At The Going Down Of The Sun

 Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, a time to pause and reflect on military sacrifice. Begun after the First World War, it is marked annually, particularly in Ottawa, where a national service is held at the National War Memorial, which lies at the heart of Confederation Square. At the base of the monument is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Here is interred the remains of a Canadian soldier who fell at the Battle of Vimy Ridge during the Great War.

The Memorial is a favourite photo subject for me, and perhaps particularly at night.

The city has many military monuments. One of them is on Parliament Hill, where this commemorates the War of 1812 and the struggle against the Americans.

Another is at Richmond Landing, near the shores of the Ottawa River. This is a monument for the Royal Canadian Navy. Names of campaigns our navy has engaged in are inscribed on the wall.

I finish with this, which is just down the street from the National War Memorial. The National Aboriginal Veterans Monument honors indigenous veterans of the country's military. It features an eagle overhead, four warriors, and four animals around them- the wolf, bear, elk, and bison.

The Old Cancer Scam Gambit

 

They are a horde and a pestilence, a curse upon the land. They never give up, never take a hint, and never go off and find an honest line of work. Instead they spend their time leaving us spam comments in our blogs, or sending random emails promising riches to the gullible. I speak, of course, of the vile scum we call homo sapiens spammeritis irritatingus, otherwise known at the internet scammer and spammer. This came through to my email recently.

Hello

I am Fabio Antonio, A Portuguese national, I was browsing and I
saw your email, So i decided to write to you if your email is
real, I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It has
defiled all forms of medical treatment , and right now I have
only about a few months to live. I am very rich, but was never
generous; I have given most of my assets to my immediate family
members.

I have decided to give alms to charity organizations. I cannot do
this myself anymore because of my health. I once asked members of
my family to give some money to charity organizations, they
refused and kept the money. I have a huge cash deposit of
Eighteen Million dollars with a security firm. I will want you to
help me collect this deposit and dispatch it to charity
organizations. You will take out 30% of these funds for your
assistance.

I would like you to acknowledge the receipt of this e-mail as
soon as possible and treat it with absolute confidentiality and
sincerity.

Fabio Antonio

First of all, for a guy claiming to be from Portugal, his email (which is probably the first in a long daisy chain of emails leading to an Eastern European hellhole scam datafarm) carries a Japanese internet code. This is a big tell tale for a scammer.

Second is that sob story.

If he was really that rich, he'd have lawyers and accountants to see to his charitable wishes as opposed to reaching out to someone on the other side of the ocean. He tells the story of how none of his relatives wish to help him in this. Well, why would you be leaving money to such ingrates? And then he expects me, a total stranger, to help out.

Nice try, idiot. If this was real, and it's not, I'd totally screw you over.

You need to have a long talk with this guy.

Ghosts, Goblins, And Witches

 Hallowe'en is today. I have an image blog for the occasion. Enjoy!

A Day In The Life Of A Cat

 And now it is time for the perspective of the cat, who must always have the last word in on these things, what with being a supreme being and all.

7:00 AM. Waking up. Taking a big stretch. Slept well. Dreamed of vast fields of catnip.

7:03 AM. A look outside from the back of the couch. Still not dawn. Light enough to see that there's frost on the ground. Getting to be that time of year again.

7:09 AM. Just where is the staff? I've been up nearly ten minutes now and no sign of her.

7:16 AM. If she's not down here in five minutes, I'm sending a search party after her.

7:20 AM. The staff finally comes downstairs. It's about time, staff. I was this close to making arrangements with search and rescue- ie, me- to come fetch you.

7:22 AM. Making my wishes clear as the staff sets to work in the kitchen. Staff, I want it very clear that I am to see no field rations. Are we clear on that, staff? None.

7:24 AM. The staff puts my breakfast down on the floor. The bowl of milk and plate of chicken are much to my approval. The bowl of field rations is not.

7:26 AM. Finished with the milk and chicken. I have completely ignored the field rations.

I shall leave the staff to have her breakfast in peace and quiet.

7:35 AM. Somewhere in the distance I hear the barking of that foul mutt.

7:48 AM. The staff is leaving for the day. Farewell, staff. Don't forget to pick up milk.

7:51 AM. Watching the staff leave the driveway. Well, what do we have on the schedule for today?

8:01 AM.  Watching the Weather Channel. More frosty nights to come. 

8:21 AM. I think it's time for a well earned nap.

11:34 AM. Waking up from my nap. Big stretch.

11:36. Have come into the kitchen to the disappointment of realizing all that's out in the open is field rations.

Oh well...

12:39 PM. Zoomies.

2:19 PM. Waking up from another nap. Zoomies do get the better of you.

4:36 PM. The staff comes in the front door. It's about time, staff. You did remember the milk?

4:40 PM. The staff is putting groceries away.

Good. There's the milk.

5:19 PM. The staff is making dinner. I smell meat.

6:27 PM. Dinner with the staff. She has cut up some steak for me. She insists on having hers with vegetables. To each their own.

8:40 PM. Pondering the great mystery of the universe is a big ball of string theory.

11:28 PM. The staff is off to bed. Good nights, staff.

By the way, I have oonies scheduled at two.