How many other cities in Canada and other places in the world are falling this way? This makes me feel more like we are watching the end of the world, as far as people living in it, than anything else. I hope the planet, plants and animals can recover once we are gone. I don't think the planet will miss us.

Sent to one of the candidates for ward one in the coming municipal election:

I'm trying to decide who to vote for in ward one. For me a big issue is NOT traffic. Although it is the first issue several of the candidates seem to post about. We live on S----- Street which gets a lot of traffic but the speed bumps are a bigger problem than traffic, for us. Those ebike escooter riders who do not care to follow the rules of the road are an issue but not causing me to want to leave Barrie entirely.

The real issue for us are the drug addicts, homeless and criminals. There is a facility at the end of S----- street for who ever they have living there next. It has been empty for a couple of years. Money well spent I'm sure, NOT!

We have had a drug addict/ homeless person (Corey, known by first name when I called local Police) cause damage (fires), stealing, and trespassing at our home on several occasions. Just my Mother and myself living here, I am 61 and she is 82. I feel VERY unsafe living here, but I do not feel I can move because my Mother would likely be put into a senior's place (if I were not here) and this would be a big upset for her, she LOVES her garden which she has kept for about 15+ years here now.

Anyway, I see these homeless drug people as a big problem and I do not think throwing more money at them is any kind of solution. First, how much more money can be squeezed out of tax payers, especially when it only brings in more druggies (shorter than typing out all the rest). As I see it, every time I am in downtown Barrie, our businesses are moving/ leaving and this means less money to keep supporting the druggies who do not give back anything to the community, they only take. I do not see this working out well at all. Eventually there just won't be enough people with an income in Barrie to keep supporting the druggies. I feel awful for home owners in the worst areas. They would have to abandon their property to leave - who would ever buy something surrounded by human filth? I guess it won't be too many years before no one will want to buy a home in Barrie.

When I drive around Barrie downtown most of it looks abandoned. I have seen druggies half dressed wobbling around with their dink out trying to pee on people walking buy. I have seen druggies who have taken over some of the old (once beautiful) downtown homes in Barrie. I've seen them sitting in a chair slumped all the way over like a wet noodle with another one beside them looking like he didn't know where he was. There is a definite line where the tide turns from business and community to shithole (to be blunt). That line keeps moving along, getting bigger taking more of what could have been good down with it.

My neighbour has a business in downtown Barrie and he is VERY angry about having to clean up (literally) shit and garbage from his front door every day. I do not think a lot of people are over joyed to see their money support the very problem people who are dragging Barrie down. Whatever the solution is I do not see supporting them and bringing in more of them as being at all helpful.

Anyway, for Mayor I think there is no one to vote for really. Alex Nuttall by default at most. I have not decided for Ward One. Like Alex Nuttall, I'm leaning towards you by default, or just not bothering to vote at all. All the candidates seem to think they can take our money and use it for druggies as if there is a bottomless supply and we all just love living here with Barrie turning into a toilet, pretty literal unless someone puts in a Johnny on the spot. Real attractive for possible tourists, business or home owners.

When my Mother does move on, one way or another, I will NOT be staying in Barrie. No safety, no bus service, no chance I want to spend another 15 or so years here. I do not see Barrie as a city that will thrive at all. I don't want to die with it. You could think I am over dramatic but we spent more than $600 repairing damage to our home after that druggie was here and he can come back when ever he wants. Police do not help, not us anyway. They help the druggies and criminals because that's how our legal/ courts are set up now.

Rant over. I sent a note to Alex Nuttall when this was happening. Someone from his office wrote back and just said I should call the police again if something happens. I don't think the politicians have any clue at all about what life in Barrie is really like now. I think I will just not bother to vote. I really do not think anyone in power really cares at all.

General stuff, along the same lines, posted to social media today.

*What if you live in Barrie and want to leave, to sell your house? This homeless drug addict situation affects everyone working, living, or having a property in Barrie.

Local business owners in downtown Barrie clean shit (literally) from their front steps every day. If their business fails there will be fewer tax payers to support the homeless and drug addicts. Why is this allowed at all? Some of these people are trying to help themselves, others do not want help and prefer to have their free drugs and live on public land they do not maintain. One group of people (business owners, tax payers, etc) are good for Barrie, bring money, etc to Barrie. The other... do not. Whatever their story, they are just a drain on Barrie. I don't think that is ok. Those who want help should have it, consider what used to be known as poor houses. If they do not want help then just go away and stop dragging everyone else down.

Adding more facilities just means more cost for Barrie residents AND more homeless and drug addicts being sent/ coming here. I would rather NOT have them coming to Barrie. I drove around Woodstock, Cambridge, and some other towns along the way. It felt like a vacation from beggars and homeless druggies. I still locked the car door but I didn't feel unsafe or worried as I do here in Barrie.

What sidelines? We have had a homeless druggie invade our property and set fires causing property damage we had to pay for. I called Police. We were told not to interfere and wait inside the house. Police stood and watched this person steal even more from our garage, then watched him leave. He came back within the hour, as soon as my brother left and my Mother and I were alone again. Called police again but they are not allowed to really do anything. So... no sidelines here.

Bring back the old poor houses. People could live there and have facilities for water, etc. In return they had to support themselves in some way. At one time it would have been making license plates, something useful and resourceful. This gives them food, shelter basic needs while not allowing them to roam around being a nuisance and problem for local people and businesses. It also gives them a chance to be useful, cared for, members of society again. I know it won't happen, these days it is all about hanging over more and more without asking anything of them, like actually being responsible for themselves again. I think they could have pride in themselves again if they were given care and expected to support themselves again. Isn't that far better than having them wander around using Barrie like a toilet and/or a money pit?

The Rights of Homeless People and Drug Addicts versus Involuntary, enforced care

I don't feel especially concerned about "their" rights. When they pay taxes, contribute to the community, etc. I will care about their rights. Why respect their rights over everyone else living and working in this city? I should have the right to feel safe living here. I don't at all feel safe living here. Its not so easy to just pack up and leave when you are not homeless and have real responsibilities.

Modern Food Banks

They want people to bring in money donations not food. They even say that when the news people talk to them. We prefer money, not food. What kind of a FOOD bank is that? I can't afford to donate money. I don't know where food can be donated, other than the odd event in downtown Barrie where you can bring canned goods. Is the Food Bank doing good or just making money? I don't know.*

I have heard about the lakes. I didn't know about the coastlines, but it makes sense along with being the second largest country with the most lakes in the world. I think I have read we have the most fresh water too, or fresh water lakes. As water becomes more important as a natural resource, Canada has a lot going for it. I hope we keep our water clean, unpolluted.

In movies about dire futures I never see Canada as a destination for people to escape/ run to. Of course, most of the apocalypse/ dire future movies and TV shows are based in the US and working with the theory that the US saves the world. The reality is likely to be very different.

Canada’s Endless Coasts

Canada has—by far—the longest coastline of any country in the world. Canada is a massive country by overall area in general, coming in second only to Russia in terms of square mileage (or square kilometers, as it were, in the Canadian measurement system). So it makes sense that Canada has a ton of coastline. And because Canada is made up of so many islands, both large and small, in its far northern territories, that amount of coastline rises nearly exponentially while counting all those shores.

The actual numbers are staggering. Canada has 151,000 miles (243,042 kilometers) of coastline. And the next closest countries on the list aren’t even in Canada’s league! That’d be Indonesia (33,554 miles or 54,000 kilometers of coastline), Russia (nearly 23,612 miles or 38,000 kilometers), the United States (just under 12,430 miles or 20,000 kilometers), and China (almost 9,325 miles or 15,000 kilometers). Canada wins!

Canada wins in another way, too: the most lakes in the world. As if saltwater and access to oceans and seas weren’t enough for the Canadians, they also have more freshwater within their nation’s boundaries than any other country on Earth.

In total, Canada has 879,800 lakes all throughout its land. Not only is that the most lakes on earth, it’s actually more lakes than all other countries in the world COMBINED! When you account for the entire globe, Canada holds more than 60% of the world’s 1.4 million lakes. Russia is second on the lake list—if you’re curious—but they are nowhere close to Canada.

ListVerse - Ten Strange but True Geography Facts

I've had this idea for a couple of weeks. Just the idea of a robot left with a zombie sort of creature. Zombie is so over-used so I didn't use it. There is no plot really. It just moves along until I stopped writing.

It was loud for so long I didn't notice when it became quiet. The wounded continued to gather. I did what I could for them. It wasn't enough, they moaned always, but didn't complain. My owner mingled with them all. Often I had to search to sort him out from the crowd. I didn't miss him asking for my services and the service I could give now seemed to make very little difference to him. But, you understand, it was a contract I was built to honour. What is death... no heart beat but still mobile with brain activity. So I stayed.

I didn't need much myself. A sunny spot to recharge without being bumped into. Clean water was harder to find. There were rivers, streams, even skimming from deep enough puddles. As the crowd of wounded migrated around I'd have to find water where I could. I liked being clean. Fresh changes of clothing were easy. There were so many empty places to restock clothing supplies. Of course, I didn't need food. A little touch up of fluids which I could find in wrecked or abandoned vehicles. I carried some steel wool for those odd spots that would get a touch of rust.

We seldom encountered what I cam to think of as fresh people. Some of those were wounded too but, not the same. They would run from the wounded crowd. I'd have to be vigilant and not get in harm's way when they attacked the crowd. I didn't help the fresh people, even when one would notice me, see that I wasn't one of the wounded, and try commanding me to attend them. I was under contract and that hadn't changed. Besides, they just wanted to use me, my services, and I wasn't interested in providing for them.

My life, I think of it as a life, would have gone on that way forever, or a very long time at least. But, one day I noticed the quiet. Not complete silence. There were still moans from the wounded, the odd wild or feral animal, wind blowing, all of those sounds. The overhead noise from bombs, rockets, airplanes, and all the war mongering was gone. I stopped to listen and waited for it to continue. It didn't.

What did it mean? Did people run out of things to throw at each other? Did the war run out of people to keep throwing things?

The wounded didn't notice, but they weren't very aware of much at all. I began to wonder if there was anyone left to communicate with at corporate headquarters. Could I find someone to talk to? I tried. I'd find a location with a bit of height and search for signals, even the old radio waves. I would hear fresh people talking, but no one I could report to and get updates from.

I wasn't easily surprised but the day the androids came... I was extremely surprised. There was no sign of them and then, there they were. A pack of them, assorted sizes, functions, and state of repair. My people! I decided my contract with my owner was null and void. The first big decision I had ever made for myself, about myself. I was nervous as our group moved away from the wounded. But, most of them didn't notice, just kept moaning and wandering. I did say "good bye" to my owner, to let him know I would be gone. It seemed polite.

I'm starting to get fed up with cookies, especially having those notices half filling my screen and no option to say NO/ deny them. Some sites do let you say no to cookies and then you can go on to see the site. Most do not. Why not, wasn't that the point of being asked? Otherwise why ask at all if the site is still sticking me with cookies I don't want?

The other thing, are sites that try to make me shut off my ad blocker. Yes, they want to make money, fine. But, how can I decide if I care enough to look at their site before I've seen any of it? They could give people an option to at least see the site before they stick me with a bunch of ads which most likely include cookies, tracking and whatever other junk.

Marketing continues to suck the life out of the Internet, like a parasite.

I posted this to the forums on the Curlie site. As someone who reviews, edits, and lists sites (a lot of them) the cookies and assorted marketing junk really get annoying, quickly. Before you think sites are not asking me to list them... you're wrong. I'm reviewing sites which have been submitted to the directory. I'm not usually looking for sites to list, out of the blue.

Also, last night I was thinking about advertising in general. I've written before that marketing and advertising preys on people, finding weaknesses to sell them stuff they likely could do without. Last night I went a bit farther down that idea.

Marketing and advertising finds ways to make us feel incompetent. "You can't do this without buying that." ... "You can't wash your car without buying this or that product because without it you will do a botch job". You get the idea, I hope. Marketing is training people to think they can not succeed at life on their own. It belittles people and softly bullies them. The whole thing about adulting as a verb is a marketing scheme. There is no reason you can't be an adult. Adults are not omnipotent beings. Why make people needy, unsatisfied, neurotic even unless you have the cure/ solution they need for 3 easy payments of $9.99 a month...

AI is set up to "help" us even more because we are just that incompetent. Why can't people make a cake, fix a toaster, etc, etc, etc, as they did twenty years ago? Of course they can. But, they are trained to believe they can not. Think about the ads you've seen lately. How many have told you (not in so many words) that you can't do something? Ads making men look like clumsy fools. Men are not, in general, clumsy or fools. Children are not uncontrollable wild animals and women are not idiot trolls trying to look like Barbie dolls, or whatever the marketing twists people into so it can sell us stuff.

How will people be living in another few generations? If you're not generating money somehow, in order to buy stuff, will people become a nuisance population? Like an out of control population of mice. Will we be herded up like cattle, as some science fiction has suggested? (Even that will dwindle down as supply and demand fall off). Will we be used as sort of living batteries to power the machines, the artificial intelligence? Our abundance of population will only be useful if we contribute to the economy and then... what if the consumer economy tanks?

What happens when there are not enough human consumers to support the industries, the businesses, and services geared to human beings? How much of what exists, only exists for some form of human consumption? Whether physical, mental, or emotional... so much of what marketing sells is based on having a human population with the money to support it. If things keep going as they are and humans become useless, how will that change everything? Quite a lot, I'd think. Hard to even imagine once you start to think about all the pieces falling out of place.

Life after humans... what would it really look like?

Is the apocalypse over yet?

Who decides what is an apocalypse or a pandemic, or for that matter, a disaster? Then who decides it’s over? Do we give power to these people or do they take it? At the end of a real apocalypse, pandemic or disaster (in the movies) someone is the hero who makes decisions, starts things up or stays on top in some way. The real heros are unacknowledged, unapplauded, usually unrewarded (other than what they bestow on themselves – feeling good, etc.).

There are a lot of movies about heros, apocalypses and disasters. Reality is not like in the movies. History is written by the winners, those who survive and are able to write about it. They may not write the truth, certainly it is never unbiased.

You can’t really trust history, or apocalypses. Heroes should be carefully considered before any celebrations begin.