The old adage still holds true for me, and like in The Polar Express, the silver bell still rings for all those who believe:
Think Globally, Act Locally, Care Personally
During this time of global pandemic and local lockdowns it is particularly important to keep that saying in mind. Supporting our local health care workers by wearing a mask, and staying socially distant and washing our hands is not too much to ask of us. Shopping locally to support our small businesses and staying home to protect our family bubbles is simple enough to do. Staying connected to local and global political events online still allows us to express our voice.
This morning, December 17, 2020, the Region of Peel is meeting to discuss a Motion to reduce Caledon’s seats at Peel to 3 and increase Brampton’s voice by 2. In my humble opinion, this would be disastrous for Caledon. The Motion was rushed in at a time of lockdown during a global pandemic and stretched the credibility of due democratic process. We were given short time as citizens to respond, but by staying tuned in to local events we were able to get our concerns on record through the Peel Clerk.That’s about the only action we could take legally.
The desire of angry townsfolk to tar and feather the Regional Councillor who betrayed Caledon, and ride her out of town on a rail would probably result in our concerned citizens getting arrested, so we may have to wait for Karma. And Karma knows.
As for local business – I continue to support Forster’s Book Garden as my pet project. Donna and Paul and Stirling continue to be able to find me any book I need, whether it be a global exploration of “Dark Money” or a local book on “Caledon Hikes” or going second-hand for “The Wolf King” -a long lost childhood favourite – Donna and Paul can find it all.
When we act with respect locally, it has a global impact. We only really change the world by one random act of kindness at a time through which we change ourselves. 
It’s like the old story my Dad told me about the little boy who wanted to play ball with his very busy dad. The father gave the boy a torn up map of the world and said “when you put it back together, I’ll take a break and we can play,” Within minutes the boy was back with the map all taped together. The father was astonished. “How did you do that so quickly, son?”
The boy smiled and tossed his dad the ball. “It was easy, on the other side of the map there was a big picture of a man. When I put the man back together, the whole world fell into place.”
The way I see it.
***
Skid Crease, Caledon
* images from silvercity.com and dreamscapes.com
Cyber Security Chief Chris Krebs calls US elections “safe and secure” … Trump angry – fires Chris.
Folks may remember torcetrapib, a Pfizer failure that was supposed to prevent heart attacks, It was touted to be combined with Pfizer’s best seller, the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin, better known as Lipitor®, a cash cow now competing with generics. Lipitor was known for its mild side effects – constipation, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, gas, heartburn, headache, and mild muscle pain – about the same as eating a large can of chili beans too quickly.
During those three weeks of “hard work” 37,000 Americans died from COVID-19. The President’s schedule is unfortunately available to the public online. Here is what the three weeks of hard work look like to President Trump. Be patient and read carefully and compare his schedule to the last three weeks of hard work in our lives.
Yes, help is on the way, and vaccines from various companies may soon be available in countries around the world, but the return to “normal” is a long distance run, not a sprint. That is why Dr, Fauci, America’s top infectious disease specialist, expressed concern at the speed at which the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was rush approved for use in the UK without a national health review of Pfizer’s data.