Health Care revisited.... I have heard a lot of people discussing whether Canada's social health care system practises 'rationing' or not. I've heard some say it's a triage system (should it be???), etc etc. And now I have an example for you - my mother has paid into healthcare for about 40 years, through taxes, premiums, and extended health care payments (Alberta Blue Cross). My dad, who passed away in 1996, paid in for 30 years. Right now, my mom needs help. She has a sore on her leg caused by a biopsy about 3 years ago and it keeps getting infected and causing painful rashes up the back of her leg, and has become some form of dermatisits. They have tried various treatments and things went belly up when her family doctor quit his practise, sending her into the 'walkin clinic' and ER system. She is forever told "you should be seeing your family doctor about this", when there are none taking patients on so she is in limboland. Finally last week, an ER doc decided to start IV medication to combat the painful infection. Only problem is - the province will not approve my mom 'taking up a room' during the course of her treatment, so she was literally sent home with a big bag full of syringes of antibiotic and saline solutions. She has to have someone else, as in UNTRAINED people, pushing these into her IV line 3-4 times a day. Her friend offered to stay with her a few days and do it, and now her friend has her own life to attend to so mom has been coming to my house. I have never put IV medication in someone before, I don't know what to watch for with air bubbles, line problems, etc - but we have NO choice at all. The doctor actually said to mom "There is no point you being in a room and a nurse coming in 3 times a day to give you the medication". No point?? What is the point then? There is a needle stuck into my mom's vein 24 hours a day, vials of medication to push air out of then attach to an air lock on her IV line, and push in during a specified amount of time (3 vials each time, 3 times a day). I'm so sorry that it's not 'monetarily feasible' to put my mom in hospital while this is going on. I'm sorry that the province thinks it is more frugal to have completely untrained people work the IV line.
It's not that bad, I did it yesterday and will do it again today,, mom happened to find a retired nurse in her building to do the late night one so one trained person was found... but seriously, this is RIDICULOUS. She is almost 64, has never been in hospital in her life other than to give birth to my brother and I, and yet she is being sent home to administer her own IV medication. The next step involves a saline bag which we will literally have to hold in the air, instead of hanging on those special racks in the hospital. Yes I know a lot of people have to do medication like this at home, but that is usually long term home care (whether done by themselves or a home care nursing staff). This is for a week. What's wrong with putting a woman in the hospital who has been paying into the system for 40 years? Shouldn't she be treated like a paying customer instead of a freebie? It's aggravating. She is a very nervous person and is not happy with doing this, but has no choice.
Now comes my rationing theory --- when I was pregnant last year, I was kept overnight for observation due to complications. I received wonderful care, doctors checking on me, nurses coming in every hour to see me, etc. All because they cared about the little life inside me that was struggling. Two days later I had an emergency Csection at 33 weeks and a team of 9-12 people to make sure baby and I were okay. It was fantastic care, I was very pleased with all of it.
So why doesn't my mom receive that same special treatment? Is her health not as important as a new baby? Is her 64 year old body not as important at a 34 yr old or a fetus? All I got in my IV for my overnight stay was a saline IV (no meds) because I was a bit dehydrated. They had a bed ready for me immediately... but my mom gets sent home with a bag full of meds and vials and syringes, and literally ONE sheet of typed paper explaining how to do the IV (which was crap, made little sense to me, and I had to follow mom's verbal instructions instead). Why isn't she receiving top notch treatment in the same city, same province, same hospital? That's where the rationing theory comes into play - people that are older or sicker may not receive the same level of care as a younger person who has more to offer to the future of the world. Am I saying the theory is true? No - I can't say that. But it is highly suspect.
Canada's wonderful social care program - look after your own health at home and get your neighbour to help you, but make sure you pay your taxes to fund the very program that put you there. Mom said if she had the choice, she would pay to have her own hospital room and use her extended health insurance to buffer it. But - we DON'T have that choice. And people south of our border need to be aware of these circumstances because it might be happening to them soon too. The hospitals pick and choose who to keep in because they only have a certain amount of money for nursing staff, cleaning staff, food staff, etc and if they deem it too expensive to look after you on the social system, they will send you home with an IV kit to knock on your neighbour's doors for help too.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Freedom Of Expression....... ?
"The Truth" by Painter Michael D'Antuono which will be unveiled on President Obama's 100th Day in Office at NYC's Union Square. (PRNewsFoto/NOAH G POP FAM)The 30" x 54" acrylic painting on canvas depicts President Obama appearing much like Jesus Christ on the Cross; atop his head, a crown of thorns. Behind him, the dark veil being lifted (or lowered) on the Presidential Seal. But is he revealing or concealing and is he being crucified or glorified?
D'Antuono insists that this piece is a mirror; reflecting the personal opinions and emotions of the viewer; that "The Truth" like beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. D'Antuono expects that individual interpretations will vary as widely as they do in the political arena. The work will be seen by one viewer at a time behind a voting booth-inspired public installation.
Until now, Mr. D'Antuono has chosen to paint purely non-political subject matter, opting instead for iconic celebrity portraits and hard-luck romantic narratives. However, now the artist feels the need to make a statement. "Aided by the media, politics has taken a nasty turn in the last decade and I firmly believe that this is one of the underlying causes of our nation's current problems," says D'Antuono.
"The Truth" will be on exhibit on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the South Plaza of Union Square Park at 14th Street in New York City.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
I Love It...
I love it when people assume that because I have a problem with the idea of man-made Global Warming,I am, instead, an earth hater. What they don't know is that I co-own/run my local Freecycle.org chapter, and constantly give items away that others throw out. I also love going to garage sales instead of buying everything new (hit the jackpot with some books today), and have a basement literally full of recyclable goods waiting to be taken to the depot. I make my kids bring home their baggies from lunch boxes and re-use them, I took my own bags with me to the garage sale this morning, and I don't dump my cooking fat down the kitchen sink - I pour it into my recycled glass pasta sauce jars and when they are full, I throw them in the household garbage. I have my toilet set to use less water when flushing, the kids are trained to turn the taps off when brushing their teeth and lathering up with soap, etc etc etc. I am well aware that humans are covering the earth in waste, and using up precious water supplies. Having an issue with how Global Warming/Climate Change is being dealt with has NOTHING to do with that.
I am also always on the watch for hypocrites. For example, I was watching our Weather Channel on Earth Day when one of the presenters was talking about how her local store flyer only had 2 electric lawn mowers for sale, amongst many gas mowers. She went on about Global Warming and the planet, shaking her head and putting down people using such products that harm the environment. I started thinking about it more and wondered how she can say that when she is standing in a tv studio with cameras, lights, computers, giant screens, etc all gobbling up electricity, while wearing clothing and shoes that were constructed in one way or another using oil. The cameras, lights, computers, screens, etc were also created using oil in one form or another, let alone transported. And then I wondered if she drives to work. THAT is hypocritical to me. Complaining about mowing your lawn with a gas mower, while standing in a tv studio using up umpteen amounts of electrical energy from the Grid. Isn't that 'bad' as well? Why is there a big push for wind power electricity if the power for her workplace is not 'bad' for the environment? I also made a mental note that she rambled on about how she has 'heard' that manual mowers give a better cut anyway.... she HEARD this. Meaning, she does not and has not ever used a manual mower. Naughty naughty, don't you think? If she is trying to peddle manual mowers as a way to help save the environment, shouldn't she be using one too? Hmmm interesting.
And on another note, I watched some clips of Al Gore vs Newt Gangrich regarding Global Warming yesterday, and could not believe some of Gore's answers. Newt asked him about the great number of scientists who are challenging his team's findings, and Gore replied with a laugh "Well, there are people who still believe the Moon Landing was filmed in the desert". That was it. That's all he said. What kind of a pathetic, weak answer is that? He just insulted hundreds, if not over 1000 scientists, by calling them conspiracy theorists. He laughs at himself being called one, but is quick to point the finger at others, with no facts (at that moment anyway), to back himself up.
I have also heard a lot of people talking lately about how it's 'not fair' to have so many ultra-rich people when there are so many very poor. My brother said something to that effect last week too.... but why are so many of the loudest Liberals sickeningly rich? They could give away 75% of their income to millions of other families to help them out, and still be filthy rich themselves...... So why aren't they doing that? Sure they might donate 10-20% of their income to various charities, on top of the taxes they pay, but it's a drop in the bucket to how much they have left. Why do they proclaim unfairness in income bracket diversity while living in $4 million homes?? Seriously... WHY? I saw that Joe Biden and his wife gave over $1000 to charities last year, according to their income tax return, while their income was 2-3 hundred thousand... I gave over $500 when my income was less than $20,000. They earned more than 10 times what I do, but only gave 2-3 times as much. What does that say exactly? They did proclaim that they also volunteered a lot of their time, but does that not mean they are in effect charging for their services if they in response do not donate as much money? Hmmm... interesting.
Anyway my point is, there is a lot going on deep down that people need to start thinking about. They pass off capitalists or corporate people as being money-hungry evil doers that want to crush people under their shoes - but they themselves quite happily live the high life when the money they earn could literally save millions of people each year from being homeless, sick, jobless --- But I still see the loudest voices for Liberal issues being stinking rich. Madonna, Oprah, the Gores, Suzuki, Affleck, Damon, W Smith, Leno, Bono, The Edge (look up how he wants to obliterate the top of a hill with a gorgeous view and build 5 houses there right now)... how long is the list and how many multiple millions of dollars do these people spend on THEMSELVES every year? How much do their homes cost while people are living in cardboard boxes or under newspapers on a park bench? How much do their clothes and home furnishings cost when people are wearing rags and dying with a needle in their arm? Sure they start charities and donate a lot of money, but nowhere near what they actually spend on themselves each day, month, year. That is what makes me sick.
Gee, do they want to KEEP the money that they made? Do they feel they earned it and don't want it to be taken from them by force? Do they want to choose which charity to donate to and how much?
Of course they do. And personally I don't begrudge them their money. But if that is how they truly feel about their cash, why on earth do they support people who want to redistribute their money for them? Why do they support someone who has used words written by Karl Marx, who wanted to obliterate class diversity? Why do they shout from the rooftops that it is not fair people are starving, have no clean water, no jobs, no homes, and then retire to their multi-million dollar mansions, carrying $2000 handbags, and jet off on tropical holiday weekend getaways? It really makes no sense to me whatsoever.
We need to start thinking about the words coming out of their mouths and see what is really going on around us, around them, and see if it actually makes sense. They push regular earners to share their money and Adopt-A-Family, while they themselves could adopt 1000 families. They live a rather capitalist life themselves, but cry out about unfairness in the system. They shout that medical care should be universal, and then hop on a plane to another country for having their babies, or getting 'some work done'. They push that people should use re-washable toilet wipes instead of flushing tissue and then sue radio stations - wanting Royalties every time their song is played *coughSherylCrowecough*. Seriously, what the hell is all that about? A few million bucks is not enough to live on for those people, yet very few people call them out on this, instead just letting them ramble and shout for publicity. It's revolting, it really is.
I am also always on the watch for hypocrites. For example, I was watching our Weather Channel on Earth Day when one of the presenters was talking about how her local store flyer only had 2 electric lawn mowers for sale, amongst many gas mowers. She went on about Global Warming and the planet, shaking her head and putting down people using such products that harm the environment. I started thinking about it more and wondered how she can say that when she is standing in a tv studio with cameras, lights, computers, giant screens, etc all gobbling up electricity, while wearing clothing and shoes that were constructed in one way or another using oil. The cameras, lights, computers, screens, etc were also created using oil in one form or another, let alone transported. And then I wondered if she drives to work. THAT is hypocritical to me. Complaining about mowing your lawn with a gas mower, while standing in a tv studio using up umpteen amounts of electrical energy from the Grid. Isn't that 'bad' as well? Why is there a big push for wind power electricity if the power for her workplace is not 'bad' for the environment? I also made a mental note that she rambled on about how she has 'heard' that manual mowers give a better cut anyway.... she HEARD this. Meaning, she does not and has not ever used a manual mower. Naughty naughty, don't you think? If she is trying to peddle manual mowers as a way to help save the environment, shouldn't she be using one too? Hmmm interesting.
And on another note, I watched some clips of Al Gore vs Newt Gangrich regarding Global Warming yesterday, and could not believe some of Gore's answers. Newt asked him about the great number of scientists who are challenging his team's findings, and Gore replied with a laugh "Well, there are people who still believe the Moon Landing was filmed in the desert". That was it. That's all he said. What kind of a pathetic, weak answer is that? He just insulted hundreds, if not over 1000 scientists, by calling them conspiracy theorists. He laughs at himself being called one, but is quick to point the finger at others, with no facts (at that moment anyway), to back himself up.
I have also heard a lot of people talking lately about how it's 'not fair' to have so many ultra-rich people when there are so many very poor. My brother said something to that effect last week too.... but why are so many of the loudest Liberals sickeningly rich? They could give away 75% of their income to millions of other families to help them out, and still be filthy rich themselves...... So why aren't they doing that? Sure they might donate 10-20% of their income to various charities, on top of the taxes they pay, but it's a drop in the bucket to how much they have left. Why do they proclaim unfairness in income bracket diversity while living in $4 million homes?? Seriously... WHY? I saw that Joe Biden and his wife gave over $1000 to charities last year, according to their income tax return, while their income was 2-3 hundred thousand... I gave over $500 when my income was less than $20,000. They earned more than 10 times what I do, but only gave 2-3 times as much. What does that say exactly? They did proclaim that they also volunteered a lot of their time, but does that not mean they are in effect charging for their services if they in response do not donate as much money? Hmmm... interesting.
Anyway my point is, there is a lot going on deep down that people need to start thinking about. They pass off capitalists or corporate people as being money-hungry evil doers that want to crush people under their shoes - but they themselves quite happily live the high life when the money they earn could literally save millions of people each year from being homeless, sick, jobless --- But I still see the loudest voices for Liberal issues being stinking rich. Madonna, Oprah, the Gores, Suzuki, Affleck, Damon, W Smith, Leno, Bono, The Edge (look up how he wants to obliterate the top of a hill with a gorgeous view and build 5 houses there right now)... how long is the list and how many multiple millions of dollars do these people spend on THEMSELVES every year? How much do their homes cost while people are living in cardboard boxes or under newspapers on a park bench? How much do their clothes and home furnishings cost when people are wearing rags and dying with a needle in their arm? Sure they start charities and donate a lot of money, but nowhere near what they actually spend on themselves each day, month, year. That is what makes me sick.
Gee, do they want to KEEP the money that they made? Do they feel they earned it and don't want it to be taken from them by force? Do they want to choose which charity to donate to and how much?
Of course they do. And personally I don't begrudge them their money. But if that is how they truly feel about their cash, why on earth do they support people who want to redistribute their money for them? Why do they support someone who has used words written by Karl Marx, who wanted to obliterate class diversity? Why do they shout from the rooftops that it is not fair people are starving, have no clean water, no jobs, no homes, and then retire to their multi-million dollar mansions, carrying $2000 handbags, and jet off on tropical holiday weekend getaways? It really makes no sense to me whatsoever.
We need to start thinking about the words coming out of their mouths and see what is really going on around us, around them, and see if it actually makes sense. They push regular earners to share their money and Adopt-A-Family, while they themselves could adopt 1000 families. They live a rather capitalist life themselves, but cry out about unfairness in the system. They shout that medical care should be universal, and then hop on a plane to another country for having their babies, or getting 'some work done'. They push that people should use re-washable toilet wipes instead of flushing tissue and then sue radio stations - wanting Royalties every time their song is played *coughSherylCrowecough*. Seriously, what the hell is all that about? A few million bucks is not enough to live on for those people, yet very few people call them out on this, instead just letting them ramble and shout for publicity. It's revolting, it really is.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
That's Affirmative
More random thoughts, brought on by the current suit concerning Fire Fighters claiming discrimination based on exams they took where 'not enough minority persons passed'.
A year or so ago, I watched a program concerning Affirmative Action in Texas colleges. They showed several white students who did not get accepted into programs because the college/uni was trying to follow the affirmative action rules to have a certain % of minority students enrolled. One example was a white girl who worked her butt off for a 4.0 top score, but was not accepted. Another student was accepted, from a minority group, from a lower academic level school. She worked her butt off too, but her scores were not as high as this particular white girl. The program asked the students individually what they thought of the Affirm Action program, and then had the girls meet. The girl who WAS accepted was actually shocked that she was chosen over the other student, simply based on the colour of their skin. She agreed that it was a form of racism in itself, racism against the white student for having the right marks, but the wrong skin colour. The white student was very glad that kids from lower demographics were getting the chance to go to college, but she was very disappointed that her own hard work was ignored completely due to her skin colour. Is that fair? How is it not racism?
It reminds me of when our daycare inspectors told my director that she needs to hire minority groups. They said it as though she avoids doing it. We explained that only one 'minority' person had ever applied in the past 20 years and then they asked why she was not hired. The inspector was acting all indignant, like 'I don't care if only one applied, why didn't you hire her??'. My boss explained that she put in the application when we did not have any staff positions open, and that when we did a few months later, we called the woman and she declined because she had since found another job. End of story. The inspector's response was to grill my boss on what steps she takes to hire minority staff... We listed everywhere that we post job positions (newspaper, Community Employment Services, Man Power) and she said that was not good enough - that we need to target where minority people look for jobs. Um,,, if they don't look in the major employment service places, where else do they look? We did not understand what she meant. She suggested we put up ads in various places like the First Nations community center, SAAMIS immigration dept, etc. My boss explained that those places deal directly with Comm Employ Services (CES) already... and the inspector looked down her nose at us like we were being racist or something. It was ridiculous! Meanwhile, right around this woman stood children from Sudan, Bosnia, Mexico, and Russia. We had about 35% minority children right in the center at that very moment but she ignored that. It was truly ridiculous. Then she told us that we 'best hire' minorities in the near future. How can you do that when none have applied? And if they do apply, but someone else has a better resume and more experience, are we supposed to ignore them if they happen to be white, and choose the less qualified person just because they are a minority? How is that NOT racist too? We evaluate all applications based on merit, not the colour of the person's skin.
That was about 3 years ago, and we have still not had a minority group person apply for a job. We have had 'mentally challenged' people working for us though, found through CES. Does that not count as giving people a chance? Even though they were all white, doesn't that count? We are not some stuck up group who picks and chooses who we hire, we look at everyone and choose based on merit. We do afterall work with young children, which is an extremely important job, and we need to be sure to choose the best of the best based on their abilities and experience and caring, NOT the colour of their skin or cultural background. But we have been cited numerous times in inspection reports for not striving the extra mile to hire minorities. When someone sees that remark in our inspection reports, they assume we are purposefully not hiring minorities and that is completely unfair and unfounded. That makes it sound like we have received applications but turned them down due to their skin colour, which is incorrect.
However, we ARE being asked to turn down applications if the person happens to be caucasion. How is that not racist??
A year or so ago, I watched a program concerning Affirmative Action in Texas colleges. They showed several white students who did not get accepted into programs because the college/uni was trying to follow the affirmative action rules to have a certain % of minority students enrolled. One example was a white girl who worked her butt off for a 4.0 top score, but was not accepted. Another student was accepted, from a minority group, from a lower academic level school. She worked her butt off too, but her scores were not as high as this particular white girl. The program asked the students individually what they thought of the Affirm Action program, and then had the girls meet. The girl who WAS accepted was actually shocked that she was chosen over the other student, simply based on the colour of their skin. She agreed that it was a form of racism in itself, racism against the white student for having the right marks, but the wrong skin colour. The white student was very glad that kids from lower demographics were getting the chance to go to college, but she was very disappointed that her own hard work was ignored completely due to her skin colour. Is that fair? How is it not racism?
It reminds me of when our daycare inspectors told my director that she needs to hire minority groups. They said it as though she avoids doing it. We explained that only one 'minority' person had ever applied in the past 20 years and then they asked why she was not hired. The inspector was acting all indignant, like 'I don't care if only one applied, why didn't you hire her??'. My boss explained that she put in the application when we did not have any staff positions open, and that when we did a few months later, we called the woman and she declined because she had since found another job. End of story. The inspector's response was to grill my boss on what steps she takes to hire minority staff... We listed everywhere that we post job positions (newspaper, Community Employment Services, Man Power) and she said that was not good enough - that we need to target where minority people look for jobs. Um,,, if they don't look in the major employment service places, where else do they look? We did not understand what she meant. She suggested we put up ads in various places like the First Nations community center, SAAMIS immigration dept, etc. My boss explained that those places deal directly with Comm Employ Services (CES) already... and the inspector looked down her nose at us like we were being racist or something. It was ridiculous! Meanwhile, right around this woman stood children from Sudan, Bosnia, Mexico, and Russia. We had about 35% minority children right in the center at that very moment but she ignored that. It was truly ridiculous. Then she told us that we 'best hire' minorities in the near future. How can you do that when none have applied? And if they do apply, but someone else has a better resume and more experience, are we supposed to ignore them if they happen to be white, and choose the less qualified person just because they are a minority? How is that NOT racist too? We evaluate all applications based on merit, not the colour of the person's skin.
That was about 3 years ago, and we have still not had a minority group person apply for a job. We have had 'mentally challenged' people working for us though, found through CES. Does that not count as giving people a chance? Even though they were all white, doesn't that count? We are not some stuck up group who picks and chooses who we hire, we look at everyone and choose based on merit. We do afterall work with young children, which is an extremely important job, and we need to be sure to choose the best of the best based on their abilities and experience and caring, NOT the colour of their skin or cultural background. But we have been cited numerous times in inspection reports for not striving the extra mile to hire minorities. When someone sees that remark in our inspection reports, they assume we are purposefully not hiring minorities and that is completely unfair and unfounded. That makes it sound like we have received applications but turned them down due to their skin colour, which is incorrect.
However, we ARE being asked to turn down applications if the person happens to be caucasion. How is that not racist??
Random Greenings
To celebrate Earth Day, I had some random thoughts... Last night on Twitter, a celeb that I follow posted her excitement that Sun Chips is now offering a compostable bag. She called for the Twitterverse to Go Green..... I'm sorry but I still find all of that talk laughable. Why? Because anyone who got her message, including me, was using an electronic device to read it. Computer, cell phone... using electricity, made with petroleum products, decidedly UN-green while passing messages back and forth to millions of people (using millions of computers and iphones), and shouting Go Green... does that even make sense at all? It's like it's okay to use your computer and burn up precious energy while emitting so-called greenhouse gases and depleting reserves, if you go out and buy a compostable bag of Sun Chips. Meanwhile of course, you probably drive your car to get there (she drives a Mercedes by the way), and the Sun Chips got on the store shelves after a big stinky truck drove them there. Do you follow me here? It is just plain LAUGHABLE. It really is.
I also saw something interesting in my Canadian Tire flyer this week (it's a store, for you foreigners lol)... a 400 watt solar and/or wind power module that was on sale for $700, but you also have to buy the converter and the storage battery for over $500, and some other thingy for about $150... 400 watts? Whoopie. I can run a few lightbulbs on that or charge my camping trailer battery I guess... but anyway, on the very next page was a 1600 watt Electric BBQ on sale for $150. I just thought it was humorous in the Earth Week flyer to have so many electric devices. A whole page of electric lawn mowers also immediately followed the Solar Panel sale page. It is such a gimmick at this time for a store to put GO GREEN on the front page, and then fill the rest of the pages with electric devices - and don't forget all the gasoline powered lawn mowers that were on sale as well, let alone the power tools. It really is ridiculous. Canadian Tire cares! So come buy a solar panel kit for $1000 and then pick up a mower and a BBQ that the panel can't even run because it's not even close to running your toaster let alone anything else reliably. Awesome!
Recent Canadian Polls on the Cost of Environmentally Greener Products
____________
Mostly unrelated musing: Mark Levin's book reviews on Amazon so far
Compare with Dreams of My Father that was released over 4 years ago.
I also saw something interesting in my Canadian Tire flyer this week (it's a store, for you foreigners lol)... a 400 watt solar and/or wind power module that was on sale for $700, but you also have to buy the converter and the storage battery for over $500, and some other thingy for about $150... 400 watts? Whoopie. I can run a few lightbulbs on that or charge my camping trailer battery I guess... but anyway, on the very next page was a 1600 watt Electric BBQ on sale for $150. I just thought it was humorous in the Earth Week flyer to have so many electric devices. A whole page of electric lawn mowers also immediately followed the Solar Panel sale page. It is such a gimmick at this time for a store to put GO GREEN on the front page, and then fill the rest of the pages with electric devices - and don't forget all the gasoline powered lawn mowers that were on sale as well, let alone the power tools. It really is ridiculous. Canadian Tire cares! So come buy a solar panel kit for $1000 and then pick up a mower and a BBQ that the panel can't even run because it's not even close to running your toaster let alone anything else reliably. Awesome!
Recent Canadian Polls on the Cost of Environmentally Greener Products
____________
Mostly unrelated musing: Mark Levin's book reviews on Amazon so far
Compare with Dreams of My Father that was released over 4 years ago.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Bagging Rights
I happened to receive this email tonight after having a little discussion about Paper and Plastic Bags. A caller on Sirius Patriot, earlier today, mentioned that he recalls several years ago when people used to use paper bags for their groceries/shopping but environmentalist groups started the push away from using paper (Save The Trees), and tada - mass plastic bag use was born. Now of course, plastic is known to sit around for eons and is blamed for a lot of environmental issues, so now those groups are pushing to use recycled or reusable bags... okay, so what will be next? And are we just supposed to ignore the past, and ignore the fact that Environmentalists were the ones to push towards using PLASTIC in the first place?
And may I just point out that whether you use paper, plastic, or fabric bags - they were all created using PETROLEUM products, whether it is in the materials, the processing, transportation, factory, dyes, etc,,, and we fill them with items that are only available due to their heavy reliance on Petroleum products at EVERY STEP???? Ikea itself selling no end of products created using oil, in a giant building made entirely of materials available due to Petroleum, and every item transported to the various stores in gas or diesel-guzzling trucks... Is this not hypocracy at it's highest level? Look around the shop, look in their catalogues, and then decide if using a fabric shopping bag is going to make any major impact on the environment with such large masses of petroleum-based products piled in every corner. Seriously,,, it is really starting to drive me insane. Save The Planet - Don't Use The Plastic Bags We Forced You To Use When We Decided That Paper Bags Were Bad, Use THIS Bag That Was Made In A Greased Machine And Brought To You In A Semi-Trailer. Okay,,,, yeah,,,, good idea!
What Seattle plans to do, for example.
As for me, I choose to reuse my plastic bags as much as possible. I use them in the house for my smaller garbage bins instead of buying a box. I take a wad of them with me to the store (when I remember, sometimes I forget). I use them for many many things and very rarely throw them away unless they are icky, or were used to bring Meat home from the store).... I have purchased many fabric bags from stores such as Safeway, The Bay, Superstore, IGA, and so on - but guess what? Almost all of them have rips and tears after only a few uses. I swear I have bad bag karma or something. I do not overfill them because I have 3 young children to bring into the house as well, and don't feel like carrying a horribly heavy grocery bag at the same time as hauling a baby into the house. Yet, the bottom has ripped right out of 3 bags from 2 different stores, the handles tore off two others, and there are random holes in over half of the bags I have left. How nice! I paid for these bags, between $1 and $2 each, and they are crap. So now I just use them for random trips out with baby, to throw a few diapers and wipes into. That's my Bag Lady Story, what's your's?
This Is Better...
Instead of listening to Janeane Garofalo suggest that anyone at the Tea Parties who was not white must have Stockholm Syndrome, let's listen to this woman:
Thanks to the Mike Church show for playing this today.
Thanks to the Mike Church show for playing this today.
Are You Ready for Involuntary Volunteering?
Re: The President's address, going on right now. Maybe he forgot to read this first:
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution makes involuntary servitude illegal under any U.S. jurisdiction whether at the hands of the U.S. government or in the private sphere, except as punishment for a crime: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
________
If you are confused by this post, I just suggest to 'wait and see'. I still remember when the original change.gov website went up last November and there were several clauses regarding the expansion of the Corps in the US. The wording was very suspect, like 'requiring' all citizens to do Community Service, 'requiring' all middle, high, and college students to do Community Service, and so on. Mysteriously those ideas were wiped from the site within a week of it's unveiling, and it reappeared with slightly altered wording such as the college 'requirement' would be for certain students receiving certain types of funding (my guess: If you want a loan, you have to work it off in the Corps). Or the magical list of 'volunteer work' that would be 'requested' of adults of all career fields, even retired seniors, where they will be 'enlisted' to help young students with their various projects. Is it volunteer work if you are required to do it? Is it volunteer community service if you HAVE to do it in order to advance? How will you triple the number of volunteers if they aren't signing up? Is that where the original plans of 'requiring' all citizens from middle school age and up comes back into play? Who knows,,, I am just interested to see what will happen eventually and have put this on a Post It note in my head for future reference.
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution makes involuntary servitude illegal under any U.S. jurisdiction whether at the hands of the U.S. government or in the private sphere, except as punishment for a crime: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
________
If you are confused by this post, I just suggest to 'wait and see'. I still remember when the original change.gov website went up last November and there were several clauses regarding the expansion of the Corps in the US. The wording was very suspect, like 'requiring' all citizens to do Community Service, 'requiring' all middle, high, and college students to do Community Service, and so on. Mysteriously those ideas were wiped from the site within a week of it's unveiling, and it reappeared with slightly altered wording such as the college 'requirement' would be for certain students receiving certain types of funding (my guess: If you want a loan, you have to work it off in the Corps). Or the magical list of 'volunteer work' that would be 'requested' of adults of all career fields, even retired seniors, where they will be 'enlisted' to help young students with their various projects. Is it volunteer work if you are required to do it? Is it volunteer community service if you HAVE to do it in order to advance? How will you triple the number of volunteers if they aren't signing up? Is that where the original plans of 'requiring' all citizens from middle school age and up comes back into play? Who knows,,, I am just interested to see what will happen eventually and have put this on a Post It note in my head for future reference.
Friday, April 17, 2009
You're All A Bunch of Teabagging Red Necks Hating a Black Man as President
Whoa... I just heard a sound bite on the Mike Church show of Janeane Garofalo on the Keith Oberman show last night (NBC)... and she directly said that people attending the Tea Parties in the US are nothing but racists, through and through, hating a black man as president, and are nothing but teabagging red necks. Wooooooo. Bet you didn't know that about yourselves eh? Oh yes, here is the vid clip. Her segment starts at 3:00 minutes in so slide the bar across once it is loaded. She also says that their synapses are misfiring, that they are dealing with a neurological problem. "These guys hate that a black guy is in the White House"...."these people, all white, for the most part unless there's some people with Stockholm Syndrome there...". "I didn't know there were so many racists left... the Republican/Conservative Movement has now Crystalized into the White Power Movement"....
Ugh I can't transcribe anymore or I will throw up. What is her answer for how many of these people ALSO hated Bush and complained & protested him as well? I know that Mike Church for example, the Sirius Patriot radio host who attended and spoke at the Wash DC rally, tore apart Bush for 6-8 years on many of his policies and issues. I guess Church just suddenly turned racist now? I'm surprised he has managed to live in Lousianna all this time.
Here is the website for those who Garofalo thinks must have Stockholm Syndrome:
National Black Republican Association.
Shouldn't someone let them know so they can get help?
_________________
Why does this offend me? Because I very well might be one of those people she is slamming. Is there a lot of difference between a Canadian conservative and an American one? If not - well then nearly my entire province is a bunch of racists. Half the country perhaps (oh sorry, 36%?)... and THAT is offensive. I guess I better break the news to my best friend before she visits this summer. She will have to leave her black husband and their two kids at home in Charleston SC. Tis a shame, really.
Ugh I can't transcribe anymore or I will throw up. What is her answer for how many of these people ALSO hated Bush and complained & protested him as well? I know that Mike Church for example, the Sirius Patriot radio host who attended and spoke at the Wash DC rally, tore apart Bush for 6-8 years on many of his policies and issues. I guess Church just suddenly turned racist now? I'm surprised he has managed to live in Lousianna all this time.
Here is the website for those who Garofalo thinks must have Stockholm Syndrome:
National Black Republican Association.
Shouldn't someone let them know so they can get help?
_________________
Why does this offend me? Because I very well might be one of those people she is slamming. Is there a lot of difference between a Canadian conservative and an American one? If not - well then nearly my entire province is a bunch of racists. Half the country perhaps (oh sorry, 36%?)... and THAT is offensive. I guess I better break the news to my best friend before she visits this summer. She will have to leave her black husband and their two kids at home in Charleston SC. Tis a shame, really.
CO2 Famine?
I missed this Feb article in the UK Telegraph, but saw the link in the forum at the Mike Church Show site.
Excerpts:
""Award-winning Princeton University Physicist Dr. Will Happer declared man-made global warming fears "mistaken" and noted that the Earth was currently in a "CO2 famine now."""
""Many people don't realize that over geological time, we're really in a CO2 famine now. Almost never has CO2 levels been as low as it has been in the Holocene (geologic epoch) - 280 (parts per million - ppm) - that's unheard of. Most of the time [CO2 levels] have been at least 1000 (ppm) and it's been quite higher than that," Happer told the Senate Committee""
""Earth was just fine in those times," Happer added. "The oceans were fine, plants grew, animals grew fine. So it's baffling to me that we're so frightened of getting nowhere close to where we started," Happer explained. Happer also noted that "the number of [skeptical scientists] with the courage to speak out is growing" and he warned "children should not be force-fed propaganda, masquerading as science.""
"". Happer is a professor in the Department of Physics at Princeton University and former Director of Energy Research at the Department of Energy from 1990 to 1993, has published over 200 scientific papers, and is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the National Academy of Sciences. Happer was reportedly fired by former Vice President Al Gore in 1993 for failing to adhere to Gore's scientific views. ""
""There have been similar and even larger warmings several times in the 10,000 years since the end of the last ice age. These earlier warmings clearly had nothing to do with the combustion of fossil fuels. The current warming also seems to be due mostly to natural causes, not to increasing levels of carbon dioxide. Over the past ten years there has been no global warming, and in fact a slight cooling. This is not at all what was predicted by the IPCC models," Happer testified""
__________
This goes along with my concerns about my son's Grade 6 teacher repeatedly talking to the students about Global Warming. My 11 yr old is the only child in the class who asks questions about it and voices his concerns. We were listening to various news reports concerning Global Warming AND Cooling and my son said "I am so confused. They say the planet is getting too hot so they want to try putting pollution high up there to weaken the sun's rays, but then they are saying the planet is getting too cold because the sun hasn't been as hot. If the sun is not as hot, why would we want to block it's power?" I had no answer for him other than "I have no flippin' idea!". Then he asked why they want people to stop driving cars that give off pollution, and then put pollution up there anyway to block the sun. I don't have an answer for any of that because it doesn't make sense to me either. But yet, with all this confusion, his teacher is telling them about Global Warming and how we have to change our ways. She eventually admitted that they don't really know, but then has taught about it twice since then. ARGH. It frustrates me. All I can do is tell her my views on it (which I did and she didn't really comment), and then make sure my son has access to other information out there as we find it. He heard the report that polar ice caps are actually BIGGER now, not smaller, and that's a start. He files all of that away in his mind to use in class lol.
Excerpts:
""Award-winning Princeton University Physicist Dr. Will Happer declared man-made global warming fears "mistaken" and noted that the Earth was currently in a "CO2 famine now."""
""Many people don't realize that over geological time, we're really in a CO2 famine now. Almost never has CO2 levels been as low as it has been in the Holocene (geologic epoch) - 280 (parts per million - ppm) - that's unheard of. Most of the time [CO2 levels] have been at least 1000 (ppm) and it's been quite higher than that," Happer told the Senate Committee""
""Earth was just fine in those times," Happer added. "The oceans were fine, plants grew, animals grew fine. So it's baffling to me that we're so frightened of getting nowhere close to where we started," Happer explained. Happer also noted that "the number of [skeptical scientists] with the courage to speak out is growing" and he warned "children should not be force-fed propaganda, masquerading as science.""
"". Happer is a professor in the Department of Physics at Princeton University and former Director of Energy Research at the Department of Energy from 1990 to 1993, has published over 200 scientific papers, and is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the National Academy of Sciences. Happer was reportedly fired by former Vice President Al Gore in 1993 for failing to adhere to Gore's scientific views. ""
""There have been similar and even larger warmings several times in the 10,000 years since the end of the last ice age. These earlier warmings clearly had nothing to do with the combustion of fossil fuels. The current warming also seems to be due mostly to natural causes, not to increasing levels of carbon dioxide. Over the past ten years there has been no global warming, and in fact a slight cooling. This is not at all what was predicted by the IPCC models," Happer testified""
__________
This goes along with my concerns about my son's Grade 6 teacher repeatedly talking to the students about Global Warming. My 11 yr old is the only child in the class who asks questions about it and voices his concerns. We were listening to various news reports concerning Global Warming AND Cooling and my son said "I am so confused. They say the planet is getting too hot so they want to try putting pollution high up there to weaken the sun's rays, but then they are saying the planet is getting too cold because the sun hasn't been as hot. If the sun is not as hot, why would we want to block it's power?" I had no answer for him other than "I have no flippin' idea!". Then he asked why they want people to stop driving cars that give off pollution, and then put pollution up there anyway to block the sun. I don't have an answer for any of that because it doesn't make sense to me either. But yet, with all this confusion, his teacher is telling them about Global Warming and how we have to change our ways. She eventually admitted that they don't really know, but then has taught about it twice since then. ARGH. It frustrates me. All I can do is tell her my views on it (which I did and she didn't really comment), and then make sure my son has access to other information out there as we find it. He heard the report that polar ice caps are actually BIGGER now, not smaller, and that's a start. He files all of that away in his mind to use in class lol.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Comparing Tea Party Goers to Convicted and Executed Terrorists??
Okay, wow..... I read and subscribe to a lot of different sites/groups in order to at least try to broaden my scope of knowledge. One of those is Common Dreams.org, a 'progressive' group.... I'm not so sure what is 'progressive' about the Subject Line of their email today. Wow. I could not believe what I was seeing,, and then they applaud themselves for being so clever and ask (beg) for donations. This is one group that is getting my un-sub request (not like they care, cos apparently me and Tim V are good buddies, aside from the fact he is dead and I work in a daycare like the one he blew up. Yeah, we are old pals, go wayyyyyyyyyyyy back.). DISGUSTING...... This is a copy of the email I received, unaltered, aside from removing my email address and a Donation button:
| From: CommonDreams.org Date: 16/04/2009 9:55:45 AM To: my email address Subject: Tim McVeigh Would Love the Tea Party. |
| April 16, 2009 Dear Common Dreamer, Yesterday - as Astroturf tea parties and right-wing tea bags dominated headlines - we published an original article by Thom Hartmann: The Real Boston Tea Party was an Anti-Corporate Revolt. It was a great piece - timely and informative, insightful and inspirational. If you read it, you know that it's a perfect example of why you and so many others count on CommonDreams.org to deliver the best progressive news and analysis on the web. Just as you count on us, we count on you. We have yet to raise enough money to meet our quarterly goal. If you've already donated, thank you! If not, please make a secure online donation today. Or, you can use our print and mail form to send a check. Your contribution will help us continue to inform and influence a vast audience of citizens and activists - people like you who have the power to influence the decision-makers in Washington. As the U.S. and global economies have unraveled over the past months, our editors have sifted through thousands of headlines and views to find exactly what you rely on us for: the latest facts and insights about the pillaging of our economy.
It's a labor of love. But one that also requires resources. That's good news in the sense that more information is available to more people. But it's also become increasingly labor-intensive to keep up with the proliferation of content, to weed out the worst and bring you only the best. We remain as dedicated as ever to creating an online 'progressive commons.' But we need your help to keep us going. Please make your secure online donation today. Or, you can use our print and mail form to mail your check. Thank you. We can't do it without you! Gratefully,
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Polar Ice Caps
I just heard on the radio that the Polar Ice Caps are not contracting (over the past 3 years) and are in fact GROWING - at an alarming rate.
I'm on the way out the door but it was about how certain places in the Northern US should not plant anything until mid-June (instead of the usual mid-May) because the cold air from the arctic is still hanging over Canada and will be dropping down onto the Northern states (eastern I believe) later than usual because it's staying colder for longer. So it said not to bother planting anything that is sensitive to frost until the middle of June... then went on to list reports coming out about the size of the Polar Ice Caps, and a discussion about an approaching Ice Age (that we are in what's called an Inter-Glacial Period right now).
But that's all I could gleen while rushing around, so maybe I can find an update later. Meanwhile, I'm going to go spew some more emissions into the atmosphere because it sounds to me like we SHOULD be trying to warm up the planet, dont-cha think?
I'm on the way out the door but it was about how certain places in the Northern US should not plant anything until mid-June (instead of the usual mid-May) because the cold air from the arctic is still hanging over Canada and will be dropping down onto the Northern states (eastern I believe) later than usual because it's staying colder for longer. So it said not to bother planting anything that is sensitive to frost until the middle of June... then went on to list reports coming out about the size of the Polar Ice Caps, and a discussion about an approaching Ice Age (that we are in what's called an Inter-Glacial Period right now).
But that's all I could gleen while rushing around, so maybe I can find an update later. Meanwhile, I'm going to go spew some more emissions into the atmosphere because it sounds to me like we SHOULD be trying to warm up the planet, dont-cha think?
Post-Tea-Party 'Reports'
First I want to quote an excerpt from the Vancouver Sun article I read yesterday:""A reportedly corporate-financed grassroots" anti-tax movement, paid for, planned and promoted by right wing think tanks, corporate lobbyists and Fox News Channel, has failed to bring about the "popular uprising" against the Obama administration its creators had hoped for.""
And now I want to post a few photos from the various events around the US, just for the heck of it.
If this was a failure, I bet they don't want to see a Success.... EVER!Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Maxine's Got It Right
We really need to listen to our elders. They have far more life experience than we do, and we don't even know the half of it.
__________________________________________________
And since pretty much all I have seen on the various news channels 'covering' the tea parties are the smallest gatherings they could find, HERE is the link to the website with photos being added along with updates throughout the evening.
Including this article I came across in the Vancouver Sun. What a surprise I can't seem to leave a comment on it, eh? I can leave comments on every single other site I have ever wished to leave a comment on, but this one would not budge for me.
And since pretty much all I have seen on the various news channels 'covering' the tea parties are the smallest gatherings they could find, HERE is the link to the website with photos being added along with updates throughout the evening.
Including this article I came across in the Vancouver Sun. What a surprise I can't seem to leave a comment on it, eh? I can leave comments on every single other site I have ever wished to leave a comment on, but this one would not budge for me.
Did you Know...
There seems to be a few misconceptions about the Tax Day Tea Parties going on in the US today. It is not some Republican Revival, it's not even just conservatives getting together in small groups of protest. There are Libertarians, Independents, and yes, Liberals attending as well. This is to be a non-partisan gathering of people who are concerned about upcoming taxation country-wide to pay for the bailouts, stimulus, upcoming universal health care, and so on. Regular people from regular families who are extremely concerned about the country's future.
Why do I care when I'm in Canada? Maybe it's because we should take notice of things like this and instead of taking everything the government gives us, grumbling a bit under our breath, and then just going along with it as if we have no choice in the matter... maybe we should stand up and shout a bit more often. Maybe we should show our representatives that we care and are interested in our own lives for a change. Maybe we should take notice of what is going on in the US and then get some guts and do it ourselves.
***
Another issue I have noticed on the news and various blogs is the comparison of today's Tea Parties to the Boston Tea Party. First off, who says that the tea parties have to be about the exact same thing? Is there a rule about this somewhere, that the 1700s have the monopoly on future TPs? And if the past issue was concerning 'taxation without representation', how is that so different from today? Is it really 'representation' if the govt tells you that they are taking your money and spending in on programs that you don't want? Is that REALLY representation? So you could look at this both ways - the Boston Tea Party has been used as an INSPIRATION for the 2009 Tax Day Tea Parties; and that it's not necessarily true representation if these representatives have not even read the bills they have signed, have ignored hundreds of thousands of letters and phone calls from their constituents requesting them to STOP, and are hiding fun little earmarks within bills to snag a few more taxbucks. So - maybe that is ALSO 'taxation without representation', don't you think?
Why do I care when I'm in Canada? Maybe it's because we should take notice of things like this and instead of taking everything the government gives us, grumbling a bit under our breath, and then just going along with it as if we have no choice in the matter... maybe we should stand up and shout a bit more often. Maybe we should show our representatives that we care and are interested in our own lives for a change. Maybe we should take notice of what is going on in the US and then get some guts and do it ourselves.
***
Another issue I have noticed on the news and various blogs is the comparison of today's Tea Parties to the Boston Tea Party. First off, who says that the tea parties have to be about the exact same thing? Is there a rule about this somewhere, that the 1700s have the monopoly on future TPs? And if the past issue was concerning 'taxation without representation', how is that so different from today? Is it really 'representation' if the govt tells you that they are taking your money and spending in on programs that you don't want? Is that REALLY representation? So you could look at this both ways - the Boston Tea Party has been used as an INSPIRATION for the 2009 Tax Day Tea Parties; and that it's not necessarily true representation if these representatives have not even read the bills they have signed, have ignored hundreds of thousands of letters and phone calls from their constituents requesting them to STOP, and are hiding fun little earmarks within bills to snag a few more taxbucks. So - maybe that is ALSO 'taxation without representation', don't you think?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
A Little Perplexed...
... I have been keeping an eye out around town for Mark Levin's book, Liberty and Tyranny. It has been on the best seller's list for 3 weeks (non fiction, Amazon, NY Times, etc) but it has not appeared in my little corner of Alberta yet. Tonight I decided to ask the book store clerk about it, and I could not believe the answer I got... I didn't know if I should laugh or scream.
She said "No, we don't carry that because it is about American politics, isn't it?".
Normally I am not confrontational, I avoid it like the plague. If someone says something to my face that I don't agree with, I usually wimp out and keep my mouth shut. But I couldn't keep the trap shut tonight - I laughed in shock and said "Are you kidding me? You have ELEVEN books about Barack Obama over there, not to mention one about/by Hillary Clinton and even Joe Biden (Joe who?)". She still looked at me like SHE was perplexed, and I said "those are about American politics, are they not?"....
.... and she actually had to stop to think about that for a few minutes......
.... and finally answered "Oh yes, they are, but I imagine they are more popular". I casually informed her that Liberty and Tyranny has been the NUMBER ONE best seller since it came out and she could only mumble and stumble an 'oh' in response. She then told me that I can only order it online and would have to pay for the shipping myself, not through their regular order system where you can pick the book up at the store for free. Perhaps this is an actual problem with the publishing company, who knows. But I found the actual conversation to be totally unbelievable. Right in front of her was a stand showcasing THREE Obama books along with Her Way (H Clinton), but I was told that they won't be carrying the Levin book because it's about American politics. Hmm I wonder what the point is of their World History, World Travel, and *gasp* World Politics sections, now that I think about it....
Anyhooo, I found the whole thing both hysterically funny and sadly moronic. If you can manage to get hold of the book, go for it. I will be waiting to order the Audio Book online I think. All of this running around has exhausted me too much, I can't even turn a page even if I had the book in my grasp (which of course, I don't, because Canada doesn't carry books about Americans).
I'm not sure if this will change soon, but currently Levin's book is still #1 on the Non-Fiction Best Seller chart at amazon.com and the top non-fiction hardcover on the NY Times list (even ahead of Michael J Fox's esteemed book), #2 at Publisher's Weekly ... and then yet here we are up in Canada with The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama still listed as the #1 Non-Fiction Best Seller at RandomHouse.ca.... and Dreams of My Father still in the top listings ---no wonder so many up here are clueless as to what is really going on south of the border.
But the 'audacity' of the book store clerk to tell a customer they won't be carrying a #1 Best Seller because it's 'about American politics' while standing less than 2 feet away from a book by/about the American president really takes the cake. I have no idea if people actually THINK with their brains, or if they just reherse drivel spewn by someone else without taking even 2 seconds to form a thought around those words. I was actually quite embarrassed for the woman, she has worked there for at least 20 years I am sure, and not learned anything the entire time.
She said "No, we don't carry that because it is about American politics, isn't it?".
Normally I am not confrontational, I avoid it like the plague. If someone says something to my face that I don't agree with, I usually wimp out and keep my mouth shut. But I couldn't keep the trap shut tonight - I laughed in shock and said "Are you kidding me? You have ELEVEN books about Barack Obama over there, not to mention one about/by Hillary Clinton and even Joe Biden (Joe who?)". She still looked at me like SHE was perplexed, and I said "those are about American politics, are they not?"....
.... and she actually had to stop to think about that for a few minutes......
.... and finally answered "Oh yes, they are, but I imagine they are more popular". I casually informed her that Liberty and Tyranny has been the NUMBER ONE best seller since it came out and she could only mumble and stumble an 'oh' in response. She then told me that I can only order it online and would have to pay for the shipping myself, not through their regular order system where you can pick the book up at the store for free. Perhaps this is an actual problem with the publishing company, who knows. But I found the actual conversation to be totally unbelievable. Right in front of her was a stand showcasing THREE Obama books along with Her Way (H Clinton), but I was told that they won't be carrying the Levin book because it's about American politics. Hmm I wonder what the point is of their World History, World Travel, and *gasp* World Politics sections, now that I think about it....
Anyhooo, I found the whole thing both hysterically funny and sadly moronic. If you can manage to get hold of the book, go for it. I will be waiting to order the Audio Book online I think. All of this running around has exhausted me too much, I can't even turn a page even if I had the book in my grasp (which of course, I don't, because Canada doesn't carry books about Americans).
I'm not sure if this will change soon, but currently Levin's book is still #1 on the Non-Fiction Best Seller chart at amazon.com and the top non-fiction hardcover on the NY Times list (even ahead of Michael J Fox's esteemed book), #2 at Publisher's Weekly ... and then yet here we are up in Canada with The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama still listed as the #1 Non-Fiction Best Seller at RandomHouse.ca.... and Dreams of My Father still in the top listings ---no wonder so many up here are clueless as to what is really going on south of the border.
But the 'audacity' of the book store clerk to tell a customer they won't be carrying a #1 Best Seller because it's 'about American politics' while standing less than 2 feet away from a book by/about the American president really takes the cake. I have no idea if people actually THINK with their brains, or if they just reherse drivel spewn by someone else without taking even 2 seconds to form a thought around those words. I was actually quite embarrassed for the woman, she has worked there for at least 20 years I am sure, and not learned anything the entire time.
Various Articles...
Wind Power Is a Complete Disaster National Post - found on Mike Church's website
excerpt: ""Flemming Nissen, the head of development at West Danish generating company ELSAM (one of Denmark’s largest energy utilities) tells us that “wind turbines do not reduce carbon dioxide emissions.” The German experience is no different. Der Spiegel reports that “Germany’s CO2 emissions haven’t been reduced by even a single gram,” and additional coal- and gas-fired plants have been constructed to ensure reliable delivery.
excerpt: ""Flemming Nissen, the head of development at West Danish generating company ELSAM (one of Denmark’s largest energy utilities) tells us that “wind turbines do not reduce carbon dioxide emissions.” The German experience is no different. Der Spiegel reports that “Germany’s CO2 emissions haven’t been reduced by even a single gram,” and additional coal- and gas-fired plants have been constructed to ensure reliable delivery.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Puppy Tales
Is it really a rescued animal if it never spent time in a shelter and just-so-happens to come from Ted Kennedy's breeder, and is a sibling to TK's new puppy?
Back when the news of a new White House dog came out a few months ago, my prediction was that someone would give their Portuguese Water Dog back to the breeder, or to a shelter, in hopes that the animal would become the Obama's new pet. I pictured some time in the future, the original owners appearing on TV for their 15 minutes of fame, talking about how much they loved their animal but were unable to care for it properly, and how pleased they are that their decision to return the animal ended well because he/she was now frolicking on the WH lawn. Clap Clap, everyone thanks them for thinking of the dog first *coughdebateablecough*...Well, the first half of my prediction has come true so far - a family from Washington giving back their water dog just when the President was waiting to find his 'rescued' pet. How long until the second prediction comes true?
Back when the news of a new White House dog came out a few months ago, my prediction was that someone would give their Portuguese Water Dog back to the breeder, or to a shelter, in hopes that the animal would become the Obama's new pet. I pictured some time in the future, the original owners appearing on TV for their 15 minutes of fame, talking about how much they loved their animal but were unable to care for it properly, and how pleased they are that their decision to return the animal ended well because he/she was now frolicking on the WH lawn. Clap Clap, everyone thanks them for thinking of the dog first *coughdebateablecough*...Well, the first half of my prediction has come true so far - a family from Washington giving back their water dog just when the President was waiting to find his 'rescued' pet. How long until the second prediction comes true?
Friday, April 10, 2009
In The News...
Alleged UK Terror Plot
Obama's Voting Record on War Spending (since so many complain about how much 'Bush' spent) and now asks for more
Obama's Voting Record on War Spending (since so many complain about how much 'Bush' spent) and now asks for more
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Update on Local Health Care issues
I just picked up my local newspaper and our Regional Hospital is not going ahead with previous plans to expand. Excerpts:
""Health Minister Ron Liepert confirmed Wednesday that Medicine Hat Regional Hospital will not be expanding as planned.
...The $280 million previously set aside for the project remains, but it could be closer to 5 years, rather than three, before the government may be in a position to flow the funding forward...
"I've got to tell you that just because something was proposed several years ago, it doesn't necessarily mean that we're bound to that in the future", he [Liepert] said. "I'm not going to be known 20 years down the road as the guy that just simply built hospitals..."
The comments were devastating to former Palliser Health Region board chair Carol Secondiak, who spent years fighting for the project. "It's been planned and planned and planned to death. But when times were good, we got nothing. Now it's bad and we still get nothing..."
Secondiak said a lot of money has been spent planning and reviewing the project, which the government previously listed as a priority. It is unclear how the status changed.
Mayor Norm Boucher says with the decrease in construction costs, now is the time to move forward... And with the growth of our community - not to mention Brooks mothers who now have to come to Medicine Hat to deliver their babies [I recently blogged about the closure of the Brooks Maternity ward], an increase in facility space is becoming more pressing.
Liepert also confirmed Wednesday the Bow Island Hospital remains under review to determine what services should be available in the future....Secondiak called it "the beginning of the end for small hospitals""
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""Health Minister Ron Liepert confirmed Wednesday that Medicine Hat Regional Hospital will not be expanding as planned.
...The $280 million previously set aside for the project remains, but it could be closer to 5 years, rather than three, before the government may be in a position to flow the funding forward...
"I've got to tell you that just because something was proposed several years ago, it doesn't necessarily mean that we're bound to that in the future", he [Liepert] said. "I'm not going to be known 20 years down the road as the guy that just simply built hospitals..."
The comments were devastating to former Palliser Health Region board chair Carol Secondiak, who spent years fighting for the project. "It's been planned and planned and planned to death. But when times were good, we got nothing. Now it's bad and we still get nothing..."
Secondiak said a lot of money has been spent planning and reviewing the project, which the government previously listed as a priority. It is unclear how the status changed.
Mayor Norm Boucher says with the decrease in construction costs, now is the time to move forward... And with the growth of our community - not to mention Brooks mothers who now have to come to Medicine Hat to deliver their babies [I recently blogged about the closure of the Brooks Maternity ward], an increase in facility space is becoming more pressing.
Liepert also confirmed Wednesday the Bow Island Hospital remains under review to determine what services should be available in the future....Secondiak called it "the beginning of the end for small hospitals""
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US Tax Day Tea Parties
Just in case any Americans here are interested, here is a link to check out for any local Tea Parties coming to your region on April 15:
Tax Day Tea Party Website
and I will repost this little Musical Interlude thanks to the Mike Church Show band:
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A little tidbit I stumbled across this morning and had not heard yet... I can't see it happening but you never know. I wonder what the big lib celebs will think of this?
Ban Big Screen TVs in California?
Tax Day Tea Party Website
and I will repost this little Musical Interlude thanks to the Mike Church Show band:
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A little tidbit I stumbled across this morning and had not heard yet... I can't see it happening but you never know. I wonder what the big lib celebs will think of this?
Ban Big Screen TVs in California?
More Healthcare Cuts, are you surprised?
I saw this link via another news story posted by Calgary Rants (see blog listing).
Alberta to cut Chiropractor Care from Alberta Health Care plan
Here are some highlights from the article including other cuts. This is what I said was going to happen while everyone was cheering about the removal of the Premium fees in January, so I don't want to hear anyone that supported it complaining now. All you had to do was use your head and know that a free system is not sustainable. It's just NOT:
Albertans will no longer be able to claim chiropractic care as of this summer after the government delisted chiropractor services from its provincial health plan.
Alberta Health and Wellness is also pinching back on money for capital projects, spending $386 million less than last year to upgrade hospitals and continue construction already started.
The new health superboard is deferring several projects that were in its three-year plan, including one to expand the pediatric emergency room at the Stollery Children’s Hospital and a long-term care facility in Fort McMurray.
Several other large projects, including a much-anticipated $250-million hospital in Grande Prairie and an $88-million health centre in Sherwood Park, are being reviewed to see if they need to be chiseled back.
...health maintained its top spot for government spending, taking 40 per cent of the entire Alberta budget.
___________
Note the last line, 40% of the province's budget is spent on health care. How are all the other programs supposed to be funded when that 40% has already had to put a big dent in our tax dollars? Cigarette and Alcohol taxes are going up to try to compensate some of the loss, but will that help? For how long? What happens when all the naughty drinkers and smokers finally pack it in and stop? Where on earth will we get money to fund 'our' projects? That's pretty scary. I don't want Alberta to get worse and worse with health care. Transferring more things to the extended health coverage makes those premiums increase instead (like Blue Cross going up by leaps and bounds this year and next, which I previously posted about). Meanwhile, Albertans are facing higher unemployment, still going through a higher standard of living for rent, food, gas, etc... and will have to pay more and more for health care as well when we are supposed to have this wonderful Universal system. Are we going to be raked across the coals one day like Quebec is over the death of Natasha Richardson? If her accident happened here, STARS air ambulance might have whisked her away and she might still be alive, who knows. But that is a privately funded program, which Quebec does not have to my knowledge.
If our taxes increase, our health care goes up and more things are cut and sent over to extended health insurance, and our employment goes down, how are people here going to fare? It really is getting scary.
Another little note, last year my boyfriend got over a thousand dollars back from income tax, this year he only got $400 even though he paid more into pension and earned only a small amount more than last year... Last year I got over $1500 back but this year will be lucky to score $200. Where are our tax dollars even going? What is it doing for us, really? Too many programs to fund, taking up too much money, and here we are still going into a deficit instead of a surplus. It's revolting, really. I don't want my money taken if I am not going to get it back somewhere along the line. I could use that money for my own household, thanks. I think I'm going to need it.
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Alberta to cut Chiropractor Care from Alberta Health Care plan
Here are some highlights from the article including other cuts. This is what I said was going to happen while everyone was cheering about the removal of the Premium fees in January, so I don't want to hear anyone that supported it complaining now. All you had to do was use your head and know that a free system is not sustainable. It's just NOT:
Albertans will no longer be able to claim chiropractic care as of this summer after the government delisted chiropractor services from its provincial health plan.
Alberta Health and Wellness is also pinching back on money for capital projects, spending $386 million less than last year to upgrade hospitals and continue construction already started.
The new health superboard is deferring several projects that were in its three-year plan, including one to expand the pediatric emergency room at the Stollery Children’s Hospital and a long-term care facility in Fort McMurray.
Several other large projects, including a much-anticipated $250-million hospital in Grande Prairie and an $88-million health centre in Sherwood Park, are being reviewed to see if they need to be chiseled back.
...health maintained its top spot for government spending, taking 40 per cent of the entire Alberta budget.
___________
Note the last line, 40% of the province's budget is spent on health care. How are all the other programs supposed to be funded when that 40% has already had to put a big dent in our tax dollars? Cigarette and Alcohol taxes are going up to try to compensate some of the loss, but will that help? For how long? What happens when all the naughty drinkers and smokers finally pack it in and stop? Where on earth will we get money to fund 'our' projects? That's pretty scary. I don't want Alberta to get worse and worse with health care. Transferring more things to the extended health coverage makes those premiums increase instead (like Blue Cross going up by leaps and bounds this year and next, which I previously posted about). Meanwhile, Albertans are facing higher unemployment, still going through a higher standard of living for rent, food, gas, etc... and will have to pay more and more for health care as well when we are supposed to have this wonderful Universal system. Are we going to be raked across the coals one day like Quebec is over the death of Natasha Richardson? If her accident happened here, STARS air ambulance might have whisked her away and she might still be alive, who knows. But that is a privately funded program, which Quebec does not have to my knowledge.
If our taxes increase, our health care goes up and more things are cut and sent over to extended health insurance, and our employment goes down, how are people here going to fare? It really is getting scary.
Another little note, last year my boyfriend got over a thousand dollars back from income tax, this year he only got $400 even though he paid more into pension and earned only a small amount more than last year... Last year I got over $1500 back but this year will be lucky to score $200. Where are our tax dollars even going? What is it doing for us, really? Too many programs to fund, taking up too much money, and here we are still going into a deficit instead of a surplus. It's revolting, really. I don't want my money taken if I am not going to get it back somewhere along the line. I could use that money for my own household, thanks. I think I'm going to need it.
___
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Sun Cycles
I listened to information about this on the Mike Church Show this morning, and here is an Al Fin blog piece on it.
And here is some more Global Warming info via The Canadian Sentinel blog: NATIONAL POST.
Again, I will say that I do not disagree with finding other forms of fuel. That's what people do - learn, explore, experiment, test, analyze, create.... but what I do disagree with is scaring the living crap out of people and making them believe that they are killing the earth and going to freeze our future children to death, forcing changes faster than the technology can keep up with, and threatening to put hundreds of thousands of people out of work (oil, gas, coal, and anything to do with those resources - and taxi drivers too!) - based on theories.
the⋅o⋅ry
And here is some more Global Warming info via The Canadian Sentinel blog: NATIONAL POST.
Again, I will say that I do not disagree with finding other forms of fuel. That's what people do - learn, explore, experiment, test, analyze, create.... but what I do disagree with is scaring the living crap out of people and making them believe that they are killing the earth and going to freeze our future children to death, forcing changes faster than the technology can keep up with, and threatening to put hundreds of thousands of people out of work (oil, gas, coal, and anything to do with those resources - and taxi drivers too!) - based on theories.
the⋅o⋅ry
| 1. | a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena: Einstein's theory of relativity. |
| 2. | a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact. |
| 3. | Mathematics. a body of principles, theorems, or the like, belonging to one subject: number theory. |
| 4. | the branch of a science or art that deals with its principles or methods, as distinguished from its practice: music theory. |
| 5. | a particular conception or view of something to be done or of the method of doing it; a system of rules or principles. |
| 6. | contemplation or speculation. |
| . | guess or conjecture. *taxi driver link was found on Debbie Schlussel's blog Excerpt from article: ""Alluding to his background as a resident of the former Soviet Union, Ophir said that city officials pushing for hybrid taxis "want to be more socialist, but they want capitalists to pay for their socialist ideas."" |
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
I've Changed My Mind
Upon further review of my thoughts and opinions, I have decided that I do believe man is causing Climate Change. I am going to vote Liberal at every upcoming election instead of my past belief in Conservatism. I feel much better now. I feel as though I really care for the people of this world and I will be doing the best thing for them by embracing a new perspective! I feel free! I am going to push for my city to be surrounded by windmills and solar panels, and those that cannot get power from it can rely on green fuel lamps and make their own candles. It's the only way to go! I am going to go grocery shopping on my bicycle and bring the kids on their bikes so I can strap loads to their backs as well. I AM going to save the planet from our CO2 emissions by designing a mask that will capture the air I expel. I must do this to help reduce the footprint I leave here for future generations. I am going to teach my children that ice ages have NOT happened in the past over regular periodic intervals, that is just a scientific booboo, we are creating an ice age NOW and we must stop it. I am going to live in a tent and eat berries and insects. I am going to weave my own clothing from grasses and bark strips (from dead trees only). I feel liberated!
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