TRUMP OR HITLER? HITLER OR TRUMP?

TRUMP OR HITLER? HITLER OR TRUMP?

Many comparisons have been drawn in the media by various writers and broadcasters between Trump and Hitler. In an attempt to provide my bored and tired readers with a more interactive blog I am presenting you with a challenge. Below are a variety of statements I have chosen from some of my readings that have either been used to describe Trump or Hitler. Your assignment is to determine which ones were written directly about Trump or directly about Hitler. Go!

I shall identify him as Kermit to protect his real identity until you figure it out.  

1.  Kermit was actually an incompetent, lazy egomaniac and his government was an absolute clown show. Before he was elected many of his opponents had dismissed him as a joke for his crude speeches and tacky rallies. He was a “pathetic dunderhead” according to one magazine editor; another wrote that his party was a “society of incompetents”.

2.  Why did the elites of his county so consistently underestimate him? Possibly because they weren’t actually wrong in their assessment of his competency - they just failed to realize that this wasn’t enough to stand in the way of his ambition. As it turned out, Kermit was very bad at running a government.  A journalist wrote, “In his years as leader, Kermit produced the biggest confusion in government that has ever existed in a civilized state.”

3.  Kermit hated having to read paperwork, and would regularly make important decisions without even looking at the documents his aides had prepared for him. Rather than having policy discussions with his underlings, he’d subject them to impromptu rambling speeches about whatever was on his mind. 

4.  His government was constantly in chaos, with officials having no idea what he wanted them to do, and nobody was entirely clear who was actually in charge of what. 

5.  He procrastinated wildly when asked to make difficult decisions, and would often end up relying on gut feeling, leaving even close allies in the dark about his plans. His unreliability meant that most of the time his staff spent time in-fighting and backstabbing each other in an attempt to either win his approval or avoid his attention altogether.

6.  Kermit was obsessed with the media and celebrity, and often seen to have viewed himself through that lens. He wrote to a friend,”I believe my life is the greatest novel in world history.” 

7. He was deeply insecure about his own lack of knowledge, preferring to either ignore information that contradicted his preconceptions, or to lash out at the expertise of others - he was said to “rage like a tiger” if anybody corrected him. 

8.   He hated being laughed at, but enjoyed it when other people were the butt of the joke (he would perform mocking impressions of people he disliked). But he also craved the approval of those he disdained, and his mood would quickly improve if a newspaper wrote something complimentary about him.

9.  Kermit’s personal failings didn’t stop him having an uncanny instinct for political rhetoric that would gain mass appeal, and it turns out that you don’t need to have a particularly competent government to do terrible things.

I am sure that you may have had some difficulty with attributing some of the statements to one or the other of our protagonists. In truth, ALL of the statements were written about Adolf Hitler, none were written about Trump. Yet, I am sure that many of your selections were easily assigned to Trump as he definitely could have been the subject. This bizarre similarity of the personal characteristics and leadership style of a current US President to a despised Nazi dictator is scary. Almost enough of a scare to thrust the corona bug into the background for a second or two. Almost! How did you do on the quiz?

CAN WE REALLY AFFORD TO LOSE OUR DOCTORS?

CAN WE REALLY AFFORD TO LOSE OUR DOCTORS?

Sometimes it is time to retreat, to admit that we need to backtrack on a decision, and time to say, “Whoa!” I am referring to the deteriorating relationship between Alberta doctors and the provincial government. Alberta family physicians recently saw their funding contract cancelled and are bracing for a new arrangement that includes significant cost-control measures that would reduce their income. But during the height of our current pandemic, now is not the time we want doctors to submit their notices to their respective Health Boards that they will soon be leaving the province. We cannot let that happen!

Given the fiscal realities in Alberta and some of the highest rates of Fee-For-Service payment plans among family physicians of any province, some changes were arguably necessary. The government, as seems to be their current modus operandi, dropped these changes on the medical profession with limited consultation or negotiation. Consequently, many doctors, especially in smaller rural settings have declared their intention to leave Alberta soon. 

It is time to call a moratorium on the government’s impending changes to doctors’ billing and working conditions. Doctors are already working in the most difficult environment imaginable. On top of a life and death working world, doctors do not need the added pressure of contract negotiations with the province. When the pandemic has been diminished, there will be more time for both sides to try to develop an acceptable delivery model that both sides can live with. We cannot afford to be understaffed in any of our hospitals or care centres. That is certainly just common sense. The time to call a time-out is now! Let’s just focus on containing the pandemic.

The government appears deaf to the doctor’s appeals for more consultation. Perhaps an analogy might help the Premier better view the situation. In the summer and fall, when we experience very dry conditions in our forests, major forest fires have become an annual event. Our air in Calgary has been smoke-filled for months when we have had huge forest fires in neighbouring BC. Would it make any sense to reduce the number of firefighters during this time because the cost is so prohibitive? I don’t think we would think this is a good idea. It would be a time when monetary costs become secondary considerations when we are trying valiantly to save lives, property, and communities from raging fires. Likewise doctors’ salaries and fees are not that relevant when we are all fighting to prevent massive infections and deaths. 

With so much time on our hands and so much time that we are housebound, perhaps it is time for all of us to write letters to the Premier and Health Minister to freeze any changes to doctors’ fees and working conditions until later. If you are looking for a meaningful pastime, write a letter or two, and pass this request on to your friends. Let’s try to make a difference and improve all of our chances for better health care by supporting our Alberta doctors!

The pen is mightier than the sword! 

PS Two days after I wrote this, the Health Minister did eliminate some of his new billing procedures for rural doctors. But the fight is still on for a lot of other changes. Write a letter.

DO YOU KNOW OF THE BURLINGTON LIARS CLUB?

DO YOU KNOW OF THE BURLINGTON LIARS CLUB?

What do politicians, gamblers and used car salesmen have in common? You might guess that they each could be called a falsifier, prevaricator, dissimulator, trickster, fibber, false-witness, deceiver, romancer, maligner, deluder and cheat. Instead of being polite, you could probably also use the word “liar” to describe some of their promises and braggadocio. (Please note that I have not included some golfers as I have heaped enough criticism upon their game recently.) It is comforting to know that our society provides a means for accomplished liars to display their skills in a public forum. It is called the Burlington Liars Club.

The Burlington Liars' Club is an American organization that awards the title "World Champion Liar" annually. The club, located in Burlington, Wisconsin, has been bestowing the award since 1929. To bring some levity to your day here are some of the winning entries from over the years:

I just realized how bad the economy really is. I recently bought a new toaster oven and as a complimentary gift, I was given a Bank.

My grandson is the most persuasive liar I have ever met. By the time he was 2 years old, he could dirty his diaper and make his mother believe someone else had done it. 

 Grandpa went to a big fancy hotel for the first time in his life, he said the bed was so big he had to use his GPS to find Grandma!

I grew up in a family with 16 children. I never got to sleep alone until I got married!

A boss told his secretary that the fax machine in one of the company’s branches was out of paper, so she faxed some blank sheets to that fax machine to restock it.

I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met.

My son’s high school grades went from all A’s to all D’s. This happened right after he had his wisdom teeth extracted.

My wife is so indecisive about choosing paint colours, our 1800 square foot home in now 1000 square feet due to all the coats of paint.

I have a 1979 Dodge car that has over 200,000 miles on it and is so old that the license bureau now issues upper and lower plates for it.

My grandfather could hone a kitchen knife so sharp that grandma could slice off a piece of bread so thin it only had one side. To put butter on, you had to fold it first.

It was so cold in Missouri last winter that I saw a politician standing on a street corner with his hands in his own pockets.

Aristotle Onassis is planning to give Jackie a plant for Christmas. The name of the plant is General Motors.

There’s a lady back home who was always late for everything. On the day she died, she wasn’t late for her own funeral, but when she arrived at those Pearly Gates, she claimed overtime.

Fishing around here was so bad this summer that even the biggest liars didn’t catch any.

My Favourite: Last year we had very little wind down here in Texas. I have three windmills on my ranch, and there was so little wind that I had to take two of them down to get enough wind to run the other one. And, if I hadn’t taken down the barbed wire fence that was holding up the wind, I don’t think that would have worked!

My entry this year: I wish Donald Trump was our Prime Minister!

A FASCINATING COVID-19 OBSERVATION! (NOT MINE)

A FASCINATING COVID-19 OBSERVATION! (NOT MINE)

A former colleague has spent many winters living in and exploring Thailand. He is currently “stuck” in Pattaya, Thailand waiting for the pandemic to subside when he will somehow be able to return to his home in Calgary. In his blog, he has questioned how Thailand with a population of 69 million has experienced 47 deaths, and in Alberta with a population of 4.4 million, 59 deaths have occurred. In Canada 1800 deaths have occurred in a population of 37 million. What is the reason for the huge differences? Below are his personal thoughts and opinions on that question. I certainly found it very interesting and he has allowed me to share it with you. It is a much more interesting read than my usual offerings.

“Besides some simple cultural differences eg the wai vs the handshake, I believe that there are differences between Thais and Canadians that run much deeper than these, and it is these differences that help answer the question for me about both Canada’s failure and Thailand’s success in response to Covid-19. The basic difference comes in the ways that each views Life itself, that most fundamental of all views. In Canada, Life and Happiness are virtually inseparable. Our goal in life is to be happy and we know that if we are unhappy it is not that difficult to achieve; Get a  better job, buy a new car, take a holiday, and so forth. We also expect things in our Life to go smoothly such as our car will start quickly, that the streets will be plowed, that the LRT will be on time, and again, and so forth.  If these are working well, a Canadian is happy about Life.

A Thai looks at Life as a struggle, that existence itself is suffering. The Thai expects that Life will not go smoothly, that there will always be problems and setbacks. Further, the Thai believes that every person has the necessary tools within her/himself so that this particular struggle may be resolved and Life will continue. The notion of ‘Happiness’ is absent. Meditation is the major practice of Thai spirituality. (Of course, this is Buddhism. 95% of Thais are Buddhist.)

This difference in the Thai and the Canadian view of Life help explain for me why the difference in response to Covid-19 had such different results. When Canadians first heard of Covid -19 they were irritated, concerned that this is another inconvenience that would interfere with their Life. There was little change in the ways that they went about their daily activities until the ‘rules’ were in place and enforced. As the news worsened and lockdowns began, there was some resistance to the new ‘rules’ and an attitude of conforming with those rules to the letter of the law rather than its spirit. Canadians grumbled because they could not go to work, the kids were not at school, nothing was running smoothly. The problem solver of buying something was unavailable because the malls were closed. Canadians were on their own. Conclusion of John and Mary Canuck: There is not much happiness in our Life.

When the news of Covid-19 reached Thailand the response was very different. Because Wuhan is practically a neighbour and Chinese tourists were numerous in Thailand in January, there was a greater sense of immediacy in dealing with the pandemic. More importantly, Thais also saw Covid-19 as just another instance in that struggle called Life and they took it in their stride as something that was not a surprise. They also knew that they had the resources within themselves to deal with this new struggle. They had no need of rules from the government because it was clear that they should stay home, wash their hands and maintain social distances. I recall when  my son and I were on a Skytrain in Bangkok that every person except us, in a full car, was wearing a face mask, yet no rules were in place. When we arrived in Pattaya the streets were noticeably empty, once again before rules were announced. Thais acted on their own.

Briefly: Canada resisted rules that negatively affected their Life and delayed in adopting the different Life required by Covid-19. Thailand reacted much more quickly to the threat because such were to be expected and they knew how to act responsibly in short order. The response factor was determined by their different expectations regarding Life itself

Result: Thailand’s death toll is less than 5%of Canada’s. And that is my explanation for the difference in results between Thailand and Canada.”  An interesting reflection! What do you think?

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THE STRESS OF GROCERY SHOPPING?

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THE STRESS OF GROCERY SHOPPING?

In these days of the pandemic, shopping for groceries has been transformed from a pleasant leisurely pastime into guerrilla warfare. 

My body clock was set to wake me at 6 am to ready myself for the shopping mission ahead. I grabbed my protective gear and a cup of coffee and headed to my Batmobile for an early Sunday morning assault. Our supermarkets have granted exclusive shopping access from 7 am to 8 am to older decrepit shoppers like myself before the younger contaminated masses are allowed in.

I donned my disposable rubber gloves in the car, pulled up my jacket collar a la a face mask and waited for the guardian of the entry to unlock the door. Three other geezers slowly extracted themselves from their vehicles and limped towards the store. Stealthily I shuffled ahead of the others and grabbed my newly sanitized shopping cart and entered.

I was careful to follow the arrows on the floor as I casually slipped past the guard who was tasked with evicting under-age shoppers or those coughing or red-faced with a fever. I headed for the fruit and vegetable aisles first just to throw off any surveillance cameras that might be trying to detect toilet paper terrorists whose only target was the Purex pyramid! I quickly selected one vegetable and one fruit in order to comply with Canada’s Food Guide of eating one portion of fruit and one vegetable a week. (Or is it per day? I don’t remember!)

With my banana and broccoli in the cart, I headed quickly for the protein section. Show me the meat! A couple of pounds of hamburger, two steaks, a pack of pork chops, a flat of bacon, a beef roast, some chicken breast value packs and I was set for seven days. 

As I continued to follow the arrows up and down each aisle I looked for some of the essentials of life. I picked up some soup, pasta, sauces, flour, milk  and bread. I also grabbed some chocolate, Dare cookies, salt and vinegar chips and Diet Coke which are essential foods on Ken’s Personal Food Guide. The Canadian Food Guide definitely needs revision and I would gladly volunteer to help recommend some alternative foods for inclusion in the book. It is seriously lacking a food group called snacks!

While shopping one must always be conscious of potential shopping cart congestion. For example, a wobbly white-haired gentleman headed towards me going the wrong way down a one-way aisle. I quickly had to back my cart up and move to a quiet spot to avoid contact. I was going to report him, but I didn’t want any additional unnecessary human contact. Then I was frustrated by a grey-haired granny who was parked in front of the magazine rack, clogging the aisle and slowly perusing the men’s magazines. Finally, she selected a Penthouse Annual and headed for the checkout. 

After finding most of the items on my shopping list, I moved towards the checkout. I paused for a minute in front of the entire empty shelves of paper products - toilet paper, Kleenex, and paper towels - to utter a small prayer that they may be restocked by next Sunday. It is little consolation that the supplies of quinoa, kale, hummus and Vegemite were plentiful, but unfortunately not on my essential’s list!

A pleasant cashier, insulated behind her plexiglass shield, efficiently checked out my assorted purchases without any criticism of my bizarre items. She saw nothing wrong or unusual when my treats and meats, far outnumbered “healthy” choice items. I was almost ready to offer her a monetary tip for her diplomacy.

I finally transferred my stash to my car’s trunk, disposed of my rubber gloves, returned my cart and headed home. As my old buddy George W. Bush might have remarked, “Mission Accomplished”!

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE NEXT GOLFING SEASON?

My recent blog arguing that golf courses do not provide essential service and therefore should not open during our current pandemic raised quite a fuss. All (both) of my former golfing friends have notified me that I would not be receiving a Christmas card from them this year because of my attitude. Of course, I do not want to offend those addicted to the game of “hit-the-little-ball-with-a-big-stick-into-a-small-hole” so I am prepared to help them deal with their OCY (obsessive compulsive yearning) to play golf. Below are my ten tips to help frustrated golfers get ready for the eventual golf season:

1. Wash your balls!. Get a good antibacterial soap and wash all of your golf balls to eliminate any accumulated mud, dirt or scuff marks. Use a Q-tip to swab inside each little dimple on each ball. When your balls are sparkling, do the same with each golf club.
2. Get your golf clothes ready! For some cultural reason, golfers believe that they will hit the ball farther and putt with more accuracy if they dress with an outlandish costume. White golf shoes, turquoise socks, a screaming pink golf shirt, and lime green slacks seem to often be the order of the day for many. After the game, their outfit would allow them to audition to join the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers. (with apologies to Ukrainian friends).
3. Get your golf bag ready! Fill your golf bag with all the essential tools of the game. You need to load at least 12 clubs, 24 balls, an umbrella, a ball retriever, several towels, a pack of cigars, at least a dozen beer, an extra set of shoes, a rain jacket and your prescription medications, just in case. If you’re playing 18 holes, a thermos of ice, a few hi-ball glasses and a 26 of rum may be required.
4. Start getting into shape! Get dressed in your costume, put on your spiked shoes, hoist your loaded golf bag on to your back and head out your front door. Proceed to walk at least 15 blocks in one direction, and then retrace your steps. This distance should be equivalent to about 9 holes of golf. No stops in between!
5. Getting used to the golf cart. For those who prefer to use a golf cart there is still the need to practice proper cart etiquette. Load your clubs into the trunk of your car. Drive to an intersection, pull your car over to the curb, extract your bag from the trunk, take ten practise swings on the sidewalk and return to your car. Drive to the next intersection and repeat at least 70 to 100 times to simulate a round of golf. Hint: chose a quiet neighbourhood not a main street. There is less chance of you being reported to police.
6. Practice your ball retrieval! This may require a companion. Again, drive to a wooded area, a park, a grassy field or out into the country. Park your car and have your assistant throw a dozen golf balls into the trees, shrubs, or long grass. You will be judged on how many balls you can find and how long it takes you. This is a very practical exercise, don’t you agree?
7. Practice your putting. This is the easiest golfing activity to prepare for. Use the living room or family room carpet for the green and a shot glass for the cup. Proceed to practise putting a ball into a glass from varying distances. Each successful putt qualifies you for an after-practice shot. The golf version of beer-pong! 
8. Practice for the nineteenth hole! As every golfer knows, the nineteenth hole is the premier reason for playing golf. Following the arduous three to six hours of chasing an innocent little white ball around the countryside, the golfer needs to pause and rest. If the supplies in the golf bag have evaporated or grown warm, it is essential to sit in the clubhouse and rehydrate to prevent dizziness and dehydration. Enough said!
9. Fine-tuning the bullshit! This golfing tradition is generally a part of the agenda of the nineteenth hole but can also be practised at other times. Golfers need to formulate, fantasize, and elaborate on their “best” drive, chip and putt of the day. The Burlington Liars Club cannot match the creativity and fantasy that a golfer can generate when they endlessly spin their tales of talent and skill. There may be a correlation to the amount of alcohol consumed!
10. Get some rest! The conclusion of a day of golf can find the participants exhausted. It is just as important to train the body to relax and regenerate after every game, so you can be strong and healthy for tomorrow’s game. So while the season is still months  away it is never too early to fine-tune this skill. Get a good rest now!

  If you practise these ten tips faithfully, your golf game will show immense improvement - in the spring of 2021!

DO YOU NEED SOME ISOLATION PROJECT IDEAS?

DO YOU NEED SOME ISOLATION PROJECT IDEAS?

While we have been awarded more time to do all of the things that we never had time to do before, it is still kind of hard to find things to do. I can only read books, write blogs, play on the internet and watch regular TV so long each day. I need to find more things to get me through the day. Some of my more successful activities include:

• Upbeat music. I am not a music buff but almost every day I know that I can pick up my spirits by listening to music that I like. With our handy Alexis, I just tell her who I want to listen to and she digs it up instantly and plays it until I have had enough. I really enjoy calling up the music of “old” favourites that I relate to happy times in my life. My playlist would probably stir up gales of laughter from the younger set (under fifty) but that’s OK. Among some of my favourites are John Denver, Brothers Four, The Beach Boys, Johnny Mathis, Marty Robbins and Rodriguez. I could add many more but I can already hear the uncontrolled laughter echoing at your house.
• Do you remember that photo? I have been wandering through my twenty years of photographs that I have stored on my computer. I will select a couple of photos of old friends and send them copies of them to see if they remember them. The response has been very positive from everyone. What is more fun than looking at an old photo that immediately takes you back in time to a former happy occasion or event? Try it. It is fun for you to do and even more fun for your friends that get a chance to reconnect with you and a shared moment.
• Great courses plus. I recently sent all of my blog followers the address www.thegreatcoursesplus.com  I don’t know if you had a look but I am finding the courses a real godsend. I have just finished watching about 8 half-hour lectures and videos of places in Turkey that I know well. The series was outstanding and it increased my appreciation and love of those sites even more. I am currently working through Inventions that Changed the World and again find it fascination. There are hundreds of hours of quality presentations that you can examine if you don’t know what to do
• Phone a friend. I think most of us have found that we have been doing more phoning and face timing than we may have done in the past. I know that I always feel a little more upbeat after a conversation with a friend or acquaintance. Regardless of the topics, our conversations always end with a positive feeling. I think it is also important to reach out to people in your little black book that you aren’t in regular contact with. A familiar voice, no matter how long since you last chatted, is very comforting. I think for both parties.
• Watching old movies. While most of us have access to dozens of TV channels we are still often at a loss to find something worth watching. Current program offerings hold little interest to me as I am tired of endless sagas of policemen, doctors, firemen and the Big Bang Theory. Consequently, I have resorted to two specific sources. I have been recording old movies from the 60s, 70s, 8os, and 90s that I have seen before. Although they are “repeats” for me they are still entertaining and reconnect me to a happier time. As a second source, my grandchildren gave me a set of 40 DVDs of Clint Eastwood movies. How can you beat that option?

If you have any successful isolation activities that you would like to share I would love to hear from you!

SHOULD GOLF COURSES BE ALLOWED TO OPEN NOW?

SHOULD GOLF COURSES BE ALLOWED TO OPEN NOW?

It didn’t take long for the golfing public to raise the issue of opening golf courses during our current health crisis. Some 18,000 people have signed a petition to have the provincial government open the courses when the weather turns a little warmer and the snow is all gone. As with any issue, there are two sides to the argument. Where so you stand?

Golfers argue that golfing is a sport where physical proximity is not really an issue. For a short time at the T-box and on the green, at most four individuals might be close to each other. They maintain that the six feet of physical distancing that is being stressed by all of our health professionals  can be easily observed. Perhaps they are right.

In addition to proper distancing, other measures can be implemented to make golfing “safe” from viral contamination. If players use golf carts, only one person will be allowed per cart. There will be no “ball washers” or “pins” in the holes on the greens to again prevent golfers from touching equipment that others have contacted. From a strictly practical point of view, the golfers may have a fairly sound argument for opening golf courses with stringent safety precautions. But…

I don’t think that the logistics of whether golfing can be made “safe” from viral transmission is the most important argument. We all are currently facing a pandemic that is very serious and the means of reducing the dangers have to be taken just as seriously. We are constantly reminded that, “We are all in this together,” and we all have to work together to minimize the dangers. 

I think the issue of social responsibility is critical. The pandemic has not only infected millions and killed thousands, but it is not yet under control and we do not have a vaccine. As a result of the disease, we have been forced as a nation and even as a global community to self-isolate. This, in turn, has caused many businesses and industries to come to a virtual standstill. Thousands of small businesses, affecting hundreds of thousands of people are closed and may not ever rebound. Over one million Canadians are now unemployed and have to seek government assistance to survive. Given the shattering effects on the lives of so many people, it seems to me that allowing a handful of well-heeled individuals to return to the golf course for recreational purposes is socially and morally a slap in the face of those millions who are facing a very dire future.

This is a time to be supportive, positive, helpful, and united as we attempt to flatten the curve. Giving in to those who believe that golfing is really a safe sport at the present time is not morally right. When a huge segment of our population is either sick, stressed, unemployed, or in a financial crisis, I don’t believe that opening golf courses should even be on the table for discussion. Golf courses are not an essential service any more than pole dancing emporiums are and for those golfers who love and can afford the sport, it is time they considered the more important and bigger issues that so many others are facing. You can be sure that for millions of Canadians the last thing on their minds is whether they can go golfing next week!

When the infections of the pandemic are in decline, deaths are eliminated, the economy gets a kickstart, and people return to work or find jobs, golfers can then polish up their clubs and head to the course. Until then, I suggest that golfers take the high road, be supportive of the plight of the less fortunate, and just watch golf on TV.

HOW WILL OUR WORLD BE DIFFERENT BY EASTER 2021?

HOW WILL OUR WORLD BE DIFFERENT BY EASTER 2021?

Optimistically, our world will subdue the coronavirus in the near future and we will be able to reconstruct the world that we have been isolated from for the past month. I am wondering if some of the following changes will start to become more prevalent by next Easter as we attempt to prevent a second global pandemic. Will we:

• Stop shaking hands as a form of greeting and resort to the “wai" as a new practice when we meet and greet people. The “wai” is a Thai greeting wherein the palms and fingers of both hands are brought together in front of the face or chest and accompanied by a short bow of the head. We often see it in the Orient and is a wonderful way to avoid bodily contact and still show a sign of respect. I think it is a good idea.
• Provide, in all restaurants and foodservice kiosks, a hand sanitizing station i.e. hand sanitizer dispensers or wipes at all entries and on all tables. In some restaurants I have been to in Third World countries before you enter a restaurant you must wash your hands at a sink located outside of the front door. 
• Continue to isolate checkout clerks with plastic barriers, build small booths for bus drivers and taxi drivers to prevent close contact with customers. Perhaps all new vehicles and taxis will be required to install plexiglass barriers between the front and back seats as a precaution. London cab drivers have done so for years.
• Totally eliminate the use of cash in the future. We are very close to that reality already. Most young people either use a cash or debit card even for small purchases like a coffee. I would imagine that our cashless society will continue to grow faster than ever and the exchanging of bills and coins, and all of their attached contaminants, will eventually disappear. 
• Continue to provide some additional protection for more vulnerable seniors with designated shopping hours at more than just our grocery stores. It could be extended to banks, doctor visits, drug stores, etc. For a different reason, the Bahamas used to have a special line for seniors to pay utility bills so they wouldn’t have to stand in long queues waiting for their turn. A nice gesture to make life a little easier for those with mobility or physical issues.
• Pay workers who can work from home a bonus. Not only does it ease traffic congestion in the downtown core but it also means fewer passengers on already crowded buses and subways. A side benefit is less auto pollution in the air and less traffic on the roads.
• Start to reduce the size of our social circle to family and close friends and avoid large group gatherings. Will we stop attending large sporting events, massive concerts in enclosed spaces, movie theatres, and political and religious rallies? Will we choose to spend more time in outdoor activities away from crowds and enjoy more of the offerings of Mother Nature like hiking, biking, fishing and camping?

The following pleasant little thought was borrowed from the internet and I am passing it along just because:

Everything is not cancelled!

sunshine is not cancelled

love is not cancelled

relationships are not cancelled

reading is not cancelled

naps are not cancelled

devotion is not cancelled

music is not cancelled

laughter is not cancelled

dancing is not cancelled

imagination is not cancelled

kindness is not cancelled

conversations are not cancelled

hope is not cancelled        And hope is the central message of Easter.

Have a Happy Easter, stay safe and enjoy your day!

WOULD YOU PROTECT THE SAILORS OR THE PRISONERS?

WOULD YOU PROTECT THE SAILORS OR THE PRISONERS?

Most of you have probably already read the following story, but in the event that there is a single reader who has not, I have to relay one of the most bizarre events during our current crazy days.

“US Navy Captain Brett Crozier was the commanding officer on the aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt, stationed near the island of Guam. Over 155 of the aircraft carrier's crew tested positive for Covid-19. More than 1,000 sailors who tested negative for the virus are ashore in Guam, quarantining in hotels.

Capt Crozier sent a letter to defence officials on March 30 begging for assistance with the coronavirus outbreak on his vessel, which has a crew of more than 4,000. As a concerned leader, Capt Crozier said, ”We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die.” He requested the quarantine of nearly the entire crew.

Instead, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, flew to Guam and relieved Crozier of his command. Mr Modly assembled the crew and told them what their former captain did "was very, very wrong" and amounted to "a betrayal of trust with me, with his chain of command", according to recordings leaked to US media. "If he didn't think that information was going to get out into the public... then he was a) too naive or too stupid to be the commanding officer of a ship like this," Mr Modly said. "The alternative is he did it on purpose."

Modly initially defended his remarks but later he apologized to Crozier for them. Later in the day, Acting Navy Secretary Modly was reprimanded by Defence Secretary Mark Esper for his handling of the affair. As a final chapter in this bizarre saga, Modly submitted his resignation for his handling of the event.”

The only way that this preposterous story can be made any more incredible is to let the Demented Donald toss in his brainless commentary. Trump said he had no role in Mr Modly's departure, which he described as a "really unselfish" decision. At the same time, the president emphasized Capt Crozier "made a mistake" with the letter, saying: "He didn't have to be Ernest Hemingway.”

When asked about the controversy President Trump told reporters: "You have two good gentlemen and they're arguing. I'm good at resolving arguments.” The president said he "heard very good things" about Capt Crozier and did not want his career to be ruined "for having a bad day", but added that,” the letter should not have been sent”. Crozier should NOT have informed his superiors?

In summary, a Navy Captain concerned about the health and well being of his crew asked his superiors for help. He was chastised by a government bureaucrat and the captain lost his command. He demonstrated care and concern for his men, was honest and forthright and was fired because he slightly circumvented the sacred navy chain of command. He was ridiculed by his President and cheered by his crew when he was forced to leave the ship. 

During the same period, hundreds of inmates in American prisons were released (700 from one New Jersey jail, 3500 in California), for fear that their lives might be jeopardized by Covid-19 in the close living quarters of a prison. Apparently, 4000 sailors living on an aircraft carrier are in less danger and less important! You make sense of it if you can. I can’t!

WHAT DO WE REALLY MEAN BY ESSENTIAL SERVICES?

WHAT DO WE REALLY MEAN BY ESSENTIAL SERVICES?

During our current health crisis, we have been informed by our government which service industries are considered to be essential and those that are not. I find some of their distinctions very interesting. The list of essential services obviously includes all food production and distribution facilities, health and welfare agencies and hospitals and public transportation. There are a couple that I question.

Liquor and cannabis retail outlets, manufacturers and producers, and warehousers and distributors, as well as vape shops, are deemed essential services. I am not sure that wine, beer and liquor outlets are essential during a time of crisis. These products are not included in the Canada Food Guide nor do they provide any significant nourishment to the users. Are they on the list because we are providing for those who “need” their daily snort rather than force them into a new period of temperance? Or is the government simply protecting a major revenue stream? I don’t mind an occasional beer or alcoholic drink myself, but I hardly think it is classified as essential. 

Marijuana outlets have barely been in existence in Canada for a year so how can they be classified as essential services? Until last year we never had this service and somehow we survived without any hardship. In both of the above examples are we catering to the pothead population and the regular imbiber to prevent a growth in mental health issues and lashing-out behaviour? And identifying vaping outlets as providers of essential service is a joke. We have heard and read more about the dangers of vaping in the media over the past year, especially to young people. And now it’s an essential service?

I also question why car and truck dealerships are listed as essential services during our current pandemic. I find it hard to believe that there are many customers roaming the showrooms of any car dealerships especially when we are all being asked to practice social distancing. At the present time, I am sure that current automobile owners do not place shopping for a new car very high up on their list of things to do while waiting for the pandemic to subside. Are you in the market for a new vehicle?

As you might expect, our neighbours to the South have another industry that is open for business under the classification of an essential service. Of course, I am referring to the multitude of gun and ammunition shops in the US. While we in Canada were swept up with stockpiling toilet paper, Americans in many cities were stocking up on ammunition for their weapons. One gun shop owner very seriously explained that the buyers were just making sure they had enough ammo for the upcoming hunting season. If you buy that, then you probably also supported Trump’s prophecy that the virus problem would be over by Easter! 

In fairness, I would like to add one industry to the essential services catalogue - barbershops and hairdressers. While my buzzcut can be styled at home with my handy-dandy clippers, I am concerned for men who have real hair. For example, my grandson has a wonderful mop of hair that is already beginning to resemble Cro-Magnon proportions. In two or three months he will need to braid it just to keep it out of his eyes. And I am positive that every female over the age of ten, is dying to have their hair cut, coloured, styled, or treated. If we don’t soon attend to this upcoming female hairstyling crisis, the outrage will surpass anything that Covid-19 has brought upon us. 

In closing, I want to add my support to New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern’s declaration that the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are to be considered essential workers during the pandemic. Bravo for her courage and wisdom! A leader with a heart!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ MY MIND TODAY?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ MY MIND TODAY?

Today marks the start of our fourth week isolating from the world since our return from Mexico. As the pandemic continues to grow globally, a lot of thoughts are running through everyone’s mind, including mine. Some of them follow:

• As time drags along, I don’t know if is getting easier or harder. On the one hand, my daily routine helps me take one small step at a time and I find that helpful. On the other hand, I do miss meeting and interacting face-to-face with friends and family. I am trying not to look too far down the calendar, but I do feel we are in for many months of similar days and routines. We must persevere!
• From our twentieth floor, I continually watch freight trains rumble past us about every twenty minutes. It helps elevate my spirit to know that with every train over 100 railcars and containers are moving vital supplies and merchandise east and west in our country. It signifies that one of our commercial carriers is still hard at work. I find that comforting. 
• I am totally disgusted when I read of people trying to take advantage of the pandemic to try to sell various snake oil remedies and protections, unproven masks, and other equipment to the gullible. Online cons continue to use scare tactics to lure people into revealing personal banking and credit card information. The lowest form of person is the one trying to sell needed supplies that they have stockpiled at exorbitant prices on the Internet. Pathetic!
• After my second trip to the grocery since returning to Calgary, I think perhaps we have made some worthwhile changes that we should keep when the problem subsides. Senior shopping hours, one way arrows up and down the aisles, limiting customers into busy stores, and limiting quantities on popular and essential products are all pretty good ideas. Despite some product shortages the actual shopping experience is very efficient and effective.
• I filled up my car with gas before we went to Mexico and refilled it today. Although it was in dry dock while we were on holiday, I only had to put in $18 over a three month period. I love sixty cent a litre gasoline! Low price gasoline is small compensation however for the fact that there is nowhere we can go for a drive!
• I watch a minimum of TV news daily and read basically only the headlines on online newspapers. I find it very overwhelming to be viewing or reading a never-ending menu of pandemic stories. The essence is that we are fighting a global pandemic that is deadly and contagious. As individuals we can only follow the advice of medical professionals and self-isolate, wash hands, and avoid any non essential human contact. Everything else is peripheral, speculative, redundant, after the fact, and repetitive. I read the daily highlights and that’s it.
• The highlights of everyday are the phone calls or face timings that we make or receive. Our current plight  during this difficult time only emphasizes how important friends and family are. I make it a point to phone at least one or two friends everyday and every contact helps lift some of the veil of darkness that has surrounded us. Where would we be if we didn’t have smart phones at the ready? And it was only a little over a month ago when we spent a lot of time complaining that, “People are always on their phones!”
• I personally don't know of anyone who has been infected by the virus and pray that none of my friends and acquaintances become ill. Protect yourselves, follow the rules and try to keep positive! Have a nice drawer cleaning, book reading, TV watching, limited snacking, healthy, and safe day!