish they'd all sing off the same hymn sheet so everyone knew where they were. I want to do the right thing, but the way things are structured makes it very hard.

In the meantime I have taken to writing short stories while my thoughts are too jangled to focus on the bigger narrative. Came up with a little gem of an idea of an old chap who asks for a pound of pig's liver at an English supermarket, and ends up being arrested and charged with a 'hate crime'. An all too real scenario in our increasingly PC world.

Red letter day

Today has been a day and a half. Today we got notice from our Solicitors that the buyers of our house in the UK have exchanged contracts. Today I got word from the Immigration people that the job I have been offered is worth a work permit and that they do not need a HRSDC Market opinion on the job. Today I got my job offer confirmed. All I need now is for a publisher to tell me they want my latest manuscript to publish as a book. Although I do not mind if I get another rejection letter.

This, despite the rain, has been a very good day for me. I love Canada.

The news from the UK isn't good. The Police are threatening to go on strike, the Western economies look like they are in for a banking meltdown. The current Prime Monster of the UK has just signed away their national sovereignty. Christ knows what else is going to go pear shaped over there. I just thank the Lord I'm over here.

I still think my good news is all too good to be true. Maybe God has decided that it's my turn to have a really great day. If that truly is the case, then thank you God. Thnak you. I really mean that.

Wife loves me, my kids think I'm an okay sort of guy, Dog loves me, my cup runneth over. Of such things is true happiness constructed.

Now watch some bastard try to rain on my parade.

Insurance

Wife and I re-insured the car today, having sweated blood prizing statement of no claims out of UK insurance company. Went in to renew, only to be told that we should fill in a form, pay the full whack, then when our 'evidence' of good driving was accepted, we might, just might, qualify for a discount.

I wondered aloud why we weren't told about this form when we first got insured. The clerk just shrugged and smiled. I didn't have a go as it wasn't her fault, it was just one of those pieces of information that everyone expects you to know. Heavy sigh. Pass me the whiskey.

Oh what the hell, we're still legal and we'll get the money back eventually.

Do I care?

Another month and a bit to go before my English bankruptcy discharge is due. Today I received another form to fill out to say I'm so poor monetarily speaking even church mice are having a whip round on my behalf.
Oh what the hell, with views like this right on my doorstep, who really cares?

Love this place

Another blue sky day. Wife is having a time of it in England trying to negotiate a sale on the house. The market there has gone so flat it's reminiscent of a pancake that's really got so depressed it truly couldn't give a toss.

This side of the pond is splendid,and I'm drinking it all in. Dog is spooking at every unfamiliar sight, smell and sound, but then that's nothing new. Off to see friends with a invitation for supper tonight (Taking Dog as they think he's super - if only they knew). The above photo was taken with my phone camera which has no zoom function, but it's really a phone so who cares? Just gives a flavour of the view from our apartment which is absolutely superb.

Landlady dropped by to give me the rundown on what the plumber did. Rent is due tomorrow, but that's all covered. Call from the Canadian equivalent of a Job centre, Supporting Employment Transitions. They had a message for wife, who is now okay to work over here without a work permit. Do they have a job for her? I hope so. I'd like it if they had a job for me, but then I need sponsorship to go down the 9 to 5 again. Not many people willing to do that at present. I live in hope.

Incoming

Another nice sunny day, if a touch chilly. Wonderful sunset lit up the Islands across the Strait. Phone call from the Pensions Office saying that my wifes Social Insurance Number is live and kicking and ready for use. I forgot to ask if this meant she didn't need to go back to England every six months, but I've got the feeling she needs to stay here as long as possible to rack up her permanent residency points. At least three years out of every five. I'm good with that.

Took a movie with the phone camera, only to find I haven't got a compatible format video converter loaded on my knackered old slaptop. Hi de ho, off to ZDnet I go. Got to be a format converter on their ever so helpful download site.

Another call from Royal bank of Canada to say they had a minor problem with paying the Telus bill for the land line, no account number. Went into town to run a few errands and went into the bank. I must say I'm seriously impressed with RBC's level of and speed service. The line from the 'Cheers' theme tune came into my head 'Where everybody knows your name'. Bloody hell, it feels good. I love this place. Just got to generate some income.

Good news at last

Bounced out of bed by the phone at an ungodly hour this morning. Wife was online and was calling me to see where I was. "Did I wake you up?" She asked from the other side of the Atlantic.
"Er, yes." I responded groggily as Mister Brain kicked at the inside of my skull demanding who the hell did I think I was, waking it up at this hour.

We spent the next half hour on Google chat updating each other on developments either side of the pond. Our old Saab is now sold and we have cancelled all the insurance etc. Letters requested from Insurance company to give record of clean driving licences for obtaining provincial BC driving licences. Wife's Social Insurance Number is now active and she can get a job without the tedious business of applying for a work permit at the US border. Old house has been discounted in price to see if we can attract any more potential buyers in the current flat UK housing market. The chinese water torture is over as the dribbling faucet has been replaced (Hooray!). Significant progress has been attained.

A little addition to the mornings good news exchange was that we have been invited to wander around posh Californian neighbours property during the winter (The views from their deck are superb, and there's a set of private steps to the beach) when they are back in California next week. Apparently the Sea Otters tear things up when there isn't a regular human presence. Our is dog especially welcome for that purpose. We can lunch on their deck overlooking the sea and everything. Might get cold, but we'll wrap up warm and drink lots of hot drinks.

Halloween tonight. Have been promised a 'scary' visit from a four year old. Glove puppet and bowl of candy is on standby. I'm not going to sit behind a closed door and grumble. A little old fashioned fun is in order, and if you can't do that - what's the point of living?