Happy Fathers Day!
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We have a number of items today so let's get to them.
First, Mr. Weiner from the American government has bowed to pressure and resigned his seat over the now infamous "sexting" episode where he has posted online rather risque photos of himself. Kind of funny that he does the "honourable" thing by resigning and yet in American history there are people that have done morally worse things and remained in office with the most prominent being President Clinton. Is this the product of a more and more aggressive electronic media age or have morals started to become stricter? I cannot believe the latter but perhaps in regards to our American cousins I am wrong - what do you think?
In Canadian politics we are in the final day of the Federal Oppositions NDP member convention. Top items on the agenda is to drop the word socialism from the party manifesto (possibly to appeal to people that think a tiger cannot change it spots. Remember if it talks like a duck, walks like a duck - it still must be a duck) as well as to reaffirm its solidarity (gotta love that socialist word) with the labor movement - in other words it will do Federally like it does provincially and do whatever unions want and to the devil with free enterprise. And finally to boldly proclaim its goal to become the government in provincial governments throughout the land based on its great break out Federally. Good golly, what is in the coffee they drink (probably not free trade but the best capitalist brand available) anyway? Their so-called breakout was not nation wide, it was solely in the province of Quebec-period. And many of the members from Quebec are/were Seperatistes!
On the bizarre side one of the observers at the convention was Stephan Dion the former leader of the Federal Liberal Party of Canada! Do you think there might possibly be behind the scenes meetings between high rankinf party leaders on both side about a possible merger?
The convention is being held in Vancouver, home of one of the saddest stories to come from Canada this year. That is the riots following the final game of the Stanley Cup series, emblematic of the winning team in the sport of ice hockey in North America.
The last time the team from Vancouver was in this situation was i the '90s and a riot followed that conclusion. Many people had though that the city has matured and following the great display of fellowship and sportsmanship from the recent winter Olympics that were held there that this series ending would be different. Many fans of the team from B.C. were quite vocal that this was their team and not being Canada's team in this series but the entire nation still felt the same shame over the riot that followed the last game.
What has changed in North American society that things like this happen? When riots have happened in Europe the explanation was unemployment, lack of a future and other social factors were involved. What is the excuse for what happened in Vancouver? This is probably one if not the best city in Canada with many superb things about it in terms of infrastructure, lifestyle, respect for environment, native cultures and so on.
I am at a lost to understand what happened there. Did not these people realize that the sun still would come up tomorrow? That this was still a sporting event? What were they thinking - or was this just an excuse to destroy and vandalize and steal under the cloak of anonymity?
Cowards, one and all.
Spain is back in the news again.
This is a country that has lived beyond its means for too many years and now things are coming to a rapid conclusion money wise. Part of the problem is a civil service that is proportionately higher per capita than anywhere in Europe.It has been said that only 1/3 of people that should be paying taxes do. So there you have an inverted pyramid where at the bottom is the taxpayer and at the middle is the civil service, above that social programs and at the top the untaxed 2/3's and the banks who balk at sharing their responsibility for this mess. In addition there is the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the EU (European Union) that is determined to uphold the sanctity of the Euro and safety of the banks and determined to make the middle and lower class to pay for all the ills and woe that has befallen the country. Everyone and every institution must share in the fiscal"haircut" to restore the Greek economy or the riots that are now happening will escalate and anarchy will prevail in the land that gave the world democracy.
Dis you know that after the tsunami that devastated Japan recently a giant island of debris resulted that gathered and then started to flow across the Pacific towards the West Coast of Canada and the United States? After a partial landfall it will then follow strong currents and head towards the islands of Hawaii. At one time there was a web site that showed this and perhaps you might be interested to find and follow this story. There will be an impact on the environment to be sure and yet no one talks about this. Another area is what is called a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. As a result of industrial wastes and the like there is a huge area where nothing lives in the seas. And that is growing by the day. Another item to follow I think.
Well, the rain has finally stopped after a deluge of Biblical proportions this last couple of days and I think we will take this afternoon off and get some ice cram and go for a walk around the lake that is in the centre of the city.
So enjoy today and take care out there,
flatlander52
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