Friday night's Pumpkin Walk was incredible. I haven't talked to Jackie Roberts or Bruce Thurston from the Yorkton Co-op Marketplace to see what their impression was, but the turnout had to have exceeded everyone's expectations. I was blown away with the amount of work and effort that went in to turning Jaycee Beach into a haunted walkway. Jaycee, by the way, was the perfect location. Unconfirmed, but I'm told the barbecue folks made 1400 hot dogs, but there had to have been between 2000 and 2500 people there.
Despite claims of a booming economy, I wonder if there has ever been a time where the mall in Yorkton has ever been as empty as it is now. I was there on Sunday and found it alarming. Hopefully, the rumours of a new grocery store (a BC/Alberta based one) are true and it won't be long before another anchor is in there and maybe that will stimulate some growth.
I was sad to learn on Sunday that long time Yorkton Midget AAA manager Wayne Henley had passed away. Wayne symbolized that team and if people knew just what he did to keep that organizing functioning over the years, they'd be shocked. He never did anything for recognition, in fact, he often did things under the radar so others wouldn't feel bad for leaving so much on his plate. I'm sure there were years where the Board of Directors consisted of Wayne and nobody else. He was already missed by the hockey world after stepping aside earlier this year and now we will all miss him as a person too.
I found it interesting to read a story in MacLean's magazine about the terrorist who stormed Parliament Hill last week where it states despite Liberal spin doctoring that the shooter was mentally ill and not a terrorist, that Michael Zehaf-Bibeau was examined twice within a week and both psychiatrists determined he had no mental illness.
I am not sure if it's because I used to work in the media or what it is, but I can't get enough of these Jian Ghomeshi assault allegations. From him jumping out in front of everything by issuing a Facebook statement and then suing the CBC for $55-million; from hearing about Big Ears Teddy, from discovering there are, at least, nine women out there who feel they were assaulted by him, to discovering the University of Western strongly encouraged students to stay away from Jian's show Q for doing internships; I am finding myself reading just about every single article I can find about him. And, up until last Sunday, I had never heard of the man.
As far as the Ghomeshi allegations go, it sounds like the law is on the side of the women whether they consented or not. You cannot agree to be assaulted. If that much has been determined and if there are photos and video, Ghomeshi is finished.
Furthermore on Ghomeshi, I am tired of hearing people blame the alleged victims here by saying the onus is on them to come forward. The onus is not on them to come forward, but rather on Ghomeshi, who has a position of extreme power, to not abuse it. Remember, people are called predators because they prey. For example, a mountain lion will look at a group of potential prey and take out what it perceives to be the weakest one. Sex offenders are no different. They don't go after every single person they come into contact with. They size up who may best fit their intentions. I'm not surprised nobody has come forward until now. All reports indicate Ghomeshi is a charmer and a master of judging people. It isn't a stretch to draw a line from Point A to Point B here and say those victimized aren't strong enough to go through the public process of stepping up and admitting what has happened to them.
29-year-old Brittany Maynard ended her own life on Sunday under a special die with dignity law that allows people from Oregon to pass away on their own terms. She had terminal brain cancer. It doesn't matter what side of the fence you are on, this is just a tremendous tragedy either way. I have to admit this is one issue I've done a complete 180 on. I used to be outright opposed to this. Now, I'm not. Nevertheless, I still need more information on it and it should not be confused with suicide. That's not what this is.
Nice person mentions to Marty Sveinbjornson, Angie Mamais, Curtis Stepp, Shoma Hasan, and Craig Geisler.
