my view: Sunday musings

Yes, I had mentioned that events in Egypt were deteriorating but there is no happiness at all in the slow almost death spiral that seems to be enveloping that proud country. President Morsi is under house arrest and leaders of the religious party that backs him and controlled the Egyptian Government regardless of the supposed rules of democracy which they ignored, are being arrested by the score. Already there is a growing list of dead and that will surely increase in the days ahead.

That poor, poor country.

And new riots have occurred in Istanbul, Turkey at the site of the park that sparked the first set of clashes between citizens and authorities.

Another country looking at the dark abyss.

It just never ends does it?

It is the human condition but gee whiz, don't ya just get tired of it sometimes?

An irony of the desire of people to purchase the best possible products at prices that they know are either subsidized or masking inferior products is the bankruptcy of a German solar panel manufacturing company, Conergy this week. They cite cheap Chinese imports as the reason. As I said recently, if all the good paying jobs disappear, where do you get the money to buy the fancy “stuff?” Take a look around your own country and see how many industries are really left these days. Not that many are there? Where is your clothing made? Electronics? Heck, even motor bikes?

And you wonder why the youth of today seem so frustrated and angry?

I remember back a oh so short time ago, a young person could get a good paying job without going deeply into debt for a University degree by just completing high school. Trades were open, manufacturing boomed and the agriculture sector thrived.

Not the same anymore is it?

And where did the slavish devotion to a University degree come from? Why not ask the self serving academics that question. Indeed, people attack civil servants for their job benefits, how about the “tenure” that University professors get that insures that they will never get fired for incompetence?

Classes of subjects that do diddly squat in the real world only benefit those teaching them, not the students or society one may say.

A report out of France says that genealogists have “extensively” researched the background of both Prince William and Princess Kate of England and breathlessly announced that the soon to be born child will indeed be a descendant of the prophet Mohammed through French nobility.

Humph indeed.....

In that case, I suppose I am a descendant of Charlemagne through German bratwurst and beer!

Twaddle....

And speaking of bull.... the Spanish city of Pamplona is getting geared up for the annual running of said animals. And every year we see a video clip of some airhead running ahead of the released pack and of course slipping, falling and then being run over – how much fun is that?

Oh well....

For the 21^st consecutive month, industrial output in Spain has dropped and unemployment has increased now to a staggering 27%. Add to this a blistering heat wave, and the “summer of discontent” has the potential to ignite a firestorm there. Or, perhaps the Spanish people have just about given up all hope for the future – we shall see in the next few months I think.

News media are carrying reports about the exciting news that head transplants may be possible in the near future. Heck, that is old news as I have worked with many people who had horses arses transplanted on them!

Terrorism visited Canada this past Canada Day ( or for us old timers- Dominion Day!) when the RCMP revealed details at a press conference of the arrest of 2 individuals accused of planting “pressure cooker type” bombs among crowds of people at the British Columbia Capital city of Victoria. While no explosion or death and damage occurred, it is a stark reminder to all how vile and cowardly these terrorists really are. We always must be vigilant in the defense of our freedoms.

Of course a number of so called human rights activists immediately found fault with the way the authorities handled the whole process. Easy to find fault while all the while enjoying all the benefits of an open democratic society without having to personally shoulder some of the burden isn't it?

OK, for all the folks who rail against the Canadian oilsand industry, proclaiming it to be the bearer of the Apocalypse of pestilence, disease and famine – damn Canada! - how come ya never bleat at industrial China? Reports in Al Jazeera say that China's Yellow Sea is being choked by its largest ever growth of algae. This algae has covered tens of thousands of square kilometres of the Chinese coastline.

This is not a natural occurrence my friends.

We were fortunate enough a number of years ago to have a waterfront cottage at a lovely Saskatchewan Lake. Every summer the same type of algae growth happened and it was and continues to be as a DIRECT result of the leaching of pesticide and farm chemicals as well as improperly treated and released sewage from the city of Regina upstream into the river system that feeds the lake.

But China gets a pass doesn't it?

What about India by the way?

There just is no money to be made from supporters from attacking those countries is there?

Just saying....

Meanwhile, on my second favourite Island- Maui, the County Department of Transportation announced Friday that its new double-decker bus will be placed into public service Saturday as part of the official Maui Bus fleet. Unbelievable, while in my old home town of Regina, city officials struggle with lack of ridership issues and the possibility of downsizing the fleet. All the while their population is over 200,000 and that of all Maui Island is just over 144,00 and the bus will only service central and south Maui area!

Go figure.

Also on Maui the debate rages yet again over the pluses vs the minuses of sugar cane stubble burning. This is so like the debate that happens every year back on the flatlands of Saskatchewan with the burn of crop stubble. To many city dwellers, it seems as if there is a conspiracy from the farmers to burn the evil smelling stuff only on days when the ash and smell will drift slowly, lovingly and directly over the city. Just like in Kihei, Maui. Australia does what is termed green chop to remove the stubble, how come the sugar companies on Maui and the grain farmers in Saskatchewan cannot do the same?

The cynic in me says, probably because it costs more to do it that way.

Oh well ( for the second time!).....

My friend the author in America (web link here - http://www.deborahdalton.net ) is near the launch of one novel hopefully in August and possibly another later in the year – great reads.

I do so admire people that can write, and write well. My few stabs at this, including this column, well, the best that can be said is that I never tried to make a living doing so – that is for sure as I would have literally starved to death.

Something called talent....

Here on MY Island, we went to the annual Dragon Boat races in the city harbour this weekend. Huge crowds, indeed more than those that came out to celebrate Canada Day apparently. Maybe it was the offer of a free pancake breakfast on both days that brought the people in. Whatever the reason, a fun filled time for everyone.

We also did a tour of the small town of Chemainus and were suitably impressed with the place both with the attractions as well as the cleanliness. A feature of the town is that they have over 30 some murals painted on the exterior walls of different buildings throughout and it is very impressive to see. Definitely we will return to spend more time there.