Trash My House - Please

If you live in Toronto, I already feel sorry for you.  But FIFA, (Football Is Fixed Association) is coming to town, along with, unfortunately, FIFA fans from all over the globe.  Where are these losers going to stay?  AI masters Deloitte recommends they stay at your house.

Canadian homeowners could earn thousands during World Cup matches. Here's how
Story by Chris Knight
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/canadian-homeowners-could-earn-thousands-during-world-cup-matches-here-s-how/ar-AA1X8IV0?ocid=BingHp01&cvid=c27f4dc8312843b1ee7999171f02771f&ei=52

"A report from global professional services firm Deloitte has outlined how much money homeowners in Toronto and Vancouver stand to make by renting out their properties during the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The bottom line: Torontonians could bring in an average of $2,700 by renting out their space during tournament games, while Vancouverites stand to make $4,200."

For $219 a night (that's Deloitte's average from somewhere), you can rent your house out to piece-of-shit renters for two weeks.  What a deal!  I'm not a fan of renters because they don't take care of their stuff.  And if they can't take care of their own stuff, they're certainly not going to look out for yours.  Unless they're looking out for something to steal.

That's just renters in general.  Add to that that these renters don't live in the country and they also think World Cup is interesting... these aren't the people you want in your house.

I wouldn't go to Vancouver either.  Most BC residents forget the B in BC stands for British, yet are happy when their human rights tribunal goes after comedians.  Currently, BC is just an awful, expensive place to be.

Rare photo of a fair FIFA match

Deloitte is pretty disgusting even bringing this idea up but that's Deloitte being Deloitte.  When they were Deloitte and Touche, we used to call them Toilet and Douche.  Seemed to fit.  And they have their own troubles with:

-AI-Generated Report Errors (2025): Deloitte Australia admitted to using generative AI (Azure OpenAI GPT-4o) in a $440,000 government report on welfare compliance systems.  The report contained fabricated academic citations, false court quotes, and non-existent references.  After scrutiny by academics, the firm agreed to a partial refund and issued a corrected version.  The incident sparked global concern over AI use in professional services; 
- Canadian Report Controversy (2025): A $1.6 million health care report for Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, was found to contain four fake citations, including fabricated research.  Deloitte Canada stated it did not use AI to write the report, but used it selectively to support citations.  The province has requested a full review of the report’s references, and the firm stands by its findings; 
- Exam Fraud (2025): Deloitte, along with PwC and EY, was fined $8.5 million by the U.S. PCAOB for widespread exam cheating across its Netherlands-based firms.  Over five years, hundreds of professionals, including partners, shared answers on mandatory training exams, undermining professional integrity; 
- In 2024, it was fined $20 million by U.S. regulators for allowing a client to audit itself.  In 2023, it admitted to misusing government information in Australia and faced a Senate inquiry.;
- In 2021, it was sued over failing to detect financial irregularities at Hin Leong Trading, a Singapore-based oil trader. 
- Tax Loophole Involvement (2024): Deloitte was linked to a $2.4 billion tax avoidance scheme for Liberty Global, with U.S. authorities suggesting the firm helped design the offshore maneuver known as “Project Soy.” The firm denies involvement but has faced criticism for its role in aggressive tax planning. 
Consultancy firm Deloitte confirms breach of confidential or proprietary government information on nine additional occasions last financial year, down from 18 a year earlier.

AI is handy sometimes.  I wouldn't say Deloitte has the best track record for a company that offers risk advisory services.

"Vancouver numbers are even higher. The report estimates some 204,000 tourists will visit Vancouver and surrounding areas, including 32,000 Airbnb gusts spending an average of 213,000 guest nights."

I love the if-you-don't-act-now-you're-missing-out nothing stat of 213,000 guest nights.  World Cup, thankfully, won't last 30,000 weeks.  But no matter how long it does go on for, FIFA already knows who the winner will be.

So what could go wrong?  In British Columbia, since May 2024, short-term rentals must be the host’s principal residence or a secondary suite on the same property.  Hosts must register annually with the provincial registry, display their registration number on listings, and platforms like Airbnb must remove unregistered listings. Fines for non-compliance range from $500 to $10,000 per day.  That is, if the Cowichans don't take your house first.  In Ontario, cities like Toronto and Ottawa require registration and limit rentals to primary residences.

Let's say I decided to get on board with this lucrative gravy train, where would I stay in while someone else trashes my place?  I doubt I'd be staying at a hotel since those were booked months ago.  But if you're willing to "take the money and run" with this scam, you deserve all the wrecked/stolen heirlooms in your house... if you have four walls to come back to.  

Get To Woik

Public servants ordered to work in-office 4 days a week starting in July

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/public-servants-ordered-to-work-in-office-4-days-a-week-starting-in-july/ar-AA1VLwY5?ocid=BingHp01&cvid=a57c0a5845574936df0a80c0d27dda31&cvpid=284d471806044243d13f1d14aa2403e3&ei=23

OTTAWA - The federal government is ordering public servants to be in the office at least four days a week starting this summer, with executives expected to return to the office full time in May.

A Treasury Board message to deputy department heads published Thursday said executives will have to work on-site five days per week starting May 4. All other employees must be in the office four days a week as of July 6.

The directive applies to public servants working in the core departments and agencies under Treasury Board, though the government said other federal agencies, which would include the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, are "strongly encouraged" to take a similar approach.

Remote work rules have been an ongoing issue in the public service since COVID-19 forced most federal workers to work remotely in 2020. After public health restrictions began to ease, the federal government moved in 2023 to have workers return to the office two to three days a week.

The current rule, in place since September 2024, requires public servants to work a minimum of three days a week in-office, with executives in office four days per week.

Now we're all supposed to be impressed that public servants have to come in 4 days a week? 

I still can't believe "work from home" is still a thing.  There hasn't been an "emergency" from the plandemic for over 2 years and there's still lazy asses that don't want to do come in and do their job. 

It said the government will engage with unions to implement the plan, with discussions to focus on issues like assigned seating and occupational health and safety.

The message also said Public Services and Procurement Canada will work closely with departments to ensure there is enough office space for all employees.

Hang on a second, why isn't there going to be room?  Was there was a big hiring spree when WFH started?  If that's true, why was there a hiring binge?  The employees that were coming in every day before should have been able to all their work from home, no?  I've heard the "I'm way more productive at home" lie more times than I care to remember.  Or was there a big building sell-off, thinking that this is the “new normal”?  That was pretty myopic.

The gauge for me is, if you're on the Sunshine List (it's an Ontario thing; if you make more than $100,000 a year, your name and wage are published on the Sunshine List for everyone to see), you should be in the office 5 days a week.  Try and argue against it.  Most of the time, the people that say they're more productive at home either don't get along with the other employees or think they're a little too important.
 

Canadian Federal Employee, circa 2026

Sean O’Reilly, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, told The Canadian Press he finds the government's decision "insulting and disrespectful."

"I would like to say I was surprised but I'm not," said O'Reilly, who was made aware of the move less than an hour before the message went out to employees. "I'm really beside myself on just why the decision is being made now."

Sean's right, this decision should have been made years ago.

Sounds like Sean doesn't want to go back into the office every day.  I think it's insulting that public servants think they're entitled not to do a 5 day work week.  You can't really serve the public if you're hiding at home during business hours.  Another rule of thumb I came up with: if you can do your job from home, someone else can do that same job for cheaper.

"I don't know how this helps the Government of Canada. It doesn't save them money. This doesn't increase productivity," he said. "I don't see how this helps my members or how it helps the Canadian people."

Sean, you were probably quoted while you were "working from home" or a Zoom call where you got to wear pajama bottoms.  I don't see how what you just said helps your cause.  You just made it sound like the people that are hired are useless whether they're in or out of the office.  If bringing back these people to the office doesn't increase productivity, fire the work-from-home dead weight and hire some contentious people.  It's pretty simple.

Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, said the announcement demonstrates that the government has "both a willful disregard for reality and absolute contempt for its employees and taxpayers."

"As thousands of public servants are watching their jobs disappear and Canadians are watching health and other programs get gutted, this government is committing to making public servants less productive while wasting billions of dollars of taxpayer money," Prier said. "If workers needed another sign that this government can’t be trusted, this is it.”

While that's true the current government can't be trusted and/or expected to do anything right, Nathan's arguments don't make any sense.  Wasting billions of taxpayer dollars would be keeping on people that don't want to work.  I'm a taxpayer and because of my current day job, I know exactly what WFH people are like.  I'm not thrilled that Sheila gets paid a good buck to do her laundry, prep for dinner and binge watch Netflix in the background while she's supposed to be "working from home".  That's called a waste of money, or for you savvy, business-minded people, it's called a poor ROI.

I found the "willful disregard for reality" a bit ironic.  The reality is there's no need to work from home any more.  There's no "emergency" and there's no valid excuse why there's still work from home.

The union said the decision comes on the heels of a recent ruling by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board that telework can be negotiated at the bargaining table.

Well, that was a foolish ruling to make.  They should have thought ahead.

Sharon DeSousa, national president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, said the four-day in-office mandate announced by the federal government is "a slap in the face" to all federal public service workers.

Well, Sharon, to the public, it's a slap in the face that it's not 5 days.  Sharon seems to have that "willful disregard for reality" that Nathan was talking about. 

"Prime Minister Carney has made it clear where his priorities lie, and they aren’t with workers," DeSousa said.

Sharon, we all knew that before the election.  He's too self-centred to care about other people and/or do a good job.  His "deal" with China is a perfect example of that.  But that doesn't matter, everyone should have been back to 5 days a week years ago.  Let go of the past and stop having that willful disregard for reality.  That goes for you too, Nathan and Sean.  Grow up and get back to work.

Blood Sugar Barbie Magik

"Mattel is aiming to expand on inclusivity by introducing a new Barbie with Type 1 diabetes."
https://globalnews.ca/news/11281590/barbie-type-1-diabetes-mattel/

I've never understood the need to identify with anything.  Like those yo-yos that whine about wanting to see themselves represented in the movies.  Why?  When I go to see, let's say a James Bond movie (any one but that last one, No Time To Watch), I want to see someone competent enough to overthrow the villain and save the day.  That ain't me in real life.  And I certainly wouldn't pay to go see a movie about a guy who has barely any skills and gets winded when he turns his head left or right.

I think this is what Diabetes Barbie is about.  Problem is, there's nothing to celebrate about a 7 year old with diabetes.  Hell, that shouldn't be promoted as being OK in the slightest.  Between you and me, I'm pretty happy I don't have the need to identify as someone with TD1.

The new Barbie wears a continuous glucose monitor on her arm, which is a device used to track blood sugar levels. She is also holding a phone displaying an accompanying app for the CGM and has an insulin pump attached to her waist.

Sounds like a fun toy.

Other than the Krista Berger (senior vice-president of Barbie and global head of dolls), I'm not sure who else would buy this.  There's no real stats I can find for people under 10 with Type 1 Diabetes on StatsCan so that's good news.  At least most little girls who get this as a gift will ask why Barbie has a walkman attached to her belt.

The doll carries a blue purse that can be used to hold other essential supplies or snacks on the go. Her fashion choice is also notable — she sports a blue polka dot style, which is a nod to the global symbols for diabetes awareness.

 

A purse full of candies, I hope.  And you could probably hide your weed in there too.  Are blue polka dots the symbols for diabetes awareness?  If so, why?  And where’s Barbie’s blond hair?

More questions than answers here.

Emily Mazreku, director of marketing strategy at Breakthrough T1D, added that “visibility matters for everyone facing Type 1 diabetes."

Two things: one, if I saw any person walking down the street, I wouldn't be able to tell if they have Type 1 diabetes or a headache... or anything.  The visibility angle doesn't make any sense.  Second: I don't know if Emily knows this, but Barbie could never get real T1 diabetes because she doesn't have a pancreas.  So, like a Barbie, this is empty and all for show.  But you know, Inclusivity.

"And as a mother who lives with Type 1 diabetes, Mazreku added, “it means everything to have Barbie helping the world see T1D and the incredible people who live with it.”

Now I see.  It's really for and about Emily.  How self-centred, errr... I mean, incredible of her.  And here I thought dolls were for kids.  I guess that's what happens when you lead the marketing 'strategy" department.  You just come up with bullshit to justify your job until the next contract.  Maybe the next doll will be Marketing and Strategy Barbie.  I wonder if it'll look like Emily?

Lila (Supermodel Kate Moss’s daughter), 22, has been very open about her diabetes diagnosis and shared her excitement for the launch of the new doll.

“Honoured to have a one-of-a kind Type 1 diabetic Barbie version of me to celebrate the launch of the first T1D Barbie,” she wrote on Instagram."

Again, diabetes isn't something to be proud of.  I've never seen any "Congratulations on your Diabetes" greeting cards in the Hallmark section.  It's not an accomplishment but if there's one way to trivialize a disease, it's Diabetes Barbie.  So, no, poor kids, if your Mom isn't famous or doesn't work at a marketing department, you will never get your own Barbie, even if you have Type 2 diabetes.

In short, if you're over 10 and playing with Barbies, maybe there's another underlying disability going on and if you design a doll based around yourself, you're as shallow as it gets.  Lastly, statistically, more men than women get diabetes but if you're a man playing with Barbies, chances are your name is already on the sex offender registry list.

You know what's better than a truck load of Diabetes Barbies?  Not having diabetes.