I have lamented global responses to COVID-19’s Omicron tidal wave. Criticism is easy, suggesting other strategies more difficult. However, I did commit to putting forward ideas to turn chaos into order. Crisis management is always political Short term crisis management generally works to the political advantage of the governing party. The crisis creates opportunity to […]
The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines chaos in five words – a complete lack of order. Well, a complete lack of order defines global Covid-19 responses. The scrambled reactions to the Omicron surge do not leave many world governments looking good. Confusion I don’t know what signals your governments sent you when the Omicron variant emerged. […]
Happy New Year! or in Scots Gaelic, Bliadhna Mhath Ùr! Phonetically, Blee-a-nah Va Oor! The History of Hogmanay Immediately following the Protestant Reformation in 1640, the Church of Scotland (the “Kirk”) declared the Christmas celebration a Catholic / Papist fabrication. Thus, the Kirk banned the Papist Christmas festivities. And that ban survived until the late […]
Christmas Season Evening
What did I write last year? About the slow march from March 13 to December 25. I was hopeful that we would have a sense of normalcy by Christmas 2021. Mid-way through November, I remained hopeful. It looked like we would get to England for a couple of weeks and come back for a family […]
I was born in Scotland. However, my family left our home in Dundee for Canada when I turned three. So, I am more Canadian than Scots. The double “o” sound in spoon is the only remnant that I have of any kind of Scots accent. But, I do a better job than most in understanding […]
We are staying! That is the short answer to the question in The Fairest of the Seasons : “I want to know do I stay or do I go And maybe try another time” We are staying! It was a tough decision. I didn’t like the thought of the quarantine time waiting for PCR test […]
The dreaded Covid test! I had gone twenty months without being tested. Then I made the decision to accompany my sister to Houston for her 87th birthday and that of her twin, our brother, who lives there. Different Tests: One kind of test to board a plane from Canada to the US – C$80 each […]
I am in a rut. Not a deep, dark depression but just a little, muddy hole that I am finding difficult to escape. The First Eighteen Months of Covid I thought that I was managing the restrictions of COVID 19 pretty well. I had found a new pass time – writing! New clients and new […]
Québec has municipal elections on a set date every four years. Candidate campaigns are now in full swing with voting scheduled for November 7. Items high on the agendas in most municipalities – housing and population density. Focus Pointe-Claire I live in Pointe-Claire, an on-island suburb of Montréal. It has a lot going for it […]