Keep your eyes peeled for Remembrance Day poppies to show up!
This Friday, Oct. 25, is the kickoff for the annual campaign across Canada. Although you do not have to pay for a poppy, it is traditional to make a donation of any size when you pick up a poppy.
Donations go to your local Legion branch. Eventually, they make their way to give financial help to veterans, including from the Canadian Armed Forces and also the RCMP, and their families.
Please be generous!
Back in June, this column had an item about Warren Buffet. As the column went, your writer here had received a letter from Warren saying he was going to give me $1 million. In Canadian money, that’s about $1.35 million. Last week an acquaintance wanted to know how that had turned out.
“Well, you know,” we said seriously. “We were supposed to use the secret number in the email we got to reply and claim the money.”
“Yes, yes!” our fellow said breathlessly. “And!”
I answered the letter. “Got the money. Donated a bunch to a charity in Africa, because Warren is big on that, and the rest to a needy group in Britain and our local Legion branch, because it’s the right thing to do this Remembrance Day.”
Well, my goodness! Such language from this fellow. And calling me names to boot for being too stupid for not taking the money!
Finally, when he had settled down, I told him, “Cheer up. I’m pretty sure you will get something along the same lines. Maybe not from Buffet. Maybe from a prince in Nigeria. Or somebody claiming to be a lawyer passing out inheritances.”
The fellow gets wide-eyed.
“You really think so?”
I smiled and said, “As sure as the sky is blue.”
I didn’t tell him how often I’ve fallen for scams in real life. But that’s what you get. No money. Probably costs a lot in fact. Of your money. But you sure get experience.
There are news reports North Korea is getting ready to send 10,000 troops to support Russia’s “meat grinder” war against Ukraine. Some reports, maybe from so-called “internet trolls” who are always making up stories online, say the North Koreans are already in the war.
Anyway, meat grinder is today’s description of Russia’s tactics. Although both sides are short of ammunition and equipment, Putin is using as a tactic sending human waves against Ukraine defenders. Prisoners are forced into service. Mercenaries too. Anybody Putin can put a rifle in their hands and send to fight.
Some news reports say captured North Korean troops from other parts of the world are starving and riddled with parasites and disease.
Likely, North Korea is happy to be rid of them from their country. If at home, just more people to feed and give medical care. There really isn’t enough work at home to make keeping them around worthwhile. So why not send them off to do battle some place!
Some observers say the West should welcome these folks. Feed them. Treat them medically. Train them. And send them home with weapons to do ‘good things’ there.
Interesting thought.
Looking out in our back yard, it always amazes The Page how leaves always seem to know how to fall just right, to end up covering the ground like a blanket.
Of course, a breeze comes up and piles them all in a corner, or into the neighbour’s property, but for some reason, they all seem to come back and cover the ground. More or less anyway.
So many amazing things in our world.
Speaking of amazing, it’s just two more weeks or so we learn who will be America’s next president – Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
What is really amazing is there are more Canadian news reports about those two than there are about Danielle Smith’s leadership review or Ontario premier Doug Ford’s stumbles.
But at least Justin Trudeau stories are as popular as the Americans. Maybe even a bit more.