THE LEFT WAS RIGHT...THERE IS RIOTING IN THE STREETS.

In the lead-up to November's Election the Left / Progressives said that post election there would be rioting in the streets...and boy were they right.

But as we all recall, they qualified their prediction somewhat by saying that the rioting would only take place if Donald Trump Lost the Election.

Of course Trump won the election...so why the Rioting?

And for those of you who say it began with his most recent order to put a moritorium on Muslim Immigration ...you'd be wrong of course since the civil disobedience occurred even before Trump was inaugurated.

So what gives?

When I heard the Progressives first talk about rioting in the streets if Trump lost - I knew they were wrong - ordinary folks are too busy raising their families to have either the time or inclination for such antics. Put simply they are decent, law abiding folks.   Indeed, if there was any inclination toward such juvenile delinquency we would have seen it when the Tea Partyers were peacefully protesting Obama during his first term in office.

So what, Dear Reader, are the Elites and Professional Rioters going on about?  

Is Trump, as they say, blundering on all fronts?

Let's look at his record:

January 20th

Obamacare: 

Within hours of his inauguration, Trump took his first step toward appealing the Affordable Care Act, signing an

executive order calling on government agencies to "ease the burden" of the policy.

Trump's order asked federal agencies to "prepare to afford the states more flexibility and control to create a more free and open healthcare market."   

My Note:  Obamacare was a disaster from start to finish, it cost jobs, reduced choice and dramatically increased premiums.  There was and still is a need to provide care for the 20 or so % that do not have it - but that needs to be done by directing all efforts to incorporate that relatively small number rather than interfere with the vast majority who had been happy with their coverage.

Federal regulations: 

Trump also ordered a freeze on all new federal regulations that had not been finalized.  My Note: Governments love to grow and one thing modern administrations are good at is regulating us to death.  It is about time this nonsense was stopped. 

23rd.

Abortion:

Trump signed a presidential memorandum reviving a rule that prevents US funds from going to certain health charities around the world that counsel on abortions. Known as the Mexico City policy, it was first instituted by former President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and has been on and off the books ever since.

My Note:  Why would the US fund abortions especially those performed outside their country?  If it has that much freed-up money - spend it on providing the world with clean drinking water.

Federal workforce: Trump ordered a temporary hiring freeze for federal workers, except for the military and certain security positions.  My Note:  In the face of a $20 Trillion Dollar Debt this makes imminent sense.

24th

Oil pipelines:

Trump signed executive orders that would make it possible to complete the Dakota Access and restart the process for the construction of theKeystone XL oil pipeline from Canada.  

Note: Another good move.  Not only will it create thousands of jobs it will cement America's goal of being Energy Self-sufficient.   I have said on many occasions that the tumult in the Middle East was caused by George W. Bush's reckless incursion into Iraq followed by Obama's inaction over 2 terms.  But the real cause of trouble in the Middle East goes backs to the $Trillions and Trillions of Dollars the West paid to Arab States for their Oil.  Without the money - there'd be no present day wars / violence.

25th

Border security: 

Trump signed an executive action directing federal agencies to prepare for immediate construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border -- a controversial project that was at the center of his presidential campaign.  My Note:  Another good move.  The fact is the US did not have a southern border.  If you believe countries can retain their independence while losing their ability to control who enters their country...there is nothing I can say which will change your mind.

Immigration enforcement:

The president signed an executive order to strip federal grant money from so-called "sanctuary cities" -- U.S. municipalities that protect undocumented immigrants from federal prosecution. 

Note:  another good move.  These so-called sanctuary cities are protecting out and out criminals who hide amongst legitimate refugees. They need to be rooted out for two reasons -first  to protect society in general and second to enable true refugees to receive help.  

27th

Military strength: 

Trump signed an executive order to provide new resources and equipment to strengthen the U.S. military. The order promises to "rebuild" American armed forces and upgrade national and global security as part of a strategy that dictates "peace through strength." The order directs Defense Secretary James Mattis to assess the country's military and nuclear capabilities.  Note:  The Military had been allowed to deteriorate under Obama.  For instance the Navy had 900 warships at the beginning of Obama's first term.  That number dwindled to 600 today and was headed to 300 had Obama been allowed to run again.  No wonder countries like Russia and China have started to flew their muscles. 

Visa vetting:

Trump signed an executive order that calls for more intensive security checks for foreign nationals seeking U.S. travel visas. The action stems from a controversial proposal Trump made during his campaign -- to prevent certain refugees from nations of concern, like Iraq and Syria, from reaching U.S. shores until they can be cleared.  Note:  I am not going to deal with this one now since I have promised to do a full Blog on this important subject next. 

30th

Federal regulations:

Trump signed an executive order requiring that for every new federal regulation on small and large businesses, two existing regulations must be removed. He signed the document after a meeting with small business leaders. Trump said he wants to end regulatory discrepancy between big and small business.  Note:  I have already dealt with this generally above but again anything to get us out from under the avalanche of regulations will be most helpful to business both big and small and in-between. We have seen the Stock Market go beyond 20,000 which is amazing and with other measures promised such as reducing Corporate Tax Rates from 35 to 20 or even 15% will spur the markets even higher.  At the same time it will create massive more full-time employment.

So if the above confirms that Trump is blundering on all fronts...bring it on. 

Rather what I see is that finally someone is in charge who is doing the right things.  

And as for the rioting I attribute it to poor losers and to professional shxx disturbers which we always seem to have in our midst.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher' 

MY UNCLE FRED....Tragedy Continued To Follow Him Even Into Death.

Before I get started on today's Blog concerning my late Uncle, I just wanted to mention the Trump Moratorium on Travel to the USA from 7 Select Arab Countries.

I indicated at the end of my most recent Blog that I would be dealing with this subject 'soon' but have decided to delay that somewhat due to the hysteria and untruths surrounding this subject.  ...Stay Tuned.

Now Back to Uncle Fred:

My Uncle Fred was the kindest most gentle chap you could ever imagine but... like the lovers in Romeo and Juliet, he was star-crossed.

Uncle Fred was a farmer from a long line of farmers.  He was my grandmother's brother from a family of 6 girls and 2 boys.

Uncle Fred and his brother - Uncle Percy, purchased a farm a few concessions below their father's farm in the early 1920s.  It was there when the first tragedy occurred. One of his young nieces, who was visiting their farm, was hit on the back of the head by a heavy wooden swing and died.  Uncle Fred personally felt responsible for this poor child's death.  

He married the local school marm - Annie-Mae and was soon blessed with a daughter Helen.  Tragedy 2 occurred when his wife passed away in her early 40s leaving him alone to raise his young daughter.

He then married Ella also a widow and retired into a small rural town nearby. My mother and father, for a short time, lived in that small town and my mother recalled tutoring Helen who was now in her teens and attending high-school.  She was helping Helen with her math ...(it's a good thing she did not come to me for help since Math was by far my worst subject).

(As a note here - Aunt Ella had also lost a young son to a swollen creek during an early Spring run-off.  A search over the course of several days failed to find the young boy's body however in a dream, a local farmer saw where he lay. Early next morning, the farmer went to the spot shown him in his dream and there was Ella's son). 

It was around this point that I vividly recall visiting Uncle Fred and Aunt Ella.  Two things always struck me on my visits the first was Uncle Fred's profound deafness and the second was the source of water to the house - an olde hand pump found in the kitchen. 

One other thing stuck out for me and that was playing checkers with my Uncle.  He always won and I seldom even got passed the first few moves.  I can still remember the infectious twinkle in his eyes. 

My parents told me that Uncle Fred was a proficient fiddle player prior to going deaf and I can picture in my mind his playing at the numerous barn dances that likely took place in the rural countryside.

But back to tragedy.  In due course Helen left home, got married and had three children of her own...all boys.  Her oldest was named Gregory...Greggie for short and was the apple of Uncle Fred's eye. Looking back I believe Greggie had what we would now call some developmental challenges but save for that, he was a regular kid and along with his two brothers no doubt kept their parents busy.

When Greggie was about 8 years old, Uncle Fred passed away. During the last few days of his life, my mother - a Registered Nurse - was at Uncle Fred's bedside.  She recalled that near the end he had tried to 'blow out' his bedside lamp mistaking it for a candle. His mind at that point was clearly back to an earlier and possibly much happier time for him.

Soon after Uncle Fred's passing...Young Greggie drowned in the nearby River. The river was mostly shallow and one had to walk out a great distance to reach deep water. The strong suspicion, among the family, was that Greggie had deliberately drowned himself in order to be with his Grandpa - our Uncle Fred - in Heaven. Tragedy 3

My cousins and I acted as pallbearers at his very sad funeral.

The next tragedy was not long in coming.

Helen, her husband and her remaining 2 boys found themselves in a winter blizzard and were soon engulfed in a major car pile-up. Helen was killed instantly.  Tragedy 4

Her two young sons were both seriously injured in the crash and within weeks, one of her injured boys succumbed to his injuries.  Tragedy 5

Again my cousins and I found ourselves carrying his casket to the nearby cemetery. 

One of those pallbearers - Aunt Ella's grandson, was killed a few years later when the transport truck he was driving went off the road.  Tragedy 6

Then Aunt Ella's son - also a farmer, got his leg caught in a threshing machine and if it was not for the quick thinking of a neighbour farmer working with him that day, he too would have perished.  As it was, he lost his leg up to his hip.  Tragedy 7

Many years later my parents received a letter from Helen's surviving husband saying that in his early 30s the final grandson of Uncle Fred had also passed away.  Doctors tending the young man at his death laid the responsibility for his death on that terrible Winter Car Crash of many years back.  Tragedy 8

Uncle Fred's Lineage was no more. 

When I am having days when things just seem not to go right, I think of my Uncle Fred and remember the twinkle in his eyes and realize just how lucky I really am.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

TRUMP'S BARK WORSE THAN ...HIS BITE

In seeing Donald Trump Elected I was hopeful that he would back-off on some his dumber positions.

The three major ones for me were his classing NATO as obsolete; FREE TRADE as not working...at least for Americans; and the third being his open support for TORTURING captured combatants.

Thankfully, barely a week into his Presidency he has already changed his position on two of the three - NATO & TORTURE.

Regarding NATO, I have made the pitch that it is needed more than ever with aggressive Russia determined to extend its reach in Europe and the Middle East and with wealthy China spending more and more on its military. In the face of this, rather than idle chatter about closing shop, NATO should be looking to expand its membership to countries in all parts of the world most notably to include India and Japan.

Trump though was correct when he criticized NATO Countries which do not spend 2%* of their annual GDP on their respective militaries. Indeed, only 4 of its 28 country membership meet that target. Canada for instance spends a paltry .9%.  
                                *2% GDP spending on its members military is the target set by NATO.

It may end up that those who do not meet the 2% target are kicked out of the Organization.  But, if it was up to me I would reorganize NATO into full and associate membership with those countries meeting the 2% levy being given the exclusive right to vote. 

As for Torture and assuming the West ever again decided to use it, it would come down once again to the question of who is more bad. Both the Terrorist and the White Knight West would find themselves on the same Spectrum of Evil with the Terrorists at a point of greater evil than the West and yet both still classed Evil.

So barely a week into his Presidency and Donald Trump looks far less worrisome. 

That said, the above two changes of heart leaves outstanding Trump's flawed understanding of the dynamics between Free Trade and Isolationism.  The Dirty Thirties showed that Isolationism only ensured that all countries beggared themselves individually. If Isolationism really worked, so to would State Run Economies such as those found within Communism. Why we'd all be driving Ladas - expensive non-workable junk. 

The last 50 years have seen the world move to a more Global Economy - read Free Trade, with the effect that fewer and fewer find themselves in poverty.  The US Agency for International Development reported recently that over the last 30 years extreme poverty has been cut in half..by over 1Billion People.  Their findings are supported by a host of other reputable world organizations.  For instance, the UN calls the rise out of poverty 'epochal' and believes that by 2030 poverty will be eradicated in it's entirety. 


Thankfully, Republicans are generally speaking, Free Traders and I am betting that they will be able to bring President Trump over to their way of thinking.


And speaking of changes in approach, I am thinking that Mssrs. Putin and Company will very shortly find themselves in for a rude awakening. 

What is clear for me through all of this is that even though Trump is all puffery, his instinct for reading the will of the common man and for eventually doing what is right ... is spot on.

As I write today's Blog the latest anti-Trump Protests are centered around his temporary ban on certain Muslim migration to the United States.  I will do a Blog on this controversial subject shortly.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

CUTE KITTEN CAPS

I am speaking of course of some of the Feminists who this past Saturday marched in Washington and the few other places around the world where they are legally permitted to do so.

As an aside, one of the Themes running through many of my Blogs is my theory that over the course of the last 60 years or so most everything has changed in society for both good and bad.. as I have said: 'What was up ...Is now Down; What was Inside...Is now out; and Everything Else is now Backward.

One area in this theme that I have not spent much time on is with respect to modern Feminism or more to the point - Radical Feminism.  I do not believe the latter has proven to be a boon for Women and it sure as Hell has done nothing useful for us men.

From the extensive reading I have done I get the feeling that if I asked 10 different women what exactly they were marching for on Saturday past...I could expect to receive 10 entirely different answers.

I can hear you now saying they were marching against the Donald Trump Candidacy and you'd be partially right.  But Extreme Feminism has been around a lot longer than Trump has been in the news.  So there is more to it...much more.

The cute little hats in today's title of course refer to the off colour statements by Trump but the language I heard emanate from the mouths of the Feminist Leadership would make the most red-necker blush. If I had a vote in this past November's Election I would not have voted for Trump precisely because of his most boorish comments and I made that perfectly clear in my blogs leading up to November 8.  I am equally dismissive of those on Saturday whose antics exceeded even his own.

For me, I believe that radical feminism is all about hating men...it is about destroying and not building up...about dividing and not uniting.  

Men - especially White Men are easy targets.  We are branded neanderthals, sexual perverts, racists...whatever pejorative name that comes easily to mind. But you know as well as I do, that is not true.

Simply stated, Radical Feminists are using men as scapegoats in an effort to make themselves seem more important than they are.

They are not more important...they are our equals.

But like all who point the blame, for their own perceived shortcomings, on others they are destined to fail and society will continue to be the poorer for it.   

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher' 

HOW THE OLDE TOWNE HALL ESCAPED THE WRECKER'S BALL.

Built in 1884, the Olde Towne Hall was positioned right in the centre of our quaint town, along King's Highway 2, then the main thoroughfare between the mega cities of Toronto and Montreal.  

It was a monster of a red brick structure...at least for a village the size of Brighton, situate in close proximity to picturesque

Presqu'ile Park on the sandy shores of Lake Ontario.

The following services called it home:

1. Police & Jail
2. Fire
3. Provincial Court House
4. Town Council 
5. Town Maintenance 

It also provided a handy meeting spot for our cub scouts in the days well before beavers.

In earlier years, it was used for travelling opera, live theatre, and other special events such as Christmas, Easter and Halloween Parties.

By the time I came in contact with the 'Hall' it was in poor repair but nonetheless still well and truly utilized. 

In this Blog, I am going to deal more with its uses during my youth in - the 1950s and 60s, but first want to get back to how the Olde Towne Hall escaped the Wrecker.

By the early 1970s, the Town Hall was virtually a vacant, run-down mass. The tenants had fled to a new Town Hall, new Fire Station, new Court House and so on.

It really was not worth saving and talk had matured to the point where general agreement was coalescing around the need to tear the nearly 90 year olde structure down.

But as today's title suggest, the Hall escaped that fate ...at least sort of.  In the summer of 1973, as providence would have it, one of Ontario's first tornadoes ripped through Brighton and in so doing took with it our beloved Town Hall. It was the only complete structure totally destroyed by the storm. My parents home, just a minute walk north of the Hall, lost its chimney along with our very productive and much missed pear tree.

Of greater loss were the 100 year old maples that lined both sides of Brighton's main drag ... they were torn out by their roots like flimsy pieces of dead grass.

So no Wrecking Ball but... reduced to dust and rubble nonetheless. 

So let's review for a minute its uses during my formative years:

It provided a small office for our police force which usually consisted of one officer.  I believe in an earlier Blog I had mentioned that Dido Simpson was our sole police force during the 40s,50s and 60s.  I never met Dido since he spent all of his time driving around town in his relic of a car --- an olde Studebaker. He was so short, all you could see of Dido, when he drove by, was his well worn grey fedora.  But like the RCMP, Dido 'always seemed to get his man' !

In looking back ...with all the driving he did, I cannot help but wonder if his main source of income came from mileage claims? 

And the Hall included a jail cell.  Its inhabitants usually limited to our town's drunks (all two of them - usually one at a time) and as you walked outside on the path beside the open barred window, you could often hear a drunk inside swearing it off. 

Our village's almost antique fire truck also called the Hall home.  It was located beside the jail, in the north end of the building.  Our's was a volunteer fire department and boy could those guys get to the fire truck in jig time. I have mentioned in previous blogs that winter was one of their busiest times since they were called upon weekly to put out fires in the town's garbage truck caused by the townsfolk throwing live coal embers into the trash.

I remember one day walking along the main street when the fire truck came wheeling around the bend in highway 2 when one of our firefighters - Ed Boes, lost his footing and fell hitting his head on the pavement.  Ed was one tough dude and was soon back to fire-fighting but for that particular day, the fire truck was obliged to leave him behind. 

It was also used as a Provincial Court Room - where most charges dealt with such issues as drunk driving, theft and assault. A circuit court judge came round on Wednesday's to hear and adjudicate these cases. One of the main judges hailed from Brockville - a city some 100 miles east of Brighton.  I got to know Judge Runciman quite well in the 1970/80s and even then he was still complaining bitterly about the inhuman working conditions he was forced to endure in the bowels of the olde Hall.  

Our town council too held its monthly meetings in the Hall's downstairs chambers.  This was one group that surprisingly did not complain about their spartan surroundings.  I attribute that to the fact that in those days being a member of the town council was more an honourary position accompanied by very low pay.  Their main focus was to keep realty taxes low, so being housed in depression era conditions was bearable for them. 

The other group that seemed to be okay with their lot was our hardworking maintenance crew under the able supervision of foreman Bud Simpson.  I remember he once trapped a beaver that had suddenly appeared one day in the little creek that flowed beside my parents' home.  You had an issue... Bud and his Boys would come to your aid. 

As an aside, I remember I had a trip coming up to Kitchener and since I was working at that time at Brintnell's Mens' Wear I decided to drop into Kitchener's Greb Shoe Plant.  One our our customers was one of Bud's Crew by the surname of Dusenbury. Mr. Dusenbury took an extra wide work boot, a size we did not carry. I returned to Brighton with a proper fitting pair and felt pretty good for my effort.  Mr. Dusenbury too was quite impressed saying he never before had such a good fitting boot.

Next time I saw him I naturally asked how he was enjoying the new boots. "Don't wear them" he caustically replied. Turned out his fellow workers had teased him for wearing less than manly boots. I guess Greb Shoes were just too advanguard. 

My greatest memory though concerns the Cub Scouts - ages 8 to 11.  Our meetings took place on the top floor where in the past live travelling theatre entertained the local denizens. My good friend Johnny who like me lived on Sanford Street close to the Town Hall and I were often the first to arrive - even before our two women leaders.  The doors never seemed to be locked and indeed in those days most doors were left open throughout the village with the obvious exception being the Town Jail. (Although I expect Jesse James would have had little difficulty in picking its lock).  

But even though the Hall's doors were unlocked - the lights were not on.  The only lights on in the Upper Hall were exit lights with their dim presence.  But even with such reduced lighting we were able to see the numerous paintings affixed to the walls of Brighton's illustrious forefathers with their sinister faces and beady eyes watching our every move.  

It scared the bejeebers out of us!!

Finally, the Olde Hall was not without a tragedy.

In earlier years and before my time, a Halloween Party was held on the infamous second floor and one young girl, I think her name was Flindall, came in contact with a candle.  Her costume was made out of highly inflammable material and she quickly perished in the ensuing fire.

Some 70 years on, I still think of that unfortunate little girl when my mind takes me back to the Olde Brighton Town Hall.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

THE DEMOCRATS HAVE IT RIGHT...THE RECENT AMERICAN ELECTION WAS RIGGED...

BUT THE GUILTY PARTY WAS NOT THE RUSSIANS AS THE DEMS LIKE TO PROFESS...RATHER IT WAS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ITSELF.

The DEMS mistake was to stack the deck for Hillary Clinton at the expense of its more popular candidate Senator Bernie Sanders.

And the SMOKING GUN which proves that was the EMAILS emanating from the top echelon of that Party.  And what those emails make evident is that had those shenanigans not taken place, Senator Sanders would have faced off against Trump and the Republicans in this past November Election. 

And just to be clear...IT MATTERS NOT AN IOTA HOW THOSE EMAILS BECAME PUBLIC. Little Boy Blue could have blown them out of his horn for that matter...the important thing is that they got out and the Demo Elites got caught out.

And I am not alone in my analysis...

Here is what Bruce Forsyth, columnist had to say: "...it doesn't really matter who hacked the e-mails. What really did matter was what was said in (them), which exposed the dishonesty and ruthless behaviour of the DNC ...rigging the primary process in favour of Hillary to win the Democratic nomination and then the White House, at any cost".

And what is also clear is that this is twice now, in two of the last three elections, that the Democratic Party has been undone by its own blatant bias in favour of Clinton.  The first time in 2008 when an unknown junior senator from Illinois was able to best her for the nomination and the second time of course being last November's Election where the Party assumed Hillary would walk all over the Mad Hatter Trump. 

Lesson for the Dems ... don't try to out-guess your voters in the Primaries..let the grassroots decide who best can represent them.

But the Democrats cannot accept that and put the blame on the Russians and Putin who make a convenient target.

And more from Columnist Forsyth:

• "Hillary lost because she is disliked by a lot of people who see her as cold, entitled, dishonest, morally bankrupt and corrupt elitist who has used her position for wealth and power and who really doesn't care about the general population".  He goes on, 
• "Hillary went from having a good chance of being the first female president, to being so reprehensible to many people that electing Trump was the better choice.  Supporters didn't care that Trump was boorish , obnoxious, misogynistic, and spoke his mind regardless of the consequences".

In other words dear Reader, the finger of blame rests on the shoulders of Hillary Clinton and upon those of the Democratic Elite which conspired to see it happen.

As I see it...

'K. D.  Galagher'

TWO TRUE MODERN DAY STORIES...

What Was Up ...Is Now Down;  What Was Inside...Is Now Out; and What Was Right ...Is Now Wrong.

And that leads into today's two real stories:

True Story Number One - 

I have recently spent a great deal of time in my Blogs highlighting what I see to be the negative effects attached to today's modern trend toward Euthanasia which I term as being another word for 'legalized murder'.

Story One deals with this issue.

A good friend of mine who I will call 'Larry' for the purposes of this blog is a member in good standing of an organization known as Dying With Dignity.*

• As an aside isn't it cute how these organizations name themselves - Dying With Dignity aka Murder Incorporated and ...not to be outdone is Planned Parenthood whose goal it is to see that no one becomes a parent.  It is to weep.

Back to my story though.

Larry and I have had a few discussions about the (in)appropriateness of Euthanasia with my pitch against it being two-fold...a) life is sacred and b) pain medication has advanced to the point where no one need suffer.  

Larry counters by saying if a person wishes to 'call it a day' so to speak, they should have the right to have a 3rd party administer a humane ending.  Larry also believes that there is still too much suffering which cannot be adequately controlled even by advancements in medicine.

I was therefore surprised the other day to hear Larry speak about a close relative of his who is quite ill.  Apparently she has been receiving medicine which has kept her pain well under control but recent cut-backs in our health system is now threatening see these effective pain meds cut-back.  (Remember Larry has hereto always told me that pain meds were just not up to the job). 

"What are we to do?" he asked.  "Without sufficient medication she will suffer pain".

"Larry" I said, "I have the answer for you - as a member of Dying With Dignity all you need do is to see her put out of her misery".

...Not so easy is it Larry?

True Story Number 2 - 

 A few weeks ago family members of ours were off to an out of town funeral.  The deceased was a middle age married woman who had sadly died from a debilitating illness.

I knew the town where the funeral was being held and asked what Church would the service would be held in? 

"Galagher, the funeral is not being held in a Church".

There was only one funeral home in this particular town so I simply said well then it must be taking place there.

"Not being held there either."

Now I was truly puzzled...where then is it taking place?

"In a local Bar"

I nearly choked.

With a Minister present, I asked.

Oh yeah, they've got a Minister lined up.

I must admit the thought ran through my mind that I hoped, at least, the good Reverend was a member in good standing with AA.

Anyway after their return home I was anxious to hear all about what had happened.

Was their drinking, I asked.

Oh yeah, lots of drinking 

And did the drinking stop at least for the service?

No, most of those assembled...(formerly known as the congregation), had a bottle of beer or glass of wine in their hands.

I refrained from asking whether or not the Minister was equally decked out.

But it got me thinking about Irish Wakes and I have been to one or two myself but they usually take place after the deceased was well and truly prayed and mourned for within the hallowed walls of the local eglise.

However in the case at hand, the Bar became a place for One Stop Shopping Funeral Shopping. 

In that regard, I wonder if the Bar has considered installing a crematorium out back.

Welcome to the 21st Century. 

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'