SIMPLIFYING ADDICTIONS ISSUES TO THE POINT OF STUPIDITY DOESN'T HELP ANYONE

The entirely predictable story that the Harper government has given Insite, the safe injection sit, a 6-month reprieve is all over this morning's media.

It's too bad that almost no one will take the time, reporters, editorialists or politicians, to wrestle with the real details that tell the tale.

ONE

Tony Clement, aka Stephen Harper, will not shut down Insite. Yawn. Who didn't know that? In spite of how distasteful this cancer is to most federal Conservatives, including Harper, they know that is political suicide to close it. Millions of Canadians would cheer. But thousands of so-called "stakeholders" - that is, blood-sucking leeches who are Executive Directors of one questionable social program or another and all their misguided medical friends and all the other sorry souls who keep looking for the Silver Bullet - would scream bloody murder and the Press would just cream their jeans with excitement. If it bleeds, it leads, and few items are as salacious and newsworthy as DRUG ADDICTION.

TWO

Francis Bula has written an entire page on the subject today. I CANNOT READ IT. Because I already have read everything Bula has written to date, and she has consistently cast the story in black and white, good guys and bad guys. She has no feel for the real texture of the issue. The devil is in the details, and until the Media are prepared to get their little mittens soiled, you will never truly understand how addictions work and what the real solutions are.

THREE

Vancouver City Council - the worst in living memory - wants federal dollars for drug issues.

The only problem is that Council is divided into 3 separate camps, each more wrong than the other.

Kimmy Capripants wants dollars for dope; that is, Sam's drug substitution dream.

George Chow wants another Insite. How about next to his home?

Sam just cheers on Clements' announcement of a 6-month extension for Insite.

God forbid these fools should ever get together and decide on a united strategy.

I am glad that they are stupid and that they can't agree. It means that each of their bad ideas has a better chance of failing.

The theme in all of these fairy tales in the Silver Bullet Theory. Fat People around the globe and all their friends in Pharmaceuticals await THE PILL that will slim them down. Everyone wants a quick explanation and a quicker solution. An otherwise very bright man I know tells me recently with total confidence, "Legalize, that's the only answer. That'll remove the criminal element."

HAHAHAHAHA...

Solutions lie in hard work. That begins with real information. Sorry.

And don't administer that test to that girl in Grade 4 because she's crying from all the stress. Same story, same issue.

The foto is taken from a NY Times article about the enormous spread of addictions in Mexico.

Ontario Takes YOur car for Speeding - Hooray!

Ontario has got the right idea.

On Monday, under the new Safer Roads legislation, the Ontario Provincial Police impounded 47 vehicles.

The new Act allows OPP to hit any speeding driver with the following fun sanctions: impound your car for 7 days, fine you a minimum of $2,000, suspend your license for 7 days and charge you for the towing and impound costs.

World-wide, people have believed for almost 100 years now that driving a car is neither a privilege nor a responsibility; it is a RIGHT. Many also believe that it is their right to drive badly, speed, never usea turn signal, pass on the right in school zones and ignore pedestrian crossings.

Let's add this initiative to B.C."s increasingly unsafe streets as soon as possible, Wally.

Now, Here's How It's Done, Sam

Now here's an object lesson for the worst Mayor in Vancouver's history.

Check out this story in this morning's NY Times about the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey being a personal mentor to 3 teenage boys.

It is a remarkable tale of danger, challenge and hope. You will notice that Mayor Booker doesn't give anyone dope. He gives them his time and passion and support.

Imagine that!

Ella Fitzgerald Live in Berlin, 1968 - For Once In My Life

Ella's voice is currently on display in a TV car commerical, and every time I hear it, I marvel at the clarity of that sound. Here, she starts with a bit of a throaty growl, but within moments, she is in that Ella zone...