Thursday, June 18, 2009

Where oh where do the tax $ go? Oh where oh where can they be?

Have you, or someone you know had need of Medical and or Hospital services in recent years? If so, how would you rate the services and would you say they were satisfactory overall?

Having had considerable personal experience in this area over the course of some decades, I have come to believe that the following story from the CBC is indicative of many of the ills encompassed in the trough now known as Health Care in Canada.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/17/ehealth-ontario-mcguinty.html

A few highlights from yet, the latest scandal;

"Opposition parties continued their calls for Health Minister David Caplan's resignation due to his handling of the scandal, but McGuinty stood by his minister on Wednesday, saying he still has confidence in Caplan.

Meanwhile, the search continues to replace Sarah Kramer, who departed the agency more than a week ago after seven months as CEO and president. She received a severance package worth 10 months' salary, or about $317,000.

Kramer was lambasted for receiving a $114,000 bonus, more than double the amount allowed at the provincial agency. Hudson signed off on the bonus just four months after Kramer started.

Two reviews underway

The former CEO was also responsible for signing off on many of the untendered contracts during her first months at work. She defended the lack of a competitive bidding process, saying it was justified due to the urgency of the agency's work.

Under the old rules, provincial agencies were required to put contracts up for tender if they surpassed $100,000 unless they involve legal services, an urgent circumstance or a patented product unique to a single supplier.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Is North Korea following the examples of Israel and the Palestinians?

Good article here from Haaretz.com on the Israeli/Palestinian issues. In keeping with my personal thoughts, it suggests that those who squeak loudest receive the most attention.

"Over the years, Washington and the world have coddled both Israel and the Palestinians, whose behavior has come to resemble that of spoiled children.

Are they not deserving of sympathy? Of course they are. Never since the events of 1948 has the region seen a decade of such consistent violence, an extraordinarily high ratio of civilian casualties, and a universality of despair, as in the Second Intifada (2000-2004), the Second Lebanon War (2006) and the Gaza War (2008-9).

As with parents who become more and more indulgent the more clueless they realize they actually are - and the more out of control their kids get - Washington and the world have allowed Israel and the Palestinians both to run off the rails in whatever direction they happen to see fit at the moment.

Why? For the same reason that bad parents spoil their children:

They're afraid of them.

For generations, both Israelis and Palestinians have been snowing their respective allies, who have been afraid, either electorally or physically, of being perceived as not loving them enough."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1086355.html

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A topic

Topics of the day;


So many to choose from. So many shrouded in smoke. How is an ode Country Boy to know which is worthy?

I know this, flogging the Horse known as Real Estate in perpetuity, represents little more than a Gypsy Queens efforts with her Crystal Ball.


The recent comings and goings in Iran has captured the Comrades spirit. I'm looking forward to Truth and Justice; over brutality.


Anyone can engage in brutality as in the case of Burma, . Only the gifted and truly devout, may speak clearly, earnestly and without thought for personal ambition.


I haven't picked a side there, but I'm hoping for the Ancient culture to show the World the way it's supposed to be done.


There's, is a truly Ancient culture that has traversed just about everything that a society could. So isn't it now time for them to remember?


I suppose it should be time, if it weren't for the ugliness of the souls of some many men; and women. If it weren't for the Zionists. If it weren't for age old Arabic/Persian realities?


And we in the New World have what attachment to all of that exactly?


I dunno, I'm just an ode Country Boy. Ask Mr. Harper, and Mr Ignatieff. They seem to be able to reconcile how it is that we, the Peebles of this Dominion of Canada, or New France, whichever one's preference may be, need to be involved in millenniums old conflicts and some very, very ugly and nasty goings on.


I note, neither were ever, ever front line Soldiers. Neither were ever, ever Medics attending to the dieing. I note these things.


I remember what it is to become involved in the hatreds of other peoples, other countries.


Albeit that I know little in the great scheme of things, this I do know. Pissing in other people's Worlds, just because you can, usually doesn't end well.


Many of the People, both in Iran and Canada and the rest of the this grand and most beautiful planet are speaking,. It is my hope, that good minds are listening.


Otherwise, I may well spend my last dollar in honor of those gone before me, and travel to the Volga, so's an ode Country Boy might piss into the the same river as did Men, far Greater than he.


Pro Patria







Only in America you say?

Ohio residents receive tickets for parking in their own driveways.

Here I thought Guelph Ontario had to hold the title of Kings of Arseholery when it came to zealous pursuit of it's peasants for parking fines.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090616/koddities/us_odd_ohio_driveway_tickets

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Canada's Federal Politicians once again, conspire to hide the truth

Accountability Takes Another Hit with Changes to MP Conflict-of-Interest Rules

OTTAWA--The Green Party of Canada is stunned with the news that MPs approved changes to the House of Commons conflict-of-interest code after a secret committee meeting, with the result that cash and benefits they receive from political parties and riding associations will be exempt from public disclosure.

“This is bizarre,” said Green Leader Elizabeth May. “Money to public office holders from any source must be public. The potential for abuse in this new system is stunning.”

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

3,676 comments on latest Mulroney article, and then there's Rait

Don't know if you caught the Mulroney article on Yahoo news yesterday, but judging from the extraordinarily high volume of comments still being made regarding this issue, I think the mob wants blood. I didn't read all three thousand six hundred plus, but the twenty something I did read, were sufficient to indicate the mood of the mob. Mulphoney (was the term one poster used) is becoming the Canadian poster boy for sentiment regarding the recent economics. Couldn't happen to a more appropriate person in my view.

The odd curiosity is, the public now seem to be highly favoring the lovable Black Forrest troll, Onkle Karl. How amusing wot?

Then there is the Lisa Rait debacle. Fer cripes sakes, know when to cut your losses. If der Harper can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, perhaps he should pay a tad of attention to the election results from Nova Scotia. The Peebles are in a foul mood, and defending the incompetent isn't an endearing activity.

I'm not posting links Comrades, as I'm sure you are sufficiently apprised of these situations by now.

I would give some attention to the Liberalies as well, if they had accomplished anything other than blustering while using correct vocabulary. I suppose the ineffective approach that continues to plague the Liberals, would only serve to embolden the Repenters, er Reformers; ... oh whatever. I can imagine that the thought of voters choosing the Libs who can't even manage to run a good bluff these days, would be a great source of amusment for Harper.

I wonder how much comfort there is in being seen as the least worst pick?

Later Comrades.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

RCMP commissioner is 'very sorry' about Dziekanski's death

Howdy Comrades. Long time no speak.

Was just browsing the current news and came across the following article at CBC. I found the comments very interesting so I thought I would post the link. It appears that many well spoken and articulate Canadians have some very strong feelings on this issue, the RCMP and it's Commissioner.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/01/rcmp-dziekanski.html#socialcomments

I wonder how long the Commish and the Government intend to continue their current approach?

Another story from today that definitely should thicken the soup;

"B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman ordered the province's RCMP service to pull all 578 of its older-model M-26 Tasers from service after testing showed the same models used by municipal police forces, sheriffs and corrections officers didn't meet the manufacturer's specifications 80 per cent of the time."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/06/01/bc-government-pulls-tasers.html