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Parker’s Pen – July 2024  

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Grocery chains are being clobbered from all sides for the rising costs of their merchandise. No doubt most everything is up in price, but the food is not totally responsible. A graph published recently in the Calgary Herald of a Statistics Canada Consumer Price Index from 2019 to 2024 showed vegetables up 31 per cent, cereal 31 per cent and eggs up an astonishing 44 per cent. But the biggest jumps were attributed to water at 45, natural gas at 71 and electricity rang in at 73 per cent. 

Can’t blame your vendor for those. 

Yet I do feel they are trying to hoodwink us in ways many don’t realize. Quantities in some packets have been reduced, and my frozen fruit is stuffed with too many monster strawberries filling up the bags which means a lot less of the good blue, black and raspberries. Those three are available in their own bags at Costco. 

I took umbrage with Kleenex when it abandoned Canada, but the ones I’m having to use are nowhere near the quality. One good blow and they disintegrate – and I hate the design of the wimpy, much-too-thin boxes. 

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And on the subject of rising costs, I was shocked to get in a cab at the airport to read $9.90 on the meter before I’d buckled up. Over $60 to get to Marda Loop was not a pleasant welcome home. 

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The Wise Men of the East have done it again. We all know where Canada’s only baseball team is based. But its new uniforms have obliterated the words Blue Jays and replaced them with a bold TORONTO amid a skyline graphic of that city. And the bird has flown from the ball cap. 

Torontonians may be proud, but they might just lose a lot of support from the many loyal fans across the country. 

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Polls make interesting reading. A recent one reported that Calgarians were happy with council for their decision to kill the single-use bag law. It didn’t record how mad we were when they implemented it in the first place. 

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Being able to buy craft beers sounded great at the time. But too much competition between too many breweries has led to weird can designs and so many varieties of IPAs that taste more like fizzy pop. There’s also a contest to write the most enticing copy. In Victoria I had to laugh at Waypoint Hazy Pale Ale and Lager topped with Bellini slush – neither passed my lips. 

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I wonder if the ugly tower between Phil’s and Denny’s in Motel Village that sticks out like a slender sore thumb might be – as it’s on a hill – the highest building in town? 

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I know some people might get jealous and even steamed up with those who have lots of money. But thank goodness that Calgary has citizens like Don Taylor, who worked hard to earn his fortune while providing jobs for many others. 

His latest donation to SAIT of $30 million means he has topped $100 million in giftings in support of education, arts and culture and health care. He is to be thanked by all. 

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Final Words: As I watched the dog chasing his tail, I thought dogs are easily amused. Then I realized I was watching the dog chase his tail. 

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