Mike Duffy was found not guilty of all 31 charges.  He is a free man.  He is allowed to return to the Senate and the trough. The legal system has spoken.

But the judge also said something more than just ‘not guilty’.  He said that common sense and the rules of the senate were strangers.  In effect, the judge condemned the senate for the way it conducted it’s business.  In effect, the legal system is broken as well.  But we knew that.

Mind you, the law, justice and common sense are also strangers. The Latimer case proved that. Robert Latimer went to jail for years.  Mike gets paid $142,000 plus non-nonsensical benefits for doing more of nothing.  Who is he going to shill for anyway, now that Harper is gone?

But who said life was fair?

I also read that the top-billing doctor in Ontario (an eye surgeon) cost their taxpayers $6.6 million last year.  Surgeons do not ‘pay’ for the hospital they use nor the staff that assists them.  They don’t pay the cleaners or the power bill.  My guess is that fairness and honesty might be in question there as well.

None of that is news.  I mention it only because some people are more equal than others in our corrupt and faltering system.  It simply cannot continue. And yet it continues.

But it no longer continues for me.  By going ‘off the grid’, we have not fully extricated ourselves from the system but we have somehow ameliorated the effects of the corruption and evil of it.  I have no doubt that, had I remained in the cul de sac, I would be so outraged by so much that passes for ‘the way it is’ that I would either be mental or arrested by now.

So, what’s the point?

Living off the grid is a form of therapy, a way to mental health.  I had no idea that it would turn out that way but I think it has. Of course it has the positive influence of nature, whales, ravens and fresh air but it also insulates me from so much that is wrong with this world and I am just not talking ISIL, Trump and world hunger. I am simply talking about common sense, fairness and goodness on an everyday, neighbourhood level.  We have more of that out here.  It’s that simple.  The ratio of good to evil is just so much better.

I didn’t know that.

Michel Girouard is a judge with the Quebec Superior Court.  He was suspended with pay in 2013 pending a review by three of his peers for allegations that he bought cocaine.  The three have since determined that there was not enough evidence to charge him so they haven’t. They also concluded that Justice Girouard was not a credible witness when testifying on his own behalf.  They said, “If Justice Girouard were to continue as a judge of the Superior Court of Quebec, this would, in our opinion, undermine public confidence in the entire judicial system.”

Several points need to be made here.  One; the alleged offences happened over 25 years ago during the period 1987 – 1991. Two; he was not charged.  So, on the face of it, he should go about his business.

But, when questioned by his peers, he was judged ‘not credible’.  In effect, three of his peers judged him as evasive and not telling the truth.  That might still leave him uncharged and unconvicted but it should at least mean that he is guilty of a level of contempt.  And, as we all know, contempt of court is worse than murder.

Still, it was NOT a court, it was just an investigation.  No proof.  No charges.  No conviction.  Maybe he should be allowed to go about his business?

Or should he?  Don’t forget – there is a basic tenet in law that ‘not only must justice be done, it must be SEEN to be done.  And quickly!  Time is of the essence.  In other words, appearance of process must be as impeccable as process.

Frankly, I do not think there has been the proper standard of appearances in this matter but who the hell am I?  Let us move on to the real issue…

Mr. Girouard has been suspended with pay since January 2013.  I am guessing that his salary is in the neighbourhood of $200K a year but I do not know (I just checked.  I was wrong.  I do not know Marcel’s salary but the average is $350,000 plus a helluva lot of benefits).  I just know that the system does not skimp on paying tax dollars to high ranking civil servants and judges are pretty high up.  So, Mr. Girouard has been paid $1,000,000 (give or take) to sit on his butt.

Compare that to an ordinary person charged with a crime or ‘being investigated’.   DO NOT compare to a senator like Duffy.

And therein lies the issue that concerns me: Canadian justice is slow.  Too slow.  Slower than glaciers (OK, that is partly due to global warming but it is still SLOW).  So the ‘appearance’ of justice in this case is made worse by the time it is taking to essentially do more ‘nothing’.  NOT only is it slow but it is very expensive.  We, the taxpayers are paying for the lethargy of the system and, in this case, that lethargy is actually BENEFITING the accused.  How long does it take for three ‘peers’ to determine if there is enough evidence to make a charge stick?  NOT three years!!!

Mr. Girouard is happy to let the process drag on.  Why not?  He is getting paid.  The peers are happy to go slow.  Why not?  They are getting paid, too.

That it took them 25 years to even allege wrongdoing is stupid enough but that it took three years for three judges to ‘think about’ whether there is a case to be had….that’s ludicrous.

Even stupider?   Their conclusion was tabled to the Federal minister in November.

“The minister thanks the Canadian Judicial Council for their work and she will be reviewing their report,” said Michael Davis, a spokesman for the minister.  

My advice to Girouard: “Book a slow cruise around the world, Marcel.  They won’t be doing much on this.  Not any time soon, anyway!”

I have 12 8D batteries rated at 200 amp hours each.  They are heavy duty, deep cycle industrial type batteries.  Value….?  New?  Maybe as much as $3600.  I have configured them in three sets of 4.  Four times 12 = 48 volts and that is the system I have, a 48 volt system.  But, when you put four together to make 48 volts, you do not increase your amp hours so I have 3 groups of four to achieve 600 amp hours (3 times 200 amp hours).

For those of you numbing over from boredom already, that information is almost NOT important.  600 ah at 48 volts = 28,800 watts.  You can get 28,800 watts with a 24 volt system (1200 amp hours) or 28,800 watts with a 12 volt system (2400 amp hours).  It all translates to watts and all the watts get ‘inverted’ to 120 volts AC by way of the (duh) inverter.

“We know all this.  You have bored us before with it!”

I know.  And you also know Elon Musk is developing another type of hang-on-the-wall battery that is made from Lithium Ion technology.  It promises to be better.  Someday.

AND more expensive.  Of course.  At least twice.  Maybe more.

My lead acid batteries are ‘rated’ to last as long as 7 years if I am a perfect caretaker.  I am not.  I try.  But I fail.  So, I expect five years and, if I get more, I am ecstatic.  Do the math.  That’s about $1.50 a day in battery depreciation.  Give or take.

I have had these batteries pushing five years already.  So, I am starting to look for batteries again.  My friend, Mike, is in the business.  “Get those Discovery batteries.  I’ll bring them in for ya.”

“Never heard of them!”

“They’ve been around.  Head office in Vancouver.  No idea where they are made but they are the best lead acid batteries available right now.”

“You mean, after Surrette.”

“I think they are comparable.  Maybe a bit cheaper, too.”

“How can that be?”

“Different technology.  Different electrolyte.  Different plates.  But still lead acid.  Best part is that you can draw them down further.  They are deeper cycle.  And they have at least two to three times more cycles in them than do your 8Ds.  That means probably 15 years or more from them.”

So, what is the point?  Well, as you know, we built to the thirty year rule but that was ten years ago.  So, I only have to worry about batteries for twenty more years.  If I get the Discovery batteries in a few years, I may be able to get them to stretch out for the duration.  To hell with Elon Musk.

But, more to the point, folks are out there trying to improve the technology.  It’s about time. Batteries have been the product that was not broke so no one fixed it.  But nowadays we are expecting way more from batteries and so some folks went and fixed it.  I am almost 100% sure that Discovery batteries are a step up.  I am equally as sure that, in five years, there will be a bigger step up.  I will stretch this current batch as far as I can and then ‘make the leap’.

Solar panels got cheaper.  Around $1.25 a watt.  I am thinking of adding three more. Batteries are getting better.  Inverters are already great. Charge controllers are also getting better.  It is only NOW that using solar in even a cul de sac house is starting to make sense.  Almost.  When batteries get a bit better than the Discovery or Surrette models and if they address ‘connectors’ and bits and pieces next, it will definitely be time to consider doing it even if you are NOT off the grid.

I predict that it WILL make enough financial sense to do it in five years if it isn’t already a good idea simply to have ‘black-out’ back-up.

A couple we now know well came to live here because they read the book.  They were retiring from the prairies anyway and they had pretty much chosen this area but reading the book narrowed their search and, last year, they came to be full-time residents on the island.  They are a great addition to the community and they seem to be loving it.  Last night, they came for dinner.

“You’ll never guess……”

“What?”

“Well, we had some of our prairie friends over last week and, well, they are now looking to buy here, too! The floodgates are open!”

“Four is not a flood.  In fact, in that same time, we lost two.  So, we are net plus two, I think.”

“Good.  But actually, now that we are here, we are already starting to feel as if we should keep the good news of it to a select few.  Don’t want paradise covered in people, do we?”

“Won’t happen.  Twelve years ago one of the local guys warned me off describing hereabouts in glowing terms.  ‘Now, don’t go tellin’ folks how great it is here or they will come and spoil it.’  Since then maybe ten have come and six have left.  We are still an island gathering of 50 on a good day.  Maybe 70 on a good day in August. Two reasons for that; no one reads me and very few can imagine living like this.  I think we are safe.”

“Yeah….funny you should say ‘safe’…….we are kinda gettin’ into that prepper mind-set, ya know?  Kinda wanna stock up on stuff like grains and raise chickens….kinda…..not really….but….kinda, ya know?”

“Oh, yeah.  I know that feeling well.  It will pass.  I used to read about animal husbandry and all that.  If you read a few manuals on getting lambs to breathe after having just been born, you will either become a vegetarian or want all meat disguised in saran wrap like us. Lambs are hard. But so are chickens.  Cows are impossible.  Can you believe that? COWS are impossible!  Who knew?”

“So, like, are we ever gonna be much more independent than two weeks from Save-On?”

“We’re four weeks.”

“Wow!”

“Bought 10 pounds of whole powdered milk powder when last in the city.  We could maybe go two months now that we have powder for tea.”

“Wow!  You guys are amazing!”

“I know.  Feel like Les Stroud.”

“But, like, is that really it?  I mean, shouldn’t we do gardens and chickens and gather roots, nuts and twigs and all that crap?”

“Some do.  L picks her pharmacy right out of the forest.  R picks 100 pounds of wild blackberries for the best damn wine every year.  But I think he likes Quaker Harvest Crunch cereal so you win some, you lose some. J catches a few pounds of prawns in season but then gives them as gifts to his neighbours in town.  They might buy him a pizza in return, ya know?  Pizza…the circle of life kinda thing?”

“So, how much of your diet do you make, find or forage?”

“Sal cooks from scratch so, if you are counting processing, we eat nothing heavily processed.  Not really.  But, if you are counting grains and spices and dairy and cheese and scotch and chocolate and comparing that to what we actually grow or catch, I am guessing maybe ten percent.  Fifteen in the summer.”

“That is not very independent.”

“I know.  But Les Stroud got rich off of Survivorman.  Wanna know what he does with the money?  Eats at Hy’s Steakhouse, that’s what.  Les ate roots and bugs for the TV show but eats cheeseburgers between scenes.  That’s the real secret to Survivorman.”

Interesting twist to the Canadian economy, don’t you think?  The Harper-cons were so petro-oriented and, then of course, the price of crude dropped and the economy tanked. Just-in Trudeau wins the election with a smile and a positive message and, in a short time, Canada’s image abroad improves, our popularity improves and – HOLY COW! – our economy improves.  Oil is still down and yet the economy is up.  One would think we were exporting smiles and hope rather than oil.

It’s not that simple, of course, but in some ways, it is.  That Trudeau has changed the mood of the country is undeniable and that the mood of the country is the largest driver of the economy is well-known.  Oil only represents a very small percentage of GDP.  Hope and goodwill seems to be much more influential.  Canadians are more upbeat.  And ‘upbeat’ is a strong economic driver rather than the other way around.

The devalued dollar makes our goods easier to sell overseas.  I know that.  A booming manufacturing sector is really just another way of saying ‘DISCOUNT PRICES!’  So the lower loonie is probably a more real ‘metric’ indicator.  Still, the change in the air is palpable. Trudeau has turned Gloomy Gus into Jolly Joe Six-pack.  And, somehow, that is working in ways previously unseen.  Message to business: see the extra special response to ‘going good’ and ‘delivering hope’ that is way more productive than cutting costs and jobs and wages and preaching doom.

But I don’t wanna gloat about the past and present.  I really want to look at what it means to us in the future.  I was NOT impressed with Trudeau and still resent, to some extent, a pretty face and a famous name gaining him our top office.  Feels wrong to me.  I will continue to look for that kind of superficiality in his character that I saw when he gave the eulogy to his father. But there is no doubt that he is currently batting 1.000.  So far, the guy has done good.  It would be churlish not to admit it.  As of this date, I have no complaints and only praise.  He is well on his way to proving me wrong.  And I admit it freely.

Still, let us look for a minute at what constitutes success in the future….

I don’t know.

Is it just numbers?  Is the GDP the brass ring?  Money, money, money?

Is it Canadian unity?  If we all love one another, First Nations, French Canadians, Muslims, Jews and Wasps…throw in some Syrians for spice…is that the measure?

Is it simply surviving climate change?

Maybe we are to embrace Bhutan as our model and strive for Gross Domestic Happiness? (Concept. Gross National Happiness is a term coined by His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck in the 1970s. The concept implies that sustainable development should take a holistic approach towards notions of progress and give equal importance to non-economic aspects of wellbeing.)

But how do you strive for an enlightened state like that in a Capitalistic culture?  Especially a corrupt Capitalist culture?  How, in fact, do you even reconcile a cheap B flick shoot-em-up washed down with scotch in a Gross Happiness culture?  Sounds counter-intuitive, don’t you think?

Anyway….the world’s progress engine is going into ‘stall’ mode.  That much is clear.  So, if monetary progress is halted or at least slowed, what does that do the collective psyche?   Methinks technology and more massive migrations will ameliorate that effect to a large extent in some places (like the Chinese exodus of the rich to Vancouver BC) but the rich will likely get richer and the masses more redundant and revolting – in every sense of the word.  What to do with the masses?

Growth, as a sustainable concept, was never viable and it is finally showing up. Jeff Rubin is proving to be right (The End of Growth).  This may be the new future.  The rich got what they wanted…and, so, now what do the rest of the rabble do?

…and now I am back.

Went to Vancouver to help out a friend. Stayed a week.  And I got a little caught up in the ‘business’ of it all and could feel the lure of the place again.  Money was offered.  Jobs were offered. Friends gave greetings. Challenges presented up.  I actually felt the thrill of it again.  Whoa, Nellie!

By the time I pulled my head out of the thick of it at the end of the week, I was neck deep in negotiation, strategizing, planning, math, execution, business models…..and I couldn’t stop, actually.  Thinking.  Thinking.  Thinking.  Ooooooohhhhhhh….it was goooooood.

It was fun, actually.  I enjoyed it.

But I was also exhausted.  And, like many town take-aways, I got a head-cold and that was plugging up my brain.  I was completely ‘done’ by the end of the day.  After a week, I realized that I could not keep this kind of pace going.  Nor did I want to.  It was fun while it lasted.  But it was over.  “Thanks for the offers but the answer is no.  I would start falling asleep in meetings by week three and you’d regret making the offer.  By week five, I would die from a jammer and, in so doing, I would regret taking the offer.  I see only disappointment here for all of us. Only Sal can see an upside….buying more shoes and maybe taking that mourning-widow cruise she has been planning a little sooner rather than later. ” 

So, I am back after having done my best to mess things up for as many people as I could.

It is good to be home.

His name is Howard.  He’s the smartest man the world.  I have known him for pushing 35 years and usually, when we get together, I just sit in awe and listen.  Occasionally, I chime in only to regret it a minute later while he recites the law, the Magna Carta or the Canadian Constitution as if it were as common as when we used to quote Chandler Bing on Friends.

But smart has never really been defined by me as knowing details, facts, history, technology or anything academic.  Not really.  To me, most top academics were so universally inept at so many things, it was simply not possible to attribute any real intelligence to them regardless of their grasp of psychiatry, macro economics, physics or even history.  If you can’t work a doorknob or drive a car properly, you simply can’t possibly be all that smart.

Howard doesn’t drive.  No one will let him.  He’s THAT bad a driver, it seems.  But he STILL registers as the smartest man I ever met!  So that gives you some idea of how smart he is.  I judge everyone else in the world by how well they drive.  He’s exempt from that.  The guy is a guru.  The quintessential, non-handy, non-driving professor who can tell you more about anything than you thought possible.  Any topic!

And he is smart in a practical way when he wants to be.  In anything.  If he needs money, he just goes and ‘makes’ a million or two so that he can go back to doing what he loves.  If he wants to impact the world in some way, he just does it.   And he writes.  He saves refugees these days and then he writes some more.  Sometimes he will clean. Seems he is allowed to clean house now and then.  Other than that mini-hobby, he is pretty much a thinker-guy, a writer-guy.

I once hosted a piece from him on my blog.  You may recall….?

I also mentioned to him that I had written to an ex-US president some years back but got no response. “You missed nothing. Stupidest man I ever met – given his position.  I was there once with him for four days.  Mind numbing!”

“I spoke with him/her/them and………….”  It is a common phrase to start a conversation with for Howard.  Congress, the senate, the Knesset, the PM, the president, corporate heads…….it’s just boggling.  I stopped asking him about various famous people and places because, after awhile, I was too stunned to hear the answer.

Is he really the smartest man in the world?  He is definitely the smartest in my world.  By a HUGE margin.  So huge, it is scary.  But the thing that makes us friends is that he is a also a good guy.  Always does the right thing.  This is a guy who has moral and ethical and goodness down pat.  He’s a rock.  If you ever get in that space where you think the world is going to hell in a handbasket, you should be so lucky as to have a ‘Howard’ to talk to.

He smiles and laughs as he tells you stuff you didn’t know you didn’t know.  You come away from that not knowing MORE stuff so much as knowing that whatever you are feeling or thinking, whatever mood or fear you have, whatever worry or concern is troubling you, it is based on totally incomplete information.  You are worrying based on 5% knowledge.  Howard knows 80% of that topic (any topic) and he is still smiling.

May as well not worry.