HOW ABOUT A “MEXICAN GOING TO THE MOVIES” EXPERIENCE?
Today, we went to the movies in Mazatlan. We have gone several times before and it has been a pleasant experience in a nice new movie theater with all of the modern amenities of our theatres back in Canada. Well, today was a little bit different than previously.
I stood in the line to buy the tickets and Darlene stood in a different line to buy popcorn and drinks. In the ticket line, there were about 25 people ahead of me, and as I waited, another 25 ended up behind me. There were no self-serve ticket machines or computer ticket purchases made at home, so the ticket line was the only option. There were eight ticket wickets and wouldn’t you know it, only one of them was open for business. I guess the manager did not see the need for any additional help as people just needed to learn patience.
My line moved very slowly and I didn’t think we would get in before the movie started at 3:10. Now, high above the ticket wickets are the listings of all of the movies and their showtimes. It is not an electronic menu but one that has been assembled by hand with individual plastic letters placed between two tracks by an employee. Then out of the blue, as I waited, one of the staff dragged out a ten-foot aluminum stepladder and stood it up between the ticket seller and the line of customers. No real safety concern I guess. Besides learning patience, the moviegoers were encouraged to practice care and caution.
The staff member climbed the stepladder and added one letter to the end of one of the words in a movie title. Quite satisfied with his diligent correction of a misspelled word, he clambered down the ladder, folded it up, without maiming anyone, and took the ladder away. If you might be suspecting that he would now rush to help the overworked clerk in window one and start selling tickets at another wicket, you were wrong. He had completed his job and I never saw him again. He was obviously a specialist!
After about twenty minutes of waiting and watching I was nearing the lone ticket seller. When you buy a ticket at this theatre you must also pick out the seat you want to sit in. For some people, this requires considerable time as they are very meticulous and incredibly slow. Finally, I reached the seller. I am sure my elation was similar to Neil Armstrong’s when he finally placed his foot on the moon. It was a long and dangerous trip for both of us, but it was worth it. I used my best Spanish while looking at the movie poster on the wall, to tell the girl the movie I wanted to see and I ordered four tickets. Fortunately for me, she was bilingual and my fractured Spanish only threw her for a second, before she told me, “The 3:10 movie is in Spanish. If you want the English version, you need to go to the 4:20 feature.” After waiting in line as long as I had, I gave her the thumbs up for four tickets and paid the ridiculous sum of $10 Canadian.
The girl gave me my change and then she hit a button on her till and I felt as though I had just broken the bank at Monte Carlo! Her machine spit out twelve long pieces of adding-machine-like paper and with my fistful of paper, I headed over to the concession stand to see if Darlene had been as successful as I. She was delighted when I showed her the four tickets to the movie, four tickets for a snack two-for-one special, four two-for-one next time movie offers and four receipts for the entire event. I had more paper in my hand than if I had pulled out an entire roll of toilet paper.
We made the 4:20 movie, complete with not just a box of popcorn, but a box of “caramel corn” instead, and a couple of large bottles of water. Sadly, the Mexicans have learned that concession stand prices should be more expensive than the price of the tickets, so Darlene paid more than I had. Two hours later, we left with two stomachs sloshing caramel corn soup and headed home. And the movie was lousy to boot!
PS Don’t go see The Call of the Wild with Harrison Ford unless you are under ten years old!
Friday, February 28, 2020
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
CAN YOU REALLY BEAT THE SIMPLE LIFE?
CAN YOU REALLY BEAT THE SIMPLE LIFE?
This morning I read another fascinating blog from a friend who reports regularly on his travels throughout South East Asia. He is a true adventurer who often takes the road less travelled to experience the world that most of us will never know. I love his blogs and insights and can hardly wait for the next chapter. In the meantime, we are vacationing in Mazatlan for two months again and loving every minute. As I reflected on our two different travel scenarios, I again realized how much I enjoy the simple life that we are now leading. Our adventures generally would be described by many as boring, uneventful and lacking any excitement or fun. While that may be true for some, I am loving the simple life and at this stage of my life, would not trade it for anything!
The simple life is based upon eliminating scheduling endless events, making decisions on the fly and not feeling guilty when the “what have you accomplished today guilt” creeps into your head. I wake up in the morning either when the sun fills my bedroom with light, the morning doves start to coo or the neighbourhood dogs begin their early morning barkarama! The choice is mine.
Then the rest of the day is simply making choices depending on your mood, the weather or if the beer or pop supply is running low. Should we have a simple breakfast in, or go to a neighbourhood cafe? Is it computer time at home or is it time to head for the nearby beach to count the waves and dream about being a soaring seabird? We can return home for a light lunch or take a short siesta as we are probably a little worn out from bird and wave watching.
The afternoon is just as simple. Do we need to do a grocery run to the big Walmart or the local green market to pick up more limes for the margaritas? Maybe we should take a long walk on the beach or just explore our immediate neighbourhood. I can either start reading a new novel or maybe take a trip to “town” to the used book store to find some new ones. Late afternoon involves any combination of the above options and then the hard task of deciding what is for supper. If we are lucky, we head off with friends to a local great restaurant or if we don’t want the hassle, we can combine any number of ingredients from our fridge into a simple supper.
The evening’s activity is determined by the hectic nature of how we spent our morning and afternoon. Washing and drying dishes or tossing a load of laundry into the washer might occur if we are ambitious and if not, we can chase a plethora of weird and oddball selections on our Netflix TV channel for entertainment. Darlene often resorts to assembling a million piece jigsaw puzzle, while I just sit and watch in awe and wonder. I limit my jigsaw activity to puzzles with 30 pieces or less!
As the sun sets and our energy level declines we know that we have spent another wonderful and relaxing day in our little Mexican paradise. We go to bed when we feel like it (usually early) and sleep peacefully not worrying about tomorrow and the choices it will bring.
I can close my eyes with the lyrics of the song, The Bare Necessities, swimming through my head:
“Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature's recipes
That brings the bare necessities of life”
PS My bare necessities include Wifi, ATMs and hot running water!
This morning I read another fascinating blog from a friend who reports regularly on his travels throughout South East Asia. He is a true adventurer who often takes the road less travelled to experience the world that most of us will never know. I love his blogs and insights and can hardly wait for the next chapter. In the meantime, we are vacationing in Mazatlan for two months again and loving every minute. As I reflected on our two different travel scenarios, I again realized how much I enjoy the simple life that we are now leading. Our adventures generally would be described by many as boring, uneventful and lacking any excitement or fun. While that may be true for some, I am loving the simple life and at this stage of my life, would not trade it for anything!
The simple life is based upon eliminating scheduling endless events, making decisions on the fly and not feeling guilty when the “what have you accomplished today guilt” creeps into your head. I wake up in the morning either when the sun fills my bedroom with light, the morning doves start to coo or the neighbourhood dogs begin their early morning barkarama! The choice is mine.
Then the rest of the day is simply making choices depending on your mood, the weather or if the beer or pop supply is running low. Should we have a simple breakfast in, or go to a neighbourhood cafe? Is it computer time at home or is it time to head for the nearby beach to count the waves and dream about being a soaring seabird? We can return home for a light lunch or take a short siesta as we are probably a little worn out from bird and wave watching.
The afternoon is just as simple. Do we need to do a grocery run to the big Walmart or the local green market to pick up more limes for the margaritas? Maybe we should take a long walk on the beach or just explore our immediate neighbourhood. I can either start reading a new novel or maybe take a trip to “town” to the used book store to find some new ones. Late afternoon involves any combination of the above options and then the hard task of deciding what is for supper. If we are lucky, we head off with friends to a local great restaurant or if we don’t want the hassle, we can combine any number of ingredients from our fridge into a simple supper.
The evening’s activity is determined by the hectic nature of how we spent our morning and afternoon. Washing and drying dishes or tossing a load of laundry into the washer might occur if we are ambitious and if not, we can chase a plethora of weird and oddball selections on our Netflix TV channel for entertainment. Darlene often resorts to assembling a million piece jigsaw puzzle, while I just sit and watch in awe and wonder. I limit my jigsaw activity to puzzles with 30 pieces or less!
As the sun sets and our energy level declines we know that we have spent another wonderful and relaxing day in our little Mexican paradise. We go to bed when we feel like it (usually early) and sleep peacefully not worrying about tomorrow and the choices it will bring.
I can close my eyes with the lyrics of the song, The Bare Necessities, swimming through my head:
“Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature's recipes
That brings the bare necessities of life”
PS My bare necessities include Wifi, ATMs and hot running water!
Sunday, February 23, 2020
DID YOU EVER ASK YOURSELF IF…?
DID YOU EVER ASK YOURSELF IF…?
It’s a slow day on the blog front today so I am forced to consolidate some of my most intimate questions into a potpourri of quandaries. Did you ever ask yourself:
Perhaps I will be more inspired tomorrow!
It’s a slow day on the blog front today so I am forced to consolidate some of my most intimate questions into a potpourri of quandaries. Did you ever ask yourself:
- Will Al Pacino ever make a movie where he is not a mobster, a gangster, an agent of the devil or a foul-mouthed lout? Perhaps we need to resurrect the old Father Knows Best TV series and he can portray the kind, civil, loving father who is just a fountain of wisdom and good counsel.
- Despite our country being the stronghold of freedom and human rights, don’t you think we need more censorship on TV and movies? In particular, I am referring to the constant menu of senseless violence, auto chases, drug-related scenes, explosions and the overall glamorizing of the illegal, the illicit and the violent. Why do we need to overexpose young impressionable children to these dark sides of our world and call it entertainment?
- Do teenagers really read as much as I am led to believe? Every time I visit Indigo or Chapters bookstores I am confronted with a huge section of teenage novels? It comprises a major section within these stores and yet I almost never see any teens lining up to peruse a book or purchase one. Are they really insatiable readers? I wonder!
- One of the first steps in finding a solution to a computer problem is to describe your issue to Google and search for a remedy. The only problem is that you need a second computer to do the research because the first one is out of commission. Are we now in the world where we all need two computers (iPhones, iPads, or smartwatches) to solve our first computer problem? It appears so!
- Have you ever watched women’s professional team sports? If not, do give it a look. I am speechless with the high level of skill on display if you watch women’s hockey, basketball or soccer. If men’s hockey eliminated the “goon” element and resorted to the skills of skating and passing that you witness in women’s hockey it would be far more entertaining! Even if Don Cherry should disagree!
- Have you ever found a vacation destination that had absolutely no negative features? When we did the plus-minus chart for Mazatlan recently that is what happened. The end tally was a dozen pluses and not one single negative about Mazatlan as a winter holiday home! There is no need to search any farther! Sign me up for life!
- Is there anything more meaningless and uninteresting than the continual American Democratic presidential candidates debates on TV? I would like to suggest to our southern neighbours that they incorporate one aspect of the American Idol, talent search TV show. After each show, have the viewers phone in the name of the one candidate to be eliminated from the next debate. In ten weeks, they will finally have selected one candidate who can graciously lose to Trump in November! If would be far more fun to watch!
- Mazatlan annually hosts a major Carnaval that rivals the pre-Lenten carnivals in Rio and New Orleans. When we went to visit one of the outdoor musical venues there were thousands of people milling about. My observation is that at most functions of this sort you basically have hordes of people drinking beer openly and dressing like clowns, wandering about aimlessly simply watching the rest of the attendees drinking beer and wandering around. It is kind of “we must be having fun cuz we are here” event that is just a reason to drink outdoors! Am I wrong?
Perhaps I will be more inspired tomorrow!
Thursday, February 20, 2020
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SOLD?
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SOLD?
Sometimes I wonder if we are making any real progress in the way we treat people. Of course, my questioning mind was thinking about an example of poor treatment as it related to some baseball players.
Before 1974, if a ballplayer signed a contract to play for a team, that team more or less “owned” the player. He could not quit and go to play for another professional team. If he didn’t play for the team he signed with, he was unemployed. Several players fought their indenture with a single team and in the mid-70s, the courts ruled that a player could eventually become a free agent meaning he was free to offer his services to the highest bidder.
The first baseball free agent was Jim (Catfish) Hunter who decided to play for the New York Yankees instead of the Oakland A’s, who would not pay him what he wanted. The Yankees offered him a three-year contract and an outrageous, for the time, one million dollar bonus. The nightmare of excessive contracts and salaries exploded until recently Mike Trout was bribed to remain with the LA Angels for $430 million over 12 years, rather than become a free agent.
While most headlines in recent years have dwelled upon the massive salaries free agent players receive today, there are a couple of instances that I personally consider very offensive and degrading to the players involved.
Often, in most sports, a player can be traded from one team to another if the players have not reached free-agent status. You might trade a pitcher on one team for an outfielder or two prospective young untried players from another team. I think this is part of the business of sport and I have no criticism of it.
There are, however, two circumstances that really bother me. Sometimes a team will trade a player for future considerations. This means “we want to get rid of you and we will figure out what we receive in return later.” I know that I would personally feel very undervalued as a human being if I were to be just tossed on to the heap of extraneous players and have no sense of my personal worth as a ballplayer. We’ll figure out your value later!
I also strongly object to the practice of a player being sold to another team for money! “You have been sold to the Pittsburg PIrate’s for $100,000 cash.” It reminds me of a bull sale where the animal is weighed and that often determines the selling price. If sold to a team for money I would wonder if my worth was measured by the price per pound! Am I just another animal at auction? I think it is very demeaning!
I am probably just being too sensitive, but both of the latter two examples are very poor ways to treat people, even if they are rich ball players! What do you think? How much are, or were you worth, per pound in your chosen profession?
Sometimes I wonder if we are making any real progress in the way we treat people. Of course, my questioning mind was thinking about an example of poor treatment as it related to some baseball players.
Before 1974, if a ballplayer signed a contract to play for a team, that team more or less “owned” the player. He could not quit and go to play for another professional team. If he didn’t play for the team he signed with, he was unemployed. Several players fought their indenture with a single team and in the mid-70s, the courts ruled that a player could eventually become a free agent meaning he was free to offer his services to the highest bidder.
The first baseball free agent was Jim (Catfish) Hunter who decided to play for the New York Yankees instead of the Oakland A’s, who would not pay him what he wanted. The Yankees offered him a three-year contract and an outrageous, for the time, one million dollar bonus. The nightmare of excessive contracts and salaries exploded until recently Mike Trout was bribed to remain with the LA Angels for $430 million over 12 years, rather than become a free agent.
While most headlines in recent years have dwelled upon the massive salaries free agent players receive today, there are a couple of instances that I personally consider very offensive and degrading to the players involved.
Often, in most sports, a player can be traded from one team to another if the players have not reached free-agent status. You might trade a pitcher on one team for an outfielder or two prospective young untried players from another team. I think this is part of the business of sport and I have no criticism of it.
There are, however, two circumstances that really bother me. Sometimes a team will trade a player for future considerations. This means “we want to get rid of you and we will figure out what we receive in return later.” I know that I would personally feel very undervalued as a human being if I were to be just tossed on to the heap of extraneous players and have no sense of my personal worth as a ballplayer. We’ll figure out your value later!
I also strongly object to the practice of a player being sold to another team for money! “You have been sold to the Pittsburg PIrate’s for $100,000 cash.” It reminds me of a bull sale where the animal is weighed and that often determines the selling price. If sold to a team for money I would wonder if my worth was measured by the price per pound! Am I just another animal at auction? I think it is very demeaning!
I am probably just being too sensitive, but both of the latter two examples are very poor ways to treat people, even if they are rich ball players! What do you think? How much are, or were you worth, per pound in your chosen profession?
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
ARE YOU READY TO FLY IN AN ELECTRIC AIRPLANE?
ARE YOU READY TO FLY IN AN ELECTRIC AIRPLANE?
Since Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble invented the first motor car in Bedrock, many millennia back, the automobile has made many strides forward. They have evolved from two to four to six and even eight-cylinder engines, and have gone from gasoline as fuel to diesel to biofuel. In fact, today we also have developed electric cars and hybrid vehicles that can run on either gasoline or electricity. The ultimate step in the evolution, at the moment, is self-driving cars that are controlled by computers and are driverless. If you can cope with all of that new technology, then you will probably not have any problem accepting an airplane driven by an all-electric propulsion engine. That’s right - an electric airplane that is run by battery!
A small Canadian company called magniX just recently installed an electric engine into a small de Havilland seaplane that silently and successfully flew for four minutes over the Fraser River in BC. It was the first time an all-electric commercial passenger aircraft had taken to the skies. By comparison, the Wright brothers' first flight in 1903 of a heavier-than-air powered aircraft lasted 59 seconds over a distance of 852 feet. From the product of the brother’s bike shop, first flown in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, their prototype has now evolved into jet planes that fly faster than the speed of sound and commercial airliners that have a capacity of hundreds. So today we are standing on the same historical first stage with the electric-propulsion plane.
Electric flight has apparently been around since the 1970s which is news to me. However, it has remained limited to light-weight experimental planes flying short distances and solar-powered aircraft with enormous wingspans yet incapable of carrying passengers. But as the threat posed by the climate crisis deepens, there has been renewed interest in developing electric passenger aircraft as a way of reducing emissions and airline operating costs.
Currently, there are about 170 electric aircraft projects underway internationally – up by 50% since April 2018. Many of the projects are futuristic designs aimed at developing urban air taxis, private planes or aircraft for package delivery. But major firms such as Airbus have also announced plans to electrify their own aircraft. It plans to send its own hybrid prototype of a commercial passenger jet on its maiden flight by 2021. But only one of the aircraft’s four jet engines will be replaced with a 2MW electric motor powered by an onboard battery.
Two of the main problems yet to be faced are the perception the public would obviously have about safety. In days of yore, if your car stalled when you were driving you could quickly restart it. If the battery fails at 30,000 feet you have a little bigger problem. The other area that requires further development is battery capacity. Many experts doubt that large fully electric passenger airliners will be available any time soon – current battery technology simply does not offer as many miles per kilo compared to aviation fuel.
Since I was totally unaware that anyone was even thinking of developing an electrically powered airplane, all of this is news to me. My more technologically advanced readers are probably already making fun of my naivety!
Since Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble invented the first motor car in Bedrock, many millennia back, the automobile has made many strides forward. They have evolved from two to four to six and even eight-cylinder engines, and have gone from gasoline as fuel to diesel to biofuel. In fact, today we also have developed electric cars and hybrid vehicles that can run on either gasoline or electricity. The ultimate step in the evolution, at the moment, is self-driving cars that are controlled by computers and are driverless. If you can cope with all of that new technology, then you will probably not have any problem accepting an airplane driven by an all-electric propulsion engine. That’s right - an electric airplane that is run by battery!
A small Canadian company called magniX just recently installed an electric engine into a small de Havilland seaplane that silently and successfully flew for four minutes over the Fraser River in BC. It was the first time an all-electric commercial passenger aircraft had taken to the skies. By comparison, the Wright brothers' first flight in 1903 of a heavier-than-air powered aircraft lasted 59 seconds over a distance of 852 feet. From the product of the brother’s bike shop, first flown in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, their prototype has now evolved into jet planes that fly faster than the speed of sound and commercial airliners that have a capacity of hundreds. So today we are standing on the same historical first stage with the electric-propulsion plane.
Electric flight has apparently been around since the 1970s which is news to me. However, it has remained limited to light-weight experimental planes flying short distances and solar-powered aircraft with enormous wingspans yet incapable of carrying passengers. But as the threat posed by the climate crisis deepens, there has been renewed interest in developing electric passenger aircraft as a way of reducing emissions and airline operating costs.
Currently, there are about 170 electric aircraft projects underway internationally – up by 50% since April 2018. Many of the projects are futuristic designs aimed at developing urban air taxis, private planes or aircraft for package delivery. But major firms such as Airbus have also announced plans to electrify their own aircraft. It plans to send its own hybrid prototype of a commercial passenger jet on its maiden flight by 2021. But only one of the aircraft’s four jet engines will be replaced with a 2MW electric motor powered by an onboard battery.
Two of the main problems yet to be faced are the perception the public would obviously have about safety. In days of yore, if your car stalled when you were driving you could quickly restart it. If the battery fails at 30,000 feet you have a little bigger problem. The other area that requires further development is battery capacity. Many experts doubt that large fully electric passenger airliners will be available any time soon – current battery technology simply does not offer as many miles per kilo compared to aviation fuel.
Since I was totally unaware that anyone was even thinking of developing an electrically powered airplane, all of this is news to me. My more technologically advanced readers are probably already making fun of my naivety!
Friday, February 14, 2020
IS A DECREASE IN HANDGUN VIOLENCE ON THE WAY?
IS A DECREASE IN HANDGUN VIOLENCE ON THE WAY?
Well, I am so pleased to report that the concerned citizens of our southern neighbour, the USA, have finally started to take some significant steps to deal with their gun problems. At least two states, Pennsylvania and Virginia, have recently passed legislation that will, without a doubt, decrease the incidents of gun violence in the future. I doff my hat for their determination to fight the heavy-hand of the NRA and attempt to let some common sense and intelligence prevail!
Many school districts are taking the problem of gun safety seriously. The Tredyffrin/Easttown School District in Pennsylvania has instituted a threat assessment policy to deal with any potential weapons’ offenses. Consequently, when a six-year-old kindergarten student pointed her finger at her teacher and declared, “I shoot you”, the school, under district policy, jumped instantly into action and called the police. Although the little Down Syndrome girl must have appeared to be totally innocent of any serious threat, the district was not taking any chances. In order to minimize weapon’s offenses by adults in later life, it is important to start by teaching children the dangers of frivolous threats early!
But this is not an isolated incident. A 12-year-old Kansas girl formed a gun with her fingers, pointed it at four of her classmates and then turned the pretend weapon toward herself. Police hauled her out of school in handcuffs, arrested her and charged the child with a felony for threatening. The time for fooling around is over!
Other recent examples include: one school district punished a student for chewing a Pop-Tart into the shape of a gun and pointing it at other students. That incident was considered serious enough that the Florida legislature even passed a bill specifically protecting the act of "brandishing a partially consumed pastry or other food item to simulate a firearm or weapon.” Another seven-year-old was suspended for bringing a "weapon" - a pen that "buzzed" when touched - to school. In Virginia, a school district suspended a boy for playing with a toy gun near a bus stop – which happened to be in his own front yard. In Pennsylvania, a 5-year-old was suspended for making “terroristic threats” with a bubble gun. Another elementary student was suspended for taking a hand-drawn picture of a bomb - a big black circle with a lit fuse like in the Wile E. Coyote cartoons - to school with him.
It is heartwarming to see so many schools and school districts taking the lead in this attempt to reduce the amount of gun violence in the country. The teachers, principals, and school districts that are keeping a tight reign on finger-pointing six-year-olds should serve as a model for us all.
The Virginia State legislature is also worthy of some praise for its recently passed new gun legislation. The bills now headed for the full Senate would require background checks on all firearms purchases, allow law enforcement to temporarily remove guns from individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others, and my particular favourite new law - capping handgun purchases at one per month. When an unstable individual or gang member or felon can only pick up one lethal handgun a month, we know we are on the right track.
So, for the many who have been lamenting the increase in gun violence, there is now a dim light at the end of the tunnel as vigilant teachers and clear-thinking politicians take up the cause! All I can do is rejoice and shout Hallelujah!
Well, I am so pleased to report that the concerned citizens of our southern neighbour, the USA, have finally started to take some significant steps to deal with their gun problems. At least two states, Pennsylvania and Virginia, have recently passed legislation that will, without a doubt, decrease the incidents of gun violence in the future. I doff my hat for their determination to fight the heavy-hand of the NRA and attempt to let some common sense and intelligence prevail!
Many school districts are taking the problem of gun safety seriously. The Tredyffrin/Easttown School District in Pennsylvania has instituted a threat assessment policy to deal with any potential weapons’ offenses. Consequently, when a six-year-old kindergarten student pointed her finger at her teacher and declared, “I shoot you”, the school, under district policy, jumped instantly into action and called the police. Although the little Down Syndrome girl must have appeared to be totally innocent of any serious threat, the district was not taking any chances. In order to minimize weapon’s offenses by adults in later life, it is important to start by teaching children the dangers of frivolous threats early!
But this is not an isolated incident. A 12-year-old Kansas girl formed a gun with her fingers, pointed it at four of her classmates and then turned the pretend weapon toward herself. Police hauled her out of school in handcuffs, arrested her and charged the child with a felony for threatening. The time for fooling around is over!
Other recent examples include: one school district punished a student for chewing a Pop-Tart into the shape of a gun and pointing it at other students. That incident was considered serious enough that the Florida legislature even passed a bill specifically protecting the act of "brandishing a partially consumed pastry or other food item to simulate a firearm or weapon.” Another seven-year-old was suspended for bringing a "weapon" - a pen that "buzzed" when touched - to school. In Virginia, a school district suspended a boy for playing with a toy gun near a bus stop – which happened to be in his own front yard. In Pennsylvania, a 5-year-old was suspended for making “terroristic threats” with a bubble gun. Another elementary student was suspended for taking a hand-drawn picture of a bomb - a big black circle with a lit fuse like in the Wile E. Coyote cartoons - to school with him.
It is heartwarming to see so many schools and school districts taking the lead in this attempt to reduce the amount of gun violence in the country. The teachers, principals, and school districts that are keeping a tight reign on finger-pointing six-year-olds should serve as a model for us all.
The Virginia State legislature is also worthy of some praise for its recently passed new gun legislation. The bills now headed for the full Senate would require background checks on all firearms purchases, allow law enforcement to temporarily remove guns from individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others, and my particular favourite new law - capping handgun purchases at one per month. When an unstable individual or gang member or felon can only pick up one lethal handgun a month, we know we are on the right track.
So, for the many who have been lamenting the increase in gun violence, there is now a dim light at the end of the tunnel as vigilant teachers and clear-thinking politicians take up the cause! All I can do is rejoice and shout Hallelujah!
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
WERE YOU EVER CALLED PORKY OR CHUBBY OR FATSO?
WERE YOU EVER CALLED PORKY OR CHUBBY OR FATSO?
One of the significant epidemics that is striking North America particularly hard is the huge increase in the number of obese people. A prestigious team of medical scientists has projected that by 2030, nearly one in two adults will be obese, and nearly one in four will be severely obese. Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. None of this information is really new or startling, but when you consider that there will be over 250 million people in North America who will be called Fatty or Tubby during their lifetime, that reflects a huge two-faceted problem that will impact us all in some fashion.
I was always considered kind of chunky or chubby as a child growing up. As a young man, that label tended to change to names such as Big Guy or Big Man. My weight over my lifetime would be classified as overweight for probably 90% percent of that time. Of course, everyone’s weight fluctuates but generally seems to increase with age and a lower activity level. Anyone who was, or is overweight, has or will have to deal with two significant consequences.
The most obvious effect of being overweight has to do with our physical health. Many people suffer from the trifecta of overweight health problems - high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes! These conditions all lead to an increased tendency for heart-related illnesses and coronary conditions. When these tendencies start to affect millions of people, the strain and costs placed upon our national health care systems become astronomical.
Years of education have tried to inform people of ways to maintain a healthy weight. Canada’s Food Guide has been preaching much the same message for decades, yet those in need, seem to pay limited heed. Our world subscribes to a new diet fad every few years, never-ending weight loss programs, improved food content labeling and endless messages of caution - reduce sugar and alcohol intake, increase physical activity, eat more fruit and vegetables and less processed foods and red meat. The educational program has been slow and steady and is not making the kinds of gains in improved eating behaviour that the nutritionists would have liked.
The second consequence of obesity, I think is much more subtle and much less visible than the physical manifestation of overeating. I am referring to the mental health of many obese and overweight individuals. I know as a child I was often self-conscious of being chubby and with a roll over my belt. My self-consciousness led to shyness and a little social withdrawal. I don’t think this is unusual for many overweight individuals, but if the weight problem exacerbates the mental impact also increases.
Our society also spends millions of dollars promoting the well-toned masculine body and the shapely female frame as the route to happiness. Those individuals who don’t have Hollywood shapes and figures are constantly pressured by the presentation of unrealistic body stereotypes as the norm for all. There are many individuals who are significantly stressed and depressed with this major impact of being obese and there is no end in sight.
Combining the mental and physical consequences of obesity is truly a cause for concern and unfortunately, the problem seems to be growing (no pun intended) rather than shrinking! What do you think?
One of the significant epidemics that is striking North America particularly hard is the huge increase in the number of obese people. A prestigious team of medical scientists has projected that by 2030, nearly one in two adults will be obese, and nearly one in four will be severely obese. Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. None of this information is really new or startling, but when you consider that there will be over 250 million people in North America who will be called Fatty or Tubby during their lifetime, that reflects a huge two-faceted problem that will impact us all in some fashion.
I was always considered kind of chunky or chubby as a child growing up. As a young man, that label tended to change to names such as Big Guy or Big Man. My weight over my lifetime would be classified as overweight for probably 90% percent of that time. Of course, everyone’s weight fluctuates but generally seems to increase with age and a lower activity level. Anyone who was, or is overweight, has or will have to deal with two significant consequences.
The most obvious effect of being overweight has to do with our physical health. Many people suffer from the trifecta of overweight health problems - high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes! These conditions all lead to an increased tendency for heart-related illnesses and coronary conditions. When these tendencies start to affect millions of people, the strain and costs placed upon our national health care systems become astronomical.
Years of education have tried to inform people of ways to maintain a healthy weight. Canada’s Food Guide has been preaching much the same message for decades, yet those in need, seem to pay limited heed. Our world subscribes to a new diet fad every few years, never-ending weight loss programs, improved food content labeling and endless messages of caution - reduce sugar and alcohol intake, increase physical activity, eat more fruit and vegetables and less processed foods and red meat. The educational program has been slow and steady and is not making the kinds of gains in improved eating behaviour that the nutritionists would have liked.
The second consequence of obesity, I think is much more subtle and much less visible than the physical manifestation of overeating. I am referring to the mental health of many obese and overweight individuals. I know as a child I was often self-conscious of being chubby and with a roll over my belt. My self-consciousness led to shyness and a little social withdrawal. I don’t think this is unusual for many overweight individuals, but if the weight problem exacerbates the mental impact also increases.
Our society also spends millions of dollars promoting the well-toned masculine body and the shapely female frame as the route to happiness. Those individuals who don’t have Hollywood shapes and figures are constantly pressured by the presentation of unrealistic body stereotypes as the norm for all. There are many individuals who are significantly stressed and depressed with this major impact of being obese and there is no end in sight.
Combining the mental and physical consequences of obesity is truly a cause for concern and unfortunately, the problem seems to be growing (no pun intended) rather than shrinking! What do you think?
Sunday, February 9, 2020
ARE YOU A SEASONED OR A NOVICE TRAVELER?
ARE YOU A SEASONED OR A NOVICE TRAVELER?
Some people should not be allowed out-of-doors without a parent or responsible person to see that they don’t hurt themselves. I recently wrote that I felt that the world’s biggest problems today are the many viruses that threaten us in increasing numbers. My friend, Peter, disagrees and thinks the greatest threat to our survival is stupid people. I think that I am beginning to lean toward and support his views.
In Mazatlan, there is a helpful Facebook page that tries to answer questions from visitors that are coming for a holiday. I am often tempted to comment after their asinine questions, “Please stay home, you are going to hurt yourself if you come here or you may get lost and never be found again.” If you are going to travel to a new destination “DO YOUR HOMEWORK!” It has never been easier to find out any information that you need to know about any destination you choose to explore. Google was specifically invented for old geezers like me to learn about where to vacation, how to get there, where to stay, where to eat and endless options for sightseeing or exploring.
Stupid Facebook questions that have skipped by me this week include:
What is the temperature going to be in February?
Is there a bus that will take me downtown?
Can you recommend a good restaurant?
Can you tell me where I can buy some nice souvenirs?
Where can I meet new people? I am here by myself? (I really wanted to let this young lady know that she could find a lot of really friendly people at a topless bar, inhabited by pot-smoking junkies, near the beach who are always looking for naive young girls such as yourself) I fought off the urge to do so, probably to her detriment!
The tiniest bit of research would have answered all of these questions and more. If you haven’t learned this, don’t leave your own back yard!
The absolute lack of any travel sense that some people have is scary. They should all be required to wear T-shirts with slogans such as, “I’m a first-timer in Mazatlan” or “I’m as dumb as I look” or “Never been away from home before.” Even without the T-shirt, however, they are recognizable by their pink sunburns, wearing shorts with long socks in sandals wardrobe or carrying a beer in a brown paper bag down the street with that “Oh so cool” look on their face. The only place they wouldn’t be pegged as a novice tourist would be if they arrived during a solar eclipse and didn’t leave their room until they flew back home!
At the other end of the stupid tourist spectrum, I need to identify one amazing traveler that I know. My other friend, Jack, is an 80-plus-year-old gentleman who spends five or six months in Thailand during the winter. His travel stamina and acumen are unchallenged. He doesn’t buy the safe travel packages that I have resorted to when I explored Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Jack does all of his own research on travel destinations, sites to visit and then charts his own course using Google, local buses and boats, and plots his route like a modern-day Marco Polo. No destination is too daunting and he doesn’t agonize over where he will stay along the way or what he will eat. If he wants to take a little jaunt over to Laos or China, he does his homework and goes. He loves to identify unique Buddhist temples, whether tethered to a mountaintop or hidden in an obscure valley town that even the locals aren’t familiar with. And he goes to visit them. I just wanted to tip my hat to this good friend and unparalleled “senior” explorer.
So, youngsters (under 50), unless you can be a self-sufficient traveler like my friend Jack, please stay home and just watch travel television! Keep your stupid questions to yourself and stay out of our way!
Some people should not be allowed out-of-doors without a parent or responsible person to see that they don’t hurt themselves. I recently wrote that I felt that the world’s biggest problems today are the many viruses that threaten us in increasing numbers. My friend, Peter, disagrees and thinks the greatest threat to our survival is stupid people. I think that I am beginning to lean toward and support his views.
In Mazatlan, there is a helpful Facebook page that tries to answer questions from visitors that are coming for a holiday. I am often tempted to comment after their asinine questions, “Please stay home, you are going to hurt yourself if you come here or you may get lost and never be found again.” If you are going to travel to a new destination “DO YOUR HOMEWORK!” It has never been easier to find out any information that you need to know about any destination you choose to explore. Google was specifically invented for old geezers like me to learn about where to vacation, how to get there, where to stay, where to eat and endless options for sightseeing or exploring.
Stupid Facebook questions that have skipped by me this week include:
What is the temperature going to be in February?
Is there a bus that will take me downtown?
Can you recommend a good restaurant?
Can you tell me where I can buy some nice souvenirs?
Where can I meet new people? I am here by myself? (I really wanted to let this young lady know that she could find a lot of really friendly people at a topless bar, inhabited by pot-smoking junkies, near the beach who are always looking for naive young girls such as yourself) I fought off the urge to do so, probably to her detriment!
The tiniest bit of research would have answered all of these questions and more. If you haven’t learned this, don’t leave your own back yard!
The absolute lack of any travel sense that some people have is scary. They should all be required to wear T-shirts with slogans such as, “I’m a first-timer in Mazatlan” or “I’m as dumb as I look” or “Never been away from home before.” Even without the T-shirt, however, they are recognizable by their pink sunburns, wearing shorts with long socks in sandals wardrobe or carrying a beer in a brown paper bag down the street with that “Oh so cool” look on their face. The only place they wouldn’t be pegged as a novice tourist would be if they arrived during a solar eclipse and didn’t leave their room until they flew back home!
At the other end of the stupid tourist spectrum, I need to identify one amazing traveler that I know. My other friend, Jack, is an 80-plus-year-old gentleman who spends five or six months in Thailand during the winter. His travel stamina and acumen are unchallenged. He doesn’t buy the safe travel packages that I have resorted to when I explored Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Jack does all of his own research on travel destinations, sites to visit and then charts his own course using Google, local buses and boats, and plots his route like a modern-day Marco Polo. No destination is too daunting and he doesn’t agonize over where he will stay along the way or what he will eat. If he wants to take a little jaunt over to Laos or China, he does his homework and goes. He loves to identify unique Buddhist temples, whether tethered to a mountaintop or hidden in an obscure valley town that even the locals aren’t familiar with. And he goes to visit them. I just wanted to tip my hat to this good friend and unparalleled “senior” explorer.
So, youngsters (under 50), unless you can be a self-sufficient traveler like my friend Jack, please stay home and just watch travel television! Keep your stupid questions to yourself and stay out of our way!
Friday, February 7, 2020
WILL WIND TURBINES SOLVE OUR ENERGY PROBLEMS?
WILL WIND TURBINES SOLVE OUR ENERGY PROBLEMS?
Do you ever find yourself getting more confused and uncertain the more you try to understand and figure something out? I am currently thinking about the wonderful options we have to burning fossil fuels for power and electricity, specifically, solar and wind power. I believe that every new building ever constructed should be required to use solar panels as one part of their electrical source. Why not? The sun shines almost every day! I am also enamored by the elegance and poise of tall, sleek wind turbines that you often see proudly twirling on the edge of a hillside like giant pinwheels. How can we go wrong with wind power? Well, exploring that question, was the start of my latest dilemma!
I was first led to believe that the stately wind turbines were the answer to one of our energy problems. They were simple to construct, although expensive, did not pollute the environment and would just spin and spin like the old windmills of the Netherlands, forever and ever. Not surprisingly, I soon learned how naive I was and still am.
Opponents of wind power argue that it will take over 50 years for a wind turbine to generate enough electricity to pay for the two million dollars cost that goes into its manufacture, installation, operation, maintenance and the ultimate decommissioning of each turbine. Although many still support the benefits of wind power, there is a financial catch. Most wind turbine's life expectancy is only 25 years, so where is the profit? They need to be replaced before they pay for themselves. That is not good news!
The largest wind turbine farm in the USA, 1,600 turbines, was built in the mid-’80s near San Francisco. It did not last 25 years and today sits abandoned. It is not the only wind farm that has been abandoned, it is just the largest. Also, considering the fact that they only run 30 percent of the time — how short would their lifetime be if they ran anywhere near 100 percent of the time? So all of a sudden what appeared to be a wonderful solution to our fossil fuel consumption problem does not appear to be the answer.
Other arguments against wind turbines are their negative effects on wildlife and birds that live and travel near them. Farmers who often live nearest to wind farms complain about the “noise” of the turbines and their long term effects on human health. Then, today, I read of another negative feature of wind turbines that I had never heard before.
Turbine blades can last up to 20 years, but many are taken down after just 10 so they can be replaced with bigger and more powerful designs. Tens of thousands of aging blades are coming down from steel towers around the world and most have nowhere to go but landfills. In the U.S. alone, about 8,000 will be removed in each of the next four years. Built to withstand hurricane-force winds, the blades can’t easily be crushed, recycled or reused. The monster-size fibreglass blades are not biodegradable and have now become another increasing pollutant in our already clogged landfill sites. Who would have guessed?
Creative companies are now trying to invent ways to repurpose the old turbine blades with limited success. So just when you start to become optimistic over a solution to one problem, you find that you have created another problem at the same time.
Maybe the worn-out turbine blades could be sold to President Trump for him to use to build his wall along the Mexican border! Or as surfboards at Mar-a-Largo.
Do you ever find yourself getting more confused and uncertain the more you try to understand and figure something out? I am currently thinking about the wonderful options we have to burning fossil fuels for power and electricity, specifically, solar and wind power. I believe that every new building ever constructed should be required to use solar panels as one part of their electrical source. Why not? The sun shines almost every day! I am also enamored by the elegance and poise of tall, sleek wind turbines that you often see proudly twirling on the edge of a hillside like giant pinwheels. How can we go wrong with wind power? Well, exploring that question, was the start of my latest dilemma!
I was first led to believe that the stately wind turbines were the answer to one of our energy problems. They were simple to construct, although expensive, did not pollute the environment and would just spin and spin like the old windmills of the Netherlands, forever and ever. Not surprisingly, I soon learned how naive I was and still am.
Opponents of wind power argue that it will take over 50 years for a wind turbine to generate enough electricity to pay for the two million dollars cost that goes into its manufacture, installation, operation, maintenance and the ultimate decommissioning of each turbine. Although many still support the benefits of wind power, there is a financial catch. Most wind turbine's life expectancy is only 25 years, so where is the profit? They need to be replaced before they pay for themselves. That is not good news!
The largest wind turbine farm in the USA, 1,600 turbines, was built in the mid-’80s near San Francisco. It did not last 25 years and today sits abandoned. It is not the only wind farm that has been abandoned, it is just the largest. Also, considering the fact that they only run 30 percent of the time — how short would their lifetime be if they ran anywhere near 100 percent of the time? So all of a sudden what appeared to be a wonderful solution to our fossil fuel consumption problem does not appear to be the answer.
Other arguments against wind turbines are their negative effects on wildlife and birds that live and travel near them. Farmers who often live nearest to wind farms complain about the “noise” of the turbines and their long term effects on human health. Then, today, I read of another negative feature of wind turbines that I had never heard before.
Turbine blades can last up to 20 years, but many are taken down after just 10 so they can be replaced with bigger and more powerful designs. Tens of thousands of aging blades are coming down from steel towers around the world and most have nowhere to go but landfills. In the U.S. alone, about 8,000 will be removed in each of the next four years. Built to withstand hurricane-force winds, the blades can’t easily be crushed, recycled or reused. The monster-size fibreglass blades are not biodegradable and have now become another increasing pollutant in our already clogged landfill sites. Who would have guessed?
Creative companies are now trying to invent ways to repurpose the old turbine blades with limited success. So just when you start to become optimistic over a solution to one problem, you find that you have created another problem at the same time.
Maybe the worn-out turbine blades could be sold to President Trump for him to use to build his wall along the Mexican border! Or as surfboards at Mar-a-Largo.
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
IS COLD HARD CASH NOW OBSOLETE?
IS COLD HARD CASH NOW OBSOLETE?
There was a time when if you had cash in your pockets you could buy just about anything. Well, the world of hard, cold, cash has now come full circle. More and more I am encountering situations where suppliers will not take cash, they require a credit card. For example, if you fly on Westjet and want to purchase a gourmet sandwich you can only pay with a credit card - your ten-dollar bill is not acceptable. It does appear that we are headed more and more towards a cashless society. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I think a little of both.
Americans used cash for an estimated 26% of transactions last year, down from 40% in 2012, according to surveys by the US central bank. The decline is not unique to the US. In the UK, the proportion of cash payments has dropped by more than half since 2008, sinking from 60% to 28% in 2018. In Sweden, cash accounts for just 6% of transactions, down from more than 35% in 2012. When I look around me I see the same phenomenon.
I am still a traditionalist when it comes to using cash. I find it the most efficient way to monitor how much I spend on a daily or weekly basis. The evil of using plastic is that you often tend to let the ease of use lead to financial surprises. When a monthly accounting of your expenditures arrives it is often for far more than you realized. Credit card debt is one of the biggest financial problems faced by millions. It disturbs me to see teenagers paying for a three dollar hamburger at McDonald's with a credit card. It seems so unnecessary to slowly accrue debt, with high interest payments, over a simple Quarter Pounder.
The eventual disappearance of cash is imminent. Paper money, in particular, is dirty, destructible, and needs to be replenished on a regular basis by the government. Many coins, including the vanished penny and the current nickel coins, cost more to manufacture than their purchasing power. Credit or debit cards are much more practical and very easy to use. And they continue to evolve. We used to have to imprint our credit card number on a paper carbon-copied sheet, then the electronic “insert-your-card” machine arrived and now you just have to tap your card on the debit machine. How could spending money get any easier? And the banks and credit card companies just love our addiction to the magic plastic card.
The advent of the smartphone has pushed the use of actual cash even farther into the background. With banking apps and “digital wallets” on cell phones, today's generation is well versed in ordering their food selections online, paying for it with their digital bank account and just picking up their food order without ever having to touch a coin, a bill, or a credit card. The ultimate sophisticated young consumer can go even one step farther and have a delivery company like Skip the Dishes pick up and deliver your order to your door.
Upper and middle-class families will soon all start becoming cashless in their shopping habits. Unfortunately, some individuals are unable to qualify for credit cards for numerous reasons so they will certainly be disadvantaged. I am still quite taken aback when I finish a meal and ask for the check and the waitress also returns with the hand-held electronic banking machine. When I show her a twenty or fifty dollar bill to pay for the meal, she is often startled and isn’t sure how to handle it. It might mean she has to make change and that is a challenge no young waiter seems to deal with. I am sure it won’t be long before I am told “Sorry, sir, we don’t take real money anymore. You need to pay by credit card.” And that my friends is called progress!
There was a time when if you had cash in your pockets you could buy just about anything. Well, the world of hard, cold, cash has now come full circle. More and more I am encountering situations where suppliers will not take cash, they require a credit card. For example, if you fly on Westjet and want to purchase a gourmet sandwich you can only pay with a credit card - your ten-dollar bill is not acceptable. It does appear that we are headed more and more towards a cashless society. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I think a little of both.
Americans used cash for an estimated 26% of transactions last year, down from 40% in 2012, according to surveys by the US central bank. The decline is not unique to the US. In the UK, the proportion of cash payments has dropped by more than half since 2008, sinking from 60% to 28% in 2018. In Sweden, cash accounts for just 6% of transactions, down from more than 35% in 2012. When I look around me I see the same phenomenon.
I am still a traditionalist when it comes to using cash. I find it the most efficient way to monitor how much I spend on a daily or weekly basis. The evil of using plastic is that you often tend to let the ease of use lead to financial surprises. When a monthly accounting of your expenditures arrives it is often for far more than you realized. Credit card debt is one of the biggest financial problems faced by millions. It disturbs me to see teenagers paying for a three dollar hamburger at McDonald's with a credit card. It seems so unnecessary to slowly accrue debt, with high interest payments, over a simple Quarter Pounder.
The eventual disappearance of cash is imminent. Paper money, in particular, is dirty, destructible, and needs to be replenished on a regular basis by the government. Many coins, including the vanished penny and the current nickel coins, cost more to manufacture than their purchasing power. Credit or debit cards are much more practical and very easy to use. And they continue to evolve. We used to have to imprint our credit card number on a paper carbon-copied sheet, then the electronic “insert-your-card” machine arrived and now you just have to tap your card on the debit machine. How could spending money get any easier? And the banks and credit card companies just love our addiction to the magic plastic card.
The advent of the smartphone has pushed the use of actual cash even farther into the background. With banking apps and “digital wallets” on cell phones, today's generation is well versed in ordering their food selections online, paying for it with their digital bank account and just picking up their food order without ever having to touch a coin, a bill, or a credit card. The ultimate sophisticated young consumer can go even one step farther and have a delivery company like Skip the Dishes pick up and deliver your order to your door.
Upper and middle-class families will soon all start becoming cashless in their shopping habits. Unfortunately, some individuals are unable to qualify for credit cards for numerous reasons so they will certainly be disadvantaged. I am still quite taken aback when I finish a meal and ask for the check and the waitress also returns with the hand-held electronic banking machine. When I show her a twenty or fifty dollar bill to pay for the meal, she is often startled and isn’t sure how to handle it. It might mean she has to make change and that is a challenge no young waiter seems to deal with. I am sure it won’t be long before I am told “Sorry, sir, we don’t take real money anymore. You need to pay by credit card.” And that my friends is called progress!
Monday, February 3, 2020
DID ANYTHING IRRITATE YOU THIS WEEK, KEN?
DID ANYTHING IRRITATE YOU THIS WEEK, KEN?
Most of my readers probably think of me as very calm, level-headed, not easily excitable, and generally fairly reserved. On most days, in most weeks, that is true. The past couple of days, however, have had me ranting and raving over several issues that irritated me to the Nth degree. The irritations cover the gamut from politics to hockey to drunk drivers. I’ve been on a roll!
Let me begin with the Palestinian-Israeli peace accord presented recently to the two long-antagonistic foes by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Jared has quickly acquired, through his association with his all-wise father-in-law, the perception that he is more than capable of resolving any problem. Expertise, experience, or academic credentials are irrelevant when it comes to pulling together a peace initiative that has failed dozens of architects of such negotiations for over 75 years. Somehow, the Jewish graduate with a simple BA in government submitted his unbiased peace plan without any qualms. Not surprisingly the Palestinians swiftly rejected the plan, which catered to nearly every major Israeli demand and left the Palestinian demands by the side of the road.
But that only led to my second related rant. Neither side signed the proposed treaty, but that did not bother Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Without skipping a beat he indicated he will move on immediately to annex West Bank settlements which have all been illegally established since Israel came into existence in 1948. The ten-year Prime Minister does not seem to be distracted by the fact that he will soon face a trial on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust stemming from three long-running corruption cases. The only event that will make me shake my head even harder over the pomposity of these two individuals will be when Kushner and Netanyahu are jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020!
In a lighter vein, I found out that not only did my Calgary Flames get thumped by the Edmonton Oilers recently, but the highlight of the game was a fistfight at centre-ice between the two goalies. The absurdity of this spectacle is beyond belief. The goalies are stationed at opposite ends of the rink about 175 feet away from each other. Anybody who can propose a rational explanation, besides the classical hockey mumbo-jumbo about sticking up for your teammates, can give it a try. This scenario is about as ridiculous as the team mascots duking it out in the stands or the two team general managers having a water fight in the executive suites above the ice. Sometimes sporting stupidity knows no bounds.
Finally, patient readers, let me moan about another distorted interpretation of our human rights legislation. In 2018, Ottawa introduced new laws that allow police to demand a breath sample from any driver they lawfully pull over, even if they have no suspicion of intoxication. Drivers who refuse to take a sobriety test are potentially subject to the same penalties as someone who is driving impaired. The new change is that the police will start every interaction with a stopped vehicle by administering a breath sample from the driver. Some in the legal profession argue it is a law that basically totally ignores the presumption of innocence and is unconstitutional.
Well to tell you the truth, I don’t care! Whether a driver has been drinking or not, the administration of a breathalyzer is a very simple, quick procedure. It is not a major imposition and it is designed to protect the safety and health of the larger population. If my trip is lengthened by five minutes while I offer a breath sample that’s OK. If you want to make a federal case about a safety measure designed to reduce drunk drivers on the road, maybe you can get some good advice from Jared, now that he has solved the Middle East peace problem!
I can hardly wait for next week’s news highlights!
Most of my readers probably think of me as very calm, level-headed, not easily excitable, and generally fairly reserved. On most days, in most weeks, that is true. The past couple of days, however, have had me ranting and raving over several issues that irritated me to the Nth degree. The irritations cover the gamut from politics to hockey to drunk drivers. I’ve been on a roll!
Let me begin with the Palestinian-Israeli peace accord presented recently to the two long-antagonistic foes by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Jared has quickly acquired, through his association with his all-wise father-in-law, the perception that he is more than capable of resolving any problem. Expertise, experience, or academic credentials are irrelevant when it comes to pulling together a peace initiative that has failed dozens of architects of such negotiations for over 75 years. Somehow, the Jewish graduate with a simple BA in government submitted his unbiased peace plan without any qualms. Not surprisingly the Palestinians swiftly rejected the plan, which catered to nearly every major Israeli demand and left the Palestinian demands by the side of the road.
But that only led to my second related rant. Neither side signed the proposed treaty, but that did not bother Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Without skipping a beat he indicated he will move on immediately to annex West Bank settlements which have all been illegally established since Israel came into existence in 1948. The ten-year Prime Minister does not seem to be distracted by the fact that he will soon face a trial on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust stemming from three long-running corruption cases. The only event that will make me shake my head even harder over the pomposity of these two individuals will be when Kushner and Netanyahu are jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020!
In a lighter vein, I found out that not only did my Calgary Flames get thumped by the Edmonton Oilers recently, but the highlight of the game was a fistfight at centre-ice between the two goalies. The absurdity of this spectacle is beyond belief. The goalies are stationed at opposite ends of the rink about 175 feet away from each other. Anybody who can propose a rational explanation, besides the classical hockey mumbo-jumbo about sticking up for your teammates, can give it a try. This scenario is about as ridiculous as the team mascots duking it out in the stands or the two team general managers having a water fight in the executive suites above the ice. Sometimes sporting stupidity knows no bounds.
Finally, patient readers, let me moan about another distorted interpretation of our human rights legislation. In 2018, Ottawa introduced new laws that allow police to demand a breath sample from any driver they lawfully pull over, even if they have no suspicion of intoxication. Drivers who refuse to take a sobriety test are potentially subject to the same penalties as someone who is driving impaired. The new change is that the police will start every interaction with a stopped vehicle by administering a breath sample from the driver. Some in the legal profession argue it is a law that basically totally ignores the presumption of innocence and is unconstitutional.
Well to tell you the truth, I don’t care! Whether a driver has been drinking or not, the administration of a breathalyzer is a very simple, quick procedure. It is not a major imposition and it is designed to protect the safety and health of the larger population. If my trip is lengthened by five minutes while I offer a breath sample that’s OK. If you want to make a federal case about a safety measure designed to reduce drunk drivers on the road, maybe you can get some good advice from Jared, now that he has solved the Middle East peace problem!
I can hardly wait for next week’s news highlights!
Saturday, February 1, 2020
SHOULD WE EVER ARM 12-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN AS SOLDIERS?
SHOULD WE EVER ARM 12-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN AS SOLDIERS?
Can you imagine, children, ages 6-12 training to eventually protect their community against criminal groups, in a lawless terrain where residents say no one is safe? And I am not referring to the child soldiers that we have been introduced to over the years in Sierra Leone, the Congo, and Uganda. I am referring to some small towns in Mexico where children are being trained as a part of the local militia of volunteers that are arming themselves to defend against roaming gangs, bandits, and cartels. The contradiction of this reality and our vacationing for two months in Mexico seems quite surreal.
During our two month holiday in Mazatlan, we enjoy an almost perfect oasis of good weather, fine food, and friendly people. We have rented a newly built apartment, have access to modern supermarkets and can travel about freely and inexpensively on buses, taxis, and pulmonias. Each day we are greeted with sunny skies, rolling blue ocean waves and time to relax on the beach. It is fairly close to home, the cost of living is cheaper than many vacation destinations and we see no signs of the violence or murderous activities that are recorded in Mexico. Are we just lucky or are we just stupid?
2019 was the deadliest year for Mexico since records began, with a staggering 35,588 murders, according to the National Public Safety Secretariat. The number of murders in Mexico is more than double the number in the USA where over 15,000 murders were recorded. While these death totals are staggering, Mexico ranks only number 19 in the world with 25 murders per 100,000 people. By comparison, El Salvador is number one, with 61/100,00, the USA number 89 with 5.2/100,000 and Canada ranks number 158 with 1.8/100,000. If you chose your holiday destinations by murder rate, the lowest countries are Japan, Singapore, and Luxembourg with one murder per 500,000 people.
The government of Mexico is faced with an overwhelming task of trying to break up the cycle of poverty, gangs and drugs, and murder. It is no small task. The majority of the population are relatively poor trying to eek a subsistence from small family farms, small business, and labouring jobs. The prospects for the future for many young Mexicans are very dim, as is the case of many black youth in American cities. Limited educational opportunities and hopeless-looking futures only breed gangs, which are quickly incorporated into the drug networks of the cartels. The same formula exists in many countries ie, poverty plus lack of educational opportunity plus gang membership plus easy drug money plus weapons equals violence and murder. If the first two elements of the equation - poverty and education - cannot be successfully addressed by governments, the ultimate result will always be the same.
As a foreign tourist, I am often concerned about whether we were helping the situation in any fashion. When we come to Mexico we spend our money in local stores, restaurants, malls and assorted local companies. Does the tourist dollar make any real impact on the situation? Does buying chiclets from little kids, or straw hats in the market or a silver bracelet on the beach do anything for the average Mexican? I don’t know. I hope it helps a little, but I don’t think it really does much to compete against the other stronger forces that impact most Mexicans.
Just the thought of a little twelve-year-old boy carrying a loaded rifle to protect his family and village from some thugs and gangsters saddens my heart. Will any Mexican government be able to save its own citizens from the evil power of the cartels and associates? My answer is …?
Can you imagine, children, ages 6-12 training to eventually protect their community against criminal groups, in a lawless terrain where residents say no one is safe? And I am not referring to the child soldiers that we have been introduced to over the years in Sierra Leone, the Congo, and Uganda. I am referring to some small towns in Mexico where children are being trained as a part of the local militia of volunteers that are arming themselves to defend against roaming gangs, bandits, and cartels. The contradiction of this reality and our vacationing for two months in Mexico seems quite surreal.
During our two month holiday in Mazatlan, we enjoy an almost perfect oasis of good weather, fine food, and friendly people. We have rented a newly built apartment, have access to modern supermarkets and can travel about freely and inexpensively on buses, taxis, and pulmonias. Each day we are greeted with sunny skies, rolling blue ocean waves and time to relax on the beach. It is fairly close to home, the cost of living is cheaper than many vacation destinations and we see no signs of the violence or murderous activities that are recorded in Mexico. Are we just lucky or are we just stupid?
2019 was the deadliest year for Mexico since records began, with a staggering 35,588 murders, according to the National Public Safety Secretariat. The number of murders in Mexico is more than double the number in the USA where over 15,000 murders were recorded. While these death totals are staggering, Mexico ranks only number 19 in the world with 25 murders per 100,000 people. By comparison, El Salvador is number one, with 61/100,00, the USA number 89 with 5.2/100,000 and Canada ranks number 158 with 1.8/100,000. If you chose your holiday destinations by murder rate, the lowest countries are Japan, Singapore, and Luxembourg with one murder per 500,000 people.
The government of Mexico is faced with an overwhelming task of trying to break up the cycle of poverty, gangs and drugs, and murder. It is no small task. The majority of the population are relatively poor trying to eek a subsistence from small family farms, small business, and labouring jobs. The prospects for the future for many young Mexicans are very dim, as is the case of many black youth in American cities. Limited educational opportunities and hopeless-looking futures only breed gangs, which are quickly incorporated into the drug networks of the cartels. The same formula exists in many countries ie, poverty plus lack of educational opportunity plus gang membership plus easy drug money plus weapons equals violence and murder. If the first two elements of the equation - poverty and education - cannot be successfully addressed by governments, the ultimate result will always be the same.
As a foreign tourist, I am often concerned about whether we were helping the situation in any fashion. When we come to Mexico we spend our money in local stores, restaurants, malls and assorted local companies. Does the tourist dollar make any real impact on the situation? Does buying chiclets from little kids, or straw hats in the market or a silver bracelet on the beach do anything for the average Mexican? I don’t know. I hope it helps a little, but I don’t think it really does much to compete against the other stronger forces that impact most Mexicans.
Just the thought of a little twelve-year-old boy carrying a loaded rifle to protect his family and village from some thugs and gangsters saddens my heart. Will any Mexican government be able to save its own citizens from the evil power of the cartels and associates? My answer is …?
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