Queenie is definitely middle-aged

Queenie always felt that a sign of youth was shouting at the evil nincompoops on the radio that constitute the news broadcasts. Moaning Ireland particularly irked her, for two reasons. Firstly that you had to listen to it to know what was going on for work (boring), and secondly because it was the same players spouting the same lines day in day out. Plus the tearing into them style of interviewing (which was apparently invented by her ex, but she only had his word for it, but he was usually right about stuff like that).

Leaving Ireland was a relief in a way. No more IBEC. No more Vintners Association. No more Tom Parlon. No more Willie O'Dea. No more Michael Ring (I'm hearing a lack of women here, I'm sure there were annoying women too).

Here in Canada, the CBC current affairs stuff is pretty good. Particularly around teatime. And during the day they have great arts programming. And a great Internet-related show. And a show called Dark Arts, which is about healthcare, which is fantastic, hosted by a doctor who gives House a run for his money.

But in the morning.....

In the morning it is local. Lots of weird people from Musquodobit talking about pig roasts and the occasional 'news' item about a wind turbine that's going to spoil the view from Anne Murray's summer cottage.

There's a boy interviewer (who thinks he's Irish) and a girl host, who introduces the items but NEVER does an interview. I think she butters the toast while they're going on.

I often wonder how Aine Lawlor would cope if she'd washed up here.

Anyways, this morning, I hit the wrong button when the alarm went off and got onto the Dalhousie SU radio by mistake.

Flashpoints was on. Flashpoints is their current affairs program.

It focuses almost exclusively on the war in Iraq (and global warming). It talks about framing a lot. It explains the different sects in Iraq which is good because it means I don't have to plough through the actual newspaper articles in order to keep up with who is on the side of the workers and who is not.

This morning they were talking about the credit crunch and the continued bail out of the investment industry.

Socialism for the rich apparently (?!)

The guy with the beard (don't ask me how I know, I just did) kept repeating that phrase randomly in a triumphant tone.

This was while the woman was explaining that most of the investors were mom and pop pension funds (?!)

Then they urged everyone not to drink Starbucks coffee anymore because they don't pay their managers overtime.

And they do something weird with their tips that I was too sleepy to follow.

Time passed, spent talking about al-Sadr, that renowned hero of the Iraqi working class, when the host crowed that there were calls coming in about the Starbucks item.

Great, said mom and pop investment funds girl.

Two of the calls were pointing out that Starbucks was the only coffee chain in Canada to give part-time workers their health benefits and the third said that the tips were fine. Thank you very much.

Mom and pop investment fund girl (who may or may not be mom and pop funding her to go to Dal girl too) said that really the point was that everyone should get free health care.

Ehm, we do, don't we?

You are middle-aged when you find yourself shouting at the anarchists on the radio.

Also, when it is the day after you went to Rona and bought a toilet and a hand basin and considered that fun, it must be true.

Ah well, it was a good long run....