Sunday, May 25, 2014

Sunday musings

The news continue to get worse for my beloved Argentina as the Argentinian Peso continues to slide against the USA dollar and the rate of inflation climbs and exports drop, almost the same drama as is happening in Venezuela. These two countries were once the best and brightest beacons of economic and democratic hope in South America and the world looked to them for emerging global leadership and influence.
No more it seems.
It does no good to point fingers or single out particular people but rather a time to mourn for what might have been and no longer is.
And yes, life is not fair.
Still not a sign of those kidnapped girls from Nigeria.
How is it that they can "vanish" or a jetliner do the same yet spy satellites can spot you scratching you nose in your backyard with no problem?
And I ask you once again, where the hell are all those pious African Nations that constantly attack the West for its colonial attitudes in this mess?
Are their Leaders any better at all compared to those they mock?
Sure does not seem like it does it?
Presidential elections are coming in the Ukraine amid more killing and looting and general civil war. Sure happy to read reports that the Leaders of France and Germany telephoned Mr. Putin to wag their fingers at that bad little boy and were promptly ignored. Good on the pompous European Union that figures it is superior to governments in the USA, Canada and Japan for their total lack of courage in dealing with this bloody war created by Mr. Putins' regime. Rest assured, nothing would have happened without active or at a minimum, tacit approval from Russia.
Have you noticed how in the last few years. folks that trumpet "individual" rights as sacrosanct have terrorised anybody with an ounce of common sense in submission?
Take the following item reported in Spanish media this week where officials say a paraglider is recovering in the hospital after getting tangled in high-tension power cables that had to be shut down, causing a power outage on part of the Canary Island of Tenerife.
Will this paraglider pay for the repairs and lost economic impacts done by their demand to fly wherever they want to?
You get the same attitude from hikers in the mountains here in British Columbia after costly rescue missions save them from mainly stupidity and arrogance in ignoring posted warnings against hiking or skiing at certain times of the year due to foul weather and snow conditions.
Fools on ATV's ( All Terrain Vehicles) with no formal training are continually running roughshod over private property destroying fragile ecosystems or farm crops as well as animals.
These folks refuse to think that perhaps their activities should be done in areas set aside for that purpose. You know, something like dog parks have been created for dog owners perhaps?
No, not for them as they consider their right to do what they want more important than the rights of others.
Some people call that selfish and petulant.
In a posting a number of months ago I mentioned that strife was escalating in the Central African Republic and to keep an "eye" on that country. Well, reports are filtering out that show that French troops are waging larger and larger battles with Muslim rebels there. It is going to get a lot worse one suspects.
And that raises a questions about the latest spate of conflicts around the globe over the last decade or two. That is, whether it happens in Chechnya, Syria, Nigeria or Iran, when there is a conflict between the government of the day and a group or groups opposed to it, the group (s) are always referred to, at least in Western based media, as Muslim terrorists. So, is this a case of a continuing religious war that has tormented mankind for centuries? A deadly campaign for world domination by one religion versus the other, that is Muslim vs Christianity? A new type of Crusade that Christianity did in the Middle Ages but in reverse?
Or is this just a convenient way for political leaders and media types to label one side of these conflicts in order to win support for military action?
And how would reaction be in countries if the terrorists were labelled Christian rebels?
Food for thought.
One thing to remember, killing people is murder no matter what the rational used and there can be no place for this in a truly civilized world - right?
Another giant left us a little poorer this week with his passing. German photographer Michael Schmidt, who documented post-war Berlin, has died at age 68. He was born in Berlin months after the end of World War II, and was known for capturing the city's inhabitants and its concrete landscapes in stark black and white images. A true genius in his profession.
However on a pleasant (if belated) note I send best birthday wishes to my good friend Lubuc (not his real name but the "handle" he is known by) in Germany. And the same to our own Lady Di residing in the prairie flatlands of Saskatchewan.
Over on my second favourite island of Maui, the Ben Franklin store will be hosting their annual Spring Craft Fair on  the 1st Level of Queen Ka‘ahumanu Parking Garage in Kahului town. And yes, those folks know how to host a heck of a craft show!
Here on my Island, we took a couple of days to visit the west side coast area and were impressed by the same yet different look of the area as compared to our side. It looks and "feels" more like the east coast of Canada with a ruggeder shoreline and definitely more vigorous wave and surf action than we have here.
We had the pleasure of staying at a great B & B in a place called Ucluelet named the Ocean Mist, hosted by Kelly and Rod, a great couple and had a fabulous time.
(http://www.oceanmistgh.com/)
Of course I cheerfully walked  (hmm.. maybe cheerfully is a bit of a stretch!) my 10,000 steps over and over again on the great trails and town site.
 On that note, I bid you farewell,
take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Sunday musings

Well here in North America, the advent of the summer season is at hand. For proof positive, all one has to do is to check the last weeks TV offerings where almost every series program had their season finale.
What more is needed?
Now begins the next 4.5 to 5.5 months of endless re-runs and ill fated "fill in" shows.
I am of the group that remember when the TV season coincided with the both the start and the end of the school year.
Not anymore as costs are so much higher than before and one knows the strain on the staff and actors is truly harder than in days (actually decades to be honest) past.
Thankfully the younger folks will not miss a beat as long as they have the ability to bury their noses in their smartphones.
I still marvel at the memory of our last trip to the Sandwich Islands and seeing day after day an endless stream of the youngsters plodding along sidewalks totally focused on the tiny devices in their hands and not even seeing other people or the wondrous scenery all about them. I still chuckle at the memory of a couple of times seeing someone walking right into a utility post on the sidewalk, bounce back a foot or so, and then shrug and continue on.
Somewhat like our cats used to do when embarrassed - 3 quick licks and then act as if nothing happened.
Ha.
As in every year, optimism always rises as summer starts, one wants to go and see/do things different than the usual fare and indeed much of the local economies of towns and cities depend on that. It is like the swelling of a water filled balloon to see the ever larger streams of vehicles bearing license plates from out of area residences arriving EVERYWHERE in sight. The parking lots fill with huge trucks, campers and mobile homes that spew forth strangely garbed Birkenstocked folks with huge aviator mirrored sunglasses and cameras/phones in hand. They come, stop, shop and disappear in a cloud of exhaust fumes all within the space of a half day it seems. The only redeeming feature of this is that you do the same darn thing when you go "on vacation!"
In a few days we are off to the "other" side of our Islands to spend some time and explore there and are looking forward to that. One still is surprised at how large this Island really is - quite a learning experience it has been. I suspect that is a result of all the reading one did as a youngster where in the adventure novels, islands were deemed to be no bigger than what one could walk in a day - great for the author but not quite accurate for islands like this one or Great Britain, New Zealand and others.
With this weekend, we mark the start of the festival of Farmers Markets all around here. Having been through this for the first time last year, these will feature for the next few weeks, mainly items like crafts and baking and home preserves but as soon as mid June comes, all manner of fresh produce will fill the display tables and the thought of the soon to be ever expanding waistline is both wonderful and terrifying!
Getting back to the Sandwich Islands, an old Maui favorite is on the verge of a comeback. Azeka’s Hawaiian Barbecue Sauce was featured by a family business of the same name starting in 1950. They sold as much as 2,000 pounds of Hawaiian-style ribs marinated in Azeka’s sauce from the small Azeka’s Ribs and Snack Shop in KÄ«hei before closing in 2006.
Definitely something to look forward to as we have had many wonderful meals that have had a "Maui" style sauce as a majour component.
Also, the Lahaina based Hawaii Fudge company has opened a second store in the magical town of Kihei so more folks can enjoy that wonderful product.
One of the interesting things happening on my Island is the slow, extremely slow, progress in the modernization of the hospitality industry. There has been a pair of proposals made recently to see  two large hotels built in the harbour front area. One would be the biggest building on the Island at 35 or so floors and the other would be smaller but not by too much. The main opposition has been from the industry itself as represented by a number of, what could be termed, 1960 era motel owners. They constantly plead against these new places and use as justification statistics that say the room vacancy rate in the city is high. With all due respect to these folks, have they looked at their places with non prejudiced eyes lately? With names similar to ones like Dew Drop Inn, Blue Heron (matching colour scheme thank you!) they resemble small, seedy places where for sure they have vibrating beds for you to plug quarters into for entertainment. They refuse to accept the fact that today's travelers expect a certain level of structure and facility for their dollar and will not accept less. If they want more people using their rooms - they have to upgrade and rebuild, renovate or give up - that simple. To fight against what will eventually happen, well that is a losing effort and only restricts the future of a wonderful place.
I have wandered afield lately and found yet another set of walking parks to "get lost" in and boy are they ever fun. I strap on my trusty walking camera, walking stick and jaunty chapeau and stride along many paths all the while singing (OK, only in my mind am I really singing this tune because if sang out loud, well the wildlife would be traumatized by the sounds) that fabulous Monty Python LUMBERJACK SONG!!!

I can only imagine at what a splendid sight this is for all to see....
So, that ends my column for this week and as you can tell, this time I really wanted not to bemoan the sadness in the world. Indeed it can be so depressing and I am so tired of thinking and writing about it and heck, for at least this week, the world can wait....
take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Sunday musings

When did we lose our humanity and compassion?
To wit, I give you two cases of polar opposite action.
The first case in point is the immediate, ferocious, virulent and scathing social media and news media campaign in North America last year against a company that made women's' stretch yoga pants. A flaw (accidental or deliberate) made them somewhat see through when the wearer bent over and put the pants in a "stretch" mode. Even more so for the type of body figure that is more "statuesque" than most. The furor was immediate and all consuming.
Compare that ferocious media campaign against the almost 3 weeks of total silence of people after 300 plus young girls were kidnapped in Nigeria by animals piously disguising themselves as men of freedom.
Like, come on, all the world leaders have partners in life and no leader or partner prodding the leader did anything?
And yes, now there is a belated attempt by some countries to act but really, how bloody little and how bloody late is this?
Oh, and just on Friday past, the Nigerian Army has decided to leave their comfy barracks and look into this matter?
Where were they in all this time?
What is any country in Africa doing?
Nothing, zero, nada, zip.
And in North America the media is more consumed with finding out the rehab location of the Mayor of Toronto - as if that matters one damn bit.
People - what has happened to you?
One despairs at this.
And all the while, mankind proudly claims to be better with each passing generation - don't think so.
We should all be shamed by this.

I have mentioned many times about people that have left us a little poorer with their passing.
I want to mention two more to you.
The first was a world class author by the name of Farley Mowat who was passionate about the treatment of wild life, especially wolves. By all accounts a man with an irascible wit and approach to living, a true Canadian in many peoples thinking. He touched many around the world with his work.
The other man, his name was Ken Hodges, also a proud Canadian. He spent his career doing splendid work for the Saskatchewan Law Commission and in his career was respected by many but yet his life was like so many of us these days. He worked hard, was a good and decent man and yet when he left us, there was no one to mourn his leaving.
He was a friend of mine and I will remember and mourn him.

Have  you noticed that the economic health of the world has slipped below the attention span of the media these days?
It seems like years ago where every day one saw breathless announcers spitting out dire reports of the impending collapse of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece and yes, even America.
So, what happened?
 Indeed, in Canada for the last three years there were many black themed stories about a housing "bubble" and how it was going to burst (any moment now, OK, any moment now, OK, wait...here we go..any moment now...you get the idea) and throw the Canuck economy in a deathspin and every widow and orphan would be on the street begging for crumbs to eat.
Never happened did it?
A sensible person would say,  yes, there have been problems in the world economy but they come and go all the time and really that is the way the world runs. And yes, if you lost your job or savings, this is little comfort but it is probably true.
Will all due apologies to "experts" like Mr. Blitzer in America or Mr. Mulclair here in Canada, your attempt to be Cassandra of legend is wearing thin.
We ordinary folks just muddle through as best we can, right?
And in a case of really, really inept thinking and talking, the official North Korean Press launched an ugly, racist diatribe against President Obama, calling the U.S.'s first black head of state a "crossbreed with unclear blood." The agency also said that Obama "still has the figure of monkey while the human race has evolved through millions of years," and that "it would be perfect for Obama to live with a group of monkeys in the world’s largest African natural zoo and lick the bread crumbs thrown by spectators."
What is wrong with these people anyway?
But of course the United Nations does nothing.
Russia and China, two huge supporters - say and do nothing.
This is politics nowadays -  ignorant race based insults about opponents?
Bah, a pox on all that do so.
The Ukraine slips deeper into the pit of civil war and we watch helplessly it seems.
 Protests continue in Venezuela and sadly American politicians, seemingly seeking to bolster their standings with local voters, come out urging economic sanctions against the country for the way it has dealt with the protests. While the handling has been terrible to say the least, it is really tough for many countries to accept the American position when they look at the way America sometimes deals with its' own protests.
That being said, I will still take America over such great "democracies" like Sudan or Angola.
The Yanks are sending troops to try to find those kidnapped Nigerian girls - who else?
Right.
Case closed.
OK, off to the Sandwich Islands for a fun fact.
As a kickoff to the Maui Onion Festival this year, the Hula Grill in Lahaina is hosting the 6th annual Maui Onion Beer Pairing Dinner. Now I ask you, where else in the world is there a festival dedicated to the delights of a local onion?
And that the official drink is beer?
And the Maui Onion (which is probably the best onion in the world with no question) is well worth the homage.
Also, May is a month long festival of Mele Mei, the celebration of Hawai'i's music, hula and culture.
A good thing indeed.
Here on my Island, nothing but unicorns and glitter to report.
Actually, life just murmurs along and I have a swell time with my daily walks (all 10,000 darn steps that is!) and watching the fabulous rhodo plants bloom like crazy. I never tire of seeing them to be truthful. Heck, I do not even mind seeing the odd dandelion weed these days.

 take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Sunday musings

I was watching a show last night where one character dropped a stat about internet users. She said that 4% of the usage was by so called "normal" folks and the rest was occupied by bottom feeders, criminals, currency hiders, drug dealers and the like.
I wonder if this is true or just a line made up to be part of the script of the show.
If true, then that is interesting.
Because, considering how much "we" pay for legitimate usage of the 'net", do the other 96% pay anything? Can you imagine drug lord Mr. X getting a bill from his local ISP provider and going to the local corner store to meekly pay?
And if this was in some bizarre way true, why would not the authorities use this "trail of crumbs" to track down, apprehend and put on trial these folks that seem to always be beyond the reach of the law?
Honestly, doesn't it make you wonder just a tiny, tiny bit?
I sometimes wonder if the electronic media these days has a direct complicit part in the destruction of basic human decency codes?
To wit, it is pretty safe to assume that the amount of ignorant, biased folks in the world has always been around and possibly, just possible, has diminished a little over the years through education etc. With that in mind, it is probably safe to say that the importance granted to these fools is made larger when their activity is broadcast by the media. For example, in a professional hockey playoff game in North America this week, a black player scored a game winning goal and immediately afterward was vilified and derided based on his colour on social media platforms by fans of the losing team. Of course this was widely reported by the media but in the thinking of some pundits, this exposure actually increases the ignorant attitudes among some people instead of diminishing it.
How many campaigns have been launched on social media these days to boycott companies or individusas based solely on unproven allegations? And have you noticed that when the truth comes forward that sometimes disproves the allegations and social furor - hardly a peep from the media that trumpeted the charges forward in the first place?
A reputation once sullied never recovers even if the case made is proven false.
The situation in the Ukraine, well, grim is too optimistic a word isn't it?
One question - where the hell is the United Nations?
In America, proof indeed that certain facets of the media are more interested in pursuing their owners personal agenda as compared to what was once their reason for existence - that is, reporting news dispassionately and accurately is the recent broadcast news conference of Mr. Obama and German leader Ms. Merckel the other day. When a German reporter stood up to ask questions about the situation in the Ukraine, a TV network (Fox) cut away from the feed and said that since no one was asking questions about an issue arising from the attacks on the US Embassy in Benghazi two years ago, it was not broadcasting an irrelevant news conference and that it would stay away unless someone asked about Benghazi.
The issue in the Ukraine is irrelevant?
Excuse me please.
Around the world, journalists are persecuted and imprisoned for doing their jobs. Many are forced to leave their home countries in fear of their safety, while others never get the chance to escape before they are killed.
Organisations such as Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) fight on their behalf to promote press freedom and the free flow of news and commentary necessary to keep political leaders accountable, to share information without fear of censorship and to keep reporters safe.
And the Fox network is more concerned with the vendetta of the owners of that company against the President over what may or may not have happened two years ago is more important?
What has changed in the land that gave the world press freedom anyway?
Here in Canada, a sad moment this week.
Shawn Atleo, First Nations National Chief resigned over proposed changes to Federal and First Nations dealings in the area of education for First Nations children.
Mr. Atleo represented to many non First Nations people the emergence of a new leader of the First Nations. No longer one of the "good old boys" that plundered band resources and corruptly employed family and friends in non existent high paying "jobs" to the actual fiscal and financial distress of those in First Nations, he is a concerned, articulate and good man who worked tirelessly for the betterment of his people.
His resignation, perceived by many to be a result of vicious, evil infighting within the National Council as evidenced in a TV interview by the smirking head of Saskatchewan First Nations (a bitter rival) is a loss to all Canadians.
Period.
Off to North Korea for, well, their version of the "truth" as the official Korean Central News Agency released a news article titled "News Analysis on Poor Human Rights Records in U.S.," which referred to the U.S. as "the world's worst human right abuser and tundra of a human being's rights to existence.
Really?
Ask the North Korean gulag "guests" about that.
Off to the Sandwich Islands where on Oahu, this past Saturday night started the 12th annual Waikiki Spam Jam.
The festival will feature 20 eateries serving up a variety of Spam dishes, including Aloha Plate, the winner of Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race.


Spam, that "different" food group in 99.99% of the world is some big deal on my Islands. I dunno, it has to be wonderful but honestly, it escapes me....ahhh but Portuguese sausage sliced and gently fried with hash browns, scrambled eggs, waffles - now you are talking about seriously good stuff!!

take care out there,
flatlander52