Internet Sleuths

While the internet often does much harm to innocent parties, it also allows for a form of social and even criminal justice when bad things happen. Invariably, these bad things occur when people behave in ignorant, racist and unkind ways. One of the foremost sheriffs of this landscape is Michal McWhorter, a Floridian who uses as his Twitter handle TizzyEnt. Most of the mischief he chronicles consists of Americans behaving very badly, but the following, culled from the streets of Toronto, was originally posted by a Canadian, @thatdaneshguy, whose Twitter account, I see, has been suspended. 

It features two men (pictured above), one a professor at George Brown College, Tom Supra, and the other, Jerry Jarosinski, an employee of Klick Health, behaving in an indefensible manner.

One hopes that a measure of justice will ensue. Judging by some of the comments in response to this tweet, the odds seem good: 

The Math Hatter

@hatter185

·

9h

Replying to

@TizzyEnt

and

@thatdaneshguy

Hey

@GBCollege

, I'm sure you don't want this kind of man teaching at your prestigious place of higher learning, especially considering what I'm sure is a diverse student body.

Leon Z.

@LeroyJe50292138

·

8h

Replying to

@TizzyEnt

and

@thatdaneshguy

@GBCollege

You should be ashamed to be represented by such a terrible, racist, and frightening person.

Allegra and Milo's Mum - RIP Gracie

@cmurphy307

·

1h

Replying to

@TizzyEnt

and

@thatdaneshguy

@klickhealth

is this the sort of behaviour that's condoned by your company? This is pretty embarrassing for your company if it is. I can guarantee you that if I was a minority I wouldn't waste any time giving your company my business. Jerry Jarosinski needs a come to jesus talk.

MaryAnne B52

@MaryAnneB52

·

4h

Replying to

@TizzyEnt

and

@thatdaneshguy

@thatdaneshguy

has his @account suspended I wonder why. I hope it’s not because of both those racist from Toronto I saw it was on collage and young st. It’s a hate crime in Canada what those two did to that Asian woman. I hope he gets his account back he helps so much

Clearly, the ball is in the court of George Brown College and Klick Health, which ironically has received accolades for inclusiveness. Feel free to spread the word about these two misfits.

I shall keep you informed of any developments in this sordid affair.

The Will Rogers Of Politics

Despite all of the green virtue-signaling that comes from Ottawa on a regular basis, those who follow such things know that it is largely empty rhetoric that hides some very, very inconvenient truths. On the one hand, there never seems to be sufficient funds to implement meaningful programs that would improve people's lives (think full dentacare, pharmacare and affordable housing). On the other, there is no dearth of money to subsidize the fossil fuel industry, to the tune of many billions per year.

Despite that largesse, Big Oil seems unable to afford to clean up its own messes, despite additional government inducements to do so. The following video is well-worth viewing to see how environmental destruction by the industry continues apace.

The Canadian government is a world leader in pretending to be a world leader in environmentalism. Watch this ad from the brightest minds in Ottawa, who have cooked up a new climate solution: flushing a trillion litres of oil sands waste into Alberta’s largest river.

In true Will Rogers fashion, the Trudeau government clearly has never met a corporate entity it didn't like.

A Clear And Present Danger

Clearly, the education system in the U.S. is subversive, eh? 

H/t Walter Masterson

Left unchecked, will this lead to the horrors of a more compassionate and understanding society?

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

                                                                

I do not fit the usual profile of a stalking victim. I am not young, rich, a public figure, a celebrity nor female. Yet the past week has made me empathize with those who fall victim to the obsession that often prompts unwanted surveillance.

It all started when I had the audacity to change my Internet, telephone and television service provider, after being approached by a rival company that made me an offer I couldn't refuse. (I won't name either company involved, as I have no desire to be a shill for the corporate agenda.) Suffice it to say that the new suitor offered technologically superior service, a better channel selection, a free streaming service for six months, enhanced phone service, and a cost savings of at least $60 a month for the next two years. As well, the usual hefty installation fee was waived.

And best of all, they would cancel my existing contract with the rival company and give me a prepaid Visa card for any expenses incurred in breaking the contract. It all seemed so bloodless, since I wouldn't have to endure the usual "customer retention" ploys that occur when one is threatening to leave a company, a practice I am quite familiar with from previous renegotiations over the years with the departing service.

It was a neat, arm's length relationship-severing with the jilted party - or so I thought.

Almost immediately, the phone calls began, urging me to stay with my current 'partner'. (Since I have call display, I only listened to the messages they left me.) These calls became a daily feature of my life until the new service was up and running, telling me how they could make things right for me. However, because I had already undertaken to commit to the new service, I had no intention of breaking my word.

Then the emails began. The first one expressed regret at not being able to reach me by phone, with a large caption reading, Give us one more chance to make things right, and promising an exclusive offer in hopes of retaining me as a customer. Both the calls and the emails continued, prompting me to regard them as desperate and whiny, trying to keep our 'relationship' intact. It got to the point where I apologized to my wife for bringing this messy affair into our home. I had so hoped for an amicable breakup.

What is my point in all of this? Perhaps it is obvious, but I hope it serves as a reminder that corporations are not our friends, and they are essentially profit (greed)-driven, no matter how all of their advertising suggests otherwise. But, it is also a reminder that we perhaps all too often underestimate the bargaining power we have when viable alternatives exist. Those alternatives serve as leverage.

Leverage is necessary, since no price reductions for 'loyalty' are ever offered. For example, I am sure (and this was especially apparent from reports when online learning was the only option during the height of the pandemic) there are still customers who pay hefty fees on accounts that have limits on how much internet one may use before incurring extra charges. That was my case before embracing streaming, and it was only after threatening to leave that I was given unlimited access. Do not expect the corporate heart (if that is not an oxymoron) to be touched and a company to reach out to you proactively to see if it can do better for you. 

You, and you alone, must take the initiative. Any feelings of loyalty to your ISP, I can assure you, will not be spontaneously reciprocated.