January 23/01/2026 Pictures of a Beautiful World...

 

After watching and reading the news of the day I put my feet up, rolled back my LazyBoy and clicked the television toward an assortment of available Streaming Networks. There they were: six renderings beaming from a 55" screen begging to find a spot in my collection of photographs. I thought they were beautiful. I don't know who created them but I do know that the word Britbox was in the lower right hand corner of each.

    Our weather network had forecast cold and snow yesterday January 22, 2026. Today is almost like yesterday except the snow has given way to wind with the temperature still between -13 and -19C. It's another perfect day to relax and write about the weather, these six photographs and current events in our neighbourhood and around the world but I won't be doing that now. It's 10:45 and Terryl and I are getting ready for a luncheon with Jack and Yvonne at Pho Huong Vietnamese recently opened in Port Credit.

👲

We, that's Jack and I had a lively discussion over Trump and Carney's performance during Davos Switzerland World Forum from January 21 to 25. Jack and the Devil's Advocate hold hands with considerable ease prompting animated comments from me. At the end of our Vietnamese lunch we were satisfied with the food and the discussion. I'm comfortable saying Trump is the least liked President of the USA in my mind, and Jack seemed to feel as I do. There are many Canadians who heard and thought Carney's speech was a home run. I believe that many Americans thought Trump's presentation lasting an hour rambled and drifted on and off point, something like his election rallies, and finished claiming that he and he alone should be directing the future of 1,030,000,000 Western Hemisphere's population.

👼

Not often, but periodically it is appropriate to include another person's written response to what appears to be the never ending argument within the USA under the questionable guidance of Donald J Trump.

    The following question was selected from a subject line identified as 'Done With the Bullshit' and is written by an unnamed American: 

"In opposing Trump's 51st state initiative, aren't Canadians demonstrating their ignorance of American federalism and Amendment X?"

    The following answer is written by another American named Richard Hill: 

"Ah, what we are witnessing is the inevitable entry of a moribund empire entering the inevitable stages of imminent decline. Where the arrogance and undeserved sense of superiority has led to a delusional state in which that “empire” still believes it is actually what it once claimed to be, but where the evidence demonstrates otherwise and that the decline is accelerating towards and end stage of dissolution and collapse.

Canada is not part of this declining empire! Canada has never been a part of this empire! Canada has never been subject to the laws and conventions that hold sway within this declining empire! The people of Canada have made it abundantly clear that they have zero interest, in any way, of joining, or otherwise subjugating themselves to this declining empire! Canadians have the clear and complete understanding that they are not subject to, or obligated to become, in any way, the “American” delusion of superiority, or the supposed “inevitability” of being subjugated to this declining empire!

The people of Canada have been excruciatingly aware of “American” delusions of an “imagined destiny” to take over the entire continent and have never once considered this, in any serious way, to be an acceptable future for them, their country, or their children’s future!

It’s not ignorance! It’s utter disdain!"

Thank you Richard. I know there is hope that someday, our relationship with people like yourself and millions of like minded citizens will return to one of mutual respect coupled with admiration and prosperity for all of us will return to the Western Hemisphere. I also know that won't happen while Primadonald is in the Oval Office.

👼

This is our golf buddy Dave Hastie who passed away in the winter of 2024. His wife Sandy, also a member at Brampton GC, emailed this photo with a request to raise a glass to Dave on his birthday January 24. I followed up with a placement on Facebook and let Sandy know. 

    Our foursome for five years was Ray Coole, Paul Hurley, Gary McDonald and Dave Hastie. Ray, Paul and Dave were experienced lifetime golfers with Amateur Trophies, and I was invited to join their group in 2020 when Dr. Eric Meddings took ill and resigned from our Brampton Golf Club. 

    When Ray called with the invitation for a regular Friday game it fit my schedule perfectly.

💇

Today's weather was ideal to purchase flowers and chocolates and take them to our friends Pat and Jack Casselman. They have lived in the north west of greater Mississauga in a Condo for the last four months. Recently Pat has had surgery for cancer, moved from their lovely home of thirty years, and previously dealt with flooded basements and a husband who at 91 years deals with doctors and treatments on a fairly regular basis. However Jack was smiling brightly at his front door shouting, "Where's your golf game today." Terryl had delivered the gifts to Jack because Pat had a physiotherapist appointment in the afternoon.

😀

    We are making ready for our flight to Cancun on February 2, 2026 to a place called Yucatan Princess Resort and Spa where Terryl and I will soak up the sun, but never overdue it, drink all sorts of cocktails, eat a variety of foods served in five different restaurants, sleep on another Kingsize bed overlooking a garden or ocean for fourteen days courtesy of Air Canada Vacations. This is the first all-inclusive resort for us in twenty years. We usually Cruise!

😁

It's early Friday morning in Port Credit where the snowfall has stopped for three days. The heavy white snow sits piled against trees and fences with no where to go until warmer air finds its way east to Ontario and beyond. It is pretty and the kids love this stuff.

    Mark Carney continues to receive praise from around the world following his speech at Davos eight days ago. I'll title it Rupture in World Order.

Prime Minister Mark Carney

I'm taking you to cpac.ca which will go to Carney's speech at Davos. When in, click on Video Archive and search for Carney at Davos approximately 30 minutes in length. There is no hesitation of my personal pride in Mark Carney that began when he was Governor of the Bank of Canada and then Bank of England and then his interview with comedian John Stewart on CBS The Daily Show was a home run. 

In this speech I believe he has opened the ears of the world with solutions, as well as his ability to guide the middle powers (instead of the super powers), to a new and improved economic course of action. 

👼