#specialist — Public Fediverse posts

Want to see the death of a large Canadian #retailer in slow-motion?

Princess Auto. [1] It's dying of #MBA disease.

I don't go there as often as I used to. I wasn't sure why, exactly - it's a great place if you want to pick up some weird #tool you'll use once a year and you don't want to drop the big bucks on a name-brand, and you're okay putting up with it being a little less #skookum or awkward to use.

I was there recently, though, and the reason clicked. It's turning into Generic Big Retailer. People like Princess Auto because it's not like other retailers that might carry many of the same items, like Canadian Tire.

Among other things, I was there to get a can of electrical contact cleaner and some spray lubricants. And when I got to that aisle, I found -- virtually all of the products were "WD-40" brand. Contact cleaner, rust penetrating lubricant, white lithium grease -- all from WD-40.

This isn't a good thing, and it isn't what professionals and serious amateurs want. If you go to a mechanic or a machinist or some other skilled pro, you'll find all this stuff in their shop supplies, but they'll all be from different brands, and if you're not in the business, you won't have ever heard of them before.

1/x

[1] For USAnians, it's something like Harbour Freight, but with more big-iron stuff for farmers and whatnot.

#PrincessAuto #Canada #brands #specialist #tools #Canadian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/12/video-visually-impaired-palestinian-boy-gaza-ayoub-junaid-crying-broken-glasses. "A #video of a seven-year-old #Palestinian #boy in #Gaza who suffers from a #severe #visual #impairment crying over his shattered #glasses has drawn widespread #attention across #social & #international #media. The footage of Ayoub Junaid has shone a light on the plight of the many #visually #impaired #children in Gaza who... have been unable to access #eye #examinations, #corrective #lenses or #specialist #ophthalmic #surgery."

Had my first #appointment with my #GenderCare #specialist yesterday and had an amazingly confirming visit. My #HRT all looks good and I have referrals for surgery and electrolysis.

Be of the really cool things is the surgeon they were looking up for referral is the same one I have been looking into since moving here.

I am really hoping that I can schedule surgery during a summer break so I won't have to take a semester off of #school.