Favourite Books

  • The Green Mile
  • Animal Farm
  • Lord of the Flies
  • Lord of the Rings
  • To Kill a Mockingbird

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Leaning Tower of Power

I expect almost everyone has a Facebook page. Lately the advertising on there has been catching my eye, I can usually ignore it, but...Then there is youtube, I do pop in there every so often to check out music. I have no clue how advertising works when it comes to the internet. Absolutely no idea what the costs to have the damn commercials before I can view a song...not sure about you, I realize youtube must make money, but,gee whiz, why is our provincial government dishing out money to advertise on youtube? They have advertisements all over facebook as well. I am getting just a tad fed up with this. I am not fed up with advertising, as I understand, this pays for folks to have an internet business.
  What is pi$$ing me off right now, is cut backs, and yet, Crusty's publicity folks throwing stats all over about how rich our province is, or will be.
  See, again, I am pro pipe-line, just spent 15 minutes taking a freaking phone poll, regarding this. I have no issue with progress, as long as it balances with nature. I would not be concerned if, in fact, as the phone poll informed me, these wonderful companies were in fact accommodating the people affected. I would not be concerned if they were truly addressing all First Nations concerns. I would not be concerned if truly, they would be handing over money to the people directly affected. I would not be concerned if every single person in British Columbia, including all of those in the small communities impacted by this enormous push, would find themselves employed in a mid-income job. However, this is not fact, and will prove not to be fact, in the future.
  My take on all of this, is, our government has decided to take out a Citifinancial loan, or even worse, a Money Tree loan. See, those lenders are last resort places for folks short on cash. They can get the money they desperately need quickly, but, HOLA, do they pay in the end. Hey, I have lived a long time, and hit hard times, more than once, so..I know how these loans hurt, one pays back forever. I remember the plans before jumping into these quick fix loans..Oh we will pay it back quickly, we will pay double, because we just need the money right now, things will be better in a few months, and everything will go onto the loan. Hah!!! Never happened.
  So, a few days ago, I see the pipeline propaganda....did you know that the money we receive from LNG will enable the province to build 8 new hospitals a year? Well, la-de-dah...really! What a totally idiotic statement. We live in a province that has seen almost every Doctor pack their bags and leave, for either Vancouver or, out of province. We live in communities with lovely clinics (this is a new phrase, previous local hospitals are now called medical clinics) we have receptionists, maybe we have a couple of nurses, we have visiting lab techs, and a single Doctor, if we are lucky. I see , every single year, massive fund raising for Children's hospital, tickets sold for hospital lotteries. I see communities fund raising for obstetric equipment, X-Rays, Cat-Scans. I see personal medical premium costs rising through the roof. Where the F*ck does all that money go? Our government cannot pay for our medical system, as it quickly crumbles away. But..hey, we can have 8 new empty, useless hospitals , if we are lucky enough to get Crusty's LNG.
  I see this morning, parents in the neighbouring community will be getting letters stating what it is going to cost them to have their school child ride the bus to school. I see that the school district has a whopping deficit, and has to find a way to cut costs. Helloo..when I went to school, in yes, a 3 room school house, my parents never had to send money. Not a single morning did my Mom have to dig out $5-$20 for something that was happening at school that day. She simply bought the listed school supplies, some clothes, and I was set. The school taxes my parents paid, apparently covered all costs involved. Not today!! Today it is a constant flow of cash out of parents pockets, every week brings another fee. Apparently school taxes are not covering diddly!
  So...I think Crusty has decided it is time for a quick fix, not matter what the interest fees are. With all this LNG money, she will be able to make up for all the rampant spending costs her and past government have done. She can open up a new treasure chest, and promise us all that we will soon be back on track.
  No matter how much money flows into our government , now, it will never ever be enough! Government has become such a parasite, it is a country to itself. Yes, another Vatican. The costs to run government have become atrocious, and every new dollar that flows into it, has already been spent, along with a dollar that isn't there. Trips, and parties, and elections, and of course that mighty advertising, just keep frittering every single cent away. Our Premier is never "at work" well, she claims her travels are work, but..if in fact our politicians took advantage of technology, used Skype, instead of hopping on a plane, actually spent some time in Parliament, watched the numbers in their budget, and put the money back into what it was allotted for, we would not need this quick cash advance. This big bundle of future cash, is. like our hard earned tax dollars, going to be wasted. They do not have to answer to those who pay them their salaries. When we question, they wave their hands, and give us some mundane reason we have to pay more.
  Instead of cutting school budgets, and allowing citizens to send money to keep school buses running, instead of upping medical premiums, but cutting service,if indeed we will have enough money to build 8 hospitals, which we do not need, lets put 3 of these hospitals towards school budgets, and 3 towards our medical service, and perhaps 2 of them into savings, or if Crusty wants, she can start to cover her freaking deficit, which herself and her minions have enlarged beyond belief.
  I would accept a few extra pipelines if I actually imagined it would fix the financial pig sty our province is in, but...I know it won't, it is just a whole whack more pocket money for our politicians! Their tower is leaning so hard, but if they can prop it up with the promised windfall from LNG, they might be able to keep it from falling over..for a little while...

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Karma

 Today I was totally sickened, yet again. Now, I realize only yesterday I wrote a blog about no excuses, and today, perhaps you will think I have changed my mind. Nope...this event that occurred is not one that has the possibility of an excuse, nor does it have a reason, it was an accident.
  At 5AM this morning, a mother was awakened by the police knocking on her door.She opened the door, without the opportunity of bracing herself, or likely even having her wits together. She was informed an accident had taken place. Her young daughter was involved in this accident. Her only child!!Remember people, this is a mother, a woman who has given birth to this child, and raised her, caring, and protecting her,loving her, no matter what faults the child has. If there is a parent out there, who claims their child has no faults, they lie!! Don't get me wrong, I do not know these people, however, because I am a Mother, I can put myself in this unbelievable place, and imagine her horror.
  This mother had no time to think, her child was so very seriously injured she was flown out to Vancouver. I have been informed of some of her injuries, and the heartache this mother is enduring, must be horrific. She is with her child, and likely her world has stopped. She is probably begging to medical staff, and her God to allow her child to survive. She is wishing she could take her child's place. She is suffering from the very core of her being. She is this child's Mother.
  Now, this story broke, and was posted on a news page I joined on Facebook. I saw the story, before hearing the news from a family friend. I clicked in, and was absolutely stunned! The first few comments were what I expected, prayers and thoughts, and hopes for a positive outcome. Then the others started. OMG! What have we as humans become?
  It appears someone claims this girl and the male driver stole the ATV they had the accident on. This may indeed be true, I don't know. Comments on KARMA, and how the owner had to pay the expense of towing the ATV after the accident, and how they were not wearing helmets, because they forgot to steal those. How this is a lesson!
  O.K. fact, I do not condone theft. I do believe we learn by mistakes, all throughout life. I certainly believe in Karma.
 However, if, in fact this ATV was stolen, somehow the owner will be made whole. In fact, right now, if this is a huge issue, I ask all those who know this child, and those like myself, who are disgusted with the mindset of those individuals who are so frigging high on their mighty moral horses, and who feel that a recreational vehicle is of utmost importance, donate $20 each, to buy this poor unfortunate victim of possible theft a new ATV!! Then that F*cking issue will be laid to rest.
  To ignore the pain and heartbreak of other parents, because much of this was written by those with children of their own, is beyond my understanding. To state that some how, because these young people made a terrible mistake, it was karma paying them back, is absolutely insane!!What did the Mother of this child do, to cause Karma to kick her in the gut, so hard, she broke? She certainly didn't "steal" the ATV.
  Karma is a word used too easily. If one actually researched the word, it is double sided. Those who feel the need to speak hurtful words in a time of suffering for others, had best keep an eye out for Karma. In my world, Karma is basically the same as the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.
  Sure I have had my own bout with Karma, and I sit patiently waiting for it to bite a few folks in the A$$, however, I simply wish for them to experience what they caused me to go through. To claim this horrible accident was Karma for taking an ATV without permission is crap. Maybe karma would be losing a bike, a car, some jewelry, but in no world would karma cause a young person to be so seriously injured they may not survive. This was no more than an accident. This was 2 young people, doing what so many others have done time and again, and never having to pay for the lesson with their life. I know that there are more than one, reading this who have gone on a joy ride, and walked away with no one the wiser. So, why on earth would karma suddenly decide this girl deserved to be seriously injured? Did the ATV belong to someone so special , they have karma's ear? I doubt that. Not a single comment came from the keyboard of the ATV owner, just those who feel his weekend fun is of greater value than a child's life.
  So, to those who feel the need to spew Karma will get you, in regards to a terrible accident, instead of imagining yourself in the world of this child's Mother, consider this..If, (heaven forbid, I am actually putting this down) in a few years, your child decides to do something stupid, and does not weigh out the possible dangers (like every single child I know has done), and has a terrible accident, and you as a parent are put into the place this Mother is now in, you won't be at all affected if others claim it's Karma?
  Perhaps one must experience real heartache, and pain and suffering to understand. I have had heartache, and I have suffered, but thankfully I have never experienced the pain of watching a child on the brink of death. I can only imagine those cruel remarks come from someone who has never experienced the pain and suffering of a loved one. I am not about to sic Karma on them, because I would never, ever wish what this Mother is going through on anyone! I just wish they would stop and consider...and possibly try to imagine, the unimaginable.

Monday 19 May 2014

Sick of Excuses

Maybe it is the generation gap? I know that when I was a child, one phrase I heard more often than anything else, was "there is no excuse". I messed up, well, I could take the time and try and figure out a whole amazing storyline to explain why I had f*cked up, and of course, why it was not my fault, however, I knew it was a total waste of time, because "there was no excuse". I used this phrase when my kids were growing up..failed a subject because homework was not handed in..."no excuse". I didn't care if the dog went on a rampage and ate said homework, or if a not so good friend packed it all up and burned it, roasting hot dogs...it wasn't handed in...no excuse. Why no excuse, simply because they were responsible for this , and they did not accomplish what they were required to do. Pretty basic. It worked in my life, when I screwed up, I knew there was going to be a consequence, and..I might as well just get it over and done with, because dragging it out, would only make the punishment that much worse.
  So, just the other day, I read a news story from a town just down the road. Apparently a couple of guys were accused of killing another guy. Court dragged out, as always for a couple of years, the dead man's family having to suffer his loss, and waiting for justice. Surprise, it seems the two accused had a drug problem..poor guys, and when the victim was stabbed and killed, they were under the influence. Oh, it seems that one of the accused only stabbed the victim after he was dead, so....he gets off scot free. The other guy gets some stupid sentence because the poor fellow has a problem and didn't know what he was doing....WTF!!!! Is the fact that someone is so frigging stoned, which in itself is criminal, an excuse for murder? Hey, I bet we all have someone we would like to kill at times, well...just go out and find yourself some hefty drugs, and do whatever it is that strikes your fancy..you now have an excuse for murder, or whatever...
  What has the world come to? Something that is a horrendous crime is somehow allowed because of extenuating circumstances, like illegal drug use? Everyone has an excuse, and the courts of law have accepted excuses. No one accepts my lame excuses..oops slept in, can't make it to work..fired...oops spent all my money at the casino, can't make a car payment...repo, oops bought a Louis Vitton purse, the mortgage will have to wait..homeless...oops can't pay my income tax,...garnisheed...Why are my excuses not accepted, cripes not really hurting anyone..definitely not killing them!
  Today I read about a woman who took care of peoples pets, dogs to be precise. Now, I know how I feel about my dogs, I have been told time and again by my children I treat them better than they were treated.This is likely true, because pets are easier to appease than children, and the rewards come far quicker, and cheaper...Our worlds revolve around our 4 legged friends. I imagine those in the cities have to pay dearly to have someone care for their pets when they work. People who take the time and effort to ensure their beloved dogs are supervised, and safe and content while they work, and hand these dogs over to the care of someone who they trust will treat them properly.
  Well, this woman made a serious mistake. She left 6 of these dogs in the canopy of her truck. Granted she claims she opened the side vents and left water..however, we will never know the truth. She left these dogs so long that all 6 of them died of heat exhaustion. Then she removed all 6 bodies, and found someplace of dispose of them. Now, I have had the sad experience of finding one of my pets dead, she was a large dog, lab sized. I had to dig a hole and bury this dog , by myself. It was unforgettable, she was very heavy, and I was heartbroken, it took me a very long time to finish that job, and that was one dog! This woman disposed of 6 , some as big as a lab. That took a great deal of thought and effort for one woman. Then..she lied, she told everyone someone had taken the dogs out of her truck. This lie continued for a week, with 6 families wondering who had their pets. The police were involved, and still she stuck with her dog thief story.
  Now we get to the truth, she confessed, but..along with the confession, comes the excuses. She is a single mom, with a lot of problems, she gets panic attacks, but stopped her medication, because it was affecting her adversely. She didn't mean for this to happen...Then the bleeding hearts come out..poor woman, she made a mistake..F*CK yes, she made a mistake!!! She killed 6 dogs, that suffered horribly, dying of heat. As I say, she claims she left water and open vents, well...with air blowing through, and sufficient water, how frigging long did she leave them that all 6 dogs perished? Again, folks, sorry...no excuse for this! It is just plain wrong, it is not really a simple mistake..it is a ginormous mistake, and...one there is no excuse for..this one decides the use the lack of drugs to excuse her crime.
  It is time to step back to the old ways. It is time to make people responsible for their own actions. There are no excuses beyond self preservation to cause the death of another human being, and the same goes for domestic animals.
  I know if I was the family of the stabbing victim, or the family of one of these dogs, I would not accept any excuses..because THERE ARE NO EXCUSES!!!

Saturday 10 May 2014

A Little Mellow

Oh, trust me, I have about 4 blogs on the go, all ranting off about something that is under my skin, however, as tomorrow is MY holiday, I figured I would mellow out a bit.
  I expect you all know by now, underneath my thick venom filled exterior, beats the heart of a softie. Lord love us, I have bawled my eyes out at every animal show I have been brave enough to watch, my eyes pour when I hear Amazing Grace, or the pipes and drums. I am an emotional marshmellow, but, usually when I am hidden away. I have been to funerals, and set out ensuring myself I will be strong, but as soon as one person spilled a single tear, I am hooped. Mostly because I find it so easy to put myself in someone's place.
  As nasty and evil as I can be when I get my intuition in a twist, I am like a sponge when it comes to pain and sorrow. Strangely enough not so much with the happy side of things. Oh, I am somewhat happy when people blurt out how wonderful whatever is, but....maybe I just can't put myself into that place, quite as easily, because I don't dwell on the positive side of life.
  So, today, some positive dwelling.
   I have been lucky to find the man of my dreams. That in itself, should put me on top of the world, and it does, when I take the time to acknowledge this fact. Cripes, he must wonder what I would be like if he wasn't the man of my dreams, as obviously, I am not an easy person to live with. I will say, I would certainly not be near as nice as I am,LOL. Yes, I harp at him constantly, and some of his habits drive me up the wall (I expect that is mutual). I don't tell him how lucky I am to have him, often, but..every once in awhile the words are spoken. We have lived decades together, almost longer for me, than without him, and longer for him. That is pretty incredible, and in these times, real positive.So, in the lotto of love, I won the mega fortune...yep, I know, said this was going to be a little mellow, not mushy..
  I have 3 children, all healthy, and all adults. I have 3 grandchildren, who do hug me, and tell me they love me. I can do that with grandchildren, much easier than grown people, and although I don't go posting it all over Facebook, I am proud of the lot of them. Again, pretty damn positive.
  I have some of the greatest friends ever created, and no matter how hard I am to put up with, they stuck like glue to me. Friends are truly one of life's greatest gifts, and I love each and everyone of them. With friends, I can show my mushy side, and I do it once in awhile, just to ensure they know how much they mean to me.
  I have a wonderful place in my backyard, that I can spend a moment, and view something so amazing, it makes me understand how incredible this planet we live on is. It can give me a feeling of peace and contentment, just to sit silently, and watch and listen. That is positive. 
  I have lived almost 58 years, which is absolutely incredible. I have done things that many never have a chance to do. I have crossed off a few things on my bucket list, long before I realized I had a bucket list. I have come to realize that when the time comes, and I depart, I will leave a truck load of memories for many. And that may be the most positive thing of all...The realization that even though I am often a ranting negative Nelly, sometimes, some people, see the positive side of me.
  BTW..I did not mention my brother, sister-in-laws, brother-in-laws, nieces and nephews, and Aunty Rosie, and cousins and, my dogs, but, just in case...each and everyone of you is pretty darn positive too!!
  There enough of the positives!!
 So on that positive note, I will say Happy Mother's day (a little early)to all the Mom's out there, and take a few moments tomorrow to remember the most special Mother ever, mine!!

Friday 9 May 2014

In A Tizzy

Now, there is a phrase one does not come upon often. You can date me by things I say, as this is something my Mother used to claim I was in, all the time. Yes, I admit, I tend to get worked up, more than the average human being. Then I can't seem to stick with anything beyond what has got me worked up, and I expect everyone is totally clear on what has taken over my mind recently. O.K., not recently, basically it has now turned into years. Crap, no wonder I have not got anything done in forever! Yes, I patter on through daily routines, while around me, things are simply sitting, left undone. My little plans to improve, go down the toilet, because, in truth, I have pretty much convinced myself, they are a waste of time and effort.
This is part of my backyard. This is what I pondered and planned over improving all through the horrible winter months. I had big dreams. Imagine a bounty of flowers blooming all about, adding the perfect touch to a heavenly view. That is what I did. Thank goodness for those dreams, they did help me survive the 7 months of crap we endured.
  But..here it is Spring, and suddenly, any improvements seem like a mistake. Oh, I know the future of the big Berm and Site C are years down the road, but, I know they are coming..And that knowledge just drains any incentive out of me. It is no different inside. No longer is our home an investment, it is just a probable Hydro purchase. No one else would buy this.
  It is a lovely home, one of the larger homes in town. It has privacy, which most homes do not. It also has the most amazing view of the mighty Peace River. However, it is also slap dab in the midst of the future Berm construction zone. Unlike other shoreline properties, I won't have construction for the short period it takes to erect this protection below my home, instead I will have the sheer pleasure of having to deal with the noise, traffic and dust for the length of the whole project. I am aware that when one sells a property, they are obligated to inform potential buyers of anything planned, that would affect them, so....can't exactly bury this matter under the rug. Yep, sure, nothing is final, and..it is not going to arrive on my doorstep for a few years, but..it is going to arrive.
  Do I wait until all the papers are signed, and continue spending money and time and effort? I will be in my 60's when this begins. I have no clue what offer I will receive from Hydro, at what they call fair market value. This is it for me. At my age, it is not simply a matter of moving along and starting out again, I don't have time left to start again! I am too frigging tired to start again!
 If I was perhaps 70, right now, it wouldn't be such a hard decision. But, this is the time of life, that I am suppose to be settled, and getting my ducks in a row for years of enjoyment. Because I have been living in a world of uncertainty, it is difficult to move forwards with anything, even simple yard work.
  In the back of my mind, I cannot stop thinking I am doing this so my home and yard will at some point be handed over to Hydro. If I spend money on something, I am spending it for Hydro. Hey, maybe I would see a return on my investment? But...this IS government. Can I trust them to be fair? Do they care if the yard has flowers?
  Honest to goodness folks, this is the tizzy I am in. Just a world of indecision, confusion, and exhaustion. I am so tired of hearing, no commitment, still a maybe, a report in 6 months, a study in 2 months. I am tired of reading that bids have gone out, but many steps must be covered before a decision is made.
  Now our town has hired lawyers, to try and ensure we get our proper mitigation. I have watched government trick a whole region into selling out the ones most impacted. What trust can I have that I will be fairly treated, when a whole town had the wool pulled over their eyes, and then (pardon the pun) they were sold down the river? I am just one person, who happened to find what I thought was a jewel of a home, only to have it turn into a lump of coal.
  So, now I have to try and dig deep inside, to find the energy, and will power to become motivated, and attempt to make a pretty yard for Hydro.


My Scientific Study

Do you ever feel like the world is out to get you?  I believe that there is something I must have done, so very,very bad, that Karma has decided to camp out, over my shoulder forever.
  You know those simple jobs, like,maybe dragging the garden hose a distance, checking the topography out before the drag, ensuring it is clear, only to get just far enough you can see your goal, and suddenly the thing becomes stuck.You shake your head, the area was clear...backtrack to find , somehow, it has managed to uproot a tiny little root that has wrapped itself around the hose 14 times, stopping you in your tracks. That root was not on the surface when you began, it just magically appeared, because you thought the coast was clear. Yeah...that karma.
  That Karma, that when you fill the wash machine up, and ensure it is balanced, wander downstairs and begin something else, only to have to race back up when it starts to spin, to find...a shirtsleeve has woven itself around the spinner. You know you could never wind that sleeve around the spinner if you set out to do it, but..through the magic of my world, this happens on a regular basis. Absolutely incredible stupid sh*t, that is not possible to re-enact, occurs daily to pi$$ me off!
  You know you have done something very bad in the past , when you have your hands full, go to put stuff down, only to have the broom that had been standing in the same corner, coated in cobwebs (been unused so long) decide that is the exact moment it must fall in front of you, as you step on a piece of crunched up dog cookie, statically placed in the perfect spot to cause you to grab for the broom, with your load of whatever falling to the floor, and getting coated in the crumbs from the cookie. Hey, you could never ever foresee this domino effect, but..only in my world, do these things happen on a daily basis.
  I live by Murphy's Law. I am actually blown away, often, on how things can go wrong. Really, just tiny little simple tasks, and they turn into long drawn out affairs, because ...Murphy just throws a wrench into everything. A job that should be carried out in one step, turns into 20 because, somehow , in my world, nothing is ever "normal".
  To be honest, I have watched others struggle with this law. Hey, I laugh when they have to step back, shake their heads, and observe whatever wrench was thrown at them. It happens in the grocery store, when someone picks out a can that seems to be sitting all alone on the shelf, only to have an invisible string tied to a hundred other cans, which follow it off the shelf.
  I realize there are others who suffer with this...I remember many years ago, working a dance night at the local Legion. My co-worker was all dressed up in a skirt and white blouse. She had to use the washroom, which, of course was at the other end of the building. The place was packed, the band was set up in front of the hall to the washroom. Off she went. We saw her returning..in the dim lights, we could see she had somehow stepped on a long piece of toilet paper, which was stuck on her shoe. Oh we laughed, as she made her way, unwittingly through the couples dancing up a storm. As she got to the middle of the dance floor, the band paused..what on earth was up? OMG..she turned to see why it was so quiet, as we saw what Murphy had done to her. She had managed to tuck her skirt into her pantyhose. In front she looked all respectable, except, of course, for the trail of toilet paper stuck to her shoe, but, behind...it was a different story. That was Murphy at his finest.
  I think of her often, I seldom wear a skirt, or dress, but I subconsciously always check to ensure nothing is tucked into pantyhose. She could not have planned any of that. That is just sh*t that happens.
  So, perhaps this is why I have a problem accomplishing something. Even if it seems to be running smoothly, I am just waiting for the wrench. I spend so much time, wondering what is going to go wrong. I wish I could remember exactly what it is I did so wrong, to have the Twilight Zone (do you remember this show?) grinning gremlin attached to me. I would happily try and trade the black Karma for some shiny white stuff. I feel Murphy should stick with Irish folk, because with a name like that, he had to be connected to the Emerald Isles. I think I have had to take more than my share of extra steps for simple jobs, and I am getting far too old to have the energy to dig through all the wrenches.
  Perhaps the solution to all of this, is to do nothing? I think I just might be able to manage that! If I just sit here, maybe the gremlin, Murphy and Karma will decide I am too boring, and head on over to the neighbours? Think I am going to give this a try, lets call it a scientific experiment. I am going to do nothing in the name of science!!!

Thursday 8 May 2014

Not Significant

 To be a loser, is never an easy task. Even when you acknowledge you are fighting a losing battle, to reach the end, is still painful. People fight for what they love, their family, their home, their rights. I have fought this battle twice since living in the Peace. The first battle, was personal, and although we won, the battle left scars than will never heal, and I often wonder, if it was worth the time and energy.
  This battle is one that I fought along side many. Oh, they likely never saw me draw my sword, or heard my battle cry, but, I was screaming as hard as I could. I thought I was right, no, I knew I was right! I took the time to study, and I weighed the pros and cons. I was not mistaken, and I will never admit that my side was wrong.
  I was wrong, however, to think that common sense would win the fight. I was so sure that those who would not profit, would see the insanity..they did not. Perhaps I do not understand impartial, that's likely my problem, these folks were just looking at facts. They stated that people would be hurt, but they also made a statement that I found unforgivable, and that was the fact that our farmland is worth more under water than above.
  Yep, good for those elsewhere, who can step on over to Granville Island, and get their wonderful fresh produce, f*ck they have folks bringing in fresh stuff on a steady basis. Now, along with all the other crap that one must deal with living in a fairly isolated area, we won't get fresh produce, and our fish and wildlife will be poisoned or drowned. Excellent! Again, it is apparently all for the greater good of the province.
  Well folks, fine, have it your way!! Follow your grinning chameleon Crusty, destroy this whole damn province!!Oh, keep your cities intact, for goodness sakes, can't have anything marring your freaking exhaust filled air, and your incessant need for electricity. Just pretend this is magic, you get your lights and gas through a wave of a wand. You can blog on about how you buy your food grown within your backyard, and how the rest of us should be following your lead, and being healthy, and driving electric cars...Stick it up all your butts!!!!Each and every one of you are hypocrites, you close your eyes to what price is paid for your enjoyment. Stay in your cozy little apartments, with glass walls that light up the night skies. Suck back your sushi, without fear of mercury.
  Every single moment of enjoyment you get in life, has been paid for by someplace far enough from you, that you don't care. Take a little drive out into the countryside..well the countryside close to the city that is so very important to the ALR. Enjoy your pretend time, breathing in the scent of hay and manure. Don't give a moments thought that somewhere, far away, others will take a drive to see nothing but water, where there was once farm. That water is there because you, sitting in front of your holier than thou healthy 100 mile bean sprout dinner, wanted to be green.
  Funny, those of us who must pay the price for you to hold your heads up high, feeling you are green, don't think this is anything close to a greenish shade. How can something environmentally friendly, destroy an enormous land mass? How can something green kill wildlife in abundant numbers, and fill fish with mercury, and destroy forests? I can't grasp a single morsel of green in this.
  I read the Panel report, and the one word that kept twisting my gut, was significant. They stated over and over how they determined "Not significant" in regards to ungulates,and agriculture. OMG, really?
  I wish, really wish, all those yuppies and health fiends, and nature lovers would have to stand as close to the river banks as possible, when they fill the river with water, and the lands disappears, along with the animals and birds. How can something so massively destructive not be considered significant? What would the citizens of Vancouver say if suddenly Stanley Park was covered in a huge lake? Oh, my, that won't happen, they need their little piece of nature, and think of the animals..Stop the Grizzly hunt, stop the whale hunt, stop cutting old growth trails..but, hey, go ahead, flood the Peace Valley, and drown everything, because...it's not significant!!!
  Can you tell I am pi$$ed? Well, I am!! It has become clear that the hardships that we endure living in an area that allows our government, and the citizens of this province to enjoy all the benefits of warmth and light, is simply not significant. I suppose more than pi$$ed, I am sick to my stomach, disgusted, and devastated.
  As I stated a long while back, I cannot possibly stay and watch this horror take place. I feel like someone in the midst of a Godzilla movie, havoc is imminent, and no mitigation by man can ever make this right. This is a man-made, super colossal mistake. Too bad no one sees the significance .....

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Great Expectations

 I know, today I am a little touchier than usual. That is not a good place to be, when you are me, or, worse, when you are those around me.
   See, tomorrow, something that has been hanging over my head for a long while, will have an answer. Well, not really an answer, more of a tid bit of common sense, placed on it. Tomorrow is the day the government has decided to let the public in on what the esteemed panel of experts, who listened to all sides of the Site C Hydro project, said in their report.
  Now, I listened to all the audio, recorded in each and every meeting these people had. I honestly think they were unbiased. There is no doubt they are very learned, and to my seasoned ear(LOL) I felt that these were people who would speak the truth, and put the real facts out to government. They don't seem to have anything to lose, what..maybe the chance to do this again? I am sure they were well compensated for this study, but they had one hell of a job in front of them. To be human, and have to spend day after day, listening to heartbreaking stories, and an overabundance of facts and figures, to ponder over once the meeting were over. Wow, to be able to remain impartial, I commend all three of these people. 
  I sit here, pretty confident that their findings oppose the building of Site C. Not because of the sorrow it will cause many families, not because of the sheer destruction this will cause, but, because it is obviously NOT needed. It is, in fact, one of the most expensive propaganda attempts by our government, ever! I have told you, time and again, how much I hate math, and how it is not my finest talent (not sure what exactly my talent is, yet, but, it's not math), but, even my pea brain can see we do not need it now, nor is it likely we will in the future.
  Site C will never allow the people of this province to have affordable hydro. Affordable hydro is definitely a thing of the past. How can something that will cost so very much, and take so long to build, lower our electricity costs? We are now experiencing a rapid increase in our hydro rates, and..we haven't got a 10 billion dollar add on  yet. come on, really, someone has to pay for it, and there is only one person that can possibly do this, the BC Hydro owners, that's you and me. Yep, like everything else government, we are over spending at an astounding pace. We are in the red, but, for some reason, those at the top feel, the way out of the red, is to go so far into it, perhaps it will change colour. No...a deficit will not be fixed by adding 10 billion zeros to it. One does not have to be a genius to recognize, this is not a solution.
  Therefore I feel that 3 people, unbiased , with a pretty high intelligence quota, will immediately see this would be an overwhelming burden, with no benefit to the people of this province. Oh, they have likely seen that the destruction this will cause, is unacceptable, but, if, in fact, it was a positive thing for the province as a whole, perhaps their decision would reflect this?
  Yes, I am putting my thoughts on what this report will state, before it is made public. I am doing this, because I think those on the panel were, indeed, honest folk. Those across the province who have only heard specific pieces of this project, have based their opinions on the tiny sliced of information. The three panel members heard the whole damn thing! They heard all the studies, and calculations, and estimations, from Hydro experts. They heard from experts in everything imaginable, opposed to this project. They heard from landowners, and First Nations, who would be impacted by it. They taped every single word, and had every single paper ever written on this project, and they promised to remain impartial, and to simply stick to the facts.
  The facts are, Site C is a bad idea. It is not only bad for the people of the Peace River Valley, it is bad for the province as a whole. It is a waste of money, for something that will not give the price back to those who pay for it. It is a losing gamble.
 So, tomorrow I will see what the panel members suggest. Then, sadly, I will see our government continue to shove this down our throats, because they refuse to listen to reason. This is my Miss Cleo prediction. Ms. Clark's ministers will convince enough people that they know better than a panel of experts, what is in the best interest of our province. Remember the HST? So, like everyone else who has been waiting impatiently for this report, I figure I will experience a moment of joy, when I read what they suggest. That moment will be wiped out instantly when my government decides to totally ignore common sense, once again. I do have great expectations, but, I also understand the Tower of Power, is not getting enough oxygen.
                                                      SAY NO TO SITE C

Unnecessary Expenses

I know I have ranted about this before, but...as the time draws near, I again feel compelled to question unnecessary government expenses.
  Now, years ago, when I was a kid, and that WAS years ago. We all knew about Victoria. It was the garden of Eden of B.C. Perfect weather, ocean, and...flowers. It was our tourist mecca, and, obviously the place politicians enjoyed spending their "work" time.
  Yes, Victoria had tourists, but, it wasn't because of the flowers!!
  Suddenly, some bright twit decided that all of the province was going to profit from tourism, and....all they had to do was plant their community with flowers.
  I love flowers!! I try year after year to have more in my yard, but, the cost of a garden is not minimal, and, it takes a pretty large chunk of time to maintain. I know there are some in my community who have awesome gardens, chock full of beautiful flowers. Has this brought a penny in their pocket from tourism? Nope...It has more likely taken every spare penny they have socked away after utilities and food, to have this place of enjoyment.
 However, it seems if we plant thousands of dollars worth of plants, each and every year along our highway, and in front of those enormous tourist attractions of the town hall, library, and hospital, we will all be flooded with tourist dollars!This bright idea has snowballed in many small ,budget limited towns. It has become part-time, well paid employment for many people across the province. All Union, with benefits, and wages paid for by the tax paying citizens. Greenhouses have flourished with the necessary purchases each year, of flowers that will bloom and die and be replaced the following year.
  Sorry..I don't care what the reasoning is, snow removal destroying the lovely little flower beds, requiring only annual (means they grow once) plants, because the beds are too close to the road. Extra things like this, should be designed to be cost effective. Someone should have thought of winter when they decided hick town B.C. was going to try and keep up with Victoria.
  Truth of the matter, folks, not once have I thought of traveling to a town, because the flowers along the roads were pretty. Sure I have headed to Van Dusen Gardens, to see the gardens. I figure, money spent on cleaning up litter along the roads, and places that are tidy, are far more appealing than the cookie cutter flower beds.Sure some potted plants outside business would be pretty, but, all I see when I look at those pretty little flowers, and great big planters outside of town buildings, is, the reason I have less to spend in my own yard.
  I also have a peeve, beyond the continual cost of the plants, and maintenance, that peeve is watering. Now, throughout the summer, we get messages that we are NOT to water our lawns because we have a water shortage. Well.....we are to simply allow our yards to dry out to dust, as we watch the road side flower beds receive their water on a timed system, we watch the lawns outside the hospital get their drinks, outside the town buildings, all green. Sorry, but...if those who pay for all the services must let their investments dry up, why is water supplied to the unnecessary stuff?
  If we live in an area that water shortage is common, perhaps flowers are not something we should be decorating with. I am right ticked when I am suppose to let my time and effort go to waste, while something I never once requested, is allowed to blossom. Plus, I get to pay for it, as well.
  I feel as though this flower thing has been blown out of proportion, the budget has grown enormously since the beginning. It is simply an unnecessary expense we should cut out, until we have a surplus in the budget, that can be spent on knick knacks. That is what the flowers are, they are not something we will not survive without, like water. If this expense is set aside for a few years, imagine the savings, for things that we truly need.
  This is window dressing, just makeup, and pricey makeup at that. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I'm not saying small towns are sow's ears, but, they are what they are, and pretty flowers are not going to make a lick of difference when it comes to tourist dollars!Most of us have seen the reality of the big promise of tourist meccas all about the province. Our government has seen this truth as well, which is why suddenly they are willing to cut down forests, and drown wildlife, and flood farmers...cripes, flowers are certainly not on the save list. Lets get a grip on reality, folks, we can't afford  these unnecessary  expenses, and maybe it is only a few extra pennies when it comes to our taxes, but if all those unnecessary expenses were stopped, it is quite likely we would have quite a few extra bucks in our pockets, and maybe a few more plants in our gardens!

Friday 2 May 2014

Hate Myself

Obviously, I am not the only member of this group, but, I really hate myself. Trust me, I am probably the president of the Hate Debbie Club. I have tried to tell you it is not only, not easy being green, it is not easy being me!
  I am one of those folks who cannot do a single job. Now...that doesn't mean I am not capable of doing jobs, it simply means..not a single job. I multi-task. Did I do this before children? Hummm..not sure. I know women who have kids, who can totally focus on one thing, and block out anything else that pops into their world, wish I was one of them. Yes, I get my teeth into things, and stick with them, till the bitter end, but...along the way, I am biting at a million other things, chewing bit by bit. Oh to be able to pick a task, finish it, and move onto the next. But...this is where I think raising children messed me up. I remember focusing on cleaning my house, and spending the whole freaking day, doing this job, only to make my way back to the beginning and see, it was exactly the same as it was before I started. So..I learned my way of multi-tasking. a little here, a little there, and every once in awhile, it would be finished, for a second, a moment I should have photographed, so I had proof.
 Now, the kids are grown, but, I can't get out of the little here, little there habit. Oh...BTW, we are really talking about housework here...Not blogging...LOL.could it be a problem only with things I don't like? Is that possible?
  See. my buddy and I came up with an awesome idea. Both of us are at that down-size stage in life. Why not have a garage sale? We can empty out all that stuff that has been packed away, not used for years, and maybe make a few dollars cash, with which we can buy some plants!  Hey, sounds pretty simple, right? Enter the idiot, multi-tasker....I start off at a pretty good pace, this can go, that can go, and then  hummm...glance into my closet..look at all those clothes that have been hanging there, and I haven't used them in forever..out comes a garbage bag, and I begin to empty that out for the thrift store. What's in this box? Oh, look pictures, and letters, I should sit down and go through these...
  I started getting ready for this sale 11 days ago!!! I will be the first to tell you all, I don't have much in the line of la de dahs in my home. I have been attempting for many years to become that amazing minimalist, but, somehow there is clutter all about. Big things like ,end tables, a TV and boxed items that are coated in dust from non-use, those were easy, and now sit in my hallway and living room in stacks. They don't have a place in the minimal world..away they go. However..we get into the nasty little things, movies, books, CD's, ack!! I hate that stuff!!I want to just throw it in the garbage, because it is time consuming, and...truthfully, very little of this belongs to me!! I am treading a fine line, I want it out, but..no one else is here to make the decision, and...once. many years ago, I had the only other garage sale of my life. Apparently, as a Mother, I overstepped the boundaries, and sold off the Power Ranger video collection...this is now something I will have to live with for the rest of my life. So...now I am afraid to put anything into the for sale pile, just in case it is extremely valuable..but...again, we are on a time limit...whatever I don't get out of here by tomorrow, will remain as clutter.
  This simple plan to clear space, has become incredibly stressful. I am down to the last mile, sale is tomorrow. Now it looks like rain, it is frigging cold, I never got close to everything I wanted, I have no clue what price to put on things, I want it all to be over and done with...I am impatient with the poor dogs, my house is a disaster. I have been existing on coffee and hunks of cheese, with a side dish of potato chips and the odd Cream Soda...There is clutter everywhere!!! Whose stupid idea was this?
  It really did seem like a good idea at the moment, but the past 11 days have been sheer h-ll for me. I have come to realize most everything in my home is unnecessary since the invention of the home computer. I accept that a TV and bed are necessities in my life. But, besides that, a pot, a frying pan, a Tassimo, cup and lawnchair, would provide me with everything I need in life. Can you imagine how little housework would be necessary in a home like that?
 So, I only have a few more days of hate, then of course I will be sorely disappointed that I didn't walk away with a pocket full of cash. I will end up looking around at the clutter remaining, and begin a new hate-on that I didn't get rid of it all. There is no end!!!!
  Oh yeah, and it definitely looks like rain out there!!

Thursday 1 May 2014

Added Government

 I was thinking about my last blog..when I mentioned the PRRD. That, like so many new forms of government, ticks me off. I am fed up with additional layers of government. Now folks, all those new politicians, that come along with the sub-sub-sub groups of the original group, get paid. Give this some thought. We have the original provincial ministry..lets use Health as an example...so I seem to recall, each community was under a region, like North Coast..well...all the communities along the North Coast would be in that clump, Okanagan..hey, that would include all those folks. But, suddenly, someone must have decided there wasn't quite enough red tape, and too much money was being used for actual Health, so...they invented another, completely separate section. lumping regions together into a bigger clump..encompassing far larger areas. So...now we have layer upon layer of government, all, of course, dipping into the tax dollars, to pay their salaries, and expenses. Oh, there are still the little regions, but they now have to go through this new section to get to the top. Keep in mind, these new government groups do not just consist of one person..oh no..there are offices, and receptionists, and reports, and studies, and travel, and computers, etc etc. lots of money..They all have a head honcho, those honchos of course are the cream of the crop, and must be paid enough to keep them happy in these newly invented positions, if we don't, heaven forbid, they might quit, and get some sort of pension, or pay-out, and we will have to hire someone else, which of course will upset the budget. So, the end result, far less of our tax dollars that should be going into the Health care system , get past salaries and expenses. Of course, the solution to that is, raise taxes, and premiums.
  I think the people of B.C. would not mind higher premiums, if they could see improvements in Health care, but...instead, we see cut back, after cut back.
  See, in the real world, a company can keep paying their head honchos sweet salaries, even as their shares dwindle, but...at some point, they have to start laying folks off. Of course they don't start at the top, it is always the bottom that gets cut first, however, sooner or later, the top crumbles(because we all know, it is really held up by the bottom).
  Our government is building too many towers of power. We have this in the health care, now we have it in districts as well. First we have our own community government, and then, suddenly we add on another roll of red tape, and combine that into a regional district. WTF!! Now these new little semi parliaments have leaders, who get paid a nice chunk of change. They all must meet, add expenses on to that..likely where they meet is yet another expense, and they set the rules. We see pretty quickly, population drives everything. The smaller the community, the easier it is to shove them into the background. So, what happens, is, our little communities now answer to the big region, who in turn, answers to whoever, who in turn has access to the top of the tower.
  Government has multiplied. It was a pain in the butt to start with, but, now we have let them grow, and given them more of our tax dollars to pay themselves, so less is used for anything beyond their pockets. We have debt, and for some insane reason, we accept them stacking more towers, held up by the ones who continue to have their benefits, and rights cut back, so the tower becomes an enormous weight.
  The tower of power has become an overwhelming burden to those at the bottom. We are finding it harder , and harder to hold them up there in (where apparently the atmosphere causes a loss of common-sense)the sky. We are having our reason to hold them, chipped away, constantly. They are so high, they can't see their foundation, and have forgotten that the bottom must also be paid to support them.
  I see the foundation crumbling. This is far too top heavy, and the price is far too steep. I for one am tired of having my burden grow, I am running out of strength. I am sure this tower is becoming too shakey, not enough at the bottom. Our only hope is to start lifting the weight off, and coming back down to earth. Perhaps when those at the top of the tower start breathing the same air as those at the bottom, they will begin to understand, you cannot rise to the top, unless you have a solid foundation.