Let's Just be Happy with That Wintley Phipps video for today...

Most Amazing Grace - Thanks, Bill

Watching a Government Fold in on Itself

Fun to see The Preem on the run:

1. Clarence Hansen, chairman of the (Do We really Need This Body?) Board of Education, says that politics played no factor in choosing school upgrades in Campbell's riding.

Whose cousin is this clown?

Running off at the mouth is allowed; but babbling incomprehensibly and lying through your teeth is unseemly for a guy in a nice suit.

2. The Board of Trade - THE BOARD OF FREAKING TRADE, FOR GWADSAKES - has declared the Preem's Carbon Tax a no-go.

Campbell is the Board of Trade. The Board is the Liberal government. These folks are Siamese twins.

This is like having your mom not applaud wildly when you recite the poem at the Christmas concert.

3. Vaughn Palmer lists the 900 reasons that cancelling the fall sitting of the legislature has rightfully infuriated citizens and lovers of the democratic process everywhere.

Can you say, "Stayed too long at the fair," boys and girls?

Just asking

Of course, I don't really understand the market collapse.

Do you?

A house of cards way too complicated for a simpleton like me.

But, if I am not mistaken, the ever-so-brilliant Lehman Brothers were enormously over-leveraged on paper mortgages.

In short, they put most of their eggs in one basket.

Now, excuse me for asking those who know so much better.

But isn't a basic principal of investment to maintain balance and diversity?

Deeply Imbedded Fantasies

Today's Letter to the Editor from Dr. Stan De Vlaming and 23 of his medical friends demonstrates a) how myths are created and b) why we are in such a mess regarding drugs.

Here is the key statement in their letter:

"Methadone mainenance is a valuable tool for the treatment of addiction and is supported by 50 years of experience and research."

Methadone maintenanc is in fact an unmitigated disaster, a dreadful waste of public funds and a declaration of hoplessness. "You cannot walk free of your addiction, so take this, you poor fool."

What cynicism.

What lack of kindness and courage.

What Dr. De Vlaming and his colleagues are well-respected doctors.

They are, as Marc Antony said of Brutus and Cassius, honorable men all.

Commentary on Home care from Linda

David, I have to agree with you comments on home care.

Although I have worked as an LPN in a long term care facility for over ten years, I started out working for a home care agency in 1997.

When I started with this work, I was classified as a "Home Support Worker II" (I was not working as an LPN). I assisted people in their homes with washing, dressing, bathing, cooking, cleaning, errands, companionship and the like). I enjoyed working with people in their homes.

I was paid $13.30 per hour (IN 1997!!!). The rate for these workers has not increased much (if at all). This wage did not include time to travel between clients homes. In others words, I might be booked for two hours in one home, and then have to take a bus for 1/2 hour to get to another job - I was not paid for that 1/2 hour - ONLY the time that I was caring for someone in their home.

I remember getting a call from the scheduler asking if I could drive from my family home in East Vancouver to a client in South Tsawassen for a two hour job. They wanted me in the middle of the weekday rush hour. I politely explained that I could not justify spending over an hour to commute to a two hour job (and then have to drive home) (Incidentally, I was not going to be reimbursed for the use of my car either..). Later, I accepted a job in facility (very hard work, but rewarding personally/professionaly and with fair compensation

You better believe it costs money for good home care. I really admire the people who continue to care for people in their homes. They are doing a great job and they certainly are not being fairly compensated for all that they give.

Oh, and while I am ranting away....it's all well and good that we want to encourage people to stay in their homes - but just look at the hullaballu that occured when that 90+ woman simply wanted a ramp put into her building (where she had been living for 30 years!!).

All the new townhomes that are being built have steps and tiny washrooms - not exactly condusive for people in a wheelchair requiring assistance!!

Hot damn - I think I will just continue. What EXACTLY do they mean by "age friendly communities"??? Would this be more 55+ housing so we can keep our elders completely separated from their families and any community support. How about make the existing housing accessible and encouraging inclusive communities to begin with!!

Supporting volunteerism?? Who the heck doesn't support volunteerism where and when appropriate?? Check out Volunteer Vancouver, Check out the classifieds in the Employment Paper!! Lots of need for good volunteers!!

ARrggghhhh

You want to support seniors - stop delisting needing medications from Pharmacare!

You want to support seniors - every new development must be wheelchair accessible and every new unit must be wheelchair accessible.

You want to support seniors - better fund long term care facilities, provide funding for extra in home care where needed (and pay fair wages to home care workers so that the best and most suitable applicants will take on this work).

You want to support seniors - provide tax relief for seniors who are retired and unable to work so that their pensions and savings are not eaten away by inflation.

Finally, if you want to support seniors - for those elders who eventually have continuing and complex care needs who require placement in a skilled nursing facility - try to have an ounce of compassion and allow the placements to be made based (at least partially) on geography. There is nothing like an elderly couple being torn apart when one needs placement - only to have the placement be 30 kms away and impossible to access by public transit.

Sigh...

Okay, I think I said my piece

Linda Yuill, LPN

Victor Ruminates on the differences between Politics and Politicians in the Excites States and Canerda

The Sarah Palin competence controversy provides an exiting opportunity
for Canadians to examine the role that competence plays in the
selection of Cabinet Ministers in this country.

Those with a minimal knowledge of Canadian politics understand that
there are four criteria for selecting Cabinet Ministers. These are:

Region, plurality, gender and ethnicity. Competence for the Cabinet
portfolio, which is an executive portfolio often involving billions in
spending authority, is an unintended and rare consequence of this
process.

Before briefly explaining how these four selection criteria are
applied for selecting Cabinet Ministers, we should acknowledge that
competence is not always a leading factor in selecting a Prime Minister.

Look at Pierre Trudeau. When he became PM at age 48 he had 3 years of
political experience. Prior to that he lectured briefly and edited an
obscure policy pamphlet in Quebec. As for his foreign affairs
experience, it consisted of backpacking around the world well into his
30's, an age when the rest of us had a job. He famously wore a Nazi
helmut during WW2 and fawned over Castro and Mao. We should brag.

In terms of the criteria for selecting a Cabinet, it works as follows.

In Cabinet selections, a PM needs regional balance and plurality means
that a dummy from a big constituency gets the nod over a Rhodes
scholar from a small one. Gender selection and Ethnicity require no
elaboration.

Let's look at the results of this process.

Region: How about Max Bernier, the biker chick boinker from Quebec
elevated to international relations.

Gender. Can you say Hedi Frye?

Ethnicity: Dosanjh can glide from party to party assured of a Cabinet
post. Ditto Raymond Chan, another Mensa luminary

As for plurality being a determinant, it's hard to top the career of
Sheila Copps.

Ms. Copps did nothing before entering politics other than have the
good fortune of being sired by a popular Mayor of Hamilton. She made
her name in Opposition as a member of the so-called Rat pack. Her most
famous exploit in that phase of her career, proudly described in her
biography, consisted of crawling in fury across a finance committee
table to intimidate John Crosbie. If I saw Ms. Copps massive butt
crawling at speed in my direction, I too would be intimidated.

She became Deputy Prime Minister. The PM in this country has far more
executive powers than the President of the United States. Scampering
Sheila was a heartbeat away from the job.

Another member of the Rat Pack was Brian Tobin, later touted by many
as a Prime Minister in waiting. Prior to being elected at 24, he spent
2 years as a disc jockey at a 5000 watt radio station. I'm impressed.

So while Canadians smugly sniff around the competence issue in other
countries, we maintain a blissful or willful ignorance about how we
elevate people to powerful Cabinet posts here at home.

Maybe with two elections in the next 7 months, it would be a good time
to start. But we won't .


Victor Godin

ANNOUNCEMENT

Tomorrow morning, Monday, September 15th, I must be at a work assignment at 8:30.

Thus, no blog.

Back Tuesday in fill mojo.

The Science of Shear Conjecture

"Mayencourt said B.C. residents are already taking more transit and driving less as a result of the provincial tax, which came in July."

This fantasy came from what info pool?

Lorne, give your head a shake.

We really, really, really want you to get rid of Hedy at long last, but stay out of Disneyland en route.

Insight

Thefts from autos are on the rise Went up 33 per cent in 28 days in downtown core

Headline in this morning's Province.

Wonderful tribute to the great work being done by Insite and Harm Reduction.

We all send our gratitude.

So there!

My whole life I have thought of myself as not very bright about money.

I am neither rich nor poor.

I am a typical Canadian rube, overextended, and blissfully, ignorantly happy.

All my life I have watched the Masters of the Universe, the Titans of Industry, the Golden Apollos of Finance strut across their skyscrapers and luxury SUVs and second fairway homes and thought of myself - at least in this area - a lesser human being.

Imagine with what glee, I receive the daily count as Lehman Brothers goes down to the canvas.

Shares worth $80 last week are now below $10. Assets, if you can call bad mortgages that, are being sold off at fire sale prices. And the $120 Million a year CEO's are looking at the pavement a mere 55 stories below and considering it a solution to their woes.

Of course, one cries for the poor schleps who entrusted their life savings to these arrogant bastards.

But that feeling is quickly replaced by a petty sense of triumph - albeit entirely unearned - watching the mighty choke on their rugala.

Palin Revealed???

This is a five-page condemnation of Gov. Sarah Palin, as printed in today's NY Times.

If you are a Palin admirer, you will abhore this kind of writing.

If, like me, you find this candidate offensive and dangerous, you will welcome anything that reveals more than can be shown from a podium.

Either way, it's great Sunday morning reading.

Bah! Humbug!

The province has announced a "New Plan" for seniors.

With the customary flag waving and self-congratulations, the government that could care less about care says that they are going to expand home care.

But look closely at the plan.

The Irresponsible Minister, Mary Polak, told reporters the province has developed four cornerstones: developing "age-friendly communities," supporting volunteerism, promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting older workers.

I guess that's like The Four Pillars and we know how successful that has been.

That all sounds very nice, but where are the real teeth and the real dollars?

Let me assure you from doing years of volunteer work with seniors that home care IS essential and it IS the most economical support and it IS crucial in helping people maintain their precious independence.

BUT IT COSTS MONEY.

You have to pay nurses and home care workers to come to Ben or Gail's apartment and help them with bathing and groceries and house cleaning and whatever is needed.

Now that takes real budgets for the workers and the support staff who book the workers and organize the clients and their needs.

There is nothing in this fatuous foto-op announcement that speaks to the real delivery of real service.

This is classic Campbell government bullshit and it deserves to be mocked and then widely ignored.

Wonderful Letter in Today's Sun

Political life in B.C. doesn't need affirmative action

Vancouver Sun

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Golly, it's been a heck of a week for democracy in B.C. First, those of us in David Emerson's riding had to endure another lecture about why he invalidated our votes to jump ship for a sweet deal. Then the B.C. Liberals decided they'd rather not concern themselves with the legislative process for a few months and would prefer to "go one-on-one" with British Columbians.

Now it's Carole James and the provincial New Democratic Party who, not to be left out when it comes to kicking dear old democracy in the teeth, tell us that in 20 ridings, they won't allow candidates to run in next May's provincial election if they're not women, members of a visible minority or disabled in some way. I'm a very left-wing, very NDP-voting social worker and a strong advocate of broad social representation in every walk of life.

And, yes -- big surprise and horror -- I'm a heterosexual Caucasian male. I'm the kind of voter who would never have a problem voting for a woman, a person of colour, a homosexual, etc., but I will have a difficult time voting for the NDP next year. Why? Because in the name of affirmative action, James has told voters that certain people need not apply for these jobs, no matter how qualified they are. In essence, she's told British Columbians we can't think for ourselves. Joy MacPhail and Jenny Kwan didn't need that patronizing policy, nor did James herself. I suggest the provincial NDP have more trust in the voters and in the fact that our society is maturing with regard to these matters. It can do much to encourage diversity without devaluing democracy.

Peter O'Loughlin

Vancouver

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

Headline of the Week

Carbon tax makes Campbell a 'hero'

Dion praises B.C. premier at campaign stop in Burnaby

Hahahaha....no, really....hahahaha...

You know the part that astonishes me?

That actual breathing humanoids would come out to hear Dion.

Is the Solitaire Game on their laptop not functioning?

Choice

In an absolutely unequivocal editorial this morning, the NY Times has declared that Sarah Palin is unfit for high office and that McCain's choosing her demonstrates some serious judgement flaws.

The NY Times may or may not, according to your taste or mood or rigorous thinking, be the last arbiter of anything, but it sure makes interesting reading.

In case there was any doubt - I couldn't agree more.

The Simply Amazing Cassandra Wilson

Magnificent Cast, Magnificent Musical Score, Magnificent Script, Filming and Edit

A Place in the Sun

The provincial NDP's affirmative action plan for the upcoming election is either a bold stroke of courageous leadership or the dumbest thing anyone's ever done...depending, I guess, on whether or not you've had your cappuccino yet.

Fifteen ridings are now reserved for persons of the female persuasion. No doubt a few transgendered folks will take this to court.

Five ridings are reserved for "minorities" such as visible minorities (Is that white people in Richmond?), homosexuals and the disabled.

Westside Kelowna, for example has been reserved for chicks. (I'm trying to be as offensive as possible here.)

Why not all those other minorities for Kelowna.

Well, that's simple, Boys and Girls and Anyone In betweeners.

In Kelowna there are no people of color, gays or the nasty inconveniencing wheelchair folk. Kelowna, as we all know, is an enclave held entirely by blond golf players.

So, OK.

Here's my question for the Truly, Really Democratic Party.

What about reserved ridings for Greek Pastry Chefs?

Sex-starved accountants?

Atom-smashing physicists?

I want to see equality here, understand?

Canadian Law is Soooooo Sick

A serial killer is caught and charged with first degree murder.

She killed in 1998 and she killed again in 2002.

The penalty for first degree murder in this nation is an automatic sentence of life with no parole eligibility for 25 years.

So far so good.

But wait.

She first killed her seven-week old son and then in a moment of deep motherhood she allowed her next child to live nine weeks before killing him.

So, in one of those classics of Canadian jurisprudence, this dangerous nut bar will now get five years for the mysteriously lesser charge of "infanticide."

Lesson learned, class?

A baby's life is worth much less than the life of any adult, including some fool killed in a bar fight.

How, I wonder, did we come to this set of values?