…that’s a fair metaphor to describe the Ontario Convenience Store Association’s (OCSA) demand that they be permitted to sell booze.  (McGuinty has said no, and Hudak has refused to say yes.)

The last we heard of them, the OCSA was effectively the face of Big Tobacco in Ontario.  They lobbied vigorously against modest measures to keep kids from getting their hands on tobacco.

These characters are only interested in making more money.  They don’t give a sweet damn about harm to the public.

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[True exchange that happened at Kinsellabration© family reunion in B.C. a few weeks ago. Just thought of it, and it made me laugh again.]

Son Three [reacting to a statement by his brothers, whom he would prefer to live without]: That is the most stupidest thing I have ever heard.

Son Two, to much laughter: There’s no such thing as “most stupidest.” It’s either stupidest thing, or most stupid thing.

Son Three, with evident frustration: Fine. Then I’ll just look it up in the atlas, okay?

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The Harper Government™: an ethics-free zone.

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So, out with Son One tonight.  He’s 14.  We found a new 7-11, and thus a new source of Slurpees.  A Good Thing.  Then, he asks me if I want to see the video he did.  Sure, says I.  Watch it on his device.  “Wow,” says me.  “Who did the animation and the coding and all that?”

“Me,” he says.

What I find amazing about this is that he learned to do this on his own, principally by watching some YouTube videos.  He explained that it’s incomplete, and is just a “test,” and that it tails off at the end.  But I told him I thought it was pretty neat, and would like his permission to show y’all.  He said sure – so here you go.

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Here it is again! Because I feel like it!

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Does the full moon affect human behaviour, per today’s column?  Reader Gary Brigden sends along this interesting anecdote:

Warren: I worked at Spankys nightclub in Brampton from 1983 to 1987.  The owner noticed once a month we would have a much earlier crowd, more drinking and more fights. Sure enough, we got the books out and followed three years of stats. Without fail, on full moon nights, the crowd came earlier (we used to mark people in between 8 and 9, then 9 to 10 etc)., the drinking totals were about $2,500 higher (worked out to 2 drinks more per person) and lots more fights. (Usually two a night, whereas we might have one a week otherwise).

I would have never believed it, but the facts don’t lie.

Gary Brigden

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“Machiavelli” is spelled correctly this time, for instance.  Also, new blurbage: Ivison, Flanagan, take note.  Out in September.

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Whenever a lot of people get murdered by people carrying guns – as they have, recently, in Toronto and Denver – other people ask: “How did this happen? Why do these things keep happening?”

With the greatest of respect, those are unintelligent questions. One does not need to be a police officer, or a scientist, to know that (a) crazy and/or stupid people exist and (b) if you make it easier for crazy and/or stupid people to get guns, they will use them on innocent people.

There are other factors at work, of course. But those are the big ones. If you don’t get that, you need more help that a newspaper opinion column can provide.

Now, when I was a cop reporter, in Calgary and Ottawa, I noticed that the higher-ups would lay on more officers whenever it was hot, or a full moon, or when school was out. That’s because violent crime tended to go up, noticeably, on those occasions. The reasons, to me, were straightforward: when it got hot, people drank more. When people drank more, they did stupid things, sometimes involving guns.

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Was very, very quiet in that car.

Encouraged him to talk about it, and told him I would never let anyone hurt him or anyone else. Ever.

Advice?

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Anyone know a good auto broker (ie. for purchase) in or around Toronto? I’m too lazy to do the work myself.

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