THE HEALTH CARE CHALLENGE - PART ONE

THE HEALTH CARE CHALLENGE - PART TWO

THE DANGEROUS AMONG US

Delusional and possibly schizophrenic.

An apt description for our criminal justice system.

Of course, originally this phrase was used to describe a man who killed his three children three years ago.

But now that knowing authorities are granting this dangerous felon leave to go swimming and have coffee at the mall, we can best apply this little summary to the authorities and to the system itself that allows such fools to be in charge.

The authorities, of course, have no - NO, ZERO - sense of community responsibility.

B.C. Review Board chair Bernd Walter is one of these men.

Dr. Johan Brink, the clinical director of the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital is another.

Remember their names.

Because when their patient, Allan Dwayne Schoenborn, kills someone else, these nutty, irresponsible fools should be held accountable.

Here is the shrink`s rationale for this hideously mistaken decision:

Brink said Schoenborn was “compliant,” taking medication and learning to cook.

Good. Nice.

What I have read of this dreadful story tells me this:

Schoenborn is and was NOT insane. He knew right from wrong when he killed his children, which he did entirely asd an act of rage against his wife. He then had the foresight and clear headedness to hide out in the woods until he was caught.

But Walter and Brink are insane.

They are dangerous men who are out of touch with the realities of their communities.

They are secreted away in their little jobs and have forgotten, if they ever knew, what is right and what is wrong.

Schoenborn is a high risk offender - as in way off the charts.

And these two men are aiding and abetting him.

DOWN TO THE SEA, AGAIN

Esquimalt may lose command of ships

Navy proposing to switch control of Pacific operations to Halifax

Canada's navy is embarking on a controversial plan that would see it switch control of its ships on the west coast to the naval-service headquarters in Halifax.

Hahahahahaha...

Only in Canerda, you say? Pity.

Years ago, I worked for CBC Television news here in Vancouver. Our boss was a recent arrival from CBC radio in Newfoundland.

Hahahahahaha...

Forty years later, we continue to be a nation of bi-coastal idiots.

Electric

STEPHEN HUME, writing in today's Sun, has absolutely nailed Hydro's spurious plans for "Smart" Meters and major rate hike$.

Read it and cheer that there are still a handful of diligent journalists in our midst.

SPOOKY, STRANGE, BEAUTIFUL TIME-LAPSE NORTHERN LIGHTS

In The Land Of The Northern Lights from Ole Christian Salomonsen on Vimeo.

WE GOT TROUBLE

Three videos this morning.

The first two bring you our interview, taped yesterday, for SHAW COMMUNITY TV, CABLE 4, with Rick Green, the Mayor of the Township of Langley.

Mayor Green has been embattled with his own council since the day he was elected two and a half years ago.

The third video is of Robert Preston doing his famous number from "The Music Man" at the Tony awards.

Enjoy.

TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY - PART ONE

TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY - PART TWO

TROUBLE -ROBERT PRESTON

"Christy Crunch"

MONTH OF MAY

Federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May may or may not be a great addition to Parliament, to national political life or to fine dining. She may or may not have a one-note or full-piano agenda.

But we know these things for sure:

- She is running against Conservative incumbent, Gary Lunn, Minister of State for Sport.

- Mr. Lunn is the second worst parliamentarian in Canadian history, the worst, of course, being Hedy Fry.

- Elizabeth May is the leader of a federal party that gathered one million votes last time round and that collects substantial federal election spending from our federal government.

- A consortium of TV broadcasters (CBC, CTV, Global, Radio-Canada & TVA) have decided that Elizabeth May is not worthy of participation in televised debates.

Since when are entertainment conglomerates the rightful holders of democratic freedoms in this or any other country?

Barbara Yappy, in her column today, presents the oldest and dumbest argument in favour of the TV execs' decision: "They [the Green Party] are not part of the parliamentary play in this country. They have no seats in either the House of Commons or the Senate."

NEWS FLASH FOR BABS - IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A SEAT IN THE HOUSE WHEN YOU ARE BANNED FROM PUBLIC EXPOSURE.

Is this what we really want in Canada? The same old, same old tired old white men babbling about the size of their...programs?

I say, "The more the merrier."

To date, Elizabeth May has not proven herself to be a circus clown, a pot advocate, a nun in politician's clothing or Linsay Lohan's evil twin.

She is the leader of a registered and legitimate political party.

It is unlikely that she or her candidate in my riding will get my vote.

But I do want to hear their arguments.

Maybe because I have this quaint, old fashioned notion of democracy.

Silly me.

One day I will grow up and think like the CBC.

Which, of course, will be the same day, I watch Peter Mansbridge interview someone.

SOUND & FURY

This is an election about nothing.

Jack Layton forced the election for the same reason that a dog licks himself - because he can.

This is an election about the three P's: Power, Politics and Putzes.

Harper may or may not be the warmest, cuddliest guy on earth, and you may not think of him first when you ask yourself, "Whom should I invite for coffee this morning?"

But so what? Has he wrecked the country? Has he done anything as criminal as the Liberal Sponsorship mess of a decade ago?

What are the issues for this election?

Health care? (Costs out of control. Service fabulous on Tuesdays, the shits on Wednesdays.) Education? (Third rate. Run by the Teachers' Unions.) Productivity? (Unknown. Less than zero. No skilled labour force. No apprentices.) The military? (Proud and in harm's way every day, unloved and under financed.)

Not at all. None of these issues is at play.

We are one of the least productive nations on earth. Our economy is run entirely by the service industries ("Can I put some Cinnamon sprinkles on that for you, Ma'am?) and foreign grabs on real estate. And the every diminishing natural resources.

No.

This all a vainglorious $300 Million hit in the taxpayers' pocket.

It's all for cheesy sound bites and posturing.

I've reached the point where the sight of Mr. Mustache (Fast Eddy Felson, above) and Professor Iggy Pop actually make me sick.

I don't believe for a second that these stick figures have me or you at heart.

Eat a bagel, don a turban, kiss a baby - I'm throwing up already.

And no sooner will the poop from this Cavalia be shoveled off the sawdust, then we'll have to watch Christy Palin mount her steed and costs us another $100 Million or so.

Try keeping the libraries open instead.

THE JAZZ MAN

Gavin Walker has been broadcasting "The Jazz Show" on CITR radio 101.9 FM continuously since 1984.

You can listen in every Monday from 9 to Midnight.

Gavin and I have only been friends for 45 years.

In this photo, taken March 19, by another local jazz aficionado, Ron Hearn, Gavin is wailing with Joey DeFrancesco at Corey Weeds' Cellar Jazz Club right here on West Broadway.

Gavin is not only a great historian, broadcaster, and story teller of the Jazz saga, but it doesn't hurt that he is( and has been for a lifetime) a sax and bass player and a guy with an astute, educated and trained ear.

HAVE THE POLICE LOST OUR TRUST? PART ONE

HAVE THE POLICE LOST OUR TRUST? PART TWO

HOOKED ON FAILURE

Methadone is six times more addictive than heroin.

It is almost impossible to get free of a methadone addiction.

How do I know this?

Because for 44 years, since 1967, I have been dealing with addictions issues, for the first ten years running an abstinence program that is still turning our clean and sober citizens today.

I have never met an addict who profited in any way from using methadone.

Now, pharmacists, doctors, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists - they're a whole other bag of tea.

They make money on this poison. They build careers. They get to speak in public.

Here is yesterdays headline in the Vancouver Courier:

Residents oppose methadone clinic proposal in troubled Vancouver neighbourhood

Strathcona association pans plan

The coverage by staff writer Sandra Thomas is, as always, excellent.

Let me assure you that this story has been going on for close to 50 years now. With startling regularity, some genius or other decides it's time to spread more of this disease. And, as always, the pusher (pharmacy/doctor/shrink) wants the latest clinic opened across from a school.

Let me assure you that this is what happens outside methadone clinics.

Dope fiends shoot dope.

So, methadone or no methadone, the addicts will be dealing drugs and behaving like sewer rats, all in full view of the neighborhood.

Their idiocy will infect everything around them. depend on it.

Their is no better place for a new methadone clinic.

Because methadone is a failed idea.

t simply doesn't work.

It only clouds the issue and makes matters worse.

Citizens in the Strathcona neighbourhood are right to oppose this sickness with all their might.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR

For my money, the three most beautiful women ever to grace the screen were Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Taylor.

It didn't hurt that all three were fine actresses.

Elizabeth Taylor died yesterday in Los Angeles. She was 79.

Read the most comprehensive obituary in the New York Times.

For over 700 photos, go to IMDB, The Internet Movie Database.

Below, you will find two videos.

The second is from "A Place in the Sun," the George Stevens 1951 film version of Theodore Dreiser's novel, "An American Tragedy."

The first is from one of my all-time favorite movies, "Giant," another George Stevens film (1956), this one taken from Edna Ferber's book of the same name.

In both movies, she is in love with a man played by a gay actor - Montgomery Clift an "A Place in the Sun," and Rock Hudson in "Giant."

In "Giant," Taylor, age 24 at the time of filming, plays a woman from the age of 15 or so to a grandmother in her 60's. She was magnificent.

She made some real duds, but she also made some of the best movies ever made including, in addition to the two mentioned here, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Her mad, unusual life was stormy and tempestuous and completely her own. She may have been half crazy for all we know, but she was utterly herself.

She was terribly clever and crafty about the ruthless movie business and amassed a small fortune.

She was known to be kind and caring and a great friend.

For better or for worse, for all, she was a part of our lives for so many years.

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor