Sunday musings

The school, Sandy Hook in Newtown Connecticut, America, that was the site for the horrific massacre of  27 people last December, is now being demolished and all rubble is being destroyed by the contractor to eliminate “human scavengers” from pilfering pieces of the debris and then selling these “souvenirs” on the Internet.

First off, this is the only way to help diminish, but never remove, the memories of this evil act.

Secondly, what a sad statement of mankind in the way people will always exploit pain and grief for money in the selling of artifacts associated with monstrous acts.

This will never change as this has been a “feature” of man, but gee whiz, it is depressing all the same.

So, the Yanks spy on world leaders conversations?

Big deal, really.

Everyone wants the Americans to protect them from bullies but, as the Chief Inspector in Casablanca always was, are “shocked, yes shocked” to discover that the means to provide protection are not always above board.

As if Al Qaeda does not do things like this.

As if the regime in North Korea does do not do this.

As if the regime in Iran does not do this.

Heck, even in the great democracy of France - try checking into a hotel without surrendering documentation to the front desk that routinely is checked by local authorities.

Sadly, all world leaders are human, equipped for greatness and evil, so why are the conversations of them so sacred?

And with so many people posting any and every thing possible under the sun on Facebook, Twitter and the like, including intimate photos, what privacy is left anyway?

Just asking…

Another boatload of immigrants were rescued off the coast of Italy this week - 137 in fact. Over 32,000 migrants have made the journey to southern Italy by boat so far this year, according to the United Nations. One wonders how many have been returned home and whether the country of origin even wants them back. Heck what about the cost of feeding and housing these people?

So, the Middle East has been a little less noisy than usual lately so of course the pot is being stirred by reports that Iran is within a month of completing a nuclear bomb. So, an Israeli defense official says this is further justification for why Israel will take military action before that happens. So far, no reaction from the 2 big boys in the world - the USA and Russia. 

Curious isn’t it?

How is the price of gasoline in your part of the world these days? Did you know that oil was near $97 a barrel Friday, consolidating after two weeks of losses sparked by high supplies and patchy global economic growth. And yet when there is a “crisis” (tip of the cynical hat to the world media) in the Middle East, Venezuela, USA -storms in the Gulf of Mexico- without a murmur the prices jump at the pump in a heartbeat. So how come the prices haven’t dropped lately?

Perhaps it is because the fact that governments are addicted to the tax cash flow from gas sold. The higher the price at the pump, the more money that flows into government coffers.

Kind of sad, where in Canada, the money from gas tax in some provinces is supposed to flow into road budgets - sensible thinking. User pays for system right? Well, just ask the province of Saskatchewan about that. The money is diverted into what is called General Revenue and from that fund, all government operations are funded. So, of course highway building and repair suffers.

Hmmm….

Another earthquake off the coast of Japan happened this week raising concerns again about the safety of the damaged reactor in Fukushima. Remember the core meltdown in Chernobyl and how, relatively quickly, a concrete containment dome was erected? The Japanese ‘quake was in 2011 and basically zip has been done? A proposal for refrigerated pools to hold the radioactive water in the ocean has been submitted but leakage continues to this day. A democracy sits by idle yet a former communist run country acted faster? Just what the heck is going on anyway?

OK, over in France a senior police commander in the Paris region has ordered his traffic officers to issue three tickets for driving offences every day, or they would miss out on days off over the Christmas period, it was alleged this week.

Gotta love the dedication to the letter of the law of the French police.

All the old jokes about buying tickets for the Police Xmas Ball to avoid real tickets spring to mind.

In a drastic move, it seems that the American Burger company, McDonalds has stopped using the Heinz Company as its supplier of ketchup!

The horor!

Last week a Roma camp in Greece was raided by police and a blond girl was found in the custody of a couple dark featured Romans’. Instantly the media declared that she had to a kidnapping victim, ignoring the statement of the caregivers, that they were related to the mother of the girl (living in Bulgaria) and that the mother gave the girl to them to raise as she could not afford to do so. Talk shows around the world, especially in the USA railed mightily on the topic. So…..DNA tests were done on the lady in question and indeed, the story was correct! Not a peep from all the righteous folks - not a one. Now the mother wants the girl back - to live with 10 others in a mud hut in Bulgaria, lovely future indeed.

And where are the do gooders doing now?

Right, off on another crusade “of the moment”.

Can people only focus for 10 minutes these days?

What is wrong with society anyway?

We lost another notable this week, Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, Thailand's Supreme Patriarch who headed the country's order of Buddhist monks for more than two decades, has died at 100.

Well, this week brings the once wonderful night of Halloween to North America.

Years ago it truly was a fun night where kids were dressed up, usually in home made costumes to go with their parent(s) door to door in the area collecting “trick or treats” from bemused neighbours. Sadly this as everything in life, changed and in this case, probably for the worse. Now the costume industry is BIG TIME indeed and home-made outfits are so passe it seems. Also parties are larger and many are so out of control, fueled by the ever available, regardless of legal age, booze and drugs. Did you know that Americans will spend over 10 billion dollars on costumes? And the “little” kids? Now you get teen agers strutting door to door and almost demanding candies from the homeowners.

Too bad, somehow we as a society continue to lose what little innocence and faith that we once had.

BUT…. hope springs eternal in me and maybe we will get a gaggle of little tykes this year, heck I hope so because otherwise I will once again have to offer myself up as the consumer of massive amounts of candy!!!!!

take care out there,

flatlander52

Sunday musings

Arrgghhhh….I guess this is the new normal in American politics and I never quite grasped it. The days of a budget being drafted, voted on and implemented for a set period of time - the fiscal year in fact., are long gone and never to return apparently.

Seemed to work fairly well in days gone by didn’t it? Well, the new reality is a lot different isn’t it? The government no longer passes a budget, no, what happens is brinkmanship, posturing, blustering and then tip toeing to the edge of the financial abyss and then passing a “band aid” form of money allotment (filled to the brim with “pork” allocations - special money pet projects for certain politicians in order to secure their support) that as now, lasts for three months and then the process can start again and all the while the financial world breathes a huge sigh of relief and the world returns to what is called “normal”.

Huh.

Isn’t it great that all the drama will repeat in January?

What fun.

And those pompous, posturing politicos are actually proud of the “work” they do on behalf of the American people.

If they worked for me - the whole boogle of buggers would be fired in a heartbeat - let them live on food stamps for a while OK?

And all the while, amid all the gloom and doom reports on the “poor, shattered” American economy that some media gleefully describe, there emerges the odd, quickly stifled report on how the economy actually IS recovering and actually shows signs of perking along nicely these days.

Interesting.

But there is more money made in reporting misery isn’t there?

Heck, what would happen to all the pundits if they were shown to be behind the actual curve?

Oh my, maybe they would have to get a job in the real world wouldn’t they?

Oh well.

JPMorgan, the huge American bank has agreed to pay 14 billion in penalties for its role in the 2008 mortgage crisis in America even though the investigation and possible charges arising will continue. Many people never thought the day would come when those actually responsible for that economic disaster might actually be held accountable in the law courts.

For all those that hate everything America stands for - those in, say, the Middle East, many parts of Europe - can you honestly believe that your country would do the same? 

I doubt it.

Thousands of Portuguese took the streets of Portugal's two most populated cities to demonstrate against planned cuts of pensions and salaries.

Saturday's demonstrations were a response to the government's decision to extend austerity measures in the 2014 budget.The budget includes wage cuts for public sector workers ranging from 2.5 percent to 12 percent on monthly salaries of over 600 euros. Pension cuts should bring savings of 728 million euros.

You think tough times in Europe are over?

Think again my friends.

In Italy, maybe common sense and someone with integrity has prevailed in the sad, pathetic saga of the former Prime Minister, Berlusconi who was actually barred from politics for 2 years. He has demonstrated contempt for due process in the believe that he was above laws meant for the common man,not “special people” like him. Every country has them don’t they?

In Canada, we have a couple of Government Senators who believe rules of fiscal honesty are waived in application to them. In America, take your pick of in public drug smoking rappers, in Africa - hello Mr. Mugabe, you get the idea?

In 2012, in the city of Buenos Aires, we were spending a month there and walked by the Once underground train station the day a train crashed killing scores of people and injuring many others. The carnage and sorrow was horrible. A investigation followed, charges were laid and remedial actions were promised and apparently taken.

And yet……. this Saturday another train crashed at the same station, injuring at least 99 people.

What the hell is going on?

How can such a great, proud, progressive country permit this to happen again?

Sadly, probably the result will be yet another inquiry with the same net zero impact.

Comedian Felix Dexter left us this week.

Look him up, a true comic genius.

This week the United Nations elected Saudi Arabia to a prestigious seat on the Security Council, in what many self professed important pundits would consider a tremendous honour.

Guess what happened then?

The Saudi leadership refused to accept the position and lashed out at the world body for "double standards" and failure to protect peace.

Yay!!!!

The same United Nations that can so bravely send an official to visit Canada, tour some First Nation reserves and declare that Canada “has a long way to go to narrow the gap between aboriginals and non aboriginals”. And that is so true my friends. And so much work must be done to make this nation one of opportunities for all peoples.

That being said - where are the envoys reports on let’s say, Iran, North Korea, Zimbabwe - get the picture?

The United Nations has become a bloated waste of money more concerned with self perpetuation than what it was founded for and shame on it.

The Fall season is upon us and the colour of the foliage is a treat to behold. We have a relative off in New Zealand that has sent us a few snaps of the start of Spring there - good thing we are off to the Sandwich Islands later this year in our winter interlude otherwise we would be truly envious!

Also…. this week we went to the Capital City to see a evening performance from the legendary comedian/writer John Cleese and had a great time doing so. The city is gorgeous and so walk friendly and the weather was clear, calm and sunny all the while.

We had a small bit of fog the morning we left for the return drive home and the sight of that along the shoreline off Ogden Point was splendid.

take care out there,

flatlander52

America continues to stumble towards default on paying bills and foreign debts and all the while the politicos are pointing their fingers everywhere else but at themselves. It seems to many world observers that (to misquote Spock from Star Trek) the needs of the FEW outweigh the needs of the MANY. And reports are emerging that the main force behind this drive seems to be 2 uber rich brothers that are so opposed to Mr. Obama and the changes to the Health Care system - passed legally by the same government by the way - that are funding certain members of the government, specifically the Radical Tea Party folks, to wreak havoc on the average American. Is this what the Great American Dream in Government “of the people, for the people” has come to?

Many people reading this blog probably are too young to remember the hard fought optimism that was ignited in America (and a large part of the world as well) with the successful conclusion to World War 2. There seemed to be a common goal and dream for mankind both globally and locally. The United Nations was born amid hopes of a world soon to be rid of war. Grand projects bent on improving the life of the everyday man were launched and completed - on time and on budget! No one ridiculed the American President who launched the highway - Interstate 1 to link all of America. No one flooded the airwaves with bile and scorn when a President proclaimed that America was to go to the moon and back - did they? It seems like America (heck, all of the world to be honest) has turned on itself and lashes out wildly at anyone or thing that is not ‘normal”. Health Care for the people - no way and to punish others, well, just lay off tens of thousands of government workers. And then gleefully watch as hatemongers deride the same laid off workers. What is wrong with these people anyway?

Mother Teresa would weep.

A report this week indicates that America will soon overtake Russia as the world’s largest oil producer and that China is now the largest consumer of the same product. Now for those that do not think that the Chinese are really, really smart, think about this fact. A large portion of the American debt is owed to the Chinese and the higher the oil price, the more money flows back to China from America which in turn subsidizes Chinese consumption. All the while the American consumer faces higher and higher gas prices amid a sea of plenty and sinks lower and lower into debt.

As my father used to say, wars are not always fought with guns are they?

This year the Nobel Peace prize went to the group in charge of dismantling chemical weapons in Syria with the runner up being the young girl - Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan - who was shot by those thugs from the so called religion based Taliban. For once in recent years, the committee  had 2 great nominees and both are equally deserving of the award. These 2 nominees were judged on actions and results and not words as some previous winners were.

Action taken is better than action spoken….

Another boat filled with refugees capsized off the Italian coast with a number of people perishing in the cold waters. Can you imagine how wretched the lives of people must be in order for them to do something so drastic? To pick up and flee your country, pay a small fortune to some less than savoury character to cross some strange body of danger filled water in what is usually a decrepit vessel and face an unknown future? Perhaps a life in a tent city?

And people whine about an increase in their water bill or a 5 minute wait in line somewhere?

Embarrassing isn’t it?

One of probably the last living German war criminals, Erich Priebke died this week (at the age of 100) in house custody in Germany. He had fled Germany in 1946 to live decades long in Argentina until his location was disclosed in a TV program resulting in his extradition from that country. Now, Argentina has refused to accept his remains for burial as the government wants to be on record for opposing actions of the type done by this “person”. A welcome change indeed from the attitude that was prevalent in that great country after the Second World War where deep affection for all things German blinded many to the horrible atrocities that the Nazi regime inflicted on the world. Interestingly, a memorial service will be held for Mr. Priebke in Italy this week - the country where he committed his war crimes in.

On another topic, Paris has won the right to hold the 2018 World Gay Games. It is kind of sad that there even has to be a World Gay Games at all. Can we not get to the state where people regardless of race, colour, sexuality can compete in world competitions?

Hello Mr. Putin….

Stories are just emerging this weekend of the typhoon Phailin striking eastern India and the prospect of massive death and destruction is real, time will soon tell on this score. Of course, since it is India and not say, Europe, not too much international aid will happen - right?

OK- back on my Island, remember how I mentioned that when you plan enviro thingys, make sure to plan to the end of the process? Specifically in the case of our capital city in the case of their grand plan to recycle kitchen scraps and no business wanted to do so? And the one that finally signed on was ordered to stop because of the odour from the scrap fields? Well……. it sees that this week the city got the courts to order the plant to stop all composting and dig up the rest of the un-done compost scraps and truck them to the local landfill in order to eliminate the odour problem. Cool…. until someone pointed out that to do so will break yet another city law forbidding removing compost scraps from agricultural land!

Honestly, will this circus never end?

We went to the town of Coombs this week again for a nice day in the country and to see the fall colours in the woods as well as have a great yeomans’ lunch at the local market. With the end of tourist season, the hustle and bustle is greatly diminished and the bucolic life returns and is enjoyable. And of course the fabled “goats on the roof” of the market were out and about much to the pleasure of those watching.

In a side note, I was astounded to be a witness to the following event at our abode. I had heard some squawking outside and after glancing out the front window, saw an EAGLE perched in the trees across the street! Now this may not be a big thing for many people but for a flatlander more accustomed to seeing crows, this was spectacular. Sadly in my rush to get a good photo, the following was the best that my shaky hands could do-sorry!

Anyway, have a great (Canadian that is) Thanksgiving!

take care out there,

flatlander52

Sunday musings

This week is going to be somewhat different than normal.
Not so much on world events but comments on a couple of topics that have been in my mind for a while and one specifically that sparked some thoughts – and yes, there are those among you that will probably raise a cheer to hear that I have been “a thinking” - hoo-rah indeed!
I read a column in the Huff Post Canada on line this week and it was about bloggers, the truth and journalists.
You know, I always knew in the background of my thinking, that the Interweb is so bloody full of out and out liars, some just stupid, some evil and some just twisted.
But I really believed that a huge number of bloggers, myself included, really, really try and have tried to be honest and tell their opinions based on true recitation of facts. Facts that could be tracked and verified as correct by anyone so inclined to check.
This is why I never became a user of Twitter, Facebook and other social media. I saw and still see those forums as a place for many liars, cowards and cruel people to hide behind while they destroy people via the printed word and hide behind a faceless keyboard while doing so.
Reading that in the Huff Post makes me question the usefulness of posting blogs, mine included.
In all my posts, I tried to discuss in a rational way actual events that happened and many times, my thinking on them, whereas others post a rumour, or a ideology twisted version of “something” just to further their desire to mould the world in their way.
Today's' media is so saturated with reports of people killing themselves over taunting by others on the Internet, and reports of instant boycotts of products, companies or even individuals because of “something” real or rumoured that annoyed someone and the affected party in a paroxysm of fear instantly do a frantic headstand to buy their way back into the public's affection – whether or not the disgruntled group is one person or a million. You have seen on the TV news reports of mass demonstrations where occasionally the camera shifts its lens from the dozen or so professionally angry marchers to the back of the “masses” revealing maybe another dozen folks? And yet the media constantly repeats this event as if it is shaking the foundations of the country it is occurring in.
Is no one accountable anymore?
Anyone at all?
It seems not.
Here on the Island a local newspaper editor published a letter raising some points of interest in the status of First Nations and some thoughts on the history in regards to their treatment by the Federal Government and their own self government. Instantly demonstrations materialized and he was loudly denounced as a racist.
Whatever happened to dialogue?
Everyone is a victim of racism it seems.
Everyone is a victim of bullying it seems.
Everyone is harassed it seems.
Everyone deserves everything for nothing it seems.
And no one is ever at fault it seems.
You know, it really is tiring and disappointing to watch this world unfold these days.
I, as all in my generation, grew older and listened as we were told that the newer generations were so much better than those that preceded them. They were better educated. They were in tune with the planet. They cared about the welfare of all their fellow man. They were not so money grubbing and materialistic as previous generations were. They were a better “species” than existed before.
What the hell happened on the way to this state?
The new generations are no better than the one they rebuked and derided.
And that is a tragedy, dammit.
I have no answer, just as before, my observations. Besides, to be honest, the opinion of an individual on an Island on the outskirts of a minor country like Canada, really does not matter to any movers and shakers in the real world does it?
I sometimes wonder if the impact of mass global communications happening in the blink of an eye, is in all honesty, a bad thing for mankind.
A blip on the financial markets in the Far East sends immediate tremors through Europe and North America whereas in years before, circa 1960 and past, the impact would be minimized by time and distance as the event would slowly unfold in the public consciousness. Peoples' jobs, savings and way of life are now dismissed in a blink of an eye. Check the stock market crash of the 1930's – that was all over the world but took a while to spread and the recovery when it did happen, was different than what now happens such as the continuing recovery from the crash of 2008 shows.
And instant communications sure as heck have done absolutely zero in wars and armed conflicts – right? Shall we mention Bosnia, Syria, Somalia and on and on? How about in cases of natural disasters such as what devastated Haiti three years ago? Where was and is the response?
Right.
Of course there is no answer to these questions, just more questions my friends.
And that is today's comments on sorrow and regret.
Ah, enough already....
OK, to a few thoughts on the world....
America is really, really on the edge of a precipice with the government shutdown or as spin masters are spouting – in a slimdown mode with emergency bills being passed to pay some laid off federal workers in an effort to appease the public anger. And this shutdown is the result of the splinter Republican group Tea Party holding all in ransom in its virulent opposition to a passed law- the so called Obamacare Act. They would rather destroy the country than work to repeal the law through legislative means. As a group that proclaims that they are super patriots, one has to wonder about them as one of the group of workers laid off due to money cutoff is a large number of intelligence agents – the folks that help to safeguard America from foreign threats.
Doesn't make sense does it?
Mr. Obama cancelled his Asian visit due to the turmoil in government and many observers see this as an opportunity for China to once again flex some political and military muscle in the Far East. It seems more and more these days like America is retreating from the world stage and that really is not a good thing. While some bemoan what they see as American Imperialism, how about looking at some of the alternatives? And a whole bunch of these people live under the security of the American umbrella don't they? You never see them moving to so called “hot spots” to live under the helpful gaze of dictators do you? Naw – they love their lattes and safe streets.
The world still needs a strong and vibrant America, no question about that.
Here on my Island, fall is slowly approaching with leaves changing from green to red and gold and presenting a vivid tapestry for all to see.

Already we have had reports of an early season blizzard hitting a couple of western states in America – brrr indeed!
Hopefully, not here on my Island!
So ends another weeks posting,
take care out there,
flatlander52