Reader Tips

Reader Tips 57 Comments

Well, it appears that Kate has gone on strike, something about shirkers.

This is in honour of the Ken Petkau, whom you may remember with the handle of Ken Kulak.

Those who may have known him, know.

57 Replies to “Reader Tips”

      1. Most of my UPS packages appear to have been delivered by stroke patients … if I can even find the boxes on my neighbors porches

    2. It would appear that those of you making jokes about strokes don’t know anyone who actually had one.

      My late wife had a stroke, and even after 2 months in the hospital and several months of rehab, she was never able to walk without assistance. I know many people fully recover after a minor stroke (TIA) but many stroke patients are completely helpless afterwards. Depending on the type of stroke, they can’t speak, have very little motor function, and are bound to a wheelchair.

  3. Discussed by the three U.S. Bloomberg hosts and an LSE academic this morning, so no link. The three we talking about the “investability in China” question, and one person mentioned that business-people visiting in China, talking with Chinese business-people, noticed that the latter were afraid to talk frankly. So the four at Bloomberg concluded that the lack of honest talk weakened the argument for investing in China.

    This is an interesting observation. I have found that in poor organizations, one when talking has to think about two things: (1) getting one’s message out to the other listeners (and learning from the discussion), and (2) the implications of one’s message to the status of the person doing the speaking. If one has to worry about losing one’s job, or worse, when speaking, that signifies a poor organization.

    Sounds obvious, but I thought to throw this out here.

  4. Re: the big boy.
    I’ve never seen one (the real thing that is). When I was a kid I got a hand me down train collection from a cousin, Lionel 027 scale. Lionel made a big boy. I remember thinking that it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever set eyes on. I wanted one soooooo badly. At night I used to stare at the picture in the catalogue until my eyes burned. I added pieces to the collection but could never touch the 4-8-8-4.

    1. Excellent video and commentary – very informational. And here I thought the train Engineer just pulled a lever and the train moved. And a “Fireman”? Shouldn’t he be out fighting all those eco-terrorist global warming Fires in Canada?

      By the time I had a train … it was an HO scale Santa Fe diesel … all 1950’s streamline modern.

    2. Me too. Smart man who had stories to tell. The kind of stories that can keep our nations FREE. Because the alternative is simply unthinkable.

  6. Thanks for the clip. My grandpa was a train guy. It does my heart good to know there are still some out there. RIP Ken.

  8. I was wondering about Lance just non that long ago. Had Kate locked him away? Is he really Progressive Pat in electronic disguise. Good she let the Dog out.

  9. Why do judges in Canada very rarely make decisions that strike down the laws and policies of the federal Liberal government? No surprise if you already know the answer because it has been reported on previously. And there is now more evidence.

    Prior to their appointments, the large majority of the judges were contributors to the Liberal Party.

    “An eight-month investigation by National Post and the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF) of 1,308 judicial and tribunal appointments by the Liberal government since 2016 shows an overwhelming majority — 76.3 per cent — of appointees who had previously made political donations had given to the Liberal Party of Canada.”

    https://nationalpost.com/feature/exclusive-data-analysis-reveals-liberals-appoint-judges-who-are-party-donors

  10. Let’s say you wanted to “elevate the world’s consciousness” by “reinventing how people work” and by “transforming how individuals and organizations relate to the workplace”. Translation … “we’re gonna need a bigger boat”.

    This is what the founders of WeWork thought. They understood these emerging trends and set out to create a more inclusive, better functioning environment for people to work in.

    https://thestrategystory.com/2022/09/22/how-does-wework-work-and-make-money-business-model/

    “Post-pandemic, most employees want to work from home three days a week. Still, whenever they come to the office, they seek moments of connection, collaboration, and convenience, whether grabbing a coffee from the friendly office barista, taking a yoga break without having to leave the office, or getting to know others in the community during events.”

    WeWork raised a pile of dough (a bigger boat) and went public in 2021 at a valuation of $47 Billion.

    So how did that work out…

    https://www.reuters.com/business/wework-raises-going-concern-doubt-shares-tank-2023-08-08/

    With a current valuation of $447 million (one one-hundredth of its debut), last quarter losses of $349 million and cash on hand of $205 million (less than one quarter), “WeWork said it was planning to shore up liquidity by cutting rent and tenancy costs, controlling expenses and reducing member churn”.

    Shoring up liquidity? Too late.
    Cutting rent and tenancy costs? Now that you’re down to 2.5 weeks of cash?
    Controlling expenses and reducing member churn? With one month of cash left?

    The most over-hyped start-up in recent years is circling the drain and headed for the sewage tank.

  12. I always enjoyed Ken Kulak’s comments. He was really good at drawing parallels between his family history during the Stalin nightmare to what is happening today. Unfortunately, I do think he was highly prescient. RIP

  16. Imported Violence: Eritreans Carry Out Vendettas From Home Causing Chaos in Germany, Sweden, Canada
    https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/08/09/imported-violence-eritreans-carry-out-vendettas-from-home-causing-chaos-in-germany-sweden-canada/
    .

    Meanwhile in the USA…
    Biden’s Migration Strategy Funds Foreign Dictators, Cripples Poor Countries
    https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2023/08/08/bidens-migration-strategy-funds-dictators-cripples-poor-countries/

  24. Big Boy is the real deal. It is garaged about two miles from my house. A specialty bearing company in Edmonton made some bearings that are used in the linkages, because they were too small for us (my employer) to manufacture. People travel from all over North America to see it run. Last year I met a family from BC who had traveled to Cheyenne so their son could see it.

    1. New Yorkers voted for this. They can live with it.

      New York bragged it was a sanctuary city. So now they can provide sanctuary and New Yorkers can pay for it.

      Don’t have enough money New York?
      Then raise taxes.

      If the rich move away, then their houses will become available for immigrants.

      1. Toronto declared itself a “sanctuary city” a long time ago, I think under NDP Mayor David Miller.

        1. Several years a go, they also declared the city to be a Nuclear Free Zone. Must of worked because they have never been
          nuked. Smart people, them folks.

  40. Guitar monster Robbie Robertson unplugged his strat for the last time today.

    There was nothing like him back in the 60’s when as a 16yo he played in Ronnie Hawkins band the Hawks. They played the bars up and down Young street in Teezero in the day. Robertson was under age by a bunch and had to sneak in side doors but once onstage he set the tone for all guitar players to come.

    His prowess on a tele is demonstrated on The Hawk’s version of Bo Diddley’s, ‘Who Do You Love’. I listened to it again today for the first time in years – It still measures up.

    A long time project collaborator with Martin Scorsese they produced The Last Waltz, a rock classic.

    You had a good run brother.

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