Welcome to Canada — The Country Where Nothing is Ever Settled

| May 2, 2020

All these weeks into the global clusterfuck spawned by The Pestilence, it seems natural that as governments have become comfortable with the new reality (notwithstanding whether or not the body politic has) they would revert to the old habits inherent in partisan politics and party defining ideologies going back to great great great granddad’s generation. […]

Hands Free

| April 20, 2020

Indigenous Ability is the title of an excellent blog written and updated regularly by Mark Hatmaker for the purpose of “Examining & Resurrecting Indigenous Skills and Frontier Rough & Tumble Combat”. In this, it succeeds admirably, to the point where even those labouring under the travails of urban living would do well to drink deeply […]

A Safe and Dignified Manner

| April 10, 2020

March of 1994 came at the end of a bitterly cold winter practically devoid of snowfall. Every lake, still-water, and bog was frozen to a depth of 18 inches or more, and the bare ground in forest and field was stone hard. When spring finally broke over the flood plain surrounding New Germany, Nova Scotia, […]

Cui Bono?

| April 6, 2020

The title of today’s piece is common usage short form for part of a longer expression attributed to Lucius Cassius, “… whom the Roman people used to regard as a most honest and most wise judge, was in the habit of asking time and again in lawsuits: ‘to whom might it be for a benefit?’ […]

Messages Mixed and Missed

| March 27, 2020

“‘And it is also said,’ answered Frodo: ‘Go not to the Elves for counsel for they will answer both no and yes.’ “‘Is it indeed?’ laughed Gildor. ‘Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.’” ~ Lord of the […]

If You Resemble This Remark ….

| March 25, 2020

I don’t always agree with everything old Pastor Joe Fox has to say on his Viking Preparedness YouTube channel, but I can’t argue anything he put into the clip you’re about to see. He’s in the United States, but his observations are decidedly broad spectrum, and apply perfectly to my stomping grounds.

Pro Tip!

| March 25, 2020

This morning I was consulted by an electrical contractor in the matter of Dorma 1800 Series door closers — devices designed to hold a fire door open, and trigger positive closure when smoke is detected. As we were reviewing the installation manual together on the phone, this cropped up, and it was lucky he had […]

Numbers Looking for a Fight

| March 23, 2020

Our title today comes from something Mrs. LFM said last night in reference to statistics in general, and the way they are being presented in daily government COVID-19 briefings specifically. A state of emergency was announced yesterday for the Province of Nova Scotia, where we live. The details of its scope and perceived application can […]

In a World Crying Out for Hand Sanitizer … (read in the voice of “that guy” from the Xena intro)

| March 22, 2020

Recent headlines reveal that distilleries all over are turning their facilities toward filling the gaps in the world supply of hand sanitizer. Not least of these hereabouts is Ironworks Distillery, which fine establishment is a client of ours, and located in the Town of Lunenburg, a mere 20 kilometers east of our base.

You Don’t Have To Understand Here to Be Here

| March 22, 2020

The title of today’s piece comes from the pilot episode of the excellent, and now both late and lamented, television series Life. Specifically, it’s part of a greater conversation between lead character Detective Charlie Crews (played by Damian Lewis) and his partner, Detective Dani Reese (Sarah Shahi): Dani Reese: “I don’t exactly understand you.” Charlie […]