Well I finally found a barber, at least one I like. IMPERIAL is a men's barber shop in the old style, where you can get a shave with hot lather and a straight razor, hot towels etc... The decor is the way barber shops use to look like before 1960, before they became confused in style and feminized. In Ottawa the first IMPERIAL barber shop opened about 20 years ago at the corner of Sparks street and Elgin street by the National War Memorial. At first they caterer to the Canadian Military, it was not uncommon to go in and find officers waiting for a haircut, never saw enlisted men there. So I think I will continue with them. See www.ImperialBarberShop.com
I have now taken to walking up Cartier street and at the Old Teacher's College I continue on Elgin street towards the National Cenotaph at Confederation Square, then turning unto Laurier street to my building.
A nice walk as long as you watch out for the legion of bad drivers on their cel phones in this city. In Ottawa a car is a weapon to be used against people who walk. In the last two months I read about five stories of fatal hit and run, it looks like an epidemic in this city.
I also stopped listening to the CBC in general, CBC radio use to be the best radio station for its music, news, commentary and simply for the hosts they had on the air. Nowadays every morning they have these long, sad, boring stories about some cause like Charitable drop boxes for 3 days running who are in fact for profit and not free and how they should be regulated with stiff penalties. Another favourite topic on Ottawa morning is about some feminist group who think that being pregnant is unnatural for women or the feminist cause is under constant attack from all men who we are told are violent psychopath, etc..
The other morning they had a special appeal from the SPCA no less, looking for foster families to adopt baby squirrels, considering that they belong to the same family as the common rat, one wonders.
The CBC being a public, government funded broadcaster appears to delight in leftist politics, sometimes verging on the extreme left or just plain bizarre. In other words if you are a weirdo with a cause you can be sure they will put you on at CBC Ottawa in the morning before the 8 o'clock news. It's not terribly pleasant for listeners.
Now the CBC is the English public radio broadcaster, if you listen to Radio-Canada, the French public broadcaster they have an entirely different approach, lighthearted, engaging, speaking to a large public, cultured and interesting. They certainly do not preach like their English colleagues and have kept to a programming which is well known and well liked.
To give ourselves diversity we now have at home a device called Airport Express which allows us to listen to 2075 radio stations from around the world. So we can enjoy a more enlighten approach to our radio listening. It is my understanding that CBC Radio might be on the way out come the next budget, maybe it is time to say goodbye. What we have now has nothing to do with what the CBC use to be, how very sad.
A recent business survey revealed that 75% of Canadians are peeved at others in the Office for not taking responsibility for their actions, no wonder in this Nanny State country, it's always someone else fault. Also 58% of women in the Canadian workplace are annoyed at clothes that are too revealing. Strange too much competition ladies? After all most offices today in Canada have a majority of women working. But there is much more, it would appear according to statistics in the workplace that women also complain about scents of any kind, what other people eat at lunch, peanut free zones, sunlight (too much of it), cel phone ringtones. That is a lot and shows in my opinion poor social skills.
The one country who has no pet peeves or little ITALY!!!! I am not surprised, Italians are not the sort to get fazed by others. I found them to be very tolerant in general.
I have now taken to walking up Cartier street and at the Old Teacher's College I continue on Elgin street towards the National Cenotaph at Confederation Square, then turning unto Laurier street to my building.
A nice walk as long as you watch out for the legion of bad drivers on their cel phones in this city. In Ottawa a car is a weapon to be used against people who walk. In the last two months I read about five stories of fatal hit and run, it looks like an epidemic in this city.
I also stopped listening to the CBC in general, CBC radio use to be the best radio station for its music, news, commentary and simply for the hosts they had on the air. Nowadays every morning they have these long, sad, boring stories about some cause like Charitable drop boxes for 3 days running who are in fact for profit and not free and how they should be regulated with stiff penalties. Another favourite topic on Ottawa morning is about some feminist group who think that being pregnant is unnatural for women or the feminist cause is under constant attack from all men who we are told are violent psychopath, etc..
The other morning they had a special appeal from the SPCA no less, looking for foster families to adopt baby squirrels, considering that they belong to the same family as the common rat, one wonders.
The CBC being a public, government funded broadcaster appears to delight in leftist politics, sometimes verging on the extreme left or just plain bizarre. In other words if you are a weirdo with a cause you can be sure they will put you on at CBC Ottawa in the morning before the 8 o'clock news. It's not terribly pleasant for listeners.
Now the CBC is the English public radio broadcaster, if you listen to Radio-Canada, the French public broadcaster they have an entirely different approach, lighthearted, engaging, speaking to a large public, cultured and interesting. They certainly do not preach like their English colleagues and have kept to a programming which is well known and well liked.
To give ourselves diversity we now have at home a device called Airport Express which allows us to listen to 2075 radio stations from around the world. So we can enjoy a more enlighten approach to our radio listening. It is my understanding that CBC Radio might be on the way out come the next budget, maybe it is time to say goodbye. What we have now has nothing to do with what the CBC use to be, how very sad.
A recent business survey revealed that 75% of Canadians are peeved at others in the Office for not taking responsibility for their actions, no wonder in this Nanny State country, it's always someone else fault. Also 58% of women in the Canadian workplace are annoyed at clothes that are too revealing. Strange too much competition ladies? After all most offices today in Canada have a majority of women working. But there is much more, it would appear according to statistics in the workplace that women also complain about scents of any kind, what other people eat at lunch, peanut free zones, sunlight (too much of it), cel phone ringtones. That is a lot and shows in my opinion poor social skills.
The one country who has no pet peeves or little ITALY!!!! I am not surprised, Italians are not the sort to get fazed by others. I found them to be very tolerant in general.
Laurent, I agree with your observations on the CBC. I used to be an avid listener, ok, 20yrs ago, because the programming was actually good at that time. "As it Happens" and "Peter Gzowski" were thought provoking and delivered great stories.
ReplyDeleteToday, when I turn to the CBC, I am disappointed. Being leftist is not a fault in itself, but, being leftist and dogmatic in that view point, I do have a problem with. 20 years ago, the CBC was certainly left of centre, but with an openess to examine other points of view. Not now.
I no longer listen to CBC. I am now a convert to the American National Public Radio (NPR) which I am somewhat embarrassed about as a Canadian.
Great post as usual!
Jason thank you.
ReplyDeleteRobertson Davies wrote Canada has two Myths : the Myth of innocence and the Myth of Difference. When I read things like in your post, I think hey it aint much different there; it isnt a greener grass.
ReplyDeleteI think that Robertson Davies had it right, now we are discovering what it means to have a Conservative government run on Faith. It's like G.W. but 11 years later.
ReplyDelete