Sunday musings

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So we decided to go to a small parking spot and walk down a few steps to the shoreline the other day.

OK - no one told me it was 285 steps down!

That was easy – but going up was a heck of a challenge.

Then we got to walk along the shore line and that was fun.

Yesterday we went to the harbour front to see a cruise ship that docked the night before.

After a stroll along the waterfront and ice cream cones for the two of us, we walked to a craft market and enjoyed seeing all the vendors and their goods.

We are pretty well settled in the place now, already starting to get utility bills and the like – wonderful being needed isn't it? Next week we have some more registration details to look after then we can start exploring the area around us.

We went to a shopping mall just a short drive from here and found out is was the 2^nd largest mall on the island and I have to admit it is BIG.

You could start exploring it in the early morning and still be finding new stores in the late afternoon it is so large. And yes my better half found at least three shoe stores to check into further when I am not tagging along and distracting her.

We have found the recycle depots and I have to admit that people here are much more into this than on the Prairies. They recycle everything here – plastic, Styrofoam, glass, you name it. You even get a few pennies off the groceries if you bring your own bags!

It almost makes me want to look at trading in my SUV for a hybrid vehicle – GASP!!!!!

We have planted a stalk of rhubarb here that started out 50+ years ago in Ontario then travelled to Regina and now Nanaimo – for 50 it sure is in better shape than I was at 50!

I finally got back to my project with assisting on a project (albeit in a minor way) for my friend the author in America, and am happy to say I have made progress on that front. The move was a big distraction but now full speed ahead!

So a third rate crappy film made a couple of years ago by a fifth rate director depicting the prophet Mohammed in a bad light has surfaced in a video clip on YouTube this week and spawned world wide anger and demonstrations in Muslim countries as well as the murder of a number of Americans serving in diplomatic missions.

This is the response from a “peaceful” religion?

I must be missing something in all of this.

All major religions profess peace and tolerance of other religions as part of their faith. Yet over the centuries we have seen the Christian religion mount Crusades to conquer the Holy Land and now it seems it is the turn of the Muslim religion to foster violence in the name of their religion.

The “smaller” the world becomes due to the Internet and almost instantaneous communication systems, the bigger the divide and mistrust between nations and religions becomes.

A tragedy.

Will we see a hardening of attitudes and expulsions of ethnic minorities from countries? Will Muslims be forced – whether through law or by gunpoint to leave countries such as America, Canada or any in Europe – to move back to the Middle East? And what of the children of these people that were born in those countries who identify more with the West than the Middle East, what will happen to them?

And what will happen to non Muslims in Middle East countries, what would their fate be?

The world is a little less bright these days I fear.

Oh joy there are some photos of a topless Kate Middleton now being shown in the world. I for one am so sick of the paparazzi and the sick way they hound and torment people in the public eye. They are never held accountable, no, never. And they are the ones that have given life the to talentless people that are called “reality “stars. People that have no talent and practise no craft or trade at all. One could put the Kardashians in this list but really, it is not their fault, in fact one almost has to admire them for the way they have parlayed no talent into big money – good for them I say and sad for the public for being so docile and gullible.

Apple has released the Iphone5 and of course millions are lining up to buy it as soon as it becomes available.

Really?

So the new phone is a little bigger than the old one and has a smaller connector for the charger cord. And people are shelling out big bucks for that? If Android manufacturers did that, all the Apple fanatics would howl in derision.

Oh well, it is only money – right?

The American money czar, Ben Bernake issued new money directives and that is supposed to provide leadership for business and financial markets and help stabilize the economy. It seems to have boosted the value of the Canadian dollar instead.

In the sporting world in North America, the professional hockey league – the NHL (National Hockey League) is in the middle of what could be described as insanity confrontations between bargaining billionaire owners and millionaire players with a lockout as of Saturday midnight. The owners imposed a collective agreement on the players at the last contract settlement (after a collapsed strike by the players) and now are crying poverty over the self same agreement! So they want the players to fix their screw up? And this in the midst of teams resigning players up to and including the last minute to obscene contracts?

The owners are crying poverty?

You have got to be kidding me.

And the players are not blameless, but you know, they are the ones whose bodies are the fodder for this sports and it is they that will limp into a pain filled middle age with prospects of mental ill health as a result of the contacts endured in this “sport” that pay the heaviest price – not the owners.

Out of Germany emerges the news that members of a notorious Kurdish clan in Bremen have founded a new chapter of the Mongols motorcycle club and are challenging the Hells Angels in the city. The police fear a new biker war may be just around the corner.

Another cherished illusion about Germany bites the dust sadly.

Oh yes, in breaking news, Russian head honcho Putin now admits that some of the publicized reports of his athletic prowess were manufactured – nothing like admitting the obvious right?

This week was the anniversary of the horrible terrorist attacks on the United States now termed the 9/11 attacks.

I remember that day well, do you also?

Has the world gotten better or worse since then?

I will let you be the judge of that.

Take care out there,

flatlander52

Sunday musings

Well, the first week in Nanaimo is now history.

We can almost see light at the end of the tunnel in terms of unpacking and settling in.

The movers arrived Wednesday afternoon and we started unpacking Thursday and then Friday and then Saturday and we think all should be done by the end of next week.

You know, moving once every 27 years is a heck of a process.

I never remembered that in addition to all the “joys” of packing there are the “pleasures” of unpacking. I thought we had culled all the unnecessary “things”, clothing and possessions before we moved – wrong is almost too mild a word.

We have refilled three boxes with items to donate to goodwill and I suspect there is more to come.

Did all our banking at the local Credit Union this week. Had all our accounts moved from Regina to Nanaimo and we were really impressed with the young lady that handled all this for us – for all the nattering people do about younger professionals and their work ethic, she is a true professional and really, really sharp and fun to deal with. Another associate also helped us in another field and made that process almost fly by – another outstanding person. The two of them made this part of the move easy for us and for that we are grateful.

Fibre Optic hook up and Internet was done flawlessly and even getting phone and utility services connected went well.

Had the Barby connected to the natural gas line on Friday and today we barbied salmon for my better half and a fat steak for me and now all is right with the world – until tomorrow when we continue the unpacking process!

Due to the move I have been remiss in my attention to a happy duty and that is assisting my author friend on one of her books (allthingsimpossible.com) but next week I will be able to dive back into that project. And that is something I am really looking forward to!

Hopefully things will settle down after next week and we can start exploring this wonderful part of the world.

I see where heavy flooding is affecting farmland in the province of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Up to 17% of the barley crop is lost and other crops are also devastated by the rains that started in August and continue to this day. Still seems strange to realize that winter is ending there and slowly approaching here in Canada.

Argentina has imposed a tax on credit and debit card purchases done abroad by nationals. This seems like a bit of a desperate measure to increase cash flow and also force people to remain in Argentina while on vacation rather than travel out of country. It just appears that there are more and more news items emerging from that wonderful land that hint at economic difficulties increasing and that is not a good thing to read about.

In a story of world concern is the news from Germany that the price of a stein of beer at Munich's Oktoberfest is almost 10 Euros now! A group has been formed to push for a referendum to limit the price to approximately 7 Euros – goodness gracious, that sure is a lot of $ for a stein of beer. I remember when I was a young stripling of a lad going to Oktoberfest and only paying about the equivalent of 1.5 Euros (it was actually in German Marks those days) and that seemed high to me. Of course that was the trip where I went back to my lodgings after opening day festivities and called long distance back to Regina to propose to a young lady who now has been my wife for 35 years now!

Russian President Putin has been documented this past week getting into an ultralight plane in the Russian Arctic circle to lead a gaggle of snow geese to breeding grounds.

Hmmm......he sure does seem like a Russian combination of Indiana Jones, Jacques Cousteau and Tarzan doesn't he? It seems whenever he needs a PR boost his handlers fall back on the so called super- strongman persona that they have developed for the Russian publics' consumption. Gotta tell you, this schtick is wearing a little thin now. Remember Chairman Mao “swimming” the Yangtze River? Later stories and smuggled photos showed him being supported on the shoulders of swimmers – just saying.

In America the silly season is in full swing in the Presidential race. At the recent Republican nomination convention spokespeople were quoted as saying that fact checking statements in speeches was a no go and if they made errors – well too bad, that is life!!

Excuse me – lying is OK now?

I remember one person about a half century or so ago saying that the bigger lie is more believable to people and this seems like a case of deja vu all over again.

President Obama handily won the Democratic Party nomination and continues to say that America is better off now than 4 years ago and that he inherited a fiscal mess from George Bush and is still trying to fix things. Whether this is true or not, it is cold comfort to people scared about a continuing struggling American economy, wage roll backs, increased taxes and reduced services. All the while they see people like certain reality stars, professional athletes and singers and actors getting massive amounts of money for doing things that really do not benefit society that much. Yes they have a function but do they deserve as much as they get compared to a single parent or a ticket taker on a train or the person that installs your furnace on a cold winter day?

It appears that this is not a great time for America and its people are scared and worried and prepared to take their frustrations out on anybody these days. The fiscal impasse that faces the country is daunting, do politicians really care about the cliff the country is hurtling towards if a budget is not passed and passed soon? Big cuts will flow through the economy and that will further depress the economy with little help in sight.

Remember the saying about the emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned?

Do not American politicians get it or do they just not give a damn about their country and people anymore?

I see where Apple is releasing a new Iphone soon. Great story – an all American company making all its products overseas, selling them throughout the world and placing all profits offshore to avoid paying appropriate taxes to the American government. Takes advantages of all tax breaks and then this?

Really?

And they are allowed to do this?

Hmmm....

In Canada, the government has ordered the Iranian Embassy to close and all staffers to leave the country. Sometimes the Canadian government talks tough and takes some strong actions.

Wonder if they have advance warning of an Israeli military action forthcoming against the Iranians?

In the province of Quebec an election there saw a minority PQ government formed with Independence from Canada and the formation of a new country as the stated goal.

The rest of Canada yawned and said whatever to the news. The electorate is tired of constant economic blackmail from this province and appears at the end of its patience with this and will no longer continue to subsidize that province just to make it happy. That includes lavish social programs not available anywhere else in Canada and an almost free education system for university students and cut rate day care for parents funded not by the people of Quebec but by the rest of Canada.

Interesting times ahead I think.

Well, back to unpacking and until next week and maybe some photos of the move and drive here to Nanaimo, that is it for now.

take care out there,

flatlander52

Sunday musings

OK, after a wearying road trip from Regina, we are now at our new home in Nanaimo.
Finally, the adventure ends one chapter and now the next begins.
But first, a few thoughts of the trip out here are in order.
A going away present from Mother Nature this past Wednesday as we left Regina - the winds were blowing directly at us all the way to Calgary at over 55 Kilometers per hour - will not forget or forgive that little "gift" as it hindered our fuel efficiency and reminded us of the ever present Regina wind that we will no longer have to deal with nearly every day.
Our friend in Calgary is fine and dealing well with the loss of her partner this past July and we are pleased with that.
We had a pleasant trip through the mountains and stopped at a tourist place called the Enchanted Forest that was opened in 1962 by a couple who built all the attractions by hand. The fairy tale figurines were made by the woman and were of concrete and he built all the structures which include a castle, the Shoe of the Little Old Lady that lived in it. All kinds of animals  and houses, people like Bo Peep, Cinderella, Snow White and the list goes on. A newer addition is a zip line and kids rock climbing wall and other fitness oriented structures.
I had not been there in almost 50 years and seeing old memories restored (as Time does fade and blur memories, I think we can agree) was wonderful. When I think of the trips my parents took us three boys on during the early 60's equipped with a canvas tent (not like the snazzy modern pop up units now available) and really not too much in funds, I marvel at all they did for us and how it was done on limited funds. Nowadays one travels with access to funds via cards, money orders etc. so usually no worries if an unexpected BIG expense happens. Life sure was diferent in those days.
We stayed overnight in the bustling small city of Vernon to visit my uncle and aunt. They are a good couple and retirement suits them.
We like them.
Then off to Vancouver on Friday we went and was that fun! We did as many people do these days and decided to depend on our GPS unit for directions rather than use old fashioned maps to find the way to the ferry port that would continue our journey to the Island. Of course the last time through (in late July) we took the same road to Vancouver and went to another ferry station but I remembered that there was a huge highway sign that indicated the turn off for the ferry station that we were to use this time. But no, we decided to let technology rule the day. So instead of getting to and turning at this sign, we let the GPS unit tell us to take a different route.
OK, I really did want to see cattle fields, horse pastures, road construction detours and a number of nameless hamlets on the way didn't I? I think we wasted about 1/2 an hour or more on this scenic detour. However, that being said we did get to our destination - albeit with nerves a-twitching as the battery in the GPS died as we saw the ferry station for the first time! And yes, my better half wasted no time reminding me that she suggested a couple of times before we left Regina that I should have gotten a car plug adapter for the GPS.
Sigh.......
So now we are in Nanaimo, just waiting for the furniture to arrive from Regina and then next week life starts anew for us here. Getting our post box to work, becoming a registered citizen for services, utilities, and a host of many other details too numerous to mention.
I look forward to that.
A couple of comments on items in the world.
Nice to see that the man running for President of the United States for the Republican Party for it seems most of the year, Mitt Romney, is now officially the candidate for the party after a convention that crowned - oops - "elected" him to represent the party. Why have a convention when the rules are so slanted to eliminate vote ability of the delegates but having mini elections in individual states beforehand that cast the delegates votes "in stone"?
Now Romney and Obama can officially campaign against each other. As if they have not being doing it all year long!
The Falkland Islands council has decided to have a public vote next year whether to stay with Britain or look at joining Argentina. I suspect that the status quo will remain in place much to the "anger" of the politicians in Argentina. Before people knock the viewpoint of the Argentine people, perhaps would perception be different if Canada asserted claims to the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon from France? After all they are off the coast of Canada and very close indeed. Just asking.
Stories persist about possible action by Israel against Iran to stop perceived advances in the ability of Iran to create nuclear weapons. This will continue to evolve and the prospect of military confrontation grows by the day.
A man in Sonneberg, Germany celebrated his divorce by taking a chainsaw to cut his house and possessions in half. Gotta love the thinking behind that.
Next week, more about the world I promise!
take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday musings

Well this post and probably next weeks' will be a bit different than normal as my world is totally consumed by the move to the west coast now. Unforunately world events will take a back seat to this.
I had gone to our Internet provider in June to let them know that we were moving at the end of August and that I would come into their offices again then to terminate the service and return all their hardware. I thought that this was a courtesy that would be of help to them. So of course they messed up! My Internet was cut off at midnight Friday and now we have none whatsoever. So of course now I am out and about at times looking for WiFi hotspots in order to get online to get my mail, news, read blogs and other things that I use the 'Net for. I won't tell you where I am perched right now just to get a signal and the looks some people are giving me!
Oh well, there have been surprisingly few of these "bumps" in the road this past couple of weeks as we wind down our affairs here in Regina - except of course the day we found out that after signing the sale papers for our house that our one majour bank account was frozen - that caused a bit of phone calling and scrambling I can tell you. But in the end that was no big deal and it did make for some excitement for the one day.
I went to my hair cutter- barber? stylist? what are they called for men nowadays anyway?- this week for obviously the last time and it was a tad different than normal. She has been cutting my hair for over 20 years and we both have matured as the years went by. When I first met her she was a newly wed young lady ( I tease her about the fact she must have been a child bride because according to her she still in in her early 30's!) and over the years have listened as she has regaled me about her first new children and their adventures and lately about how life is for her as a grandmother- shoot, the years fly by way too fast. After she was finished cutting my hair we had an awkward moment where we both had real difficulty in saying our goodbyes to each other and then she grabbed me and gave me a hug and we both had a sniffle in our voices as we said bye for the last time.
I will miss her.
One of the things I will not miss is the wind in this city. Remember how I mentioned before that the wind had been very minimal recently?
Hah!
Yesterday the blasted wind almost blew me to Kansas when I went outside, it was so ferocious. Indeed many trees in the city had limbs ripped off the trunks and the debris was scattered all around.
As well the temperature has shifted into early fall mode and now the nights are cool and even some leaves are turning colour. Yipes - summer is almost over.
Yesterday my golfing buddy and his wife came into town and took us out for what is termed "brunch" and we spent a couple of hours shooting the breeze and sharing memories. They are good people and hopefully they will be able to come visit us on the island in the future and maybe he and I can get in a round or two of golf as well.
So yesterday we cleaned out the fridge as it and all other appliances are left here for the new owners. My better half asked me if I had washed the unit out and if all was finished with it. I replied that yes I had - but probably not as clean as her standards would want. Of course she did not hear the last part of my answer and so later in the evening when she "checked" the fridge was shocked to find it not up to snuff! So I endured a lengthy period of silent reproof as she "cleaned" the damn thing again. I would have been courting my death if I had had the courage to remind her that I really did tell her that I had cleaned it- up to a certain point only and she apparently had not heard me.
I'm not that stupid!
Today is the last day of farewells and dropping off of items to people that we do not want to take with us. Things such as lawn furniture and the grass mower and grass trimmer as well as some foodstuffs- even though 95% of all our existing food inventory has been donated to a local charitable foundation that helps those in need. I think I mentioned before how eye opening it was to discover how many stale dated items we had in our pantry when we cleaned it out. The idea of buying food in bulk because the per unit price is better sometimes is a false economy if one does not use the  items frequently. Our new pantry in Nanaimo will be a lot smaller I promise you.
With the round of farewells, my plans for packing the vehicle have been changed from doing so this afternoon to later on tonight as we are invited to a late gathering at the place of the person who we are dropping the lawn mover and grass trimmer off. So the vehicle will be carting this along and packing will wait until we get home later on in the evening - wonderful! But as I said before, in the so called big picture context, the problems have been very few and minor and for that we are grateful.
I have had the pleasure of taking many a moment this past while to reflect upon my life here in Regina. I was born and raised here. I have had the pleasure of entering the workforce - first job was as a clown at a sidewalk sale for a company called Zellers! - as a young man. Started my career in the printing and publishing industry as as apprentice in the field of what was termed "film stripping" whose duties also included sweeping the floors every night after the shop closed for the day and that was non-paid of course!
I became a manager over the years as well as a business partner in various printing companies as well as a couple of sign and display firms. Paid civic and business taxes, was in the local Chamber of Commerce as a member and a Director. And hopefully was a good citizen of the city and province. The city was good to me and I will always be grateful for my life in it. It has helped to shape me to what I am today and for that I am grateful.
Thank you Regina.
I would be remiss if I did not mention one item of world news and it is a sad one. Neil Armstrong passed away this week at the age of 82.
In this era of the anti hero, he was a true hero and stood head and shoulders above the crowd. Not only for his incredible achievements but for the noble way he conducted his life after he became the hero he was. People nowadays get a moments fame and shamelessly parade themselves in it forever to the media and public thereby diminishing themselves and their achievements. Not Neil Armstrong, not by a longshot. A modest and humble man was he.
Look him up and offer a toast to his memory - his like will never be among us again.
Next week we are on the road to Nanaimo for the final time so with this my final blog from Regina, Queen City of the Plains, I sign off,
take care out there,
flatlander52 

Sunday musings

Going to talk (interesting thing to write, should it not say - going to write about...?) about the province of Saskatchewan and where I think it seems to be heading for in the months and year(s) to come.
Since the start of the latest economic downturn that hit the world starting in 2008, many say precipitated by the events from the firm of Lehman Brothers in the United States, Sask. has enjoyed a continuous economic boom. To say that this has been a surprise to many so called "experts" would be a gross understatement.
This boom has been fueled by natural resources. These include crude oil, potash, diamonds, wheat, pulse crops, and uranium among others. When one sectors' prices faltered, such as oil, others like potash would see an increase and vice versa.
This has led to an large increase in population in urban centres throughout the province and resulted in a housing boom that created increased employment in the construction trades with resultant economic spin offs as well.
Recent events seem to indicate that there may be some possible concerns on the horizon for the province.
First off there was the announcement this past week by the company Vale that a 3 billion dollar potash mine project was put on an indefinite hold instead of starting in 2013 due to the companies corporate strategy evaluation. Then another potash company announced a mine shut down for a month in order to adjust output to reflect decreased demand for international customers. Then there is also an election in the capital city of Regina for a new Mayor this fall to replace a truly progressive and one could say visionary incumbent and all candidates are either ill suited for the job or rabid small minded socialists that are intent on destroying all possibilities of expansion in the city. They decry the replacement plan for a decrepit football stadium with safety issues and vow to return to the old days of tax, tax and tax even more and spend the revenue on more bureaucracy and ill advised pet social feel good matters.
The provincial government, now in its second term, seems to be drifting in a way with no discernible sense of purpose and plan in mind other than re-election. The bright days of the first term with a vision and a definite time line plan seem to have withered away.
A poorly thought out plan for a Children's Hospital continues to unfold with more and more funding being allocated and not a shovel has been put in the ground yet. But no one in government or the unions as well, has ever had the courage to ask where the staffing for this hospital will come from and at what cost. Instead they all want to win favour with the public by being on the good side of a warm and fuzzy feel good topic instead of asking tough questions. And rest assured that the tax paying public will howl when they discover that taxes will increase yet again to pay for this and watch how the demands for more money will ripple through the health care system.
Speaking of which, how come no one ever asked why, since health care eats up to 65% of the provincial budget, the health system does not consider having buildings staffed with various skill practitioners instead of the present where doctors have the offices in a stand alone clinic or by themselves. And chiropractors have stand alone offices, massage therapists have stand alone offices, dentists have stand alone offices, foot specialists have stand alone offices and the list goes on with all having costs associated with being stand alone. How about having a 5 story building that houses doctors, dentists, MRI's, X-Rays, therapists and the like? This way front line staff could determine what services a patient needs and directs them to the appropriate one and if further care is required, could be done in the same building and at the same time?
Think about it, costs would be reduced and time spent waiting to be referred to another field of wellness would be reduced - novel concept indeed.
I suspect that too many special interest groups would see possible revenue streams dry up and would mount a vigorous campaign to discredit and stop something like this.
That being said, the future still looks good for this province but I believe the time is at hand for all people and not just government to pause, reflect and recommit to advancing the economic health of the province and with a plan to do so.
I learned a new word this week. It came from the comments of Uruguayan president José “Pepe” Mujica who warned in a speech this week that Argentina is “undergoing a highly autarkic process”.
Hmm, had to look that up and after reading the definition had to agree with him.
A sign of this process (you really did not think I would spoil your fun in looking up this word "autarkic" by telling you did you?) is the announcement that the Argentine government has dcided to look at nationalizing the company that prints its currency, now in private hands.
In Russia a court has sentenced a punk rock band to 2 years in jail for "something" as a result of the band intruding into a church and performing an anti Putin song at the front of the church. Many observers see this as a political act by the government against those protesting against Mr. Putin and not as a result of the entering of a church and disrupting the sanctity of the church. On the face of it, one would have to agree and this shows that for every halting step for individual freedom in Russia, there can be a counter reaction that sometimes is very harsh. Sadly many people think that once a country starts on the democratic process, that all will be wonderful and freedom and liberties will just "happen" and all will be wonderful. The reality is that every country has a long political history and many institutions and to expect that the institutions will gladly remove themselves and the people running the same institutions will fade away is just a little too naive. It all takes time and in this brave new world of instant everything, people forget this important fact.
The President of Iran has called the existence of Israel an "insult" and says the country will not exist in a modern Middle East. Considering which country has won all armed conflicts in the Middle East and which country has the best military, one has to wonder at the wisdom of saying this at all let alone in public. As the old saying goes- "be careful for what you ask for".
WikiLeaks founder Assange has been granted political asylum by the embassy of the government of Ecuador in Great Britain. One wonders if he will ever leave the Embassy as the British government has vowed to arrest him if he steps outside of the Embassy grounds where while within he enjoys sanctuary from the British law. The whole story behind the supposed criminal charges in Sweden and purported links to the American Government is curious.
Conspiracy theorists are having a field day on that.
One of the fun aspects of reading international news sites is how they can offer completely different conclusions on the exact same item. Case in point is in one prominent American site - CBSnews.com reported that the "Feds may tap oil reserve to ease gas prices" while the Canadian Globe and Mail stated that " Pipelines, glut of cheap crude raise doubts over oil sands expansion".
Really? Really?
You have to shake your head.
This is our last week here in Regina and the house and yard reflect it. The garden is all pulled out, all the yard flowers and pots have been given away, lawn furniture is sold and inside, all the walls are bare and most cupboards are empty as well. We are living out of 2 storage bins as well as the bedroom furniture has been sold and is awaiting pick up by the new owners. I got in the last round of golf and broke 90 for the first and last time this year in Regina. The round of saying good by to friends is nearly over. Anticipation for the move mounts and yes, there is a small shadow of concern about the new place and how life will evolve there.
However time never stands still and change is the one constant item that there is in life so one can embrace it or struggle against it.
Anyway, enjoy the week and take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday musings

So Iran is hit with an earthquake and early reports indicate over 350 are dead and the toll is expected to mount as more bodies are recovered from the rubble. I am surprised that no extreme right wing spokespeople claim that this is God's judgement on the "evil" regime. Common sense is never associated with extremists, whether right or left wing. I wonder how the international community will react. I suspect that the likes of the Americans, Israelis, Canadians and British will offer both financial and material aid but pillars of responsibility and morality like Syria, various African nations will be noticeable by the total lack of any response or commitment.
Typical.
 The subway and bus strike in Buenos Aires enters its 9th day with a 5 million peso fine being levied by the government against the striking union. The union vows to continue the strike and the government claims that the strike is illegal and has been hijacked by anti government elements. Why is it that governments all over the world use this tired tactic whenever confronted by union troubles?
That brings up the question of unions and their value to society. I grew up in the 70's in Canada where the union movement was needed in many areas of the workplace. Safety was ignored and wages were punitive to say the least. The unions fought to help the worker in both areas and mainly were successful and enjoyed popular support. Sadly in the late 2000's the whole union movement started to shoot itself in the foot by way of corruption, excessive to the point of obscene wages for union executives and out of touch contract demands and lack of compromise in contract negotiations. Many a strike was called because the union executives felt a need to justify their  existence and a strike would "show" the membership that the executive was looking after their "interests". As a result public opinion has swung against unions. With the global recession and resultant job layoffs, unions and especially government unions are easy targets from people worried about job loss and those envious of the wages and job perks that some unions have. However, people do forget that all these "perks" and pension benefits were signed off by the employer in the first place so blaming the unions solely for this in not reasonable. Someone should also hold the employers who signed off accountable as well.
There is something about the human condition in this day and age that seems to require that people want others dragged down to a lower common financial level (similar to the viewpoint of the New Democratic Party in Canada) while still glorifying and paying ridiculous sums to the like of athletes, so called reality figures and actors and musicians.
Sad really.
Syria has yet another new Prime Minister while the civil war continues to rage. You have to love the way the world sits on its hand in this affair. When and probably not if, Syria has a regime change,  wonder how the dynamics of the Middle East will change. The possible threat to Israel may increase as this region seems to be in the throes of a tilt to more fundamental hard line religious driven militancy in various governments. For sure the governments of both Israel and America will not stand idly by if this happens.
Interesting times ahead I think.
OK, the Olympics are over this weekend and that is it for my report on this sizzling event. What a stupendous waste of time and money. I chuckle how in the city of Regina where there is an almost violent pubic discourse over the building of a new football stadium at a cost of over 500 million where detractors demand that the money be spent on housing, programs for the poor, roads and other morally good items (as if these problems will ever disappear!) non seem to offer a peep of protest against the amount of money spent training Canadian athletes to participate in such great sports as javelin tossing, beach volleyball, and let us not forget floor hockey! As if these sports contribute to the betterment of mankind. Sorry, first off these sports just do not work for me and second the lack of protest seems a tad hypocritical.
A couple of anniversaries worth noting this week. One being the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War in 1945 and the other is the 12th anniversary of the sinking of the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk. In the first instance, many people these days seek to revise history and condemn the Americans for the bombings on the 2 cities and want to classify that as a war crime. That is just so wrong. You cannot judge events of the past in terms of morality of today. Morals and values change as time passes. In the second case, one can only mourn the tragedy and apparent suffering by those that survived the sinking only to die by asphyxiation while awaiting a rescue that never happened. 
In Germany, five chimpanzees caused havoc at the Hanover Zoo when they escaped their enclosure, injured a five-year-old girl and caused the zoo to be evacuated.Kinda puts the Euro crisis in perspective doesn't it?
In Canada the national state radio and television broadcaster, the CBC is in the midst of filming an adoring biopic on Jack Layton, the deceased former head of the socialist New Democratic Party to be broadcast in late 2013 - just in time for the next federal election. Wonderful use of taxpayer funding to produce an adoring film of the man whose party is committed to state control of the country is it not? Many critics of the CBC say that the corporation is staffed by left wing radicals bent on imposing their political views and structures on Canadians and this seems to prove it. Only in Canada eh?
In the Italian town of Garda a local store is reported to be selling bottles of wine with labels bearing the image of Adolph Hitler, part of a line of historical bad figures. Really? How stupid can people be these days?
Unbelievable.
Well, all the pictures in the house are now down and packed for moving and the plants have all been given away and the house sure is lonely feeling. Almost all the cupboards are empty and the deep freezer is down to a couple of steaks and awaiting defrosting before the move. We decided to donate the goods to a local outreach shelter instead of just throwing it away. It would have been just wrong to do that to food and by giving it to the shelter, will benefit some people for a short while. Just remember that in a blink, it could be you in need.
On Monday I will get in what will probably be my last game of golf ever here in Regina. Seems strange to say that. In fact we have been driving around the city a fair bit this past week and just LOOKING at any and everything as we know that the number of times we will be returning here will be limited and things just will not be the same after we do leave for the last time.
The garden is almost empty now, a shocking sign that the summer is slowly starting to wind down and fall is on the horizon. And if we did not know that, the TV is full of back to school ads and blurbs for winter flu shots and clothing!
So, another week ends.
Take care out there,
flatlander52

Sunday musings

Talk about a feeling of dislocation.
For the last week and a half we were on the road to Nanaimo and then spending time there at the new house and getting ownership papers signed, getting possession and installing a few new items of furniture and then yesterday we boarded a plane and flew back to Regina and now it seems as if all that happened was a dream!
Strange feeling indeed.
Now I am back in the environment that I spent my life in and Nanaimo, did it really happen?
Of course the answer is simple. Yes all that happened did indeed happen but still, it is a strange feeling.
One of the things I encountered there was that, similar to small towns in the United States we have visited, when it comes to getting news from around the world in local media, that becomes a difficult chore. It seems as if the area of interest is limited to the local region with a smattering of items from the nations' Capital and a few tidbits from the international scene.
Of course there was an incessant drone about the Olympics, but sorry, not really interested and even more so after actually viewing a few minutes of breathless reporting on the Twitter scene at the Games -really? This is news worthy? Really?
I can only shake my head.
In a case of how some things never seem to change I offer the following:
- the Euro crisis continues on its merry way with all politicians involved seemingly more concerned with their summer holidays than the plight of the poor and unemployed and the faltering Euro.
- Syria continues its endless civil war and to the surprise of the entire world the so called peace mediator, Koffi Annan discovers that the United nations is unwilling to do anything about the crisis and resigns in protest. This is a new discovery from the former leader of the UN? Oh, right, before he was too focused on his fat pay cheque and perks while head honcho of that dysfunctional organization to have noticed that.
- the American presidential elections continues to roll on, ignored by many of the voters. And it has descended into personal attacks amid attacks on tax returns, who is more and who is less an American and American patriot. Meanwhile the national debt soars and congress is on holidays -remember the fable of the Roman Emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned?
Seems fitting in this case.
In Argentina it seems that the economy is sputtering a little as talk continues to grow about possible devaluation of the currency to fight excessive inflation.
 In a sign of how quickly time passes, I read an article this week about former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and it stated that he was 93 years old! Good Lord, how quickly time passes and it seems like yesterday that a young and charming Kohl was in the news frequently and now - 93?
Huh?
Even more disturbing are reports in the German media that the country is in danger of being overrun by hordes of raccoons - a million to be exact. Worries about non documented illegal "guest" workers dim as this new threat occupies the focus of federal and local governments throught this land of lederhosen and beer and sauerkraut.
The Russian government intends to restore the military-technical support of their ships at the former military base in Cam Ranh (Vietnam), Lourdes (Cuba) and the Seychelles. So far, this is not about plans for a military presence, but rather the restoration of the crew resources. It will be interesting to see how the American government responds to this announcement.
Famed American writer Gore Vidal died this week. I must admit that to me he seemed more of a media darling than a quality writer. Yes he did pen a couple of interesting items but it seemed that his main claim to fame were the occasions where he could be viewed and promoted for outlandish statements on any and everything rather than the volume and quality of his work.
Just my opinion.
Carnival cruise lines is implementing a new policy in regards to people that "tag" lounge chairs and then leave them vacant. Crew members will patrol the decks and mark any unused--but clearly saved--chairs with a sticker. Tagged seats will be checked again after 40 minutes. If the sun lounger is still reserved, towels and anything else you are using to mark your spot will be removed and held in one of the towel stations.

About bloody time!

How many times have you encountered this idiotic selfish behavior? You head out to the swimming pool or beach first thing in the morning and of course there are only about 30 chairs to serve 200 people but all of them are covered with towels and non are occupied and remain so for most of the day! And this is at daybreak? Sometimes a brave soul will remove the towel and take the chair and then maybe an hour or two later the "owner" of the towel shows up and berates the "thief" for stealing their chair and almost threatens violence if they do not vacate said chair. 

Boors and selfish idiots to boot.

In the Canadian province of Quebec an election has been called and while not dominating the news and minds of Canadians, the fact that it is not is interesting. For way too many years elections in Quebec became the focal point of the national media and Federal politicians with the separatist Parti Quebecois being the main story. Imagine Canada falling to pieces if this party wins and forces the province to leave confederation and become sovereign.What bribe can Canada offer to make sure this does not happen became the burning issue. It seems that the mindset of Canadians has changed over the past decade or so, some would say it has matured. No longer does the threat to leave provoke a panicked response. Now it seems the country has said that enough is enough. That no longer will implied blackmail open bags of cash to buy Quebec staying in the confederation. Instead the attitude seems to be that Canada is a great country and that it is to the benefit of Quebec to stay in and enjoy its perks and special benefits rather than try to exist alone in a continent that has three large economic neighbours in it, that is to say, Mexico, the United States and Canada. Who will subsidize their lifestyle if not the rest of Canada? And just as importantly, can Quebec pay the bill it owes today and with what currency? Also do the politicians think tha Canada would continue to pay their fat pensions if the province leaves Canada? 

I don't think so.

Internationally renowned Romanian pianist Mihaela Ursuleasa has been found dead in her apartment in the Austrian capital, Vienna. She was 33. Brain hemorrhage is suspected. Try to find some of her music, she was really good,

33 is much too young an age to leave us.

In Hanoi, about 100 people attended the first Gay Pride Parade this week. Never thought that this would be allowed to occur in that country. Small steps of progress in a world sometimes seemingly consumed in hate.

Bravo.

Finally, a word on human nature. On our trip to Nanaimo we encountered many people that work in what is called "the service" industry. The people who run gas bars, serve you meals, wait at the front desk of hotels and the like. Some were very young, some retired but working again now, all sexes and colours and nationalities were represented. Without fail we encountered nothing but cheerful people with a ready smile and kind word, willing to extend advice and suggestions and genuine interest in we the traveler. A real treat and reminder about how people can be really good to each other. I thank them all.

Take care out there,

flatlander52