Sunday musings

Sometimes as much as “experts” deride the Internet and on line communications, an example of how it can do something really nifty comes forward.

This week, while accessing a link on a program, a name of someone that I had worked beside over 5 years ago came over my tablet screen. I wondered if this was indeed the same person and if so, where she now was in life. So I dashed off a short e mail introducing myself and asking if she indeed was the same person. And she did reply in the affirmative and I was brought up to date a little as to her present career. She has gone from a young lady on the way to University to an accomplished professional with a great career path ahead of her now. I know I will in all likelihood never again e mail or see her again but it really was nice to see a “loose” end tied up. I think we all wonder at times about a certain special person and how they now are, and for that resolution I am grateful.

The election in Venezuela is upon the country and world. The United States is so involved in its Presidential race – still another month to go sadly - that little to no attention is being paid to this. Many observers are unsure as to who the winner might be but most agree that if Mr. Chavez loses, he will not go easily if at all. I am not too sure how many Americans know that this country is one of the top 5 suppliers of oil to the States. Any disruption there could cause the price of gas to jump quickly. Just ask the people of California who are paying over $5.00 a gallon what they think of that! Here in Canada there is no outcry or complaint over the fact that the average price of a gallon here is over $5.60. Heck no, we just say, could be worse, look at what they pay in Europe. Never mind that we are one of the largest producers and exporters of crude in the world. We just are so compliant aren't we?

Speaking of the American Presidential campaign, the first televised debate between Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney occurred this week. Media experts insist that Mr. Romney won and that voters are flocking to his side. If you have followed the news from that country, you might get a feeling that the media decided at some point to make this vote more dramatic and basically have started to possibly slant coverage in favour of Mr. Romney so that readers/viewers do not lose interest in their coverage and that ratings might drop causing them to lose revenue. I do not know the answer yet the change in the tenor of coverage is interesting to say the least.

The former butler to the Pope has been convicted of stealing sensitive documents from the Pope and sentenced to 18 months in jail. Of the fact that he was convicted by a Vatican run court – is the result just a little biased maybe? And now the Vatican wants the Italian government to house the man as they have no jail in the Vatican. Tell you what, if you are going to have your own court, a trial by your rules with no appeal process permitted – then you should have your own bloody jail or get out of the racket – OK?

In Cuba, dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez was detained by authorities on a couple of charges. She is a fearless voice of personal freedom and a fierce critic of corruption and cruel excesses she identifies in that beautiful country. Hopefully she will be released soon. I have enjoyed her blog (http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/) for many years now and fear for her safety.

Mr. Putin of Russia turns 60 this week. Hmmm, wonder what this amazing physical specimen (just ask his spin doctors or view the video clips of him in action) will do next? Climb the Eiffel Tower backwards while blindfolded? Walk across the English Channel from Calais to Dover underwater all the way? Or maybe just admit to the world that he is just an ordinary man and regrets the bogus bio build up and promises to be honest in the future?

Hmmm.......

The fighting in Syria is starting to spill over into Turkey these days. In retaliation the Turkish military has twice fired artillery rounds into Syria and promises to do so again if more attacks come from the Syrians. The thin edge of inter country conflict anyone? And do you think that maybe if this does expand that the Iranians might not be tempted to pop a few missiles at the Israelis and them say “whoops” we goofed and that instead of turning the other check that the Israelis say “no problem” to the Iranians and drop a nuclear bomb in return? This could get ugly pretty quick.

A British Columbia woman, who became the face for the fight for assisted suicide has died of natural causes. Her name was Gloria Taylor and she was suffering from ALS but died from an infection of a perforated colon. Is it just me or does it seem somehow wrong that society will do everything medically possible to extend/prolong the life of people that have no possibility of recovery? I think we all have had loved ones that faced the ravages of diseases like cancer who would have preferred to have had the choice of passing on at a time of their choosing. How about the families of those that are physically alive but brain dead from accidents or strokes or some other means – the months and years and in some cases the decades where they stood by helplessly and the beloved one just lay unknowing and unresponsive in a hospital bed where the costs slowly destroy the family?

Is this right and is it fair?

Germany's Angela Merkel is to travel to Greece next week to meet with the country's prime minister, who had warned on Friday that Athens will run out of money at the end of November if it doesn't receive the next part of its bailout loans. One suspects riots and protests to mar her trip there.

So, with this setting up for the end of November and the American budget slated to have draconian cuts imposed as of January 1^st (the American people can thank their legislators for this fiasco – no one else is to blame for that mess – no one, period!) and the Canadian housing market starting to cool down, do you think we are still out of the woods on the latest depression/recession or whatever the heck you might want to call it?

Russian scientists are quoted as saying that the carcass of a young (apparently 16 years old) mammoth recently excavated on the North Siberian Taimyr peninsula is one of the best-preserved bodies of a grown mammoth ever found. Now how cool is that? The once far fetched concept of cloning a living mammoth from cells is no longer a fantasy but some day might actually occur.

In a tribute to the wonders of the German language I offer you the following word - Geschwindigkeitsbeschränkungen, all 30 letters of it: a very big word for a fairly simple idea (it means speed limits). Lord, you gotta love the Germans, but really, a word that takes three minutes to pronounce let alone spell? But in their defense I give you the word - prosit – which means many glorious things in a simple toast while hoisting a drink. Time to change the topic before Lesekommentaspaltenhollenlarm - all hell breaks lose in the comments section!

So with this being the Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, we are off to Victoria on Sunday to spend a day there and then have supper with some dear friends. Life has been good to us and especially this year we have much to be thankful for.

Take care out there,

flatlander52