Over 200 flights cancelled, meaning Wallace cleared out of Toronto just in time. Some kind of major weather pattern is going to bring a freeze all the way down here. No matter, we are snug as bugs and the electric bill for December was what, $54? As a treat we're going to attempt downloading pictures from Wallace's camera that show his car completely buried in a snowdrift. On the way back from the airport, I drove Wallace past all the barricaded and bankrupt shops along Federal Hwy. It reminded him of the ghost towns he saw in Montana. I get a good visual on that, for I remember when our own local bowling alley closed back when I was nine. It represented a change in values toward [then emerging] television-based entertainment. The businesses closing this time are those expected to last, such as antique stores. I mean long-term shops that negotiate long-term leases and in general have owners that can survive periodic downturns.
Teresa called to talk about guitar lessons. Ha, this tells me a lot about my skill as an entertainer. She was here, we worked on material, and honestly believed I was playing guitar. Nope, I can't play guitar. The illusion results from a standard demo I give. I let the student play a simple riff and vary the bass lines. It sounds great, and since they know they can’t play, they assume I can. When I was twelve, I had a guitar. Sold it to Eddie Johnson. Hey Eddie, that was your five seconds.
I got up early to watch a documentary on the 1969 moon landing. Looks like we may actually go back after 50 years. And most of that time wondering just what in hell was so great about the Space Shuttle anyway. Do you know? Maybe once we stop invading other countries, there will be enough money for a moon base. Interesting note that the tiny computer that was on the lunar module (same technology as an Apple) back then exhibited the same problems today associated with IBM PCs running Windows. I wonder what planets we would be on today if IBM had not stifled the operating system market by bankrolling MicroSoft.
Madoff, the Ponzi scheme guy, is negotiating for the safety of his family. That is one of the most sordid aspects of American law, this type of legalized blackmail. The hint is if you don’t cooperate, they won’t protect your family. Same with plea bargaining, an absolutely disgusting procedure. One set of laws I would definitely change is the “obstruction of justice” focus. I would not remove the law, but change it so non-cooperation is not obstruction. That is, when you tell the police you don’t want to talk about your neighbors or acquaintances it means just that. They can’t retaliate with a threat to charge you as they do now. Think of it as allowing witnesses to plead the Fifth. If you say the police wouldn’t be able to operate as they do, rest assured you are completely right. They would have to change to obey the law themselves. Not such a bad idea.
My sputtering car engine. Wallace suspects hoses and cables, and closer inspection shows that two of the spark plug cables have corroded badly. That fits the symptoms so I’ll be replacing those tomorrow. Wallace has already re-established contact with everyone here except at Jimbo’s. One thing you can be sure of is that this town is not Sydney, BC. There are always places to go and people to meet in this vicinity. As far as carousing, there is no comparison to Vancouver Island. I’ve been there and they “roll up the streets after 6:00 P.M.” Plus, I won’t say anything about Millie-Belle not being here and thus allowing Wallace to be out all day long.
