I've finally seen this television show about Kandahar. It's amazing. Great medicine, surgery and OR. Terrific relationships true to my own experience of medicine. I don't know combat but I just loved the Colonel, Major, Captain doctors. The psychiatrist was fine too. My favourite television psychiatrist was on MASH. This female psychiatrist is just fine. Too often the relationships in medical shows miss the reality. This doesn't. I love the first one and look forward to watching more. Well done!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Today
It's cloudy. I wake up on cloudy days feeling more lethargic. The pains I have from old injuries are more present, demanding I not ignore them again. The pains are like old Gods, ones I worshipped before I found love in all the sacred manifestation. I have a cat that is cuddling. She purrs beside me. It's the Siamese. Always a talker. So much she wants to tell me. I've hardly opened my eyes and she's complaining and wanting. She rubs against my leg as I stumble out of bed. I do stumble, literally. The dog is there to greet me, blocking the trajectory from v berth to head. I have to step over him as he stretches and smiles. I've just missed having my face licked. When I exit the head I have a menagerie underfoot. First the cat gets fed. She insists on having her Fancy Feast opened and placed in just such a way. At least that's what I assume she's telling me. Every morning it's the same supervision with a lot of language and attitude before she settles to nibbling away. I have to find sweats to go with the t shirt. Then the mocassins are somewhere under the salon table. I'm at his level so I get my face licked. He's bouncing about. This slipper search is precurser to his walk. His morning walk. "Master is taking me for a walk". He's eyeing the cat when he grins letting her know he's important. There's a lot of heirarchy going on between them always. Mostly she's just on top but he like a pre bastille French revolutionary before her Royalist ways. I find his leash and a jacket. We're out the door and on deck. She doesn't even look up from her eating. He's done several circles and leaps to the dock before running back and forth a dozen times while I close up and join him. Then he runs the length of the dock only stopping to sniff seagull shit. "This is new seagull shit," his little brain registers with the sort of importance a human might give to winning the lottery. I'm tired watching before we even make the gate.
Suffice it to say we have a walk. He poops. There are alot of smells that make this a spectacular walk but to hear him every walk is spectacular. I'm sure this is good for me. Walking. I'm really glad to be back on the boat though. Coffee, now that's what I believe is really good for me. I've a stove top expresso maker and Starbucks dark roast. I use canned milk and honey. There's yoghurt in the freezer fridge. I eat a strawberry one while waiting for the toast on the stove top toaster. It's like a camping a frame stainless steel thing I prefer to the electric toaster I decided didn't belong in the boat anymore. Over the years various kitchen devices from microwaves to pressure cookers have had their day in the sun till one day they seem to take up too much space, energy or not be needed. I'm Thoreau in Walden Pond on my boat. It's really a ship, technically. Lloyd's of London registry.
When the toast is ready I smear peanut butter on it and go into the salon with it and the morning coffee. I sit there drinking coffee, eating toast and reading the Bible. It's an NIV Bible. After King James and the new English bible I just found my way to NIV. The NIV Study Bible I took to VST, Regent and St. Mark's with me was the first. It's covered in notes and underlining. The one I'm reading now is 365 days. I check each day I read. I'm in Kings now. The Israelis are butchering their neighbours, being butchered in turn and when they're not butchering strangers or being butchered by strangers they're butchering each other. The Kings are killing and the Queens are killing and a long job in monarchy seems a decade or two. The prophets are haranguing them about Aserath poles in high places and sticking to the unseen God. It's always a struggle between spirituality and materialism. Jesus is done in the New Testament part and Paul is tent making and preaching. At the end of every section I read a psalm and proverb.
After I read the news which depresses me. It's not that there's not good news but the media is intent on fear mongering and destroying. At least my friends on Facebook have happy things to say and good news to share. I got a Nora Jones you tube link from Richard and listened to her remembering how much I've always enjoyed her. Like Carrie Underwood. Jones has me thinking of Tagore though. She's singing a tribute to Elvis Presley but I'm remembering seeing her sister and her father Ravi Shankar playing together at the Queen E theatre. I'd love to be a fly on the wall at a family gathering jam in the backyard with this group.
It's time to get ready for work. Shaving, showering, dressing and making sure I have all the bits and sundry I need for the day. Also remembering to close hatches, shut off propane, before being away for another day. Angel the cat is in charge. I think she's glad when we leave. She has her home all to herself then.
Suffice it to say we have a walk. He poops. There are alot of smells that make this a spectacular walk but to hear him every walk is spectacular. I'm sure this is good for me. Walking. I'm really glad to be back on the boat though. Coffee, now that's what I believe is really good for me. I've a stove top expresso maker and Starbucks dark roast. I use canned milk and honey. There's yoghurt in the freezer fridge. I eat a strawberry one while waiting for the toast on the stove top toaster. It's like a camping a frame stainless steel thing I prefer to the electric toaster I decided didn't belong in the boat anymore. Over the years various kitchen devices from microwaves to pressure cookers have had their day in the sun till one day they seem to take up too much space, energy or not be needed. I'm Thoreau in Walden Pond on my boat. It's really a ship, technically. Lloyd's of London registry.
When the toast is ready I smear peanut butter on it and go into the salon with it and the morning coffee. I sit there drinking coffee, eating toast and reading the Bible. It's an NIV Bible. After King James and the new English bible I just found my way to NIV. The NIV Study Bible I took to VST, Regent and St. Mark's with me was the first. It's covered in notes and underlining. The one I'm reading now is 365 days. I check each day I read. I'm in Kings now. The Israelis are butchering their neighbours, being butchered in turn and when they're not butchering strangers or being butchered by strangers they're butchering each other. The Kings are killing and the Queens are killing and a long job in monarchy seems a decade or two. The prophets are haranguing them about Aserath poles in high places and sticking to the unseen God. It's always a struggle between spirituality and materialism. Jesus is done in the New Testament part and Paul is tent making and preaching. At the end of every section I read a psalm and proverb.
After I read the news which depresses me. It's not that there's not good news but the media is intent on fear mongering and destroying. At least my friends on Facebook have happy things to say and good news to share. I got a Nora Jones you tube link from Richard and listened to her remembering how much I've always enjoyed her. Like Carrie Underwood. Jones has me thinking of Tagore though. She's singing a tribute to Elvis Presley but I'm remembering seeing her sister and her father Ravi Shankar playing together at the Queen E theatre. I'd love to be a fly on the wall at a family gathering jam in the backyard with this group.
It's time to get ready for work. Shaving, showering, dressing and making sure I have all the bits and sundry I need for the day. Also remembering to close hatches, shut off propane, before being away for another day. Angel the cat is in charge. I think she's glad when we leave. She has her home all to herself then.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Oak Street Animal Hospital
Gilbert got his 1 year vaccines and boosters. The doctor said he looked just fine. He liked the doctor. The staff were delightful. The cost was minimal and well worth it. Laura even got Gilbert some special treats before we headed off until the next 'prevention' visit.
Expediton to Kits Beach on board SV GIRI
It's been a year since the GIRI left the dock. Tom Kennedy and several others had tore out the cabin to access the hull. Plates were welded in where the ultrasound showed thickness of steel wanting. The mast, broken in the crossing from Hawaii to Vancouver the year previous, was repaired, with a new welded shoe. Then the bottom was epoxied and painted with all manner of costly things having been completed while the boat was weeks out of water in Mosquito Creek. Tom was a mensch. He's off right now rebuilding a cloth plane wing that was broken on his friends plane when a careless hangar operator dropped the door on it. Before that he was redesigning a propeller to fit a chevy car engine torgue. Tom literally likes to get things moving.
I got the GIRI out a few times after that with a couple of winter sails to assess what further needed to be done. The exhaust system on the Yanmar motor gave up the ghost. It was a jury rig from the jury rig before so I figured James Geisbrecht needed to make a definitive improvement to the system. I'd done a jury rig at 3 am with a tsunami warning bobbing about in English Bay working frantically so I could catch the tide change to get through First Narrows back to dock. Deck painting, sail repairs, and sundry other things got done that year. James installed a new Newport Dickinson stove with diesel filter when the old one which had lasted over a decade finally died. Too sooted up and the interior overheated once too many times. It could be revived but a new one was better. Prettier too.
The big project was the cleaning and a woman with the organization ""It's a Wonderful Wife" that does detailing of homes took on the gargantuan job of cleaning every nook and cranny. Tom had taken out the cabin so Barry, the welder, from Mosquito Creek could do his job without setting the boat on fire. All this industrial work and the exhaust system breaking so the boat was filled with smoke had left a lot of grime. It was restored to pristine and healthy condition. Kirk stayed on the boat over the winter while I moved out to my new RV in Burnaby. I'd had the new propane water heater installed but water supply was iffy on the dock in winter so with a full time job I wasn't keen on dealing with hauling water if the pipes froze. Kirk tolerated the interruptions for work to be done and loved being on the water. He's a hopeless romantic that way.
James replaced all the windows and finally got the new hatches with new windows done and I moved back on the boat again. It's home. But it's a moving home and a frighteningly expensive home if it doesn't actually move. So an expedition was planned.
Joseph Blackburn, diver, (former US Navy) did the hull cleaning removing a year of growth and barnacles. Gilbert was highly skeptical of this denizen from the deep barking warning when he broke surface, not understanding how his friend Joseph who himself has dogs, could transform into this underwater bubble blowing creature. Angel the cat was queen of her domain. She sailed with me solo to Hawaii and has lived on the boat most of her life. It's a delight seeing how at home she is. I'm sure when she's around there's not a mouse or rat anywhere to be found. She's explored every nook and cranny of her domain.
Laura arrived with her bags looking very summerish. We had sunshine. A break of it. The boat was ready. I'd bought groceries earlier. Laura stowed below while I cleaned up the deck for sea. An expedition was planned! Finally I started the diesel engine. Smoke and water came out the exhaust. James' work didn't explode. I untied us from the dock and the GIRI was in motion. We barely made it under First Narrows because the tide was turning against us. It was sunset over Vancouver. The lights were beautiful.
Compared to the last very chilly winter sailing to Saltspring when Laura and I transitted Coal Harbour this was a balmy summer evening.
We came out in English Bay with dusk. I actually had to remember to put on the navigation lights when a little boat passed by and I saw he had his on. The new mast light Tom installed was a beauty of a torch. The autopilot is still making great S turns and being annoying but better than hand steering which I really don't like. Might as well be riding a Harley if one has to hand steer. Boating is for sitting back and drinking coffee and looking at the stirling surroundings. Vancouver all lit up was a joy to see. I've been doing this for a quarter century and I still take pleasure in seeing Vancouver lit up at night. It's a truly beautiful and incomparable city. The snow capped mountains over North Vancouver watch over the bay.
We only drove the boat the hour to Kits Beach where I anchored in 25 feet. I was thankful the winch worked and the chain wasn't tangled. Everything went well. All systems worked. Except when I tried to start the new Dickinsen stove. The diesel wouldn't fill the pan. No fuel. I got out the wrenches and went through the system. Sure enough there was air in the pump. I can't say I knew this but I did the drill and found the problem much to our pleasure. It was warm enough not to have the diesel stove on but with it, it was like a cabin with a little wood fire. The slight chill went and the whole interior came alive. Now with the morning rain falling new skylight hatches, it's a delight to have the little flame blazing.
A great sleep at anchor. The cat and dog crowded Laura and I on the bed but it's hard to do more than shove them off knowing they'll sneak back on when they hear me snoring. When I finally got out of bed to have a morning coffee they were quite pleased having themselves concluded that I was the problem. They stayed in bed with Laura while I had coffee on deck enjoying being on my boat and the beautiful view.
This is a great expedition. Kits Beach. There's some boats with sails up doing a race thing over by the Royal Vancouver Yacht club. The sun is trying to break through. Asking myself, do I want to run around on deck messing with sails or have another coffee and read a book in the warmth and comfort of my cabin, I conclude I'd rather go below. Laura is sleeping in. I like the motion of bouncing about at sea. Everything I could want is here in this little mobile home. If the sun comes up I might go up and lie on deck. Today sun tanning would definitely be preferable to yacht racing.
The 'expedition' to Kits Beach is success. All systems work. Next weekend maybe I 'll get the sails up and cross the Strait to Nanaimo. I've never seen the pleasure in sailing with a lot of other boats and crew around circles in a little marked out space in the bay. It's like running around a gym or doing laps in a little pool. I've got an inkling I could head out right now for the Marquesas and be there next month. Sailing over to Nanaimo this summer will be fun mostly because the return sail is usually so much fun with 25 knots of steady winds bringing the boat home on a Sunday. Crossing Georia Strait isn't like crossing the Pacific Ocean but it's still often hours of joyful sailing. I suspect the guys who sail in little circles would argue their case. They like messing with sails. I loved trade wind sailing which is like gliding forever. You only have to set the sails and days go by before you have to make an adjustment and rarely do you have to change tack. A whole lot of glorious time for lounging, reading books and drinking coffee looking at the wonders of the sea around. God's marine world is truly glorious. For now I'm enjoying having my home in motion. Maybe next week I'll get out a fishing rod too. Loved the salmon I caught out here last year. Still can remember the taste of it barbecued right off the hook. Life is so good at times like this. God is good. God is great. Thank you Lord of all Creation.
I got the GIRI out a few times after that with a couple of winter sails to assess what further needed to be done. The exhaust system on the Yanmar motor gave up the ghost. It was a jury rig from the jury rig before so I figured James Geisbrecht needed to make a definitive improvement to the system. I'd done a jury rig at 3 am with a tsunami warning bobbing about in English Bay working frantically so I could catch the tide change to get through First Narrows back to dock. Deck painting, sail repairs, and sundry other things got done that year. James installed a new Newport Dickinson stove with diesel filter when the old one which had lasted over a decade finally died. Too sooted up and the interior overheated once too many times. It could be revived but a new one was better. Prettier too.
The big project was the cleaning and a woman with the organization ""It's a Wonderful Wife" that does detailing of homes took on the gargantuan job of cleaning every nook and cranny. Tom had taken out the cabin so Barry, the welder, from Mosquito Creek could do his job without setting the boat on fire. All this industrial work and the exhaust system breaking so the boat was filled with smoke had left a lot of grime. It was restored to pristine and healthy condition. Kirk stayed on the boat over the winter while I moved out to my new RV in Burnaby. I'd had the new propane water heater installed but water supply was iffy on the dock in winter so with a full time job I wasn't keen on dealing with hauling water if the pipes froze. Kirk tolerated the interruptions for work to be done and loved being on the water. He's a hopeless romantic that way.
James replaced all the windows and finally got the new hatches with new windows done and I moved back on the boat again. It's home. But it's a moving home and a frighteningly expensive home if it doesn't actually move. So an expedition was planned.
Joseph Blackburn, diver, (former US Navy) did the hull cleaning removing a year of growth and barnacles. Gilbert was highly skeptical of this denizen from the deep barking warning when he broke surface, not understanding how his friend Joseph who himself has dogs, could transform into this underwater bubble blowing creature. Angel the cat was queen of her domain. She sailed with me solo to Hawaii and has lived on the boat most of her life. It's a delight seeing how at home she is. I'm sure when she's around there's not a mouse or rat anywhere to be found. She's explored every nook and cranny of her domain.
Laura arrived with her bags looking very summerish. We had sunshine. A break of it. The boat was ready. I'd bought groceries earlier. Laura stowed below while I cleaned up the deck for sea. An expedition was planned! Finally I started the diesel engine. Smoke and water came out the exhaust. James' work didn't explode. I untied us from the dock and the GIRI was in motion. We barely made it under First Narrows because the tide was turning against us. It was sunset over Vancouver. The lights were beautiful.
Compared to the last very chilly winter sailing to Saltspring when Laura and I transitted Coal Harbour this was a balmy summer evening.
We came out in English Bay with dusk. I actually had to remember to put on the navigation lights when a little boat passed by and I saw he had his on. The new mast light Tom installed was a beauty of a torch. The autopilot is still making great S turns and being annoying but better than hand steering which I really don't like. Might as well be riding a Harley if one has to hand steer. Boating is for sitting back and drinking coffee and looking at the stirling surroundings. Vancouver all lit up was a joy to see. I've been doing this for a quarter century and I still take pleasure in seeing Vancouver lit up at night. It's a truly beautiful and incomparable city. The snow capped mountains over North Vancouver watch over the bay.
We only drove the boat the hour to Kits Beach where I anchored in 25 feet. I was thankful the winch worked and the chain wasn't tangled. Everything went well. All systems worked. Except when I tried to start the new Dickinsen stove. The diesel wouldn't fill the pan. No fuel. I got out the wrenches and went through the system. Sure enough there was air in the pump. I can't say I knew this but I did the drill and found the problem much to our pleasure. It was warm enough not to have the diesel stove on but with it, it was like a cabin with a little wood fire. The slight chill went and the whole interior came alive. Now with the morning rain falling new skylight hatches, it's a delight to have the little flame blazing.
A great sleep at anchor. The cat and dog crowded Laura and I on the bed but it's hard to do more than shove them off knowing they'll sneak back on when they hear me snoring. When I finally got out of bed to have a morning coffee they were quite pleased having themselves concluded that I was the problem. They stayed in bed with Laura while I had coffee on deck enjoying being on my boat and the beautiful view.
This is a great expedition. Kits Beach. There's some boats with sails up doing a race thing over by the Royal Vancouver Yacht club. The sun is trying to break through. Asking myself, do I want to run around on deck messing with sails or have another coffee and read a book in the warmth and comfort of my cabin, I conclude I'd rather go below. Laura is sleeping in. I like the motion of bouncing about at sea. Everything I could want is here in this little mobile home. If the sun comes up I might go up and lie on deck. Today sun tanning would definitely be preferable to yacht racing.
The 'expedition' to Kits Beach is success. All systems work. Next weekend maybe I 'll get the sails up and cross the Strait to Nanaimo. I've never seen the pleasure in sailing with a lot of other boats and crew around circles in a little marked out space in the bay. It's like running around a gym or doing laps in a little pool. I've got an inkling I could head out right now for the Marquesas and be there next month. Sailing over to Nanaimo this summer will be fun mostly because the return sail is usually so much fun with 25 knots of steady winds bringing the boat home on a Sunday. Crossing Georia Strait isn't like crossing the Pacific Ocean but it's still often hours of joyful sailing. I suspect the guys who sail in little circles would argue their case. They like messing with sails. I loved trade wind sailing which is like gliding forever. You only have to set the sails and days go by before you have to make an adjustment and rarely do you have to change tack. A whole lot of glorious time for lounging, reading books and drinking coffee looking at the wonders of the sea around. God's marine world is truly glorious. For now I'm enjoying having my home in motion. Maybe next week I'll get out a fishing rod too. Loved the salmon I caught out here last year. Still can remember the taste of it barbecued right off the hook. Life is so good at times like this. God is good. God is great. Thank you Lord of all Creation.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Night on the Boat with Angel and Gilbert
I love sleeping on a boat. I imagine weightlessness in space would be even better. The world is a great water bed. My dreams are fluid. Last night I dreamed a little girl was teaching me to use IPAD2 showing me her family christmas pictures while friends roamed about a mansion. I was wearing a leather jacket and this fine wise oriental gentleman had brought me a writing case, in as much to say that nothing in life is stationary.
Meanwhile I was being woken on the hour by Angel, the cat, whose first night it was back on the boat. Angel had to spend a while ashore while the hatches and windows were being repaired. She'd have got in the way of work with her coming and going.
She loves the boat too. We've sailed thousands of miles together. When Gilbert, by 'monkeydog', climbed into bed, Angel hissed him away from my side and cuddled into my arm pit. It's her place. Gilbert was definitely miffed but accepted his place at the foot of the bed.
I've cut Angel's claws this morning. Every time I turned over she'd dig in then leave, then Gilbert would sneak in, then Angel would return. I'm tired this morning. But the hull is being cleaned today. Then the boat will be ready to go out again. Must check the tide tables. With all the work on the boat and a friend being here it's been many months since the GIRI left dock. Always an exciting time and exciting day.
But sleeping at anchor is even more enjoyable than sleeping tied to a dock. I don't know about sleeping when the boat is in motion on autopilot. I must have faith that things won't go bump in the night. I prefer being tethered to something. I'm conservative that way, maybe even reactionary.
I got up this morning and listened to Carrie Underwood singing, "How Great Thou Art". My friend, Dr. Bernie used to sing that to me while playing his banjo. I'm sure it was a favourite of my mom and aunt's. I was raised on gospel. Tears come to my eyes as I listened to the song. I don't know how much is nostalgia, how much is form mom and aunt sally, how much the simple beauty of the song and the pure way that Carrie Underwood sings this classic. A whole lot more is the desire to give 'my utmost for his highest'.
I think of Leonard Cohen's song, I want a new name, this one is covered up in shame. So then I listened to Elvis Presley doing How Great Thou Art and then Christine Aguileria. I didn't find a gospel song of hers on you tube. It's just that I loved her with Cher in Burlesque. It was fun to surf the internet. So much of my time is so regimented. I rarely just kick back and break program. Next I hit Lady Gaga and finally Britney Spears. I thought I was back in high school after that. I remembered the girls in the hall and all the competition among them and us guys being dazzled by their carrying on.
That's what came to mind watching Aguileria, Gaga, and Spears. They're all so talented and their videos such works of contemporary art. But I went back to Underwood and listened to Jesus, take the wheel. That had my mind sliding off on the Road Less Travelled, remembering the girls my parents liked from our church and how I'd taken a different track. Most days I think "different' rather than better or worse. I think that what was, was the best path with what was possible at the time. I imagine God redeeming life constantly.
So many times in life there are these 'crossroads'. That sign was in the Britney Spears video. There are always choices and yet what of destiny. Lady Gaga sings "Im born that way". The philosophical questions of the ages coming through girl music. Wonder what Neitche and Goethe would have looked like in bikinis or in their case shirtless in boxers. It's not the Beatles or Steppenwolf or Paul Simon or Gordon Lightfoot, the Guess Who or Leonard Cohen. It's not Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon or Joan Baez either. I listened to the Tripods from Australia recently too, comedy, thanks to the nephews. It's been a while since I bought a Steve Matthews Band or John Mayor record enjoying the music as contemporary culture. The last cd I bought was Johnny Reed.
I rarely listen to music if I'm not driving. In the truck it's FM, AM or CD. Mostly I'm listening to Third Day driving down the freeway on my Harley electriglide doing 70 mph. I find motorcycles and Christian spiritual music go together with prayer. In the truck I've got Mercy Me playing this week and ?Neededthings. House of James is a favourite stop in Abbotsford to stock up on Christian CD's on road trips. I like to be reminded of the 'higher things'.
I want to know God. I want God to be the 'polestar' of my life. I figure with God at the helm or God at the wheel the journey can only be the best possible life worth living. I want to allign my own life with the highest possible life available of all the choices. I want to be with God and follow in his footsteps. I want to live to the fullest. As St. Paul said, I"d like to pray unceasingly. I meditate on the sacred wonder of life.
How Great Thou Art touched a chord on that journey. the other songs were so much fun too. Makes me want to get out my own guitar and write songs of love and Jesus singing, playing to the Lord of All Creation.
Best I shower and get ready for the day. God inspired the maker of indoor plumbing. He is surely a saint in heaven. The guy who found this coffee and the girl who made it are surely saints as well. I think my dream was of the afterlife. Jesus said in his father's world there were many mansions and that he'd go ahead and prepare one for his disciples. C.S. Lewis', Great Divorce ,the play about the afterlife put on this year by Pacific Theater, showed the choices we have. I'd like to walk upright. Despite enjoying my furry friends who disrupted my sleep something terrible I'd prefer to evolve than devolve. There's this idea of a homo spiritus that can follow homo sapiens. I'd like to take that journey. Today I pray that I follow the high road.
Meanwhile I was being woken on the hour by Angel, the cat, whose first night it was back on the boat. Angel had to spend a while ashore while the hatches and windows were being repaired. She'd have got in the way of work with her coming and going.
She loves the boat too. We've sailed thousands of miles together. When Gilbert, by 'monkeydog', climbed into bed, Angel hissed him away from my side and cuddled into my arm pit. It's her place. Gilbert was definitely miffed but accepted his place at the foot of the bed.
I've cut Angel's claws this morning. Every time I turned over she'd dig in then leave, then Gilbert would sneak in, then Angel would return. I'm tired this morning. But the hull is being cleaned today. Then the boat will be ready to go out again. Must check the tide tables. With all the work on the boat and a friend being here it's been many months since the GIRI left dock. Always an exciting time and exciting day.
But sleeping at anchor is even more enjoyable than sleeping tied to a dock. I don't know about sleeping when the boat is in motion on autopilot. I must have faith that things won't go bump in the night. I prefer being tethered to something. I'm conservative that way, maybe even reactionary.
I got up this morning and listened to Carrie Underwood singing, "How Great Thou Art". My friend, Dr. Bernie used to sing that to me while playing his banjo. I'm sure it was a favourite of my mom and aunt's. I was raised on gospel. Tears come to my eyes as I listened to the song. I don't know how much is nostalgia, how much is form mom and aunt sally, how much the simple beauty of the song and the pure way that Carrie Underwood sings this classic. A whole lot more is the desire to give 'my utmost for his highest'.
I think of Leonard Cohen's song, I want a new name, this one is covered up in shame. So then I listened to Elvis Presley doing How Great Thou Art and then Christine Aguileria. I didn't find a gospel song of hers on you tube. It's just that I loved her with Cher in Burlesque. It was fun to surf the internet. So much of my time is so regimented. I rarely just kick back and break program. Next I hit Lady Gaga and finally Britney Spears. I thought I was back in high school after that. I remembered the girls in the hall and all the competition among them and us guys being dazzled by their carrying on.
That's what came to mind watching Aguileria, Gaga, and Spears. They're all so talented and their videos such works of contemporary art. But I went back to Underwood and listened to Jesus, take the wheel. That had my mind sliding off on the Road Less Travelled, remembering the girls my parents liked from our church and how I'd taken a different track. Most days I think "different' rather than better or worse. I think that what was, was the best path with what was possible at the time. I imagine God redeeming life constantly.
So many times in life there are these 'crossroads'. That sign was in the Britney Spears video. There are always choices and yet what of destiny. Lady Gaga sings "Im born that way". The philosophical questions of the ages coming through girl music. Wonder what Neitche and Goethe would have looked like in bikinis or in their case shirtless in boxers. It's not the Beatles or Steppenwolf or Paul Simon or Gordon Lightfoot, the Guess Who or Leonard Cohen. It's not Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon or Joan Baez either. I listened to the Tripods from Australia recently too, comedy, thanks to the nephews. It's been a while since I bought a Steve Matthews Band or John Mayor record enjoying the music as contemporary culture. The last cd I bought was Johnny Reed.
I rarely listen to music if I'm not driving. In the truck it's FM, AM or CD. Mostly I'm listening to Third Day driving down the freeway on my Harley electriglide doing 70 mph. I find motorcycles and Christian spiritual music go together with prayer. In the truck I've got Mercy Me playing this week and ?Neededthings. House of James is a favourite stop in Abbotsford to stock up on Christian CD's on road trips. I like to be reminded of the 'higher things'.
I want to know God. I want God to be the 'polestar' of my life. I figure with God at the helm or God at the wheel the journey can only be the best possible life worth living. I want to allign my own life with the highest possible life available of all the choices. I want to be with God and follow in his footsteps. I want to live to the fullest. As St. Paul said, I"d like to pray unceasingly. I meditate on the sacred wonder of life.
How Great Thou Art touched a chord on that journey. the other songs were so much fun too. Makes me want to get out my own guitar and write songs of love and Jesus singing, playing to the Lord of All Creation.
Best I shower and get ready for the day. God inspired the maker of indoor plumbing. He is surely a saint in heaven. The guy who found this coffee and the girl who made it are surely saints as well. I think my dream was of the afterlife. Jesus said in his father's world there were many mansions and that he'd go ahead and prepare one for his disciples. C.S. Lewis', Great Divorce ,the play about the afterlife put on this year by Pacific Theater, showed the choices we have. I'd like to walk upright. Despite enjoying my furry friends who disrupted my sleep something terrible I'd prefer to evolve than devolve. There's this idea of a homo spiritus that can follow homo sapiens. I'd like to take that journey. Today I pray that I follow the high road.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Canadian Military in Kandahar
The Canadian Military has served in Kandahar, Afghanistan. They have lost lives. They have kept the peace. They have served the Afghan people and fought the Taliban and terrorists. They have been wounded. They've lived in daily fear. They have had many equipment failures and many unreasonable demands.
It seems that little has been said about their noble self sacrifice and international service by the Canadian media. Maybe I'm listening to the wrong reports. I ride to and from work listening to the National Radio, CBC, that I pay taxes for and wonder.
Instead of praise and thanks and reports on the incredibly hard work in war, we have heard ad infinitum that Canadian soldiers have transferred prisoners to the Afghan authorities. Canadians are part of an international group and their actions have been the same as the British and Dutch. The Afghans are themselves in a major civil wars. Canadian soldiers have not been torturing Afghans though to listen to the Canadian media they are guilty by association. Afghans have been torturing Afghans. They have indeed been trying to hide this. There have been all manner of measures taken to reduce the likelihood of prisoners being tortured who were transfered to the Afghans by Canadians. Canadians are guests in this country to some extent.
The Taliban do torture prisoners. I 've not heard anything about the torture of prisoners by the Taliban on CBC radio. The Taliban tortured western journalists. The Taliban tortured Taliban. The Taliban from all accounts make Americans and George Bush look like Saints. Stephen Harper compared to Taliban leaders is God Incarnate.
Canada, in general, is a pretty nice place compared to war torn Afghanistan. Afghanistan is poor and tribal and has a brutal history stoked with poppy seed going back hundreds of years. In contrast to Canada no prisoners in Afghanistan have colour tv, conjugal visits, free legal advice, three square meals, clean bedding, exercise facilities, libraries, computers, health care and the capacity to get a university law degree while serving time.
We have just learned that three retired judges got 12 million dollars for writing a report that said that Canadian soldiers were good guys. In future could somebody given 12 million dollars to the military to ensure less Canadian get killed and more get to retire in Canada. I am further looking forward to the Canadian military return to Canada so that perhaps they can talk to the Canadian media which continues to make Canadians out to be the bad guys.
Actually I would suggest that in the final months that Canadians serve in Afghanistan, any Taliban that are caught be sent directly to the CBC so that they can take these lovely, poor, misunderstood people into their homes to live with their children in their communities. I wonder how long, or how many hours, a CBC journalist will last without thinking about torture when having a suicide bomber who has had no education but propanganda saying kill westerners, living in their home. I don't condone torture. Neither does the Canadian military.
Could the CBC and other Canadian media stop psychologically torturing me and other Canadians and simply thank the Canadian military for their amazing service in such difficult times.
It seems that little has been said about their noble self sacrifice and international service by the Canadian media. Maybe I'm listening to the wrong reports. I ride to and from work listening to the National Radio, CBC, that I pay taxes for and wonder.
Instead of praise and thanks and reports on the incredibly hard work in war, we have heard ad infinitum that Canadian soldiers have transferred prisoners to the Afghan authorities. Canadians are part of an international group and their actions have been the same as the British and Dutch. The Afghans are themselves in a major civil wars. Canadian soldiers have not been torturing Afghans though to listen to the Canadian media they are guilty by association. Afghans have been torturing Afghans. They have indeed been trying to hide this. There have been all manner of measures taken to reduce the likelihood of prisoners being tortured who were transfered to the Afghans by Canadians. Canadians are guests in this country to some extent.
The Taliban do torture prisoners. I 've not heard anything about the torture of prisoners by the Taliban on CBC radio. The Taliban tortured western journalists. The Taliban tortured Taliban. The Taliban from all accounts make Americans and George Bush look like Saints. Stephen Harper compared to Taliban leaders is God Incarnate.
Canada, in general, is a pretty nice place compared to war torn Afghanistan. Afghanistan is poor and tribal and has a brutal history stoked with poppy seed going back hundreds of years. In contrast to Canada no prisoners in Afghanistan have colour tv, conjugal visits, free legal advice, three square meals, clean bedding, exercise facilities, libraries, computers, health care and the capacity to get a university law degree while serving time.
We have just learned that three retired judges got 12 million dollars for writing a report that said that Canadian soldiers were good guys. In future could somebody given 12 million dollars to the military to ensure less Canadian get killed and more get to retire in Canada. I am further looking forward to the Canadian military return to Canada so that perhaps they can talk to the Canadian media which continues to make Canadians out to be the bad guys.
Actually I would suggest that in the final months that Canadians serve in Afghanistan, any Taliban that are caught be sent directly to the CBC so that they can take these lovely, poor, misunderstood people into their homes to live with their children in their communities. I wonder how long, or how many hours, a CBC journalist will last without thinking about torture when having a suicide bomber who has had no education but propanganda saying kill westerners, living in their home. I don't condone torture. Neither does the Canadian military.
Could the CBC and other Canadian media stop psychologically torturing me and other Canadians and simply thank the Canadian military for their amazing service in such difficult times.
Sad, Angry, or Anxious Depression
People commonly say that "I am depressed", thinking that they have accurately described something like a 'fever'. "I am depressed, I have a fever". Mood is seen as a scale going from zero to 10 or 1-10 positively and 1 to 10 negatively. If a person has a fever, we can give them aspirin, a very good "anti fever" medication. However fever can be caused by a 'myriad' of things and it is considered very bad medicine to treat a 'fever' without a 'cause'. Yet commonly people will say "I am depressed" and be given an "anti depressive" medication and never delve into what is the 'cause'. The discussion can quickly get into which antidepressant is better in much the same way that a person my discuss with a pharmacist technician whether to take aspirin, tylenol or advil for a fever. There is often a 'collusion' between the doctor and patient as to not explore the 'cause'. Indeed some doctors would say 'there's no money in that, it's just opening a can of worms'.
And yet the very expression of the word 'depression' can mean many different emotions. HALT - hungry, angry, lonely, tired is just one acronym to help people to become 'emotionally aware". Most people are 'emotionally illiterate'. Their knowlege of 'emotional language' is rudimentary at best. Yet if I ask a person is there 'depression" more 'irritability' or 'sadness' I learn an immense amount about cause and indeed that simple question should refine which of the antidepressant approaches is most likely to succeed.
One of the most important questions of all in regards to depression is to ask, 'when did you last not feel depressed." One patients said "I think in the womb". Now there's limits to this questions as there is 'emotional retrospective falsification'. The severity of this cognitive distortion is seen mostly clearly in divorce proceedings where two very angry depressed people will insist "I never loved him", "I never loved her", yet a dozen little cherubs will be living in the soon to be divided home going from kindergarden to high school. Yet if the person can't remember a time when they were not depressed this is a very different matter from a 'mild' 'acute' fever. This is more likely a 'chronic' depression and the cause of 'chronic' depressions are even bigger cans of worms than 'acute' depressions.
A useful way to look for 'causal associations' in regards to depression is to look first for 'loss'. It's common for a person to have depressed feelings when they lose someone or something important to them. Indeed, some theorists have opined that depression is simply prolonged and pathological grief. Loss of a job, a marriage, a home, a loved one all can cause grief but if it persists it may become depression. This is the tradition "sweety boy and sweety girl' approach to looking at depression. Many clinicians like to assume this and everyone can 'play sweet' and no one gets hurt and there's no need to look further because we all collude in believing that this loss sometimes incredible minor can explain this ofttimes over reactive gargantuan depression ("I can't go back to work, I can't have sex, I can't get out of bed, since I broke my fingernail.) That said, loss is common, especially in the family physicians office and this is a very good place for the use of antidepressants and indeed antidepressants work best in this scenario.
The alternative loss however is 'failed expectation". Expectations have been called "preformed resentments'. Much of depression is 'resentment'. It's also been described as narcissistic entitlement though this is a bit over the top for what more commonly comes into the office. People may have had an expectation of having a job, all their lives they've been told if they are good people, and work hard, they will in fact have a job. One day through no fault of their own, really, they find themselves unemployed. There's loss, alright but the depression happens not in the 'grief' over the lost job but in the failure to find another. This commonly occurs after divorce. Many people celebrate divorce and are thoroughly relieved to no longer have to care for a drunken drug addicted chronically depressing whining complaining spouse with ugly family and friends. However, if months or years go by and no Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt has come along to fulfill there dreams this person may describe themselves as 'depressed'. Antidepressants may work in these situations but more commonly atypical antipsychotics are the medication of choice because they get at the underlying irritability and anxiety. This patient is often quite terrified that they are never going to work or love again.
Of course , no one really wants to look at whether their expectations are realistic and what they can do to change their life course so that they are more likely to have less depressing life in the future. In one case the person is 'depressed' whereas in the next case their life is 'depressed'. Learning to see the good in what is obviously not so good takes more than medication or a pat on the shoulder and 'there, there' that classic mommy 'ego massage therapist' approach. In this latter scenario it's best to take a 'hard' look at one's life with the help of someone who isn't afraid to ask 'tough questions'. Alternatively a person can keep coming back to the doctor for life and keep not getting beyond that 'knot' or 'set back' that seemed to change 'their luck'. Medications make both kinds of depression better but in one 'simple' case the person tends to 'self heal' whereas in the latter case there's a need for adjustment or actual 'psychic surgery'. Chiropractics and surgery were the terms for the cognitive and analytic therapies which worked best in this group in combination with medication.
That said, there are even more forms of depression related to 'cause' and to the particular culture of an individual. More often than not the word 'depression' is used for 'anxiety'. Indeed many theorists accept depression as 'chronic anxiety'. The question then is 'what are you afraid of" and more importantly 'where did you learn to fear like this' and 'what do you need to protect yourself from your 'fear''. Maybe a 'rabbits foot' in the pocket or a baseball bat at the door would make an antidepressant work a whole lot better. Certainly education has help chronic depression considerably.
I just mention this as a means to counteract the 'reductionist' approaches that so often have patients feeling 'belittled' when they are only offered a pill to 'all life's problems'. Penicillin is a pill and it cures a myriad of infections but a variety of things are combined with penicillin for maximum benefit. This is the same with depression and antidepressant medication.
And yet the very expression of the word 'depression' can mean many different emotions. HALT - hungry, angry, lonely, tired is just one acronym to help people to become 'emotionally aware". Most people are 'emotionally illiterate'. Their knowlege of 'emotional language' is rudimentary at best. Yet if I ask a person is there 'depression" more 'irritability' or 'sadness' I learn an immense amount about cause and indeed that simple question should refine which of the antidepressant approaches is most likely to succeed.
One of the most important questions of all in regards to depression is to ask, 'when did you last not feel depressed." One patients said "I think in the womb". Now there's limits to this questions as there is 'emotional retrospective falsification'. The severity of this cognitive distortion is seen mostly clearly in divorce proceedings where two very angry depressed people will insist "I never loved him", "I never loved her", yet a dozen little cherubs will be living in the soon to be divided home going from kindergarden to high school. Yet if the person can't remember a time when they were not depressed this is a very different matter from a 'mild' 'acute' fever. This is more likely a 'chronic' depression and the cause of 'chronic' depressions are even bigger cans of worms than 'acute' depressions.
A useful way to look for 'causal associations' in regards to depression is to look first for 'loss'. It's common for a person to have depressed feelings when they lose someone or something important to them. Indeed, some theorists have opined that depression is simply prolonged and pathological grief. Loss of a job, a marriage, a home, a loved one all can cause grief but if it persists it may become depression. This is the tradition "sweety boy and sweety girl' approach to looking at depression. Many clinicians like to assume this and everyone can 'play sweet' and no one gets hurt and there's no need to look further because we all collude in believing that this loss sometimes incredible minor can explain this ofttimes over reactive gargantuan depression ("I can't go back to work, I can't have sex, I can't get out of bed, since I broke my fingernail.) That said, loss is common, especially in the family physicians office and this is a very good place for the use of antidepressants and indeed antidepressants work best in this scenario.
The alternative loss however is 'failed expectation". Expectations have been called "preformed resentments'. Much of depression is 'resentment'. It's also been described as narcissistic entitlement though this is a bit over the top for what more commonly comes into the office. People may have had an expectation of having a job, all their lives they've been told if they are good people, and work hard, they will in fact have a job. One day through no fault of their own, really, they find themselves unemployed. There's loss, alright but the depression happens not in the 'grief' over the lost job but in the failure to find another. This commonly occurs after divorce. Many people celebrate divorce and are thoroughly relieved to no longer have to care for a drunken drug addicted chronically depressing whining complaining spouse with ugly family and friends. However, if months or years go by and no Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt has come along to fulfill there dreams this person may describe themselves as 'depressed'. Antidepressants may work in these situations but more commonly atypical antipsychotics are the medication of choice because they get at the underlying irritability and anxiety. This patient is often quite terrified that they are never going to work or love again.
Of course , no one really wants to look at whether their expectations are realistic and what they can do to change their life course so that they are more likely to have less depressing life in the future. In one case the person is 'depressed' whereas in the next case their life is 'depressed'. Learning to see the good in what is obviously not so good takes more than medication or a pat on the shoulder and 'there, there' that classic mommy 'ego massage therapist' approach. In this latter scenario it's best to take a 'hard' look at one's life with the help of someone who isn't afraid to ask 'tough questions'. Alternatively a person can keep coming back to the doctor for life and keep not getting beyond that 'knot' or 'set back' that seemed to change 'their luck'. Medications make both kinds of depression better but in one 'simple' case the person tends to 'self heal' whereas in the latter case there's a need for adjustment or actual 'psychic surgery'. Chiropractics and surgery were the terms for the cognitive and analytic therapies which worked best in this group in combination with medication.
That said, there are even more forms of depression related to 'cause' and to the particular culture of an individual. More often than not the word 'depression' is used for 'anxiety'. Indeed many theorists accept depression as 'chronic anxiety'. The question then is 'what are you afraid of" and more importantly 'where did you learn to fear like this' and 'what do you need to protect yourself from your 'fear''. Maybe a 'rabbits foot' in the pocket or a baseball bat at the door would make an antidepressant work a whole lot better. Certainly education has help chronic depression considerably.
I just mention this as a means to counteract the 'reductionist' approaches that so often have patients feeling 'belittled' when they are only offered a pill to 'all life's problems'. Penicillin is a pill and it cures a myriad of infections but a variety of things are combined with penicillin for maximum benefit. This is the same with depression and antidepressant medication.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Methadone Urine Testing and Diversion
The urine testing done at the Methadone clinic is not just to assess abuse of street substances while on methadone. It's principal purpose is to confirm methadone in the urine. A doctor takes an oath to do no harm. If there is no methadone in the urine of a patient on methadone then that suggests that the methadone is being diverted. Because methadone has a safe 'window' another person may take methadone and have respiratory failure at a dosage which might well be safe for another. People who have not developped tolerance to opiates have died at as low as 50 mg dosage of methadone.
Each person's dose of methadone is arrived at by individual titration of the dose and consideration of individual metabolism. If the urine doesn't show methadone the suspicion is the urine is being taken and possibly spit out or saved some other way for 'diversion' and sale. Earlier this year a person died taking methadone that was 'diverted'. Some poor doctor who was working in a methadone clinic having taken an oath to do no harm was left feeling complicit somehow in the death of this poor fellow. Obviously the person who diverted the methadone and then made it available to this person was doing a 'criminal' thing. Methadone treatment is for sick people with a disease of addiction. If a person 'diverts' methadone they are doing a criminal, not a sick, "thing". For these reason the methadone patients are urine tested. If a person is taking methadone then the methadone shows in the urine and confirms that the person is compliant with the treatment program. Further there is no increased risk to others by having the methadone program which is a good thing for community.
Each person's dose of methadone is arrived at by individual titration of the dose and consideration of individual metabolism. If the urine doesn't show methadone the suspicion is the urine is being taken and possibly spit out or saved some other way for 'diversion' and sale. Earlier this year a person died taking methadone that was 'diverted'. Some poor doctor who was working in a methadone clinic having taken an oath to do no harm was left feeling complicit somehow in the death of this poor fellow. Obviously the person who diverted the methadone and then made it available to this person was doing a 'criminal' thing. Methadone treatment is for sick people with a disease of addiction. If a person 'diverts' methadone they are doing a criminal, not a sick, "thing". For these reason the methadone patients are urine tested. If a person is taking methadone then the methadone shows in the urine and confirms that the person is compliant with the treatment program. Further there is no increased risk to others by having the methadone program which is a good thing for community.
Magical Techno God
"God is to be treated as a being, not an object or force to used or manipulated. While our thinking and practice may at times betray such a view, it is not consistent with the biblical picture. The idea that God is simply something to be used to solve our problems and meet our needs is not religion. Such attempts to harness him belong rather to the realm of magic or technology." Willard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, Baker Academic, Michigan, 1998
Ouch!
I am definitely guilty of praying to a Magical Techno God, my personal MTG! Sic him, MTG. Go get im. Fetch, MTG! Fetch.
I disagree with Erickson that this is not biblical. My principle prayer to God is 'protect me', "help me", "save me". Everyone in the Bible even Jesus is calling on God to help. God is a helping God but not like those pagan 'helper Gods'. Maybe I'm calling on the lesser 'angelic' hands of God. But if that is the case, maybe I'm putting them before God. I think the message is that I'm supposed to go right to the great kahoona, the boss God and never lose sight of God , Father even if he's femininized as so often he is in the transvestite Christian tradition of God the girl. Mary is a wholly different matter. St. Theresa does say very carefully 'don't get side tracked.".
The key here is Erickson's statement 'that God is simply something to be used to solve problems." My friend Allan says "if God is small enough for me to understand, he's not big enough to do the job." If I am 'harnessing God' then it's a very person centered rather than God centered project. The 12 step program have in the 11 th step the statement "praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out.'"
Christianity is a religion of 'obedience'. It's God focussed and we attempt to "follow" God. God is considered parental and as a friend. He's certainly not portrayed as a child who I have to teach to do my will. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask a friend to 'save me' or ask a parent 'to get me out of the mess I'm in' which implies that "I got myself into this mess'. There's no blame. I'm forever stumbling off the path that God set for me. I'm half blind, half deaf and stupid as humanly possible but that just means I keep begging forgiveness, mercy and crying like any child would as before God I'm a child. I don't know how to create a world or move mountains. I want to. I want to drop a mountain on Eddy's head or put that diamond mountain from Africa in my backyard. I occasionally ask God to help me with my pet projects but so far he's not budging. I don't think he's ready for me to have my own personal space flitter with supersonic cannon and a spiffy anima girlfriend whose always sexually wanting me while calling me her hero even when I'm screwing up. If I'd made God I'd definitely have added some improvements that would get me what I want.
However, I'm to believe God is in charge. God won't hurt me. There is life after death even. God doesn't give me more than I can handle. TV has infinite torture and horrible stories of childbirth for women that was years of excruciating pain and people being buried face down in anthills only to be regenerated by Chinese master criminals with all manner of drugs so I can continue to feel the exquisite pain of suffering while I soil myself in front of the Gr 1 class with the school teacher the worst bully. Mark Twain said something about the worst horrors and nightmares and deaths occuring in his mind.
My friend Willie says the mind is a radio receiver, get both hands on the receiver and make sure it stays on the God channel. I force myself to look at pretty things, flowers and children playing and puppies and kittens. I'd prefer to watch Criminal minds and see the umpteenth serial sexual sadist get another victim 7 days a week. There have only been 2 serious sexual saddists in Canada in my lifetime. Pickton was one. We heard about it from the courts for decades and as much money was spent on that as was spent on the one major terrorist activity in Western Canada, the India jet bombing. To get the tax dollars and to scare the silly girls and boys an old story is told over and over again until in fact we get copy cat killers thanks to the media. I loved telling scarey stories around the campfire. I love listening to scarey stories too. That's why I listen to campfire radio CBC which says the Conservative Government is going to kill us all because Harper is cutting the budget of CBC so we don't have to listen to some of the really bad propaganda which made CBC as bad as CNN. CBC does some great things but it certainly doesn't talk about God enough and doesn't uplift us enough and doesn't serve 75% of the Canadian population who are paying for it with their taxes. It does serve a radical vocal loud minority. If I have to listen to another Bob Marley 1960's reggae revolution song from CBC knowing some white haired want to be revolutionary rich on government pension is playing the song I'll be ill driving to work wondering what good is my country doing.
Often listening to CBC I ask God to rescue me. Sometimes I just ask him to give me the power and will to switch the channel to something relevant and contemporary. I like the classical music though, and I like Currents, some of As it Happens and I really like the Debaters. So it's my personal Steven King novel experience.
I also confess I often ask God for a porsche. I really believe God gave me my Harley. There is no difference really between men and women. Women want more than one pair of shoes. Shoes are a vehicle, albeit a slow vehicle but a vehicle nonetheless. Men want porches and trucks and motorcycles, boats and jet fighters. If women can have more than one pair of shoes then surely God in his wisdom would give every man a space scoop jet flitter. Skip solar paneled space craft and get right down to fusion operated.
I even pray for a porche for my enemy hoping that I might get the richochet. I think if I want something for my enemy maybe karma will get it for me. I try to outfox God in my prayers sometimes.
But mostly I'm praying for 'rescue'. Beam me up God there is no intelligent life on this planet. My god is a magical techno God and then some. God is all. But I don't want to limit God. I don't want to tell the creator of the universe how to do his job which is to make my life the best possible life. God can redeem all. I want God's redemption. I want God in all God's manifestation. I don't jsut want the "pocket god' that Phillips talks about in "your god is too small'. I want the immense God. God of God. Holy of Holy. Be with me. Walk with me. May I ever know thee. May I be with you (if only because it's got to be safer than I am alone).
The fact remains that I 'entreaty'. I'm not commanding God. I'm begging God. I'm crying like a 2 year old. "Give me the porche, God"!. This isn't very magical. Magical would be using God like Moses used the pole god gave him. I've wanted one of those too. I want every sort of weapon for protection, force fields but best of all the James Kirk stun gun which you could dial up to fry a dinosaur. I've always thought one of those would help driving to work or discussing matters in government offices. Instead I just tic like the villian in pink panther. Sometimes I utter things that make me certain I'm coming down with full blown Tourette's. Dementia has it's upside. No one can hold you accountable for some of the things I'm planning on saying, like the fools in Shakespeare who have the ear of the kings.
If I'm talking with God it's better than talking to myself. It's like sex beats masturbation even if masturbation is easier and disease free. Masturbation is cowardly, narcissistic and bitter. Sex is sex. Talking with God is better than talking with myself. If I hear voices generated by myself then I'm hallucinating whereas if God talks to me I'm hearing the voice of the God. I suspect it's even better than Abbey Road or the White Album. Hands down it puts Justin Beiber to shame.
In magic there is no 'humility'. It's all about me. It's about secret rites and my manipulating the universe. In Christianity I'm seeking God and I'm asking God to let me be a 'channel' for his will and to use me as his servant. I want to be God's servant. Albeit I want to represent God in a Godly way, driving a porche but I accept that I'm serving God. I'd rather the uptown gig than the downtown Gig. Even Jesus wanted to pass the cup but God said it was his job to the do the sacrifice. I'm thankful he died for my sins. I'm not spiritually enlightened to even want to die for my own. I'm swaddling still. But I don't think it hurts to ask.
I'm listening to God too. The whole of creation is shouting his name. The heavens are exploding with wonder. There's God everywhere. I really have to pay attention. I can so easily miss the joy of being in relation with God, living in God with God in front of me, God behind me, God beneath me, God above me, God beside me, God around me, God all over me, God inside me, God of Gods and all holy and wonderful singing praise and celebrating creation moment by moment day by day. Thank you Jesus.
Ouch!
I am definitely guilty of praying to a Magical Techno God, my personal MTG! Sic him, MTG. Go get im. Fetch, MTG! Fetch.
I disagree with Erickson that this is not biblical. My principle prayer to God is 'protect me', "help me", "save me". Everyone in the Bible even Jesus is calling on God to help. God is a helping God but not like those pagan 'helper Gods'. Maybe I'm calling on the lesser 'angelic' hands of God. But if that is the case, maybe I'm putting them before God. I think the message is that I'm supposed to go right to the great kahoona, the boss God and never lose sight of God , Father even if he's femininized as so often he is in the transvestite Christian tradition of God the girl. Mary is a wholly different matter. St. Theresa does say very carefully 'don't get side tracked.".
The key here is Erickson's statement 'that God is simply something to be used to solve problems." My friend Allan says "if God is small enough for me to understand, he's not big enough to do the job." If I am 'harnessing God' then it's a very person centered rather than God centered project. The 12 step program have in the 11 th step the statement "praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out.'"
Christianity is a religion of 'obedience'. It's God focussed and we attempt to "follow" God. God is considered parental and as a friend. He's certainly not portrayed as a child who I have to teach to do my will. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask a friend to 'save me' or ask a parent 'to get me out of the mess I'm in' which implies that "I got myself into this mess'. There's no blame. I'm forever stumbling off the path that God set for me. I'm half blind, half deaf and stupid as humanly possible but that just means I keep begging forgiveness, mercy and crying like any child would as before God I'm a child. I don't know how to create a world or move mountains. I want to. I want to drop a mountain on Eddy's head or put that diamond mountain from Africa in my backyard. I occasionally ask God to help me with my pet projects but so far he's not budging. I don't think he's ready for me to have my own personal space flitter with supersonic cannon and a spiffy anima girlfriend whose always sexually wanting me while calling me her hero even when I'm screwing up. If I'd made God I'd definitely have added some improvements that would get me what I want.
However, I'm to believe God is in charge. God won't hurt me. There is life after death even. God doesn't give me more than I can handle. TV has infinite torture and horrible stories of childbirth for women that was years of excruciating pain and people being buried face down in anthills only to be regenerated by Chinese master criminals with all manner of drugs so I can continue to feel the exquisite pain of suffering while I soil myself in front of the Gr 1 class with the school teacher the worst bully. Mark Twain said something about the worst horrors and nightmares and deaths occuring in his mind.
My friend Willie says the mind is a radio receiver, get both hands on the receiver and make sure it stays on the God channel. I force myself to look at pretty things, flowers and children playing and puppies and kittens. I'd prefer to watch Criminal minds and see the umpteenth serial sexual sadist get another victim 7 days a week. There have only been 2 serious sexual saddists in Canada in my lifetime. Pickton was one. We heard about it from the courts for decades and as much money was spent on that as was spent on the one major terrorist activity in Western Canada, the India jet bombing. To get the tax dollars and to scare the silly girls and boys an old story is told over and over again until in fact we get copy cat killers thanks to the media. I loved telling scarey stories around the campfire. I love listening to scarey stories too. That's why I listen to campfire radio CBC which says the Conservative Government is going to kill us all because Harper is cutting the budget of CBC so we don't have to listen to some of the really bad propaganda which made CBC as bad as CNN. CBC does some great things but it certainly doesn't talk about God enough and doesn't uplift us enough and doesn't serve 75% of the Canadian population who are paying for it with their taxes. It does serve a radical vocal loud minority. If I have to listen to another Bob Marley 1960's reggae revolution song from CBC knowing some white haired want to be revolutionary rich on government pension is playing the song I'll be ill driving to work wondering what good is my country doing.
Often listening to CBC I ask God to rescue me. Sometimes I just ask him to give me the power and will to switch the channel to something relevant and contemporary. I like the classical music though, and I like Currents, some of As it Happens and I really like the Debaters. So it's my personal Steven King novel experience.
I also confess I often ask God for a porsche. I really believe God gave me my Harley. There is no difference really between men and women. Women want more than one pair of shoes. Shoes are a vehicle, albeit a slow vehicle but a vehicle nonetheless. Men want porches and trucks and motorcycles, boats and jet fighters. If women can have more than one pair of shoes then surely God in his wisdom would give every man a space scoop jet flitter. Skip solar paneled space craft and get right down to fusion operated.
I even pray for a porche for my enemy hoping that I might get the richochet. I think if I want something for my enemy maybe karma will get it for me. I try to outfox God in my prayers sometimes.
But mostly I'm praying for 'rescue'. Beam me up God there is no intelligent life on this planet. My god is a magical techno God and then some. God is all. But I don't want to limit God. I don't want to tell the creator of the universe how to do his job which is to make my life the best possible life. God can redeem all. I want God's redemption. I want God in all God's manifestation. I don't jsut want the "pocket god' that Phillips talks about in "your god is too small'. I want the immense God. God of God. Holy of Holy. Be with me. Walk with me. May I ever know thee. May I be with you (if only because it's got to be safer than I am alone).
The fact remains that I 'entreaty'. I'm not commanding God. I'm begging God. I'm crying like a 2 year old. "Give me the porche, God"!. This isn't very magical. Magical would be using God like Moses used the pole god gave him. I've wanted one of those too. I want every sort of weapon for protection, force fields but best of all the James Kirk stun gun which you could dial up to fry a dinosaur. I've always thought one of those would help driving to work or discussing matters in government offices. Instead I just tic like the villian in pink panther. Sometimes I utter things that make me certain I'm coming down with full blown Tourette's. Dementia has it's upside. No one can hold you accountable for some of the things I'm planning on saying, like the fools in Shakespeare who have the ear of the kings.
If I'm talking with God it's better than talking to myself. It's like sex beats masturbation even if masturbation is easier and disease free. Masturbation is cowardly, narcissistic and bitter. Sex is sex. Talking with God is better than talking with myself. If I hear voices generated by myself then I'm hallucinating whereas if God talks to me I'm hearing the voice of the God. I suspect it's even better than Abbey Road or the White Album. Hands down it puts Justin Beiber to shame.
In magic there is no 'humility'. It's all about me. It's about secret rites and my manipulating the universe. In Christianity I'm seeking God and I'm asking God to let me be a 'channel' for his will and to use me as his servant. I want to be God's servant. Albeit I want to represent God in a Godly way, driving a porche but I accept that I'm serving God. I'd rather the uptown gig than the downtown Gig. Even Jesus wanted to pass the cup but God said it was his job to the do the sacrifice. I'm thankful he died for my sins. I'm not spiritually enlightened to even want to die for my own. I'm swaddling still. But I don't think it hurts to ask.
I'm listening to God too. The whole of creation is shouting his name. The heavens are exploding with wonder. There's God everywhere. I really have to pay attention. I can so easily miss the joy of being in relation with God, living in God with God in front of me, God behind me, God beneath me, God above me, God beside me, God around me, God all over me, God inside me, God of Gods and all holy and wonderful singing praise and celebrating creation moment by moment day by day. Thank you Jesus.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Senate Reform - Return of the Depends Dispenser
Harper and the Conservatives have begun the long overdo Senate Reform. What got everyone moving on this motion was so many senators being found dead in chambers. Had a new house not been called no one would have noticed. Worse still the bodies were mummified suggesting they had probably died in the days of Lester Pearson. Mulroney and Chretien may have known about the dead bodies but given there were equal numbers of dead neither of these old politicos would do anything to upset the balance. The old man and old woman smell in the Senate was blamed for a long time on the austerity measures brought in by the Conservative minority government which had the Depends Diaper machine removed from Senate. The proposed Senate reform includes life assessment at least every 3 or 4 years. Such a timely measure would have saved all sorts of embarrassment for Harper and Layton who knew they were opening a can of worms but hadn't thought it would lead to this. All in all some 40 senators have been excavated from Senate. There is no suggestion of foul play despite the smell.
Young and Tired
She was 40 she said, but sounded 80.
She cared for her mother and worked.
At times she danced and sang, but only professionally.
Alone she had friends
But no one to tell her she was special.
She was pretty as a prairie sky.
It's a cold land, Canada.
So many people alone, afraid to reach out and touch.
The great abyss or leaps of faith.
You can not soar with baggage,
Or make a new tomorrow clinging to the old.
He was sad too, nearly 40, alone,
Brilliant, successful,
Handsome as a Laurentian hill.
Vancouver is such a hard city.
People go bump in the night and crash.
Let's talk about anything, they say,
But the lies I heard and believed,
That somehow left me feeling I was hopeless,
There was no hope,
And hope was certainly not around the corner.
Pasts splattered with messed good byes.
I'd love to introduce them.
Tell them to spin the bottle yet again
But this time kiss, eyes wide.
Vancouver riots and love so fragile.
She cared for her mother and worked.
At times she danced and sang, but only professionally.
Alone she had friends
But no one to tell her she was special.
She was pretty as a prairie sky.
It's a cold land, Canada.
So many people alone, afraid to reach out and touch.
The great abyss or leaps of faith.
You can not soar with baggage,
Or make a new tomorrow clinging to the old.
He was sad too, nearly 40, alone,
Brilliant, successful,
Handsome as a Laurentian hill.
Vancouver is such a hard city.
People go bump in the night and crash.
Let's talk about anything, they say,
But the lies I heard and believed,
That somehow left me feeling I was hopeless,
There was no hope,
And hope was certainly not around the corner.
Pasts splattered with messed good byes.
I'd love to introduce them.
Tell them to spin the bottle yet again
But this time kiss, eyes wide.
Vancouver riots and love so fragile.
Irrational Finance
The following are a series of "cognitive traps" which influence decision making skewing it from the purely rational:
1) Availability bias - this is a tendency to base decisions more readily available to memory rather than viewing all the data needed. Eg: The last three birds I saw were going east therefore the next bird will likely be going east however in the past I've recorded that most birds fly west at this location.
2) Hindsight bias: This is a tendency to selectively attach higher probability to events after they have happened as compared to what we in fact did prior to them happening. eg. The clouds were building before the storm and the duck quacked therefore I could have known the storm was coming because of the building clouds and the sound of the duck quacking.
3) Problem of induction: This is the tendency to formulate general rules on the basis of insufficient information. Eg: A feminist is raped by one man therefore all men are rapists.
4) Fallacy of Conjunction: We tend to overestimate the probability of seven events of 90 % probability while underestimating the probability that at last one of seven events of 10 % probability will occur. Eg. A feminist shouted before all the ducks were raped..
5) Confirmationa bias: Tendency to look for confirming evidence of the initial hypothesis rather than falsifying evidence that would disprove it. Eg: A newspaper report in Africa says that a man attacked a feminist therefore all feminists are raped by men especially if they hear a duck quacking because John said he clearly recollected a duck quacking before Mary read the newspaper.
6) Contamination effects: whereby where we allow irrelevant but proximate information to influence a decision. Eg. The Rape of the Sabines was shown on tv before the legislation to ban all men from the planet because a feminist was raped by a duck.
7) The affect heuristic: whereby preconceived value-judgements interfere with our assessments of costs and benefits. Eg. All universities need to be outfitted with lighting normally seen on space shuttle runways at a cost of billions of dollars to protect one feminist from being attacked by a duck even though rape the university is the least likely place for women to be attacked. If anyone seriously wanted to address women being attacked they would put the lighting in the nightclub districts where university women go and attack is common. Alternatively a law that said men who attacked women would be wed for life to a duck would cost the price of a duck and change dramatically the false legal 'seek work' statistics that rarely separate 'repeat offences' and 'repeat offenders' so that an actual prediction of crime can be assessed. Repeat offenses and repeat offenders account for almost all crime in society. Ironically other than ducks the majority of society are surprisingly law abiding and cooperative.
8) Scope neglect: which prevents us from proportionately adjusting what we should be willing to sacrifice to avoid harms of different orders of magnitude. Eg. If I drop my laptop and camera and wallet while I am running there is little chance that the attacker will continue to chase me to pick pocket me or pistol whip me.
9)Overconfidence in calibration: which leads us to underestimate the confidence interval within which our estimates will be robust. Eg. I was a finely tuned love machine in my 20's and 30's but now nearing 60 I might not be.
10) Bystander apathy: which inclines us to abdicate individual responsibility when in a crowd. Eg. This explains why governments and committees are were responsible for the Holocaust and the propaganda of history focussed on Corporal Hitler in a silly attempt to make people believe their government and there committess were less likely to cause a world war. The audience is as complicit. There is such a thing as 'collective guilt' despite how many virgins and mustached men are sacrificed before the cock crows.
These examples of irrational effects on rational thinking come from Niall Ferguson, The Ascent of Money. He is not responsible for the irrational examples. The book, Science of Fear described some of these influences and different ones. Kurt Vonnegut probably did a better job of 'showing' them in his incomparable novels. Freud and Jung and so many others have demonstrated at length how 'unconscious forces' influence conscious process.
The end result for me is that I sometimes have great difficulty taking people seriously who take themselves so seriously. Words like, pompous, stupid and silly tend to flash through my mind especially as thosepeople (E.E. Cummings conjunction) insist with greater and greater vehemence that they are inhumanly right in areas of conjecture. The lady protestest too much.
That said some people carry big guns and are not afraid of killing other people on a whim. These people should be humored because they are highly dangerous like heartless lizards. However as a person who collects lizards describes them as 'her children". This approach seems to work well as long as the lizards aren't too hungr.
It behooves us to understand our own fallibility and be forgiving of those who insist they are right especially when they have might or worse 'group might' on their side or simply when they are wrong.
Niall Ferguson's, The Ascent of Money, A Financial History of the World is a great read especially for those who don't appreciate bankers, don't understand economics and get their information about finance from such sources as CNN. I gained a thorough appreciation for good bankers and investors from this book but then I'd already read "Ship of Gold" and I rarely watch CNN. I also did economics 101 at university and took an inordinate interest in Keyes because he was a friend of Virginias. Then the Rothschild's were especially interesting before WWII while Rockerfeller was a particularly good sort in the 30's. Personally I've not met 'idle rich' though I've certainly wanted to be one. The very very rich I've met have been hard working and highly responsible. Not surprising since very few people want to make money compared to the very many who want to 'take' money. Bill Gates and Andy Warholl are far more interesting than Stalin ever was.
1) Availability bias - this is a tendency to base decisions more readily available to memory rather than viewing all the data needed. Eg: The last three birds I saw were going east therefore the next bird will likely be going east however in the past I've recorded that most birds fly west at this location.
2) Hindsight bias: This is a tendency to selectively attach higher probability to events after they have happened as compared to what we in fact did prior to them happening. eg. The clouds were building before the storm and the duck quacked therefore I could have known the storm was coming because of the building clouds and the sound of the duck quacking.
3) Problem of induction: This is the tendency to formulate general rules on the basis of insufficient information. Eg: A feminist is raped by one man therefore all men are rapists.
4) Fallacy of Conjunction: We tend to overestimate the probability of seven events of 90 % probability while underestimating the probability that at last one of seven events of 10 % probability will occur. Eg. A feminist shouted before all the ducks were raped..
5) Confirmationa bias: Tendency to look for confirming evidence of the initial hypothesis rather than falsifying evidence that would disprove it. Eg: A newspaper report in Africa says that a man attacked a feminist therefore all feminists are raped by men especially if they hear a duck quacking because John said he clearly recollected a duck quacking before Mary read the newspaper.
6) Contamination effects: whereby where we allow irrelevant but proximate information to influence a decision. Eg. The Rape of the Sabines was shown on tv before the legislation to ban all men from the planet because a feminist was raped by a duck.
7) The affect heuristic: whereby preconceived value-judgements interfere with our assessments of costs and benefits. Eg. All universities need to be outfitted with lighting normally seen on space shuttle runways at a cost of billions of dollars to protect one feminist from being attacked by a duck even though rape the university is the least likely place for women to be attacked. If anyone seriously wanted to address women being attacked they would put the lighting in the nightclub districts where university women go and attack is common. Alternatively a law that said men who attacked women would be wed for life to a duck would cost the price of a duck and change dramatically the false legal 'seek work' statistics that rarely separate 'repeat offences' and 'repeat offenders' so that an actual prediction of crime can be assessed. Repeat offenses and repeat offenders account for almost all crime in society. Ironically other than ducks the majority of society are surprisingly law abiding and cooperative.
8) Scope neglect: which prevents us from proportionately adjusting what we should be willing to sacrifice to avoid harms of different orders of magnitude. Eg. If I drop my laptop and camera and wallet while I am running there is little chance that the attacker will continue to chase me to pick pocket me or pistol whip me.
9)Overconfidence in calibration: which leads us to underestimate the confidence interval within which our estimates will be robust. Eg. I was a finely tuned love machine in my 20's and 30's but now nearing 60 I might not be.
10) Bystander apathy: which inclines us to abdicate individual responsibility when in a crowd. Eg. This explains why governments and committees are were responsible for the Holocaust and the propaganda of history focussed on Corporal Hitler in a silly attempt to make people believe their government and there committess were less likely to cause a world war. The audience is as complicit. There is such a thing as 'collective guilt' despite how many virgins and mustached men are sacrificed before the cock crows.
These examples of irrational effects on rational thinking come from Niall Ferguson, The Ascent of Money. He is not responsible for the irrational examples. The book, Science of Fear described some of these influences and different ones. Kurt Vonnegut probably did a better job of 'showing' them in his incomparable novels. Freud and Jung and so many others have demonstrated at length how 'unconscious forces' influence conscious process.
The end result for me is that I sometimes have great difficulty taking people seriously who take themselves so seriously. Words like, pompous, stupid and silly tend to flash through my mind especially as thosepeople (E.E. Cummings conjunction) insist with greater and greater vehemence that they are inhumanly right in areas of conjecture. The lady protestest too much.
That said some people carry big guns and are not afraid of killing other people on a whim. These people should be humored because they are highly dangerous like heartless lizards. However as a person who collects lizards describes them as 'her children". This approach seems to work well as long as the lizards aren't too hungr.
It behooves us to understand our own fallibility and be forgiving of those who insist they are right especially when they have might or worse 'group might' on their side or simply when they are wrong.
Niall Ferguson's, The Ascent of Money, A Financial History of the World is a great read especially for those who don't appreciate bankers, don't understand economics and get their information about finance from such sources as CNN. I gained a thorough appreciation for good bankers and investors from this book but then I'd already read "Ship of Gold" and I rarely watch CNN. I also did economics 101 at university and took an inordinate interest in Keyes because he was a friend of Virginias. Then the Rothschild's were especially interesting before WWII while Rockerfeller was a particularly good sort in the 30's. Personally I've not met 'idle rich' though I've certainly wanted to be one. The very very rich I've met have been hard working and highly responsible. Not surprising since very few people want to make money compared to the very many who want to 'take' money. Bill Gates and Andy Warholl are far more interesting than Stalin ever was.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Gilbert's Dog Motorcycle Helmut
Gilbert is an old fashioned biker. He's not keen on goggles or helmut. Left to his own devices he's doing everything he can with his paws to remove them. This week he knocked his helmut off somewhere while we were driving through China Town. I could actually hear him say, "OMG, how could that have happened". So this is the last picture of his helmut until I get another. I can get him to keep the goggles on but in this picture he's got those off by himself. The Doggles protect his eyes but I wasn't sure the helmut was all that protective . Mqybe I find a more stylish one he'll leave on. 
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Vancouver Opera Riots
It's fall 20011 and the Vancouver Opera's performance of Traviata has been marred by riots. Wheelchairs and walkers have been torched. Young Divas in gowns are rolling about the ground in front of riot clad Vancouver police. White haired ladies in sequined dresses are putting the boots to tuxedoed gents. The orchestra conductor is fending off a violin wielding VSO player. It is hoped that police on horses will be able to disperse the crowds some of whom have been identified as former Vancouver Canucks fans!
Vancouver Riots - National Hockey League Management Accountable?
Professor Stackhouse from Regent College has written a remarkable response to the Vancouver Riots. He's an avid hockey player himself. He says the Canucks Bruins playoffs but especially the final game was the worst refereed hockey he has seen. The referees are the police in hockey. They represent the law. I personally was appalled at all the slashing to the backs of legs going on in the game. When I last played hockey a quarter century ago this was instant penalty and poor sportsmanship. Just because the other guy skated faster or had better stick work didn't justify hitting the vulnerable legs with your stick. Indeed back in my youth, that glorious cowboy era, any use of a weapon in any fight was evidence of cowardice. The riots showed alot of gangs on one violence which is the sign of cowardice and the 'ends justify the means' ethics.
However Professor Stackhouse argues very finely indeed that the Canucks game gave the message that bullying would be rewarded, that cowardice was okay, that poor sportsmanship would be rewarded and that lawlessness (no refereeing) could be expected. Indeed, Professor Stackhouse, very courageously is going where everyone so far has desperately tried to stay away from.
"J'ACCUSE". His finely written article points the finger directly at the Canucks management and the Bruins Management and the National Hockey League itself, He himself is too refined a gentleman to follow through with the kill. I lack his grace. I expect defence lawyers for the rich kids caught up in the riots will think like I do, too.
He's blaming the National Hockey League and the referees of the final game. We all know that television ratings go up with violence. We know that the American media machine loves hockey with blood. The more bodies carried off on stretchers the more ratings.
So who pulled the referees? Shouldn't the person who specifically told the hockey police not to do their job share some accountability with a kid who broke a window?
The National Hockey League, and Professional Sports, billion dollar plus businesses and industries, might need a financial incentive to deliver hockey when they say they're providing a hockey game (not a mixed martial arts, he who maims most wins) game. Whose call was it to drop the hockey police in the final games and lets bedlam reign? No surprise that chaos and riot follow on the streets of Vancouver. It's not because the Canucks lost. It's because the game was a powerful message celebrating violence and lawlessness. No surprise the Vancouver Police were blindsided. Did anyone from the National Hockey League tell the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police that they would not be showing a 'hockey game' but rather a 'mixed martial arts' debacle? Were families who brought small children to the city to watch a game forewarned that it would be a 'violent' 'bloody' sports event and not a hockey game. I played hockey for a dozen years and never was injured. I wasn't even good at the game. We're learning enough about the head injuries in sports and cost to the health care system. We have had individual players like the Canucks, Butollocci prosecuted, but who pulled the Referees?
The Vancouver Police said they were unprepared for the riot. They'd not seen the media orchestrating the riot by decreasing game police and increasing celebration of violence. No one outside the National Hockey League, the producers and coaches could anticipate that the final game of the Stanley Cup series would be the 'worst refereed game' imaginable. Both teams without policing and the increasing encouragement of violence and unsportsmanship devolved into a vicious brute riot rather than national hockey. The 'riot on the streets of Vancouver' therefore mirrored the 'riot on the rink"
The Canucks and the Canucks fans have distanced themselves from the 'hooligans' and argued the 'hooligans' weren't hockey fans. But Research clearly shows that if you show brain damaged people violence and celebrate that violence then they will do violence themselves. Normal people will separate reality from fiction but not drug and alcohol addled young men whose brains don't complete formation until mid twenties.
I suspect a smart criminal lawyer will make such a plea on behalf of the rich kids while the poor kids without the 'Dream Team' lawyers will go to jail. That's the norm in our Social Darwin society with the Big Ape being celebrated at the cost of the poor little ape.
But if that is the case then the NHL should be on trial too. I propose that the courts and police investigate whether the lack of refireeing in the game especially the last. There was sufficient motive (increased revenue from ratings ) but was this 'premeditated' and who was culpable.
It rots my gotch to pay more taxes whether HST or otherwise. So as a taxplayer I don't like being involved in Big Sports damage and clean up when I stayed home and would really have preferered to watched better hockey and less wrestling and punching. I certainly never want to watch riots over sports when less priviledged people riot ove tyrrany, mass murder and rape of women and children. The riots made great TV and a boodle of money for media but made Canadians collectively and Vancouverites especially look stupid and silly. The Canucks fans and the Vancouver people presently turning over the prime instigators of the riot to the police are going along way to mitigate the damage. But wouldn't an investigation of senior management by an outside body with real powers be appropriate. Who polices the National Hockey League. We learned that the International Soccer Association is corrupt to the core. Is this true of Hockey. Did someone in high placesactually hope for a riot just like the professional criminals in low places certainly did?
If Prime Minister Harper or the Conservative Government were anyway involved in hockey then I guarantee there would be a hue and cry for management to step down, get jailed or lined up against the wall and be shot. That's the attitude Canadians take when something goes wrong in politics. But this is 'Big Money' and the Canucks management to date has correctly pointed the finger at the obvious criminals. The guys wearing black ski masks carrying stereos under their arms were hard to miss but what about the little weazel Armani suited accountant and marketting manager who insisted the referees should be blinded?
Did this riot occur in Canada and not Boston because in the US the Americans who prosecuted the heads of Enron wouldn't think twice about investigating the National Hockey League if downtown Boston got torched? While the referees appeared to be smoking BC Bud in Boston and Vancouver they looked even more wasted in the final game? Did anyone think to pee test the referees? The players certainly get that. Or was the decision higher?
I do like Premier Christy Clark saying "We're going to find you and 'we'll going to prosecute you."
Like everyone I also remember the legal importance of "deep pockets". The cowardly despicable "blue collar criminals who burnt police cars" would have just as soon started a riot at a ladies spelling B if they could. They deserve to be punished but I doubt such bottom feeding low life can afford to pay for the future loss of business from tourism that Vancouver can now anticipate.
But an organization that can pay Luongo twelve million dollars has 'deep pockets'.
I believe the police and city of Vancouver had reasonable expectation that if a "hockey game' was being broadcast that a "hockey game' not a 'brawl' should be shown to the viewing public. I know that if I hold a dance and it spills over to damaging of property that I as the one who was the organizer of the event "share" responsibility for the damage. It strikes me that the National Hockey League and the Canucks and Bruins have a strong incentive to encourage people to say these were not 'Canuck fans'. This was a National Hockey League event though. I know the criminals didn't like hockey but whoever pulled the referees probably doesn't either.
Overt and subliminal messages instigating riot and all that followed are the partly the responsibility of the 'league' and media and not just the viewers.
So, if Professor Stackhouse is right about the lack of refereeing, considerations of 'deep pockets' might be reasonably expected to come into play. Should the individual refirees be tried for their failure to carry white canes on the ice? Should the referee association be held accountable. No individual referee, to my mind, stood out as particularly ignorant of the rules of the game of hockey. It did strike me they were all 'in on it' together. If there was a 'hooligan' conspiracy there was equally a 'referee conspiracy". If they had carried white canes I would not have been so angered personally to see such constant 'slashing' and tripping, overt attempts to 'maim and injure', go unnoticed. The game appeared to be a seige event with the question being whose ligaments would be least damaged by the end of the series.
Throw the book at the 'blue collar' criminals for sure, but this was a National Hockey League sports event and surely if there are 'white collar' criminals they deserve to face justice as well.
Shouldn't an independent body with powers to prosecute and fine investigate the National Hockey League? When a riot occurs in a national city wouldn't that warrant a parliamentary committee investigation more than the countless ones called against Harper and the military and all the other players in Canadian life. Shouldn't a Provincial and National Government committee with powers to recommend prosecution and fining be instigated to investigate the National Hockey League if it was found that the policing of the game was meddled with "for profit" (or ratings?) At least in the recent banking scandals some senior management were arrested and no one tried to insist that the problems were only with the 'bank tellers' and the 'customers'. Maybe the National Hockey League has lost respect for the "sport' of hockey and something should seriously be done to address just what 'they' did wrong?
Premier Christy Clark did say "We will find you and we will prosecute you."
Go Christy Clark Go!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Vancouver Riot 2011 - Smoking BC Bud and Smoking Police Cars
The Canucks Bruins Hockey game is not the cause. To the criminals this was an 'opportunity'. Whether the Canucks won or lost, the criminals were there to loot. What made matters worse was the alcohol, drugs and gawkers. What was the saddest to watch was not psychopaths and sociopaths targetting stores for violence and ganging up violently on individuals for gang violence and stabbing, it was the gawkers and photographers. These people equally presented as above the law and not obligated to respond to police demands to clear the area. Fire fighters seeking to put out the fires were attacked.
The sophisticated criminals used these crowds as shields for their pillage and destruction. While it is great that there will be extensive photographic evidence of the principal ringleaders, who likely have long rap sheets already, it is an appalling matter when citizens disobey the direct rule of the police wanting to restore order in an obvious riot.
It's the gawkers that frightened me becuase those that 'hung around' to watch and play with their iphones are the very people who necessitate communities institute 'martial law', restrict civil liberties and increase police powers in times of crisis. It's these 'bystanders' that allow the state to justify offensive behaviour when people gather for 'political action'. This was nothing to so with Gandhi, Thoreau or citizens rights to congregate in face of tyranny. Egypt has Freedom Square. China has Tieneman Square. Canada now has Robson and Geogia and nothing could be more shameful and ludicrous. If the rest of the world sees us as fat, fatuous and silly, we thoroughly deserve it.
A sports event used as cover for terrorist violence puts the families and children at risk who came with reasonable expectation of safety. Because the crowds would not disperse the police could not target the criminal element and their leaders. I would think that there is need for education of the 'masses' in this regard and the best education would be fines.
To my mind, the riot was 'Bachanailan" and the crowd's 'zombie' like behaviour was Cheech and Chong. It all made me want to make the hilarious but true Canadian "Spider's on Drugs" youtube clip required viewing for all students starting in elementary school and yearly thereafter. I would hope that all those caught would be drug tested so that the exemplary modern BC Drug Court could have more grist for it's excellent rehabilitative mill.
There are millions of dollars of damage. Mayor Gregor Robertson called this "despicable' and labelled the cause 'hooligans'. He promised that they would be held 'accountable.' While looters were breaking the store windows of the Bay and making away with furs and coats, Shirley Bond, solictor general, admitting to watching CTV as we were, described these people as behaving 'like criminals'. Shirley Bond should be held accountable for her inability to distinguish criminal behaviour from 'pseudo criminal behaviour' because clearly part of the Vancouver problem is the Shirley Bonds who would say murderers are behaving "like murderers". In contrast Mayor Gregor Robertson praising the Vancouver Police and calling for citizens to disperse to allow ambulances and fire departments to do their jobs was a shining light compared to her "despicable" dullness.
The smell of BC Bud filled the air before the smell of burning police cars. Liquor store sales were stopped that day but it was argued they should have been stopped 2 days ahead. I would simply argue that there is history of those who 'sold firewarter to the Indians during the Indian wars' being punished for contributing to the destruction that followed. I argue that liquor stores and alcohol companies be accountable for damages. Simply collect the broken bottles and cans of retailers and hold them responsible for paying for damages. Present Budweiser a bill of say $100 for every can found at such scenes of mass violence to force these retailers to take responsbile action in discouraging alcohol abuse since they claim they only promote responsible alcohol use. I would think that overnight we'd see a whole different line of advertising from beer producers.
Further drug dealers should be targetted before and after such public debacles and held accountable financially. Take their assets. Have a crackdown with confiscation and sale of assets of marijuana users. As Robert Graves long ago showed even mushrooms can be used as a drug of violence since any drug that impairs judgement will contribute to violence. In Africa marijuana is a principal drug of violence. BC Bud has become that here. In the past marijuana was considered a drug of peace because it was used by jazz smokers. That's 30 years ago. Marijuana is the drug found at ghetto violence today. It's second only to alcohol in association with crime and violence.
The only fault I would have with the organization of city events is that we know it's the drunks and druggies that become the herd the psychopaths hide behind. It would have helped, I believe, if the laws against public consumption of alcohol and against public drug abuse including smoking marijuana were enforced at the outset. It's no different from a high school dance. Don't let drugs or alcohol into the stadium and arrest those who have the means. Of course there is violence and drugs and alcohol at school dances but it occurs in the parking lots . I accept that a city has a whole lot of parking lots limitting immensely the 'prevention' powers of police. However if there was a $5000 fine for consumption of drugs or alcohol at such city wide events and all that was required was pictures or witness, it would go along way to paying for the subsequent damages and discouraging and stopping .those who would show off drinking a bud or lighting up a spliff.
I hope that those who rolled the BMW and set the Humber on fire go to jail. If I were to do that to my neighbours car this morning that would occur to me, if I wasn't first put in an insane asylum. Our laws and law makers should not 'excuse' those who would use 'mass hysteria' as an excuse. If they don't go to jail then at least require they have a forensic psychiatric assessment and mandatory counselling.
This was not a G10 or G20 political rally. This was criminal terrorism. Further there is clear evidence that it was premeditated and planned with sociopaths preying on the peaceful citizenry and planning on harming police and property. This wasn't about hockey. These are not sportsman or Canucks fans. It was exemplary that a facebook site opened immediately Canucks Fans against Vancouver Riots. The principle purpose of the site was to direct those who had pictures of the criminals looters and gang members to post their pictures for the police to arrest. No one wants this happening again.
The Vancouver Police and RCMP did a splendid job though I certainly appreciated the fellow on CTV who said that the 'army should have been brought in'. All I hope for is that the rioters, looters, hooligans, bullies are held accountable. I want their pictures and their crimes pasted on every street corner. To me these people are alot worse than Johns and should deserve no better. The Conservative Party of Canada prophetically called for new jails. Perhaps we need stockades as well. I hope at very least that their incomes are 'garnisheed'. Canadians don't want more taxation like the HST to wetnurse criminals.
Finally, these Vancouver rioters, looters, criminals, gangsters and bullies should be required to do community hours for a year in addition scrubbing the Vancouver city buildings to get rid of the smell of BC Bud, piss vomit, crack smoke and burning police cars. Thank goodness Mayor Gregor Robertson and the Vancouver Police were there to limit the destruction.
The sophisticated criminals used these crowds as shields for their pillage and destruction. While it is great that there will be extensive photographic evidence of the principal ringleaders, who likely have long rap sheets already, it is an appalling matter when citizens disobey the direct rule of the police wanting to restore order in an obvious riot.
It's the gawkers that frightened me becuase those that 'hung around' to watch and play with their iphones are the very people who necessitate communities institute 'martial law', restrict civil liberties and increase police powers in times of crisis. It's these 'bystanders' that allow the state to justify offensive behaviour when people gather for 'political action'. This was nothing to so with Gandhi, Thoreau or citizens rights to congregate in face of tyranny. Egypt has Freedom Square. China has Tieneman Square. Canada now has Robson and Geogia and nothing could be more shameful and ludicrous. If the rest of the world sees us as fat, fatuous and silly, we thoroughly deserve it.
A sports event used as cover for terrorist violence puts the families and children at risk who came with reasonable expectation of safety. Because the crowds would not disperse the police could not target the criminal element and their leaders. I would think that there is need for education of the 'masses' in this regard and the best education would be fines.
To my mind, the riot was 'Bachanailan" and the crowd's 'zombie' like behaviour was Cheech and Chong. It all made me want to make the hilarious but true Canadian "Spider's on Drugs" youtube clip required viewing for all students starting in elementary school and yearly thereafter. I would hope that all those caught would be drug tested so that the exemplary modern BC Drug Court could have more grist for it's excellent rehabilitative mill.
There are millions of dollars of damage. Mayor Gregor Robertson called this "despicable' and labelled the cause 'hooligans'. He promised that they would be held 'accountable.' While looters were breaking the store windows of the Bay and making away with furs and coats, Shirley Bond, solictor general, admitting to watching CTV as we were, described these people as behaving 'like criminals'. Shirley Bond should be held accountable for her inability to distinguish criminal behaviour from 'pseudo criminal behaviour' because clearly part of the Vancouver problem is the Shirley Bonds who would say murderers are behaving "like murderers". In contrast Mayor Gregor Robertson praising the Vancouver Police and calling for citizens to disperse to allow ambulances and fire departments to do their jobs was a shining light compared to her "despicable" dullness.
The smell of BC Bud filled the air before the smell of burning police cars. Liquor store sales were stopped that day but it was argued they should have been stopped 2 days ahead. I would simply argue that there is history of those who 'sold firewarter to the Indians during the Indian wars' being punished for contributing to the destruction that followed. I argue that liquor stores and alcohol companies be accountable for damages. Simply collect the broken bottles and cans of retailers and hold them responsible for paying for damages. Present Budweiser a bill of say $100 for every can found at such scenes of mass violence to force these retailers to take responsbile action in discouraging alcohol abuse since they claim they only promote responsible alcohol use. I would think that overnight we'd see a whole different line of advertising from beer producers.
Further drug dealers should be targetted before and after such public debacles and held accountable financially. Take their assets. Have a crackdown with confiscation and sale of assets of marijuana users. As Robert Graves long ago showed even mushrooms can be used as a drug of violence since any drug that impairs judgement will contribute to violence. In Africa marijuana is a principal drug of violence. BC Bud has become that here. In the past marijuana was considered a drug of peace because it was used by jazz smokers. That's 30 years ago. Marijuana is the drug found at ghetto violence today. It's second only to alcohol in association with crime and violence.
The only fault I would have with the organization of city events is that we know it's the drunks and druggies that become the herd the psychopaths hide behind. It would have helped, I believe, if the laws against public consumption of alcohol and against public drug abuse including smoking marijuana were enforced at the outset. It's no different from a high school dance. Don't let drugs or alcohol into the stadium and arrest those who have the means. Of course there is violence and drugs and alcohol at school dances but it occurs in the parking lots . I accept that a city has a whole lot of parking lots limitting immensely the 'prevention' powers of police. However if there was a $5000 fine for consumption of drugs or alcohol at such city wide events and all that was required was pictures or witness, it would go along way to paying for the subsequent damages and discouraging and stopping .those who would show off drinking a bud or lighting up a spliff.
I hope that those who rolled the BMW and set the Humber on fire go to jail. If I were to do that to my neighbours car this morning that would occur to me, if I wasn't first put in an insane asylum. Our laws and law makers should not 'excuse' those who would use 'mass hysteria' as an excuse. If they don't go to jail then at least require they have a forensic psychiatric assessment and mandatory counselling.
This was not a G10 or G20 political rally. This was criminal terrorism. Further there is clear evidence that it was premeditated and planned with sociopaths preying on the peaceful citizenry and planning on harming police and property. This wasn't about hockey. These are not sportsman or Canucks fans. It was exemplary that a facebook site opened immediately Canucks Fans against Vancouver Riots. The principle purpose of the site was to direct those who had pictures of the criminals looters and gang members to post their pictures for the police to arrest. No one wants this happening again.
The Vancouver Police and RCMP did a splendid job though I certainly appreciated the fellow on CTV who said that the 'army should have been brought in'. All I hope for is that the rioters, looters, hooligans, bullies are held accountable. I want their pictures and their crimes pasted on every street corner. To me these people are alot worse than Johns and should deserve no better. The Conservative Party of Canada prophetically called for new jails. Perhaps we need stockades as well. I hope at very least that their incomes are 'garnisheed'. Canadians don't want more taxation like the HST to wetnurse criminals.
Finally, these Vancouver rioters, looters, criminals, gangsters and bullies should be required to do community hours for a year in addition scrubbing the Vancouver city buildings to get rid of the smell of BC Bud, piss vomit, crack smoke and burning police cars. Thank goodness Mayor Gregor Robertson and the Vancouver Police were there to limit the destruction.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Avalon by the Sea Women's Society Fashion Show and Tea
What a glorious group of women working for a truly heavenly cause. Avalon by the Sea in White Rock is the latest Avalon women's centre to be founded for women suffering alcoholism and addiction. Women helping women. This is a non profit self supporting society that establishes welcoming safe places where women can come to address their issues of addiction. Girls and ladies gathering to share their 'experience, strength and hope with 12 step programs, AA and meetings with child care services to help each other on the road to recovery. This gala fashion show and fund raiser was truly an event to attend if only to witness what service can be achieved wholly voluntarily. A feast for the eyes, with tea and cookies, fabulous music by Michael Gillette, and inspiration.
The Avalon by the Sea Women's Society Fashion Show and Tea was held at the Kwomais Lodge in Surrey. Janice King, president, welcomed all who came to fill the hall. Helen Burman, Founder of Avalon told the story of Avalon. Mary Molson shared on the fund raising success of the "One Day at a Time" Campaign. Monica Morten shared her Avalon Story.
I was honored and priviledged to speak brielfly on the how the disease of alcoholism with its physical, emotional and mental devastation is ravashing women in a far worse way than it has men with heart disease, breast cancer, early liver cirrhosis, depression, anxiety disorders and sexual and physical violence. Fortunately women respond better to treatment. In contrast to men they seem more ready to follow directions.
I routinely recommend women attend Avalon centres because of the special concern and safety the women in recovery there give to newcomers. The successes I have seen have been quite miraculous.
Anna Kristina Boutique, Melange, and Sea Orchid provided the dresses for the fashion show. It was a thoroughly delightful spring event that hopefully will become an annual occurence. Avalon by the Sea Women's Society is doing amazing work at making a dream reality. 
The Avalon by the Sea Women's Society Fashion Show and Tea was held at the Kwomais Lodge in Surrey. Janice King, president, welcomed all who came to fill the hall. Helen Burman, Founder of Avalon told the story of Avalon. Mary Molson shared on the fund raising success of the "One Day at a Time" Campaign. Monica Morten shared her Avalon Story.
I was honored and priviledged to speak brielfly on the how the disease of alcoholism with its physical, emotional and mental devastation is ravashing women in a far worse way than it has men with heart disease, breast cancer, early liver cirrhosis, depression, anxiety disorders and sexual and physical violence. Fortunately women respond better to treatment. In contrast to men they seem more ready to follow directions.
I routinely recommend women attend Avalon centres because of the special concern and safety the women in recovery there give to newcomers. The successes I have seen have been quite miraculous.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Canucks Win
Friday, June 10, 2011
Canuck Conspiracy Theories
No conspiracy theories or such existed in Vancouver when the Canucks won the first two NHL play off games against the Boston Bruins. Obviously the Canucks were the superior team to the Boston Bruins, by pedigree, genetics, divine right, experience and sportsmanship. The Canucks are Canadian and Canadians are superior in all ways to Americans especially when it comes to hockey.
However, after the sickening first 8-1 loss in Boston, conspiracy theories and such did appear. First was the idea that the evil unsportsman "hit' that caused a Bruin to be carried off the ice in a stretcher had caused God Almighty, who rules hockey and everything else, to turn his face from the Canucks. The Canucks had clearly been tempted by idols of America (hear the Guess Who's phophetic song "American Woman" playing loudly in the background ) and must repent. The voice of God, sounding very much like Canadian McGill Doctorate William Shatner, said, "You must make a burnt offering of Don Cherry's wardrope before I will again smile on the Canucks." As this didn't occur, the second loss to the Bruins did. Now there is need for a virgin sacrifice so all manner of Canadian men are leaving the universities en mass to offer themselves on behalf of the game.
The Kwakiut'l Land on which the Vancouver ice rink sits is a blessed native site far different from the Boston rink situated near both Salem and Washington. Canadian First Nations drummers offered to fly en mass to Boston and put a whipping on any Mohawks with hockey tickets. The Haida offered to cannibalize the evil corn eating easterners. The Harper's federal Conservative Government refused divert a billion dollars from the budget for this First Nation purpose whereas Layton's NDP opposition said that if they were in charge he would have ratified such a motion. Harper offered to withdraw the troops from Kundahar and put a whipping on Boston but complained that he hadn't any F35 jets yet to gain air superiority over the Americans. Canadian snipers however in Ottawa had no doubt they could pick off Bruins players outside the stadium, something American snipers couldn't possibly do even within their own borders.
While all this martial and religious consideration was taking place it was suggested that in future Canadians shouldn't accept gifts of pucks provided by the American Military Industrial complex. After game footage of the goals against Luongo has shown the trajectory of the puck motion had a certain 'flying saucer' aspect that Canadian aernautical physicists say looks 'awfully suspicious'.
NCIS disclosed that there was cellphone exchange between Luongo and Angelina Jolie. Apparently Angelina suggested that if Luongo let one goal through, accidentally of course, she'd go out on a date with him. There is general male consensus and overall forgiveness that this sufficiently explains the 8 goals lost and the subsequent goals lost the next night. The only question is why the coach has kept Luongo in as goalie.
There is the matter of money. Every game makes people millions of dollars in entertainment value. So people are saying would you have the Rolling Stones and Beatles in concert together and let chance result in only 3 nights of music or would you, for the sake of the audience, not to mention the ferrari payments, do whatever you could to draw out the game series to at least 5 if not more. People do believe 9-11 was rigged and that Bin Laden wasn't killed but some poor camel herder who had cosmetic surgery to look like Bin Laden. Meanwhile Bin Laden has had cosmetic surgery to look like Ignatieff so no one would pay any attention to him.
It all came to a head when the Canucks team was decimated by the Rapture. Angelic Canucks hockey players were suddenly disappearing. All the Vancouver clergy were up all night cutting a deal with God to get the players back. Not only that Aliens struck the Boston Bruins and whisked many up to space ships where they were anal probed and all manner of sexual things done to them. These factual events have been used to explain good and bad play by both teams.
Finally there is speculation that the Boston Zambonni sucks and Boston ice is made with American water which is thoroughly polluted. This explains why Americans want Canadian water and why Canucks win on Canadian rinks but lose on American rinks. The Canucks literally are not used to skating on piss and shit so they can't get up to their normal speed with all the lumps the zambonni leaves.
Game 5 is about to occu.r I for one am hoping that the Aliens and Supernatural all conspire to allow the Canucks to show their natural superiority. I would as a Canadian like to believe that while the corruption in the leadership of international soccer suggests soccer is rigged like world wrestling , American Idol and beauty contests in general, nothing like this could happen in Canada to hockey. But just in case, I've emailed Prime Minister Harper and suggested it would be timely to increase the number of F35 jets that the Canadians are buying from the US.
Canuck Conspiracy Theories
No conspiracy theories or such existed in Vancouver when the Canucks won the first two NHL play off games against the Boston Bruins. Obviously the Canucks were the superior team to the Boston Bruins, by pedigree, genetics, divine right, experience and sportsmanship. The Canucks are Canadian and Canadians are superior in all ways to Americans especially when it comes to hockey.
However, after the sickening first 8-1 loss in Boston, conspiracy theories and such did appear. First was the idea that the evil unsportsman "hit' that caused a Bruin to be carried off the ice in a stretcher had caused God Almighty, who rules hockey and everything else, to turn his face from the Canucks. The Canucks had clearly been tempted by idols of America (hear the Guess Who's phophetic song "American Woman" playing loudly in the background ) and must repent. The voice of God, sounding very much like Canadian McGill Doctorate William Shatner, said, "You must make a burnt offering of Don Cherry's wardrope before I will again smile on the Canucks." As this didn't occur, the second loss to the Bruins did. Now there is need for a virgin sacrifice so all manner of Canadian men are leaving the universities en mass to offer themselves on behalf of the game.
The Kwakiut'l Land on which the Vancouver ice rink sits is a blessed native site far different from the Boston rink situated near both Salem and Washington. Canadian First Nations drummers offered to fly en mass to Boston and put a whipping on any Mohawks with hockey tickets. The Haida offered to cannibalize the evil corn eating easterners. The Harper's federal Conservative Government refused divert a billion dollars from the budget for this First Nation purpose whereas Layton's NDP opposition said that if they were in charge he would have ratified such a motion. Harper offered to withdraw the troops from Kundahar and put a whipping on Boston but complained that he hadn't any F35 jets yet to gain air superiority over the Americans. Canadian snipers however in Ottawa had no doubt they could pick off Bruins players outside the stadium, something American snipers couldn't possibly do even within their own borders.
While all this martial and religious consideration was taking place it was suggested that in future Canadians shouldn't accept gifts of pucks provided by the American Military Industrial complex. After game footage of the goals against Luongo has shown the trajectory of the puck motion had a certain 'flying saucer' aspect that Canadian aernautical physicists say looks 'awfully suspicious'.
NCIS disclosed that there was cellphone exchange between Luongo and Angelina Jolie. Apparently Angelina suggested that if Luongo let one goal through, accidentally of course, she'd go out on a date with him. There is general male consensus and overall forgiveness that this sufficiently explains the 8 goals lost and the subsequent goals lost the next night. The only question is why the coach has kept Luongo in as goalie.
There is the matter of money. Every game makes people millions of dollars in entertainment value. So people are saying would you have the Rolling Stones and Beatles in concert together and let chance result in only 3 nights of music or would you, for the sake of the audience, not to mention the ferrari payments, do whatever you could to draw out the game series to at least 5 if not more. People do believe 9-11 was rigged and that Bin Laden wasn't killed but some poor camel herder who had cosmetic surgery to look like Bin Laden. Meanwhile Bin Laden has had cosmetic surgery to look like Ignatieff so no one would pay any attention to him.
It all came to a head when the Canucks team was decimated by the Rapture. Angelic Canucks hockey players were suddenly disappearing. All the Vancouver clergy were up all night cutting a deal with God to get the players back. Not only that Aliens struck the Boston Bruins and whisked many up to space ships where they were anal probed and all manner of sexual things done to them. These factual events have been used to explain good and bad play by both teams.
Finally there is speculation that the Boston Zambonni sucks and Boston ice is made with American water which is thoroughly polluted. This explains why Americans want Canadian water and why Canucks win on Canadian rinks but lose on American rinks. The Canucks literally are not used to skating on piss and shit so they can't get up to their normal speed with all the lumps the zambonni leaves.
Game 5 is about to occu.r I for one am hoping that the Aliens and Supernatural all conspire to allow the Canucks to show their natural superiority. I would as a Canadian like to believe that while the corruption in the leadership of international soccer suggests soccer is rigged like world wrestling , American Idol and beauty contests in general, nothing like this could happen in Canada to hockey. But just in case, I've emailed Prime Minister Harper and suggested it would be timely to increase the number of F35 jets that the Canadians are buying from the US.
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