Month: January 2004

Blackness

Another Black day? What other wacky puns can be drawn from the slide Connie finds himself on? Nicest new touch?

Hollinger International also launched a lawsuit claiming $200 million US against Black, his right-hand man David Radler and companies controlled by the two men.

I’d be all scowlly, too. Unlike most lives his hand has influenced, a relative of mine actually benefitted at one stage of his life amongst acquisitions of the yellow presses by Black. For that we thank you, Big Con, for the extra ale change and Thomas the Tank Engine budget. Few and far between in the case of an anti-capitalist like Black. A capitalist uses capital to create wealth. Where he made money, Black split and sold off capital, a scavenger creating his own carrion – a denial of the power of asset. Where he did not make money, he was running newspapers (now removed from him and soon in the hands of others maybe themselves of that ilk) and making himself the cartoon-like semblence of an important person he willed himself into being. Nothing illegal in any of that. Make yourself as you wish, I say, and answer to your Maker for your choices. He is in deeper water now, though, than just being thought pompous and tedious. What is he worth compared to the charges and claims he faces? This glory-days-era site has him as follows:

Conrad Black, chairman and CEO [net worth (1995): $302.6-million, making him the 28th richest person or family in Canada (Financial Post Magazine, January, 1996)]

I sure hope, but doubt on a net basis, that he is better off the noo compared to eight nine years ago as these law suits will be just beginning and a few hundred million Canuck will not go far if even these first claims are founded.   Why, by the way, do some Canadian media call him Lord Black anyway. It is a foreign title system in which we do not participate. Would we really call her Lady Thatcher? Lord Heath? Doubt it – well maybe if she were shouting at me. Well, good thing you can make a buck selling a title, too. He may need it all. Good luck to you, Connie! We’re all going to learn a whole lot about you over the next few years as the ugly spectacle of a breach of fiduciary duty by corporate director – or whatever is actually alleged – unfolds.

Life with Kids

Back from a Saturday over night with old pals with kids. Eighteen years ago he and me looked like this with the car shown left. It was the first night over at someone’s place where there were more kiddlies (5) than adults (4). Still, got a few Upper Canada Darks in, watched the Leafs lose to the Flyers and discussed other pals long since seen – one turning 40 the same night, another divorced years ago unbeknownst to me. Some others planning a get-together bringing some from BC and the Maritimes. Maybe even an invite to see Syracuse play b’ball this winter.

exactly one generation leap in toy technologyThis link should start a short movie (beware: biggish file, 10 megs mov00291) about the sound of a dinner party with kids. Same kids right planning Battling Tops, a 1970 revival in whirling plastic. I believe I was usually Hurricane Hank.

Michael Flanagan, Esq.

 

More civic art. I noticed this week these two frames on the walls of the third floor. They are not side by side but they relate to the same man, Michael Flanagan, Esq. who was City clerk from 1846 to 1893 and after – and a junior clerk before that position was his. The painting is from 1846. The certificate below is from 1893. An amazing span of time in a working life of a Canadian, he would have been a perhaps a teen when Kingston was the capital of Canada in 1841, would have watched the building of City Hall and the fortifications at the harbour mouth protecting the Rideau canal and also during his career would have seen the electronic and instant messaging era of telegraph and telephone.

If you click on the certificate you will see a large version which may be readable despite the nutty font and my browser’s automatic reduction of the scale. At about two-thirds of the way down, there is a passage which any of you can feel free to apply to me:

Those of our citizens who have had the privilege of meeting him in private life will not soon forget the attraction of his genial society and the charm of his vivacious conversation enlivened as it is by unfailing anecdote and suggestive reminiscences brought forth from the treasury of a singular retentive memory and all pervaded by a spirit of kindest sympathy for his fellowmen.

Most interesting is the fact that this is not a retirement document as he is wished many years of good health to continue serving his fellow citizens.

“Why Should I Care?”

Brent played the greatest rock drive home record this afternoon, 1973’s “5:15” from Quadrophenia, which it about the thoughts of a stoned kid heading home from a crappy job on a London train. Amazing how the boring old CBC is pushed by this show.

As the greatest teens ever, The Who deserve a come-back but they ran so many farewell tours that they overrode their own nostalgia. With only Roger and Peter left, a duo album would be interesting. In Feburary 1994, there was a two night show in New York of Daltrey singing the songs of Townsend. Pete has a great website. Recent BBC interview with Daltrey here.

Windiness

For some time, Rob1 and I have been yapping about developing wind power on PEI. PEI is both fortunate and unfortunate in God’s selection of blessings, lacking for example the natural resources such as a forested hinterland and mining resources that other parts of Canada take for granted. As the weather reports over at Craig’s site remind, however, strong winds were clearly on God’s list when he created the place. Having some experience with electric utilities, I have a sense that for PEI with its draw of 180 to 200 megawatts and dependency on expensive power from elsewhere, it is possibly sensible to put up at least the 200 towers that would supply 100% of local need. At least it is worth the review.   Movement this way has been with them for some time.

What is disconcerting – as we find local politicians finding themselves on their road to Damascus all of a sudden, creating great excitement in those who get excited when local politicians deem a scientific and business idea great – is how the deal will actually work. PEI, like the rest of Atlantic Canada, loves the megaproject dream, preferrably run by a local monopoly on a contract not necessarily open to public scrutiny. As the statute books create a closed market for electricity despite all the unbundling and competition being seen in the eastern North American electricity market, you can bet a cornerstone of the deal is access to a few selected companies. Also potentially fascinating and yet worrying is the hydrogen aspect of it – they may be banking on a technology unproven in the market of using wind to split water to burn the hydrogen in various ways.  Having had their very own symposium, however, the local politicians may now feel they are all world-classy lab-coatists.  What would be easier is to see an open market of simple wind generation into the existing electricity grid with individual operators able to sell into the eastern North American grid. That would, however, require “wheeling” – use of someone else’s power lines to move power through an area – as well as denying someone a monopoly on generation. The harsh and illogical reception Irving got to a proposal for privately funding such a development, tactily supported by the local Tory government, speaks to the likelihood of the marketplace being involved in the development. Introducing hydrogen into the mix allows for mesmerification of the whole project.  

Given the problems the provincial government has had with things like arithmatic and the continuing tradition of state involvement in enterprise that would embarrass an disco-era East German, government control is not reassuring cornerstone of this still interesting development.   Will it turn out to be more cucumbers in Newfoundland?