Early Birds, September 23, 2021

Since we’re back to old-school, in-person meetings, we have old-school analog minutes. 😊

Thank you George.

We are meeting in person at Inglewood until otherwise informed. 

**Entry requires paper proof of vaccination and a negative result of a paid (not free AHS) COVID test within 72 hours of Thursday morning. Oh, and a mask until you sit down and start breathing on your breakfast pals.

Sean Baylis. China's Evergrande Group, the embattled property developer, is not going to fall off the eastern edge of the world. They’re getting some government support - challenge being, how does China help Evergrande without creating a line-up of other companies with their hands out? They’ll figure it out, Sean figures, and with interest rates being so low, this might even be a buying Opportunity. • The shortage of natural gas in Europe is aiding and abetting our gas prices and the energy markets in general. • Banks seem to have avoided feared losses in loan defaults and continue to build up their war chests. Buy, he mutters. • Anticipating scads of people with lots of cash to feed their pent up desires to travel, socialize and have fun, he’s touting an ETF with travel, recreation and fun-for-all holdings.

Jim Bladon. Just when you thought things were getting better … for example, “some 80% of us are now vaccinated” sounds wonderful … but wait a minute: that’s in the cities. In the small towns, the ratio is reversed. Or worse. (And the split between the jabbed and the un-jabbed is becoming fraught with aggravation.) • In any event, financial services are ploughing ahead and reaping opportunities for growth (hey, how can you tell that Jim is an agricultural expert?). • A heads up: this is SCAM season. Microsoft has a Windows update so be careful - very careful - about who and where you download from. And if thinking of applying for a job via LinkedIn, know that scammers are using help wanted ads to capture your data. Again, double and triple check the sponsor.

Paul Boucher. He’s been looking into facilities for video/zooming. • And is bidding on some large voice projects - including a couple from Europe. But like so many bid opportunities, margins are squeezed by lack of buyer discrimination (knowing good voices from bad). As someone said: no one wants to compete with stupid. 

Ian Campbell. Another fishing story from Manitoba where the pickerel are biting before you can say ‘here fishy, fishy, fishy’. And the size of them is just amazing! (This is a fish story, after all.) • To the tune of the Teddy Bear’s picnic: If you go down to Wreck Beach today, you’re sure of a big surprise; If you go down to Wreck Beach today, you’d better go in disguise! (Seems Ian and Jo-Ann did not know that Wreck Beach is a popular nudist area. Has been for 60 years or more.)

Matt Dart. Some great golfing is happening and Matt is enjoying being a part of it. • He mentions the that the Sweetwater guys are getting their comeuppance. 

Don Davis. There are Microsoft windows and then, there are Davis’ windows. And thanks to Brad’s expertise, Davis’ windows will do just fine for another 10 years or more. • Don’s son is into ice climbing, an exhilarating sport. And one of the world’s best ice climbing athletes lives in Canmore. Check him out at https://willgadd.com/ And hey, if ice climbing isn’t your thing, there’s always rope rigging. Another rare talent abiding in Canmore. 

Don Doolan. Can’t help but wonder why we (Alberta) didn’t do our ‘I’ve been jabbed’ cards as QR codes. So easy, it would now be to present your status.

Tony Fisher. Raised the spectre of China's Evergrande Group failing. But let Sean fill us in on it.

Dan Kennelly. Everyone wanted to talk today and all talkers were, well, windy. But Dan brought us in, bang on 8:30.

Andy Lockhart. Andy can’t help but mention that his local golf course is getting spiffy … while he speaks without warmth about our PM, Skippy. (There: a rhyming couplet for this sunny day.) • Andy knows a senior nurse, at Foothills, who is struggling to keep her ward intact … in the face of losing half her staff: they’ve been ‘looted’ for duty elsewhere. • I think it was Andy who mentioned the 200 bed ICU … set up in the Peter Lougheed Hospital parking lot. Unfortunately, it seems you cannot run an ICU ward on generators. Which is what they thought they planned on doing (this nugget from Brad.)

Brad Pachal. Brad mentioned a nurse who’s been in the profession for a long time and is almost stressed to the point of breaking. He reminds us to be kind. Very kind. Medical staff need us to behave. As do school teachers. 

Dwayne Vinck. You can hear him coming. In fact, this morning, he drowned out the entire flock as he and his amazing Honda motorcycle arrived for breakfast. • He has a dim view of the electorate in (area code) 905. They talk like conservatives but vote like Liberals. • Debt is in our future, guys. Huge debt.

Bob Wiggins. Tomorrow, he catches up with Don Davis: for the next 6 months they’ll both be 81. “We made it”, he said, toasting Don across the table.