Steve-o-the-wisp!

After 2000 years, I'm reading Seneca! What he wrote then is as accurate today as it ever was.

To quote one excerpt from his "On the Shortness of Life,"

How many will avoid going out through a hall crowded with dependants, and escape through a secret door - as if it were not even more discourteous to deceive callers than to exclude them.

Sound familiar? How does he remain anonymous? He is an economist and is very economical with his time facing the public. Ducking out back doors to avoid questions is his forte. Seneca would have told him he will have to face the music, eventually!

Recalibrate!!!!

Joseph T. Hallinan has recently published "Why We Make Miztakes: How we look without seeing, forget things in seconds, and are all pretty sure we are way above average." It is a very good read.

I have carried out my own "scientific" check to confirm his latter claim! It appears we do indeed see ourselves as way above average. Using a  psychological assessment ranking with genius at the top and idiot at the bottom, almost everyone I asked placed themselves at least at the 75% mark. You may recall that the PM and all his associates reassured us at the time of prorogation that his government's purpose was to recalibrate. I have searched the two-volume Shorter Oxford English Dictionary and been unable to find the word. The definition of calibrate, however, includes "skill and judgement". May we assume that recalibrate suggests that the first time, those two qualities were not present in his plans and actions? Perhaps the PM also sees himself as "way above average"? Let's hope he calibrates correctly next time. If there is a next time!

I is for Ignatieff

Following the Liberal Party's 150 year Brains Trust Conference last weekend, Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Liberal Opposition party, was questioned on CBC yesterday. In his responses, he not only avoided answering the questions, all politicians do that - but he all too often, used "me, myself and I" as his subject. It was embarrassing. There he was emerging from a festival of ideas, implying that the party revolved around him! He should have been pulling the party together with we, us, even all Canadians, not I, me, my. That style may be difficult for one with the aristocratic background he has, not to mention the intellectual monogram he has been weaving for several decades.  If he has such little sensitivity or political acumen, I hope the Libs stop asking me to donate to his cause! The old Liberal Party was more astute - and thus, often in power. Gawd knows what the back-room boys are doing to bring Iggy's attention to his shortcomings. Meanwhile, the P.M. must be smiling all the way to the next election, reassured that his luck has changed after his prorogation drop in popularity.