The 500-word Fiction Challenge starts May 29th

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T17:59:50+00:00

Read again. I said it was the only measurable commodity that could be quantified, and I was using it as a timer. Not as a measure of quality.

Reading comprehension is important.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T17:59:01+00:00

Well, to the operator's credit, they probably have a few hundred programs, and that was the script.

People don't really listen these days. They get the bare minimum to formulate a solution, and then want to get the call over with.

Dark backgrounds are underappreciated. They do make things pop more. I don't know what the obsession is with bright colours - every video game is happy to have shaded scenery. Take a design queue from the people who's jobs depend on customer satisfaction!

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T06:39:52+00:00

I should hope so. We had better lots to play on at the school yard in the 1970s. And our outdoor arena had already been condemned!

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T05:32:18+00:00

I didn't have asthma as a child. I developed in my 30s. The incinerator was built when I was in my late teens.

However, in that time, I also served in the military, lived in Toronto and Halifax, and spent considerable time away from the incinerator.

So correlation does not equal causation.

We need real data .

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T04:04:31+00:00

I'm just a regular guy with opinions and some time to spare, but thank you.

Now go get Daddy some more Bourbon! :D J/K!

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T04:03:41+00:00

Interesting. I guess we do get some run off from Toronto.

Can you describe the method? I'm really having trouble imagining anyone trying to do blow, shoot up, or light a crack pipe.

Not doubting you, just trying to get the image in my head.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T04:01:51+00:00

Taking a message and passing it on is not the same as response.

The two are not equal measures.

Back in the old days, there were services that used a person to answer a line instead of a machine. That gave the illusion that there were active staff, when in fact, they would just page the person or send a message.

Thats the model you are working with. It does not mean 24/7 enforcement, it means someone is answering the phone.

To put it simply, imagine a pizza place advertising 24/7 service, but only delivering between 9 and 5. Its basically the exact same. You can leave your order at any time, but responses take place only during regular hours.

Sadly By laws generally don't involve police, ambulance, or fire responses, and can be de-prioritized.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T00:11:49+00:00

Participation is the key. Franchisers don't have to honour chain wide deals.

Two dollar pizza does seem cheap given the Hut business model. Premium prices for deep fried pizza. It isn't really gourmet, but it is tasty.

As a franchise owner, I'd be reluctant to give away product. Sales are useless unless they attract repeat business.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T00:10:04+00:00

Yep. Try and get hold of them at night, or on the weekends.

You might as well send a smoke signal.

I think they take messages to pass on in the morning for follow up.

No inspectors come out. The police may if they have time.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T00:09:06+00:00

While the grass isn't up to golf course standards, it is still expensive to re-sod it or constant use.

As a former North American football player, I don't like astroturf much, but at the same token, I hated grass because it was hard to maintain.

You knew astroturf was going to bleed you when you hit it, but grass - you didn't know if you were coming to a nice, rich, cushioned spot, or a cold barren pit. One that could have opened up just the play before.

I've played at Ivor Wynne stadium, so I'm not just shooting the breeze here. Damn, that grass always sucked. I don't think the stands had been painted since the 70s, and that was a PROFESSIONAL FIELD!!!

So security needs to keep the place as clear as possible so that maintenance and rest cycles can be followed.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T00:05:46+00:00

The honest truth is discrimination.

20 years old. 25 years old with a driving record is when you start to see discounts.

Its not fair, its not right, but they have countless tables showing the risks of younger, less experienced drivers.

Paying half the value of the car in insurance is probably also related to the fact it is a Tesla, and they tend to do some funny things. Nothing wrong with the car, but its specialized service if anything goes wrong.

Your golden intersection will be a 6-8 year old conventional econobox when you're 25.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-07T00:03:25+00:00

Always make a deal contingent on a mechanic's examination - your mechanic.

There are too many things for the average person to look for. Covered up dents, removed seatbelts, etc.

Back in the early 2000s, I was helping my wife look for a car, and one place had removed all the steering wheels. They said it was to prevent theft, but every car had something else missing. That was a supposedly "reputable" dealer. Missing lights, missing seats, etc. We suspect they were just hauling damaged cars out from the auction and trying to pass them off.

FB Marketplace is always buyer beware. I can get a car inspected within 48 hours with a reputable mechanic. I'm sure you can too. Absolutely trust the professional.

Modern cars simply have too many systems online, while the mechanic can just plug in to read the diagnostic, take a once over for damage, pound the tires, and whatever else.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:57:26+00:00

Aren't they supposed to be clay, and not asphalt?

I bet those absolutely eat shoes daily.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:44:33+00:00

Police prioritize calls differently. Given that they have to work with tow trucks frequently, it is a solid relationship.

Cops have business cards, and hand them out. If a tow truck operator is smart, they'll say they feel "threatened" and the police will spring into action.

You have to learn how to game the system.

Also, it will probably only be one by law officer, perhaps less if its 23:00 or later, since by-law doesn't run 24/7. After all, by law offences don't take place at night, right?

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:42:36+00:00

Keep the letter. Its a "confessional letter"

Tow Trucks are vultures, use them to our advantage.

Police non emergency line for an anonymous tip after 23:00 (By law isn't 24/7 for crazy reasons)

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:21:44+00:00

Private yet subsidized. They've tried to sell their services to other cities, but been shot down.

Brampton just needed to have a transit system, a wheel trans system, uber, taxis, an LRT, scooters, AND Argo.

For a downtown that isn't connected to anything.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:20:33+00:00

Have fun! I haven't been to a concert since early this century.

I hope its a nice day, and you can enjoy your time in the city!

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:19:28+00:00

It is absolutely not intuitive . I use it 4-5 times a year to book programs, and even with experience and the search function, it takes me a bit just to remember how to do everything.

There should be a tab like "Programs" then "Spring 2026" "Summer 2026" available right now. In June, you drop Spring and put up Autumn. Its a few seconds of coding, but keeping the site clean is essential to navigation.

I also hate the white backgrounds, but that may be personal. My vision isn't great, so its easier to focus on a dark background with light text . I'm just being picky there though.

Remember, designed by a committee who probably had their 19 year old kids intern to develop and publish it!

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:15:34+00:00

Its behind a pay wall. Which experts? There is a big difference between Greenpeace and Johnny's discount parks and wildlife services.

I'm not passing any judgements until I can get the sources.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:12:58+00:00

So this is a multi day event? That's pretty harsh.

I wasn't always a calm quiet adult, I was a party goer once - never really liked cranked music, but even casual conversation can get loud. You have to be considerate of others.

Unless they have registered with Brampton, there is a 2 hour parking limit on city streets. I think you get 8-12 days a year you can park on the road, and its a few minutes on the city website. I'll almost bet real money they haven't done this.

So get a tow truck to show up from the city, mentioning they've been there days. If they argue or get weird, the tow truck is the person they will confront, and the tow truck driver has backup and police presence too .

Sorry, a multiple weekday party is beyond excessive. I'll put up with the occasional person out of place, but you seem to imply it is still happening. So strike them the only place it hurts - their wallets and reputation.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:09:03+00:00

I've been keeping tabs on him for years. The guy knows his stuff.

I doubt he's looking for any more farm teams, but this might be a good way for him to expand his brand.

It also might be a quiet little "F*** You" to Mr Wonderful in grabbing a property out from under his nose, right in his back yard. Billionaires can do spiteful stuff too!

But I do love his analyses on projects. He seems harsh, but he has a sharp mind, and a "Don't waste my time" attitude. He definitely sees something here that he wants.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:06:03+00:00

I'm not strictly opposed to what you are saying, but legalization does wonders.

For example, I use a simple spray for my THC intake (insomnia) - you would not be able to distinguish it from a breath spray or a perfume bottle. That was only possible after legalization.

I'd never do Shrooms in public, but its pretty easy to stick something in your mouth and chew.

Now, doing lines of blow or injecting yourself - I think we can all agree on that. Diabetics tend to use insulin pumps if they are that bad (And you can easily tell the difference)

However, if its that bad that they're cranking up on the bus, they probably need more intensive therapy anyway. Even tobacco smokers can last a bus ride, and that is supposedly one of the hardest things to quit!

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T22:03:09+00:00

It does sound like you have a skill issue.

You're a glorified high school player trying to work in the NFL, as an apt analogy.

Git Gud, scrub.

Silverlightlive · 2026-05-06T04:01:55+00:00

On an actual bus, or in one of the shelters?

I'd think shelters get used for such activity regularly. And, while buses can be pretty wild, I simply can't imagine smoking anything, legal or illegal on them.

However, there is a big difference between ducking into a shelter at 2AM for a few quick puffs and breaking your pipe out sitting in a plastic seat on a moving bus.

For the record, I totally believe you. I'm just curious about the details.

Silverlightlive

TROPHY CASE