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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Calgary
- Hits: 982
Email today, bright and early, from the landlord telling me to pay my rent today.
Hmmm. That's odd, my rent cycle is in the middle of the month - I offered to top up the difference to make it month-end to month-end when I took the lease, but he declined. So I forward him the receipt showing his acceptance of the e-transfer on October 2nd. And then I forward him the rent to mid-December.
No reply. Not an "oops" or "sorry" or nothing. He's an asshole. Now I've paid my rent for the past year largely 2-3 weeks and even months in advance - and never a word of thanks. But - if he imagines I'm paying it even a day late - he's on the computer sending me emails.
I still have to live here or I'd publish the weasels name, but it puts a fire under my ass to get out.
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Calgary
- Hits: 813
A few weeks ago I read about the incident in which a Calgary Police officer was investigating reports of a suspicious woman prowling peoples alleys, and upon investigation was pepper sprayed and then shot the suspect to death.
ASIRT is investigating, although the Police Forces response was in essence to absolve the officer and stand behind it's members.
Some notes:
#1 - The officer was in no immediate danger - she was in her car. Police officers are pepper-sprayed as part of their training. If she had presence of mind enough to get out of the car, aim - straight - and shoot the suspect to death she could have as well waited for back up or driven away. It's unlikely she received a full portion of pepper spray to the eyes or face or she would have been unable to see to shoot straight.
#2 - In light of the above the shooting becomes not a "rescuing the public" scenario, but a revenge killing.
#3 - Which, given the Calgary Police Forces track record, is perfectly acceptable and only awaits ASIRT's rubber stamp of approval.
On a final note, we pay for this. This is the kind of service any right minded member of the public would pay to lock up, not have armed and running about "enforcing" laws. The time is overdue...
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Calgary
- Hits: 1044
With the daughter, Edmonton, Drumheller to fossick, the weather opposes us, grey, cold, it was forecast to be warmer. The prospecting trip will be delayed, she hasn't the patience for it yet.
Then a couple of days around the apartment, collecting stuff from the locker, big items, she helps, picks a few of my books, takes Eddington's "The Expanding Universe" and an anthology of classic horror stories, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, relieves me of a spintharascope and set of nesting Chinese boxes, she's a trooper, this emptying the locker, it's taken it's toll, but I'm almost done...
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Calgary
- Hits: 772
Dickering with people, answering dumb questions, arranging to be in, forever available for a showing...
If it's not priced to sell. I don't need to sell it. Fuck off. It's priced at a price I'm comfortable parting with it for . To ensure it goes to a good home. The dolls, for example, they're a symbol to me of love. When I bought them I was in love. Now I am not. But - I remember love and value it accordingly - this is the price. If you don't like it don't buy it. You know, fuck - man- fuck - I recommend against it anyways. You know - almost everyone that has been there would...
The Telescope, it's symbol of curiosity. I used to be curious. I'm already taking a big hit, let's not make it worse...
If I don't sell it I'm glad to live with it. I didn't want to sell it anyways.
But you know, just so you know, it would have been cheap at double the price.
Another one, Oz, older than I expected given how dynamic his voice was over the phone, and I was picturing the old Aussie firefighter roommate, he's finally here to pick up all his shit, from out of town, I'm gathering it all from all corners of the apartment, cupboards, under, over, behind...tallying it all up:
"$85.00 + $40.00" - $110.00..."bloody hell!..."...doesn't matter, it's gotta go, he's not unfair, but the discounts upon discounts try my patience, the inconsequential misadditions and sums, everything is priced to sell...
He's asked about a chest, looked it over, lowballed me, I was savagely pleased to sell it to another person that same day, someone with deeper pockets, and I know he'll be looking for it and kicking himself that it's gone and somehow that satisfies me...
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Calgary
- Hits: 790
"Take what you like but leave some for others". I thought it was a kind thing, free rocks & dinosaur bones, but I was inundated. 700 views in 12 hours, 2 dozen messages, then the first 2 bright and squirrely...
First guy wants to take them all. I gently tell him - "Pick what you like but leave some for others, there's plenty there...". And he agrees and grabs a couple of buckets and leaves. Half are gone. The next, the same, and it's done, there's a few left - but not worth anyone driving over for.The second picker, he's Asian, and a bit despairing he got there 2nd, the first took all the good ones, the big ones, and I don't know why he wants them but - catch his eye - "Chinese Medicine?" - he doesn't answer, just looks at me. Maybe. Or maybe I'm being a racist prick, I don't want to be that but his taste isn't discerning in terms of quality or shape or structure, it's all about size, and I'm curious is all...their culture - to me at least - is still largely inscrutable.
There was plenty enough for everyone who responded to fill a medium canvas bag full, now there's none.
Offer something for free - whatever - and you can see the worst in people. I was half tempted to suggest that air was free, but I didn't want them hyperventilating and passing out in my hall. And if they paid? What are they like at an all-you-can-eat buffet?
Never again, and I can only despair at the state and future of humanity.