Fox North
In the September 2020 issue of the Atlantic, Megan Garber described just how divisive a force Fox News has become. Americans feel alienated from friends and family members who were getting their news from that single popular source. She suggested that there are two official languages in America: English and Fox. This new language's lexicon shapes its identity. They throw around phrases like mob, PC police, deep state, MS-13, socialist, libs, Benghazi, hoax, invasion, open borders, anarchy and liberty. Fox News Fox has one tone ... indignation. They have two pronouns ... you and them. You are under attack. They are the attackers. Its grammar is grievance. Its effect is totalizing. (Not my writing but pretty great right?)
Now the article itself is pretty funny. Poilievre had "help" from down south but he also vastly contributed. He managed to go from a 25 point lead, to losing his very own seat in about eight weeks. A seat he has held for a couple of decades! How he tied himself to the trucker's protest. How difficult it was for him to speak two languages at the same time. That was the only way to signal to the lunatic right (in Canada ) that he was with them, without sounding insane to everyone else. He failed. On our Flipboard feed, we get articles from The Western Standard and The Toronto Sun. It continually reminds me that we are sliding down that same slippery slope. I seem to remember an election promise to block blatantly obvious falsehoods online. The Liberal Party of Canada needs to follow through with that promise. Under the guise of first amendment protection, the Americans have allowed just about anything to be published, and are now paying a high price. Censor if necessary, but there must be limits on extreme political speech ... which is obviously, blatantly false. If we don't address this soon, Canada will have three official languages ... and a slogan shouting moron in charge. Here's the original article:
Ponce de Leon
Oranges are originally indigenous to India and China. The Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon planted orange trees in Florida while searching for the Fountain of Youth. Centuries later, looking for some way to use up surplus orange crops, food manufacturers began juicing the oranges and delivering a new and exciting morning drink to consumers. My guess is new popularity of the Harvey Wallbanger helped. I did my part! Assisted by improved refrigeration and transportation, OJ has now been whizzing around the globe for half a century.
In 1918, Aristide Lassonde, a farm labourer and house builder along with his wife, Georgianna, a baker, began canning local farmers’ surplus vegetables and fruits. The next generation (Willie) took over the family business and added apple juice to the company’s product line. This wasn't surprising, because the original business was in Rougemont, Quebec's apple capital. The company added OJ to its product line in 1990, following its rising popularity across the border. In 2013, the company took control of their own packaging requirements, unhappy with what was going on in that industry. Environmental, recycling and waste reduction awards followed. I must admit to having never heard about this Canadian success story. Lassonde Industries now have 23 facilities, 35 brands and 3000 employees. They source their oranges primarily from Brazil, so if you want to poke a certain founding fondler in the eye, this might be your moment. Oasis brand orange juice is their marquee product. Buy some. I'll let you know when it goes on sale.
Old Business
The phrase "a fly in the ointment" originates from the Bible, specifically Ecclesiastes 10:1. "Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour." Who new?
This Week's List
Will be greatly abbreviated as in about four hours, a small team of jackbooted thugs will be descending on our place with pitchforks and carpenter's squares. You can expect a new IBAT next week. Right now the content of two entire rooms are stacked in the east half of our living room which already had things in it. Like a big flat screen TV, a love seat and SWMBO's gigantic recliner (throne). Oh, and a collapsible ice shelter. It's been there for a couple of months now. We don't talk about it. Here is your list:
What We're Watching
Beyond Skyline on Prime - Prepare yourself for a middle budget sci-fi that doesn't suck as hard you might think? Special effects are well done, cast is great and the script, while making some leaps that made me flinch, is just weak as opposed to horrible. Two stars.
The Accountant 2 on Prime - I had thought that it was the supporting cast that saved the first iteration of this series? They had J.K. Simmons, John Lithgow and Anna Kendrick for God's sakes? They spent some money. This time, the brothers gets to do some comedy and there is an expanded role for the children from that neuroscience school where Ben went as a child. It all works and there is enough kick-ass violence for the average hockey fan. SWMBO loved it. Five stars.
... and finally
My gardens are nearing completion for 2025. Everything is planted (except for some begonias I snuck home from the grocery store yesterday), pond is running and the bunnies are happily munching on my cucumber plants. A bit of clean-up to tackle, then we move on to the red wine and cigar smoking phase of the gardening season. I am an expert! It's a good thing as yesterday was the first blisteringly hot afternoon. I just saw a 33C in the long range forecast. Happy summer!
Mitch & Maddie