The Perfect Citizen According to Jason Kenney

It's too bad ol' Kenney, Stevie and the rest of the Harpercons can't even live up to most of Kenney's guidelines in his new handbook.

Posted at The Galloping Beaver by Alison and at My Blahg


Actually, it's titled:

And here's what every new immigrant should look at before signing on to be a citizen: 






Design by Pale Cold from A Creative Revolution


Basically, it's high on promoting the military big time and of course, next to nothing regarding arts and culture.


Advice to Potential New Citizens


"(There's) a growing consensus that we need to recover a sense of civic memory, civic literacy about our democratic institutions and the history in which they are rooted," Kenney said.


Hmmm, with the events of late such as scrapping the Long Gun Registry, thus, beginning the journey toward No Gun Control, the move toward the U.S. health care system, a very pro-military stance in this new document of Kenney's, 


THINK AMERICA under Georgie Bush and Dickie Cheney.


About that pro-military stance of Kenney's which new immigrants must aspire to: while he says it isn't compulsory, one must read between the lines here: 


a "noble way to contribute to Canada and an excellent career choice."


Well, boys and girls, just think, if it were soooo noble and such a great career choice, how come Steve, Kenney or most of the Harpercons never enlisted? Also remember, the military seems to have a shortage in personnel and most who are natural born citizens just don't want to join it these days.


Oh yeah! It also tells you it's your duty to vote; just one snag though; they mean, vote for them.


It also talks about volunteering. Remember, these folks never volunteer for anything.


In discussing gender equality, in this guide. Congratz, ladies! You've simply moved to the status of left winged fringe.


Oh, just because there is not much indicated about arts and culture, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It simply means it's not important to the Harpercons.


And so, boys and girls, remember, it's not hard to be smarter than most Harpercons: Apparently things like University education is optional to be a Harpercon and to be a Harpercon senator, literacy is also optional.


You can get the translate version of  Kenney's guide here.


The booklet will also be made available to schools, to give all Canadians a better sense of common values.


Common, of course, means Conservative. Good luck Future Conservatives oops! I meant Canadians! (Or is that American Rednecks?)

Downhill for Stevie and the Harpercons in Quebec without the A.D.Q.?

I can only hope? The party was on life support and now, Gilles Taillon, may well be the one to pull the plug once and for all after just 23 days leading the party. I ordinarily wouldn't give something like this a second thought, let alone write about  it. Taillon is undergoing treatments for prostate cancer and he didn't even have a seat in the National Assembly. Two of its' MNAs have resigned to sit as independents as of Friday. At last count, It no longer seems the A.D.Q. has enough seats in the National Assembly for official party status. Its' brain child has long since left politics, or has he?


Since Super Mario's departure from politics, we don't hear from him anymore, except for maybe his new career as a TV star. We hadn't seen him really crawling out of the wood work to even comment about Monday's bi-election in Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup, let alone to campaign for Genereux of the Harpercons. 


Yet, according to Taillon, the ghost of Super Mario is still very much around. Taillon blames him as well as other party members and the Harpercons for the internal fighting inside the A.D.Q. 


It was no secret that Mario Dumont was one of Steve's best buddies here in Quebec. Steve had a neo-con to help him make in-roads. According to the CBC, the party was funded largely in part by Conservative Senator, Leo Housakos up until last December, right at the time the ADQ was decimated and Mario ran away. Well, certainly explains that weird relationship between an on again/off again separatist and  Stevie doesn't it?


Gilles Taillon, on the other hand, wanted to break ties with the Harpercons. He basically no longer wanted any ties with any political party; provincial or federal. Ok, sounds ambitious, even admirable.


"I understand today from the public comments made by the former 'owners' of the party, Mario Dumont first among them, that my election as leader of the ADQ signified for these people, the end of an untouchable alliance,"


Untouchable Alliance? It was almost incestuous, if you ask me. Steve and Mario were so joined at the hip, it sent Premier Jean Charest, a former Tory MP and Federalist to campaign for the Bloc Quebecois during the last Federal election. There were, of course other reasons for Charest to have done that, but I digress.


Super Mario appeared yesterday on his TV show, V calling for MNA Gerard Deltell to be leader. Wow! Whatever happened to remaining out of the political arena, Mario? TV show not having hot ratings lately?


It would also seem that co-founder of the A.D.Q., Jean Allaire is also backing Deltell for leader. 


Trouble is, does Deltell even want it? 

"I take note of the fact that many people want a leader who has consensus, and I see that many people think that I am the man for the job," said Deltell.

"[There is] a lot of pressure. But you know, that is part of the job. You don't do politics for the fun of it — you do politics because you are involved."

At this time, Eric Caire, a former contender for A.D.Q. leadership who resigned on Friday to sit as an independent no longer has any interest to lead this party.

Next question, should we even care? Whether Deltell takes it or not certainly won't help his career. This political experiment of reviving Day's past of the Maurice Duplessis era is done.

I wonder if Stevie still cares? After all, he gained a seat in the lower St-Lawrence in Monday's bi-election without the A.D.Q. However, he probably wouldn't have without Genereux or that 242 M bribe last Friday.


The trouble with that is, Stevie can't realistically bribe all or even half of Quebec ridings. Where would the money come from, for starters?


Also, how many Native Quebecois 'stars' can Steve recruit for Quebec ridings?


Some suggest that Stevie try to make nice with Jean Charest, but it may not even be in Charest's own political interests to entertain the idea of making nice with Stevie. As mentioned in a previous post, Charest could well be eye-balling Stevie's job. Unlike Stevie, Charest could potentially lead the Tories to a majority with greater ease.


Taillon is also alleging financial irregularities within the party for several years now and has already notified the Surete de Quebec. That too, more than likely  would be a reason for Gerard Deltell to be on the fence regarding the party's leadership and for those like Eric Caire to no longer be interested.


Whatever the case, I venture to guess that the life support of the A.D.Q. has just had its' plug pulled. 


Perhaps this is wishful thinking on my part. Although, the A.D.Q. will never have enough clout to help Steve make further inroads in Quebec.


I also venture to guess that Super Mario may get an invite from Steve to the senate should his TV show flop.

Disappointing Although Not Surprising

Today is indeed a dark day. Waking up to find that race between the Bloc`s Nancy Gagnon and Harpercon Star, Bernard Genereux was won by the latter. He did it without the help of Jean Charest no less. This was one race our premier chose not to involve himself with. True, Genereux was the popular mayor of  one of the village in a collection of villages known as Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup. Yes, like so many rural regions of Quebec, they are generally conservative thinkers who actually would cheer for the abolition of the Long Gun Registry and would be turned off at Gilles Duceppe`s proposal of coming up with a similar registry for Quebec. Also like most rural regions of Quebec, the Catholic Church still has an influence over village life. However, it was a Bloc strong hold for a long time and given that these folks are also uni-lingual French and separatist for the most part and their native son, Mario has left politics entirely in favour for a career in TV, I thought Gagnon would squeak through. The pundits like Jean Lapierre on CTV's Question Period even predicted that. Hell, even Mario Dumont was nowhere near this campaign. All looked good for The Bloc to maintain Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup even if only by a margin.

It was not to be.  Indeed a dark day.

Gilles Duceppe is wondering if the riding was punishing Paul Crete, the Bloc MP for resigning so soon into his mandate to run provincially. I don't think that's it, Gilles, I think it's more like 242 Million Clam bribery scheme for the riding last Friday.

Of course, simply because the Harpercons don't know the meaning of the words gracious and humble, they had to rub salt in the wound:

“Mr. Duceppe, the population also sent you a clear message; the Bloc does not have the monopoly on Quebec values.”

No, Dimitri Soudas and the other Harpercons: the good folks of Montmagny-l'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup just know a good deal when they have it dangling in front of their noses. If not for that, I'm sure the riding would have remained in the hands of the Bloc. Pundits predicted as much in spite of the popularity of Genereux as Mayor of La Pocatiere.

Also, Mr. Soudas, you may have Quebec City and that disgraced clown in the Beauce and that hill billy up north in Roberval, but that doesn't mean you understand Quebec values as well as the Bloc Quebecois. Mr. Soudas, your boss only has appeal to hillbillies, church folks and farmers in some of the regions of Quebec. Try to make a dent in the Greater Montreal Area now.

I also think that the passing of the private members' bill, scrapping the long gun registry and the fact that Duceppe is proposing to create one for Quebec had something to with it.  I have noticed alot of news pages and bloggers saying that all of Quebec support the Long Gun Registry. That's ok, It wouldn't be the first time those outside of Quebec misunderstood Quebecers. If truth be told, one would be hard pressed to find a Quebecer outside the Greater Montreal Area who supported the Long Gun Registry or supports gun control for that matter.

What does this result and the results from the other three ridings mean? 

Hochelaga is a non-issue; as mentioned previously, a chimpanzee can win in Hochelaga if it were Bloc. 

The other two ridings were predictable. Although, I have to wonder how the folks of  Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley would vote for Harper's Neo-cons given their poor treatment toward those people.

I find it strange that bloggers and journalists call this Iggy's test or Iggy's loss. Those ridings were never his to lose in the first place. Yes, had the Liberals been able to steal one of those four ridings, it would be the shocking booster the party needed, but nobody believed that would happen. I don't even think Iggy believed it. Otherwise, why didn't he run so-called 'stars' in any of those four ridings? I don't think anybody really knew who the four Liberal candidates were.

My fear is: given the Harpercon wins in Nova Scotia and the collection of villages down river in Quebec;  does this pave the way to a sure Harpercon majority come this spring when a general federal election would be surely held??

The only warning I would have for Stevie is: they voted for your guy: make good on your bribe now, or else, if you don't, I venture to guess that if a general election were held this spring, Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup will go back to the Bloc and I think this time, it won't be Nancy Gagnon; he will more than likely find an old Parti Quebecois Star to run against the good former mayor of La Pocatiere.  I think we can now put this collection of villages in the Lower St-Lawrence in the category of bellwether ridings. 

While I don't like to see promises from politician's broken. I will make an exception and I do hope that Stevie doesn't deliver the goods to the good folks of Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup.

Thanks for the Encouragement

I see that my last posting got a big response, half of the comments from readers wishing me well with my battle to quit smoking.


I want to thank you all for the encouragement. I have to say that creativity is difficult. Times like now, the craving is sooo overwhelming, I can't even finish the posting for tonight's blog.


Thanks again and hopefully, I will be able to blog again regularly!!

Dodo Can't Play Fair!

Well, Well, not quite sure how to take this. Another right wing nut bar, Maria S of Dodo Can't Spell recently put me and Canadian Cynic in her 'toilet'. Yes! Another racist bitch who just doesn't like it when some of us think and try to put light on something. This time, she doesn't seem to like the way I and I guess, Canadian Cynic, insult the right wing bloggers; but...but...you're sooo ignorant, you're just too entertaining!!


She also doesn't seem to like our (mine and Canadian Cynic's) recent postings about Major Hasan and the Fort Hood shootings. I haven't read Canadian Cynic's post, so I can't comment about it one way or another, but I imagine it didn't take on the racist flavoring she would have liked on that tragedy . 


"This blog belongs to a Conservative woman who believes in total freedom of speech. If you cannot bear to hear it, buy a set of ear plugs and stop whining. Also, I happen to hate anti-semites and anti-gay idiots. If you are not in sync with my mind-set, please keep away from this blog, and I "Thank you" for not polluting it with your presence." From YOUR Subtitle. What a walking contradiction you are!! You believe in 'total freedom' of speech, until someone disagrees with you and then you don't want them to 'pollute' it." Who is this Shrew?


My posting was based on a New York Times article that same evening I posted mine: Nicotine Deprived Blogging... is what this shrew is referring to. 


This brings me to revisit my old question, I really wish some of these Neo-Cons would answer this. I asked this question when writing about Kathy Shiddle's persecution complex. Why is absolute Free speech only applicable to you and your idiocies and not to anyone else who dares to disagree with you??


Beware, Neo-Cons, it just so happens that making fun of you is becoming an ideal replacement for nicotine!! And gotta say; the quitting smoking thing is pretty damned difficult.

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!!

I couldn't let one of the few tv shows I was allowed to watch growing up without even commemorating its' Anniversary, now can I? Most of us enjoyed learning to sing the alphabet, count with the count, watch how Cookie Monster would always get more cookies all over the place than actually eating them.

The anniversary will be commemorated with Michelle Obama, planting a garden with Elmo and Big Bird tomorrow. I would imagine an effort to teach kids the values of being green. She will be the fourth First lady to appear on the show. Good on her.


However, all has not been A-OK with Sesame Street over the years. Yes, in a country with right wingnuts, an innocent TV show where pre-schoolers can actually have fun learning to count or sing along to the Alphabet was not without controversy. It had received criticism from paranoid parents scared that in promoting sharing, Sesame Street was indoctrinating Socialism.


Even a kids show is indeed not spared from the Right/left debate.  Here is one Right Wingnut's take on those evil Communist muppets and their 'indoctrination' of innocent school children. After reading from that wingnut, I can see how Obama speaking to school children would be frightening to these individuals.


Another controversy was a change to Cookie Monster's character. They decided to promote healthy eating and thus, scrapped the cookies. Inspite of good intentions, it was felt that Cookie Monster lost his identity.


My favourite character had to be Oscar the Grouch, who for some reason, changed colours over the years, it would seem. He ate trash, his favourites  would be things like spinach sundaes and pickle juice.  His pet was Slimy the Worm. Like myself, he was forever cranky. According to this blog, the controversy with Oscar was that he made folks feel depressed.


According to this opinion piece, however, quirky characters like Oscar the Grouch and the short tempered Bert served to show children tolerance to different temperaments.


The latest Oscar the Grouch scandal has got to be when, you guessed it! The Show took a jab at Fox News. Below, is the controversial skit. I think it's cute but it's getting right winged pundits in a  snit to say the least!

This of course, has got all the right winged bloggers in a tizzy. They're all fit to be tied!


The good folks of Sesame Street and PBS believe that this was  "just another one of the many parodies that 'Sesame Street' has done over the years."  At least, they're not running apologizing to Fox News like Desperate members of the GOP seem to keep doing.


Of course, Michelle Obama's guest appearance, planting that agrarian garden is also causing no shortage of grief for this idiotic blogger. OK, Ass-hole Adam Baldwin, time to dislodge that conservative coin from up your ass. Just because you're frustrated with your life is no need to take away the fun of learning from kids.


Sadly, it seems more and more obvious things will not continue to be A-Ok anymore as Americans go more and more to the right, what would their kids be allowed to watch? 


Happy Birthday Sesame Street! Thanks for those fun formative years!!

Health Care Reform Passed!

It passed by the narrowest of margins: 220 Aye (including one GOPer) and 215 Nay, according to breaking news at Huffington Post. Here is the break down of the votes.


Below is Nancy Pelosi's declaration of the new health care bill passing.


Yes, good the Government will have a tighter noose on the insurance companies and they won't be able to discriminate anymore based on gender or pre-existing condition. It is, however, watered down. How disappointing! What is this?? Subsidizing lower income Americans so they can buy insurance?? Whatever happened to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's Public option?? I did not see anything about a public option in there.  Subsidizing purchasing of insurance will surely be more expensive to the tax payers than the public option would ever be...


I wonder if this will cost Obama a second term?? Surely the more progressive Democrats will no longer have confidance in him and the Tea-baggers will surely have replaced the GOP with Rush Limbaugh at the helm. Oh what a mess!


I'm glad there is reform of some kind. The very fact the insurance companies are going to have to play fair now is already progress, as well as more will be insured, or so it says on paper.


UPDATE: 


It seems there is a public option. I apologize for having jumped the gun. Here are the particulars of this new health care bill. As mentioned, insurance companies will no longer be able to discriminate based on gender or pre-existing condition.  I hope it will be put into practise in all states.

She's Baaaackk!! She's a showin' them Klan Colours...Again!!

Thought whiny Wendy went away; that she just got tired of blogging her racist ignorant shit like "aboriginals doing nothing but fucking their daughters 364 days a year and her usual Muslim Hating rants.


Nope, she had to take time off from stalking Marc Steyn or whatever the hell she does for fun and she had to weigh in on what happened at Fort Hood, didn't she??  Wonder if she's a Gretchen Carlson wannabe??


Once again, like Sweet Gretchen and Brian Kilmeade (watch the video below where Geraldo Rivera holds his own against the lot of them at Fox News), Whiny Wendy seems to think that the US needs to rethink Muslims in the Military, just over the actions of an obviously disturbed individual.



Brian Kilmeade expresses fears about being killed by a Muslim in a Fox Hole. So does Whiny Wendy in her most recent posting. Just a word of caution to blonde Bubblehead Gretchen Carlson, Brian Kilmeade and Whiny Wendy Sullivan: Be more afraid of NICOTINE DEPRIVED CRANKY GEN-XERS than of the Muslim population. 


Oh Lord-! I think I do need a cigarette; I think I just pulled a SUZY ALLCAPSLOCK just now.


Anyway, here is her most ridiculous quote. 


"Bush’s policy of befriending and appeasing Islam in the wake of September 11 led directly to the rampage on Thursday. If he had taken a strong stand on the domestic front; if he had marginalized the Islamic community away from security-sensitive positions, 12 soldiers, one civilian and one unborn child would be alive in Texas tonight."

How in the world did Bush befriend Islams in the wake of September 11?? I remember hearing him talk back then being afraid of him setting up internment camps for the American Muslims, just like they did to the Japanese following Pearl Harbor.

I also remember him on TV condemning those hurting local Muslims on a whim, but he kinda has to same something like that to make America look sort of warm and cuddly. Was that what that shrew was shrieking about??

I'm sorry for the lost soldiers and their families, but once again, the media (funneled through by the US Army) is only spoon feeding us what they want us to know. I'm sure Major Hasan has a story to tell when he gets well again. As an Army shrink whose job it was, in part, to treat soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder would have lots of stories to tell, no doubt. Perhaps working with PSTD sufferers got to him and made him snap.

Maybe he's just a sick man. 


It may have nothing to do with Islam extremism. 


The latest article in the New York Times , suggests that investigators are 'ruling out terrorist plot' In fact, investigators are leaning toward theories that resemble those above: 



"But the investigators, working with behavioral experts, suggested that he might have long suffered from emotional problems that were exacerbated by the tensions of his work with veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who returned home with serious psychiatric problems.


They said his counseling activities with the veterans appear to have further fueled his anger and hardened his increasingly militant views as he was seeming to move toward more extreme religious beliefs — all of which boiled over as he faced being shipped overseas, an assignment he bitterly opposed."


Gee, Wendy, it seems that the veterans he treated led to a change in his views. Wanna blame some traumatized vets who have seen the unimaginable?? 

He "bitterly" opposed the mission. Sounds like probably more than half of America: doesn't make him an extremist.




No one thought of that possibility, did they? Certainly, no one at Fox News or anyone in the Media: not sexy enough to sell papers. Certainly not whiny Wendy 'Right Girl' who said on her Twitter feed that she was "against humanity."

I really don't believe this! I've got to stay off Twitter until I smoke again. I would never have found this horrible drivel and now I'm bored, can't sleep and nicotine deprived.

Wendy, go find yourself a man, maybe that Homer Simpson sound a like from your so-called radio show.  Join Weight Watchers or a gym: looks like ya could use a work out.  Better still, you love the US so much: Get the hell out of Canada and take Shona Holmes with you; because we certainly don't want you here! Do let the door hit you on the way out, you grotesque, beasty, inbred, redneck, FREAK of nature!! Gee, that just felt good.

Remember Wendy, Bush is as much to blame for what happened at Fort Hood as much as you will be for causing me to fall off the nicotine wagon.

Again, I am sorry for the victims and their families, but I'm sure there is a story the army and media are careful not to tell us. If the man is sick or he became disturbed due to the nature of his work and the stories he heard, then he needs help and I hope he gets it.

Nicotine Deprived Blogging - Week in Review

I don't recommend it!  I haven't had a cigarette all day today, got through that without telling my husband because he would go all cheerleader on me and when I start smoking again (Yes, when; not if), it will be an argument I really don't want to have. Right now, I'm trying to keep my distance from the population at large, because everybody is just so damned annoying to me right now; besides, it's better flu prevention than sticking yourself with an untested vaccine. This leads to my reasoning for my cigarette withdrawal: cigarettes are an irritant for the lungs among other organs, so if I do get this or any other bug, I will be able to fight it off easier. That is how today worked anyway. Tomorrow is another day: I might well be lighting up as I'm going to be stuck being with people at some function. YIKES!! Socializing without the benefit of cigarettes, not recommended for me. I would call myself Anti-Social Socialist, but I think there's a blogger out there using that handle. Too bad, because that nick name suits me well.


Funny, I guess my last two entries have been more of a personal nature. I promise, I will try to stay away from that as much as possible and will go back to venting about Politics here in Canada and the U.S., and other current events. Right now, I don't have the patience to even read the news paper or a news site or sit through a news or political show on the boob tube. I don't have the patience to think of any witty commentary about the news in politics.




Week in Review


Gotta say though, I have known the senate serves absolutely no purpose ever since Steve appointed a functionally illiterate hockey coach, showing us that knowing how to read and write is not a requirement for this 'job'? After watching Mike Puffy Duffy on TV and his mouth on steroids going off attempting to defend ...spending 44k after 3 months?? A lot of folks would take two years to earn that while working blood hard. 


Imagine a world without the senate? Imagine how their salaries and expenditures could help say, improve our single payer health care system?? 


Once in awhile, the Globe and Mail does actually run something insteresting:
Yes, I have to thank one of my Facebook friends for actually posting this. Some opinion writer, from a Harpercon-friendly  paper no less, finally came out and explained exactly how Steve doesn't care about our health care system, given his 'second tiered' minister, Agluquack. 


Rick Salutin, the writer of this piece speaking not only of Steve's lack of commitment toward health care or the flu crisis, but also of the Harpercon "Get tough on Crime" thing. Tougher punishments and a measure eliminating gun control. Sound familiar? Anyone who thought I was crazy for saying Steve was more like an American than Iggy would be hard pressed to argue that now.


After writing that, I wonder if Salutin will get fired?? I hope not, we need more writers to write and publish such things in newspapers. However, like the G & M, he doesn't often write anything that interesting neither.


However, when I sometimes get hope for the Globe and Mail, I get disappointed all over again with drivel like this.  According to Erin Anderssen, we are embracing the more American style combative military. Gone are the days of peace loving for us it would seem in her world.


That is my commentary for this week in Canada in short order.  


Right now, I must go somewhere, preferably where there is no one. Writing without cigarette just isn't working for me right now. I don't even feel like me without the smokes. Yah, I know they're bad, but they were a part of who I am...was?? Not sure anymore.


I may not be blogging for awhile until this nicotine thing somehow resolves itself, even if it means I start smoking again.

I Almost Drank the Kool-Aid

Yep, I did indeed. I was lucky though, somebody intervened. 


I wasn't going to get the H1N1 shot. I'm not convinced it was tested enough. Evil things like Guillain Barre or other equally or worse diseases and ailments can take place only years after the vaccine. For those who claim that it is safe, how do you know? I find the business practises of Pharma companies irreprehensible for the most part, but I also know that they spend more than 5 months testing a drug and a government agency to give the ok before unleashing it to the population at large. 


Another reason I was not going to get it was because I was (still am) terrified of how I will react to it. Yah! Yah! Yah! Chances are minute; maybe a sore arm for a few days and a little fever, blah! Blah! Blah! The problem is, it's not reassuring to me. When it comes to many types of pharmaceuticals, especially the injected kind, I have always been part of that minority who will have worse side-effects. It will take me longer to recuperate from them than most. I never get the regular flu shot because I don't want to be down with yet another side-effect and  I believe one's anti-bodies need to be given chance to boost themselves naturally.


I also know what happened in 1976 when that H1N1 was pushed on to the American public so quickly following an epidemic at Fort Dix, New Jersey (I posted a brief synopsis of my research).  I wonder if we learned our lessons from that time in history? 


I work in health & social services for the Quebec Government, so I fell onto the early schedule and tomorrow is the last day for such employees. However, my job is not with the public. I have zero contact with clients. I work in an IT and Telecom department in my own private office.  Most of my job related communications are done through email and the telephone. My biggest contact with the population at large is the commute to and from work. I don't have a choice, I don't drive. However, I am careful these days to try not to get on a bus or a metro car that is crowded like a can of sardines.


I have had flu when I was a kid, but not that often. I catch colds and sometimes some doozies where it would take me a week to get rid of the worst of it. I haven't had flu during my adult life. I never worried about dying from the flu or even about H1N1 this year.


Not long ago,  a lot of Canadians were not going to get the H1N1 vaccine for pretty much the same reasons I wasn't: never get the flu shot, allow our anti-bodies to work, afraid of the side-effects, etc. etc. The only deaths we heard about were those who had underlying conditions.


Let fear mongering begin!  The media sensationalizes even further and scares more people to the unknown.  Disorganization at every level. Conflicting views from the Harpercons, GSK, Public Health and the provinces to some degree. Carolyn Bennett, a doctor herself expresses concerns about the safety of the vaccine for pregnant women during question period and gets heckled by the Harpercons (video is here).  A federal health minister who seems to know absolutely nothing except to blame the provinces and GSK and can't answer reporter's questions. 


At a time of National crisis, where is Stevie again? Oh yeah! He's gallavanting with Prince Charles and his 'wife'. Why should any of us be surprised really? He fucks off UN climate talks in favour of din-din with Mayor Bloomberg, He fucks off Pres. Obama's speech at UN in favour of donuts at Timmy's! Why should this be any different? 


I hate that this insanity has caused otherwise sane and rational people who normally wouldn't buy a car without test driving it first but will play guinea pig and have a largely untested vaccine injected into their system without thinking of the long term consequences. Hell, I almost did it tonight!


I know we are not obligated to get vaccinated and legally, no one can force us to. Even the notices at work specified that vaccination was voluntary. However, as usual, I always read between the lines, I analyze and yes, I do think outside the box. I can't help but get the feeling that we will be judged as very irresponsible callous people if we don't get vaccinated. This is the feeling I get from most people I know, be it friends; be it co workers. I made the mistake of airing my concerns about the safety of the vaccine solely because I don't want to see anyone getting hurt, especially by rushing into something without giving it much thought or research. Clever ain't it? GSK can't stand by it's product, so then they flog the story of young Evan Frustaglio.  That don't work, its' market by guilt and depending who you talk to: coercion.


The most common remark I got hardly makes any sense at all, when I mention I don't want to get the vaccine: 'when (not if) you get sick, stay away from me!' It's like some foregone conclusion I will get sick automatically.  What's even less logical about that statement is if they're so sure that vaccine is going to protect them, why should they worry about me going near them if I get sick?


I think I've been having a psychosomatic cold this week. I don't have fever, sinus issue, cough and the usual, but I feel not quite myself since Monday when the vaccination schedule began. I had been wondering if the fact I hadn't been 100% could exempt me from the shot.  I was going to wait to make a decision after the appointment with the neurologist today.  I finally caved in, in spite of not feeling all that well, due to peer pressure and those who originally told me they were not going to get the shot finally caved in and did.


I had my husband accompany me to the clinic to get my shot. I felt like I was walking into the unknown; that there would be no turning back. They called my number, I filled out the form. Then, last stop, the table with the nurses. I was trembling like a leaf. I sat in the chair and had a panic attack. I had difficulty talking to the nurses.  They saw that I was a wreck. They asked me about my history of drug reactions and I told them each reaction to each drug. They asked me if I want to be vaccinated. I told them to hurry it up. They decided not to vaccinate me and either way, the other folks waiting after me would have a longer wait: they had run out of vaccine and were waiting for a delivery of more from another clinic. They reassured me that I could get vaccinated anytime with the rest of the population until mid-December should I change my mind. I had even heard whisperings around the clinic of some nurses not getting the shot. Maybe I will get it on a Friday when I know the next two days my husband isn't working. Maybe not. 


As for the world condemning folks like myself for not getting the shot. I am not being irresponsible or wreckless. I am going to do what I always do: take cod liver oil, up the vitamin D and C consumptions as well as oregano oil. I believe that will be fine. I will continue to stay away from crowded places. Should I catch a cold, I will stay home from work or anyplace else, something I never used to do; neither did the rest of the world before the pandemonium began.


Yes, I admit, I have been sniffing around the kool-aid due to the sensationalist media hype. H1N1 does make me nervous. However, the vaccine makes me more nervous. I will observe those folks I know who got the shot and see how they are. Maybe some folks are just saying they they got the shot to get folks off their backs when in reality, they didn't. I will never know. No one can.


It is each individual's decision whether or not to get vaccinated and no one: not the media, not any public health organization, not your employer, not your coworkers can or should decide for you. No one should pressure you or try to guilt you into it. It is only you and your family doctor who knows your medical history. Only you can weigh the chances of flu  vs side effects from this vaccine. Only you can decide what you're prepared to live with. I only hope that before you drink that kool-aid, as hard as it may be, research 1976 yourselves. Do more research. Don't just read what the media spoon feeds you. Research more obscure sources. Think outside the box.


I almost drank the kool-aid, now I hope that public health, Steve, Agluquack and the rest of the Harpercons choke on it. Who knows? I may become thirsty again a few weeks from now. 

Fox(x) Healthcare Terror

Of all the wingnuttery that has come out about health care reform in the U.S., this, by far, has to take the cake. Apparently, according to some, health care reform is being compared to Terrorism.


Apparently, Rep Virginia Foxx (Redneck-North Carolina) is trying to score points with the tea-baggers and its' cheerleader, Glenn Beck during a time The Tea-baggers are executing their hostile take-over of the GOP, deciding who's batshit crazy enough to stay and who's not. In her little world, she says this about health care reform:


"I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country."





It seems to be working for her. She's now got praise from right wing media morons like Neil Boortz: 


 In a November 3 update to his Twitter page, talk radio host Neal Boortz wrote: "Va. [sic] Rep. Virginia Foxx has it right. ObamaCare does present a greater threat than Islamic terrorism."


Now, let's not forget the Weepy wingnut of all shall we?  Here's Glenn!!

"Ten years ago, I could have shouted every single day about Osama bin Laden and his wacky crazy threats to kill Americans in New York and nobody would have been willing to stand in line two hours while some security officer made grandma take her shoes off. No one would have done it. But don't you see. While the government is still not willing to do these things, today America is different. America has changed. Washington, we're not going to let you get away with it anymore. Look, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Conservatives are awake. 9/12ers are willing to do the hard things. We know what this means! We're taking time out of our busy lives, taking time away from their families, they're attending town hall meetings. Do you think they want to do that? They are calling their representatives. How many times do we have to be yelled at by your people in Washington? They are reading 2,000-page healthcare bills on the weekend. The 9/12ers are willing to stand in line and take our shoes off before the plane actually hits the tower."

Really, Glenn? You mean there are pictures in them  2000 page healthcare bills? I didn't even know they can read anything past two syllables.

As for your Congresswoman: Virginny, clearly it's time for you to go home and continue looking for the Commie Muslims in every nook and cranny on your plantation. Remember that slavery is illegal now.

The sad thing is that this new health care bill, whatever that may entail, will surely be watered down much to the chagrin of the Liberal Democrats, due to Obama insisting on having GOP friends. Really Obama, are those wingnuts more important than your constituents who put you in the White House expecting you to deliver on a promise of health care reform??

Two-tiered vaccines: Update

I also found out that not only Medcan in Toronto has been giving out the vaccines to the wealthy for a price but also the Copeman Health care in Vancouver. This is not only wrong, but it does set a dangerous precedent: American Health care type system here in Canada.


Click on the link below to sign the petition, demanding the federal health minister to not allow the expansion of private for profit health care in Canada.


http://medicare.ca/mr-nov02-2009

And Let the Games Begin - The Weirdo, The Separatist and the Scandal Ridden Incumbent

The polls of Montreal's municipal elections have come to a close with three candidates virtually neck and neck with each other. Man, what a cast of characters it is!


We have Louise Harel, a separatist who was instrumental in that whole forced  merger of Montreal debacle and will more than likely cut services. Her former right hand man, Benoit Labonte was caught lying about his relationship with a business man who was awarded some municipal contracts. He resigned in disgrace. He later told Radio-Canada that City Hall was run like the Mafia.


She claims she will 'broom' city-hall. All well and good, but as I mentioned above, she doesn't have clean hands.


Our incumbent, Gerald Tremblay, mired in so much scandal who said he would raise property taxes come January in order to maintain services. The highlight  of  Maclean's the past week: 
"Montreal is a corrupt, crumbling, Mob-ridden disgrace."


Between the two candidates mired in scandal or can't seem to shake off baggage from the past; a third candidate, the dark horse, who is now neck and neck at last count who just may squeak through.


Enter our third candidate and would probably be the most fun: Richard Bergeron, a quirky sort and an Islam convert who had all kinds of conspiracy theories like George W Bush and 9/11: 


"...terrorists might not have been behind 9/11. He said "two of the four crashes are particularly suspicious. Photos of the Pentagon and Pennsylvania crash sites never show debris of downed planes, he said. He speculated the Bush administration carried out the attacks as an "act of state banditry of titanic proportions" - that is, it used them as a pretext for invading Iraq and controlling its oil reserves."


Here is how he justifies his smoking to La Presse: he smokes to stay healthy because, he said, it reduces his lung capacity and keeps him from injuring himself when he runs marathons too fast.


He is also considered the "green" candidate and it seems he would no doubt take this city to the  left. He got my vote. Strange conspiracy theories and all. He just won me over. I hope that the Harel and Tremblay race will be tied that Berjeron comes squeaking through.  Wouldn't that be fun?


Right now, as I listen to the results on the radio, it seems the pundits are speculating that Tremblay and his 'mafioso' type scandals will squeak through, but Bergeron and Harel's party members will  have more seats.  If that happens, City Hall will become very interesting. Will they ever be able to get anything done??


As mentioned earlier, the polls are now closed: let the games begin! Who said municipal politics had to be boring?

Two-Tiered H1N1 Vaccines?

Never mind that we've been lied to by the Federal Government as to whether or not there would be enough vaccines for all Canadians. Never mind that Agluquack and Butler-Jones have proven themselves incompetent when it comes to communication and the roll-out of the vaccines. Never mind that the only honorable thing for those two to do is resign.

Folks who are healthy and not in the high risk category are showing up and taking the place of someone who is high risk and on schedule for their vaccine. Pandemonium and disorganization everywhere.  Funny how folks rush in a panic to inject something untested into them and will wait in a crowded line not realizing they could catch this flu just by being in such cramped quarters for a long period of time.

One example of this disorganization was an elderly disabled man called the Tommy Schnurmacher show on CJAD last week saying the folks at the clinic suggested he buy a chair or get a walker with a bench so he could sit down in line.

Remember how he always dreamed of the American Health care system in Canada? Also remember how he said once upon a time: 

"I know this is a dangerous subject. My advisors say don't talk about it, but the fact is sometimes provinces have allowed in the past few years, they've brought in private services covered by public health insurance... Why do I care and why do we care as a federal government how they're managed? What we care about is whether people can access them. This is just an ideological agenda."

He pretty much repeated reiterated the above statement on the ABC's Jake Tapper show, when mentioning that he leaves health care to provinces to take care of. More like passing the buck as we watch Stelmach and Duckett turn Alberta's health care system into the American system by slashing all kinds of health care services. 

After watching Agluquack  being interviewed by Craig Oliver on Question Period this morning, regarding what has been going wrong with the roll-out of the H1N1 vaccine,  she parroted Master Stevie's old line; distribution is a provincial responsibility. It was uncanny, no matter what Oliver asked or how would phrase the same question in more than one way, she gave that same response, including when he asked her if she thought it was fair for Med-Can, a private for profit Toronto clinic where one pays 2000$ to become a member. A clinic where only Toronto and surrounding area's most affluent can go. She really seemed callous about that. Master Stevie would be proud.

Even Jane "Harper can do no wrong" Taber told Butler-Jones that it was not fair for Med-Can or any other private clinic for that matter to be issuing the vaccine and he, of course, passed the buck onto the provinces.

Why should we care about this? Well, high risk folks who can't afford the hefty membership dues suffer due to the affluence of those  who are low risk to jump the queue.  Smacks like the beginnings of the American Health care system sneaking through here; priorities given based on socio-economic class rather than urgency and/or level of risk.  Medcan is the only private clinic I can find that has been doing this. Canada does have other private for profit clinics. Are they giving out the vaccine to those who wish to jump the queue for a price?

We should care because this is not fair. 

In spite of what the Harpercons said about having enough vaccine for all Canadians, we know this is not true. Clinics have closed. People are turned away. Announcements of a shortage this week. Agluquack, still not taking responsibility, blames the needs for pregnant women to have the unadjuvented vaccine as well as blaming GKS. It looks more and more like there will not be enough vaccine for all Canadians after all. It must be taken into account that there are many Canadians like myself who are opting to not get the vaccine and yet, still shortages? 

This makes me wonder if the vaccines are being rationed for more  lucrative purposes.

Also, what's next? Could this be the push of the American private for profit type of health care system to expand? 

Today's Toronto Star now says that Medcan is now going to start vaccinating non-members of their clinic. No doubt due to the bad publicity. However, the fact that they were giving the vaccine to its' rich well-healed members the vaccine first (with no line-up and even valet parking to boot!) place is not sitting well with Counsellor and member of the Board of Health, Janet Davis. 

"I don't believe you should be able to get greater access to the vaccine because you can afford to be a member of a private health clinic," Davis said. "It's a kind of two-tier medical service most Canadians just don't accept. Personally, I would have preferred the vaccine was given out by public health."

Deb Matthews, the Ontario Health Minister says that the decision to supply private clinics will be under review after the pandemic passes. Cold comfort. Why not do something about it now? The health of all Ontarians, not just the rich,  is her responsibility.

Agluquack and Butler-Jones should have set better guidelines to the provinces in how the vaccine should be distributed. To not distribute to private for profit clinics unless they follow the same rules as the public system.