Post-Thanksgiving Musings

A Week of Politics, Musk's Madness, and Bonus Kittens!

It’s been a very busy week here on the Black Cloud, with Thanksgiving (I refuse to call it “Canadian Thanksgiving” because I’m in Canada) and a number of other events, one of which I’ll get to later.

It’s also been busy because I’ve been trying, with varying degrees of success, to keep up with a near-constant stream of major events, all of which deserve attention. From the Foreign Interference Committee to Canada’s confrontation with India, the U.S. election, and Ukraine’s Victory Plan, it’s been a tumultuous week in many ways, setting the stage for November’s U.S. election.

Throughout it all, I’ve been struck by a couple of things.

Ottawa…Ugh

First is the hyperpartisanship being manifested in Ottawa. Much, though not all, of the blame for this can be laid at the feet of the Conservatives. I’m old-fashioned enough to believe that partisanship should stop at the border and that Canada should speak with a single voice internationally. However, the immediate reaction of many on the right was to blame their own government, question the intelligence sources (which likely stem from our excellent relationship with the other Five Eyes agencies), and side with our diplomatic adversary.

Second, I was puzzled by the Conservative reaction to the Prime Minister’s testimony at yesterday’s Foreign Interference Inquiry. The very fact that a sitting head of government would appear before an inquiry and submit to questioning demonstrates the strength of our democracy. That Trudeau conveniently neglected to mention (until pressed) that Liberal, NDP, and Conservative politicians were all targets of interference was a cynical partisan move.

However, it pales in comparison to the over-the-top reaction from Pierre Poilievre, who accused the PM of “lying” to the inquiry and demanded he (illegally) release the names of parliamentarians involved. The fact that Poilievre still refuses to obtain a security clearance to view the actual intelligence reports (which are likely at a Level Two (Secret) classification) seems bizarre, and the explanations from his defenders make no sense. Frankly, I’d be interested to learn how much U.S. MAGA money has made its way into the hands of Canadian organizations and individuals, aside from probable Chinese and Indian interference. Surely, this is a subject that deserves a serious, non-partisan approach.

Elon’s at it Again

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t direct some snark at everyone’s favourite oligarch wannabe, Elon Musk. Aside from his massive financial support for Trump, which is essentially funding Trump’s entire “ground game” leading up to the election, Musk continues to make “improvements” to Xitter. Yesterday, those logging into the site received a message stating that the blocking policy was about to change. Previously, if you blocked an account, that account couldn’t view or interact with you. This helped prevent a lot of abuse, and to be honest, I was a heavy user of the block function.

Yesterday, Musk announced a change to this system. Now, everyone can see your posts, including accounts you’ve blocked. The impact is obvious. Screenshots of posts can be taken and used to encourage abuse from other accounts or from ghost accounts. The level of harassment could escalate exponentially. People like me, who have had to deal with threats online, are suddenly vulnerable again. All of this in the name of one person’s definition of “free speech.”

Thursday Pet Post

The weekend is nearly upon us, and I have a special pet post for today.

On Tuesday, I had the door open to let in some fresh air. Arwen, our giant Maine Coon, and Kali, the dog, were staring at something beyond the screen. When I went to investigate, I found three tiny kittens at our door. With the help of the Humane Society, we managed to catch two of them along with their very spicy (and likely feral) mom. We’re still searching for the third kitten and have all sorts of lures and other incentives, including momma cat, out to attract it.

The three we have in hand have all been to the vet for a check-up, deworming, and microchipping. The mom will be spayed and receive similar care. For now, we’re hosting all three and are hoping to find the fourth ASAP. Our resident cats (and dog) aren’t overly fussed, thankfully.