Politics

I enjoy following provincial and federal politics. I'm not as cynical as some towards politicians and their motives.

I really believe that those entering Politics want to do something to improve the country. After all most are educated, articulate and have the social skills to be very financially successful in private life. So they aren't doing it for money or an expense account.

The problem for most Politicians when they get to Ottawa or Victoria is the established system. Bureaucrats run the country and to make any significant change requires at least a Cabinet Post. So they have to tow the Party Line and not make waves. I don't think you can make a significant change without making waves.

For the last 15 or so years I have been voting for the NDP candidate, regardless of who it was. I believe you should vote for the Party and not the Candidate because, as mentioned, the Candidate will have little or no power once he acquires a seat.

I vote NDP not because I agree with their views, although I do agree with many.
I vote for that party because it represents a viable opposite view to the unfortunate conservative trend that has gripped North America.

If we talk about left and right wing politics, I would say I am definitely to the left of centre. But you know if the NDP were in power and I felt trends were swinging too far to the left I might even vote Liberal or Conservative.

The point is to get representation of all points of view in Parliament.

A strong Opposition is the most important result of any election. Astonishingly there are those that won't vote for a particular party because "they have no chance of winning". Yikes.

I know the NDP will probably never win a Federal Election in my lifetime but I think it's critically important that their views be heard.

In British Columbia, we have a slightly right of centre government led by Gordon Campbell.

I think he has done a pretty good job overall, but I still will vote NDP because I know he'll do even a better job if a strong Opposition is across the House Floor.

The People Are Crazy!

You know polls are all the rage among "news" sites. We have a local popular site that provides news and information for our area, Castanet, and they usually have a poll a day on some current event.

The polls are interesting to me, not because of the particular issue, but because they often reflect how polarised are society has become. Results are often split 50/50 representing opposite thinking among the community.

Today's' poll was: "Do you agree with opposition calls for tighter gun control?"

To me this is a no-brainer, YES OF COURSE! But the poll revealed that a clear majority said NO.

I realise that I live in a religious, ultra conservative, wealthy, right wing community but to me allowing people access to guns, especially hand guns, is CRAZY!

Usually I enjoy being in the minority on issues, I am convinced the majority of people are misinformed if not down right stupid.

But in this case I really have to wonder what people are thinking.

If I ruled this country here's what I would do:

1. Minimum 6 month jail sentence for anyone possessing a handgun who is not a law enforcement agent or military man on duty. For those who enjoy the "sport" of Target Practise, guns would be kept at the Target Facility and not be taken off that premises.

2. For rifles and shotguns, those used for hunting purposes: These weapons must be stored at a central depot. When you want to go hunting you pick up your weapon after presenting your hunting license and you bring it back to the depot for storage after your hunting is over.

No one needs to carry a handgun. Those that feel the need are probably leading a life of crime of some sort.

For those that feel the need to "protect their family" I suggest that your family is in more peril by having a gun around the house that could accidentally discharge than by any outside force. If you are that afraid, I suggest you discuss your paranoia with a medical professional and seek a solution there.

Read more on this subject here.

Places I Have Lived, a History

This is a new Blog I am working on today. You can find it here.


I am currently living at my 28th place of residence.

Head In The Sand Syndrome

I absolutely CRINGE when I hear people say: "I don't read the newspapers or watch the news, it's always so negative". That's a jaw dropper.

For me, there is no negative or positive, there is just "what is". And if "what is" makes you feel angry or sad, then maybe you should do something about it. The worst thing is to ignore it and hope that it will go away.

In 1933 a lot of Germans ignored the warning signs of what was happening in their country and we all know what happened.

Instead of dealing with reality these "news-ignorers" turn to the spiritual world and involve themselves in dreamy Utopian fantasies that have no relevance to the real world. Comfort thoughts I call them, kind of like Kettle Chips for the mind.

I love reality. I want to see images of war and pestilence and starvation. I want to know about heinous human behaviour. I want to know all the politics that involves decisions affecting our society. I want to know about the underground economics that drives our "capitalist" system.

The more you know, the less you fear.

I look for patterns in the news and world events and, having a knowledge of history, I can see old patterns emerging.

It's true that many huge information sources like CNN, AP, FOX, CBS, Thompson have their own corporate agendas. So isn't it wise to keep tabs on exactly what they are presenting to us as "news"?

So I am saying to all those with their Heads In The Sand to yank them out and take a good look around. It's a scary world but it's less so when you know what's going on.

Left Lane Driving

First, let's establish some facts.

1. The RCMP in the Province of British Columbia will grant you 10 kph above the posted maximum speed before they will consider charging you with speeding.

2. One of the safest driving habits is to put as much space between yourself and other motorists as you can.

3. I am probably one of the world's best civilian (as opposed to racing) drivers. In 35 years of driving I have had only one extremely minor fender bender, more like a painter scraper that happened in November of 2003. I'm not counting My Near Death Experience as an accident since no damage was done.

The image attached represents the general thinking of the driving community and driving authorities.

I think it's crap. If everyone drove in the right lane we would have a problem with fact # 2. That lane becomes too crowded, it's only responsible to occupy the left lane to ease the pressure on the right lane.

I always drive at the maximum allowable speed, which Fact # 1 says is 99 in a 90 zone and 89 in a 80 zone. Most people in the right lane are driving anywhere from 90 to 99 in the 90 zone. If I drove in the right lane also I would be constantly moving to the left and moving back into the right throughout the course of my trip.

I think you will agree that the less traffic maneuvers you make, the safer the trip.

So I drive in the left hand lane usually when on the highway.

So say someone comes up behind me while I am in the left hand lane? The rule says I should pull over to the right hand land and I am saying why should I?

If I am travelling at the MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SPEED and someone is coming up behind me, that means he is travelling at a ticketable speed. So why should I inconvenience myself so someone can break the law?! Isn't that called aiding and abetting a crime?

If the person behind me wants to blatantly break the law why shouldn't he move over to the right hand lane then move over to the left and keep going?

Obviously I am not going to encourage a road rage condition and I usually will move over to the right only because of Fact # 3. However I have saved a few speeders' asses in my time by holding them up just before going through a Laser Trap. That's when I say to myself "damn I should have let him through".

So I am saying that this policy of "Keep Right Except To Pass" is one of the dumbest traffic rules established. If they want to have a rule concerning this it should be "Left Lane Yield To Faster Traffic".

Plasma vs. LCD

There are a lot of people that don't know the difference between a plasma TV and an LCD TV and are not sure which one to buy. Neither did I. Recent information seems to be saying that if you want a TV over 42' in size you get a Plasma because that will give you the best picture. Anything under that size, go for an LCD.

The other thing to look at is the resolution. The highest standard is 1080p and thats what you want.

Here is Dotto explaining your HDTV options

More info here: Plasma vs. LCD

Epson Printers Suck

If you are looking for a printer to purchase, avoid Epsons.

I have/had three of them and they are awful.

If you don't use them daily, the ink jet nozzles dry up and are almost impossible to get clean.

If you want a good Printer, buy a Canon.

Old Machines and Old Ladies

I love old machines! Old tractors or cars or old farm equipment. If I see one on the side of a road I try to stop and get a picture. The rustier and extremely decrepit they are the better I like them.

The tractor shown is on display in Keremeos, BC.

At one time they were the apple of some farmers eye. Maybe they were some one's first car and that someone was so proud! He drove it everywhere, showing it off. It took him places he could not have otherwise gone.

Maybe he or she made out in the back seat, maybe even a child was conceived there.

And the tractor? Who knows how many fields were plowed and how many bales of hay it hauled or how many seeds it helps sow? At one time these things were indispensable to someones life. They worked hard and long. People were proud of them at one time.

Sometimes when I look at a very old woman (and I see a lot of them in my line of work) I wonder what they were like when they were young and vibrant and beautiful.

At one time they were the object of many a young man's lust. And maybe many times they satisfied that lust. Maybe they were great lovers and had many romances. How many hearts had they broken and how many times had their hearts been?

Unfortunately now in their old age, unlike the old tractors, no one wants their picture let alone desires them. I'd rather take a picture of a rusting tractor than a picture of an aged woman.

But still sometimes I wonder what they were like when they were young and beautiful.

Pets

This is a picture of me with my favorite all-time pet, Doggo, a mut Terrier. The pic was probably taken around 1972/73 when I was about 19 or so.

I have only had four "real" pets in my life. I am not counting Goldfish, Turtles or Budgies as real pets. They are more or less room ornaments that will inevitably be flushed down the toilet or put in a shoe box and planted in the Garden. You mourn them for about an hour or so at most.

I've had two dogs and two cats. The first Dog was an asshole and the first Cat was an asshole but the second of each were really nice animals that I got quite attached to.

And that's the problem with pets. You know sometime or other they will cause you some considerable heartache. The more you are around your pet and the "closer" you become to it the less you perceive it as an animal. It become an object of extreme affection and trust. Dogs especially.

So knowing that your heart will be torn when this animal is crushed by a car, eaten by a coyote, fall ill to distemper or cancer or kidnapped, why bother?

There are lots of actual people who dream to have someone care for them as some people care for their pets. Why not bestow all that love and affection on them?

There is a good chance you will outlive them and even if not, the love might last longer.

Yeah yeah, a pet's love is "unconditional". I wonder how unconditional it would be if you stopped feeding it or petting it.

There are those that will spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on an animal that is clearly meant to die and surely will in the near future.

Meanwhile there are homeless humans crouching in a corner under a blanket to protect themselves from the winter winds.

I just don't get it. Pets are fun to have around if you have the time to give them the attention they require. But to think of them as anything other than fun animals is asking for a whole lot of hurt.

Blogging and Working

I was talking to a fellow employee yesterday who said she had read some of my Blog and found it amusing that some topics related to people at work.

When I started this Blog I set my self some borders. One of which was not to mention anything or anyone at my workplace. There are lots of horror stories about employees being disciplined and even terminated due to comments made on their Blogs about their Company and/or fellow employees.

So I was a bit taken aback when she mentioned this. Yes there are a few benign references to others in my Technology post and maybe a certain associate could be matched to my Germaphobia post.

When I started each of those posts I truly did not have anyone in mind at work, only while writing could I see an example there. But in saying that anyone knows that any workplace has (one would hope) a wide variety of personalities that could fit any topic discussed.

Of course you have to censor yourself on here to a point. But I am not going to avoid a topic just because someone at work might disagree with my opinion or even be offended by it. Conversely, I am not going to open a discussion just to piss some particular person off.

This Blog is part of my personal life and so I can do with it what I want. But one has to keep in mind the consequences.

So as I said to her I am going on record with this statement:

I work in a wonderful environment where my fellow employees are supportive and respectful. They are all wonderful people employed by a person of extreme vision and compassion.

There.

Blizzards, Hurricanes and Sluts

Now that I have your attention this post isn't as much about those topics as it is about definitions.

I am a person that prefers a concrete recognised standard over an ambiguous abstract in defining a particular event or subject.

For instance according to Environment Canada, a Blizzard must have winds of 40 km/h (25 mph) or more, have snow or blowing snow, visibility less than 1 km (about 5⁄8 mile), a wind chill of less than −25 °C (−13 °F), and that all of these conditions must last for 3 hours or more.

So there is no doubt as to what is a Blizzard and what is not.

A Hurricane is a storm which must have sustained winds of 74 mph or more.

Of course these being physical phenomena that can be measured it's easy for scientists and weather people to agree on these tangible quantities.

But what about Human Behaviour? What constitutes a Comedian? Does he have to have "x" amount of laughs per minute over a given time?

What about an athlete? I think that should be determined by heart rate. To call yourself an athlete, you must raise your heart rate to 150% of it's normal rate for 60 minutes at least four times a week. How's that sound? That would eliminate Golfers and Snooker players for sure.

I've sometimes wondered about what criteria it would take to label a woman a Slut. That word has meandered its way into the general stream of language. At one time it had a really bad connotation and to a point still does.

But now I think its kind of on equal terms with the term "Stud", meaning a very virile and desirable male.

If you Google "definition of a slut" you get all sorts of interpretations many are based on how a woman dresses, which I think, should have nothing to do with it.

I think the definition should be solely based on how many different sex partners a woman has over a set period of time.

In considering this I am keeping in mind that standards have changed a lot over the last 20 years or more. Women are expected to sexually express themselves and some do very aggresivly.

So here it is My Official Slut Definition: A woman that has 6 or more different sex partners per year over a period of at least two years.

So the next time you label a woman a Slut, please first do your research and find out the facts and figures.

One wouldn't want to place a unjust label on anyone!

Fear and Control

Everyone has fears that they have developed over the course of their lifetime. Our fears determine our behaviour and contribute to us being who we are.

As a self-confessed control freak, I have a fear of losing control of my environment and future. I detest unnecessary obstacles that might hinder my ultimate goal. I get pretty anxious when I feel that sense of control being compromised.

That is an example of a normal self-imposed fear. Some people are afraid of failure, some of success. Some have a fear of poverty, some a fear of being alone, some a fear of being disliked, or loved or a fear of not being loved. The list goes on.

I would call all of these pretty normal fears that we can choose to deal with or not, depending on whether or not we want to change or lives to any extent.

The nasty fears are those imposed on us by others. By our employers, our religions, family members, or Governments.

Since 9/11 and thanks to Tony Blair and George Bush we have allowed ourselves to be controlled by fear. I think here in Canada we have a healthier perspective of what is going on, only because we haven't been a direct target of Al-Queda or whatever other Boogie Men are thought to be out there.

Airports are being shut down because of the smallest breach of a security policy. Racial Profiling is now an accepted practise, billions of dollars that would serve many other more worthy projects are being directed towards more Security.

Governments now have what they consider to be a valid reason to spy on their citizens.

Arrests are being made without charges or without bail applications. Civil rights, that have taken thousands of years to establish, are being destroyed within one generation.

But that's not the scary part. The shocking aspect of all of this is that we are happily allowing this to happen. In almost every poll inquiring about this subject, the majority of citizens are willing to give up their freedoms for the sake of what they perceive as Security.

Almost 4000 people died at the World Trade Centre attack. In 2005 42,636 people died in automobile accidents in the US, that's in one year!

So why isn't there a widespread movement to ban cars or limit their speed to 15 mph?

I remember when I lived in the east and we would see New Hampshire licence plates, it caught my attention because their motto at the time was " Live Free or Die". I thought that was a bit extreme but whatever.

Apparently that's not the case anymore.

As Frank D. Roosevelt said: "The Only Thing We Have To Fear is Fear Itself"

The Things Some People Believe

I am constantly amazed at the things many people believe in. I'm not even going to talk about Religions, the biggest scam out there.

Let's talk about two examples: ET/UFO's and Chem Trails. The Belief that we have been contacted in some way by extra-terrestrial intelligence has been around for some time.

It's a popular belief that seems to have sprouted an overall trend toward ignoring scientific facts and believe something just because you want to. The spread of this belief has been aided by pseudo-documentaries on respected Television Networks, presented in such a way that fiction takes precedent over fact.

Even though not one shred of concrete evidence (and I have seen a lot of what's called evidence) indicates any contact or the possibility of any contact with any extra-terrestrial life form.

The physics of travelling the million of light years across space make it almost impossible to conceive of such a feat. Even granting that some other species somewhere out there has scientifically advanced much much exponentially further than us, why would they pick Earth to land on among the billions of stars, planets and solar systems out there?

Finally, assuming these extra-terrestrials have somehow landed on Earth, why would they not make official contact with proper authorities?

It's hilarious and yet so many otherwise sane people believe or are willing to believe something that flies in the face of any sort of logical thought.

Chem Trails. This one is really bizarre but at least it might be scientifically possible. There are some people that believe we are being "treated" to a chemical spray emitted by high flying aircraft. Sponsored by "the Government".

I'm still a bit puzzled as to the reasons but it seems to be some kind of thought control chemical or slow poisoning or something like this. It's so crazy. Like any government could hope to get away with a cover up up a magnitude they would have to have. It's just so crazy.

The real question is why do they want to believe in this stuff? What need is fulfilled by believing it? I have never felt the need so I don't have the answer.

I do have a need to know a truth that is based on fact. I really don't believe in anything that can't be proved to me via an argument based on established fact.

The scary part is that the more solid knowledge we gain about our universe and ourselves the more these bizarre beliefs seem to profligate.

"Save The Planet"

There is one very good reason to have children, that being having a stake in the future of the society and ecology in which you presently live.

I don't have children and to be absolutely totally honest, I care little about what happens after I die. Thankfully, most adults have children although that number is declining every year.

I am all for ecology but because of my childless state, I am not as overly concerned as a lot of people are. I don't go out of my way to be earth friendly but I understand those that do.

But I think a lot of ecologists are confused about exactly what they are saving.

The Planet has survived Ice Ages, Massive Volcanic Explosions, Meteors, Catastrophic Flooding, Extensive Forest Fires, Plate Tectonics and pretty much everything else Nature could throw at it. And it has always bounced back.

Humans have been on this earth for a million years, the blink of an eye in the big picture of things. There is no amount of damage we can do that won't be reversed over time. Nature will always overcome the remains of man.

We don't have to save the Planet, it's our civilisation we are in danger of losing.

If we lose our Ice Caps due to Global Warming the changes to our economies and societies will be immeasurably altered. Nothing will be the same, everything about how we live and think will be altered.

Sometimes radical change is a good thing in the long run.

But the Planet will overcome it, just as it did the Ice Ages and in 100 million years it could be that, if indeed the Ice Caps melt, that they will be back in position where they are today.

So let's not say "Save the Planet", let's say "Save Ourselves", it might have a greater impact.

Germaphobia

I watched a documentary some time back about some Indonesian Islands. Among the wildlife there were these Komodo Dragons, freaking big Lizards, six to ten feet in length.

The image I can remember is of a pair of these animals feasting on the carcass of a large Tortoise. The Tortoise had decomposed to the point where its innards had converted to a gooey black slime.

Probably a teaspoon of this stuff would be enough to make a person extremely sick, if not dead.

But these Komodos were slurping it up like it was chocolate syrup. All species have adapted their immune systems to meet their needs.

My point is that Bacteria is not a bad thing. Our levels of immunity determine which bacteria is benign and what is harmful.

If you took minute amounts of this black slime and gradually increased the amounts over time, I am pretty sure even a human being would be able to digest it.

Your immune system is like your muscles, you have to use them to make use of them. Yet their are housekeepers at war with germs in their kitchens and bathrooms and doorknobs, trying to kill them where ever we are told they might reside.

There is a lot of fear mongering about germs lately, we are told we have to wash our hands many, many times a day, there have been recently many recalls of meats and vegetable due to isolated outbreaks of nasty Germs.

All this paranoia about Germs is going to kill us! Most people know that if you try to but don't kill all the germs or viruses in an outbreak that only the strongest germs will survive. And that's a bad scenario.

So what I am saying is, let's not try and kill the germs, let's learn to live with them. Exposing ourselves to germs and viruses regularly will keep our immune systems running at peak efficiency.

We'll never kill all the pathogens, so why even try? The frequency of immune system related diseases is growing at a remarkable rate. One reason may be that we are trying to be too darn clean.

Studies Have Shown....

From a previous post (I am sure you've read them all) you know that I watch the Vancouver Global News team at 6 PM every day.

Most of my news and information I acquire from the Internet, I don't watch this TV News Show for the news. I watch it to observe how they present the news.

How many times will Tony Parsons stutter? How many clever quips will Squire Barns produce? How HOT is Robin Stickley today? How arrogant will Chris Gailus be? How (unintentionally) goofy Mark Madryga? How satiric Barry Delay? And then there is "the New Girl", Krista something or other.

A popular phrase used by newscasters is : "Studies Have Shown" and they then proceed to provide a lot of unsubstantiated information to enhance the chosen story.

What studies? Can they not provide a brief screen shot of the actual reference? They can't because I think that often there isn't one.

I am convinced that in weekly meetings they decide what topic they are going to pound to death for the next week. It might be Street Racing, Underfunded Hospitals, Youth Gangs, Immigration, Local Heroes, whatever.

Then the producer calls out: "Who wants to make up the stories for this one?" and "Don't forget to include the imaginary studies!"

Cynical? Maybe so. But Studies Have Shown that at least 20% of all news stories are totally fabricated.

It's the good old 80/20 Rule.

Why Am I Blogging?

Some people like to hear themselves speak. You know the one's. They can't stop talking and seem unable to read body language.

Surely, you think, they can see your eyes glazing over with boredom. You check your watch, you look around but still they talk.

It wouldn't be so bad if there was a shred of anything interesting coming out of their mouths, no you are trapped until some event breaks up the tedium.

You know I am not much of a talker but I do like to see myself write. Luckily for you dear reader, with a click of a mouse you can bid me goodbye!

If a person is going to speak at least let them start with a topic that might lead to some interesting discussion.

I don't pretend to have all the answers, ok, well maybe I do. Anyway most of the topics I introduce here on this Blog are at least worthy of discussion.

I like to get a point across as briefly and concisely as possible, that's what I'm trying to do here.

If anyone wants to know where I stand on an issue I can always say "read my Blog", it's probably there. I can think of a lot more topics I want to raise and eventually I will, there is no shortage of interesting topics.

These Blogging programs make it so easy to have some kind of presence in cyberspace. If I drop dead tomorrow at least there is some record of me being here.

As of this date I don't think anyone has read anything I have written, but one day someone might and get to thinking about what I have written no matter how simple a thought it was.

My Near Death Experience

I think everyone has had one or if not, they should.

Mine occurred in the spring of 1976 while driving south on the "Sea to Sky" Highway north of Vancouver, B.C. where I lived at the time. The road leads from Whistler Mountain Resort down to Squamish.

At that time I wasn't familiar with the road. Also at the time I was young and stupid. I was at the time, 22.

I remember travelling up the road toward Whistler, the tires on my recently purchased 1969 Fiat 124 Coupe squealing as I took curves much too aggressively. Of course I was a young male and felt immortal. I was having a blast.

I remember it all like it was last week. The road was not well travelled, Whistler was not near the destination resort it is today and it was the off season.

So the road was empty and there was a nice downhill stretch of maybe a half mile. I depressed the accelerator and I remember seeing the speedometer hit 97 mph before a curve ahead told me that I needed to slow down.

It was a gentle high speed curve to the right and I remember entering it at about 70 mph, I was still on a gentle downhill slope.

As I rounded the curve, now heading west I looked ahead down the road only to see a T Junction not 200 yards or so down the road where a vehicle was stopped at the stop sign. My instincts told me that if I did not start braking right way there was no way I was going to stop in time.

That's when the trouble began. I'm not sure if my brakes were improperly adjusted or the fact that I STILL HAD SNOW TIRES ON MY REAR WHEELS but from the moment I touched the brakes I lost control of the vehicle.

Most people know what it is like to drive on ice and lose traction, you feel helpless. This is how it was. My steering inputs were of no use, I tried to shift down and control the wheel at the same time, but the car had a mind of its own.

On my right was the rock wall of a slope, on my left was a 4 to 6 foot drop to pasture land. The car meandered from one edge of the asphalt to the other, all over both lanes. I was helpless to control it and I was getting ever so near to the car still parked at the stop sign.

For the last 50 ft or so the car slid sideways and came to rest 3 to 5 feet from the back bumper of that car at that stop sign. The whole episode might have taken 10 seconds.

I still remember seeing the old couple inside looking left and right, no doubt wondering where the screech of rubber had come from. They looked everywhere but behind them. They had no awareness of what had happened to me.

You know if you have read my previous posts that I am not a religious man. But every time I proclaim my atheism I can't help but think of this experience.

Something kept me on that road. Maybe it was just physics, but honestly it was like a Guardian Angel put his hand out whenever I was just about to go off the road and kept me on the pavement. If I had gone off at that speed, I would no doubt have died or at the very least had very serious injuries. I can't remember if I had a seat belt on.

I don't think it really sunk in at the time how close I came to death. I continued to act and drive pretty stupid for several years to follow.

I've replayed this over in my mind several times and the only real feeling I get is not one of fear, or thrill or relief. It's the feeling that someone or something intervened and kept me on that road.

What Was Going On 20 Billion Years Ago?

I was just reading that the current age of the Universe is 13.7 Billion Years.

My question is: What was going on before that?

The 80/20 Rule

Most people know this one.

Like 20% of the people own 80% of the world's wealth.
Like 20% of the workforce does 80% of the work.
Like 80% of your sales come from 20% of your products.
Like 80% of of the scoring comes from 20% of the players.

Let's take a look at the first theory.

If you flattened out the Bell Curve of the world's wealth would everyone in the world be Netting about US$60,000 per year? I bet it would be close to that figure.

I'll offer my services as a money manager to anyone who thinks they can't live comfortably on that.

Communism you say? Maybe. But it would solve a lot of the world's problems if the wealth was distributed evenly.

Do you think a corporate lawyer works harder than a Vietnamese rice paddy worker?
I don't.

Yet the lawyer makes $500,000 per year and the Rice Paddy farmer get $1000?

Not only that but the Rich are getting Richer and the Poor are getting Hopeless.

Ok let's talk about incentive. I agree, because we are a disgustingly greedy bunch, that money can be a great incentive. In the other hand I believe people will eventually do what they like to do.

So a doctor will be a doctor, not because he can make several hundreds of thousands of dollars but rather because he is interested in physiology and healing the sick.

A lawyer will become a lawyer because he is interested in interpreting the law, whether he makes $60,000 or $600,000.

If someone offered me $50/hr to be one of those traffic controllers on road construction sites, I still wouldn't do it. It's an awful job, no amount of money would make me want it.

You do what you want to do. I am in retail not because I am too stupid to do other higher paying work, it's because I enjoy retail.

Of course it's a naive Utopian pipe dream. If I had a million dollars I wouldn't want to give it up either.

Do I expect things to change? Hell no! I expect the gap between the wealthy and the poor to expand beyond this already unacceptable level.

My Favorite Song List

Music has been an important part of my life since I got my first Transistor Radio back in 1963.

Growing up in the 60's gave me exposure to some of the most amazing and creative sounds and melodies ever composed. Classic Rock at its finest.

I'm pretty mainstream as far as music goes and I like a lot of different music. Hard Rock, Pop, Folk, Electronic although I've never been a big fan of Country Music or Classical Music or the Lawrence Welk stuff.

Well take a look at The List

Frustration

Is having 10 of your 11 players in your hockey pool, all playing on a Saturday night, and totalling 1 lousy point.
Un freakiing believable!

Clever Link

This is one of the cleverest search sites ever: Ms. Dewey

If you have a reasonably fast computer its scary how real she seems to be. It's amusing, especially if you ask her lurid questions but more importantly it's a sign of a virtual reality sure to come on the Internet.

Self Help Books

Self Help Books are a huge industry, everyone it seems wants to improve themselves somehow. It seems no one is totally satisfied and is looking for answers from outside sources.

I tend to avoid them. But about seven years ago I did read Dr. Wayne Dyer's Book: "Your Erroneous Zones". I felt it not only insightful but entertaining as well.

Basically I got two things out of it.

FIRST, live in the NOW. Too many of us are regretting things we did or did not do in the past or worrying about what might happen in the future.

This is not to abandon lessons learned in the past nor to ignore planning for the future.

SECOND is that I am not responsible for how someone else feels, nor are they responsible for how I feel. In other words we alone are responsible for our own emotions. It's a matter of choice. If you choose to feel sad or hurt, then that's your choice. If you choose to feel happy and upbeat, that's also something you can control.

I tried to read one or two of his other books. But really this is all I felt I had to know.

I think the same kind of people that are attracted to self help books and films or cd's are the same people that are attracted to cults and religions. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. But they don't have faith in their own inner judgements and gut feelings. For some reason they need other's to guide them through life.

I think a major problem with self help is that its too general. Everyone is a unique individual with unique history and "baggage". You can't preach to the masses and have your "answers" apply universally unless its a simple, obvious truth. Like Dr. Dyer's teachings.

Basically Self Help Gurus are out for one thing, to help their Bank Accounts. Much like Evangelical Preachers are.

I think it's all a scam.

Some people feel the need to search for "answers". Maybe it's the search that is attractive for them, getting there is most of the fun I suppose. But you know they will never be satisfied no matter how many self help sources they explore.

And I think that is the crux of the problem, they are never satisfied. And so they feel unhappy.

It's like Dr. Dyer says, if you choose to be unsatisfied or unhappy, then you will be.

Keith's Auto History

Well I am big car nut and before I forget all the loved and hated cars I've owned I have put them down on record. Starting with the most recent vehicle down to my first car purchased in 1973. Here they are: Keith's Cars

"Wit" and Cancer

I saw this excellent 2001 movie last night, Wit, featuring the very talented Emma Thompson.

Ms. Thompson plays the role of a recently diagnosed victim of terminal ovarian Cancer. She is convinced by doctors to take an experimental and very aggressive treatment of chemotherapy.

Extremely well done and highly recommended!

The politics of Cancer is murky. Some of us are convinced that no one is really looking for a cure. Cancer is big business, worth billions to the economy. Most research money is dedicated to expensive treatments and not a cure.

As a researcher, you never really want to find an answer. Finding an answer will end the research and funds will cease. And it's all about the acquisition of funds.

Too Good To Be True?

I came across the Tesla Web Site and the car sounds awesome! Totally electric, 0-100 km/hr in 4 seconds, up to 250 miles per charge.

No where on the site did it mention a price, which is an ominous sign.

I found out elsewhere that it is in excess of $100,000 USD. Bummer.

Asked one critic, posting at Autoblog.com: "Why not just buy a Lotus Elise and use some of the US$40,000+ you save to buy some gas?"

Just A Cool Graphic

I Love this stuff !

Good Shit

This is an interesting web site I came upon today: Good Shit

Lot's of interesting triva and links to other sites.

I have to warn the female viewers and non-red-blooded males that there is a good deal of nudity in the form of pinup style pictures. Nothing distastful in my opinion.

I guess its to keep the male readers interested. It sure worked for me!

Retail Pricing

I just got back from visiting the new wing in Orchard Park Mall, here in Kelowna where I live. Among the new stores was Tommy Hilfiger. It's the kind of store whose threshold I would never cross but from a distance I could see they had sections of clothing displayed by price point.

There was a section of $29.99, another of $39.99, another of $49.99 and so on. And, even though the true value of these goods was probably closer to $9.99, I liked the concept. Clarity is bliss.

They should have gone one step further in pricing the sections at $30, $40 and $50. I've been in the retail business since 1979 and have often wondered what the effect would be of rounding out the prices.

Do retailers really think they are fooling the shopping public with this .99 stuff?

My guess is that people would welcome the change and frequent the rebel retailer just for their brass kahunas.

Speaking of Kahunas, when is some heroic lawyer (are there any?) going to take the policy of Senior Discounts to litigation?

It doesn't take a law professor to understand that SENIOR DISCOUNTS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL under the Charter of Rights. It's a clear example of age discrimination.

Why should I pay 5 or 10 or 15% more for the same item than the person who just went through the checkout before me. Just because he was older than I? There is no reason.

There may have been a time when Seniors were at an economic disadvantage (still no excuse), but that has changed. In the city where I live the Seniors represent the wealthiest demographic (and no I don't have proof, I just know it).

They have had all their lives to build up a sound financial foundation for their retirement years. If they haven't they have only themselves to blame.

Let's stop price/age discrimination NOW!

Surveillance and Privacy

I'm a big proponent of Privacy and yet at the same time I am posting all kinds of information about myself on the web. I have a few web pages on the go and I have this blog.

On the Internet there are a ton of pictures of me and of the things I have, people know where I live and what my interests are. And yet I am still concerned about privacy.

It's a paradox that a lot of us should be concerned with, given the growth of Identity Theft in recent years.

I disagree with the installation of surveillance cameras on every city block and intersection. And yet I agree that it tends to curtail crime, or at least move it away from the camera's view.

How much privacy are we going to give up for the sake of security? Already in the US and in Great Britain, Civil Rights have been compromised in the so called "Fight Against Terrorism". Is "Terrorism" a government plot to gain control of our private lives?

There is the age old argument that "if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear". I would say, if you have nothing to hide that you are a very dull and boring individual.

We all have something to hide. Our bank accounts, our lifestyle habits, and what we choose do do with our bodies. We hide them because they are ours, they belong to us and if you want to know about it, you should ask permission.

The Lawmakers and the Corporations, if we let them, will circumvent this permission if they can. Information is knowledge and knowledge is the key to control and ultimately that is what "they" are after.

Maybe it doesn't matter if our privacy is exposed. Maybe we will learn a lot more about each other if there are less secrets and a more Open Society.

Still, a person should have a choice in the matter.

I'm in favour of having voluntary memory chips implanted under our skin, somewhere on our bodies. This chip would have all the information we would choose to store on it.
And we would choose what information we would allow be accessed. It would have credit card numbers, license numbers, passport numbers, our birth certificate, etc. It would have everything that we would need to establish our identity, that we are who we say we are.

Technology can steal our privacy but it can also insure it.

Related Article

Response Time

What do my Core 2 Duo iMac, my Mustang GT and a really good employee have in common? You guessed it, a super fast Response Time.

Thats the the time differential between the input of an instruction and the time of response. The less the time, the more satisfying the experience.

Sometimes I just click away at my iMac just to be amazed at how fast it responds. Much like I just go aimlessly driving in my 5 Litre Mustang just so I can feel the immediate torque as soon as I depress the accelerator. An FI Ferrari would be something to wet dream about!

If you ever find a good employee, it's fun just to give them instructions and watch them go at it.

Think of the increased satifaction you would have if everything responded the way these examples do.

Technology: Many Are Being Left Behind

I think most Bloggers are seriously into technology, some may be called technophiles.

I try to do my best to keep up with the latest gadgetry. But its growth is exponential, every day new advances in technology make what was "state of the art" last month obsolete.

About a year ago, I read a "letter to the editor" written by an elderly lady who was very dissapointed that the CBC had shifted her favorite TV show "Coronation Street" from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM.

Now, she said, she could never watch it.

Apparantly this lady had not heard of the VCR, a technology that has been around since the mid 80's. I go to bed at 10 each night and have been watching Jay Leno for the last 10 years.

I have a co-worker that would like to watch DottoTech TV that comes on every Saturday. But she is always doing something and doesn't know how to program the VCR!

It's really sad that people will not spend 5 minutes to make the effort to learn a technology that will enhance their lifestyle.

I don't think these instances are isolated. The VCR is now ancient technology, what hope do they have to understand the new technologies of today and tomorrow?

I have a lot of "stuff". My list of current computers is here. I also have 3 PVR's. Those are Personal Video Recorders. And of all the good cool stuff I have, they would rank right up there with the computers for value.

Two of them have hard drives on them. I seldom, if ever, watch live TV. I can't stand the intelligence insulting advertisements. Everything is recorded for a time when I want to watch it. I can watch a full hockey game, normally 2 1/2 to 3 hours in lenghth, in 80-90 minutes. And I can watch it when I want.

There is new stuff I read about and try and understand, but it's a challange. The kids are growing up with it, they at least have a chance to keep pace.

Everyone is busy and learning technolgies and especially new software takes time, a commodity few people have.

Video games are at the cutting edge of software technology, they are the closet thing we have to "virtual reality". Learning the games takes hours and hours of practise and trial and error, and that's just for one game!

I play only two games, NHL2007 and Colin McRae Rally 2005. I'd like to play more, but I don't have time to learn them, let alone get good at them.

Technology is like your waistline. You either have to keep up with it or let it go completely.

Soldiers, Cops, Firemen and Loggers

I've never experienced war, thank god for that. Nor have I arrested anyone or came to the aid of a burning building. But I understand that these are very stressful deeds that deserve our respect.

Still they are occupations that are chosen by each individual and for which they are well trained to do.

When I was a young man and to an extent still today, I was quite the student of military history. I found learning about the incredible human struggles at the Somme,Ypres, Dunkirk, Stalingrad to name a few, and even into the Vietnam era, fascinating. And I often wonder at the kinds of intense stress that these soldiers must have endured.

I would not be a policeman for any amount of money. The heartache and evil they see on a daily basis would be too much for me.

And what happens when a Canadian Soldier, Policeman or Firefighter is killed during the course of his duties? It makes front page news, the lead story on the News Hour and parades are held in honour.

That's all very fine and good. But what about the rest of us who might lose their life while on the job? What happens then? Nothing outside of the family funeral. Why is that?

Did you know that 41 Loggers lost their life on the job in 2005? And that is just in British Columbia. That's about the same number of Canadian Soldiers who have died in Afghanistan as of the date of this writing.

Why are the lives of soldiers, policemen and firemen so much more missed than some father of 3 who happens to have been the target of a falling tree? Why don't the loggers get the parade, or for that matter the factory workers and construction guys?

What makes some occupations more worthy of honour than others?

Please, please spare me the "they were serving our country and community" speech. A soldier decides to be a soldier for his own reasons, same for a policeman or fireman.

There may be issues of control, of power, maybe one likes the heavily structured atmosphere of military life, maybe another wants to feed his macho inadequacies by being a fireman. Who knows, but its for their personal reasons.

A logger has just as noble a cause, to feed his kids and see that they get a good education. Is that not just as worthy an occupation?

Let's quit worshipping these over glorified professionals as amazing heroes and treat them with the same respect as any working man deserves. No more, no less.

Fantasy Art

Fantasy Art is sooooo cool! And it's amazing how many Amazon-like female Warriors are fantasised about.

Here is a link to some good stuff: Fantasy Art

Don't Hang Him, Give Him His Job Back !

Can anyone honestly say that Iraq is better off now or will be in the near future than it was when Saddam was in power? You don't have to tell me this man was a murdering tyrant of the worst kind. Everyone knows that, we know what he's done and we know his style of "people management".

Western Society has a love affair with this concept called democracy and "freedom". We think because it sort of works here, that it should work everywhere. Regardless of culture and/or religious or historical differences anywhere else.

If you think about your daily life, how often do you converse about the political situation of the country? No often I'll bet. Most of us are going about our daily lives, doing our jobs and dealing with whatever family or local crises comes along.

So do, or did, the people of Iraq. Most of them just want to be able to feed their families, work at their occupations and pray to their God. I think in most cases they were able to do that under Saddam Hussein.

Iraq has no history of democracy, and I think it could be safe to say that few Iraqis even desire it.

Sometimes a Nation needs a Strongman to keep fighting factions from killing each other and to prevent a collapse into total anarchy.

Sure Saddam is a bad man but take a look at what is happening now. I have to shake my head when the British and Americans say they are fighting for Iraqi freedom and to provide a democratic culture.

At the same time they are supporting Dictatorships in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to name a few.

Democracy and freedom have nothing to do with what is going on in Iraq right now.
Iraq is a mess, there are hundreds of innocent lives being lost each week. There seems to be no way out of it.

It's not such a wild idea to consider taking him back.

Crime and Punishment

I don't often read "Letters To The Editor" because it seems just the nuts submit them. But there was one that I read about 6 weeks ago. The writer was expressing his outrage at what he thought was an unjustly lenient sentence handed down to a young man who killed a person while driving drunk.

I don't remember the exact particulars of the sentence but it was something like 3 months. He brought up the case of a woman in Penticton that was convicted of embezzling her employer out of a large amount of money and was sentenced to two years in prison.

His outrage stemmed for the fact that killing someone netted a much more lenient sentence than cooking the company books.

There is often a knee jerk reaction to court sentences, most people seem to think sentences are too light and justice is not accomplished. I think you have to be there and hear the evidence before you can judge on a judgement.

In this particular case, the writer seemed to have passed over his Law 11 class which dealt with INTENT. It makes a huge difference when considering sentencing. You know that young man who drank too much had no intention of killing someone even if he knew he had consumed too much alcohol and should not be driving.

On the other hand the embezzler went to work every day over a considerable time with full intent to commit a crime. She had plenty of opportunity to consider her actions, knew they were wrong but continued to commit the crime on a daily basis.

I believe the sentencing was fair.

When I was a young man, well even into my 30's I often drove while intoxicated. Sometimes so much so that I wondered how I got home. Thankfully I never was involved in an accident. More due to luck than anything else. And I think many if not all of us could say the same thing. This unlucky man and his even unluckier victim were both victims of "shit happens". It could have happened to any of us. Of course he was wrong to drive while drunk and he'll live with the results of doing so throughout his life.

Value

This is a topic I find myself revisiting in my mind quite often. What gives value? I would say that the more difficult something is to acquire and retain, the more value it has.

So for every individual the concept of value can be remarkably different.

This could be a material thing or an intangible idea, quality or lifestyle. I have a 1994 Mustang GT Convertible that I am very fond of. It's in very good condition and has a street market value of maybe $8000, give or take. And yet I would not consider selling it for under $15,000. Because it has much more value to me than an objective Blue Book figure.

In fact I would go further and say that my Mustang has more value to me than a Millionaire's brand new Porsche. His Porsche can be easily replaced and the Millionaire no doubt has so many other things of value that his Porsche is one among many.

Another example: Sex. There are many young attractive women who have said "I'm just not into casual sex". And there are just as many young men who think of nothing but "casual sex".
Why? Because the attractive young female can acquire a sexual partner at her will and therefore that kind of liaison has little value for her.

There are always exceptions, there are a type of young man that can also easily acquire a partner, unfortunately I was never one of them. Generally speaking though, a young single man will place a higher value on a casual sex relationship than a woman would simply because there is a greater effort required to achieve it and the chances for another may be few and far between.

I sometimes really wonder about what others hold as valuable. For me, expensive jewellery is a ridiculous waste of money. It does nothing except to say "I have money to waste". I hate going out to eat because I don't feel I get any value for my money. I am paying $40 for a meal that could be made for $5 at home. I have to drive there and I have to wait for my meal and then I have to tip the waiter for the privilege. And yet there are restaurants everywhere!

I value my two days off a week but if I only worked two days would I value the five days I had off as much?

What a person values says a lot about them. Might be a good idea to take inventory of what we value and why we value it.

Pregnant Women Please Listen !

I work in public place, a busy retail establishment. We see all kinds of people in all forms of dress, some of which might be unusual but most is appropriate.

Lately there has been a trend among very pregnant women to, shall we say, display their pregnancy for all to see. The woman in the accompanying picture is an extreme example but its not far off the norm.

I realise these woman are proud of being pregnant (not sure of the reason for that) but do they have to stick it in our face?

I am a 52 year old man and have the body of a 52 year old. Let's say that I decided to where a shirt that was cut off somewhere between my nipples and my belly button.
It would be a disgusting sight would it not?

And therefore I submit that any woman that displays her belly in a likewise matter is being just as rude. And no, its not different, the analogy is accurate.

Whatever happened to the maternity dress? Why do these women feel the need to do this? It's a hard thing to stomach!

200 Years From Now

Does anyone know anything about their Great Great Grandparents or even their Great Grandparents? Unless they were famous or infamous for some rare reason, probably not.

Probably a lot of people loved them and respected them, maybe they held a high station in life, were corporate or political leaders, they might have been a lot of great things in their time.

I have a relatively humble position in life, occupation wise. People have actually said to me "Don't you want something better for yourself". And I've thought about it and wondered, why?

Two hundred years from now, no one will ever know that we walked the face of the Earth, no matter what position we were in financially, or socially. In most cases you could reduce that timeline to 100 years or even less.

In order to be remembered, a person has to have accomplished something really great. Lance Armstrong will be remembered forever, so will Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King. For the 99.999% of the rest of us, we'll be forgotten regardless of how great we thought we were or how much we thought we had accomplished.

So it doesn't bother me at all that I am not a CEO or political leader or an artist or athlete of note. In two hundred years we'll all be in the same position, totally forgotten.

The "F" Word

You can pretty much divide people into two groups, those that regularly use the F word and those that don't. I'd like to see a television documentary on the origins of the word and why it is so freaking popular. How did it start and how did it gain popularity and most of all, why do some of us use it frequently and others never or almost never?

What's the profile of people that use the word? I use it all the time although I am committed not to do so in this Blog (cause I wanna keep it classy). But I work around some people who never use it, even though they are often exposed to its use.

I can't honestly say why I use the word, it just feels like the right thing to do, like a form of punctuation. Funny thing is, in the presence of certain people I would never use it. You never say it in front of your mother. You don't even have to try not to say it, your mouth won't let you verbalise it. I want to know why.

I know that a lot of very powerful people use the word, from Presidents and Prime Ministers to corporate leaders. But there are just as many who don't.

I've noticed, over the years, that more and more women are using the "F" word.

My own thinking is that the more assertive/aggressive a person is, the more they are likely to use the word. It's just a word, comprised of only four letters, one syllable and yet it can evoke so much emotion and passion and anger.

I think it's an interesting topic and so hence the post.

The Vancouver Canucks

Ok, something less controversial this morning. I'm a huge Canucks fan. Not a crazy one, like I don't have my walls laced with banners and pictures of my "heroes" but I have followed the team since their inception in, um 1969? I think that's when they started.

This year under coach Alain Vigneault they are playing really well, even though their record of 8-7-1 might not indicate it. I've never seen them work so hard at their defensive game. Even with peachfuzz-faced rookie defensemen they are keeping the shots against and opposition scoring chances way down.

It demonstrates what a bad coach Crawford really was.

You know what I hated about Crawford the most? Never once, not for one shift, ever did he play Marcus Naslund with the Sedin Twins. Why would he not at least try that? Especially last year when the Sedins were thriving and Marcus was struggling. If Anson Carter could get 30 goals playing with them, Naslund would have got over 50.

This year Vigneault started the season with Marcus with the Sedins and were an instant success! Unfortunately, lately that line has been broken up. I don't agree with that decision. I know they like Pyatt in front of the net and Pyatt is scoring. But Pyatt can still stand in front of the net playing with Morrison and Cooke/Bulis just as well.

But at least Vigneault tried that line, knows what they can do and knows he can go back to it. Which is more than Crawford ever did.

Unfortunately for Marcus Naslund, he is not going to have a lot of fun playing with losers like Morrison and Bulis (the Bust).

My freind Chantel sent me this.

I was a very happy person.

My girlfriend and I had been dating for over a year, and we decided to get married.
There was only one little thing bothering me....It was her beautiful younger sister..
My prospective sister-in-law was twenty-two, wore very tight miniskirts, and generally was bra-less.
She would ensure when she was near me that I always got more than a nice view.
It had to be deliberate because she never did it when she was near anyone else.
One day, "little" sister called and asked me to come over to check the wedding invitations.
She was alone when I arrived, and she whispered that she had feelings and desires for me that she couldn't overcome. She told me she wanted me just once before I got married and committed my life to her sister. I was stunned and couldn't say a word. She said, "I'm going upstairs to my bedroom, and if you want one last wild fling, just come up and get me."
I was frozen in shock as I watched her go up the stairs. I stood there for a moment, then turned and made a beeline out the front door and headed straight towards my car.
Lo and behold, my entire future family was standing outside all clapping!
With tears in his eyes, my father-in-law-to-be hugged me and said,
"We are very happy you passed our little test. We couldn't ask for a better man for our daughter. Welcome to the family!"
And the moral of this story is: Always keep your condoms in your car.

Quit Your Complaining

Several years ago I watched a documentary, part of which described a young man in Somalia that was employed by a salt farmer. The image was so powerful that it has stayed with me all these years.

This person worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week under a scorching sun cutting slabs of salt out of the salt field for just enough wages to keep him and his family from starving.

His father did the same and chances are his son will do so too.

So what's my point? I live in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. It is a beautiful place with wealth and opportunities for all and a wonderful wilderness of forests and mountains at our doorstep.

Whenever I am having a bad day, it helps to think about this poor miserable soul endlessly toiling over the blinding salt, with no hope of a better future. If he only knew his plight served as a source of comfort for another.

Anyone who lives where I do or lives in a place like it really has little cause to complain about their current situation.

Religion (Hopefully some will find this offensive)

Bear in mind that I was raised a Catholic and therefore have a deep seated mistrust of organised religion.

You know there just might be a Supreme Being, after all what came before the Big Bang?
But the belief that this "entity" is judging me or examining my behavior is beyond the ridiculous.

Most religions will tell you their teachings are based in love. The reality is that most want to keep you in a state of ignorance and fear. And their primary directive is to control their "parishioners".

Take a look at the world and all the current conflicts. Most have their roots in conflicting religious beliefs. Beliefs that have no substance. Religion for me is synonymous with hatred, bigotry, hypocrisy and intolerance. It needs to be eliminated (how's that for tolerance and hypocrisy, haha!)

I've thought about religion a lot and for the life of me I can't understand its purpose from an individual's point. Why do people feel the need to believe in a God? I don't get it. There is only one thing to believe in this world and that is: YOURSELF.

I suppose its useful to shed responsibility for one's actions. Sorry to say I always have to laugh when families, stricken with the worst tragedies, say "it was the will of god". Nice god you have there. Glad I don't believe in him/her/it.

The War On Cars

Let's get one thing straight: People will NEVER give up their cars. No matter how much anti-car legislation is passed or whatever the price of gas. Cars, in one form or another will be around and thriving. They might be electric, they might be fuel-celled, they might even be solar powered, but they will always be here.

So to those law makers that want to stop building or improving our roads, who want to increase the gas taxes (which are already exorbitant) and want us to pedal to work in the snow and want our women to run the gamut of thugs on our public transit, to those I say: PHOOEY ON YOU.

If people want to use public transit, good for them, it means more room on the road for me and my Mustang (yes that is my car in the pic). Just don't discriminate against motorists, after all we are paying the bulk of all transportation costs.

Next Target: Alcohol

You know we did a great job of almost eliminating smoking from our society. It was done mostly through education with a little bit of legislation. Smoking is known to be one of the most addictive habits known, and yet it was dealt with. There will always be a few die hards and its unlikely we'll get below 10% of the population that smokes. That's something we can live with.

Our next target should be alcohol. Most would think it highly unlikely that the current levels of consumption could be reduced down to that 10% mark. But maybe 30 years ago they thought the same thing of tobacco.

Can anyone argue against the fact that this substance, alcohol, causes more havoc in our society than any other substance? Heroin or crystal meth can't come close. Spousal abuse, family/parenting dysfunction, job loss/absenteeism, automotive chaos, physical and mental health issues. How many people die yearly as a result of alcohol? I don't know. I am guessing its in the tens of thousands.

As you might have guessed, I do not drink. I stopped the use of alcohol about 5 years ago and haven't had a drop since. And no, I wasn't an alcoholic. I've no use for it. No one should. We have inhibitions for a reason, to control our behavior. Removing those inhibitions through alcohol causes behavioral anarchy. Why would anyone desire that?

Another excuse for alcohol is to float the boat of self pity. Cure: ACTION!
And for those that need to relax after a stressful day, listen to some soft music or go for a walk.

This one might take 50 years or more to remove from out society, but it can be done.

"Cowardly" Criminals on Global News

I have some problems with the Global BC newscasters. I like senile Tony Parsons and beautiful Robin Stickley and witty Squire Barnes and fast talking Keith Baldry, the legislative reporter. I hate Catherine Pope though, she's freaking awful.

But why do they always seem to have to qualify the news? I'm talking about describing a criminal as cowardly when he beats up on an old lady ferociously protecting her diamond broach. Or whacking someone's Grandpa over the head to grab his wallet.

Would they be called brave if they attacked a 6'5 28 yr old male, maybe they would be and the crime would be considered less serious.

What goes on in the animal kingdom? Are the lions cowards because they attack the young, the lame and the dying zebras? Seldom will a lion or leopard attack the dominate male in a heard of wildebeest. Why not? Cause it wouldn't make any sense would it?

So lets not call the criminals "cowards", lets just call them criminals.

Justice, Closure and the "R" Word

Victims are so politically correct. They use words like "justice" and "closure". But they really would love to use the "R" word. But no one does because its nasty. It's really what they want, sweet revenge.

I don't blame them, if some drunk ran over my little daughter (I don't have one), I wouldn't care about justice, I'd want REVENGE.

So why don't they just admit it. We would all understand. It's why there is so much controversy when court sentences are handed down. The level of justice given seldom equals the level of revenge wanted.

Death Penalty

I often wonder how anyone could be in favour of the death penalty. It makes no sense. There are many web sites that put forth the many arguments why capital punishment serves no purpose. We all know its not a deterrent, we all know that countless innocent people have been put to death, we all know it eliminates any chance for re-habilitation. Worst of all it legitimates the pre meditated death of a defenseless human being. It basically justifies death, like so many murderers do.

I would like to put forth another argument. IT'S NOT PUNISHMENT ! Since we are all going to die, where is the punishment? You could argue just knowing your time of death is punishment enough but let's face it, most of us can probably predict our death time within 10 years. If we think about it, we might be fretted, but most of us don't.

A real punishment for the most heinous crimes would be solitary confinement with no chance of parole. Depriving someone of social contact is the greatest punishment that can be delivered.

The only "western" nation to still retain capital punishment, the United States, also has the highest murder rate. Think about that.

This is me, a pic taken near Valemount BC, September, 2006. I'm 52, married and live in the beautiful city of Kelowna, British Columbia.