Sunday, June 17, 2012

Sunday musings


Three elections happening across the world and the results will reverberate through the world.
Greece with one party vowing to default on the Euro and the government loans versus the other party that now says it still will stay with the Euro and loans but will renegotiate the terms.
And still the European Union does nothing. Typical indecision and wanting to have everything for nothing mindset of the European community.
In France, parliament elections will see if the new President, Hollande, will have enough new support to push through his policies of more taxes on the rich, more subsidies and more time off for the “average” worker.
Right.
In Egypt there is an election for President between an Islamic candidate and one with ties to the former regime of Mubarak.
Not too sure if this means anything as of now as the Supreme Court basically dissolved the Parliament this week and the military effectively took “official” control of the country – just as they have been doing all along anyway. This seems more a means of keeping the Islamic fundamentalists out of power and doing things like treating women like cattle and other such abuses based on incorrect interpretations of the Koran.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Nayef, a hawkish interior minister who crushed al Qaeda in the world’s top oil exporting nation, died on Saturday eight months after becoming heir to the throne, paving the way for a more reform-minded successor. One thing about the Saudi royal family, there seems to be no shortage of family available to fill this position.
Here in Canada a funny item crossed the news wires this week. One report said that there is a slump in the price of housing across the nation and there is a housing bubble bursting and the sky is falling!!! On the same page there was a report from Regina, Sask. that indicated (from actual sales) sales were up year to date from the previous year and prices had increased 7.4% as well. In addition Regina has an apartment rental of under 1%! Too many times lately it seems that the media decides on their own what a news story should be and they issue reportage that “proves” what they think is reality.
Too bad these so called people of integrity are not held accountable for their reporting. Instead they wave slogans like “freedom of the press” in your face and they have no problem in distorting reality. In fact have you sometimes seen video where they actually seem to be provoking authority in situations of confrontation or rioting? Also have you seen the odd clip where they drone on about “earth shaking”demonstration or the like in front of a massive crowd and then the camera accidentally pans back and there are maybe 20 – 30 people in all?
All in the pursuit of ratings and the demands of the 24/7 news cycle.
Getting just a little, heck, getting a lot tired of this nonsense.
More car bombs both in Pakistan and Iraq.
Maybe the view some people have of saying enough already, leave them to their own devices is correct. I do not know. It seems like a bottomless pit of dead soldiers and civilians, massive expenditures on the military and its chosen few suppliers and for what?
Hatred?
Some pundits say this is the start of another religious war driven by Islamic radicals determined to destroy Western civilization and replace it one based on their own “set of values”.
Maybe.
It certainly seems that there is more tolerance of the Muslim values in the West as compared to the denial of western values and customs in Muslim, countries. How many times have you seen female western video reporters wearing head scarves when reporting from those countries and how many times have you seen any female bare headed reporters in Muslim countries- period?
Food for thought.
China has launched their first female astronaut into space this week.
Bravo!
Nice to see Ms. Palin butting her way into the American Presidential election. In an address to an association of conservative bloggers she showed that she believed the last election was twisted against her by what she calls the lame stream media who focused on her wardrobe instead of the failings of then candidate Obama. This from someone that said she could see Russia from her home in Alaska and had virtually no grasp of world issues or where certain countries were on the map of the world? Sadly she single handedly set back equality of women even more than dinosaurs like Rush Limaugh in that election. And she continues to do so to this day unfortunately.
And in the meantime all business of the government has ground to a halt. It seems that there no longer is a desire to actually govern responsibly by the American politicians but rather they seem to e in an endless re-election mode and desperately desire not to offend anyone or more accurately any special interest group. The taxpaying American is largely ignored these days.
Any politicians wonder why the Tea Party has struck such a chord in the average citizens who feels impotent and ignored by Washington?
OK, enough of the outside world, time for my little corner of Paradise.
As some of you may know, I have the great honour of giving some assistance to an author in the production of her books in minor technical way. This past week I have finished my efforts on her latest work. Her name is Deb Dalton and the latest book will soon be available for purchase. It is titled Stone & Bone and is another volume in the sage of a heroine by the name of Derora Saxen. The entire series is a darn good read and I really recommend looking into it. You will not be disappointed. I am attaching a link to her web site and as you know, this is something that I never do normally but feel in this case is really worthwhile doing.
I always wanted to be a writer, only a complete lack of talent ever held me back but I never have lost my love for the well crafted written (typed?) word and admiration for those that have this gift. Without writers our world would be a grey and desolate place indeed.
Summer is in fine form here and with our move out to the west coast looming, I have taken the time to appreciate the yard and garden that we will be leaving behind. The onerous effort to maintain and enhance them is less tiring now as I know that the new place does not require hardly any of the same effort and yet, as I take pictures and video memories, I realize that I shall miss them. And this is part of the price of leaving I realize and must accept.
Our rose bushes are just starting to show the promise of an abundance of blooms and the northern ferns (which many so called “experts” said would never survive in Regina) are a veritable forest in the southwest corner of the backyard. I attaching a short clip to show you.
You may wonder why we have planted our garden boxes this year knowing that we would be moving. A good question and the answer is a simple one. We have always enjoyed our little "farm" and while we will be leaving it for others to enjoy, we will have some time to enjoy some of the produce it will provide. Already we have had rhubarb, chives and within a few short weeks will have lettuce and radishes and possibly some others as well. If not, then the new owners will have something to look forward to and enjoy from us as a welcome to your "new" home gift.
One thing I will not miss however is the ever constant wind that is a feature of living on the Canadian Plains. You can count on one hand the days in a year where the wind is less than 20KPH. In fact I say that the stiff breeze here is a natural insect repellant by blowing the little pests off of you!
Anyway, that is it for another week, thanks again for dropping in!
Take care out there,
flatlander52

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